WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: 8 new views of our winged neighbors

Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos, we have another gallery of West Seattle bird sightings, always fun on a football afternoon. The top photo is by Kersti Muul, who explains it’s a Virginia Rail:

A rare treat to see in West Seattle. Was called by the Port to assess an injured bird and was stunned to find that it was a rail. I’ve never seen one here, and they are rare to see anyway, easier to hear. Very secretive, marsh-dwelling birds. This one had taken up residence behind the bathrooms at Jack Block Park. Stunning bird, and great camouflage.

Down in The Arroyos, Mark MacDonald photographed a Killdeer:

Next photo is from Robin Sinner, who says this Surfbird is “back from the tundra”:

Meantime, this Rufous Hummingbird will soon depart, according to Mark Wangerin:

Mark also sent this photo of an American Goldfinch:

Two views of California Scrub-Jays – first, from Susan Hayes-McQueen:

And from Jerry Simmons:

Finally, a photo taken from a Fauntleroy-bound ferry by middle-schooler Eva, who saw a Great Blue Heron sharing space with a seal:

(Just a reminder if you haven’t clicked – all the bird species names are linked to their pages on the Seattle Audubon BirdWeb, which includes photos and audio files of the birds’ calls.)

14 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: 8 new views of our winged neighbors"

  • Julia September 19, 2021 (3:48 pm)

    I always look forward to these. This week’s are extra special! Thanks to all you photographers and WSB.

  • Just wondering September 19, 2021 (4:45 pm)

    Where does the hummingbird go in the winter?

    • Nudnick September 19, 2021 (5:28 pm)

      East   :)

    • Dennis Cheasebro September 19, 2021 (9:07 pm)

      Click on the link. It goes south, mostly to the southwest coast of Mexico.

  • Chuck September 19, 2021 (5:10 pm)

    I also want to thank WSB, and particularly our neighbor photographers, for these photos.   I look forward to them.  A nice break from the blitz of news, and a wonderful reminder of the beauty in our neighborhood.

    • WSB September 19, 2021 (7:21 pm)

      “Blitz of news” is a good description of Saturday!

  • Vanessa September 19, 2021 (6:25 pm)

    We keep the hummingbird feeders going all year long. Ever since I saw a hummer in the middle of Winter, trying to get food out of a dead flower, we feed them all year. 

    • waikikigirl September 19, 2021 (7:26 pm)

      “Ours” hang around all year long too so we also keep the feeders out.

      • Lori Rath September 19, 2021 (9:32 pm)

        We have two types of hummingbirds in this area. Anna’s, which are mostly here year-round, and Rufous, like the one in the photo, which I believe show up in the late spring and stay until late summer/early fall, when they head south again. Rufous are noticeably smaller than Anna’s, and their sounds are quite different, too.

    • Pessoa September 19, 2021 (8:11 pm)

      Same here. Remarkable the quantities of sugar water hummingbird can consume. Learned a deal about these unique birds at the Morro Bay Bird Festival a few years back. 

    • Dennis Cheasebro September 19, 2021 (9:41 pm)

      Those are Anna’s hummingbirds, that have decided they really like it here. How much because we feed them, I wonder?

  • Brynn September 19, 2021 (10:31 pm)

    Is the Rail seriously injured? I hope that lovely bird is okay.

  • BILLY September 20, 2021 (8:05 am)

    Thank you for sharing + posting! These photos are good for my mental health :)

  • savoirfaire September 20, 2021 (8:32 am)

    I didn’t get a good photo, but I was excited to see a hawk (probably a Cooper’s) on the fence outside my home office window the other day. I know they’re not uncommon around here, but I had never seen one in our yard before.

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