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Descriptions of over 250 birding sites
Checklist of 543 species with seasonal abundance chart
References and Contact Information
Author Archives: John Rakestraw
Low Tide
Trestle Bay, just off Parking Lot D at Fort Stevens State Park, can be one of the more productive shorebird spots on the north coast. Timing is critical, as the bay fills completely with the high tide. When the tide … Continue reading
Posted in behavior, mammals, seasonal movements
Tagged California Gull, California Sea Lion, Common Merganser
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Summer in the Wetlands
Our brutal summer continues. When the weather is this hot and dry, the best bird diversity is usually found around wetlands, so I spent a little time at Fernhill Wetlands and Jackson Bottom. The first record of Black Phoebe in … Continue reading
Wasco County
Here are a few more images from my trip to central Oregon. The main purpose of the trip was to get the dogs away from the fireworks in Portland, but I always enjoy a trip to the dry side of … Continue reading
Posted in mammals, nesting, reptiles & amphibians
Tagged Mule Deer, Spotted Sandpiper, Turkey Vulture, Western Fence Lizard
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Crooked River Wetlands Complex
I had a chance to visit Crooked River Wetlands near Prineville. Like Fernhill Wetlands, this site was constructed as part of a wastewater treatment system. But Crooked River Wetlands was designed from the beginning to accommodate both birds and birders. … Continue reading
Scout Camp Loop Trail
The Scout Camp Loop Trail is a lovely 2.2 mile hike northwest of Terrebonne. It is not particularly birdy. I logged 11 species on my trip, and the top eBird list for this site is only 17. (eBird calls this … Continue reading
Summer at Fernhill
Record-setting heat and cloudless days are not the best conditions for birding or photography, but here we are. It is sometimes hard to motivate oneself to get outside when the weather is so harsh, but there is always something to … Continue reading
Some Non-avian Sightings
While I am usually looking specifically for birds, I enjoy whatever wildlife I encounter along the way. I don’t spend a lot of effort looking for butterflies, but I do appreciate it when one poses for me. This is a … Continue reading
Random Summer Birds
Spring migration has come and gone, and many birders agree that it was a dud. Numbers and diversity seemed quite low in the Portland area this spring. So now we concentrate on the summer residents, like this Black-headed Grosbeak. Most … Continue reading
Tualatin River NWR
The long hiking trail at Tualatin River NWR is open, and this refuge always offers some good birding in the spring and early summer. A pair of Blue-winged Teal was in the southwest pond. As is typical for this species, … Continue reading
