2013

November 9, 2013 Cascade Head Scenic Area along the Salmon River

A gathering in the Cascade Head Ranch River House, sipping hot apple cider.
The air was quietly still and misty. Silence periodically broken by Kingfisher chatter.
Flitterings of feathers weaving in and out of brush and boughs.
A perfect morning for 13 people.

Sightings of the Day
Common Loon
Bald Eagle
Surf Scoter
Great Blue Heron
Western Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
American Crow
Sooty Fox Sparrow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Spotted Towhee
Brown Pelicans
Downy Woodpecker
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Oregon Junco
Anna's Hummingbird
Pacific Loon
Western Grebe
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Gold-crowned Kinglet
Pelagic Cormorant
Steller's Jay
Pacific Wren
Song Sparrow
Marsh Wren
American Robin
Northern Flicker
Bufflehead
Canada Goose

River Otter
Harbor Seal
Roosevelt Elk

October 15, 2013 Beaver Creek State Natural Area

Leaving Lincoln City this morning to head for the Beaver Creek waterway field trip was a bit concerning. It was raining! But, those who live along the coast know about micro-climates and are aware that the weather could be totally different from one location to another. We were optimistc that the rain would stop when we arrived at Beaver Creek, located midway between Newport and Waldport. Sure enough, the rain had stopped and there were patches of blue sky in-between the big puffy clouds. Yeeesssss!!!! As the birders arrived, they backed up to the put-in and dispatched their watercrafts. 14 birders, led by Dawn Grafe-Harris, USFWS, (newly furloughed, by the way) and ASLC field guide Mark Elliott, were ready to enjoy a lazy paddling upriver as they kept their eyes alert for sighting birds. Before all were ready, a mature bald eagle flew low right over us . . . and not one photographer was fast enough to capture its image! Gathering in a watery circle, introductions were made and all were amazed to learn that a newly transplanted New Englander was amongst the group. Around the first bend a Great Blue Heron was sighted atop an old snag tree and around a couple of more bends a Great Egret flew from the river grass and brush ahead. A Cooper's Hawk swooped down into the grass bank. But the greatest surprise to all were the number of Nutrias eyeing us from the banks as we paddled past each of them . . . about 30 or more!! Meanwhile, the sprinkling of rain turned into a shower which then turned into a heavy shower which made it near impossible to take photos of our outing. As the watercrafts were beginning to fill with rainwater, it was decided to turn around and head back to land. And, wouldn't you know it! When we arrived back where we had started, the rainfall had stopped! Ugh!!!

Sightings of the Day
Bald Eagle
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Mallard
Northern Harrier
Short-billed Dowitcher
Belted Kingfisher
Pied-billed Grebe
Red-tailed Hawk
American Robin
Marsh Wren
American Crow
Song Sparrow

September 14, 2013 Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Interesting. The weather at Baskett Slough was no different than on the coast. Drizzly, cloudy, somewhere between cool and cold. The big difference was that there was very little water at the Slough, unlike the coast!! It's our guess that that was caused by the very dry summer and the opening of the dam on the north side of the road. Yet, none of the conditions deterred the 13 attending birders from enjoying the refuge and its offerings. This time, there was not a great presence of birds although 27 species were identified. Hard to believe that we didn't even see one Song Sparrow or chickadee!!

Sightings of the Day
Bald Eagle
Western Scrub Jay
Barn Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
American Crow
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Mourning Dove
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Bewick's Wren
White Pelican
Northern Harrier
Killdeer
Red-tailed Hawk
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Greater Yellowlegs
Long-billed Dowitcher
American Kestrel
Belted Kingfisher

Nutria family of six
Garden Spiders
Black-tailed Deer

August 10, 2013 Bird Walk at Bayocean Spit, Tillamook, Oregon

This year's bird walk at Bayocean came with a few surprises. Generally, our field trips begin at 9am. Last year's trip to Bayocean began at that time, but the tide was not right so we made up for it this year. We counted about twice as many birders this year over last year. Including 4 guides, twenty-nine birders gathered in the Spit's parking lot at 2pm when the tide was coming in rather than going out. That brought the shorebirds closer to us along the bank of the spit. Immediately, a young Brown-headed Cowbird was bold enough to let the birders get quite close to it, which delighted the photographers in the group. Flying over the group were gulls, terns, cormorants, and swallows. In the nearby mudflats were geese, gulls, plovers, and yellowlegs. After traveling about 1/4 to 1/3 distance to the end of the spit, most of the birders turned around and split into separate groups, some wanting to get back soon to the mudflats before the tide was completely in, others heading over to the ocean side, and a few others continuing ahead a bit further before returning back to the parking lot. Back at the cars, several folks were chatting when 3 immature Bald Eagles flew over offering perfect photo opportunities. All in all, it was once again a very enjoyable bird trip!

