Scouting for and leading two field trips for my Little Brown Birds class gave me opportunity to bird Rentenaar Road on Sauvie Island (Birding Oregon p. 57) three mornings in a row. It was interesting to see how the species list varied each day. It served as a reminder that every birding trip, no matter how often you cover the same spot, has the potential for something new.
The Ospreys that nest on this platform have returned within the past week. This was the only species that seemed willing to pose for the camera.
This location is one of the best in the Portland area to study sparrows this time of year. Between the two field trips, my class saw ten species; Golden-crowned, White-crowned, White-throated, Harris’s, Song, Fox, Lincoln’s, Savannah, Dark-eyed Junco, and Spotted Towhee. Many of these birds will have moved on in the next few weeks.
Ethical Birder 