Life’s challenges sometimes gets in the way, and I realized today that for several reasons, I haven’t posted for over three months. So I’ve got a backlog of posting and photos to catch up on! I’m starting that catch up with some photos of birds at the Everett Sewage Lagoons from February.
Waterfowl, especially ducks, are some of my favorite photographic subjects. The Everett Sewage Lagoons is a location I had been meaning to visit for quite a few years to photograph ducks. It and nearby Spencer Island are listed by many bird watching books and websites as can’t miss locations. The ponds around Everett’s sewage treatment plant attract lots of ducks during the winter months. According to the excellent “A Birder’s Guide to Washington,” guidebook, “In migration and winter, the ponds may be crowded with freshwater ducks or they may be nearly empty. High tides often drive waterfowl to take refuge here, as does hunting pressure during the open season (October–January).”
Waterfowl
I finally visited in mid-February, and here are a few photos. There were indeed lots of ducks on the ponds–great to see but tough to photograph. Most of the birds were distant and have to be photographed through a chain link fence. Not a problem for a birder adding birds to their life list, but not ideal for a bird photographer.
The photo above shows large groups of Scaups (not sure if Greater Scaups or Lesser Scaups or a mix) on one of the sewage treatment plant ponds. As noted previously, the birds were pretty far away. (This photo was taken with a 600 mm lens.) Not exactly a great location for bird portrait shots. However there were lots of birds to appreciate!
Ducks were constantly flying in and out of the ponds, and there were opportunities for clear shots of ducks in flight. Above is a shot of a pair of Northern Shovelers, one of my favorite ducks, flying over the ponds. Below is a shot of a Scaup flying away from the ponds.
Other Birds
There were also other interesting, and closer, birds in the trees and marshes that surround the sewage treatment ponds. Several Red-winged blackbirds were perched on the cattails putting on an early morning concert.
This Red-tailed Hawk was in a tree next to one of the ponds, undoubtedly scanning the area for some breakfast.
I hope to return next winter to look for more birds at the Everett Sewage Lagoons. On my visit this winter, I saw only a few types of ducks, but often see reports of a wider variety. It’s definitely worth more looks in the future. I also plan to visit the very nearby Spencer Island which is supposed to be a great birdwatching location.
