Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Part 2

I'm back to see if today's post goes a little smoother for me than my last attempt. I get so frustrated when something does not work as logically as I expect it to. Patience has never been my strong suit. Anyway, here are some more pictures from my afternoon at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. Now that the breeding season is over for most of the migratory waterfowl, and the wetlands have reverted to grasslands, the walking trails throughout the refuge are now all open so I was able to explore quite a bit of space while I was there.

There were lots and lots of swallows flitting about, especially once the sun started to set. Trying to get a picture of one in flight was near impossible, so it was nice of this Tree Swallow to pose for me. Apparently the rules do not apply to refuge residents. The colors on this bird are so striking! It was really great to see him so close.

At one point, I was attempting to get close to a water canal to see some red-winged blackbird fledglings and very nearly stepped on this guy and his - her? - friend. I honestly don't know who was more surprised, me or them. I jumped about two feet and they slithered off before the braver of the two decided the warm metal was too nice to stay away from and he came back out. I'm fairly certain I've identified him correctly as a harmless Northwestern Garter Snake. Such pretty markings!

Bushtits are fairly common around here, at least I get them on my suet feeder regularly. Usually they arrive en masse, but are so little there can be up to twenty on the feeder at one time. They remind me of little, furry ping pong balls and never fail to put a smile on my face. Did you know the easiest way to differentiate the sexes of Bushtits is to look at their eyes? The females have a light eye, whereas the males have dark eyes. I took a picture of both, so you can see for yourself.

This picture is a bit of a Where's Waldo. Do you see the two Great Blue Herons and the single Great Egret? If you click on the image, a larger version will open up. The same goes for all the other pictures.

Most of the migratory waterfowl have moved on, but the residents were still out and about. This group of juvenile mallards were still very into following mom in a neat little line. And I love the look of geese in flight.

Things I saw that are not included here: Bald Eagles, Red-Tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Capped Chickadees, Red-Winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, White-Crowned Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Northern Flicker, Spotted Towhee, American Robin, Warbling Vireo (heard, did not see), skunk remnants, and two dead moles. I did not share pictures of the carcasses, though I admit to having taken them. You're welcome. I'll end with a picture of a Great Egret preening and a scenic look at part of the refuge. It's really a gem and I can't wait to see what I find next time I visit.