Bird Brains!

We have so many things that grow, live and/or visit here, along with festivals and fairs, etc. There are events just about every weekend, all you have to do is look. I feel very fortunate to live in such an interesting area. We have mountains, deserts, rain forests, valleys, rivers. lakes, the Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula.  You can do almost any sport somewhere in this state. We have rodeos in the east and surfing in the west.  We have the world's biggest octopus species. And we have birds - lots of birds...

We have Bald Eagles that winter and breed here. We have the Sandhill Crane festival in Othello every year and Great Blue Herons breed right here, almost on our own street. One sight I've personally been wanting to see are the large flocks of Snow Geese. They actually come from North of Siberia to our more temperate climate to breed up in the northern part of the state, right in the same area as the tulip and daffodil fields. 

They're here by the thousands in January and February, along with a few hundred Trumpeter Swans and a handful of Tundra Swans as well, but hunters are allowed in until late January. So February is the photographers' turn - to ready, aim, SHOOT!

We picked another perfect day to photograph in the area, sun and stormy clouds, perfection! When we located the flocks I was surprised by the noise, I don't know why, I've been to enough bird breeding grounds. After analyzing them for a couple minutes I determined that we were looking at families. There were big, white birds and slightly smaller ones with lots of grey. They walked along in family groups. I was curious about the one I found walking alone...


Every once in a while they'd decide it was time for a move, sometimes being spooked by Bald Eagles. They'd rise up almost as one and the sky became a tornado of geese. A buzzing, flapping, honking tornado. It was awe-inspiring.

We did a little driving around and found more sights - like these curious little guys!

We'll definitely be going back for better pictures next year. I was experimenting with a new lens and it may end up being resold.