If you want to develop your ability to bird by ear, you will be delighted by a visit to Grand Island.  The only ambient noise is birds - which is hard to find in the neighboring greater Portland metropolitan area. 

We ran into two people working on the trail to keep access open to the deep fishing holes located in the bend of the nearby river channel.

NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

ENJOYING THE WATER AND SOLITUDE

PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE

Our modest report of birds encountered on this visit https://ebird.org/checklist/S91322252

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Go early.  Mid-morning is too late. 

Don't miss Hildebrandt Cherry Orchards - there are more varieties of cherries in this very large orchard than we knew existed.  

My search for the Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO) at the Deschutes River State Recreation Area ended well because of information provided by a park ranger and then later by two other birders who ultimately spotted the little guy while I was hiking the canyon trails with Remy. But for the text message I received from them, I may have dipped on this species again. According to the park ranger I spoke with, the NSWO has many daily perches it rotates through, so locating it is a hit or miss proposition.  

I couldn't have asked for a nicer day to go birding.  It was clear, cool, and calm when I arrived, and the temperature rose into the 50s by the time I left. 

A couple of bonus encounters included a cooperative Great Horned Owl and a pair of river otters foraging on crayfish near shore.

I learned the difference between the NSWO's alert defensive and relaxed postures during this encounter.  In the second image above the owl was relaxed, in the third image, it tensed in reaction to Remy showing up to check in with me.  The owl immediately calmed and closed its eyes as soon as I removed her from the area.  I share this information to help the uninitiated birder understand when their behavior adversely affects one of these little gems should you have the good fortune to encounter one. 

Great Horned Owl

Don't get between river otter and their food!!

Barrow's Goldeneye Common Goldeneye Great Blue Heron

American White Pelican

https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=29#park-overview

https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=main.loadFile&load=_siteFiles%2Fpublications%2F%2FDeschutes_Brochure_2020%28web%29102033.pdf

It was fun to watch Northern Harriers harass the falcon as it was perched on the ground digesting a recent meal, and then later get to see the impressive aerial pursuit of the GYRFALCON by an immature BALD EAGLE.  The falcon could outmaneuver the eagle but could not maintain a safe distance away from it in level flight.  The acrobatics lasted for a couple of minutes in a tight circle nearly directly overhead. Still, it seemed much longer than that, and there were multiple instances where I thought the GYRFALCON might actually go down.  The GRYFALCON called loudly each time the BALD EAGLE closed ranks, which added a lot to the spectacle.

Below is an interactive map of sightings reported from time-to-time on the Mid Willamette Valley What's App Birding Group. 

A FEW PHOTOS OF MY EXPERIENCE BELOW

After looking again at the frames above, I just realized that the falcon cleverly positioned itself away from the eagle's talons when making an evasive maneuver. So maybe the eagle didn't present as much a threat to the falcon as I first thought.  The falcon's cries certainly lead me to think it was in trouble.

I can't believe I waited almost two weeks before chasing this rarity, which is a life bird for me.

As a footnote; I received the following message from Jeff Gilligan after posting this to Oregon Birds Online:

I reported on October 29 a Gyrfalcon from near the mouth of the Columbia that I had flushed from a dredge spoil hill in Ilwaco, WA.  It was colored much like the Polk County bird.  When flushed, it flew south toward the island in the Columbia, where I eventually lost sight of it.  Given the species' rarity, I think there is a very good chance the Polk County bird is the same one I saw in Ilwaco.

The spring became widely known in recent years and suffered from too much attention from people seeking up close and personal experiences with the wildlife, which was understandable and at the same time troubling - little did anyone know at the time that a fate far worse was soon to overtake this storied micro-wonderland.

A FEW IMAGES OF THEN:

AND SADLY NOW:

I am grateful to have experienced the beauty of this special place with thanks to the landowner for generously granting us all access.

At one and a half miles long and half a mile wide, the lake's well-maintained lakeshore trail makes for an easy and interesting four-mile walk just about any time of year.  With an average depth of about 50 feet, [it] regularly attracts a nice variety of vagrant sea-birds which always impress whenever present.

The lake is located five miles east of Santiam Pass. Most of the lake water comes from groundwater seepage. Link Creek is the only year-round tributary flowing into the lake. It drains into the west end of the lake, with water from Blue Lake. The lake's only outlet is Lake Creek, which begins at the east end of the lake, eventually flowing into the Metolius River near Camp Sherman. In addition to fish, the lake provides a habitat for a wide variety of bird species. From the Forest Service campgrounds, you can view an abundance of waterfowl, songbirds, and birds of prey. [1]

If you're like us and generally prefer to bird in solitude, then you'll enjoy your time birding here since only 286 eBird checklists have been submitted for the area since 1974.  

PACIFIC WREN - are common along the southwest portion of the lakeside trail, while HERMIT THRUSH regularly inhabits the north side of the lake directly across from the Pacific Wren. Look for PILEATED WOODPECKER on the southeast side of the lake a quarter-mile west of the lake's marina fifty yards upslope.

AMERICAN COOT is an abundant year-round resident that you have not fully enjoyed until you've seen their feet and they're newly fledged young, LESSER SCAUP, COMMON MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, HOODED MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER; and if you're lucky you'll get good looks at LONG-TAILED DUCK, SURF SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, and BARROW'S GOLDENEYE.

A full list of birds reported at this location is available by following this link  https://ebird.org/pnw/hotspot/L1161099?yr=all&m=.

COMMON LOON

COMMON MERGANSER

VARIED THRUSH

GREAT BLUE HERON

PACIFIC WREN

HERMIT THRUSH

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER

SOOTY FOX SPARROW

PINE SISKIN

LODGE MARINA

PILEATED WOODPECKER (male & female)

COMMON GOLDENEYE

HOODED MERGANSER

Citations:

[1] “Suttle Lake (Oregon).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suttle_Lake_(Oregon).

I previously thought this species to be secretive by nature but now believe the reason they are typically hard to get a good look at has more to do with the habitat they prefer than inherent skittishness.  I remained covered by a camo netting sitting on the ground most of the time monitoring the nest.  But in the end, it was just me sitting in the open and the birds approached closer than while I was covered with netting.

The southern section of Black Butte Swamp is roughly 50 acres in size.  The image above was taken from a height of 400 feet looking w.nw.

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Link to relevant eBird reports:

July 9 eBird report

July 13 eBird report

July 15 eBird report

The good news is the colony persists at River Island Natural Area, and there are still many opportunities for up-close views of the birds in flight. The bad news is tunnels are now hard to view from land due to changes in the river channel, and the colony appears to be about a third of the size it was in 2014. I estimated 60 individuals were present during this visit.

Another notable difference between the two observations was that on 5 June 2014, feeding of chicks seemed to be the predominant activity observed while nest-building and pairing actions were all that was happening on 28 May 2020.  

Aerial views of the lower half of the south unit looking West-Northwest 2020.05.28
 

PARKING IS LIMITED TO THE NARROW SOUTHBOUND SHOULDER OF EADEN ROAD NEAR THE ENTRANCE.

https://www.oregonmetro.gov/river-island-natural-area-restoration

https://ebird.org/checklist/S69760246

2014 Post on the same topic can be found here

A persistent flock of eight to ten Western Meadowlark along the Clackamette Cove and River Access Trail in Oregon City recently sparked my curiosity about the habitat needs of this species.  I usually find meadowlarks there in an area just three acres in size and less frequently in an adjacent sparsely covered site of about five acres.  It wasn't until my dog walk yesterday that I began to suspect the flock might be inhabiting the place year-round. And, I doubt most people viewing the location on Google Maps would think to search for meadowlark in this isolated, mostly urban, mixed-use residential and commercial wasteland of sorts. 

According to a 2011 study of the Western Meadowlark habitat in the southern Willamette Valley, the mean habitat size per breeding pair was 14 acres, which would suggest the Clackamette Cove site might support one pair.  So what's up with the small flock that seems to always be in a location that, for all useful purposes, is less than 10 acres in size. 

Another unusual aspect of my last observation was the coloration of the birds found here.  They are dark above not brown and very bright yellow below. 

I Have to throw in a couple of additional images of other birds just because.

