2012 Birding Field
Trips and Birds Spotted |
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May 12, 2012 |
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BIRDS SIGHTED
Whalen Island/ Clay Meyers Natural Area
Whiskey Creek Fish Hatchery
Netarts Bay
Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint 2 Grey Whales and a calf |
What a beautiful and exciting day it was for eighteen birders! We all met at the Pelican Pub parking lot at 9am to begin our multi-stop caravan up to Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, off coastal Highway 101 in Tillamook County.
Our first stop was at Whalen Island/Clay Meyers Natural Area. As we crossed the bridge to the island we immediately saw three Yellowlegs, amongst Canada Geese, searching the water's shallowness for good things to eat. Violet-green Swallows and Barn Swallows rapidly cut through the air chasing down their brunch, too. In all, we sighted 13 birds. Then we headed north to Whiskey Creek Fish Hatchery where another 17 birds were spotted. Most exciting was the knowledge of birds being expressed by our day's field guide, Dawn Grafe, of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. "Listen, over there," she would say, "that is the Pacific-slope Flycatcher." Huh? This writer couldn't even hear the sound, never mind ID'ing it!! Next stop, Netarts Bay. On the way, we met up with the Portland Audubon Society caravan as they headed south. We stopped, and after brief chatter, they headed on to their destination(s). At the bay, the tide was low, but we did pencil in viewing 7 species of birds.
Finally reaching our destination, the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, our token Bald Eagle soared overhead. That is always a "sign" that the viewing is going to be very enjoyable. And, it sure was! One of the highlights at this location was the sighting of a Snow Goose flying with Canada Geese. Although Snow Geese prefer to stay with their own, they do occasionally fly with other geese.
Ahh, the sun was bright and warm, the sky was a brilliantly blue, our sightings were absolutely exciting . . . what more could we ask for?!!! Two of the birders said what would really top off the day is to see whales. Poof! Ask and ye shall receive. Just about the same time, 3 whales appeared in front of us. Two adults, one young one! Yes, the day was smiling on us. |
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April 14, 2012 |
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| In contrast to what the weather gurus were saying about the day being bright and warm, the morning we birders grouped together at the Taft wharf, the sky was cloudy and the air was chilly. But, anyone who knows birders knows that inclement weather is just a mere distraction to them. Binoculars and cameras are always at the ready! So there we were, twenty-six eyes scanning the Siletz Bay for sea birds and otherwise. And, as usual, Bald Eagle made its grand entrance at the start of the walk, as it always does! Down Hwy 101, just a bit further south, we pulled into Keys Place and viewed a mix of birds, those in the brush and more in the water. From there, we headed to the Nature Walk at Salishan. At Salishan, we were courted by a Great Blue Heron that obviously wanted its picture taken from all angles. We succumbed to its beauty and it left the photographers in the group having to go through hundreds of photo files to find the "right one" when they downloaded them to their computers! All in all, it was an enjoyable time, together with friends, new acquaintances, and a surprisingly long list of feathered friends. | |
Birds Pictured: |
BIRDS SIGHTED: Bald Eagle |
March 10, 2012 |
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Dressed in raingear, we die-hard birders met at the Neskowin wayside parking lot at 9am. Some folks were still slithering into rainpants by the time all arrived who were going to brave out the weather. Yes, it was raining, but we were thankful there was no wind. Led by Field Guide, Jack Hurt, we followed the trail on the west side of the Neskowin Golf Course and passed by some very quaint and colorful little cottages that posted colorful signs by local kids asking drivers to take slow excursions down their narrow road. As always, our ASLC walk began with the presence of an eagle or two. Today, there were two. Last year, around this time, our field trip brought us to the Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge on a very, very rainy day. We did our sightings from vehicles only. This year, we chose to stand tall and weather out the rain. Interestingly, upon past review, we noticed that more birds were sighted in such rainy conditions than normally seen during dry weather. We still scratch our heads and wonder why. Out there on one of the golf course fairways stood a naked tree covered with Tree Swallows and Violet-Green Swallows. Just in front of us, a Northern Flicker feverishly drilled holes in the earth below searching for grubs and the like. There's a Townsend's Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Marsh and Pacific Wrens, all flittering from branch to branch too fast to get a good photograph of them. A hawk flew too fast in front of us to be able to identify it, and a Great Blue Heron rose above the marsh due south. All in all, yes it was a rather damp event but an exciting one nonetheless! |