Sightings of the Day
Brandt Goose
Brown-headed Cowbird
Caspian Tern
Whimbrel
California Gull
Great Blue Heron
Savannah Sparrow
Double-crested Cormorant
Ring-billed Gull
Cedar Waxwing
Barn Swallow
Semipalmated Plover
Lesser Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs
Belted Kingfisher
Black Capped Chickadee

And those that stayed longer…..

Brown Pelican
Pacific Loon
Common Murre
American Crow
Wrentit
White Crowned Sparrow
Western Gull
Bald Eagle

July 13, 2013 Bird Walk at Yaquina Head, Newport, Oregon

(Sorry but there were no photographers to share photos - 18 birders were present)

Sightings of the Day
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Flacon and 2 chicks
Black Oystercatcher
Western Gull
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Rufous Hummingbird
American Crow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch

June 8, 2013 Tamara Quays and Pixieland in Lincoln County, Oregon

Sightings of the Day

Barn Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Turkey Vulture
Swainson’s Thrush
American Goldfinch
Warbling Vireo
Song Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Pacific Wren
Band-tailed Pigeon
American Robin
Osprey
Rufous Hummingbird
Purple Finch
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

Wilson’s Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
American Crow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Hermit Warbler
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Steller's Jay
Killdeer
Violet-green Swallow
Brewer's Blackbird
Common Yellowthroat
Green Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Common Raven
Western Wood-Pewee
Hermit Thrush

April 13, 2013 Siletz Bay Natural Wildlife Refuge

13 birders from Bend, Portland, Lincoln County were grateful for the change in the weather on Saturday. We started the morning birding field trip at the Taft docks in rain and at low tide. Several species were out and about including Bald Eagles. The group then moved south to the Keys and Salishan where we were treated to sun and views of some waterfowl and forest birds. We hope to see many of the participants at another field trip when the weather and tide are more cooperative. Don’t miss next month’s trip to Cape Meares!

Sightings of the Day
Bald Eagle
Western Gulls
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
European Starling
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
Bufflehead
Rock Dove
Mallards
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Song Sparrow
Anna's Hummingbird
American Crow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Steller's Jay
Great White Egret
Northern Pintail

March 9, 2013 Boiler Bay • Rocky Creek • Devil's Punch Bowl

25 birders arrived at the Boiler Bay parking lot to begin a very enjoyable morning of bird watching led by field guide, Mark Elliott. After enjoying the sightings, the birders then migrated to Rocky Creek and Devil's Punch Bowl.

Sightings of the Day
Glaucous-winged Gull
Herring Gull
Western Gull
Killdeer
American Crow
American Robin
Black Turnstone
Western Grebe
Brown Pelican
Pelagic Cormorant
Black Oystercatcher
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Red-necked Grebe
Rock Dove
Song Sparrow
Pacific Wren
Starlings
Red-throated Loon
Surf Scoter
Spotted Towhee
Pine Siskin
Horned Grebe
Red-tailed Hawk (on way to event)
Douglas Squirrel

February 9, 2013 Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Upon the arrival of some of us, we were greeted by a flyover of what is fast becoming our group's mascot, the Bald Eagle, which has been present at all but one ASLC field trip in the past 4-5 years. When all were present in the lower parking lot of the Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, we gathered in a circle, announced our names and resident towns, and then made a slow procession uphill toward the observation platform. With binoculars in hand, cameras at the ready, eyes and ears sensitive to the slightest movement and/or faintest sound, field guides Mark Elliott and Dick Demarest gave the other 28 birders an idea of what birds we might observe at this place during this time of year. It was a gray, misty morning with fog heading toward us from the north. When we arrived at the upper parking lot, the fog was dropping down to the top of the trees of the wooded hillside on our right. As we made the turn on to the path heading to the observation platform, a Bald Eagle flew right over us before any of the photographers had a chance to snap a shot prior to its being dissolved by the fog. If that wasn't unfortunate enough, another eagle followed the same flight path within a few minutes, and still no photos! By then we could see the fog had dropped below the trees, so it was decided we would travel the Meda Loop Rd that circles the wetland of the Little Nestucca River on the east side of Hwy 101. In the past it has always rewarded us with greating sightings, and it continued to do so on this day. In all, between the two locations, 35 species were viewed. Not bad for such a gray day!

Birds Pictured (clockwise from top left):
Black Phoebe
Marsh Wren
Great Blue Heron
Northern Pintail and Canada Goose

Sightings of the Day
Red Crossbill
Northern Flicker
Dusky Goose
Bald Eagle (5 adults, 1 immature)
American Robin
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Merlin
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Kestrel
Hooded Merganser
Gold-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Warbler
Bufflehead
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Pied-billed Grebe
Mallard
Gold-crowned Sparrow
Northern Pintail
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black Phoebe
American Crow
American Coot
Ring-necked Duck
Gadwall
Glaucous-winged Gull
Dark-eyed Junco
Steller's Jay
Wilson’s Snipe
Marsh Wren

January 12, 2013 OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail, Newport

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