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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
Hudsonian Godwit
A Hudsonian Godwit has been hanging out at Fort Stevens for over a week now. This species, seen here with a Black-bellied Plover, normally migrates through the central part of the continent so an appearance on the west coast is … Continue reading
Posted in rarities
Tagged Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, Hudsonian Godwit, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper
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Deep Water Pelagic
I went on the deep water trip organized by Oregon Pelagic Tours. The goal of this trip was to get 50 miles offshore to explore some deeper water (6000 feet). There are a few species of birds our there that … Continue reading
Summer Shorebirds
There isn’t much going on bird-wise in mid-summer besides shorebirds. It is nice to have an opportunity to really focus on a single group of birds. Here are a few images from recent weeks. This Long-billed Dowitcher, to the right … Continue reading
Product Review: Wunderbird Birding Apparel
I had the opportunity to try out two pieces of birding apparel from Wunderbird, a long-sleeved Tee (The Peregrine) and a hooded sweatshirt (The Gyrfalcon). The three features that set Wunderbird apart from any other outdoor apparel are high-tech fabric, … Continue reading
Tualatin River NWR
I visited Tualatin River NWR last week. The weather has been very hot and dry, so I started early in the morning. There was a surprisingly large diversity of species for mid-summer. I ended the trip with 55 species. I … Continue reading
Timberline Lodge
I spent a few hours birding above Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood. It was cold and very windy when I arrived, but conditions gradually improved. This is not a site to wrack up a long bird list. After three and … Continue reading
Spring in the wetlands
Nesting season continues to progress. While some songbirds have already fledged a batch of babies, other species are just getting under way. This Pied-billed Grebe was sitting on a nest at Commonwealth Lake. Blue-winged Teal can be hard to find … Continue reading
Bullock’s Oriole Nest
I spent a little time watching an active Bullock’s Oriole nest at Fernhill Wetlands. Notice how the birds have incorporated strands from a blue plastic tarp into the nest. Using plastic debris in nest construction is not unusual. In Kansas … Continue reading
Whimbrels
This spring has seen pretty calm weather. While the sunny days may make for pleasant birding, they do not necessarily lead to great birding. It usually takes some good storms to cause a lot of shorebirds to put down on … Continue reading
Birdathon
Our team for the Audubon Society of Portland’s Birdathon made a 360-mile loop through the Willamette Valley, across the Cascades, and east to the high desert. We tallied 110 species for the day. Here are a few. Acorn Woodpeckers are … Continue reading
