January 14, 2021 - Capturing Refuge Wildlife (Part II)

    Life has been a bit stressful lately, and with all the craziness going on - I have found such solace in the work that I get to do on the Refuge. Over the holiday - my Fiancé gifted me a super nice camera for me to bring to work everyday, and I am so excited to get started on developing my wildlife photography skills! I will also be able to document restoration projects with a lot more detail, and I am just so thankful ☺ These photos are just an example of the quality I can now provide you guys with! I try to end my work day with a trip around the auto-tour route these days - which is my favorite way to wind down after a long day of work. The wildlife brought in by the winter season are simply beautiful, and taking photos of them is one of my favorite past times. 

Habitat Restoration Directly Impacts Wildlife 

    Our planet Earth is currently in a precarious situation as a result of humans exploiting various natural ecosystems for resource acquisition. Not to mention, issues like exponential population growth and climate change are creating even larger strains on the natural world. Because of this, it it is necessary for humanity to figure out a way to manage habitats in a way that balances current resource needs with the future needs of wildlife and people. The goal of habitat restoration on the Refuges is to identify disrupted habitats - and to restore the native organisms that occur there, for the benefit of both wildlife and humans. 

    When humans degrade a habitat for resources, construction, etc. - this often alters the normal abundance and distribution of native species in the habitat. This can lead to an ecological chain reaction, making the habitat more susceptible to things like soil erosion, invasive species, pest invasions, etc. Restoring these degraded habitats is a way facilitate the return of wildlife to disturbed areas. 

    The restoration work that we do on the refuge - whether it be planting trees or pulling up invasive weeds - serves to directly improve habitat for the wildlife that utilize these areas. Sometimes it is not super obvious how the work that we do serves to protect and increase biodiversity. However, every restoration decision that is made, is made with the benefit of wildlife in mind. These photos display just a small portion of the wildlife that utilize the restored habitats that we work on, please enjoy! 

A Red-Winged Black Bird perched on a cattail.  I think he was collecting fuzz to help with the construction of his nest!

Deer Kisses 💕

Columbia White-Tailed Deer Family Munchin' away. 

An American Robin looking out over the wetlands and being majestic. 

This American Bittern is so well camouflaged that I almost missed him. 

Duck butts are the cutest, am I right? I believe this pair of females are both Northern Pintails - correct me if I'm wrong!

A pair of Northern Shoveler males. Did you know?...That these ducks utilize a type of circling behavior while foraging that allows them to draw up microorganisms from the water column. Single birds, pairs, and even larger groups will sometimes work together to form these whirl-pool like columns in the water, which helps them to collect their food more efficiently. 

A pair of geese hanging out near the water's edge.

We have a ton of Black-Tail Deer that like to hang around the shop on Bachelor Island. This juvenile and his family hung out while I was working outside the high tunnel.

American coots have to be one of the cutest animals that exist on this planet. Did you know?...That they bob their heads when they swim because they lack the larger webbing in their feet that most other waterfowl have for swimming efficiently. Imagine swimming with chicken feet...To learn more about these creatures, click here!

A juvenile Golden Eagle perchin' on a tall tree. I have been seeing an enormous amount of these raptors perched way up high recently! When driving through the auto-tour route, make sure you are always looking up into the trees (where these guys like to hide). 

A Geese family and a Blue Heron co-existing and utilizing the same habitat for hunting. Geese tend to probe the ground for smaller invertebrates, while Blue Herons tend to be more of a stealth hunter - targeting things like frogs and mice. 

The swan migration at Ridgefield is absolutely magnificent. We get both Trumpeter and Tundra Swans, and they are very talkative & loud birds.

The American Kestrel is by far my favorite bird of prey on the Refuge. They are so little, but so fierce and beautiful. 

A Red-Tail Hawk who was posin' for the camera. 

A pair of Ring-necked Ducks. The way that these two interacted with one another made me think that they were a mated pair! 

A Great Egret hunting for his dinner - these guys call the Refuge home year-round.

Some Pintails and Mallards hanging out together in Long Lake! 

*To be continued*