CITATION:

Altman, B., Blakely-Smith, M., Halsted, K. and Kreager, A. (2011). Western Meadowlarks and Wet Prairie Habitat in the Willamette Valley: Population Enhancement through Private Land Habitat Restoration. [online] Appliedeco.org. Available at: http://appliedeco.org/wp-content/uploads/IAE-meadowlark-habitat-report-2010.pdf [Accessed 10 Nov. 2019].

https://ebird.org/pnw/checklist/S61337707 
 

KTZV.com reported on 24 January 2017 that the Bureau of Land Management Prineville District started implementing a series of annual wildlife closures to protect several species of birds of prey during sensitive nesting periods. Included among the closures is Fryrear Canyon located 6 miles southeast of Sisters Oregon which we first visited on new years' day 2012.  Fryrear Canyon is now regularly closed to all users from February 1 to August 31.  

Below are a few landscape images from our recent search for evidence of raptor nests amidst the canyon walls.  While our search yielded only one nest we were able to enjoy but not photograph several bird species including, CLARK'S NUTCRACKER, CANYON WREN, COMMON RAVEN, SONG SPARROW, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, OREGON JUNCO, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, and PYGMY NUTHATCH. 

We like this 5-mile round-trip bird walk, it's easy in and out over flat terrain and once you reach the entrance to canyon you are soon consumed by the narrow width and relatively low height of the canyon walls that make it obvious why birds choosing to nest in this habitat would be vulnerable to human activity in and around the canyon.  
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In closing, we would like to remind those interested in this hike to carry drinking water.  We were caught off guard by November air temperatures in the mid-seventy degrees Fahrenheit in the canyon with no wind which made us ask ourselves "why didn't we bring water?"  We hope you enjoy and appreciate the canyon as much as we do.

Lost Lake is located in closed-basin on the western slope of the Cascade mountain range at an elevation of 3,983 feet.  The closed-basin is approximately 100 acres in size, the lake itself occupies about half of that area during peak seasonal water levels.  The lake empties in the summer when stream inflows slow and no longer keep up with or ahead of the volume of water flowing out through one of the many lava tubes in the basin. A 2003 research project concluded the water likely drains 6 miles to the southwest into Clear Lake, the head of the McKenzie River.

My bird survey tracks show the areas in which I focused my search for nesting LINCOLN SPARROW.  While the habit looks similarly good in each of the three areas, I was only able to locate one nesting pair.  The most abundant species was SPOTTED-SANDPIPER, all scurrying about feverishly herding their fledglings into deeper grass on my approach. 

LINCOLN SPARROW - I believe there were at least two, and possibly three fledglings that were being fed constantly by both parents in a small area of tall grass around the nest. 

One of three lava tubes that I am now aware of in the basin.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER seemed to be everywhere.

HOUSE WREN were abundant in the area infrequently visited on the south side of the lake. 

It was here that I flushed two WILSON'S SNIPE - I believed they picked the best spot in the area to privately raise a brood.

eBird Checklist of all birds observed here

There was a wonderful assortment of birds this morning on Black Butte Ranch. WILSON'S SNIPE, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, WILSON'S WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER and another EMPIDONAX sp. were among the most cooperative.  

BARN SWALLOW:

YELLOW WARBLER:

FEMALE YELLOW WARBLER:

WILSON'S WARBLER:

WILSON'S PHALAROPE:

WILSON'S SNIPE:

The two flycatchers were about 1/2 mile apart.  Unfortunately, neither bird vocalized.  Both bobbed their tails up first, then down helping me rule out Gray. I noted off-white wing bars, olive-gray upperparts, white to yellow-tinged underparts, and a faint eye-ring on the first bird.  The second bird's posture was more erect than the first and it was darker overall, with whiter wing bars and had a longer primary-projection. I've tentatively identified the first bird as a WILLOW FLYCATCHER, and the second as a DUSKY FLYCATCHER.

WILLOW FLYCATCHER:

EMPIDONAX sp. 2 - Thinking DUSKY FLYCATCHER

SORA:

SAVANNAH SPARROW:

SPOTTED SANDPIPER:

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56733828

The headline from my visit this morning was [18] Warbling Vireo, many of which appeared to be pairing up on territory. 

Bewick's Wren was the next most abundant species with 13 detections most of which were auditory - but thankfully I had a few show up for photos:

A few good looks at Black-throated Gray, Nashville, and Wilson's Warbler:

I am thinking - Western Wood-pewee: 

This was the first record of the species on the West Coast of the United States according to the eBird database, and if we are going to split hairs, it is the second-westernmost record of the species in North America by 5.223 miles.  First place honors for the westernmost sighting in North America goes to Penny Hall who found a lone male in Fort Nelson, British Columbia on 28 May 2009. https://ebird.org/canada/view/checklist/S5031095 

The darker the purple, the more frequent the occurrence of the species in the eBird map below:

By most accounts, the 10 acre parcel of private property in the middle of Portland, Oregon looks like a good place for a pair of bluebirds to hangout undisturbed by people.  The property is bordered by a chain-linked fence and paved path to the north and private parking lot to the east, both of which are open to the public.  The coincidence between my experience with Western Bluebirds and the dimensions of the property led me to agree this was a good place for the birds.  I've found most non-breeding Western Bluebirds will flush when I try to get closer than a couple hundred feet - the path and the parking lot are 250ft and 320ft, respectively, from a small tree and pond in the center of the field that the birds regularly forage near.

What none of us that descended on the site during the first few days following the report of this mega-rarity knew at the time was that the pair of vagrants were well habituated to people and close views were available in the garden of Dharma Rain Zen Center where quiet, respectful visitors are welcome during day light hours.  A window sticker on one of the cars in the parking lot that read "Fostering mindfulness and compassion in everyday life" was a great reminder for me as I approached the garden on foot during my fourth visit hoping to get a good look at these two amazingly wayward birds.  https://dharma-rain.org/  

Below is a link to an online app that calculates the distance between two sets of map coordinates:

https://andrew.hedges.name/experiments/haversine/

I struck out or dipped as birders say on what would have been my first encounter with a LONG-EARED OWL but I enjoyed meeting a lot friendly people, young and old, curious about the big bird in the tree while Remy roamed free in one of the best (off-leash) parks in the Portland Metropolitan Area! 

We were lucky to get a brief glimpse of the owl's nictitating membrane (or translucent eyelid) that is drawn across the eye for protection and to moisten it while maintaining vision.

It was a great day - I hope you enjoy the images:

Strix nebulosa (Finally)

July 4th I tried but failed to locate and photograph the "5 cute Harlequin ducklings" Allen Prigge and John Hosking observed on Lookout Creek in Lane county above Blue River on June 26th.  It is amazing to me that this small sea duck breeds inland on first and second order streams, which in this case was at a location approximately 120 air miles from the Oregon coast.  A real treat it would be to document the successful fledging of this species.

The good news is that the trip was not all for naught.  On my way back I located a female Barrow's Goldeneye with six kinda cute ducklings and two very cooperative Spotted Sandpiper at Carmen Reservoir.  Then came a nesting pair of Lincoln's Sparrow at Lost Lake, soon to be known as lost meadow as someone else recently suggested - and while the Osprey is having a difficult time finding/landing prey, Wilson's Snipe seem to be making good use of expanded breeding area there.

Once back at the Ranch, Jill joined Remy and me for a walk along the Metolius River to look for warblers.  This week of the year we normally find impressive numbers of a variety of warblers along the river - but this year we were able to count the warblers on one hand, but the number of butterflies, on the other hand, was unprecedented.  They were thick as flees for miles.  

The second largest state park in Oregon.

Trailhead:

 This White-throated Swift immediately stood out among the many Cliff Swallows in the area:

We were thrilled when a bunch more showed up and started working nests low on the cliff:

Next up was a surprising number of Bullock's Oriole.

We found three pairs, and we were able to locate one pair's nest.  A first for us:

We enjoyed close views of a Lazuli Bunting on territory at our turn-around point:

Looking up river heading back to the visitors center:

The variety of species picked up considerably on the way back.

Say's Phoebe:

Ash-throated Flycatcher:

Western Kingbird:

Eastern Kingbird:

California Quail:

Western Tanager:

And, lastly another Say's Phoebe with young at the visitor's information center:

Five hungry chicks - count em!

This was the 3rd record of the species in Oregon. Amazingly, the female Eider has been observed foraging near shore within Seaside Cove since December 31, 2017.  The first time this species was discovered in the state was February 1992, and that bird stuck around for only 5 days.  The second record was a single-day sighting near Bray Pt. in Lane County February 3, 2007. 

I believe the latest record of the species in the lower 48 states is March 30, 1977, in Massachusetts.  So I am sure there is more than one local birder hoping this vagrant sticks around until April.

Below is a selection of images of birds and landscapes from our visit to the area since our blog is not only about birds but also the places we find them. 

SEASIDE COVE:

FEMALE STELLER'S EIDER (Pronounced Ider):

Coming to shore -

Persistence pays off!

