May 10, 2025 Garibaldi & Barview Jetty

Birders by Ruth Shelly

On an overcast coastal morning, 20 birders (including four new participants) gathered at Garibaldi Marina with leaders Dave Irons and Shawneen Finnegan to view migrating seabirds. Brown Pelicans and cormorants were in abundance. We carpooled to Barview Jetty and caught sightings of not only Rhinoceros Auklets and Red-necked Phalaropes, but also a Gray Whale female with calf—and a dramatic breach!

Species seen included: 

Gray Whale blowhole by Ruth Shelly

Surf Scoter
Black Oystercatcher
Red-necked Phalarope
Wandering Tattler
Rhinoceros Auklet
Pigeon Guillemot
Common Murre
Western Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Brown Pelican
Bald Eagle
American Crow
European Starling
Savannah Sparrow

Brown Pelican by Ruth Shelly

May 9, 2025 Cutler City & Siletz Bay

On a lovely spring morning, 21 birders (including five new participants) gathered at Cutler City Wetlands for a walk through the forest and out to Siletz Bay. The group was greeted by a chorus of calls from the Great Blue Herons nesting overhead. Evan Hayduk and Halle Renn led participants past blooming native rhododendrons and Pacific crabapple. They shared not only bird sightings, but also information on watershed management in the area and fish aggregating devices in the bay.

Sightings of the day included:

Birders and Seven Capes Volunteer by Ruth Shelly

Great Blue Heron
Great Egret 
Orange-crowned Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Red Crossbill 
Hermit Warbler 
Common Yellowthroat 
Song Sparrow
Eurasian Collared-dove 
Dark-eyed Junco
American Robin 
Anna’s Hummingbird 
Mallard
Bufflehead 
Dunlin 
Semipalmated Plover 
Bald Eagle 
Double-crested Cormorants 
Violet-green Swallow 
Barn Swallow
Wrentit 
Common Raven 
European Starling 
Turkey Vulture 
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 
Red-winged Blackbird 
Steller's Jay 
Pacific Wren 
Purple Finch
House Sparrow 
Spotted Towhee 
Pine Siskin

Great Blue Heron in nest by Ruth Shelly

April 11, 2025 The Knoll & Roads End State Park

Birders at The Knoll, photo by Carol Miley

16 people gathered at The Knoll Trailhead on a sunny Friday morning to enjoy a walk through the woods before heading down to the beach at Roads End State Park. Attendees included a good number of new birders, and with knowledgeable guides, everyone seemed to learn a lot. The highlight of the day was actually seeing a Virginia Rail at Roads End marsh!

Sightings of the day:

The elusive Virginia Rail, photo by Carol Miley

Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Virginia Rail
Cooper’s Hawk
Hairy Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Violet-green Swallow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
American Robin
Purple Finch
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Wilson’s Snipe
Western Gull
Pacific Loon
Cormorant
Brown Pelican
Bewick’s Wren
White-crowned Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Brewer’s Blackbird

March 8, 2025 Kilchis Point Reserve

Long-billed Dowitchers by Ruth Shelly

On a cloudy Saturday, Brodie Cass Talbot from Bird Alliance of Oregon led 22 participants on our first bird walk at Kilchis Point Reserve in Bay City. A Brown Creeper made a fleeting appearance on this lovely trail, which featured a lot of birding by ear...along with budding plants, frog eggs, and a tree snag awaiting spring residents. Our patience was rewarded with numerous waterfowl, shorebirds, herons, and two Bald Eagles once we reached Tillamook Bay.

The full list of 21 species included:

Birders by Tom Rice

Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher
Spotted Sandpiper
Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs
Short-billed Gull
Western Gull
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Downy Woodpecker
Hutton’s Vireo
Steller’s Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
American Robin
House Sparrow
Red Crossbill

March 7, 2025 Spring Lake Open Space

Spring Lake, photo by Tom Rice

19 participants attended our Spring Lake bird walk on March 7, sponsored by Lincoln City Parks and Recreation. For many, it was their first experience with one of Lincoln City’s open spaces and they were all suitably impressed. Our birding guide Seth, out of Corvallis, was very knowledgeable and helpful with bird identification. 

As with most of our woodland bird walks, the number of visual bird sightings was somewhat limited and many in the group observed and discussed the various mushrooms and other fungi we encountered along the way. By the end of our two-hour walk, we had identified 16 bird species. 

Sightings included:

Birders on trail, photo by Heather Goble

Canada Goose
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Varied Thrush
American Robin
Yellow-rumped Warbler

February 8, 2025 Friends of the Wildwoods Open Space

The walk started off with lovely birding weather, though we didn't see very many birds during the first half of the walk. We decided to walk down to Holmes Road Park and saw lots of waterfowl including 6 Canvasbacks! Our walk was cut about 20 minutes short by a downpouring of heavy rain, but overall it was another great birding experience for the 16 birders who joined us. 

Sightings of the day:

Ruby-crowned Kinglet by Ruth Shelly

Canvasback
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Eurasian Collared-Dove
American Coot
Western Gull
gull sp. 
Bald Eagle
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
House Sparrow

January 10, 2025 Regatta Park & Devils Lake

Eric Horvath, an expert bird guide from Newport, led a group of 20 enthusiastic birders at Regatta Park. The walk, sponsored by Lincoln City Parks and Recreation, was not as rainy as expected, with just a brief shower. We began at the edge of the lake, where a diverse flock of waterfowl gave us great looks as Eric explained how to distinguish shape and behavior, in addition to pointing our winter field marks. Two Belted Kingfishers gave us great looks as they perched near some docks. From there, we wandered into the woods on the nature trail - stopping along the way for flocks of small birds and sparrows. We enjoyed the Oregon Historic Tree, the giant Sitka Spruce in the center of the forest, before walking to the nearby neighborhood and back to the lake. 

Sightings of the day:

Brown Creeper, photo by dawn villaescusa

Birders at Regatta Park, photo by Heather Goble

Canada Goose 
American Wigeon 
Mallard 
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Eurasian Collared-Dove
American Coot
Western Gull
Pied-billed Grebe
Common Loon
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
European Starling
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
Townsend's Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler