Meanwhile, at the Wetlands

I did not get to the Wakarusa Wetlands much over the summer, but now that we are heading into fall, I plan to do something about that whenever I can. I took a couple of hours off yesterday to see if what I had been hearing about great numbers of pelicans was true. While a road grater scared many of them away right after I got there, a few remained. It is great to see them in this relatively new space (part of the mitigation for the SLT). While I in no way can speak to the anger and betrayal felt by so many regarding this sacred space, I am choosing to focus on making peace with my relationship with this place that has meant so much to me. I hope it will continue to be a place of relative safety for the beings who live there, and I hope that migrants continue to find it a restful and nourishing spot in the fall and spring.  It was wonderful to see thousands of gulls coming through high overhead and the blackbirds were dining on sunflower seeds. A few cormorants were hanging out in a tree, kingfishers patrolled, and grebes dived. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Sunrise Wetlands

© Chris Taylor

Red-winged blackbirds on sunflower

© Chris Taylor

Red-winged blackbirds in flight

© Chris Taylor

Cormorants

© Chris Taylor

American coot and grebe

© Chris Taylor

Belted kingfisher

© Chris Taylor

Pelicans in a line

© Chris Taylor

Busy Wetlands

It has been a busy few days at the Wakarusa Wetlands. The wet, cool weather has been especially good for early morning walks. Shorebirds are arriving in abundance and year-round residents are busy staking out territory, courting, and gathering nest materials. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Common yellow-throat warbler

© Chris Taylor

Goslings

© Chris Taylor

White-crowned sparrow

© Chris Taylor

Caspian tern

© Chris Taylor

Cormorants

© Chris Taylor

Egret and terns

© Chris Taylor

Western kingbird

© Chris Taylor

Fall migration

Fall migration is wonderful! The cormorants were coming in all morning and there are thousands of gulls here. I watched hundreds of swallows swooping over the grass and water. I think they will be leaving soon. A very nice morning!

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

 

Nice morning

This fall weather is amazing. It was nice to leave for an appointment a couple of hours early and steal a bit of time at the lake. Click on pictures to enlarge.

© Chris Taylor

 

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

 

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

Have a safe trip, pelicans

The pelicans have mostly moved on. The cormorants will follow soon. Ducks are arriving in abundance. Meadowlarks are singing fall songs, and coots are everywhere. It’s beautiful weather to be out watching. Don’t forget to look up. Enjoy! Click on pictures to enlarge.

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor

© Chris Taylor