2018

December 1, 2018 Salishan Nature Trail

Well, it rained. It poured. We all got wet. But we had fun, and by the time we reached the beach, the rain had stopped - and it was blue skies when we got back to the bay. All but one of the group of eleven birders were central coast locals, with one visitor from La Grande. The tide was in, which meant the herons and egrets were on the far side of the bay, but we got good looks at the wintering waterfowl.

In spite of conditions, we saw an amazing 28 species! While scanning a flock of American Wigeon looking for an elusive Eurasian Wigeon, trip leader Mark Elliott pointed out a Northern Harrier over the marsh. As we watched, Mark spotted a Bald Eagle approaching -- followed by a Red-tailed Hawk! An exciting experience! Special thanks to Explore Lincoln City for sponsoring the event.

Sightings of the Day

Gadwall
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Anna's Hummingbird
Sanderling
Mew Gull
Western Gull
gull sp.
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Varied Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Yellow-rumped Warbler

November 10, 2018 Salmon River at Knight Park

Photo compliments of Ernie Rose

After a rainy night the sun came out for the 20 birders that wanted to check out the birds a Knight Park. It’s always fun to meet enthusiastic birders and enjoy that time with them. It’s great to enjoy Explore Lincoln City with others.

Sightings of the Day

Bufflehead
Mew Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Song Sparrow
Pacific Wren
American Crow
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crown Kinglet
Double-crested Cormorant
Steller’s Jay
European Starling
Northern Flicker
Common Raven
Spotted Towhee
Northern Harrier
Red Crossbill
Merlin
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Townsend Warbler
Green-winged Teal
Red-tailed Hawk
American Robin

October 27, 2018 Friends of Wildwood Trail and Boardwalk

After a night of wind and heavy rains, blue skies greeted 19 birders for a walk on the Friends of Wildwood trail and nearby neighborhood. Birders from as far Victoria, Arizona, and California joined us.

Sightings of the Day

Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Double-crested Cormorant
Pied-billed Grebe
American Crow
Steller’s Jay
Song Sparrow
Cedar Waxwing
American Robin
Bufflehead
Common Raven
Lesser Scaup
Canada Geese
American Coot
Western Gull
Common Merganser
Northern Flicker

October 13, 2018 Boiler Bay to Rocky Creek

Birds and whales were sighted in 17 pairs of binoculars starting at Boiler Bay. We had birders from Fort Worth, Texas and White Salmon, Washington who spotted several life birds (birds they had never seen before).

Sightings of the Day

Surf Scoter
American Crow
Western Gull
Black Oystercatcher
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Common Murre
Black Turnstone
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
Great Blue Heron
White-winged Scoter
Pacific Loon
Red-throated Grebe
Brown Pelican
Pelagic Cormorant
Surf Scoter
White-crowned Sparrow
Hummingbird sp.
European Starling
Surfbird
Whales, whales and more whales

October 12, 2018 Siletz Bay, Taft to Cutler City

What a beautiful day to walk with 18 birders around Cutler City and Josephine Young Park. We had visitors from Tucson, Los Angeles, and Tidewater. Among the 25 species were Red-necked Grebe, Townsend Warbler, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Surf Scoter.

Great Blue Heron photo courtesy of Ernie Rose

White-crowned Sparrow photo courtesy of Ernie Rose

Sightings of the Day

Eurasian-collard Dove
Mew Gull
Great Blue Heron
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
Fox Sparrow
European Starlings
Rock Dove
Townsend Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Northern Flicker
Anna’s Hummingbird
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
House Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Great White Egret
Bufflehead
Semipalmated Plover
Red-necked Grebe
Dark-eyed Junco
American Crow

September 22, 2018 Hostetler Park (D River), Devil's Lake State Park

Great Egret, flamingos, Canada Geese photos: Copyright Ernie Rose

Twelve intrepid birders from as far away as Missouri (!) enjoyed two hours of birding along D River and Devil's Lake State Park. It was a pretty quiet, overcast morning but we ended up with 26 species - 27 if you count the pair of Pink Flamingos gracing one of the campsites. Birds were busy and hard to spot in the falling leaves and movement from the slight breeze. A lovely Great Egret landed in D River, while an unexpected Merlin chased a flock of blackbirds overhead - one of the blackbirds was also chasing the Merlin!

Sightings of the Day

Canada Goose
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Western Gull
Turkey Vulture
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Belted Kingfisher
Merlin
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Wawing
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Townsend's Warbler
Wilson's Warbler

September 8, 2018 Alder Island Loop Trail, Siletz Bay NWR

15 birders were delighted to find mostly sunny skies instead of the forecast rain at Alder Island Saturday morning. The trees and brush were filled with birds and birdsong. American Goldfinch and Warbling Vireo families were plentiful, with begging youngsters being fed by patient parents. Ducks have started to arrive at the bay, and several Common Merganser were feeding in the canal by the trail. Most plentiful birds were Song Sparrows and Cedar Waxwings.

Sightings of the Day

Common Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Vaux's Swift
Rufous Hummingbird
Western Gull
California Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
Common Raven
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
House/Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend's Warbler

August 11, 2018 Bayocean Spit

Sightings of the Day

Whimbrels

Western Sandpiper

Sanderling

Caspian Tern

Bald Eagle

Brown Pelican

Hummingbird

American Robin

Barn Swallow

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

American Crow

Common Raven

Wrentit

Cedar Waxwing

Great Blue Heron

Gulls- California, Western, Ring-billed

August 10, 2018 The Knoll

The fog was low in the trees on our walk to the Knoll Friday morning. There were 19 birders/photographers that were not disappointed by the beauty along the trail. We were entertained by the song of the Swainson’s Thrush, Wrentit, Pacific Wren, and the Sightings of the Cooper’s Hawk, Song Sparrow, American Crow, Band-tailed Pigeon, Stellar’s Jay, Raven, Barn Swallow, Dark-eyed Junco, and the Chestnut-backed Chickadee.

July 14, 2018 Buell County Park, Polk County

Buell County Park in Polk County is a hidden gem for the eight birders that attended our field trip on Saturday. It was good to have birders from McMinnville and Dallas join us, and we were not disappointed as it is that time of year when juveniles try to create the mystery of “what’s that bird?”
Our field trip coordinator, Mark Elliott, played at Buell Park as a child and now he leads birdwalks there.

Birds seen included Chipping Sparrows, a flock of Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Western Wood-pewee, Bushtit, Lesser Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker, Cooper’s Hawk along with a few more species.