Belted Kingfisher by Ruth Shelly
It was a bright, sunny day for a bird walk on the beach! We started with a walk through the woods along the creek where we saw a great variety of nesting songbirds including warblers and swallows. We then moved on to the beach where we looked for wading shorebirds.
Birders on trail by Ruth Shelly
Birders on the beach by Ruth Shelly
Mark Elliott led 13 birders along the trail to the sea. We saw a variety of birds as well as a pair of nesting Eagles waiting to dine on a Harbor Seal that washed ashore. The rain held off for the rest of the trip up Beaver Creek.
Photo by Caren Willoughby
Ona Beach sightings:
Photo by Caren Willoughby
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
White-crowned Sparrow
American Crow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Canada Geese
Song Sparrow
Killdeer
Barn Swallow
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Semi-palmated Plover
Beavercreek Sightings
Steller’s Jay
Anna’s Hummingbird
Violet-green Swallow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Mourning Dove
Spotted Towhee
Photo by Caren Willoughby
There were 9 people present for the bird walk. We saw or heard 16 birds we could identify and heard a lot of birds we couldn’t identify or find to see. Birding was mostly by ear at this site. Unfortunately, the marsh trail was not available – closed this time of year, and the south access point parking can’t handle more than 6-8 cars. The road we walked did provide some marsh overlook but no view of open water so no view of waterfowl.
Sightings of the Day
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
Red-winged Blackbird
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Morning Dove
Song Sparrow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Marsh Wren
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-eyed Vireo (?)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (?)
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
Neither the threat of heavy rains, nor the threat of high winds, nor a downright soaking kept eleven birders from enjoying the canoeing/kayaking field trip at Beaver Creek State Natural Area. It may not have been one of our best days for spotting our fair feathered friends, but as always the camaraderie was joyous and upliftng. We didn't travel the full length of the creek but we did enjoy the sound of a Virginia Rail, the sight of a Northern Harrier, the sounds and sights of other birds, as well as our ever-present visitor, the Bald Eagle.
Sightings of the Day
Northern Flicker
Hooded Merganser
Northern Harrier
Common Snipe
Canada Goose
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Northern Pintail
Chestnut-back Chickadee
American Robin
Pied-billed Grebe
Virginia Rail
Bald Eagle
Steller's Jay
Here in Oregon, when soaring temperatures blister the inner valley areas, the inversion effect of sea fog rolls in with the waves along the coastline. That is the way the day began driving south to Beaver Creek State Natural Area which is locate between Newport and Waldport. But the sky was absolutely clear when the birders arrived at Beaver Creek. Eighteen birders, one living as far away as Utah, nestled in their kayaks and canoes and headed upstream with binoculars and cameras at the ready. Interestingly, although the creek flows out to the ocean, it is affected little, if at all, by the changing of the tides.
As we paddled very casually upstream, we were all exclaiming how gentle and peaceful the ride was and were in awe of the beauty that surrounded us. A kayaker from another group who was paddling in the opposite direction got wind that we were Audubon members and said that she saw a Green Heron further upstream. That got our juices going and our eyes and ears primed for whatever feathered friends were moving about in our vicinity.
"Ah, look to the left, there's a Double-crested Cormorant," shouted our field guide, Mark Elliott, so all could hear. It was standing on a surfaced limb of a submerged tree. Those of us who had cameras wanted to get closer for this fortuitous "photo op." Surprisingly, that Cormorant was not a timid or bashful sort . . . in fact, it didn't budge until nearly knocked over by one of our canoes! Roosting in a tree was seen a Great Blue Heron. Atop an old snag, further upstream, sat a Raven just above an Osprey, perhaps waiting for the chance to harass it.
One of our kayakers loved to explore the more narrow veins of the creek to see what he would find. Because his curiosity flushed up many birds we might not have seen otherwise, he was bestowed the nickname of "Bird Dog." He spooked up a Great Blue Heron and a couple of Great Egrets. Speaking about those birds, further upstream we saw the strangest sight . . . a Great Egret being followed by a Great Blue Heron, looking as if they were partners. When the egret landed on a snag tree, the blue heron perched on another very close by. The Great Egret flew off. The Great Blue Heron followed close behind. What was that all about? A few years back, there was a story about a moose back east that was very attracted to a cow. Could this be the same kind of event?!!!
In all, 17 birds were sighted this day. We all had a great time and new friendships were made. That's the joy of birding the Oregon coast!
Sightings of the Day
Belted Kingfisher
Stellar Jay
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eared Grebe
Turkey Vulture
Great Blue Heron
Common Raven
Osprey
Barn Swallow
Song Sparrow
Mallards
Great Egret
Doubled-crested Cormorant
Red-tailed Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Rufus Hummingbird
Merlin
