Subject: [Tweeters] Reifel Bird Snactuary and the fill
Date: Dec 7 12:16:27 2008
From: Bob Kothenbeutel - viper.bob at verizon.net


Last Thursday, 12/4/08, I got up early and traveled to B.C. for a visit to
the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary with hopes of photographing the
peregrine falcon reported to be hanging out there as well as a saw-whet owl.
The falcon was a no show but there was a wealth of subject matter to point a
camera at. As I arrived at the gate there were 2 RED-TAILED HAWKS sitting
side-by side on a snag - a Kodak moment for sure! Unfortunately they
departed as I was setting up my equipment. Then a pair of BALD EAGLES flew
toward me and veered off to the right as they were over my head. They were
so close together that their wings batted against each other as they
banked. That was an image that will remain with me for a while (but only in
my head because I was holding the wrong camera with the wrong lens!!).
Although there was a large variety of waterfowl the highlight of my trip was
the SAW-WHET OWL which proved to be a most willing subject. What a cute and
dainty little creature. It was tucked away in the evergreens so lighting was
an issue but it sat so still that extremely slow shutter speeds were not an
issue.



I went to Mountlake fill yesterday, 12/6/08, with the hopes of photographing
COOPER HAWKS. Although I saw 2 of them they were not in range for the kind
of images I am after. While there, however I did get some brief images of
one of the 3 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS that are spending the winter. Also of note
was a pair of EURASIAN WIDGEONS off of the southwest point. The drake was
still molting and not very colorful yet but the hen was fairly easy to tell
from the A. WIDGEONS in that its head had much more of a rusty coloration.
That plus the fact that it appeared to be mated to the drake helped in the
ID. There was also a full colored CINNAMON TEAL drake, a PINTAIL drake and a
pair of RING-NECKED DUCKS in the same location. As I was about to leave I
noticed the resident RED-TAILED HAWK perched in a tree near the road to lot
E5. After a few minutes he swooped down to the grass and came up with a
mouse which he took to a nearby low bush and lunched on. I got some close-up
photos of this.



Check the "last uploads" section of my website for some images of the above.



www.photos.rlkimages.com <http://www.photos.rlkimages.com/>



Bob Kothenbeutel

Woodinville

viperDOTbobATverizonDOTnet