IntoThe Muck, Mud and Thorns With Birds,Voles and Beavers

Well, having consulted with colleagues about gallery stuff and having completed my professional work for the day, I preceded to go through my photos and order some prints. I’m eager to see how those look enlarged and framed. I was in a real Orange mood I guess as orange was common if not dominant theme in these  photos some being abstract and others not. Having done this it was time to go out on a photo safari.

I decided to go to the Entiat Fire Breaks hiking (walking) trail as this is supposed to be a good place for birding. And, so with camera in hand it was off to Entiat. Once I walking around the trail I marveled at how much more foliage, flowers and trees there is there than I had ever noticed in the one thousand and one times I have driven past the Fire Breaks Trail area on the highway.

Once out of site of the road there were lots of trees, mostly Ponderosa Pine I believe, and lots of natural stuff to enjoy. I was so engrossed with it all that I was slow to get my camera to the ready and missed a perfect shot at what must have been the biggest Magpie I have ever seen. I did get some pics of some other little birds and some voles, but I missed the big prize to be had there today.

Walking around I couldn’t help but think what a great place it would be for any plein-air artist with trusty easel, paints and canvas or photographer with camera and tripod to spend an afternoon or a whole day for that matter.

Having done the trail I headed back home, but kept my eye out for any photo opps. Not too far south of there I stopped to take some photos of Canada Geese in an open field.

Continuing on I stopped at the estuary where the Entiat River meets the Columbia. This is where I got the best pics of the day. I got some good pics right off the bat at the side of the road. Some of those I may print and frame. But, but not being satisfied with that, I preceded to hike down the slope and traipse off into the thicket. While I was down in the muck, brush and thorns, I could see that the beavers have been quite active down there, though I didn’t see any myself. Even so; it was great fun getting pictures of Great Blue Heron in flight and in the water as well as ducks, geese and those wonderful little black birds with the brilliant red tuft on their side even if I did get my feet wet and a lot of debris in my clothes.  Any birders out there please feel free to comment if you know the proper name of those black and red birds. All-in-all it was a fine artistic and creative day.

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