Feb. 1, 2013 – Ridgefield NWR – 27 Photos

Home » Feb. 1, 2013 – Ridgefield NWR – 27 Photos

Feb. 1, 2013 – Ridgefield NWR – 27 Photos

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It’s the beginning of February and the wildlife is active at the Ridgefield NWR in Washington state.  Today’s weather is partly sunny and around 40 degrees F.

Before we get started with the photos I wanted to share with you that one of my Ovenbird photos (taken 1/22/2013) was chosen to be used in the Portland Audubon Society’s March/April edition of their Warbler Newsletter.  If you’re interested, please check out my photo posting  here, and the photo (and short article) as it appears in the newsletter here (scroll down to page 11).  The newsletter is a pdf file.

Okay, back to February 1.  This is a shot of a Hooded Merganser out of water with light coming from the left.  It’s not often I see these beauties out of water so I thought I’d take her picture.   (11:24 a.m.)    ISO 800

[By the way, most of these shots look better viewed large.  Please click once on the thumbnail to see the large version].

_X5A7256-Edit-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR   hooded merganser

 

A Red-tailed Hawk was circling near marker #11.   (11:40)

_X5A7273-Edit-2-Edit20130201RNWR   red-tailed hawk  flight

 

_X5A7280-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk flight

 

 

_X5A7286-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk flight

 

 

_X5A7293-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk  flight

 

 

_X5A7300-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk flight

 

An American Kestrel in flight, just after it quit hovering.   (11:43)    ISO 800

_X5A7363-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR  american kestrel

 

 

_X5A7366-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR  american kestrel

 

 

_X5A739420130201RNWR  american kestrel

 

A Lesser Scaup pair was hanging out in the canal across from marker #3.  Here is the male.    (11:51)    ISO 800

_X5A7406-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR   lesser scaup

 

I was driving slowly between markers #7 & 8, when a pair of Bald Eagles appeared high above me.  I barely had time to get the camera out the window and shoot straight up to get this shot.  I was successful in capturing only one of the birds.    (12:00 p.m.)    ISO 800

_X5A7433-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR   bald eagle

 

Here’s a shot of a group of shorebirds across from the Kiwa trail entrance.    (12:01)   ISO 800

_X5A7439-Edit20130201RNWR  ridgefield nwr

 

A Red-tailed Hawk poses for me just off the road past the Kiwa trail.    (1:09)    ISO 640

_X5A7478-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk

This Red-tail is a full frame shot–very close.  Not far past the Kiwa trail.    (1:11)   ISO 640

_X5A7505-Edit20130201RNWR   red-tailed hawk full frame

This Red-tailed Hawk was on one of the refuge signs past marker #14.    (1:48)   ISO 640

_X5A7517-Edit20130201RNWR   red-tailed hawk

 

An American Wigeon basking in the sun between markers #7 & 8.   (3:35)    ISO 1000

_X5A7681-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR  american wigeon

 

Very near the Wigeon was a pretty Hooded Merganser either contemplating life or looking for her next meal.   (3:37)   ISO 2500

_X5A7696-Edit20130201RNWR   hooded merganser

 

_X5A7697-Edit20130201RNWR  hooded merganser

 

This is most likely the previous merganser’s beau.  Here he was just shaking some water off.   (3:40)   ISO 1250

_X5A7734-Edit20130201RNWR  hooded merganser

 

Just after the shake.

_X5A7735-Edit20130201RNWR  hooded merganser

 

In the woods, on a nice mossy perch sits a Song Sparrow.     (3:47)   ISO 1250

_X5A7744-Edit20130201RNWR  song sparrow

 

Near marker #11, I was watching these two Bald Eagles as they were perched on separate trees on either side of me.  The mature bird, perched to the right of me, took off, crossed the road, and headed right for the immature bird where it was perched.  It too, took flight and they ended up doing a little dance about 800 feet away.  These are lousy pictures but I wanted to show you a part of the show I observed.    (3:59)   ISO 1000

_X5A776520130201RNWR   bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776620130201RNWR  bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776720130201RNWR   bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776820130201RNWR  bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776920130201RNWR  bald eagle

 

And last but not least, a Lesser Scaup lit up by the setting afternoon sun.  She was in the canal between markers #12 & 13.   (4:22)   ISO 1000

_X5A7793-Edit20130201RNWR  lesser scaup

 

Thanks for taking time out of your day to check out my blog.  Hope to see you again next time!  Be well.

Posted in

It’s the beginning of February and the wildlife is active at the Ridgefield NWR in Washington state.  Today’s weather is partly sunny and around 40 degrees F.

