flicker, hiking, photography, Port Susan. snow geese, Wildlife Conservancy

Port Susan Bay 01/31/2015

Sephi

March 9, 2015

Alas, it was a very overcast day when I went with the Sierra Club to Port Susan Bay. These are Snow Geese, though its hard to tell because of the gray skies. They come all the way from Russia to spend their winters with us.

I’m thinking I need to head over to Fir Island before they leave and see if I can get some shots of some really big clouds of them taking off.

I have absolutely NO idea what this thing is, only that it was old and the metal parts were rusty and it looked very cool. So, I did what any shutterbug does, I took a picture.

And to think the last time I was over here, this was dirt. Now its a cute little pond!

Although the small monolith in front of the prickly vines looks like it might be an unmarked grave, it isn’t. But, we’ll just pretend that it is. Or maybe it really is and we shouldn’t mention it.Look at the pretty plants in the front of the picture!

Oh, just because I like things like this. And no, I do not know what kind of plant it is.

I considered noting a few things that can be found in the curves and shadows of this driftwood root, but thought it would be more fun to make it a visual treasure hunt for everyone else. Do enjoy!

This is actually a prehistoric saddle for a mastodon. They used to be prolific on these shores and the native tribes had domesticated an entire herd of them for their use. Needless to say, they rarely had to raise a bow in battle. The warring tribes took one look at their woolly steeds and ran the other way.

From a distance its a Rorschach block.

One lovely thing that can be done to take advantage of what would otherwise be dismal pictures on an overcast day is to drop them to tinted shots like this. I rather like this one. And the wetlands in the distance are quite cool, I think.

This is actually an ancient instrument reportedly used by Hades to attempt to woo the Goddess Persephone before resorting to conspiring with her father to set an example for centuries to come, and simply abduct her.

Silhouettes on a misty moor.

And now you know giants really did walk the earth. And this is a toothpick grove they left behind.

They stood in fear as the Goliath began to emerge from the murky depths of the bog. But the curiosity overrode their fear as they wished to know what the final creature would be in its full glory.

Its a moat!No its not. Its where the critters had their party last night and danced in circles till dawn with their rain dance. It was a successful dance, as the furrow is now full.Its still a moat!

And flap! And flap! And FLAP!

Naner! Naner! Naner! You can’t catch me!!!! Plllttthhhzzzz!!!

Up, Up and AWAY!!

Yes, to most, it looks like a desolate wasteland. But wait! There’s life down there! Where? You ask. . . . .

There!

I dunno. Its a little brown bird sitting on a wire. Oooh, Bird On a Wire, wasn’t that a movie? Maybe its a movie star?

Its so easy to find your own little private island in some places. Okay, you may not be able to build a home on it, but its the thought that counts.

Just cuz its cool!

How they put nitrogen back in the soil up here. And they’re pretty too! Though I hear they will take out the electrical lines sometimes.

WARNING!! The next shot is not for those of a squeamish demeanor that only want to see live critters.

There’s a dead flicker in the middle of the road. Dead flicker in the middle of the road. Dead flicker in the middle of the road. Never again flying to heaven!For those that want to know more, its a Northern Flicker. I couldn’t help it. The colors were pretty. I was talking to my daughter when I saw it and told her to hold on. There was a dead body and I wanted to take pictures. She laughed and said she love me cuz I was so weird. Well, yes.