Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) are small geese that winter here along our Puget Sound shoreline where they fatten up on nutritious eelgrass. These charming little geese winter elsewhere along the Pacific Coast, even down to San Quintín, Baja California. They are a pleasure to watch as they interact among themselves and play in the waves. I love these cheerful birds. I look forward to this time of year when they show up along our shoreline. Soon they’ll depart for their breeding grounds to the north.
More about the Black Brant life histories here in a Daily Bucket prepared Words and Birds: The Daily Bucket: Black and White and Beautiful All Over — Black Brant Geese Fly in for a Visit
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THE DAILY BUCKET IS A NATURE REFUGE. WE AMICABLY DISCUSS
ANIMALS, WEATHER, CLIMATE, SOIL, PLANTS, WATERS AND NOTE LIFE’S PATTERNS.
WE INVITE YOU TO NOTE WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AROUND YOU
IN YOUR OWN PART OF THE WORLD,
AND TO SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND HISTORY OF THE DAILY BUCKET FEATURE,
CHECK OUT THIS DIARY:
DAILY BUCKET PHENOLOGY: 11 YEARS OF RECORDING EARTH'S VITAL SIGNS
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
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This Bucket is photo intensive, a bit overboard, flooding the zone. I had a $5 off birthday gift from Shore Pine Coffee at the Edmonds Waterfront. It was a nice day, partly sunny. A storm front had just moved through. Post-frontal wind had kicked up generating whitecaps out on the Sound. I thought a perfect day to grab some coffee and stroll along the waterfront with camera. I walked first out on the fishing pier. There were still some lingering winter birds out on the water like Red-necked Grebes, Horned Grebes, Buffleheads, and Red-breasted Mergansers.
After walking the pier, I drove the two-minute drive down to Marina Beach Park on a whim. And there they were, a big flock of Brant playfully splashing through the waves just off the beach.
Marina Beach — Edmonds, WA
Enlargement of the above photo to show the green band.
Other creatures having fun in the wind and waves.
Some of the lingering winter birds seen from the pier.
Red-necked Grebe beginning the transition to breeding plumage.
Horned Grebe also transitioning to breeding plumage.
Bufflehead
Olympic Gull, the hybrid of a Glaucous-winged Gull and Western Gull.
Olympic Mountains veiled in clouds. That’s our Fire Department rescue boat on the right.
Black Brant on the Browns Bay shoreline from a few years ago.
What have you all been observing and finding in nature? Are you seeing signs of spring?
