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Descriptions of over 250 of the best birding sites in Oregon, checklist and seasonal abundance chart, additional resources.
Category Archives: seasonal movements
Summer shorebirds
Mid to late summer is the prime time to watch shorebirds in western Oregon, partly because it is the peak of southbound shorebird migration, and partly because the locally nesting songbirds have stopped singing and are very hard to see. … Continue reading
Posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements
Tagged Baird's Sandpiper, Broughton Beach, Sanderling
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Jackson Bottom
I made a quick visit to Jackson Bottom in Hillsboro. This is a very busy spot in the summer. The Savannah Sparrows are still in full song. Pintail Pond has been drained to accommodate some restoration work on the site, … Continue reading
Spring on the Coast
I have made four trips to the Oregon Coast in as many weeks this spring. For three of the four, I was leading groups. That, combined with rainy weather, limited my photo opportunities, but here are a few shots. The … Continue reading
Soggy Songbirds
This has been the longest February ever. I know the calendar indicates that it is actually late May, and we have had several lovely dry days, but the cold wet weather continues to dominate. Despite the nasty conditions, spring migration … Continue reading
Spring at Fernhill
While we continue to get above-average rainfall in the Portland area, there have been a few dry days of late, so I ran out for a quick tour of Fernhill Wetlands. Most of the wintering geese are gone, and there … Continue reading
February Doldrums
I think February is the most challenging month to live in the Portland area, as it is typically wet and dreary. This past month had three times the normal rainfall, so the brief sun breaks were especially appreciated. A quick … Continue reading
Posted in rarities, seasonal movements
Tagged American Crow, Great Blue Heron, Greater Scaup, Say's Phoebe
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Gull big day
My recent gull class field trip found ten species of gulls (Western, Glaucous-winged, Glaucous, Herring, Thayer’s, California, Ring-billed, Mew, Bonaparte’s, and Heermann’s). This was a new record for the class, and it got me wondering. How many species of gulls … Continue reading
Autumn at Fernhill
Fernhill Wetlands is the place to be in autumn. Even after the extensive wetland renovations that have taken place, resulting in less open water, the Cackling Geese still congregate here by the thousands. This Great Egret was catching the sunshine … Continue reading
Random Bits of August
I taught two shorebird classes and led three shorebird field trips in August. The southbound shorebird migration has been pretty great so far, with unprecedented numbers of Baird’s Sandpipers and a nice smattering of rarities throughout Oregon. My trips missed … Continue reading
Posted in seasonal movements
Tagged American White Pelican, Ruddy Turnstone, Surfbird, Wilson's Snipe
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Random Images
A spate of cloudy damp days has not allowed many photo opportunities the past couple of weeks, but here are a few random images. Lazuli Bunting, Cooper Mountain Nature Park, Beaverton. This is a great natural area that I really … Continue reading
