for a fishing Osprey on a ponderosa pine snag, observed today attempting to grab breakfast from a wetland pond, though unsuccessfully.
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
Three tree molds ensconced in basalt...
bedrock occur along the Fish Lake trail, the result of an advancing lava flow into a standing forest during the Miocene Epoch. Imagine the snap, crackle, pop and hiss as the trees were overrun by the molten lava. Geology is everywhere, you just have to look!
Old railroad cut exposing a tree mold in the Wanapum Basalt, Priest Rapids Member (15.97-11.63Ma).
Base of another tree mold showing the flaring of the root collar in contact with the underlying paleosol. Note the silicified wood fragments that still exhibit cellular structure.
Well-coordinated carp-herding pelicans...
working a wetland pond for breakfast as a united flotilla, seemingly surrounded by glistening diamonds due to strong backlighting by the Sun. Between these and the Osprey, the fish that occupy these pools don’t stand a chance.
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos).
Last time sharing the platform nest...
together this afternoon, caught at the moment when Mama Osprey takes off - seen below - and Junior launches shortly thereafter with little fanfare. Godspeed, Junior!
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
A perfect safe house...
for a hiding, but somewhat curious, badger.
American badger (Taxidea taxus).
Another sushi delivery by air...
by Mama Osprey, yet again, this evening. She’s going to have to starve this capable fledgling in order to get this nest potato to launch.
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
Operation Fledge Watch...
continues through another evening with Junior content to hang out at the platform nest while Mama Osprey continues to deliver fresh fish.
Mature female ‘Mama’ Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) perched nearby and calling to Junior on the platform nest.
‘Junior’ Osprey discovering and exercising its wings while waiting for a free meal. It’s fully capable of flight and just needs to take the big leap.
The tempo of life of a wildlife photographer is somewhat similar to that of a soldier: Long periods of interminable boredom punctuated by brief moments of intense chaos.
Failure to launch...
today because Mama keeps feeding Junior fresh fish. Why leave home and work for food when you can have it delivered, the avian equivalent of Grubhub or DoorDash?
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) with fish in talons.
A common and magnificent butterfly...
was caught taking a break in the garden, but it looks a bit ragged in the back end.
Two-tailed swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata).
This fledge's first flights...
consisted of short hops and hovering maneuvers this morning and late afternoon, no more than five to ten feet (2-3 m) above the platform nest, nicely oriented into the stiff breeze. Tomorrow’s the big graduation day, I’d bet.
Juvenile Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
Bands of carbonate precipitates...
on the columnar basalt bedrock mark the seasonal variation of water levels in the wetlands, indicating small but significant changes in the system through time.
An effective synchronized fishing team...
works the wetland pond, as if mowing the lawn back and forth, herding and gulping carp in the process. Seems quite successful.
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos).
Telephoto images caught with my smartyphone. Not bad.
Fiberglass rocket twins ready for painting...
in preparation for the upcoming Sod Blaster VII event in just one month.
The Wildman Cherokee (left) and Wildman Journey (right) fly on 29 and 38 mm engines, respectively.
A properly potty-trained fish hawk...
projectile pooping in the preferred direction from the nest platform. But mother Osprey (not seen here) could be a better housekeeper.
Juvenile Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) assuming the position in the platform nest.
It’s amazing what you can capture at 120 yards (110 m) with a 500 mm prime lens, shooting at 1/1,000th of a second.
A slightly soggy bluebird...
warming in the sunshine following a dip in the birdbath.
Adult male Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana).
Early morning in the wetlands...
is usually cool, calm, quiet and peaceful.
Muley buck in velvet...
standing proudly above the Fish Lake trail this morning, gazing calmly toward the horizon and the future. This could be the logo for an insurance company.
Young male mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in velvet.
The Lance Hill Observatory...
is open for business this summer, and just in time for the next new Moon that occurs tomorrow.
The roll-off roof observatory houses a polar-aligned 10-inch Meade LX-200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope mounted on a fixed pier.
Pre-flight practice sessions...
are in order, especially given the long drop from the platform nest. Junior is stretching its wings as it gets ready to fledge.
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
Closing in on 17,000 miles...
(27,000 km) ridden on my collection of electric mountain bikes since September 2020! My riding style is becoming increasingly aggressive with growing experience and time on the trail, so I’m leveling up with a new enduro-style eMTB. But the acid test of this very capable bike awaits on the considerably more challenging trails around Moab, Utah this fall.
It still has the new bike smell: Trek Rail+ 8 Gen 5 eMTB at Fish Lake on its first ride. The sidewalls of the tubeless tires matches the terrain in Utah!