Tag Archive for 'peregrines'

Birders Scott and Penny are back at it in Olympia, Washington. Here’s how their long day of birding in Washington’s capital turned out:

We had enough time after lunch to walk to the capitol building along the shores of Capital Lake, a dammed body of water adjacent to Budd Inlet, resting below the capitol itself.  The lake is a perfectly circular reflecting pool bordered by extensively manicured lawns and a few individual ornamental trees.  But do not underestimate the power of water.  The lake was littered with Ring-billed, California, and Glaucous-winged Gulls; Lesser Scaup; Bufflehead; American Widgeon; Gadwall; and at least two lovely male Wood Ducks.  As we made our way around the lake, I spied a Peregrine flying around the dome of the capitol high on hill above.  Excitedly, I binned the bird, grabbed my compact binoculars and began reporting (loudly) to Scott its every move.

“He’s diving, left, right, up, now to the left THERE’S the FEMALE!  He’s DISPLAYING! They are FLYING TOGETHER!”

I felt a gentle tap on my arm and looked at Scott’s chagrined face.  Oh right, we are in a very public park with hundreds of people walking, jogging, and otherwise not bird watching.  Never mind. My enthusiasm doesn’t dampen easily.  I’m just sorry all these folks are missing this amazing display of wildlife right above their heads.

Finally we arrived at the capitol under the watchful eye of a male Anna’s guarding his territory and were properly shushed and awed by the magnificence of the architecture.  We gazed with respect at the marble columns and gold chandeliers, checked the House and Senate seating arrangement, and drank in the significance of it all.  But not for long – soon the inner child begins to squirm and we are off on a true exploration.

Feeling more like 5th graders escaping from a required field trip than Washington State citizens getting in touch with the seat of government, we explored every stairwell and hallway available to our enquiring feet and eyes.  We soon found ourselves in the bowels of the capitol where lengthy marble hallways led us past congressional offices to a remote outer doorway.  Sneaking out (for no apparent reason since it is open to the public), we discovered the courtyard between the capitol building and the governor’s mansion.  We rewarded ourselves with a wave to the state patrol officer guarding the mansion, then stood about, a bit lost with our “nerve.”

Suddenly, the same back door we had just exited swung open – I was swept with guilt, expecting a teacher to emerge at any moment and discipline us back to the tour.  Better yet, it was Governor Gregoire herself, leaving work on a Saturday afternoon and heading home to the mansion.  We giggled sillily for a few moments while we speculated on whether the governor was aware of the Song Sparrow singing in her garden or the Peregrines nesting on the capitol.  Before we could decide if she truly had time to keep a yard list (after all, she was working on a Saturday), she suddenly reemerged from the mansion with her family and dog Trooper in tow for an early evening walk around Capital Lake.  We took this as our cue to return to Capitol Lake as well.

The fruitful and lovely day was topped off with a complete circuit of the lake with the distant clouds turning pink on the horizon.  We stopped often to enjoy the view and scan the lake for any additional new birds.  Our scanning was rewarded with an adult Bald Eagle careening after a first year Glaucous-winged gull, obviously carrying a prize coveted by the Bald Eagle.  The gull easily out maneuvered the eagle but the chase was exciting nonetheless.  A last memory for our Olympia adventure.  The day was an excellent birthday outing with 44 species, one peregrine nest, and a double sighting of Washington State’s governor.