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Descriptions of over 250 birding sites
Checklist of 543 species with seasonal abundance chart
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Category Archives: identification challenges
Winter Birding
We finally had a bout of winter weather in the Portland area. The west side of town got more ice than actual snow, so travel conditions were not ideal. Since we had an appointment in Hillsboro anyway, I made a … Continue reading
Mew Gulls
I made a quick trip to Amberglen Office Park in Hillsboro to check the lawn for gulls. Along with a small flock of Ring-billed Gulls were four Mew Gulls. Mews are one of my favorite gulls. They are easy to … Continue reading
Posted in identification challenges, OR Birding Sites
Tagged Mew Gull, Nutria, Song Sparrow
2 Comments
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
Taverner’s Cackling Goose vs. Ridgeway’s Cackling Goose
On a recent trip to Commonwealth Lake Park in Beaverton, I had the opportunity to observe Taverner’s and Ridgeway’s Cackling Geese side-by-side. Taverner’s are larger, with pale breasts and slightly longer bills. Ridgeway’s have dark, iridescent breasts (on adults) and … Continue reading
Broughton Beach, Portland
Broughton Beach is along the Columbia River, right next to the Portland airport. It can be a challenging place to bird, with dogs and children chasing the birds, police carrying body bags down the beach, etc. But if you catch … Continue reading
Sauvie Island
I took my waterfowl class out to Sauvie Island. The trip produced a nice variety of ducks and geese, and the weather was freakishly nice for February. Here are some Ring-necked Ducks, Dusky Canada Geese, and a couple of Buffleheads. … Continue reading
Broughton Beach
Nala and I walked along the Columbia River from Broughton Beach to the Sea Scout base. Greater Scaup was the most numerous species on the river, with smaller numbers of Lesser Scaup (fifth bird from the right) Great Scaup (upper … Continue reading
Baby Towhees
Young Spotted Towhees have been showing up at the feeder. It is always fun to see them, as they look so different from their parents. This plumage can be confusing to those unfamiliar with it, but there are clues to … Continue reading
Westmoreland Park
Westmoreland Park, in southeast Portland, is always worth a quick visit in winter. This Canvasback has a mud on her face from rooting around in the bottom of the pond. Lesser Scaup At least two female Eurasian Wigeons have been … Continue reading
