Hatfield Marine Science Center
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, photo by Ruth Shelly
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our field trip to Hatfield Marine Science Center and Yaquina Bay South Jetty due to a harsh winter storm that coated the coast in ice. We rarely cancel our bird walks for weather, but for everyone’s safety, it was the right call!
Photo by Ruth Shelly
What a difference a day makes! Friday was cold and miserable, but we still had 7 people enjoy the walk at Regatta Park in Lincoln City. On Saturday, the sun shone all day - while chilly, it was perfect for spotting birds on Hatfield Marine Science Center's nature trail and the South Jetty at Yaquina Bay. 17 people joined us, including our bird experts and expert photographers.
Red-throated Loon photo by Ruth Shelly
Great Blue Heron photo by Ruth Shelly
Species seen on Saturday (Yaquina Bay & South Jetty):
Eurasia Wigeon
American Wigeon
Greater Scaup
Harlequin duck
Surf scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Horned Grebe
Western Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Whimbrel
Iceland Gulls (Thayer’s)
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western x Glaucous-winged gull (Olympic gull)
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Brand’s Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Steller’s Jay
American Crow
European Starling
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Western Gull photo by Ruth Shelly
12 birders that joined trip leader, Camden Bruner, got a break from the rain but did have to fight the wind. We got good looks at a variety of waterfowl but the birds of the day were the Marbled Godwits, Whimbrel, and a Eurasian Wigeon. It just proves Birding can be fun in all kinds of weather.
Sightings of the day:
American Wigeon ~ Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal ~ Surf Scoter
Bufflehead ~ Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe ~ Red-necked Grebe
` Rock Pigeon ~ Anna's Hummingbird
` Whimbrel ~ Marbled Godwit
Mew Gull ~ Western Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western-Glaucous-winged (hybrid)
Pacific Loon ~ Common Loon
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron ~ Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher ~ Northern Flicker
Merlin ~ American Crow
Pacific Wren ~ European Starling
Fox Sparrow ~ White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow ~ Song Sparrow
25 people enjoyed this walk along the Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail, enjoying a wide variety of birds. The air was chilly with a cool breeze and no rain(!) We were treated to a diving Belted Kingfisher, a pair of adult Bald Eagles sitting on the mudflats, a tree full of Great Blue Herons (more than a dozen!), and much more. There was so much activity that the nature trail took up two hours, so several had to leave before the trip to the South Jetty. There, the remaining birders enjoyed a variety of loons and other seabirds.
Photos complements of Marlene Stellato
Sightings of the Day
Brant
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Anna's Hummingbird
Western Gull
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
American Crow
Common Raven
American Robin
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Saturday was a perfect day for a bird walk. Just ask any of the 27 birders that show up for the beautiful weather at the Marine Hatfield Science Center. Right away a female and male Peregrine Falcon were spotted and everyone got a good look at these beautiful birds. That was only the beginning.
Sightings of the Day
Bufflehead
Surf Scoter
Pelagic Cormorant
Peregrine Falcon
Red-throated Loon
Greater Scaup
Horned Grebe
American Wigeons
American Crow
Brant Goose
Hooded Merganser
Song Sparrow
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Pacific Wren
Red-tailed Hawk
Varied Thrush
Fox Sparrow
Greater White-fronted Goose
Common Loon
Swallow (sp)
Harlequin Duck
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Mew Gull
Common Goldeneye
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western Gull
We gathered for our monthly Audubon field trip led by Mark Elliott at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. For a change, it was a bright sunny day but with a pretty good east wind that brought the temperature down to about 25 degrees! About 20 people braved the weather in search of birds that winter over in this bay. After scouting the bay loop trail, without seeing anything out of the norm, we all jumped in our cars to warm up and drive the short distance to the south jetty in the bay. Here we saw a flotilla of Western Grebes which were very close to the road. A short distance further down the jetty we spotted male and female Long-tailed Ducks. These ducks are not uncommon at this time of year but seldom seen. It was a first sighting for most of us.
Sightings of the Day
Surf Scoter
American Wigeon
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Western Grebe
Bufflehead
Mallard
European Starling
Horned Grebe
Greater Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Northern Pintail
American Crow
Common Raven
Rock Dove
American Robin
Northern Harrier
Song Sparrow
Red-headed Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Varied Thrush
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Long-tailed Duck
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western Gull
Brant Goose
Another great Audubon outing for 18 birders, this time at Newport. Rainy and cold to begin with and then the bright sun and warmth broke through the clouds as predicted by Mark Elliott, our Field Guide and weather prognosticator. Mark located several outstanding and rarely seen birds by us. They included Bullock's Oriole, Snowy Plover, Mountain Plover, Harlequin Duck, Brants, and a flotilla of more common species. Thank you Mark Elliot for leading the charge.
