Take Hike Human - You're Cramping my Style! A male red-winged blackbird sings and displays perched among the cattails at Ridgefield NWR in Washington state. He's on the very top of a reed, looking straight in to the camera. His tail is flared out and and his bright red-orange shoulder patches are ruffled out and his wings are a little unfurled. His beak is open as he sings.

Take Hike Human - You're Cramping my Style!

A male red-winged blackbird singing among the cattails of Ridgefield NWR in Washington state.

#Washington #RidgefieldNWR #artPhotography #photography #NationalWildlifeRefuge #fineArtPhotography #PNW #wildlifePhotography #Birds #redwingedblackbird

A Great Egret amidst marsh grass in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in western Washington State,. The big white wading bird is stalking through the tall grass, hunting for a mid-morning snack. In its sharp yellow beak, it has a small creature, perhaps a dragonfly or tadpole, that it has just snatched from the water. In another few seconds, it will swallow its tiny prey and resume the hunt.

A Great Egret amidst marsh grass in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in western Washington State,. The big white wading bird is stalking through the tall grass, hunting for a mid-morning snack. In its sharp yellow beak, it has a small creature, perhaps a dragonfly or tadpole, that it has just snatched from the water. In another few seconds, it will swallow its tiny prey and resume the hunt.

Great Egret, Small Snack

A Great Egret on the hunt at the Ridgefield NWR in Washington state catches a ... dragonfly? Tadpole?

#Washington #RidgefieldNWR #artPhotography #photography #NationalWildlifeRefuge #fineArtPhotography #WadingBird #PNW #wildlifePhotography #Birds #GreatEgret

Over 30 Black Bellied #Plovers (unusual) and many scores of tiny, tiny Dunlins on an island about 1,300 feet away refueling on their trip to Alaska at #RidgefieldNWR.. video shot at 125x to be posted tomorrow!

#birds #birding #birdwatching #migration #pnw #RidgefieldWA #pdx #portland

A Wilson's Snipe having a grooming session with those rusty tail feathers. What a long bill they have! Hanging out at the edge of the marsh. It's nutria that keep the grass trimmed in this photo, btw.

Snipes are still sniping. (Stinkin' cute, to my eye.) Look at that long bill preening those cute tail feathers!
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) is a small, stocky shorebird, intricately patterned with three long buffy streaks down the back.
#RidgefieldNWR #PNW #Birds
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A Wilson's Snipe hunting in muddy grass at the water's edge, Ridgefield NWR in Washington state. A medium-sized bird with a long bill, large black eyes, and and brown, black and white feathers, with distinctive white stripes down its back when its wings are folded.

A Wilson's Snipe hunting in muddy grass at the water's edge, Ridgefield NWR in Washington state. Another first for me.

#Washington #RidgefieldNWR #artPhotography #photography #NationalWildlifeRefuge #fineArtPhotography #WadingBird #PNW #wildlifePhotography #Birds #WilsonsSnipe

A Yellow-headed Blackbird in flight with wings spread wide, carrying a small tuft of white vegetation in its claws, against a soft green marsh background.

Yellow-headed Blackbird with some fluff in his claws.

#BirdOfTheDay #SmallBirdsInFlight #birds #WildlifePhotography #RidgefieldNWR

Dramatic clouds in a blue sky reflected in a waterway at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

A Friday #Scape of clouds above the wildlife refuge.
#RidgefieldNWR
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A Long-billed Dowitcher, a first for me, catches a tasty worm in the shallows of a pond in the Ridgefield NWR in Washington state. The bird is a chunky, with brown and white feathers, greenish-yellow legs and a long bill. It's wading in a few inches of water at the pond's edge, one leg lifted up as it walks forward, right-to-left across the frame. A large worm dangles from its bill. After a brief wash off, it will be a fine mid-morning meal. Small clumps of mud and vegetation around the bird break up the still surface of the water.

A Long-billed Dowitcher, a first for me, catches a tasty worm in the shallows of a pond in the Ridgefield NWR in Washington state.

#Washington #RidgefieldNWR #artPhotography #photography #NationalWildlifeRefuge #fineArtPhotography #WadingBird #PNW #wildlifePhotography #Birds #LongBilledDowitcher

A Trumpeter Swan flying in for a landing at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, southwest Washington state. A large white bird with black feet and bill and if you look very closely, you’ll see a red ‘lipstick’ line on the lower beak. The background is green conifer trees with bare branched deciduous trees.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #LargeBirdsInFlight, so here's a Trumpeter Swan.

#RidgefieldNWR
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Another view of the American Bittern giving me the side eye. He looks a bit haughty, in his striped finery, and is highlighted against a backdrop of the marsh with sparkles of sunshine and bokeh.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay alternate theme is #Attitude.

I said, Good Day Sir!

#RidgefieldNWR
📷🪶👋

A dark gray American Coot with a white bill stands on muddy ground with green grass, pulling an earthworm from the soil with water visible in the background.

This American Coot worked hard to extract its prize earthworm, pulling and tugging until it finally came free from the muddy ground.

#WildlifePhotography #birds #AmericanCoot #RidgefieldNWR #BirdOfTheDay #snacks

A bald eagle in flight with wings fully extended, flying low over the water with a blurred green and brown background during rainfall.

The waterfowl suddenly scattered, then this bald eagle swooped in from behind me for low passes over the lake.

#WildlifePhotography #BaldEagle #birds #RidgefieldNWR #BirdOfTheDay #BestOfTheMonth

A stunning cinnamon colored duck with red eyes and a black bill, foraging amidst the marsh grasses in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Washington state. There's water dripping off its bill and ripples emanating out from the duck disturbing the reflections in the water. I believe this is a male Cinnamon Teal in breeding plumage.

