Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Category: Nature
Stalking the Hummingbirds
Yes, I admit it. I’m a stalker of birds. It had been a while, so I went into the shed and hid, leaving the door open a crack, hoping a hummingbird might land on the feeders nearby. Within minutes a handsome male Anna’s hummingbird… Continue Reading “Stalking the Hummingbirds”
Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles – at Coulon Park
I was thrilled to find a bonanza of big birds on my walk at Coulon Park this week! I saw three Great Blue Herons, standing tall, patient and stoic. And the skies were filled with Bald Eagles! I counted six over head at one… Continue Reading “Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles – at Coulon Park”
Still Thundering at Snoqualmie Falls
Yesterday, with temperatures in the nineties, on the last day of our heat wave, we headed to the hills for a look at Snoqualmie Falls. I was surprised at the amount of water still flowing, as it thundered while dropping 268 feet below. Once… Continue Reading “Still Thundering at Snoqualmie Falls”
Beautiful Foxglove but Handle with Care
I love seeing Foxglove growing wild on country roads and I often stop by for a photo. Today, I went looking for some around town and found them near a transmission station where land had been recently cleared. They seem to spring up where… Continue Reading “Beautiful Foxglove but Handle with Care”
Celebrating the Great Outdoors at Silver Springs at Mt. Rainier
For this week’s Sunday Sills Challenge, celebrating the #Great-Outdoors and #Water, I remembered a wonderful water feature we discovered back in our camping days at Silver Springs Campground. Silver Springs Campground is just outside Mt. Rainier National Park, near the Sunrise entrance; it was… Continue Reading “Celebrating the Great Outdoors at Silver Springs at Mt. Rainier”
Animal Faces – at Woodland Park Zoo
It had been years since we visited Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, so we headed north on the sunniest day of the week, and the animals were happy to pose for us. Gray Wolf Once common in Washington State, by the 1930’s they were wiped… Continue Reading “Animal Faces – at Woodland Park Zoo”
How long does a Snag Keep Standing?
Not long enough, though I should have seen the signs. It was eight years ago when Bob called out an arborist to take down our dying Hemlock. Instead, he convinced us to keep it standing for the sake of birds and other wildlife. According… Continue Reading “How long does a Snag Keep Standing?”
Bird Haven – Hummingbirds, Chickadees and Juncos in my Backyard
Anna’s Hummingbirds visit my garden year-round, but the Rufous only drops by during spring migration, after traveling up to 5,000 miles from Mexico to breed. How does this tiny bird – only 3 1/2 inches long – make such a journey twice a year?… Continue Reading “Bird Haven – Hummingbirds, Chickadees and Juncos in my Backyard”
May Day is for Ducks!
Fresh air and a walk, does a body good, and so I headed to Coulon Park. The ducks and geese were plentiful, though no ducklings in evidence yet. These two brown beauties were smaller than the rest. My Peterson Field Guide identified them as… Continue Reading “May Day is for Ducks!”
For the Beauty of the Earth – the Great and the Small
For this week’s Sunday Stills challenge and coming #Earth Day, I went through my archives to find some of the West’s most magnificent scenery. It wasn’t hard, except the whittling down to a few. I’ll start with the dramatic California Coast, at Big Sur,… Continue Reading “For the Beauty of the Earth – the Great and the Small”
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 