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Descriptions of over 250 of the best birding sites in Oregon, checklist and seasonal abundance chart, additional resources.
Author Archives: John Rakestraw
Mt. Hood National Forest
I had the opportunity to guide a lovely couple from Florida on a trip to Mt. Hood National Forest. The weather was not great, with dreary conditions at lower elevations and driving rain at Timberline Lodge. But we did manage … Continue reading
Late Summer Wetlands
I made a quick trip to Fernhill Wetlands and Jackson Bottom to look for shorebirds. My first bird of the morning was this Killdeer standing on the sidewalk. I guess that counts. There is a frustrating lack of mudflats in … Continue reading
Portraits from the coast
I made a trip out to the coast to scout for my shorebird class. Much of the trip consisted of running from site to site to check on conditions, but I did spend a little time at a few sites … Continue reading
Rocky Mountain National Park
We took a quick trip to Colorado for a family reunion. There wasn’t much time for hardcore birding, but we made a quick pass through Rocky Mountain National Park. Moose are always a treat to see, provided you are a … Continue reading
Posted in beyond OR, mammals
Tagged Elk, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Horned Lark, Moose, White-tailed Ptarmigan, Yellow-bellied Marmot
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Birds vs. Birding
We spent close to a week in northern Wasco County, OR, to get our dogs away from the barrage of illegal fireworks that plague the Portland area every July. While the property where we stayed provided some nice hiking opportunities, … Continue reading
Posted in birding philosophy
Tagged Black-tailed Deer, California Ground Squirrel, Horned Lark
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My Love/Hate Relationship with My 5MR
It has been six months since I joined the Five Mile Radius movement, concentrating on finding as many species of birds as possible within five miles of my home. My 5MR has a pretty good mix of habitats. I have … Continue reading
Random Spring Migrants
Our sunny warm spring has turned cool and wet. This is a good thing, as we continue to be far below average in rainfall amounts, but the weather has put a bit of a damper on birding and photography. This … Continue reading
Inland Shorebirds
From the end of April through the middle of May, migrant shorebird numbers peak along the Oregon coast. I haven’t made it out to the coast yet this spring, but my local inland sites have produced a few species. There … Continue reading
Posted in seasonal movements
Tagged Least Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper
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Early Spring in the 5MR
The weather has gone from winter rain to spring rain, still rather gloomy but definitely more pleasant overall. Spring migration is slowly picking up with new species gradually accumulating in my 5-Mile Radius. Most of the new sites that I … Continue reading
Virginia Rail
As many people are jumping on the “bird local” bandwagon, little Commonwealth Lake Park in Beaverton has been getting a lot of birding attention and producing an increasing array of interesting species. One of the stars of this winter is … Continue reading
Posted in behavior, conservation issues, OR Birding Sites
Tagged Commonwealth Lake Park, Virginia Rail
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