March 2009 Archives

Sandhill Crane Festival banner, originally uploaded by stevevoght.

Last weekend we trekked over the mountain passes (on the two of the very few days in the past month that they've been reasonably clear!) and headed to central Washington to attend the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival.

Every year in late March, tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes stop in the fields around Othello to feast on waste corn and grasses before continuing their trip from central California up to northern Canada and Alaska, where they nest and breed.

Although that area of the Columbia basin only averages eight inches of rain per year, it drizzled for most of the trip (resulting in lousy light for photography), but we still saw several fields filled with cranes and geese, and also some other new species, including Burrowing Owls. On the way home we made a few side-trips, as well.

Check out the entire set here.

Western Sandpipers, Dungeness NWR, originally uploaded by stevevoght.

I've finally uploaded photos from a side-trip to Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge the day after we took the Puffin cruise in August 2008. We hiked about halfway down the spit (a mere 2 miles!) before calling it a day and heading back. Three new species, and lots of familiar ones such as these Western Sandpipers.

See the whole set here.

Trashcat, originally uploaded by stevevoght.

Wiley seems a bit confused about his new surroundings after being stuck in a cage at the shelter for over a month.

Great Horned Owl eyeing the photographers, originally uploaded by stevevoght.

With talons that huge and sharp, there's no way I'm telling this Great Horned Owl that he's not a migratory bird.

A few photos from a stop last September at this fascinating sanctuary that is located just south of Vancouver, BC. Check out the set here. Four new species for the birdspotting list, and a dramatically improved shot of the owl!