One never knows what to expect when visiting the Dungeness Landing, and so it was on this particular day.
We had friends visiting from Tacoma, and while showing them the local birding sites, we counted over 30 eagles at the Landing that day…yes! And because that was and is such a rarity, I think I captured over 3,000 pictures of them with this one being one of my favorites.
To me it signals the joy of spring, warm weather, and new life, and I couldn’t have said it any better than this delightful creature.
A Male Peafowl (Peacock) in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, BC
Victoria is fabulous city and Beacon Hill Park, located in the center of the city, is one of its crown jewels.
In this park you will find any number of peafowl. Yes…male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens, but aside from that, these beautiful and people-friendly birds frequent the park, and as you might guess, visitors feed them, which undoubtedly brings them in.
The park is also a haven for herons, eagles, songbirds, waterfowl, human adults needing a break from city traffic and noise, and children seeking a petty zoo experience.
In addition to the above, you’ll find beautiful plants, flowers, trees, and fountains all in close proximity to downtown, Parliament and the BC Museum.
But the big draw for me is the birds. And I’m grateful that this particular one posed for me so beautifully. It’s a BC souvenir that brings me joy whenever I see and share it and I hope you enjoy it as well.
A Townsend’s Solitaire Perched on a Lichen Covered Branch
Tucked among the trees along the Levee trail in Sequim, this wide-eyed solitaire caught my attention immediately and rightly so since it was my first encounter with one.
Solitaires nest on the ground and love Juniper bushes as well as their berries, so I was very lucky to have spotted this one on a branch above ground and within range of my camera.
And although the Levee Trail has changed dramatically in the last few years, one thing hasn’t; the birds still find a suitable home there.
Shrieking at the top of his lungs, this youngster not only commanded the attention of his nest mate, but that of surrounding birds – and humans.
In this neck of the woods, his shriek is pretty much unmistakable, and certainly not comparable to Pavarotti, but that profile certainly reminded me of the grand master, and I found the look on the face of his sibling to be as equally entertaining.
These two were nest mates on Marine Drive a few years ago and with any luck and given enough food, they stayed in our area to build their own nests and to raise their own families.
But as far as brotherhood is concerned, eaglets, unlike humans, pretty much leave their attachments to siblings far behind and focus on survival – and maybe due to all the noise…
While photographing hummingbirds and songbirds at a friend’s house here in Sequim, I was told that planting Catmint is one of the best ways to attract these beauties. So if you hope to bring them to your backyard, consider adding this plant to your landscape.
And although I recently added Catmint, and planted any number of other flowering plants in an effort to increase my chances of attracting them, I find they’re more interested in my feeders than anything else.
So given that, I bring in my feeders when the plants are in bloom. That forces the hummers to look elsewhere and it helps increase the likelihood of me getting to photograph them on something other than a feeder.
And if you have a good way to attract them and you’re willing to share, please let us all know by making a comment.
A Smew Relaxing a Pond, Dry Creek Waterfowl Sanctuary
With the unusual name of smew, this diving duck stands out a bit from crowd in not only name but appearance. Its striking features are eye-catching and because it’s often found in the collections of European waterfowl collections, I’m assuming it’s coveted by many, as well as me.
Unfortunatley, if you missed seeing one at the festival, you’ll have to wait until next year for another chance. Because of the sensitive nature of the birds and the work involved in hosting the public, the waterfowl sanctuary is only open to visitors during Olympic Bird Fest, and only on specific days and at specific times.
So put it on your calendar for April 2026 and be sure to sign up via the website well in advance.
Given that we have our fair share of rain here on the peninsula, it wasn’t surprising that on this particular day, we had a downpour. And although I covered up and tried to avoid getting drenched, this King Eider seems to relish in it.
Like many others in our area, this was the first time I’d seen or photographed this species, and I was surprised by its unusual features and colors. Considering it survives in the arctic, it seems well equipped to tolerate its environment and undoubtedly considers a little rain to be a comfort.
And to quote the Cornell Lab of Ornithology on the All About Birds website, “Among the waterfowl of the world, none is more ornately adorned than the male King Eider, its black-and-white plumage accented by a red-and-orange bill, pearl-blue crown, and spring-green cheek. Females are a rich marbling of rusty brown and black. King Eiders nest in tundra of the far north and winter largely at the edge of sea ice, foraging on shellfish.”
The festival website explains that this fabulous sanctuary is “Owned and managed by Arnold and Debbie Schouten since 1980, Dry Creek Waterfowl Sanctuary has many unique waterfowl and shorebird species. It is a private collection and wildlife sanctuary near Port Angeles, Washington. Dry Creek Waterfowl Sanctuary raises 14 species of waterfowl commonly known as sea ducks, all of which are rarely seen up close in the wild. Sea ducks spend most of their lives in salt water, coming to fresh water only during the breeding season. The sea duck group includes some of the most spectacular and highly specialized waterfowl such as Harlequin Ducks, Long-tailed Ducks, Scoters, Eiders, Mergansers and Goldeneyes”.
