Critters in their habitat

I thought including more habitat with birds would better tell the story of why we need to protect natural areas.
The above 2 photos are of a Green Heron foraging at the Montlake Fill in Seattle. While the 1st photo is a better image of the bird, the 2nd shows the pond where it was feeding.
Brown-headed Cowbirds were sitting on this 19-year-old cow when the flock behind took flight. Yes!
The Snoqualmie River Rd. farm owner came out to talk with me while I was shooting. His grandparents originally settled here.

Vaux's Swifts roost in an elementary school in Monroe on their fall and spring migrations. Each night, anywhere from 5,000 - 20,000 enter the 4x4 ft. tall chimney. They cling to the bricks lining the interior walls.

I was blown away watching them begin to fill the sky at sunset and then swirl en mass before dropping tail-first into the chimney.

The chimney is not structurally sound so East Lake Washington and Seattle Audubon are working with the local community on raising funds to preserve it for future swifts.
A thunderstorm was moving in from the Cascade foothills in the east while the sun was setting in the west creating a beautiful sky.