BIRDS: From river to sea to trees

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

In the fall, we often feature bird-photo galleries on Seahawks game days. Today, it’s in honor of the end of the Seafair airshow.

While at Duwamish River People’s Park for the festival on Saturday, we photographed the Osprey nest atop a pole in the middle of the habitat-restoration zone. Steve Bender sent this photo of the mom and chick two weeks ago:

At Lincoln Park, Vincent Marx photographed two young male Bald Eagles:

Then there’s the majesty of the birds that share our neighborhoods day to day – Chi Krneta photographed these Crows (one fully leucistic) in July:

Troy Sterk sent this photo of a young Crow a few days ago:

Speaking of young, Jerry Simmons photographed a Steller’s Jay feeding chicks in June:

Ann Anderson photographed a baby Bushtit – and if you know how small Bushtits are, imagine how little their babies must be!

Last but not least, a Great Blue Heron with a catch, photographed by Dianne Johnson:

Thanks to everyone who’s sent bird photos – with Seahawks season almost here, we’ll likely be back to publishing galleries every few weeks, depending on what comes in.

Jeanelle August 7, 2022 (5:36 pm)

I really look forward to these. Thanks for the wonderful photos!

Insertname August 7, 2022 (5:50 pm)

Me too! Always an absolute pleasure.

waikikigirl August 7, 2022 (6:46 pm)

How about if I want to show off some of the flowers I have in my flowerbeds, what size is best to accommodate the blogs posting of them please? And I do too love all the pics of birds, flowers…

WSB August 7, 2022 (7:33 pm)

We publish at 1000 pixels wide, displayed on the website at 652 but you can click (if viewing desktop or laptop) and see the larger version, Just don’t send at thumbnail size.

Ann August 22, 2022 (12:37 pm)

Bushtit: Just to clarify, the photo shown is of an adult female exiting her nest – (in constant search of food for her nestlings – (who are at that moment chirping and begging down at the bottom of the long, gourd-shaped nest).

Of the many wonder around these micro birds, I found the Bushtit nest itself amazing. It’s expertly woven and bound together by both male and female birds using spiderweb silk (!). This one is suspended from a branch (also with spider silk). Lichen, grasses, Cottonwood Tree fluff, moss, feathers, and other plant building materials can be observed in the photo.

Even the adult Bushtits are TINY- measuring only about 3″ long and tipping the scales at about the same weight as four paperclips. For scale, the “giant” pine cone in the upper frame is really only the size of a medium cherry.

Lastly, GREAT photo of leucistic crow (was this near Alki or Admiral by chance?). Cheers to Jerry Simmons for actually tracking down a Stellar Jay’s nest (not an easy feat, since Corvids are very clever AND stealthy) and then stealthily photographing a feeding. Also, Vincent Marx -great juve eagle moment you caught. Unusual to see this behavior- much less get a good photo of it.

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