Hello Doug,

I just spent some time viewing and enjoying all the beautiful creatures from your area, yard, and beautiful Whatcom Park. I especially like the RTHs with their meals, great catches!!!!!!!!! Love all the great variety of birds you saw and brought brought us. Boy do I wish I lived closer to Whatcom Park, it is a treasure of wildlife! Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos with us.

I agree with you on my mystery goose.

Hi Doug: What a sweet bunch of photos-the finest I've seen in a while. Love the little squirrel with apple. Reminds me of my cottage....same squirrel. He must be a good swimmer. The best, Harry.

Nice squirrel Harry.

I forgot to mention how much I enjoyed the Great Blue Heron at the falls catching the fish, that was an awesome catch!

Hi Doug: Wonderful variety of photos. Looks like the snow didn’t stop you from exploring. The thrush, and especially the squirrel with the apple, are great captures as was the RTH and the rat.

Hi Ed, Linda, Harry, Kay and all,
Thanks for looking in and the warm comments.
Ed * the snow was wonderful and seemed to bring out a different variety of birds. The Varied Thrush were everywhere when the snow was on the ground, and disappeared after the melt.
Harry * it is wonderful to have you look in. Your compliment means a lot to me as your photos are an inspiration.
Linda * I have gotten familiar with this particular RTHA. It is the downstream resident and doing a great job at keeping the rat population under control.
Kay * I have a hate / love relationship with the squirrels. We are always battling over the bird feeders. I try to make the feeders inaccessible to furry creatures and they nearly always figure out a way to get the seed. However, when it gets really cold, I help them out with a few apples.

Normally, I would be posting more eagle photos, but the Lummi Flats area has been really quiet this year.
Nest maintenance and building is currently under way and I hope to be reporting on the nesting eagles more in the near future.
Meanwhile, I'll continue to report on the birds I see here in town and out in the field.

Cheers, db

Arcadia, California * 1-24-12

I was in southern California for a couple days.
Each morning I had a few minutes to go birding in the motel parking lot.
These Red-crowned Parrots woke me up each morning with their call.
They are non native. A large population has grown from escapees and released birds.
There were at least a dozen in this flock.

Arcadia, California * 1-24-12

Also seen in the bushes around the perimeter of the parking lot.
Western Scrub Jay


Northern Mockingbird

Arcadia, California * 1-24-12

Rufous Hummingbird {?} with Bird of Paradise