Continued

Trumpeters, continued. Coming in to land. Click to enlarge.

Skagit Valley, 3-24-12. Daffodil fields not quite at peak. Good sign that spring is on the way. Click to enlarge.

Upland Trail, Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, west of Burlington, Wash. off State Route 20. Excellent interpretive center and two trails nearby. The upland trail is an easy 0.8 mile loop through a meadow and then a forested area. Saw a couple of rabbits and what looked like eagle nests but did not hear or see any eagles. There’s also a 2-mile shore trail by Padilla Bay. Lots of Great Blue Herons in the bay. Click to enlarge.

Looking west across Padilla Bay toward Anacortes, Wash.

Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Ladner, B.C., 4-29-12. Headed across the border for another trip to Reifel, always a great place to observe birds, plus about three miles of trails round the sanctuary. Click all photos to enlarge.

Canada Goose and Goslings

Reifel, continued

Mallard and Ducklings

Ring-tailed Ducks

Reifel, continued

Northern Pintail

Tree Swallow

Downy Woodpecker

Reifel, continued

This is a good time of the year to view the Sandhill Cranes.

Nesting crane on small island

Lone crane in marshy area