I’ve made several trips to the Sandy River Delta this spring. It is one of the few places where I can bird and the puppy can run around. The wide open spaces often mean that the birds are distant, but it is still a great spot.
While Himalayan Blackberry is a terrible invasive in the Pacific Northwest, the patches of blackberry at Sandy River host a lot of birds, like this Song Sparrow.Rufous Hummingbird is another species that uses the blackberry brambles.Eulachon, a species of smelt, run up the Columbia River in early spring to spawn, much to the delight of gulls, eagles, and puppies.Common Yellowthroat, making a very brief appearance out in the open.One of the main birding targets at Sandy River is Yellow-breasted Chat. This is one of the few reliable sites for this species in the Portland area. They, too, are usually found in the blackberry brambles.This Yellow-breasted Chat came out of the brambles to sing on one of the power line towers.This is Kai, future birding dog but current pain in the tuchus. One day, his puppy energy will subside and I will be able to stand in one spot for more than five seconds to photograph a bird. At least that is my hope.
Ethical Birder 
Lovely. My garden is finally filled with music.