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Descriptions of over 250 birding sites
Checklist of 543 species with seasonal abundance chart
References and Contact Information
Category Archives: seasonal movements
A Slow Start
I have been complaining a lot lately about how slow the birding has been. We are in that lull when many of the winter birds have moved on and the spring migrants haven’t returned. But, say it with me, there … Continue reading
Late Winter Ramblings
Birding has been rather slow lately, as many of the winter residents have moved on and the spring migrants haven’t arrived yet. The local nesters, like this Spotted Towhee are becoming more active and vocal. A remnant of last autumn’s … Continue reading
First Herps of the Year
The nights are still cold, often below freezing, but the days are starting to warm. With the first hints of spring come the first amphibians and reptiles of the year. You can hear Pacific Treefrogs calling all year, but this … Continue reading
Fernhill Wetlands
Despite morning temperatures near freezing, signs of spring are appearing at Fernhill Wetlands. This Black Phoebe was posing with some colorful buds. The winter sparrows, like this Fox Sparrow, are still around. Waterfowl numbers are dropping as northern breeders start … Continue reading
Posted in mammals, OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements
Tagged Black Phoebe, Fox Sparrow, Lesser Scaup, Northern Pintail, Nutria, Red-tailed Hawk
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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
Winter Birding
February is usually cloudy and damp in the Portland area, making it hard for me to get too motivated to venture out. But there is always something to see, like this lovely Lincoln’s Sparrow. This Cedar Waxwing was flycatching over … Continue reading
Winter Waterfowl
Waterfowl seem to dominate the birding scene in the Willamette Valley in winter. Year-round residents, like this Pied-billed Grebe, are joined by a host of winter migrants. My camera hates white birds, but managed to capture this Common Merganser pretty … Continue reading
Posted in seasonal movements
Tagged American Wigeon, Eurasian Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, Ring-necked Duck
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Fernhill Wetlands
A recent foggy morning found me at Fernhill Wetlands. Birding was a little slow overall, but there were a few neat finds. These were two of about 100 Long-billed Dowitchers out that morning. Black Phoebe has become an expected species … Continue reading
Posted in mammals, seasonal movements
Tagged Black Phoebe, Harlan's Hawk, Long-billed Dowitcher, Nutria
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Fernhill Wetlands
The rainy season has been slow to arrive this year, so we have had strings of sunny autumn days. While the dry conditions are preventing many of the seasonal wetlands from filling, the clear skies do make for some pleasant … Continue reading