This is, I believe, a male Cinnamon Teal, a bird I've never encountered before, all dressed up in his breeding season best at the Ridgefield NWR.

#Washington #RidgefieldNWR #artPhotography #photography #NationalWildlifeRefuge #fineArtPhotography #CinnamonTeal #PNW #wildlifePhotography #Birds

Cinnamon teal in the canal at Ridgefield NWR.

Savannah Sparrow in the tall grass.

An American bittern holding very still and trying to pretend it's not there.

A tree swallow checking out a hole in the stump for a possible nesting site.

Back to Ridgefield NWR this morning. Added the first three birds to my life list. The bittern popped up while I was photographing a blackbird and then tried really hard to look like tall grass - frozen in place.
#RidgefieldNWR #birds

A little video of a Wilson’s Snipe calling loudly at the refuge yesterday. They have another sound they are known for, the winnowing display flight, that is quite something. There were a few present, I had a good look at four birds and heard more.
#RidgefieldNWR
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American Bittern doing the stare down. This is useful for when they’re looking down in the water for food as well, instead of just staring at annoying photographers.

#BirdOfTheDay #Stripes

Take a picture - it will last longer
…. Oh wait, I’m the one with the camera.

American Bittern stare down
#RidgefieldNWR #Birds
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A very alert Greater Yellowlegs was enjoying the spring sunshine last week!

#shorebirds #pnw #yellowlegs #birds #birdphotography #art #naturephotography #Portland #RidgefieldNWR #birding #birdwatching #vögel #oiseaux #pájaro #portraiture #photography #ECK #wildlife #nature #wildlifephotography

A barn swallow with deep blue wings and back, rusty orange throat, and cream-colored belly perched on a lichen-covered branch, looking toward the camera.

Busy gathering nesting materials, this barn swallow paused just long enough for a quick look my way.

#WildlifePhotography #birds #BarnSwallow #RidgefieldNWR #BirdOfTheDay #tricolour

Happy #InternationalDayofForests! 🌲 While these Killdeer are busy with wetland drama, their habitat is protected by our forested watersheds.💧

Celebrating the 2026 theme "Forests and Economies" by honoring the green infrastructure that keeps our Refuge thriving! 🦅✨
#RidgefieldNWR #Nature #Wildlife

A tree swallow with it's vibrant blue color coming out of its nesting cavity in a tree looking right at the camera.

A Tree Swallow emerging from its nesting hole in a tree at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

#wildlifephotography #birds #naturephotography #ridgefieldNWR #BirdOfTheDay #LookingAtMe

#WaderWednesday
A short video of a Wilson’s Snipe
#RidgefieldNWR
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Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is probably North America's most widely distributed reptile. They have a striped pattern suggesting a garter: typically, one or three longitudinal yellow to red stripes, between which are checkered blotches.

Warm weather yesterday brought everyone out to bask. Turtles galore, and here is a garter snake lying on the flattened marsh grass among feathers. You could see where any low lying nest would be a temptation.
#RidgefieldNWR #Herps
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A black and gray American Coot, running a top of the water with wings flapping to chase another bird out of its feeding area. It is back lit with wings shining in the sun and water splashing beneath its large feet.

An American Coot, kicking up a fuss and seeing another coot off its patch.
#BirdOfTheDay #Splash
#RidgefieldNWR
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A coyote lazily sitting in a field looking straight at the camera.

I spotted this coyote at in the field. At first, he appeared as an odd lump in the grass. I grabbed my binoculars for a closer look, and sure enough, it was a coyote. After some time, he eventually rose before meandering away.

#wildifephotography #naturephotography #mammals #coyote #ridgefieldNWR

A sandhill crane standing by a small pond.

A Sandhill Crane in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

#wildlifephotography #birds #naturephotography #cranes #nwr #ridgefieldNWR #BirdOfTheDay #GreyDay

A flock of Long Billed Dowitchers were searching the muddy lake shores at #RNWR with an occasional Yellowlegs yesterday!

#shorebirds #photography #birds #art #birdphotography #birdphoto #nature #portland #wildlifephotography #portrait #ridgefieldnwr #pnw #eastcoastkin #birding #birdwatching #vögel

Tundra or Trumpeter?

I'm not sure which species of Swans, do you know?
Why?

#Swans #birding #RidgefieldNWR #pnw #goldenhour #photography #birds #birdwatching #art #birdphotography #portland #wildlifephotography #nature #photo #vögel #oiseaux #eastcoastkin #wildlife

The very common and attractive Greater Yellowlegs.

#birds #birdwatching #pnw #wildlife #nature #Portland #birdphotography #art #photography #Fotografie #bird #birding #wadingbirds #shorebirds #waterfowl #vögel #pájaro #oiseaux #oiseauxsauvages #fotografia #RidgefieldNWR #ridgefieldWA #eastcoastkin

A seven course meal in less than 90 seconds for this American #Bittern

Warning: may cause escargot and Sashimi cravings!

Please Hit Play.

#birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology #bird #oiseaux #vögel #pájaro #pnw #pacificnorthwest #wildlife #nature #RidgefieldNWR
@friendsofrnwr.bsky.social

Spring is here! 🌿 Our newsletter is live with 2 FREE workshops at the Carty Unit: Writer’s Workshop (4/4) & Wildlife Adaptation (5/6). Plus, info on exclusive Member Wellness events for our $60+ supporters! ✨

Read & register here: conta.cc/4cLn6q8

#RidgefieldNWR #Nature #PNW #Workshops