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Author Archives: Teri J Pieper

A Few Birds

The western larch trees, sometimes called tamarack, provide homes for Williamson’s Sapsuckers and other birds. The male and female appear quite different and there was a time when they were classified as two separate species. I found a nest just below our campsite and was able to photograph the two birds coming and going as they fed their young. It was a long ways up in the tree and I had to sit down and lean back to get these images and wait patiently while they foraged for insects in between feedings. If you scroll through the photos you will get a good idea of the two different plumages of the male and female. And at the end are a few other birds.

There were lots of loons and they will get a separate post.

female Williamson’s Sapsucker
The male waits while she feeds the young
And off he goes for more bugs
American Coot
Eastern Kingbird
Red-winged Blackbird

Camping Scenes

We all went camping last week and had a nice time away from home in a beautiful and place and offline too. It rained some. There was one big thunderstorm that went on for an hour or more. We never got too hot. Or cold. Sky may have jumped in a lake or two. Or three.

Solstice Hike

The girls and I were determined to get out at least once this week despite the weather. It has been windy and chilly for June all week. Yesterday despite the continuing wind, we went anyway and while it was cold, it wasn’t windy in the mountains. The parking lot at the trailhead had more cars than I expected for a Friday morning. I guess lots of folks were enjoying the start of a long solstice weekend. When we returned, the lot was overflowing with cars and sprinter vans.

Okanogan Highlands Weekend

On the weekend of June 1, I visited my friend Betty for a long weekend of birding. North Central Washington Audubon Society hosted a big day on June 1, in hopes of counting all or many of the birds in our four-county (Chelan, Douglas, Ferry and Okanogan) area. It’s a HUGE geographic area. And much of it is remote and lightly populated with people.

Betty lives in Ferry County, the area with the fewest people and lots of really nice bird habitats. I birded my way over there on Thursday; Friday we scouted our area and visited a friend in the next area; Saturday we marathon birded from early in the morning til well into the evening and Sunday I worked my way home slowly til it got too hot to be any fun. We had some rain and once it came down in such a downpour we were concerned for our safety and decided to make a hasty departure. There was hail and lots of sunshine too. Somehow I managed to only photograph birds and not Betty or the dogs or the horses or chickens. Looking forward to next time!

Barrow’s Goldeneye with babies
drake Mallard
Northern Shoveler and Black Terns
Black Tern
American Coot
coot baby
Redhead
Coots are pretty cute
Pied-billed Grebe
Yellow-headed Blackbird. Or as Ken would say, Black-bodied Yellowbird.
Ruddy Ducks have a very dramatic courtship display
I think he is admiring himself
Mallard
Mallard pair
Common Loon nesting in the rain
Common Loon in a downpour
Common Loon carrying her youngster
Common Goldeneye with babies
Common Loon on a nest in the sunshine

Spring Walks

Of course we enjoyed lots of walks and here are a few highlights from the last month and a half.

The weather continues to be unsettled
Serviceberry
Aspen
Balsamroot
Smelling spring
balsamroot
lupine and balsamroot
bitterbrush
paintbrush
lupine
Luna’s tail always gives her away
paintbrush
Why does Sky look older than Luna
Penstemon, so much penstemon
More penstemon
Cutthroat Lake
Sky made a new friend named LeRoy Brown.
Sky tried to take LeRoy’s toy.