All photos copyright John Rakestraw unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
Tag Archives: Green Heron
Dog Days
I am not sure why the hottest days of mid-summer are referred to as “dog days.” My dogs want nothing to do with the heat, and the hot weather puts a damper on bird activity as well. Wetlands tend to … Continue reading
Posted in nesting, OR Birding Sites, reptiles & amphibians, seasonal movements
Tagged American Crow, Bewick's Wren, Greater Yellowlegs, Green Heron, House Finch, Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-toed Salamander, Northwestern Garter, Osprey, Purple Martin, Spotted Towhee, Tree Swallow, Western Screech-Owl
Leave a comment
Fernhill Wetlands
During the current pandemic, it is not always easy to visit favorite birding sites. I have found that if I go very early, I can get some good birding in at Fernhill Wetlands without encountering too many folks. (Of course, … Continue reading
Commonwealth Lake
Now that the snow has melted, the weather has turned to freezing temps and a howling east wind. Bleah. Despite the lousy conditions, I bundled up and took a walk around Commonwealth Lake. The park was hosting a large flock … Continue reading
Posted in OR Birding Sites
Tagged Gadwall, Great Egret, Green Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Ring-billed Gull
1 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
Random Images
Not much going on bird-wise for me this past week. The shorebird cornucopia from the previous week has dried up, as have many of the region’s mudflats. But, as I frequently remind myself, there is always something to see. This … Continue reading
Posted in OR Birding Sites
Tagged Banded Killifish, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Osprey, Red-winged Blackbird
1 Comment
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
Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area (aka Smith and Bybee Lakes) in northeast Portland is a great spot in late summer as the water levels drop. Large flocks of American White Pelicans, California Gulls, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and … Continue reading
Fernhill Wetlands 8/3/12
I scouted Fernhill Wetlands for the Willamette Valley portion of my shorebird class. After a cool summer, we have finally gotten some triple-digit temperatures, making birding a little challenging. But there is a lot of mud and the shorebirds are … Continue reading
Fernhill Dog Days
In preparation for my shorebirds class for Portland Audubon, I have made several trips to Fernhill Wetlands (Birding Oregon p. 61) in recent weeks. As expected in the Willamette Valley in late summer, species diversity is fairly low, but there … Continue reading