Photo of the Month

Dorothy Sowell is the Eastside Audubon Society’s first Photo of the Month winner for her shot of a Black-necked Stilt at Hayton Reserve in Skagit County. Other members of the EAS Photography Group tried to photograph the bird, but Dorothy was the one who was successful.

The photo was no fluke. Dorothy’s tenacity is inspiring. She never fails to present a wide selection of high-quality photos at the photography group’s monthly meeting. Her work is the result of her trips to Marymoor Park, Juanita Bay Park, American Bittern Pond, Wiley Slough, Hayton Reserve, and the Issaquah area.

Dorothy is relatively new to EAS and Puget Sound. She moved to Issaquah from Oregon in May 2020 and joined the Society a few months later. Since then, she has been a regular participant in the monthly photography group meetings on Zoom. She’s says she has learned great photography tips as well as the best places for birding from the group’s members.

The winning photo was taken on the morning of October 16 at Hayton Reserve during low tide. It was her first visit to the Skagit Valley area The photo was shot in RAW mode on a Canon Rebel T7i with a Canon EF 400 mm lens (ISO: 1000; Aperture: f/8.0; Shutter: 1/1000).

Always a lover of nature and hiking, birding has gotten more exciting for Dorothy after she purchased the telephoto lens. “Seeing details on birds and waterfowl – colors, patterns, feathers – really amazes her and enhances the birding experience,” she says.

The Photo of the Month award was instituted at this month’s meeting to recognize the great photography work of members who share their knowledge of photography and local wildlife. To attend the meeting, please join the group’s announcement list.