Standing triumphant! 

Time to take a break and clean up a bit. 

BLACK TURNSTONES, a canoeist of sorts, and crabbers probably wishing everyday was like today:

SANDERLING (ever-present and always appreciated):

REMY, SMUGGLER COVE, HARBOR SEALS CURIOUS ABOUT REMY, AND A SUNSET YOU ONLY GET AT THE BEACH:

A GORGEOUS WALK THROUGH OLD GROWTH FOREST LEADS TO THIS BEACH:

(Great Habitat for Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet)   THREE HARBOR SEALS - SHY UNTIL REMY APPROACHED THE WATER'S EDGE:  

 A FIERY SUNSET:  JILL WAVING GOOD DAY:

His enthusiastic call out to me while we were watching the duet of two GREAT HORNED OWLS from different positions of "Jack, it doesn't get any better than this" was as priceless as the experience itself. 

I have never before observed an interaction of this quality among adults. 

Five Photos: Thank you Ricky

I checked-in at the office the first morning when they opened at 8:00 am and was given permission to bird the entire grounds.

Jill's family has a long history of vacationing at Lake Creek Lodge.  Her mother Molly first visited the lodge during the summer of 1946 when she was 13 years-old.  I hope Molly enjoys this post as much as I've enjoyed my first experience of birding there.

On June 4th, the Catbirds were observed carrying nesting material, which suggests the chicks could fledge any day now.  I have not been able to hear the chicks begging, but the adults keep busy bringing food to the nest about every 15 minutes, sometimes more frequently.  The adults are also very vocal at times which as been a real treat, and they appear almost oblivious to people - even the ones who were playing in the creek just a few meters away from the nest.  

Gray Catbird:

Following are some images of the grounds of Lake Creek Lodge and a few other species of birds I enjoyed seeing there. Not pictured, unfortunately, was a glorious Adult Male Northern Goshawk which made a low pass through the forest right in front of me.  I guess I am going to have to start looking for them again.  

Over the bridge below and to your left is where the Catbirds are breeding: Approximate location of the nest - (actually it is in the shrub that is behind the one highlighted):

Dusky Flycatcher (until I stand corrected by someone more knowledgeable about Empidonax Flycatchers): Western Tanager:

House Wren:

MacGillivray's Warbler (female | male respectively):

Hooded Merganser (female with brood): Western Wood-Pewee nests were seemingly everywhere:

The history of Lake Creek Lodge: http://www.lakecreeklodge.com/history

Map of the area birded:

We first observed two Chipping Sparrow in Champoeg Park in April 2013.  Harry Nehls emailed us shortly after that report encouraging us to look for evidence of their breeding in the area which would be an unusual to rare occurrence in the Willamette Valley.

Harry's suggestion led me to regularly visit the park in the intervening years look for the species, and while Jill cautiously cheered-me-on each season since, she wondered about my sanity at the same time. 

That was until today when I heard a Chipping Sparrow calling in the distance during my attempt to capture the call of the Acorn Woodpecker.

Listen attentively, the call is clear, especially near the end:

The call of the Chipping Sparrow had me and Remy scrambling to triangulate its location.  

Pretty exciting stuff! Our discovery (the day before) of a pre-fledgling Red-breasted Sapsucker in the middle of the "one-way" river trail.  

An observation of a series of complex interactions of people, pets, and a baby bird on a narrow trail:

The first group of passers-by pissed me off when they announced "our dogs don't care about birds, they'll walk right over them" - which turned out to be true.

The second group were much more accommodating. 

Cassin's Vireo:

Virginia Rail:

Western Screech Owl(s):

A news article on the topic is here: http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20170602/shorebirds-make-rare-spring-appearance-on-north-coast.

I am hopeful that much more will be written about the unprecedented numbers of these wayward shorebirds showing up on the northern coast of Oregon. 

The larger Marbled Godwit picking on the smaller Bar-tailed Godwit:

Caspian Tern: Whimbrel: Sanderling: Who said birding is not competitive :-)

Winnowing flights: Parents in cover and chicks walking out:

So, every spring I bird the short quarter-mile path along the eastern edge of the lower Tualatin River in search of the improbable.

This is a report of a few enjoyable morning walks along that path.  Highlights include (what I think) is an under appreciated persistent colony of nesting Cliff Swallow, a perfectly photographable Bushtit nest, and the fact that our dog Remy is becoming a very good bird-watching companion.  

Location of my ghost (Harlequin Duck) sighting:

Bushtit (female): Bushtit (male): I had a hard time understanding how both parents could be in the small nest at the same time: Song Sparrow - one of the most abundant species in Oregon, with not often seen off-spring (get that?) 

 Empidonax sp. (was told the greenish back and oblong eye ring are field marks of the Pacific Slope Flycatcher):

Vaux's Swift: Orange-crowned Warbler: Black-throated Gray Warbler: Nashville Warbler: Wilson's Warbler:

Warbling Vireo (they seemed to be everywhere):

Townsend's Warbler:

Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler:

Camas Lily (the star of the show): Anna's Humming Bird (on territory):

Northern Flicker:

Cooper's Hawk:

Western Tanager:

Then the sky turned dark again:

Osprey on nest:

An interesting bird, but one that does not get my vote for the state bird of Oregon:  It looks like someone installed a nest cam: Olive-sided Flycatcher:

For family & friends the Valentines Day getaway comes first - so skip ahead if you please.

We found a small cottage on the beach that we could not resist:

The weather for the first day-and-a-half was (perfectly) miserable.  But the warm fire, cozy conditions, and great seascapes from within the cottage were just what a doctor would prescribe for relaxation and connection with the one you love.

We ventured out to walk on the beach at the first opportunity we thought we would not be blown or washed-away to experience our Border Collie's reaction to her first visit to the beach.

Remy who lives to chase anything that moves, was off like a shot after spotting a couple of Sanderling at the waters edge:

I cheered her on as she chased the two peeps which grew to a small flock of four, then six, then eight birds that eventually came to rest just above the wrack line:

Jill called Remy away from the area when I said I thought I saw Snowy Plover - which afforded me the opportunity to approach and photograph the birds without a marauding puppy trying to prove her worth:

On a side note, this was the first time that I have observed Sanderlings foraging above the wrack line.  According to Birds of North America (online), Sanderlings are known to forage in upper beach zone beyond the high tide line, taking mainly insects and talitrid amphipods. 

We were treated to great views of the area once the weather broke.

The view of Neahkahnie Mountain from the beach outside the cottage:

Same view from the foredune above the area we observed the Snowy Plover: 

This is the where the topic turns to conservation - so please scroll back from here if you prefer to avoid a discussion on the subject.

The 2008 ORPD map of target management areas - note the asserted absence of breeding Snowy Plover on Nehalem Spit:

Which should be compared to the plan published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on 8 August 2007 that

lists [4] adult birds on the Nehalem Spit, including current management activities of enforcing (Pet) restrictions.

The earliest eBird record is in 1987 - having said that, the species has just started to be reliably observed on the spit in small numbers since 2015; so I am going to give the Oregon Department of Recreation (ORPD) a pass on the (obvious) lack of attention to the protection of the Snowy Plover on this pristine stretch of the Oregon Coast.

As a somewhat informed local bird watcher and photographer, I had no idea that our walk on this particular beach would, in all likelihood, interfere with a small population of Snowy Plover.  

I would like the ORPD to enforce the management activities recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on 8 August 2007.

The most surprising past observation was by Greg Gillson while offshore during a pelagic trip out of Newport in 2011.  

There was a debate about whether suet cakes should be placed on the ground in the vicinity where the bird was presumably first observed.  My first thought was, why not!  Someone else said doing so would put the warbler at risk to be taken by a cat.  I thought that suggestion was nonsense, especially after finding a lot of feeders in the neighborhood, one Certified Backyard (bird) Habitat, and watching the warbler feed directly below a hanging suet feeder but never using that feeder or any of the others in the area.  Well, that was before today.

What I am at a loss to explain is why someone who hates to be wrong, is wrong so much of the time :-)

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

The Certified Backyard Habitat - ironically with a cat!  (This could be me by the way - we like cats):

The orange, pink, or salmon colored host-house.  You decide:

With the hanging suet feeder that ultimately led to my downfall: What I would have given for a few more lumen per square meter - it would have allowed for some great diagnostic stop-action images.  Oh well.

Now for the star of the show.

