Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge Gallery

Bullfrog

Bullfrogs are not native to Oregon.

Iceberg

A bullfrog sits in the water like an iceberg, with the largest part of its body hidden below the surface. Or perhaps I should say kind of like an iceberg, since with a bullfrog the most dangerous part is the part that's above the surface, the ravenous mouth that will devour all manner of pond residents. There is a boardwalk at Ankeny that goes out over a large pond. The boardwalk is closed when the waterfowl arrive to winter over at the refuge, but the warmer months can provide glimpses of bullfrogs and rough-skinned newts in the water below.

Savannah Sparrow

Frosty the Sparrow

Winters in Oregon's Willamette Valley are pretty mild, the near constant cloud cover traps heat near the earth and at night temperatures rarely dip below freezing. Of course even we get the occasional frost (not to mention the occasional ice or snow storm). This frosty sparrow spent a cold morning near a pond at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge.

Barn Swallow

George, I'm Hungry!

I don't think I've ever taken a good picture out of a viewing blind, but I've taken some nice ones inside them. The old blind at Ridgefield was a fantastic place to watch barn swallows in the spring, as over a dozen parents would build nests in or outside the blind, and the nearby trees provided good perching spots. The new blind, however, must not be to their liking as there are no more nests.

A single barn swallow nest was inside this blind, with plenty of room for me to hang out on the opposite side of the blind and watch the swallows swoop in to feed the nestlings.

The amount of energy it takes parents to feed their hungry young is astounding. These three birds have grown from hatchlings and are almost ready to fledge. In between feedings, they would prepare for their eventual first flight by standing on the edge of the nest and flapping their wings rapidly, often bumping into the others in the tight confines. But the moment one of the parents flew into the blind, they'd sit back down with mouths open wide, their bright orange mouths a sudden contrast to what had been just drab browns and blues.

Three barn swallow nestlings, one with its mouth wide open, sit in their nest at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge

MMMMMMOOOOOOOMMMMM!

There's one in every bunch.

I can't help but think back to my childhood, riding in the old Chevy station wagon, invisible lines drawn between the seats to keep you from poking your siblings on a long trip. You'd put your finger as close as possible to that line, hovering in the air for no purpose other than to drive your siblings crazy, keeping the letter of the law but violating its spirit.