Sunday at dawn in Dog Marsh. Hoquiam, Wash.
Across the grass and wetlands, the port's loading facility on the Grays Harbor bay is still alight, and a mist just kisses the hills of nearby Aberdeen.
Dog Marsh is Hoquiam's unofficial dog park. Even at this early hour there's someone about with their furry companions.
Rather than interrupt their solitude, and risk being accosted by their dogs, I cut across the back end of the marsh, along a line of trees that sets off the marsh from town. The Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad swing bridge in the Hoquiam River beckons.
I see our no-littering sign is looking a bit worse for wear.
Because of the dogs, I'm walking along the path opposite my normal direction, on the east end of the marsh that I don't always explore, which offers a fresh view of Rennie Island in the bay.
As I work along the riprap that curves where the river meets the bay, the bridge looms dramatically behind me.
An otter swims by to check me out.
I am of interest, apparently. As I compose another shot of Rennie Island...
...the otter returns with its entire family.
I quickly shift to video (see below), because the otter is chirping in a way I've never heard before.
They dive. Disappear.
I return to the path, walking along the bay to check out the view to the west.
It is past dawn, but it takes a minute for the sun to climb over the surrounding hills. As it does everything takes on a golden glow.
A Savannah sparrow lights on an arm of driftwood and cheeps to the morning (see video below).
I climb back to the path. Another dog walker makes her way around the looping trail. She doesn't notice me until her dog woofs a greeting.
It is broad daylight now. To continue shooting would make for a distinct photographic moment.
I end the morning near around the loop close to where I started shooting, with the sun in the trees on the back end of the marsh.