Hawking insects from its perch atop the hanging suet feeder:

Enjoying a leisurely meal of suet while I was gagging crow:

The wayward vagrant was first reported by Russ Namitz, who broadcast the message below to the Oregon birding community on November 13th: 

"Paul Sullivan just texted that Salem birder John Gardiner showed him a photo of what looked like a COMMON SCOTER. The photo was taken at Siletz Bay....I think today. Paul is headed there now, but anybody on coast [sic] might help in the search."

John Gardiner's sighting is believed to be the second record of the species in North America. The first was recorded January 25, 2015, when Bill Bouton found and photographed the species in the Crescent City boat basin in Del Norte county, California.

The world map below shows roughly where one would normally expect to find Common Scoter:

It is easy to see why pundits forecasted the species would first show up off the east coast of n. America. 

My first conversation about the bird with someone onsite was with a gentleman from Loma Linda, California who said, "I missed the (it) in Crescent City last year and I promised myself that I would chase (it) if it ever showed up again in north America."

Siletz Bay - Common Scoter:

Please keep in mind that Peeps are very small birds - six to seven-and-half inches long.

I am hoping someone will invent a digital overlay that accurately presents the dimensions of the subject matter for a given focal length, range, and crop (aka zoom).

BAIRD'S SANDPIPER:   

Largest of the peeps found today.  Long horizontal posture, wings extending well beyond the tail.

WESTERN SANDPIPER:

Long drooping bill - dark legs . . .

SANDERLING:

Common along the coast, unusual inland - high contrast, "clean" looking, dark shoulder

LEAST SANDPIPER:

Greenish-yellow legs, short thin bill

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER: 

The term semipalmated is used to identify wading birds whose toes are webbed for part of their length. I found this bird among the others because of its short, stout, blunt-tipped bill.

The first few years I searched tirelessly - then reality set in and I figured I should be happy with periodic distant views of the bird flying by one hawk watch station or another.  But on a hike today, Jill queued me into the faint screams of juveniles, and after a cross-country scramble over steep terrain, we were rewarded with a great view of two young birds. One looking as if it had just fledged.

Okay - enough about me.  Here are a few things you might not know about this impressive species.

(*) It is the largest of the three North American accipiters, the Goshawk is a powerful hunter capable of killing a variety of prey, including tree squirrels, hares, grouse, corvids, woodpeckers and large passerines such as American Robins.

(*) When breeding, the female generally defends the nest while the smaller male provisions the family with food.

(*) As an aggressive North American hunting hawk, Goshawks eagerly crash through brush when capturing prey or readily strike intruders approaching their nests.

(*) Currently, the species is not listed as Endangered in U.S. but there is concern that timber harvest and human encroachment are reducing some populations.

(*) Habitat preferences of Goshawks when foraging in various forest types are poorly understood. We do not know how changes in landscape pattern and habitat structure affect foraging behavior and habitat selection; our ability to predict potential impacts of habitat alterations to prey populations is limited.

(*) The average incubation period for each egg is 32 days.

To provide context to the discussion about the size of this species, I've added the picture below of a Goshawk after it was banded last year at the Bonney Butte Hawk Watch Station, near Mt. Hood Oregon.

This bird was treated with care for its safety but also for the safety of those handling it.  The reason for the latter is pretty obvious if you ask me.

Squires, John R. and Richard T. Reynolds. 1997. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/298 doi:10.2173/ bna.298 (Paid Subscription Required)

Revised Post-Script 28 May 2017:

We kept the location of this approachable nest site secret for the protection of the species. But today, finding the nest unoccupied and failing to locate anything as good or better than the first (tree) in the general vicinity, we've decided to share the location of our original observation for the historical record.

Interactive Map:

The text books also tell us this species forages on the ground, mostly in open habitat, normally close to the shoreline, and that its primary foods are marine and terrestrial invertebrates, and occasionally small fish.  So we were surprised to find our doting father actively fly catching over open water - he's actually very good at it!

Spotted Sandpiper (presumably adult male with chick):

Chicks feed themselves . . . . . . but from time-to-time take shelter beneath dad. 

Now for a few other birds that showed up during our visit to the river to watch the sandpipers.

American Dipper:

Evening Grosbeak:

Black-headed Grosbeak:

Red Crossbill:

On the trail in, we came across at least 4 Yellow Warbler tending to semi-flight-capable chicks.  We are happy to report that we found no Brown-headed Cowbird chicks in the area.

Reed, J. Michael, Lewis W. Oring and Elizabeth M. Gray. 2013. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/289 doi:10.2173/bna.289 (Paid Subscription)

A compilation of a few of our favorite spots along the river:

Restoration of this wetland is expected to benefit numerous wildlife and botanical species associated with fresh-water wetlands, including migratory birds, waterfowl, sandhill cranes, elk, and mule deer.

Our walk around the perimeter of this wetland yielded 35 species of birds. The best bird was a female Wilson's Snipe on a nest with three eggs.  This was the first time we've ever found a Wilson's Snipe nest or witnessed this bird perform the broken wing display.

The ground along the west and north edges of this wetland is littered with wind fallen trees.  So your choices are to keep out of the trees and get wet, or bushwhack your way through the trees and get scratched up - we chose the later.  Next time we hike around this wetland, if there is one, we'll get wet instead.  There were amazingly few mosquitos - no repellent, and no bites.

A short video of Dillon Falls, the river upstream, and the wetland from the parking lot:

Our eBird checklist for this visit is here

Olive-sided Flycatcher (a bird we don't often get good looks of):

An humorous series of an American Coot chasing a Ring-necked Duck:

Looking upstream along the river trail:

A wide-body bird I wish I got a better look at (bigger than a duck):

Savannah Sparrow: In the area we found a young family of House Wren:

Common Night Hawk:

An unusual looking Williamson's Sapsucker (no red throat or yellowish belly):

Wilson's Snipe & nest with eggs:

Oregonian/OregonLive, Terry Richard | The. "Deschutes National Forest Tries Wetland Project on Deschutes River Where 'Rooster Cogburn' Was Filmed." OregonLive.com. N.p., 13 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 July 2016. http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2015/01/deschutes_national_forest_test.html.

Ryan Ranch Restoration Project (a US Forest Service Publication)

Ryan Ranch Bird Monitoring Project Details - Read this to learn how to help

It was our hope today to witness a feeding or fledging - neither happened.  But we did have a couple of interesting observations to share from our visit.  

As we approached the property, we found an accipiter and Red-tailed Hawk perched, in clear view of one another, at a range of less than 20 feet. A first for me.  

The next observation needs a bit of context, so please bear with me. 

During our first visit to this remarkable farm, the property owners infected me with a curiosity for what lies beneath the nest.  So, much to Jill's dismay, I began scavenging around the base of the nest tree - and thankfully - after a few "wows" and "holy-cow's" she joined me in the hunt for evidence of what eagles eat. 

Jill uncovered the remains of a raptor!  My first thought was Cooper's Hawk.  But when I came home and started to research the measurements of various species, I realized I was way off - maybe by a order of magnitude.  I estimate the length of the tarsus to be between 5 and 6 inches (127-152 millimeters) - - which is really big!

I am now wondering if eagles eat nestlings that perish in the nest?  

If a chick fails its first flight and then succumbs to ground predators - I would not expect to find its carcass intact.    

That's two inches knuckle to toe.  Other interesting detritus - that wallet is 5 inches long:

The location and orientation of the burrow are not conducive to getting good looks inside.  Having said that, if you catch this nest near fledging time, I am sure the show will be worth the trip. 

The Buxton Tressle:  The nest is on the left, 0.52 miles down this track. 

Looking back at the picnic table from the nest site.

I was surprised to have a Swainson's Thrush show up.  My personal blind must have been working!

From the look of the food being delivered directly from the bill, I would say an adult is being fed.

Recently hatched chicks get a smallish oily bolus regurgitated from the crop.   

The lack of a rufous band across the lower breast is indicative of the male.  And, since females alone have a brood patch, it is safe to conclude the chicks have not yet hatched.

Super Slow Motion Video - No Audio:

Full Speed Version with Audio. Vocalizations from the burrow and the approaching adult are both perceptible. 

Fledglings depart from the burrow 27–29 days after hatching. Three or four days before departure, adults stop their feeding. Adults will often call to the young from a nearby perch outside the burrow, while young respond with begging calls from the entrance of the burrow. Fledglings are capable of limited sustained flight when they emerge from the burrow. Fledglings remain with their parents for approximately 3 weeks and are fed by them infrequently. Crayfish and aquatic insects are among the first prey taken by fledglings. Young birds do not capture live fish for at least 1 week after fledging. When young have mastered the ability to capture prey, they may wander or remain indefinitely in the same general area; adults disperse.

