Today was our first full day of biking along the Columbia River. While enjoying a 15 mile long bike path through Richland, Washington I suddenly noticed Canada Goose which was quite odd. While not a true albino (lack of pigment and pink eyes), this goose was definitely Leucistic which means it was lacking in pigment in certain parts of its body.
My wife and I are in the middle of a 1,500 mile self – supported bike tour which started near Glacier National Park and routes us down to the Oregon Coast via various river systems and the high plateau. Upon reaching the Oregon coast near Eugene, Oregon we will swing up the Pacific to Seattle where the biking portion of our trip will finish (bike trip diaries). The first ten days of our trip have seen his biking through areas where the average annual rainfall is less than 10 inches. The birds that survive this climate tend to locate near water sources … thus like back home in Minnesota … find the water and food sources … find the birds.
Thus, here are my daily birds of the American West. As we have now reached the Columbia River in Richland, Washington, water is once again in abundance. Click or press upon any image to view at full size.
Day 226: Magpie on a fence post
Day 227: Golden Eagle
Day 228: Osprey at sunrise on the Clark Fork River
Day 229: The Cormorants of Lake Pend Oreille
Day 230: Osprey along the Pend Oreille River
Day 231: Eurasian Turtle Dove
Day 232: Grand Coulee Dam Robin
Day 233: Spring Canyon Campground California Quail
Day 234: Killdeer and friend at dawn on Soap Lake
Day 235: American Kestrel
Early in the morning while biking the 70 miles from Ely to Beaver Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior, I heard a hawk screaming off to the side of the road. I got off my bicycle and waded into the forest. My reward was to find this merlin (kind of falcon) enjoying its breakfast. My payment was incurring a huge number of mosquito bits in the search for this picture!
I’ve also included a photograph I took 45 minutes after sunrise of the Kawishiwi River. Hopefully you will begin to understand my love of northern Minnesota! You’ll note that my final photo of the hawk finally had blue skies. The weather was clearing, but the bugs drove me away from lingering to take any more pictures!
My thanks to Owen Strickland, one this blog’s readers who helped me with the identification.
Madam Merlin (highway #1 near Ely, Minnesota)
