Bird Story Photography By Kathleen Bailey

Locations — South Puget Sound

Nisqually NWR

tidal estuary · South Puget Sound · 42 frames

Location given as a general area only — never a nest or sensitive site.

  • Young Cedar Waxwing with one red wax tip on each wing

  • Juvenile Cedar Waxwing holding juicy crabapple

  • Rufous Hummingbird female feeding her fledgling

  • Adult Cedar Waxwing with four red wax tips on secondary feathers of each wing

  • Three Red-breasted Sapsucker juveniles playing in tree in Nisqually forest

  • Rufous Hummingbird male feeding at Salmonberry flower

  • Older Cedar Waxwing with six red wax tips on wings

  • Barred Owl peaks out from behind tree at Nisqually

  • Female Rufous Hummingbird looking for Salmonberry flower nectar

  • Adult waxwing with crabapple

  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet taking a break from looking for insects in bigleaf maple tree

  • Cedar Waxwing with ripe crabapples on a native crabapple tree at Nisqually NWR

  • Barred Owl peeking out from behind tree at Nisqually

  • Male Yellow Warbler with insect for feeding fledgling

  • Belted Kingfisher male in big leaf maple tree at Beachcrest

  • Getting ready to swallow crabapple

  • Barred Owl resting in Nisqually forest during daylight hunt

  • Brown-headed Cowbird fledgling being fed by male Northern Yellow Warbler

  • Yellow Warbler fledgling 4 days later

  • Female juvenile Hooded Merganser in a pond at Nisqually NWR

  • Robin with crabapple

  • Golden-crowned Kinglet female looking for insects in Nisqually forest

  • Sibling Sapsucker juveniles playing together

  • Adult carrying ferns for nest building at Nisqually

  • Adult male Northern Yellow Warbler in Nisqually forest

  • Adult Red-breasted Sapsucker trying to keep up with juveniles

  • Fledgling Northern Yellow Warbler waiting to be fed

  • Sharp-shinned Hawk · Nisqually NWR

  • Rufous Hummingbird, recently fledged at Nisqually NWR, rests while waiting for Mom to come and feed him

  • This marsh wren was singing cheerfully from the cattails along the water at Nisqually.

  • Bald Eagle in red alder tree fall, 2025

  • Two Cedar Waxwings share a berry at Nisqually

  • Fledgling Yellow Warbler watching out for father to bring him an insect

  • Juvenile waxwing swallowing crabapple whole

  • Brown Creeper · Nisqually NWR

  • Northern Yellow Warbler 4 Days older

  • Three Cedar Waxwings eating unripe berries from a red elderberry bush

  • Slightly more mature Yellow Warbler 4 days later

  • Fun in the forest!

  • Swainson's Thrush is often found on red elderberry bushes with ripe berries

  • Tucked among the elderberry, where the ripening fruit will soon feed the southbound migration.

  • An elderberry in the bill — Swainson’s Thrushes eat insects, berries, and soft fruits

Field notes from here