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BIRD SIGHTED: |
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February 11, 2012 |
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| At 9am, eleven birders gathered under the overcast sky and walked their way up to the observation deck above the information center. With keen ears, Tom, from Portland, identified the sound of the Hutton's Vireo. On the hilltop 2 eagles were spotted, and a raven sat chattering down at the birders as they passed underneath. Many species of small birds flitted from bush to bush. The 2nd part of the walk took place travelling the loop which was on the east side of Hwy 101. With an initial belief that it was a Perregrine Falcon, the Prairie Falcon left its perch high on a snag, flew over the birders and headed south where it was seen performing a rapid, death-defying drop from high above. | |
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Sharp-shinned Hawk American Robin American Crow Purple Finch Townsend Warbler Hutton’s Vireo Chestnut-backed Chickadee Mallards Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) Ruby-crowned Kinglet Bald Eagle Raven Lincoln Sparrow Fox Sparrow Red-tailed Hawk Spotted Towhee Bewick’s Wren Song Sparrow Pacific Wren Northern Pintails Dusky Geese Great Blue Heron Red-wing Blackbird European Starling Prairie Falcon Canada Goose Cackling Goose Aleutian Goose Coot Lesser Scaup Ring-necked Duck Bufflehead Stellar Jay Green-winged Teal Gadwall Black Phoebe Dark-eyed Junco White-crowned Sparrow Gold-crowned Sparrow Belted Kingfisher American Kestrel Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Western Meadowlark Northern Harrier |
January 14, 2012 |
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As we gathered in the parking lot of the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, we whipped our heads to the right to view a large flock of ducks flying above the water. "Look over there, the Bald Eagle is spooking them," said our field guide Mark Elliott. A Bald Eagle! Thinking back at all the field trips this writer has made with ASLC, there was only one birdwalk that didn't start with the appearance of a Bald Eagle. Interesting, eh?!! As we readied our binoculars and cameras to witness the local birdlife in front of us, we viewed American Coots, Surf Scoters, Common Loons, Hooded Mergansers and Ring-necked Ducks. At the start, the weather was dry and in the high 40s but grew progressively worse as time flew by. When we turned the corner around the Science Center, we saw flocks of Northern Pintails, Blue-winged Teal, and American Wigeons. To escape the wind and rain, we tucked ourselves in a little shelter building on the nature trail. The Belted Kingfisher that hovered over the water disappeared in a flash when some of us were getting set to take its picture! European Starlings, American Crows, and Rock Doves passed overhead. California Gulls were entertaining us with their acts of attempting to break clam shells by crashing them to the earth below from the sky up above. They must have been youngsters 'cause they were dropping them on sand rather than on harder surfaces. A hummingbird silently whizzed by. I thought I heard a couple of birders say they also saw a Northern Shoveler out on one of the sandbars in the bay. Eagle made one more appearance and then disappeared. A House Finch was grabbing as much seed as it could from the Science Center's birdfeeder. Making the loop back to our cars, we then headed for the south jetty of Yaquina Bay. Mark said we'd see a Harlequin Duck there, and sure enough there it was! It even climbed on a rock where it posed for all the photographers. By now, the rain was falling faster and the wind and cold chilled us to the bone. Brrr, it was time to go. Some went back north to join up for the day's last sightings at 51st St in the Taft area of Lincoln City, and the rest went their separate ways. All in all, we made the best of a damp, winter day and were warmed with contentment with the birdlife we witnessed. |
Bird Sightings: |
American Crow Northern Pintail American Wigeon Great Blue Heron Pacific Loon Black-capped Chickadee Gold-crowned Sparrow Purple Finch Dark-eyed Junco Anna’s Hummingbird Harlequin Horned Grebe Glaucous Gull Pelagic Cormorant |