Kelly, Jeffrey F., Eli S. Bridge and Michael J. Hamas. 2009. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/084
doi:10.2173/bna.84

http://www.jack-n-jill.net/banks_to_vernonia_trail.pdf

The quality forest recreational environment complete with educational kiosks scattered throughout this 140-acre site is impressive.

Common Raven Nests west of the central Oregon Cascades are uncommon - so I was delighted to come across one today.

The best 90 seconds I could piece together from this surprising encounter:

My target species - (the) Swainson's Thrush:

Five images are probably an excessive display, 

but it's taken me that number of years to get good views of this thrush, so the symmetry won out :-)

The drinking well that was a welcome sight on the way out:

Trail Map of the area

http://www.demonstrationforest.org/

As you can see from the map below, the area is not a birding hot spot.  In fact, you won't find a single eBird report of observations from within the area.  Something I will change after this post :-)

Most years, everything to the right of the hiking trail is off limits to all use from January 15 through August 31 to protect the Golden Eagle nests from disturbance.  But this year, the nest on the south side of the main climbing wall was inactive, so the BLM reduced the size of the protected area to what is roughly outlined in red below.  The hike from the trailhead to Frog Springs Campground is 2.4 miles (one way).

The sign pointing the way from the unincorporated community of Gateway.

The trailhead:

A Yellow Warbler, and a pair of adult Bullock's Oriole greeted us at the start of our walk.

Main Climbing Wall:

We noticed a Black-billed Magpie fly into the tree below at about the 15 minute mark into our walk:

We were then plesantly surprised to find four nestlings sitting outside what looks like a predator-proof fortress.  

Wildflowers below the magpie nest:

Western Kingbird Nest:  Strange as it might sound, we found a first year male Bullock's Oriole persistently engaging with one of the Western Kingbird near the nest.

We found multiple Rock and Canyon Wren as we approached Frog Springs Campground:

The area above Frog Springs Campground that was still subject to the seasonal wildlife closure:

Closely cropped pictures of two nesting sites that appeared inactive:

The only Golden Eagle for the day was a couple of high-flyovers of two different birds:

We enjoyed watching the crowd of crack climbers, and a few additional birds, on our way out of the area:

Lazuli Bunting -

My first thought was gnatcatcher, but the (tail) coloring is wrong - I would love to hear what you think:  An Osprey nest that looked like it had an antler sticking out of the top of it -

And close views of a Swainson's Hawk with prey as we were pulling out of the canyon:

The map that got this trip started

Our eBird record of birds observed in the area

How many birds do you find in the picture below?

The answer surprised me.

Below is a clip of the chicks and then the adults presenting the "broken-wing" display.

Mind you, there were about a dozen people walking through the area tending their community garden plots at the time. It was interesting to me that the gardners paid little to no attention to the birds - it's probably why they thrive here. I am wondering if non-meddling humans may act as a buffer against natural predators. 

Back to the stars of the show:

I turned the corner to walk up the observation platform and unexpectedly came face-to-face with the female Peacock below:

The second of three nestlings left the nest yesterday.  I expect the remaining chick will fledge either today or tomorrow. After that, the fledglings will probably remain in the area, being fed by the adults, for another few days before they move away from the nest tree into the surrounding forest. 

Giving directions to roost and nest sites is normally frowned upon.  But I believe encouraging responsible bird watchers to visit this nest site to act has chaperones while the chicks are moving in and out of precarious positions is appropriate.  So, let me know if you'd like to watch these birds first hand.  I will be happy to help.

Notice the vole on the branch in front of the female pictured below.  This is the first time I witnessed the parents leaving food behind - they usually deliver the prey to one of the fledglings after they tear it up a bit.  But this time, she flew to another perch closer to the nest without the prey and began calling to the second fledgling that was just 20 to 30 feet away.  

Jill was certain the 2nd fledgling shown below was going to free fall 30 feet to the path in front of us.

You will hear her laugh in relief when that doesn't happen.

The last of three nestlings.  As you will see, it won't be long before he/she joins its siblings outside the nest.  The parents stopped feeding the chicks in the nest a few days ago.  Hunger seems to be one of the tools the parents use to encourage the chicks to fledge.

Map of Tryon Creek State Park - the location is of the nest is marked with a red oval and arrow pointing to the nest

I spent an extravagant amount of time today monitoring one of three owl nests that I began watching earlier this year in an attempt to ward off the winter birding doldrums and other life challenges.  

The ever-watchful mother of this particular nest turned out to be the most interesting subject matter of the moment as she shared part of her daily routine with me.

GREAT HORNED OWL - female monitoring her nestlings, soon to be fledglings:

I hope to provide a step-by-step account of the kids maturation - they are, of course, extremely cute.

What helped me overcome my hesitation to write about the area was a lone AMERICAN KESTREL perched atop a dead palm tree. I know that sounds crazy, especially if you realize (as most birders do) the American Kestrel is the most abundant and easily found small falcon throughout north America. The kestrel I captured an image of during our visit to the area is not representative of the kestrel we frequently encounter in Oregon. Its posture is more rigid/angular than we are used to seeing, and its bill appears significantly larger than what we find on the species at home.

So, there you go.

Below are our favorite photos taken during our visit.

AMERICAN KESTREL:

Of the 17 subspecies of kestrel listed in the world including the most commonly found (or "nominate') subspecies in n. America (Falco sparverius), I think the bird pictured below might possibly be (Falco sparverius peninsularis), a subspecies first identified in southern Baja, California in 1892 by Edgar Alexander Mearns.

I am interested in hearing your thoughts about the bird pictured below.

The super-cropped photo below is provided in response to those requesting a closer look.  The absence of dark spots or barring on the mantle & scapulars is a trait that is reported more frequently in this species the farther south it is encountered.

A link to online images of kestrel for comparison

BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER:

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER:

GAMBEL'S QUAIL:

CACTUS WREN:

Things changed in hurry as a squall line moved through the area:

Simone Pond:

BFFs - Lori & Jill:

VERDIN:

San Andreas Fault:

INTERACTIVE MAP:

Coachella Valley Preserve Website

eBird list of species reported for the area.

Smallwood, John A. and David M. Bird. 2002. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online [PAID SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED]:

I then went online to find out how many observations of Common Moorhen have been reported in the area. To my surprise and delight, eBird lists only two occurrences of the species in California during the past ten years. I couldn't believe my good fortune - my first trip to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area produced a near mega-rarity. Thankfully, someone steered me straight before I shared my mistake with everyone else on the planet. As it turns out, three Common Gallinule are reported during an average week in Riverside County California. No wonder the parking lot near the point of our observation was empty the next morning when Jill and I went back for additional images. Click here to read more about the "split" that gave rise to my confusion.

San Jacinto Wildlife Area is approximately 19,000 acres, with 9,000 acres of restored wetlands. It is the first state wildlife area to utilize reclaimed water to enhance its wetlands. The property was designated as a wildlife area by the Fish and Game Commission in 1982. In the following years, areas within the wildlife area have been altered to enhance and enlarge wetland habitats for conservation and for native animal species. Activities: wildlife viewing and hunting Hours: The main gate is currently open 7 days a week from 7 am until sunset for your enjoyment. The Headquarters Office is open Monday through Friday from 7 am - 3 pm. The office is closed on all State and Federal holidays. Passes: A CDFW Lands Pass (Day Use or Annual) is required for non-hunting/non-fishing recreational purposes, but not required for those who possess a valid California sport fishing, hunting, or trapping license.

The best birds found during our two-day visit include, a bright VERMILION FLYCATCHER, two BARN OWLS roosting in the same tree as a LONG-EARED OWL, and both male and female NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER.

One misstep flushed three owls whose presence I probably would not have otherwise detected - a startling experience!

Below are images of landscapes and a few of the other birds we enjoyed during this visit.

GREAT-TAILED CRACKLE:

The only bird I've seen that seems to keep its tail feathers folded vertically when at rest.

One of dozens of hunting (and for me photography) blinds scattered throughout the area:

Male and female AMERICAN AVOCET: BLACK-NECKED STILT:

WHITE-FACED IBIS:

HEADQUARTERS:

RUDDY DUCK:

GREATER YELLOWLEGS:

Area B4 - The pond, I am told, the Common Gallinule appears from time-to-time: GREAT-HORNED OWL:

SNOWY EGRET:

Upland Game Hunting Area:

LONG-BILLED CURLEW:

"The Olive Grove" (top left) - approximately 1 mile out: RED-TAILED HAWK NEST:  

I am thinking this nest will be home to owls someday soon.

