Category: Port Orchard

Seabirds at Port Orchard

I am a creature of habit, especially when it’s a habit I enjoy, like following a visit to Theler Wetlands with a visit to Port Orchard to check out seabirds I find there but not at Theler. I’ve been somewhat remiss about visiting Port Orchard in the last few years because they have been doing extensive repairs to the marina, which has chased most of the seabirds away.  Luckily, they seemed to have completed repairs, and the birds have started coming back, even if not yet in the numbers they used to be seen there.

The marina used to be my go-to place to get shots of Horned Grebes in breeding colors because there were lots of them hanging around, but on this visit I only saw two in non-breeding plumage. 

Two ducks swimming on a calm water surface.


There were more Barrow’s Goldeneye than any other species, and I took lots of shots, but I like this little guy who was off on his own best.

A male goldeneye duck swimming on the surface of a rippling water body, showcasing its distinctive black and white plumage and bright yellow eye.


I also got a shot of a female Hooded Merganser, one of Leslie’s favorite birds.

A small duck swimming on a reflective pond, showcasing its distinctive hairstyle and subtle coloration.


Probably the best shot of the day was this one of a Pelagic Cormorant drying off its wings.

A cormorant spreading its wings while perched on a wooden platform near water.



You can do a lot with underexposed shots with modern photography apps, but nothing quite matches bright sunshine. It’s only in bright sunshine that you see that iridescent green on them.

Chili Relleno and Birding: A Perfect Day Out

Creature of habit that I am, after I spent the morning birding Theler Wetlands I headed to Port Orchard for my Chili Relleno with Green Sauce at La Palapa Mexican Grill. For me, at least, a great day birding (or hiking, for that matter) should include a meal at a favorite restaurant.

I started going to Port Orchard many years ago because the marina was a great place to see seabirds. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been true for me since they started reconstruction last year.

I though perhaps it would be different this year when I got this nice shot of a Great Blue Heron on the roof of one of the boat docks as I entered the marina.

He looked almost as cold as I felt with cold winds blowing across the bay. Despite the cold, I walked around the marina as far as I could before I encountered a gated area. Unfortunately, I didn’t see a single bird in the marina. I did manage to get this shot of a Horned Grebe in winter plumage just outside the marina.

I took pictures of a couple of flocks of Widgeons, but I preferred this close-up of these two who already seem to have paired up.

Dissatisfied by how few seabirds I saw, I ended up driving all the way to Manchester Park looking for Harlequin Ducks I’ve seen there in the past. I did see ducks on the way, but more often than not they were in areas where there weren’t any places to pull off — just private docks with warnings not to trespass

I never did find the Harlequin Ducks, but I managed to get a shot of this male Greater Scaup, a bird I rarely see,

and as Ruth Sullivan always used to say, “one good bird” is all you need to make your birding successful.

Theler and Port Orchard

One among many reasons I haven’t posted very often recently is that birding hasn’t been particularly inspiring, at least birding at Theler Wetlands, my go-to location when it’s a nice day (i.e., a day without rain or snow).  

On one of these trips, I only managed to get five shots, all of a single female Merganser.  I decided to assemble them all into a single montage.

Birding was better at Port Orchard, but even there a single sequence was the highlight of the day.  I probably should have shot a video of it, but I really don’t like to shoot videos without a tripod and I hate carrying a tripod even more than I hate videos taken without a tripod.  

As soon as we entered the Marina we were greeted by this Male Hooded Merganser coming directly at us.

He even seemed to acknowledge our presence with a slight nod.

before turning

to the left and striking a definite mating pose that I’ve often observed when there is a female surrounded by competing males.

His real intent became clearer when he started swimming towards a nearby female

that seemed totally unimpressed by his attempts and was, in fact, rushing away to ensure that the male wouldn’t steal her catch.

When she had swallowed the whole fish, she raised up in the water with drool running down her beak, and the male just swam by. 

I just wish I knew what that gesture meant.  Whatever it meant, the male simply swam past her with nary a sidelong glance.

Almost a Reunion

I don’t get any great pictures at the Port Orchard Marina on my last visit, but I was excited to see the return of many of the birds that overwinter here mostly Barrow’s Goldeneye.

I did manage to get fairly close to these three goldeneyes, but it was so bright that most of the details in the white areas were blown out (it’s been a long time since I’ve had that problem here in the Pacific Northwest.). 

I couldn’t manage to get a good picture of the small flock of Hooded Mergansers in the marina, but it did manage to get a fairly good shot of this Horned Grebe.

There weren’t any Widgeons in the marina, but there was a large flock near where I parked and I got a shot of this pair swimming away from the main flock.

Hopefully, the Surf Scoters will have returned by my next visit.

Winter is definitely my favorite time to bird in the Puget Sound region.