Coal Strip Mines
the Coal Strip Mines is part of Tono, Washington, United States.Top photos chosen by u all:
White-tailed Kite
Made by Raymond Parsons
Taken in Centralia (Tono), WA. This morning I decided to drive down to Centralia (about 2 hours from my home) and scope out some reported White-tailed Kite habitat. While the weather was terrible this morning, I didn't have anything better to do at 5AM. :-) As I drove down Big Hanaford Rd outside of Centralia, I passed the large steam plant run by TransAlta and pulled off the road and looked out into the valley. My first sighting was a Northern Harrier, followed by these two White-tailed Kites. This is my first kite photograph, and it was very cool to see them - the first several minutes that I was there, these two frequently tangled with each other. At one point, they locked in the air and fell to the ground, breaking free at the last second. A few minutes later, they were in hunting mode, and I watched both of them grab mice from the valley and take them back to a fence post to eat them. Their hunting style is too cool - they hover in the air looking for prey and then dive quickly. This is not the Harrier style of hovering which is very brief, but more like 30 seconds if required (similar to Osprey.) While I realize they're tiny here, the land shown here is fenced off and I will need to get permission from TransAlta next week if I plan on trying to get closer. My hope is that they'll let me set up a blind temporarily when we get our next nice day. :-)
This Means YOU !
Made by oldwirld
along the Big Hanaford Rd....south of Bucoda
Meadow
Made by oldwirld
NE of Centralia
Nearest places of interest:
| Centralia City Center Fairway Center Cowlitz Trout Hatchery Ike Kinswa State Park | Horizon Pointe Lacey Tenino, WA Millersylvania State Park |
