While birding in Skagit County yesterday, the raptors took the day, but I would be remiss to avoid highlighting the magnificent water birds as well, such as this male green-winged teal that was hunting for food among the mud:
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iKawzGKhsv0/SbsruG7IXaI/AAAAAAAACGw/ICQWLhUq2xk/s400/SkagitGreenWingedTeal.jpg)
I saw several great blue herons, but I was able to snap a great photo of this one along the roadside by slowing down and using my car as a blind. I love how his crest is trailing out behind him (her?):
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iKawzGKhsv0/SbsrpwvetfI/AAAAAAAACGo/VPkcI4VTdYE/s400/SkagitGreatBlueHeron.jpg)
There were also thousands of swans occupying farm fields. A birder's nightmare, it can be very difficult to tell apart the tundra and trumpeter swans in the field, but I determined both species were present:
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iKawzGKhsv0/Sbsrl9WgxCI/AAAAAAAACGg/1ocRZ5yfhiM/s400/SkagitSwans.jpg)
And check out this expert landing:
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iKawzGKhsv0/SbsrhF-FhgI/AAAAAAAACGY/u-pD9MLVQJs/s400/SkagitTrumpeterSwan.jpg)
Finally, while I was watching the short-eared owls near the end of the afternoon, a bald eagle flew over and flushed several thousand snow geese. They were far enough away that they looked like a swarm of white insects:
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iKawzGKhsv0/Sbsrd_4-ysI/AAAAAAAACGQ/0MhEbf_r2HA/s400/SkagitSnowGeese.jpg)
1 comment:
Could you hear the sound of the thousands of wings?
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