Tag Archives: Sanderling

Beach Birds

Posted on January 11, 2021 by John Rakestraw

I spent a few days on the north Oregon coast to escape the New Year’s fireworks in Portland. As expected this time of year, there was plenty of wind and rain. But there were enough breaks in the weather to … Continue reading →

Posted in seasonal movements | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Hudsonian Godwit

Posted on September 25, 2018 by John Rakestraw

A Hudsonian Godwit has been hanging out at Fort Stevens for over a week now. This species, seen here with a Black-bellied Plover, normally migrates through the central part of the continent so an appearance on the west coast is … Continue reading →

Posted in rarities | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Summer shorebirds

Posted on September 3, 2017 by John Rakestraw

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 , , | Leave a comment

Spring on the Coast

Posted on May 19, 2017 by John Rakestraw

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 →

Posted in seasonal movements | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Birdathon 2016

Posted on May 16, 2016 by John Rakestraw

The Weekday Warblers birdathon team made its inaugural trip on May 12. We birded the north coast from Cannon Beach to Fort Stevens, with a stop at the Sunset Rest Stop on the way. We did well with seabirds and … Continue reading →

Posted in mammals, OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Broughton Beach, Portland

Posted on August 21, 2015 by John Rakestraw

Broughton Beach is along the Columbia River, right next to the Portland airport. It can be a challenging place to bird, with dogs and children chasing the birds, police carrying body bags down the beach, etc. But if you catch … Continue reading →

Posted in identification challenges, OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

North Coast

Posted on March 1, 2015 by John Rakestraw

It had been ages since I visited the coast, so I packed up the dog to check out some spots between Cannon Beach and the Columbia River. I have seen an increasing number of these signs in the area, an … Continue reading →

Posted in OR Birding Sites | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tillamook

Posted on March 12, 2012 by John Rakestraw

I took advantage of the glorious spring weather recently to visit Tillamook (Birding Oregon p. 125). Nala and I completed the Tillamook Death March, walking all the way around Bayocean Spit. This is the only spot I have visited on … Continue reading →

Posted in OR Birding Sites | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Stalled Spring

Posted on March 25, 2011 by John Rakestraw

This March has been one of the coolest and wettest on record in the Portland area. Aside from keeping me indoors far more than I would like, the weather has created a bit of a stall in spring’s progress. The … Continue reading →

Posted in seasonal movements | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Ft. Stevens State Park, 9-28-’10

Posted on October 1, 2010 by John Rakestraw

I took a client birding along the northern coast this week. Ft. Stevens State Park (Birding Oregon p.119) is a mandatory stop when spending a day in this area. An observation deck overlooks the south jetty of the Columbia River. … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, mammals, OR Birding Sites | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment