Beauty in the bark of an old tree in the Hoh Rain Forest.
Tag: Washington
The Cold Stretch
A shoveler stretches early in the morning as a cold snap finally breaks and the ice covering the frozen ponds slowly begins to melt.
Ripples
Rain ripples the water as a common muskrat feeds in Rest Lake.
Round Two
This Columbian white-tailed deer fawn, nibbling on foliage at head height, is the second generation I’ve seen its mother (out of frame to the right) raise at Ridgefield since she was moved to the refuge a couple of years ago, continuing the recovery of the Lower Columbia River population.
Topographic Map
Part of an old tree trunk, bleached by the sun, one of many that have washed ashore onto Rialto Beach.
The Hills Are Alive With the Sounds of Pikas
Music to my ears.
Dining on Wildflowers
A hoary marmot eats wildflowers on a rainy fall afternoon in Mount Rainier National Park. The pouring rain reduced the crowds on the trails compared to the previous sunny day, but the marmot has to eat rain or shine, for a cool wet afternoon is nothing compared to the brutality of the coming winter that will drive it into hibernation.
Strike While the Iron Is Hot
My first full day in Mount Rainier last year started off with a bit of rain but was sunny and warm most of the day, before it started raining buckets for the rest of my trip. This chipmunk was taking full advantage of the sunshine, and the hikers it brought in numbers, to fatten up for the coming winter by eating the many grasshoppers that people had crushed underfoot on the nearby trails.
A Sense of Scale
Sometimes when looking at my wildlife pictures it’s hard for me to remember how big or small an animal really was without something familiar to provide a sense of scale. I don’t get to see pikas that often so this time, to help me remember their size, I took a picture of one eating a Christmas tree.
Anchored
While watching this sunbathing turtle, the way its rear feet and tail were stuck into the water reminded me of an anchored boat. In truth I don’t know if it could reach the bottom with its feet or if they were just dangling in the water, as it was firmly positioned on a partially submerged log and needed no anchor.
Boolie 