Sightings of the Day
American Crow
Bald Eagle
Common Loon
Surf Scoter
Great Blue Heron
Bufflehead
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
European Starling
Northern Pintail
America Wigeon
Brandt
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Northern Harrier
Eurasian Wigeon
Dark-eyed Junco
House Sparrow
American Robin
Townsend Warbler
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
House Finch
Red-winged Blackbird
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Bullocks Oriole
Western Grebe
Brown Pelican
Horned Grebe
Common Goldeneye
Harlequin Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Snowy Plover
Mountain Plover
Sanderling
Double-crested Cormorant
Bufflehead
It was a wet and cold morning at the Marine Hatfield Science Center parking lot, but 13 folks decided to brave the elements. Field guide Mark Elliott was quick to find birds in his scope on the Yaquina Bay. After walking the trail we headed over to the south jetty to add a few more birds to our list.
Sightings of the Day
Great Egret
American Coot
Northern Harrier
Western Gull
Bald Eagle
Pelagic Cormorant
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Song Sparrow
Horned Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Hooded Merganser
Red-necked Grebe
American Crow
Northern Pintail
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
European Starling Brandt
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Western Meadowlark
Northern Flicker
Red-shouldered Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
House Finch
Rock Pigeon
Anna's Hummingbird
White-crowned Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Varied Thrush
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Black Turnstone
Harlequin Duck
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Mew Gull
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet
Barn Swallow
It was raining in Lincoln City but when we arrived in Newport the sky opened up. Nonetheless, those who had full raingear put it on anyway. Even though there were only 6 of us crazy enough to weather the storm, we had a fun time sighting about 25 birds in the sky and on the water. Let's get Jody's point of view on the morning: "Hi all ... We missed some of you today, and boy, what a day. It was a little brisk and windy but, NO RAIN, (mostly). We had coffee 'n donuts to start the day. Of the 6 birders we had today . . . that's right, 6 . . . of the 6 birders today, 3 were experts. We saw a nice variety of water birds. Brandt, Eared Grebe, Loon, King (queen) eider, Oystercatchers, gulls, N. Harrier, and of course, Ernie's eagle. Just to name a few. Thank you Mark for being our fearless leader. You did a great job as usual. Thank you Laura for keeping track of the birds we saw. Thank you Ernie for your excellent spotting. Thank you Eric and Chuck for your expertise and identifying what we were seeing. Thank you me for coffee and donuts. I don't think I left anyone out. Nope, that's all 6 of us! "Here are a few photos taken today. The King Eider was hard to photograph but we, and others present from the Portland Audubon Society, witnessed its presence amongst the Black Scoters and Surf Scoters.
Sightings of the Day
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western Gull
Mew Gull
King Eider (female)
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Western Grebe
Eared Grebe
Horned Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Bufflehead
American Coot
Common Loon
Red-necked Phalarope
Brant
Great Blue Heron
Harlequin Duck
California Gull
Northern Pintail
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Hooded Merganser
Black Oystercatcher
Ruddy Duck
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
American Crow
European Starling
First time in three years, this field trip was sunny and cold. Previously, we'd endured cold and wet weather. Still, as always, this was a very enjoyable bird walk which was led by field guide, Mark Elliott. No sooner did we exit our cars when an immature bald eagle flew right over us . . . a perfect photo op with great lighting and its being maybe only 75 feet above us, if that! Down below, Brandt, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Great Scaup, Horned Grebe, and a couple of Common Loons were busy seeking food in the bay. Walking further along the trail, we saw American Wigeons, Eurasian Wigeons and Northern Pintails in large groups that we were only able to ID with binoculars. Still further along the path, 2 mature eagles were viewed upon a log in the water looking in the direction of the group of forementioned waterfowl. As we made the turn back toward the parking lot, a small flock of Red Crossbills settled on the high branches of a nearby tree and in the open brush below an Anna's Hummingbird lighted weightlessly on an upper branch in unobstructed view. We then drove over to the Newport South Jetty where for the 2nd year in a row we saw a pair of Harlequin ducks. Another pleasant surprise was discovering a Black Turnstone standing on a rock at water's edge. As we worked at ID'ing the various gulls, we witnessed one that appeared to have something wrapped around its neck to make its neck look like a bib . . . poor bird. To get out of the cold and to warm our bellies, many headed to Rogue Brewery for lunch. Great ending to a fun morning.
Sightings of the Day
Immature Bald Eagle (2)
Mature Bald Eagle (2)
Surf Scoter
Common Loon
Bufflehead
Horned Grebe
American Coot
Pelagic Cormorant
Greater Scaup
Western Gull
Brandt
Song Sparrow
Brown Pelican
American Crow
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Northern Pintail
European Starling
Black-capped Chickadee
Red Crossbill
Anna’s Hummingbird
Mew Gull
White-winged Scoter
Red-throated Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Red-breasted Merganser
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Barrow’s Goldeneye (female)
Black Turnstone
Harlequin
Glaucous-winged Gull
Red-necked Grebe
Hooded Merganser (female)
Western Grebe
