American Coot chicks

A fairly common sight in spring in the marshes along Bruce Road at the William L. Finley Wildlife Refuge, American Coot chicks look little like their nearly monochrome parents. And their faint little voices can be heard most often in the reeds and cattails, trying to get the attention of the adults to bring them something to eat. Occasionally they would venture out into more open water for a brief look at their outrageous plumage.

Bushtits nest building together

Very close to a photo blind at the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge just south of Corvallis, Oregon, we witnessed a pair of Bushtits building their ‘sock-like’ nest. We observed it over a period of six weeks or so, from near the beginning of building it until the young were being feed, apparently, as you can’t see inside but the adult activity would indicate that’s what was going on. Their movement in the ‘sock’ was comical to watch as a bulge would form as they entered, slide down and around inside.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology