Sights and Sounds in the Skagit Valley

I know the video quality it lacking, but I want to share the sights and sounds from this morning. The swans can be noisy on the ground, but they usually are honking up a storm when they're inbound. You may also be able to hear the ducks and other birds in the background.

Since it was quite cold this morning, a shade under 30, it was easy to hear all the birds. In the first picture, I was caught a bit off guard and nearly missed this immature eagle coming from the East, up and over the barn. The second is a hawk heading the other direction. I think it was a Red Tail.


In the third, there are a few of hundreds of gull that were in the air. Have to admit it was a bit nerve racking this morning, looking up. Know what I mean? In the forth picture there are some Mallard ducks. They're just gorgeous, but they won't let me get too close. With these and all the swans and other birds, there was a noisy chorus going on this morning.

This Great Blue Heron was sitting on the back fence this morning. To help you figure out the size, the top fence rail is six inches high and the fence posts are four by fours. They're big. At this time of the year, there's always one that hangs out behind the barn.

The swans are back.

The big guys and gals have been showing up for the past couple weeks. There was a huge gathering today, in the SE field. Don't know if swanm poop is good fertilizer, but if it is, that field will be in prime shape come planting time. One doesn't realize how big a swan is until one comes gliding low over the patio, preparing to land in a near by field.

Out of the fog.

This morning we woke to the drone of engines. Once on the floor I tried to figure out what was going on. It wasn't even first light, but I figure the potato harvest was on. It was foggy and took until about 7, to be able to actually see the equipment in the fields. In the first picture, you can see the conveyor peeking through the fog, in the center of the pic. Kinda looked like the "Loch Ness Monster" at first light. I didn't get a clean shot of the potatoes being loaded into one of the trucks, but if you click and blow up #2 and 3, you can see them coming out of the shoot. #4 is a nice view of the John Deere tractor and potato harvester. I'm working on an installment for Cobwebs, about how I first saw a potato harvest in about 1960.

A calm visitor on the deck

This charming little visitor wasn't the least bit intimidated by Zoie, the dogs or me. Just sat on the end of the deck and let all of us inspect from every angle. I love how Muffy was able to go right up, sniff and it only changed position.

Prisms in the fields.

After a wet Winter, Spring and early Summer the farmers have had to haul out the irrigation equipment. There's an old saying about corn should be knee high by the 4th of July. Well, this year that didn't happen and the corn fields look pretty scrawny and sparse. This sprinkler is watering a potato crop. I found the prism effect amazing. I'm hoping the images come close to what I was able to view off the front porch.

Drifting spider webs/trails

Unfortunately, these pictures didn't capture the totality of the amazing scene of spider webs/trails floating across the field to the East.

Did you know? As a young spider comes of age it begins looking for a piece of high ground. This may be only the tip of a blade of grass, a small rock, or perhaps a fence post, but it must be a place where air currents pass. And there the spider waits for a breeze to carry it off. From its spinnerets the spider plays out silken lines like a fly caster testing a trout stream. Soon the spider’s parachute lengthens until it’s large enough to support the creature’s weight; then it becomes airborne. Where it lands only the spider will know. This is usually a phenomenon in the Fall. Think our crazy weather may have caused confusion this year.

If you click on the first picture, it'll blowup and let you see the scene clearly and the wonder of this event. Then just click back and you'll return to the original blog.

Bumble bees for Emma

Emma, after seeing you with your frog and hearing that you like all creatures big and small, I couldn't resist these shots. There's a continual buzz by the raspberries. Our bumble bees are mostly bright orange. Haven't really seen any yellow ones so far this year. A couple were almost the size of a quarter.

Honey bees in the raspberry bushes.

Couldn't resist trying to capture a good exposure of our backyard guests. Working with manual settings was quite a lesson. These little critters don't sit still, so about the time I thought I had everything set, they had the nerve to fly off.

Evening skies at the farm.

Pictures one and three show the perfect explanation for the original name of the farm we live on, named Western Glow back in the 1920's. When there is a high tide, we can see the water, from the farm. Understand that we're at about thirteen feet above sea level and about two miles from the water. Last night was awesome and I captured these views in a span of forty-five minutes. I love the reflection of the sun on Samish Bay. Then I turned around to the East and there was a partial rainbow. Then back to the West and a sunburst, followed by a gorgeous blood red sky about thirty minutes later.

7:32 PM to the West

7:36 PM to the East

7:40 PM to the West

8:13 PM to the West

Our Apso-Lutely family

Miss Penny (Penny) is nine. Penny became a member of our family October 29, 1999. She is a cousin (3/4 same bloodline) of our other two girls.

These two are sisters. Matilda (Tilly) is five. Miss Muffiny (Muffiny, Muffin or Muffy) is two. Tilly has been with us since Nov 11, 2004. Muffiny joined the family March 6, 2008.