Tag Archives: Western Sandpiper

September Shorebirds

Posted on September 23, 2021 by John Rakestraw

Shorebirds have been trickling through the Portland area all month. Finding proper habitat can be challenging. As wetlands dry up during the summer, we have to hope that deeper bodies of water recede enough to create mudflats for shorebirds to … Continue reading →

Posted in behavior, seasonal movements | Tagged Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper | Leave a comment

Crooked River Wetlands Complex

Posted on July 13, 2021 by John Rakestraw

I had a chance to visit Crooked River Wetlands near Prineville. Like Fernhill Wetlands, this site was constructed as part of a wastewater treatment system. But Crooked River Wetlands was designed from the beginning to accommodate both birds and birders. … Continue reading →

Posted in OR Birding Sites | Tagged Bank Swallow, Brewer's Blackbird, Eared Grebe, Northern Harrier, Ruddy Duck, Say's Phoebe, Spotted Sandpiper, Tree Swallow, Tricolored Blackbird, Western Sandpiper, Yellow-headed Blackbird | 2 Comments

Tillamook

Posted on October 6, 2020 by John Rakestraw

I had to go to Tillamook Bay to get some photos for an upcoming webinar. This particular day had freakishly nice weather, very un-Tillamook-like. Ideally, during fall migration, a birder hopes for onshore winds to bring seabirds and shorebirds close … Continue reading →

Posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements | Tagged Black Phoebe, California Gull, Common Raven, Double-crested Cormorant, Least Sandpiper, Mew Gull, Red-necked Grebe, Western Gull, Western Sandpiper | Leave a comment

Inland Shorebirds

Posted on May 10, 2019 by John Rakestraw

From the end of April through the middle of May, migrant shorebird numbers peak along the Oregon coast. I haven’t made it out to the coast yet this spring, but my local inland sites have produced a few species. There … Continue reading →

Posted in seasonal movements | Tagged Least Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper | 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 Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, Hudsonian Godwit, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper | 1 Comment

Jackson Bottom

Posted on July 13, 2017 by John Rakestraw

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 →

Posted in nesting, OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements | Tagged Greater Yellowlegs, Jackson Bottom, Least Sandpiper, Savannah Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper, Tree Swallow, Western Sandpiper | 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 Bonaparte's Gull, Common Raven, Dunlin, Red Knot, Roosevelt Elk, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper, whimbrel, White-winged Scoter | 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 Broughton Beach, California Gull, Common Loon, Least Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper | 3 Comments

Pacific City

Posted on May 6, 2015 by John Rakestraw

I led a couple of tours for the Birding and Blues Festival last weekend. The weather was dry and reasonably warm, despite rather vicious afternoon winds on the beach. North winds brought good numbers of migrating shorebirds close to land. … Continue reading →

Posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements | Tagged Bufflehead, Dunlin, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Red-breasted Merganser, Western Sandpiper, White-crowned Sparrow | Leave a comment

Fort Stevens State Park

Posted on May 15, 2014 by John Rakestraw

When the tides are right, the area around Parking Lot D at Fort Stevens State Park can be very productive. On my recent visit, I found about 400 Caspian Terns in the bay. Many of the birds were presenting fish … Continue reading →

Posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements | Tagged Bonaparte's Gull, Caspian Tern, Dunlin, Fort Stevens, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Western Sandpiper | 1 Comment