Category: Dungeness

Showoff

RWBB

Red-winged blackbirds hang out here year round. This fellow repeatedly chortled his song as I took his picture and each time he did he displayed his wings. We thought he was showing off for nearby ladies but my Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior calls it a territorial display. Sort of a birdie version of “MySpace.”

I love that shoulder patch. It’s a great flash of color in winter.

Ruin

Ruin 3

I posted a photo of this house a couple of years ago. It’s a sad sight but I’m drawn to how visual it is in its decay. In Washington it seems that all you need to do is dampen something and it’s soon hosting the growth of all manner of things. And the same moisture seems to hasten disintegration.

Ruin 3a

I thought it would be interesting to see this place in black and white. Once I converted it I wasn’t so sure. Black and white or color?

Ruin 3

Then there was the back yard. Sad, too, but fascinating in an odd way. It was as if a busy life was halted in mid-stride and the remnants left where they fell.

Ruin boat 1

So here’s another one. Black and white or color?

Flight

Four ducks

I took a number of shots of these ducks as they swam in a shallow pond. It wasn’t until they took off, however, that they looked interesting to me.

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Message to City Daily Photo bloggers: The photo challenge for February 1st is If you had to leave forever the city from which you usually post, what would you miss most?
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Running start

This Old Tree

This is a willow tree I see often. It’s at an entrance to the Dungeness Recreation Area. I’ve resolved repeatedly to photograph it in various seasons. Let’s see if I get a running start with this shot.

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Message to City Daily Photo bloggers: The photo challenge for February 1st is If you had to leave forever the city from which you usually post, what would you miss most?
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Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge

Dungeness Spit

Here’s a partial view of the Dungeness Spit, part of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. At 5.5 miles long, the Spit is the longest natural sand spit in the United States and encloses Dungeness Bay. The New Dungness Lighthouse, opened in 1857, is out of view at its tip.

The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge was created by Executive Order on January 20, 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson. It was created “as a refuge, preserve and breeding ground for native birds” and is a prime resting spot for migrating shorebirds and wintering waterfowl. The Spit is walking distance from a parking lot at the end of Voice of America Road. A National Park entry fee is required at the trail head and dogs are not allowed. If you hope to log any distance on the spit, time your trek at low tide for easier walking.

Locals: Celebrations of the 100 year anniversary of the Refuge will be kicked off today at the Red Cedar Hall of the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe, 1033 Old Blyn Highway. A free party from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. includes an illustrated presentation on the refuge’s history, displays, cake, and punch. No RSVP is necessary. Click here for a schedule of other events planned this year.