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Descriptions of over 250 birding sites
Checklist of 543 species with seasonal abundance chart
References and Contact Information
Category Archives: reptiles & amphibians
Little Brown Birds
Late winter is when I typically concentrate on sparrows. There isn’t much else going on this time of year, and the vegetation is worn down enough that visibility is pretty good. Rentenaar Road on Sauvie Island continues to be the … Continue reading
False Spring in the Wetlands
It is still very much winter in western Oregon, but February always brings stirrings of spring. Many birds, like this Red-winged Blackbird, are warming up their songs in preparation for setting up nesting territories. Male Anna’s Hummingbirds always seem to … Continue reading
Northwest Portland Wetlands
I went out to Smith and Bybee Wetlands and Vanport Wetlands to check for migrants. The Smith and Bybee area was pretty slow. Water levels were high so some of the trails were inaccessible. Vanport had some really interesting birds, … Continue reading
Fernhill Wetlands
If you haven’t been to Fernhill Wetlands since the major renovations were completed, you should definitely check it out. There is still a fairly large lake to attract divers, but now there is also a large emergent wetland to explore. … Continue reading
Jackson Bottom
I scouted Jackson Bottom Wetlands Reserve in Hillsboro for my shorebird class this week. Much of the area is dry, but Pintail Pond still has enough water to create mudflats and easy fishing for the Great Egrets. One Ring-billed Gull … Continue reading
Fernhill Wetlands and Jackson Bottom
We are two weeks into a nasty heat wave in the Portland area. Sunrise is the only time of day when you can bird in any comfort and hope to find any birds active and singing. So I got up … Continue reading
Smith and Bybee Wetlands
Nesting season is in full swing at Smith and Bybee Wetlands in northwest Portland. There is a small colony of Cliff Swallows nesting under the highway overpass. Here is the tail end of a Cedar Waxwing sitting on a nest. … Continue reading
Sauvie Island
I made a couple of trips out to Sauvie Island for my Little Brown Birds class. The weather was freakishly nice for late March, although the mild winter has not been conducive to large sparrow flocks. One highlight of the … Continue reading
Tualatin River NWR
I made a quick visit to Tualatin River NWR in the afternoon heat. One of the main trails is closed off until this young Bald Eagle decides to leave the nest. Despite the flock of European Starlings cheering him on, … Continue reading
