2024 was a good bird photography year for me. I encountered many new species in addition to familiar bird friends, and visited exciting new locations as well as returning to some of my favorite places. It was hard to narrow down all my pictures into a smaller sample for this review. For me, in each photo I can see the entire process of getting myself in position, lessons learned and sometimes applied on the camera, and processing and posting the photos at home. These are some of my favorites. Nothing new; all of these 66 photos are featured in one of my blog posts in 2024. But I enjoyed revisited them; I hope you do too.
You can scroll through the collection (presented in chronological order); or use the “Search gallery” box to look for individual birds, seasons, or locations. The places that contributed the most to this collection are Ridgefield and Nisqually National Wildlife Refuges, Summer Lake Wildlife Area in southeastern Oregon, Virginia, and Spain.
Carolina Wren, Virginia, January 2024
Sandhill Crane, Vancouver Lake Lowlands, Winter 2023-24
Heron, Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge, Winter 2023-24
Kingfisher, at Oaks Bottom, Winter 2023-24
Kestrel, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Bittern, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Trumpeter Swan, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Red-tailed hawk, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Steller’s Jay, caught mimicking a Red-Tail Hawk, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Hooded Merganser, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Varied Thrush, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Towhee, at Ridgefield NWR, Winter 2023-24
Wigeon, at Nisqually NWR, Spring 2024
Surf Scoter, at Nisqually NWR, Spring 2024
Yellowlegs, at Nisqually NWR, Spring 2024
Downy Woodpecker, at Nisqually NWR, Spring 2024
Female Hooded Merganser, at Nisqually NWR, Spring 2024
Northern Harrier, at Nisqually NWR, Spring 2024
Northern Shoveler, at Nisqually NWR, Spring 2024
Bewick’s Wren, Camassia Wildlife Preserve, Spring 2024
WowZa! Now THAT is a best-of list! So many I haven’t seen and that’s not even counting the Spain birds. The magpie has been elusive as well as the Lewis woodpecker and evening grosbeak. What a treat to look back! Thanks for sharing the view behind the lens.
All three birds you mention were part of our Summer Lake trip, which you inspired! I don’t think we can fit in a return trip this spring, but maybe we can all go there some time, and you can find your magpie and we can get a peak at the ibises (ibi?) that we didn’t see last time.
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