INTERACTIVE MAP:

"San Jacinto Wildlife Area." San Jacinto Wildlife Area. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.

eBird list of species reported for the area.

For a full account of this event please see Matthew Hunter's blog Umpqua Birds

Most people don't realize the scope of this annual effort to locate, identify, and count birds.  Last season, 72,653 volunteers tallied a total of 68,753,007 birds across 2,462 count circles; 1,888 in the United States, 460 in Canada, and 114 in the Caribbean, Latin America, Bermuda, and the Pacific Islands. 

Each 15 mile diameter count circle encompasses 177 square miles, which is a lot of ground to cover in one day for a group of (typically) older individuals.  

Click here for a look at the preparation that goes into organizing and running a Christmas Bird Count.

I did not encounter anyone in Reedsport during my two and half day stay that was familiar with the CBC.  So I am very happy to have found the following (four minute) account of the history of the Christmas Bird Count told by 94 year old Chan Robbins.  I hope this post reaches at least a few of the people who asked us what we were doing while we were standing in front of their house looking at birds through our binoculars.

Talking about binoculars - check out the pair Chan Robbins uses!  How many birds do you think have been viewed through those lenses?

Family and friends from long ago will recognize the area my teammate and I were assigned to cover as the neighborhood I grew up in. It was a fun walk down memory lane as we tallied 60+ species of birds in our sector.  

One of my favorite observations came the day before the count while scouting Bicentennial Park, which was nothing more than a dirt road when I played there.

The WRENTIT is a tough bird to get good views of - so I was thrilled when this one popped up just a few feet away.

Another good bird for me on the day before the count was the unexpected NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD:

Most of the birds tallied in our sector came from Leeds Island.  A parcel of private land that we were graciously afforded access to in spite of the owners lack of familiarity with the Christmas Bird Count. 

A few images from our visit to Leeds Island:

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE:

Another unexpected species for this count.

BLACK PHOEBE:

It is an unusual bird in the north Willamette Valley, but is a frequent yard bird for my teammate from Coos Bay.

DOWNY WOODPECKER:

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET:

One of the more ubiquitous species in our sector - they were literally everywhere.

Mouth of the Umpqua River and the Oyster Triangle:

HORNED GREBE:

I'm thinking they are thinking - Hey, let's get busy, the winter solstice was almost a week ago!

EARED GREBE:

MOUNTAIN PLOVER:

The non-CBC bonus bird from my trip to the Oregon Coast.  

The Mountain Plover breeds on the high plateaus of the Rocky Mountains, from Montana to Colorado. It winters in s. Texas, Mexico, and s. California. A small number winter in the Central Valley of California. It is casual elsewhere in the West. The Oregon Bird Records Committee's latest list of species shows only three verified records for the state.  The first in 1977 at Bayocean Spit in Tillamook County, and the next two in 1985 at Agate Lake in Jackson County.

This particular bird is remarkably unwary as was the first one found in 1977.  Many people passed through the immediate area with their dogs while I was there, and to my surprise the plover would take notice but did not flush.  

CITATIONS:

"The 115th Christmas Bird Count." Audubon. N.p., 16 Nov. 2015. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

https://www.audubon.org/news/the-115th-christmas-bird-count-0&gt

Marshall, D.B., M.G. Hunter, and A.L. Contreas, Eds. 2003, 2006. Birds of Oregon: A General Reference. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, OR. 768 Pp.

A small group of people, that were out for a walk with their dogs, stopped to ask us what's up with all the people walking around with binoculars - one said "I've lived here for 35 years and have never seen anything like this." 

The (one good bird leads to another) phenomena is known as the Patagonia Picnic Table Effect. In 1971, a group stopped at a roadside rest near Patagonia, Arizona for lunch. The rest stop was just that, basically…a pull-off with a picnic table. While munching their sandwiches they discovered the first American Birding Area ("ABA") record of Black-capped Gnatcatcher. Birders came from all over to find the Gnatcatcher and discovered the first North American record of Yellow Grosbeak as well - and with that, the Patagonia Picnic Table Effect entered the bird watching lexicon.

While we did not find all of the unusual birds found by so many others - we did locate both species that were life-birds for us. The Cattle Egret, and White-tailed Kite. The first was found in a pasture outside the optimal range for my camera, the second gave us up close and personal views of its foraging activities. 

CATTLE EGRET:

WHITE-TAILED KITE: Dunlin & Least Sandpiper:

An unusual light-morphed Red-tailed Hawk:

INTERACTIVE MAP OF THE AREA:

including photos of taken at various points along the Tillamook Bay Wetlands Trail

Photos of Wetlands Trail:

Tundra Swan: Northern Harrier: A brief fly-by of a Peregrine Falcon: Black Phoebe:

Red-shouldered Hawk:

With grateful credit to Shawneen Finnegan for telling the story (that I overheard) of the Patagonia Picnic Table Effect to a group of young birders who were looking for the Yellow-throated Warbler in Sherwood, Oregon two days before we headed to Tillamook.

Greg Neise. "Rarity Watch: PPTE." North American Birding RSS. North America BIrding, 29 Apr. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

By that standard, I am comfortable describing the simultaneous appearance of two "Very rare" birds within a few hundred yards of each other on the Oregon Coast as a SPECIAL OCCASION. Very rare birds are defined in (Marshall, David B., Matthew G. Hunter, and Alan Contreras. Birds of Oregon: A General Reference. Corvallis Or.: Oregon State UP, 2006. Print.) as "No more (observations) than 1 per day or 1 per season."

According to my reading of the history books, the DICKCISSEL and the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD have never been observed in the same location in Oregon before this season.

DICKCISSEL:

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD: 

INTERACTIVE MAP OF THE SPIT - Blue marker: Northern Mockingbird, Yellow: Dickcissel

This is a story about a series of coincidences that made for a special day of birding on the Oregon Coast.

The first was when Stefan Schlick appeared out of thin-air shortly after sunrise in a community park in the small town of Yachats on the central Oregon coast as I was beginning my search for a very small dove whose range rarely extends into Oregon. And, after brief introductions, Stefan found the dove feeding on seed that someone had spread on the ground days before. As the light slowly improved, we were treated to better and better looks at the bird, and on a couple of occasions, from very close range.

The second came a few hours later when Sarah Swanson & Max Smith texted me that they had eyes on the Brown Booby perched on a channel marker on the north side of Yaquina Bay - another bird that is rarely found in Oregon!

The third was when Greg Chambers, skipper of the commercial fishing vessel, (the) Bar Hopper, offered to take me out into the channel after I asked him what the odds were for me to find someone that would be willing to help me photograph a rare bird that was perched on top of one of the navigation markers. To top it off - we departed the docks on the Bar Hopper at high tide which allowed Greg to bring the vessel in close. The big boat made a perfect blind; the skies were clear and the sun was at our back. 

COMMON GROUND-DOVE:

MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE:

Greg and I were disappointed to find that the Brown Booby was no longer perched on the navigation marker as we we pulled out into the channel. My first thought was that it moved up river where it was originally located the day before - but then suddenly it appeared and we were able to watch it forage for a few minutes before it returned to its perch.

BROWN BOOBY:

The Booby was still on this perch as we pulled back into the harbor - YES! 

INTERACTIVE MAP OF THE AREA:

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — Newport is now the dominant West Coast port for commercial fishing, with the highest quantity of fish on the coast.

Newport landed 124 million pounds of commercial fish, the 11th highest quantity in the country. Newport edged out Astoria for the top West Coast spot, with the 12th highest city netting 122 million pounds, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Astoria had been the top West Coast port by quantity — and the 10th highest in the nation — since it overtook Los Angeles in 2012, The Daily Astorian reports (http://bit.ly/1RCSeoN ).

"Newport Crowned Dominant West Coast Commercial Fishing Port." Corvallis Gazette Times. N.p., 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 31 Oct. 2015. <http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/state-and-regional/newport-crowned-dominant-west-coast-commercial-fishing-port/article_a9cce539-aab4-5760-a53c-26f590b6be92.html>.

It wasn't very long after I arrived in the area on the morning of October 16th that I was pleasantly surprised to find a small flock of dowitcher flying into my view finder as I attempted to capture an image of the moment. I hoped the wayward Red Knot was among them - unfortunately I will never know for sure since the flock briefly touched-down then flushed over the trees to the north before I could get close enough for a diagnostic image. 

I was disappointed of course that I chased & dipped on a Life Bird.

But I am thankful that I stayed put for a few hours to soak up the sights and sounds of wildlife in the area. 

I hope you enjoy the images I have saved from this excursion as much as I enjoyed taking them.  

