There are many squirrels thriving in Portland. They are one animal that has adapted to urban spaces. You probably see them in your yard. They are also notorious for raiding bird feeders. Just like any animal, they are trying to survive and should not be punished or demonized for it. I think they should be revered for their acrobatic skills and cuteness....

Here are some quick links to the April photos, videos, and music. April Music April Photos April Music Video...

The Willamette River sustains a large amount of wildlife. The abundant fish in the River attract many birds that feed off of them. Some of these include; Eagles, Ospreys, Mergansers, Grebes, and Cormorants. There is a large population of Double Crested Cormorants that can be seen in the Willamette River. I enjoy photographing these beautiful birds. They have colorful turquoise eyes that go often noticed....

Today I was able to get some close photographs of an American Coot. I was taking pictures of the sunset when this solo Coot swam up to me. I was able to snap these shots. American Coots are related to cranes and sometimes called mud hens. They are often mistaken for a duck because they are often swimming around like ducks. Their feet look more like dinosaur feet. Clearly a sign that birds are descendent of dinosaurs. Their feet have some webbing that help it

Read MoreThe American Coot

I grew up in the country in McMinnville Oregon. I remember encountering Gartner snakes around my yard growing up. I would often catch them and bring them home to observe them. I learned that they were harmless except for the skunk like smell they would sometimes release as a defense mechanism. Today as I was taking photographs in Oaks Bottom, I met a family that had captured a garter snake and they were in the process of examining it. I asked permission to take a

Read MoreThe Northwestern Garter Snake

The Spotted Towhee is a common bird in the Northwest. It spends most of its time on the ground under bushes searching for bugs. In the Spring, the males will spend their mornings singing with everything they got to attract a mate. All birds like to take baths. Here is a Towhee enjoying an ice cold bath. Towhees spend most fo their time searching the ground for seeds and bugs. They have a cool dance move called the two-footed, backwards-scratching hop. They do this to

Read MoreThe Spotted Towhee

Today was a beautiful day to be outside and experience nature. I spent several hours in Oaks Bottom Wildlife enjoying the sites and and sounds. Oaks Bottom is home to many species of ducks including the colorful Wood Duck. You can often see bald eagles fishing in the Lake at Oaks Bottom. I love to photograph our National Bird. There has been 200 or more species of birds recorded at Oaks Bottom. Song Sparrows are one of the common birds that can be found there.

Read MoreStart of Spring in Oaks Bottom

Right now Anna’s hummingbirds are active building nests. Some of the male hummingbirds are still working hard trying to find a mate. They will sit on the same branch for hours calling out with all their might. Anna’s Hummingbirds  are the fastest animal in the world. The males try to impress the females by doing a courtship dive where it reaches speeds up to 60 miles/hour and covers 400 times its own body length every second. That is twice the speed of falcon in body

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This afternoon I stopped by Willamette Park to get some pictures of a rainbow. There were many beautiful rainbows that I photographed today. As I was packing up to go home, I noticed a pair of mallards in the parking lot. I decided to shoot a few last minute photos before I headed home. I was surprised that the ducks let me get so close. They came up to me as if to greet me or maybe they were begging for food? I spent several

Read MoreMallards in Portland