My last trip to Theler Wetlands in Belfair turned out to be a bit of a disappointment because the tide was so far out that whatever birds were around were too far away to get any pictures. Ironically, on this visit, the tide was so high that the mudflats were entirely covered with water.
So, as it turned out, virtually all the birds we saw were those patrolling the Union River like this Ring-billed Gull
and an immature Ring-Billed Gull (I think) that seemed to be travelling with it.
One of the highlights of the day was watching this small flotilla of Common Mergansers feeding at a bend in the river.
Unfortunately, they were a long way away and the sun wasn’t totally cooperating, so I had a hard time getting decent shots. This shot of an immature male (on the left) and two females was my favorite.
I would have entirely missed the highlight of the day if Leslie hadn’t seen this Snipe with her binoculars. I’ll have to admit that I never could see it with my bare eyes; I could only see it with my 800mm lens. Even then, this shot has been heavily cropped.
Snipes hold a special place in my heart because it took nearly five years for me to see a Snipe after I started seriously birding. Even at 70 years of age I began to wonder if that old ploy to send a youngster on a “snipe hunt” wasn’t true.
Thankfully, Luck — and a lot of persistence —generally rewards us with the results we’re looking for.