It was a very, very...dare I say it...yes, very intersting day at Big Island Wildlife Area...here are the highlights:
Here are the highlights in no particular time of day or viewing order:


Went down Keener Rd and spotted:
2 Indigo Buntings
1 yearling Eagle

Was over at the pond in front of the caretaker's house and while looking for the Shelduck (which I didn't see.  It must have went back home) and saw:

2 Kingfishers chasing each other all around the caretakers house.
2 Kingbirds

Near the end of the day, I went up to the mudflats as I was pulling in, I looked out and I was no more than five yards from a Red Tailed Hawk on ground eating rodent.  It wouldn't leave until I took at least a couple of dozen pictures. :-)  Here is one: http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s226/sjlarue/Birds/Redtailedcloseup1.jpg 

After it let me by, I went back to the mudflat and saw:

Several GBHs
Shorebirds:
Lesser Yellowlegs
Sandpipers:
   Spotted
   Solitary
   Pectoral 
   Least

Well that was a pretty uneventful day for me...if I leave out the NON-birding info...Okay the rest is basically for the DNR people who are part of the list....and the rest who are interested in the other cool and WIERD critters of Big Island WA...

Mammals:
Scrats everywhere,
Realy big 10 PT Buck still in the velvet stage. It was over at Keener Rd Near the creek.  But not the biggest I've seen at Big Island, Last month I saw a 12 point over at the mud flats...nearly had me screaming like a school girl. :-)

OK I'll quit dragging it out.  What will probably be the overall most interesting find of the day today.  It was the reptiles:

Scientific name: Iguana iguana...A GREEN IGUANA!!!!!  Yes a Green Iguana.  When I spotted it I thought that it was a snake swimming, all I saw was a head swishing back and fourth. Thank goodness I had my camera.  I zoomed in thinking I had some sort of snake...and then I took a double take...Pics here: http://s153.photobucket.com/albums/s226/sjlarue/Big%20Island%20Wierdness/  .  I'm also going to post them up on the forum page.

Unless it is a pet of the caretaker, it was probably a pet that got a little to big. Probably the typical Christmas present that got to big so we'll turn it out at the Wildlife Area...you know I've never worried about a gator being in the marshes...you can bet that I will now. ;-)

It was last spotted across the street from the caretakers house in the water near the ramp that goes down into the cell.  It was keeping cool in the water.  It looks to be about a healthy three to four feet long.  It's body was about six to seven inches wide at the gerth. 

  Does the DNR know how to rescue a Iguana?  I don't want it, but I bet that there is a Zoo that would.

Well that is my day...what's next Gators? :-D

See you out there..

Happy Birding and God Bless

Steve Jones
(a.k.a. sjlarue)
Blog: http://sjlarueslenses.blogspot.com/

Ezekiel 17:22-24 

22 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it;
I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 
23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar.
Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.
24 All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall.
I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. 
      " 'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.' "

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