All photos copyright John Rakestraw unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
Tag Archives: Spotted Sandpiper
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
Summer Shorebirds
There isn’t much going on bird-wise in mid-summer besides shorebirds. It is nice to have an opportunity to really focus on a single group of birds. Here are a few images from recent weeks. This Long-billed Dowitcher, to the right … Continue reading
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
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
Jackson Bottom
I scouted Jackson Bottom Wetlands Reserve in Hillsboro for my shorebird class this week. Much of the area is dry, but Pintail Pond still has enough water to create mudflats and easy fishing for the Great Egrets. One Ring-billed Gull … Continue reading
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
Sandy River Delta
Nala and I spent the morning at the Sandy River Delta east of Portland. Bird activity is definitely picking up, although many of the summer residents haven’t arrived yet. White-crowned Sparrows were singing as were Savannah Sparrows. Rufous Hummingbirds were … Continue reading
Tualatin River NWR
I made a quick visit to Tualatin River NWR in the afternoon heat. One of the main trails is closed off until this young Bald Eagle decides to leave the nest. Despite the flock of European Starlings cheering him on, … Continue reading
Water Babies, Tualatin River NWR
There are lots of youngsters in the wetlands these days. We haven’t had any rain in July, so water levels are dropping, concentrating wetland animals into smaller areas. This is a Spotted Sandpiper in that awkward adolescent stage. The same … Continue reading