Netta and I visited Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday
afternoon, 2/3/07, with time only to drive once around the tour road
in a light rain. At the south end of the lake, we noticed coots
running down a slough that leads into the lake and flying in all
directions and knew there was some disturbance up ahead. As we got
closer, we saw a river otter coming toward us, flushing coots one
after another. It actually surfaced right behind several coots that
were moving fast, and I wouldn't have been surprised if it had
grabbed one, but it didn't get the chance. it swam mostly underwater
and very fast, passing us not far away but surfacing too briefly to
get any photos.

While at Ridgefield, we saw a dark Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk and a
surprising Brant that fed at the head of a huge flock of Cackling
Geese moving through the grass like some surreal hybrid between a
carpet and a lawnmower. The Cacklers were mostly the Yukon-delta-
breeding Branta hutchinsii minima, but there were a few small flocks
of Branta hutchinsii taverneri, the distinctly larger pale-breasted
arctic-breeding subspecies, in cohesive groups among them. We noted
the absence of snipe and speculated that they have to vacate such
places when both water and ground freeze for a lengthy period.

Cranes bugled above, heron statues stalked voles in the fields, the
most Song Sparrows I have ever seen dotted the road edge, nutrias
sought nutriments, and a wide variety of waterfowl fowled the water.
As always, a delightful place to visit.
-----
Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net



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