pikatown
@pikatown.bsky.social
The feed formerly known as @pika_town on IG. Morphing from a focus on "Pika Town" at MRNP to general WA State wildlife. Turned out that mixing wildlife and politics on my other Bluesky feed was ummm...suboptimal.
Oh. And about those white-headed woodpeckers... they do not normally reuse their nest holes. But the western bluebirds recognized a great condo when they saw it!
August 16, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Oh. And about those white-headed woodpeckers... they do not normally reuse their nest holes. But the western bluebirds recognized a great condo when they saw it!
It may still be summer. But on the flanks of The Mountain, the residents know winter is coming. Harvest season is in full swing at Pika Town. Because now is the time to provision for when the snow begins to fall in a few short weeks.
August 16, 2025 at 9:16 PM
It may still be summer. But on the flanks of The Mountain, the residents know winter is coming. Harvest season is in full swing at Pika Town. Because now is the time to provision for when the snow begins to fall in a few short weeks.
When the egg(s) hatched, it was non-stop feeding time. A non-stop conveyor belt of insects! #birds #wildlife #woodpeckers
May 26, 2025 at 4:32 AM
When the egg(s) hatched, it was non-stop feeding time. A non-stop conveyor belt of insects! #birds #wildlife #woodpeckers
Last spring, a pair of white-headed woodpeckers did some serious work excavating a nest cavity in this ponderosa pine stump in Chelan country Washington. Dead ponderosa pines are a typical nesting location for these birds. #birds #woodpeckers
May 26, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Last spring, a pair of white-headed woodpeckers did some serious work excavating a nest cavity in this ponderosa pine stump in Chelan country Washington. Dead ponderosa pines are a typical nesting location for these birds. #birds #woodpeckers
One last horned grebe. Taken about a year ago. In my experience, the these less than accommodating about showing off their catch. Anything with food gets the attention of gulls who happily steal anything they can. #pugetsund #salishsea #hornedgrebe
May 19, 2025 at 2:46 AM
One last horned grebe. Taken about a year ago. In my experience, the these less than accommodating about showing off their catch. Anything with food gets the attention of gulls who happily steal anything they can. #pugetsund #salishsea #hornedgrebe
An addition to show how fast these birds are underwater: a brief video clip of one quick hunting dive. It makes photographing them hard because you rarely have any idea where they will surface.
May 18, 2025 at 11:32 PM
An addition to show how fast these birds are underwater: a brief video clip of one quick hunting dive. It makes photographing them hard because you rarely have any idea where they will surface.
Jester puffin bringing what joy it can...
May 17, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Jester puffin bringing what joy it can...
For perspective - a horned grebe in winter plumage in the same location.
May 17, 2025 at 2:40 AM
For perspective - a horned grebe in winter plumage in the same location.
A horned grebe in breeding plumage. Seen from the shore on Puget Sound.
May 17, 2025 at 2:32 AM
A horned grebe in breeding plumage. Seen from the shore on Puget Sound.
A red breaded merganser surfing along on Puget Sound during a sunny winter moment.
May 14, 2025 at 12:29 AM
A red breaded merganser surfing along on Puget Sound during a sunny winter moment.
The snowmelt from Pika Town runs down to the White River. So named because glacial silt and volcanic ash from Mt Rainier give it a chalky color for most of the year. In April when this common merganser was navigating the rapids, the river ran crystal clear. #commonmerganser #merganser #birds
May 12, 2025 at 7:14 PM
The snowmelt from Pika Town runs down to the White River. So named because glacial silt and volcanic ash from Mt Rainier give it a chalky color for most of the year. In April when this common merganser was navigating the rapids, the river ran crystal clear. #commonmerganser #merganser #birds
Pika Town sits at ~7000 feet on the flanks of Mount Rainier. Its residents have about 4 snow free months a year to collect and store food for a winter spent in rocky homes under deep snow. American pikas do not hibernate. So the harvest is serious business. #americanpika #notrodents #mountrainier
May 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Pika Town sits at ~7000 feet on the flanks of Mount Rainier. Its residents have about 4 snow free months a year to collect and store food for a winter spent in rocky homes under deep snow. American pikas do not hibernate. So the harvest is serious business. #americanpika #notrodents #mountrainier