An early good find - Pacific Loon:

Common Loon:

The persistent group of (6) Long-billed Dowitcher I hoped would bring back the knot:

 k An out of place accipiter (thinking Cooper's Hawk): Killdeer: Least Sandpiper:

My fair well look over the area of a morning well spent:

The number of observations is going up daily, and they are not expected to peak for another week or two.

The personnel on site are awesome.  They are very helpful, knowledgeable, and all have crazy-good eyes.  An example of their exceptional vision was demonstrated by Tom who called a Peregrine Falcon at a range that I estimated to be over a mile out.  If that doesn't fit the definition of crazy good (bin-aided) eye sight then what does.  The bird eventually came within about 500 yards of our position which was close enough to confirm the id with a much-cropped photo. Tom grew up hawk watching at some of the most prolific hawk watch sites in the U.S. with his father and brothers who are all Falconers - what Tom sees while watching raptors in flight is a perspective that only prayer has a chance of helping me achieve.   

When not tallying birds, Liz and Steve are making sure visitors feel welcome.  They are both sharp as tacks, very kind, and generous with their time. 

My favorite encounter of this visit was with an articulate, curious, eight-grader, named Karl, who has been birding longer than I have.  Karl is the unseen person releasing the SHARPIE in one of the frames below which was a very exciting moment for all of us!  He was there with his father and brother Jakob who kept us entertained with stories of the family dogs.  

Now for the BIRDING NEWS!  We had two NORTHERN GOSHAWK, a juvenile and adult, performing aerial acrobatics for us before the juvenile took the bait at the banding station!  Neither bird was counted as migrants, however, because they were not observed flying south of the Hawk Watch Station. 

During my five hours on site, 30 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 6 COOPER'S HAWK, 17 RED-TAILED HAWK, 4 MERLIN, 3 BALD EAGLE, 1 PEREGRINE FALCON, and 1 GOLDEN EAGLE were tallied as migrants.

Did I mention that we had a juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK in hand!  

Okay - it wasn't that easy. Our first looks at the pair are as follows:

Our second and more surprising observation - two? Then the tango - the juvenile seemed to be the aggressor. Back to views of this impressive species in hand:

Steve and Liz working out how to best handle this big, cranky, bird: Images of Karl's SHARP-SHINNED HAWK:

INTERACTIVE MAP:
Looking at Mt. Hood from the White River Sno-Park and then towards Bonney Butte - the distance between the summit of Mt. Hood to the Bonney Butte Hawk Watch Station is exactly 9.0 air miles according google maps.

Parking Area: The hawk watch station is .61 miles beyond this gate. Bonney Meadows - that campground was full.
Headquarters:

WESTERN TANAGER:

Question: How do you eat a bee successfully? Answer: Head first! PINE SISKIN:

LESSER GOLDFINCH:

WILLOW FLYCATCHER:

COOPER'S HAWK:

My eBird Checklist can be found here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S24899495

Eight images:

SOOTY GROUSE (I had to backup to fit the whole bird in the frame): En route to care for offspring that I was unwittingly standing in front of:

RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS & AMERICAN KESTREL:

AMERICAN KESTREL that flushed the hawk just as I was getting into position to watch it hunt: My first close look at the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK as it cleared the stream side vegetation: I was surprised and delighted to find a second RED-SHOULDERED HAWK pair up with the first one.

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT:

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER:
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT still being fed by parents:

WILSON'S WARBLER:

Thorne Springs & Accipiter:

I've been told someone is (illegally) cutting down the trees that surround Whiskey Springs. The poachers have reduced the spring to a mere shadow of its former self. The light that now reaches the forest floor makes it a much easier place to take photographs, but it is not nearly the magical setting that I used to sit in for hours waiting for birds to show up and compete for drinking and bathing privileges. 

Flycatcher extravaganza - I am going to hazard guesses to the identity of the individual species.

All of the birds pictured below were at the spring at the same time. Crazy fun!

WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE:

Same bird 

DUSKY FLYCATCHER -

Pale wing bars, rounded primaries, short projection and long tail helped me make this ID - (four pictures):

GRAY FLYCATCHER - its downward tail-bobbing was very obvious (six pictures):

. . . here it is taking a bath:
The unusually-colored FOX SPARROW:

A few other birds that I found of interest while at Whiskey Springs are, in the order presented -

WESTERN TANAGER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, WARBLING VIREO, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, juvenile SPOTTED TOWHEE:

This penultimate portion of this post is about a two separate lake basins located a few miles west of the crest of the central Oregon cascades. The first is accessible from a trailhead off Hwy 126 that leads to Robinson and Kuitan Lakes. The second trailhead into the other lake basin is located off Hwy 242 at the northern end of Scott Lake.

The first basin is littered with the evidence of Pileated Woodpecker, and while we hoped to encounter the mountain variety among the several flocks of chickadee we encountered - the best we could come up with was a few pictures of CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE.

We found 4 owls pellets on the day-hike (into Robinson and Kuitan Lakes), which in turn led me to look for volunteers to accompany me on a hike back into the same area the following night at 0230 to look for owls. The two volunteers on this unsuccessful trek were Robin Norgren and my 17 year-old nephew Samuel Whittemore. Robinson & Kuitan Lakes are both enchanting - but if you are going to camp, the eastern edge of Kuitan Lake is our top pick for the best place to overnight in the area.

INTERACTIVE Map to both western slope birding hikes:

Robinson & Kuitan Lake trailhead:

Robinson Lake:

Kuitan Lake:

Scott Lake and its fabulous views of two of the Three Sisters:

We found Hand Lake completely dry (it was formerly a year-round large body of water): Nevertheless - we still like the area for woodpecker, migratory raptors, and higher-altitude species including the obvious camp robing Gray Jay, and Clark's Nutcracker.

The INTERACTIVE Map below of what I call the Three Springs Loop was added by request:

The GPS Coordinates for each of the map markers of the springs are precise to within approximately one meter.

Photos of Bear Springs:

An hour later, I located a juvenile American Kestrel. But when it left its low perch, circled back overhead and chased (something) on the ground near the tree line along the eastern edge of the lake bed, I said no it's not a kestrel. I found a Merlin at the lake last September, and I wondered at first if that was what I was looking at, but this bird was way too brown. I then realized that it must be a Prairie Falcon with unusual plumage. The heavy streaking below, lack of (deeply) contrasting axillaries & underwing-coverts, and its small size really threw me - I am guessing juvenile male.  BUT as you will see from the comment at the end of this post - my first hunch was the correct one. I find it hard identifying even the easiest of birds this time of year when so many are in their juvenile plumage.

I was surprised to find a second (bath tub drain) in the lake. It is located 170 feet n.e. of what I call the original drain. The second drain actually has a small amount of water flowing through it into the great aquifer below. I would not be surprised if the lake goes completely dry before this summer season is over. The two creeks feeding the lake are both still flowing but who knows how long that will last.  

INTERACTIVE MAP:

ORIGINAL DRAIN:

SECOND DRAIN:

LEAST SANDPIPER: They go first because they are what led me to the second drain

SPOTTED SANDPIPER:

Just to cleanse the visual palate before taking up the topic of the identity of the small raptor,

a series that helped me feel a little better about the health of this lake.

OSPREY:

Juvenile AMERICAN KESTREL: 

HERMIT X TOWNSEND'S WARBLERs: 

This might be THE END - for this little guy given the proximity of the falcon:

I learned the prerequisites of becoming a bander include steady hands, sharp eyesight, and a calm demeanor. And, that a small quilt, multiple stocking caps, precision specialty pliers, and the support of good friends are standard tools of the trade.

I guess that's why I correctly chose photography as an avocation because I can shoot 11 frames per second, then at the end of the day sort through a 1000 images with the hope of coming up with a handful of pictures that might be worth sharing.

When banding birds - mistakes are not acceptable, in digital photography - no such idea exists.

The trap pictured below was intended to capture the adults who proved too wary to accept the bait on this visit:

A curious bystander wondering what all the fuss was about: Amazingly, the nestlings were extracted by feel alone: Then transferred from hand to hat:
The nest was removed and examined. A Bowfly larvae engorged with blood was found and disposed of: Now the cool part - banding a very delicate creature without harming it:

The inhospitable conditions that I experienced at the Coffee Lake Wetland on June 14 had me second guessing my choice to bird this area.

That was until I arrived on the Prairie at 7:00 am Saturday morning. During my first visit, I covered 3.25 miles in just over four hours and tallied 26 species of birds. The best of which were two nesting pair of LAZULI BUNTING, too many SAVANNAH SPARROW with young to count, an out of place SPOTTED SANDPIPER, a PIED-BILLED GREBE with chick, two AMERICAN BITERN, a brief glimpse of one of five SWAINSON'S THRUSH, four VAUX SWIFT, one recently fledged Common Yellowthroat, and a WESTERN TANAGER.