Before we get started with the photos I wanted to share with you that one of my Ovenbird photos (taken 1/22/2013) was chosen to be used in the Portland Audubon Society’s March/April edition of their Warbler Newsletter.  If you’re interested, please check out my photo posting  here, and the photo (and short article) as it appears in the newsletter here (scroll down to page 11).  The newsletter is a pdf file.

Okay, back to February 1.  This is a shot of a Hooded Merganser out of water with light coming from the left.  It’s not often I see these beauties out of water so I thought I’d take her picture.   (11:24 a.m.)    ISO 800

[By the way, most of these shots look better viewed large.  Please click once on the thumbnail to see the large version].

_X5A7256-Edit-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR   hooded merganser

 

A Red-tailed Hawk was circling near marker #11.   (11:40)

_X5A7273-Edit-2-Edit20130201RNWR   red-tailed hawk  flight

 

_X5A7280-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk flight

 

 

_X5A7286-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk flight

 

 

_X5A7293-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk  flight

 

 

_X5A7300-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk flight

 

An American Kestrel in flight, just after it quit hovering.   (11:43)    ISO 800

_X5A7363-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR  american kestrel

 

 

_X5A7366-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR  american kestrel

 

 

_X5A739420130201RNWR  american kestrel

 

A Lesser Scaup pair was hanging out in the canal across from marker #3.  Here is the male.    (11:51)    ISO 800

_X5A7406-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR   lesser scaup

 

I was driving slowly between markers #7 & 8, when a pair of Bald Eagles appeared high above me.  I barely had time to get the camera out the window and shoot straight up to get this shot.  I was successful in capturing only one of the birds.    (12:00 p.m.)    ISO 800

_X5A7433-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR   bald eagle

 

Here’s a shot of a group of shorebirds across from the Kiwa trail entrance.    (12:01)   ISO 800

_X5A7439-Edit20130201RNWR  ridgefield nwr

 

A Red-tailed Hawk poses for me just off the road past the Kiwa trail.    (1:09)    ISO 640

_X5A7478-Edit20130201RNWR  red-tailed hawk

This Red-tail is a full frame shot–very close.  Not far past the Kiwa trail.    (1:11)   ISO 640

_X5A7505-Edit20130201RNWR   red-tailed hawk full frame

This Red-tailed Hawk was on one of the refuge signs past marker #14.    (1:48)   ISO 640

_X5A7517-Edit20130201RNWR   red-tailed hawk

 

An American Wigeon basking in the sun between markers #7 & 8.   (3:35)    ISO 1000

_X5A7681-Edit-Edit20130201RNWR  american wigeon

 

Very near the Wigeon was a pretty Hooded Merganser either contemplating life or looking for her next meal.   (3:37)   ISO 2500

_X5A7696-Edit20130201RNWR   hooded merganser

 

_X5A7697-Edit20130201RNWR  hooded merganser

 

This is most likely the previous merganser’s beau.  Here he was just shaking some water off.   (3:40)   ISO 1250

_X5A7734-Edit20130201RNWR  hooded merganser

 

Just after the shake.

_X5A7735-Edit20130201RNWR  hooded merganser

 

In the woods, on a nice mossy perch sits a Song Sparrow.     (3:47)   ISO 1250

_X5A7744-Edit20130201RNWR  song sparrow

 

Near marker #11, I was watching these two Bald Eagles as they were perched on separate trees on either side of me.  The mature bird, perched to the right of me, took off, crossed the road, and headed right for the immature bird where it was perched.  It too, took flight and they ended up doing a little dance about 800 feet away.  These are lousy pictures but I wanted to show you a part of the show I observed.    (3:59)   ISO 1000

_X5A776520130201RNWR   bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776620130201RNWR  bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776720130201RNWR   bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776820130201RNWR  bald eagle

 

 

_X5A776920130201RNWR  bald eagle

 

And last but not least, a Lesser Scaup lit up by the setting afternoon sun.  She was in the canal between markers #12 & 13.   (4:22)   ISO 1000

_X5A7793-Edit20130201RNWR  lesser scaup

 

Thanks for taking time out of your day to check out my blog.  Hope to see you again next time!  Be well.

4 thoughts on “Feb. 1, 2013 – Ridgefield NWR – 27 Photos”

  1. A lot of nice shots Scott. My favorite is the first shot of the inflight Red-tail….one of the best I’ve seen….great photography!

    1. Thank you, Liz, for the nice comment. Yes, I am very lucky to have a refuge with an auto tour, which allows me to use my vehicle as a blind. My usable shots per hour go up compared to walking a trail. There are many disadvantages to shooting from a vehicle but I’m willing to live with those for now.

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