While visiting Lake Fenwick today, my nieces and I had a great birding time.
The air was alive with Cedar Waxwings catching insects on the wing and they
were absolutely fearless! They were hopping on top of lilypads and landing
all over the boardwalk and bridges at the boat launch. We sat down on said
boardwalk hoping they would come closer and we got what we wanted. First
they swooped right in front of our faces, then I felt something touch my
back three times fast. "Aunt Rahne," my niece hissed, "One is sitting right
by you." The tap tap tap I felt was its wing as it was landing. Violet-green
swallows were showing off both their flying ability and their beautiful
colors all around us and a big GBH that lives there honked and flew near us
to do some fishing. Everyone was watching him when a belted kingfisher
swooped in right in front of my face and hovered until my niece turned
around to see why I was gulping. As if this wasn't enough, baby ducks, male
mallards in eclipse plumage, and at least five different colored dragonflies
also made our aquaintance. Most of the waxwings were juveniles showing off
their nice new plumage and the yellow on their tail feathers just blazed.
What a day!
Rahne Kirkham
rahne at qwest.net
Federal Way, Washington
"Joy is the serious business of Heaven."
C.S. Lewis