All photos copyright John Rakestraw unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
Tag Archives: American White Pelican
Racetrack Lake
Racetrack Lake, located on Sauvie Island, sort of in between the end of Rentenaar Road and the east shore of Sturgeon Lake, has been quite good for shorebirds recently. Good shorebird habitat has been very hard to find in the … Continue reading
Late Summer Wetlands
I made a quick trip to Fernhill Wetlands and Jackson Bottom to look for shorebirds. My first bird of the morning was this Killdeer standing on the sidewalk. I guess that counts. There is a frustrating lack of mudflats in … 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
Leave a comment
Fernhill Wetlands and Jackson Bottom
I made a quick trek around Washington County’s two prominent wetlands. There was nothing unusual to report, but there is plenty of bird activity at these sites this time of year. Green Heron, lurking Great Blue Heron, not lurking Juvenile … Continue reading
McNary Wildlife Nature Area
Looking past the rather awkward name, the McNary Wildlife Nature Area is a great little spot for birding. The park, which came to my attention by hosting the recent Black-headed Gull, is located in the town of Umatilla, just downstream … Continue reading
Boulder Birds
Here are a few birds I saw on a recent trip to Boulder, CO. There was nothing unusual, but there is always something to see. This young Cooper’s Hawk was amazingly tame. Bullock’s Oriole American White Pelicans White-breasted Nuthatch. Despite … Continue reading
Birds and Brew Fest, 12 October 2013
I led a tour of Fernhill Wetlands for the Birds and Brew Festival. Since there were about 50 people in the group, including many who didn’t have optics, we concentrated on the “charismatic mega-fauna,” like these American White Pelicans. A … Continue reading
Fernhill Wetlands
Fernhill Wetlands, south of Forest Grove, is a great place to see the onset of autumn. Water levels on the main lake are still very low, but the recent rains will soon change that. Migrant shorebirds, like these Western Sandpipers, … Continue reading
Sauvie Island 4/5/12
I took advantage of the dry weather to scout Sauvie Island (Birding Oregon p. 55) for my Little Brown Birds field trip. Sandhill Cranes are still present in good numbers. The Osprey nest along Rentenaar Road is occupied again. We … Continue reading
Smith and Bybee Wetlands
Smith and Bybee Wetlands in NW Portland, (Birding Oregon p. 65) is a great spot for waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds in the late summer and autumn. Paved trails lead to observation platforms overlooking both lakes, and primitive paths are available … Continue reading