On Sunday, I traveled 2.5 miles over 3 hours, and added seven species to my list, bringing my total to 33 for this area.  

INTERACTIVE MAP (Saturday's track is red - Sunday's blue):

Toggle tracks [on|off] by clicking the icon in the upper left-hand corner of the map then select one or both tracks

SATURDAY

Lazuli Bunting: Spotted Sandpiper:

My second-ever Marsh Wren nest:

Pied-billed Grebe:
Pied-billed Grebe (chick): American Bittern: American Coot (chicks):

"Assessing and tracking habitat quality and restoration effectiveness using breeding birds as a bio-indicator". The basics; timed surveys taken of breeding birds from fixed point count stations deployed within specific habitats from May 15th to June 30th each year. Below is one of several Point Count Markers found in the area:

Savannah Sparrow:

The shy Swainson's Thrush: Common Yellowthroat (fledgling): Western Tanager:

A collection of Barn Swallow: Another pair of Lazuli Bunting:

SUNDAY

Downy Woodpecker:

Bewick's Wren Bald Eagle watching over the Tualatin River: The work of a Pileated Woodpecker:
Common Yellowthroat (female): Great Blue Heron: Belted Kingfisher: Unsuspecting fawn: Savannah Sparrow (molting its tail feathers): Common Yellowthroat (male): A very cooperative Barn Swallow:

Western Wood-Pewee

A three minute video on how this site is being utilized as a seed bank for future restoration projects.

Virginia Rail:

INTERACTIVE MAP - Kiwa Trail Track (in red):

Kiwa Trail:

Wilson's Snipe:

The one that got away (Great Horned Owl):

I like to check the flora and avifauna of the Coffee Lake Wetlands natural area in Wilsonville from time to time. My first meaningful (in-field) effort was last January where I birded the western half of the area and found Wilson's Snipe abundant. The water at that time was too high to bird anywhere else in the wetland and I looked forward to being able to get into the heart of the place once the water level lowered. I was sure that it would be much easier going when things dried out and I wouldn't have to muck-through the mud. I couldn't have been more mistaken.

My walk today started out harmless enough but it didn't stay that way for long. It took me three and half hours to traverse two-and-half miles of terrain covered by grass six to seven feet tall, that is surrounded by dense thicks of poison oak, nettles, and very healthy blackberry bushes protecting the forested sections on higher ground.  

This natural area is a difficult but manageable place to visit and enjoy so long as you don't try to cross it east to west or vice versa. Pick the half that you'll bird and then stay there and keep your travel on a north-south line.  

Intimate encounters with MARSH WREN, and (paradoxically) RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER on nests provided nice rewards for what was otherwise a painfully difficult day in the field.

Interactive Map of the Area (Red track Jan 2015 - Blue track June 2015):

The harmless-looking entry point off Boeckman Rd.:

A rare elevated perspective that I stumbled upon while I was thinking I'd lost my mind for taking this walk:

Then the call of a Marsh Wren - it didn't take me long to understand that I needed to quickly move on . . .

It was watching over the little one below - the fledgling Marsh Wren was first for me!  

It is easier said than done to traverse the (edge) of this wetland to the forest - but my persistence paid-off:

Red-breasted Sapsucker feeding nestlings: Immature Red-tailed Hawk calling for a feeding: Marsh Wren protecting nest:
Finding the Marsh Wren's nest below was another first for me:
View from the west-side point of entry that I thought I might never find: Another Red-Breasted Sapsucker: I was so tired at this point that I did not investigate the snag holding the nest of these American Kestrel:

As I was coming back into town I thought I should not waste a perfectly good morning, so swung by the Clackamas River Trail to see what I might find. All the while thinking that I am on the right trail. 

I was five minutes or less into my birding walk along the Clackamas River when I was pleasantly surprised by the distinct, nearby, song of a WILLOW FLYCATCHER. During the time I chased the flycatcher from one perch to the next over an area roughly 100 yards in diameter, I enjoyed a bunch of birds in close proximity. Other species found and photographed include, in order of appearance, LAZULI BUNTING, HOUSE FINCH, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, an extraordinary flock of HOUSE FINCH foraging together, BARN SWALLOW, CLIFF SWALLOW and a encore performance of the WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

Looking east across the refuge at the headquarters of the TRNWR:

American Crow harassing the Yellow-headed Blackbird:
I added the map below to answer questions I'm getting about the location of the Yellow-headed Blackbird.  Good luck!

Yellow-headed Blackbird:

American Bittern:

Can you find the roost/nest cavity - I barely can and I know where it is.

How about now? The power of magnification!

Interactive map of the 165 acre area I refer to as That Place:

The area below is where I saw three male Green-tailed Towhee sitting up, singing on (adjacent) territories, and heard but did not locate several others:

Green-tailed Towhee:

Lawyer's Wig (coprinus comatus) - I should have harvested these beauties:

Cooper's Hawk flying by with prey - I think Junco:

Mountain Bluebird:

Williamson's Sapsucker on nest:

Lewis's Woodpecker:

Townsend's Solitaire:

White-crowned Sparrow:

Interactive Map of the 1000 acre dog park (click the icon in the upper left to see the map marker legend):

Yellow-breasted Chat:

Warbling Vireo:

Brown-headed Cowbird keeping close watch on several other species on territory:

Lazuli Bunting: Rufous Hummingbird: The size of the nest below has me wondering - I estimate that it is roughly twice the size of a typical robin's nest in both depth and diameter.  

Common Yellowthroat:

Black-headed Grosbeak:

Spotted Towhee:

Downy Woodpecker: (Some are saying it looks more like a Hairy than a Downy) Possible Red-eyed Vireo:  (I Would love to hear what others think)

The bird appears to have a prominent whitish supercilium with a blackish border to its crown, but I am wondering about he blackish eye-line that is supposed to extend from the lores, the relatively short bill, and its coloring. It's definitely more olive on top than the first vireo - but is it olive enough.  

INTERACTIVE MAP - Click the icon in the upper left-hand corner to display the legend.

I came across just a fraction of the number of species that I hoped to find on this trip, but I enjoyed my time in the field nonetheless. One of the more interesting interactions that I had with local birders came at the Riparian Preserve when a gentlemen told me how unusually quiet it was just a few minutes after I had a long talk with myself about the need to keep calm, focus, and not indiscriminately chase every new bird call that I was hearing. I guess we all tune-out the ordinary when we are in search of the unusual.  

Verdin were everywhere.  I found them building nests, feeding fledglings, and foraging in just about every corner of the preserve.

Albert's Towhee:

Northern Mockingbird:

Curve-billed Thrasher:

Willet:

Lesser Yellowlegs:

Long-billed Dowitcher:

Killdeer chicks:

Gila Woodpecker:

Neotropic Cormorant:

Snowy Egret:
Black-crowned Night-Heron: White-winged Dove: Zanjero Park - a city park that doubles as a Burrowing Owl preserve, or vice versa:

Tubes Burrowing Owls use for shelter - there are dozens in the park and they are often found near high-traffic trails:

Salt River - Granite Reef Recreation Area:

Phainopepla:

Unidentified Flycatcher:  I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on the identity of this bird.

Wilson's Warbler:

Desert Botanical Garden:

Gamble's Quail with young:

Cactus Wren:

Gilded Flicker:

Greater Roadrunner:

Another Gila Woodpecker:

We enjoyed seeing the brief lunar eclipse that occurred this morning on the way to the Millican Lek. I did not have the presence of mind to stop for a photograph because I spent the entire 4-5 minutes of its appearance trying to figure out what was happening rather than just pulling over and snapping pictures at the highest number of frames per second that my camera is capable of until the show was over.  My hope is that someone in the area (with the initials of KK) was on top of this event and will share his images of this lunar eclipse with us.

Nevertheless - 19 frisky GREATER SAGE-GROUSE put on a great show for us before we left the lek to look for raptors near Alfalfa. 

The least surprising find [ ;-) ] was two SAY'S PHOEBE on County Line Road that appeared out of nowhere while were watched perhaps the most interesting encounter of the day - one ordinary plumaged Red-tailed Hawk building a nest with a Dark-morphed partner.  It would be interesting to observe their offspring. 

It's not the eclipse - but it was what the moon looked like when we arrived at the lek:

County Line Road Images:

So goes the morphology of the most abundant species of hawk in n. America