June 7, 2019 Regatta Park with Devil's Lake, Lincoln City

A group of 15 people, including 3 children, braved the rain for a walk through the Regatta Park nature trail and vicinity, including Devil's Lake. We enjoyed 23 species of birds. This walk was one of our special Lincoln City Bird Walks, sponsored by Lincoln City Parks and Recreation and Explore Lincoln City.

Sightings of the day:
American Robin ~ American Crow ~ Swainson’s Thrush
Band-tailed Pigeon ~ Pacific Wren ~ Wilson Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler ~ Barn Swallow ~ Violet-green Swallow
Osprey ~ Turkey Vulture ~ Mallard ~ House Finch ~ American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow ~ White-crowned Sparrow ~ Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco
Steller's Jay ~ Vaux's Swift ~ Pacific-slope Flycatcher ~ Spotted Towhee
Great Blue Heron ~ Hummingbird – probably Rufous (heard)

May 24, 2019 The Villages Open Space, Lincoln City

It was a damp, dismal day but 9 hardy folks joined us for a walk through The Villages Open Space, through the woods and along Sal a Sea drive to the Road's End park. We could hear birds singing and chittering all along the way, but few came out for us to see well. Visibility was poor at the beach, but we were rewarded by a distant view of a small group of shorebirds.

Sightings of the day:
Canada Goose ~ Mallard ~ Band-tailed Pigeon
Anna's Hummingbird ~ Dowitcher ~ Western Gull
California Gull ~ Turkey Vulture ~ Bald Eagle
Downy Woodpecker ~ Northern Flicker
Pacific-slope Flycatcher ~ Hutton's Vireo
Warbling Vireo ~ Steller's Jay
American Crow ~ Common Raven ~ Barn Swallow
Pacific Wren ~ Marsh Wren ~ European Starling
Cedar Waxwing ~ American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco ~ White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow ~ Red-winged Blackbird
Orange-crowned Warbler ~ Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler ~ Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak

April 26, 2019 Cutler City Wetlands Open Space and Josephine Young Memorial Park

Our regular team was out of town, but Ger Killeen, Kate Saunders, and Deborah Bergeron stepped up to lead the walk through the Cutler City wooded wetlands and over to Siletz Bay in Cutler City. Seventeen people were on the bird-walk. Ger with help from Kate did a great job leading this walk!

Sightings of the day:
Wilson's Warbler ~ Song Sparrow
Eurasian-collared Dove ~ Wrentit
Black-capped Chickadee ~ Bushtit
Tree Swallow ~ Steller's Jay
Semipalmated Plover ~ Dunlin
Western Sandpiper ~ Western Gull
Turkey Vulture ~ Bald Eagle
American Crow ~ Bufflehead
White-crowned Sparrow ~ Rock Pigeon
Orange-crowned Warbler ~ Caspian Tern
European Starling ~ American Robin
Brown Creeper ~ Spotted Towhee
Violet-green Swallow ~ Hairy Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler ~ Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Photos complements of Deborah Bergeron

April 13, 2019 Two Rivers Nature Trail, Nestucca Bay NWR

Fifteen people joined ASLC field trip leader Mark Elliott at Nestucca National Wildlife Refuge to walk the new Two Rivers Nature Trail. The weather was cool, grey, and drizzly and we all got a bit damp, but it was well worth it. The newly opened section of the refuge meanders through woods full of fern, flowers, and massive trees.

One spot had remnants of a garden, complete with a large Magnolia tree. It was our birdiest spot, with warblers, thrush, chickadees, and kinglets all singing and flitting from tree to tree.

At the two-rivers lookout, we stopped and admired the view, spotting waterfowl such as Common Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser along with a couple of Great Egrets. All-told we saw or heard 38 species!

Rufous Hummingbird photo complements of Ernie Rose

Sightings of the day:
Cackling Goose ~ Canada Goose ~ Wood Duck
Mallard ~ Green-winged Teal ~ Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye ~ Red-breasted Merganser
Band-tailed Pigeon ~ Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird ~ Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron ~ Great Egret ~ Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier ~ Bald Eagle ~ Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher ~ Steller's Jay ~ American Crow
Common Raven ~ Tree Swallow ~ Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee ~ Brown Creeper ~ Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet ~ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ~ Varied Thrush
American Robin ~ European Starling ~ Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow ~ Song Sparrow ~ Spotted Towhee
Orange-crowned Warbler ~ Townsend's Warbler

March 9, 2019 Tillamook Raptor Survey

Eleven people met at Fred Meyer in Tillamook for our first raptor survey. We carpooled around a set route with expert leader Jimmy Robert Billstine. We modeled our survey after the official Winter Raptor Survey surveys, which are held throughout the Pacific Northwest. We took parts from two of the Tillamook surveys and created a map and a survey sheet. Starting at Goodspeed Rd, we drove a little over 20 miles in our two-hour timeframe, enjoying a wonderful mix of raptors.

Survey Results
Red-tailed Hawk: 12
American Kestrel: 7
Northern Harrier: 3
Bald Eagle: 6 adults, 2 sub-adults
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
Peregrine Falcon: 2
Rough-legged Hawk: 1

Raptor photos complements of Ernie Rose

March 8, 2019 Hostetler Park (D River) and Devil's Lake State Park

It was a cold and rainy morning for a bird walk at Hostetler Park and our trip leader, Mark Elliott, predicted there would be two additional birders that would show up. He was pleasantly surprised that there was a total of 16 that wanted to search this area for birds. Some were surprised that this little park was hidden within our city! We saw 23 species including, a first for many, Lincoln’s Sparrow!

Thanks to Lincoln City Parks & Recreation for sponsoring!

Sightings of the Day

Mallard

American Crow

Bufflehead

Common Raven

American Robin

Steller’s Jay

Song Sparrow

Ring-necked Duck

Canada Goose

Northern Flicker

Western Gull

Rock Pigeon

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Dark-eyed Junco

Fox Sparrow

Lincoln’s Sparrow

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Violet-green Swallow

Greater Scaup

Ruddy Duck

Hummingbird sp.

Spotted Towhee

February 9, 2019 Siletz Bay - Taft Waterfront and Salishan Nature Trail

Nine birders decided to take a chance on the weather Saturday morning. Starting off at the Taft Dock we saw a beautiful Eagle swoop down and picked up its breakfast. There were Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Rock Pigeon, Mew Gull, Kingfisher, American Crow, and Raven on the bay. As we drove to Salishan Nature Trail we were not disappointed and were greeted by a pair of Mallards, Great Blue Heron and snow! As we walked and laughed a flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows were searching for food along with Fox and Song Sparrows. Great White Egret provided contrast in the flurry of snow and the Eagle disrupted a large flock of Pintails. Starlings and Canada Geese finished out the morning. Seeing and watching the six Bald Eagles in action was the highlight of the morning -- and the snow of course.

Thanks to Lincoln City Parks & Recreation for sponsoring!

January 18, 2019 Siletz Bay - Bay House to Cutler City

This was the first time we've met at the Bay House and walked through the Cutler City neighborhood to view the other side of the bay. There were 20 hardy souls braving the bracing weather - the wind kept the water choppy so it was hard to scope for waterfowl. From the parking lot we meandered through the neighborhood where we got some of our best birds. We ended at end south end of Fleet Street where we enjoyed two Black Turnstones, a couple of Common Loons, and a distant Bald Eagle.

Sightings of the Day

Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Black Turnstone
Western Gull
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
American Robin
European Starling
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Townsend's Warbler

Thanks to Lincoln City Parks & Recreation for sponsoring!

January 12, 2019 Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail and South Jetty

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