Birding the Kent Ponds Today

As the sun rose and it started to warm up Western Tiger Swallowtails were flying including this one feeding on Hungarian Blackberry flower.

I decided to get out of Pierce County and bird in the adjacent King County this morning, getting up early to beat the weekend bikers and joggers at the Kent Ponds. Actually this is the old name for the area, before they were officially claimed as a city asset. They are now my kind of NRA (i.e. not the National Rifle Association."

It was a nice long walk today and although nothing unusual was found, the morning light made it good for photography.

Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

A classic pose for a male Rufous Hummingbird *Selasphorus rufus

Our ubiquitous American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos This bird had just taken a bath, is dripping wet, and shows the extreme feather wear in the primary wing feathers. Look at the long black nearly worn off feather tips. It will undergo molt soon, growing fresh new feathers that will last for the next year.

Next Dark-eyed Junco, then the gray not black headed female, and finally a newly fledged bird that looks completely different. This juvenile will rapidly undergo what is called a preformative molt, into its first basic plumage and look much like an adult female.

Adult Male Dark-eyed Junco

Adult female Dark-eyed Junco

Juvenile Dark-eyed Junco, between feedings by the parents.

Until next time. Good birding. Steem on!