seasonal movements – Ethical Birder

Winter Birds

February 27, 2023 by John Rakestraw, posted in seasonal movements

February is generally regarded as one of the slowest months for birding in the Portland area, at least in regard to finding rarities. But there are a lot of birds around to brighten up this dreary month. This Ring-necked Duck was making quite a wake in a pond at Dawson Creek Park.

Tundra Swans are common on Sauvie Island.

Black-crowned Night-Heron lurking in the brush at Koll Center Wetlands

Red-winged Blackbirds are ubiquitous around any wetland in the area, but they are a striking bird.

Another species that tends to be overlooked is American Coot.

The Acorn Woodpeckers at Dawson Creek tend to be perched high and backlit, but this individual came down low for some cracked corn that someone had put out.

Check out the tongue holding the corn kernel.

Despite the recent winter weather, migration should be kicking in at any moment.

Happy winter birding.

Winter Waterfowl

January 16, 2023 by John Rakestraw, posted in seasonal movements

While birding for some species can be hit-or-miss this time of year, winter in the Willamette Valley always provides great numbers and diversity of waterfowl. Here are just a few I have seen recently.

Canvasback at Force Lake. This little pond always hosts a few of this distinctive species.

Ruddy Duck is another diving duck often found at Force Lake.

This Common Goldeneye was in the creek at Westmoreland Park. Westmoreland used to be the place to see gulls in Portland. But since the duck pond was replaced with a more natural creek channel and wetland, gulls don’t hang out there anymore. The creek is always good for a few ducks, though.

Ridgeway’s Cackling Geese grazing with some American Wigeons at Amberglen

One of two Eurasian Wigeons at Amberglen

It has been a good winter for Eurasian Wigeon in the Portland area. This bird, grazing at Commonwealth Lake, appears to be a young male just starting to molt into breeding plumage. The head color is a little too intense for a female, and there is a hint of blond coming in on the forehead.

Happy Winter

Farewell to Autumn

December 30, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in seasonal movements

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As winter finally locks in, here is a last look at some autumn colors, starting with this Golden-crowned Sparrow.

Northern Shoveler, providing a splash of white, green, and copper

Northern Shovelers often swim with their faces in the water. I know they are filter-feeding along the surface, but it is easy to imagine that those enormous bills are just too heavy to hold up.

Sandhill Cranes flying over Sauvie Island

American Wigeon reflected in a sheltered backwater pool

Eurasian Wigeon feeding in the lawn at Commonwealth Lake. Note the lack of a black outline around the base of the bill, which would be present on an American Wigeon.

Killdeer, contemplating whether to head farther south before the weather turns really bad. We have had a hard freeze since this photo was taken. I wonder what they decided.

Taverner’s Cackling Goose. I like the little white eyebrow on this individual.

This Red-winged Blackbird has some fresh rusty edges to his back feathers. Those will wear off with time.

As we approach two to three months of dark and dreary weather, remind yourself to get outdoors anyway.

Happy Winter

Coastal Birds

November 16, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in behavior, seasonal movements

My annual gull class visited the Coast from Cannon Beach to Gearhart. Stormy weather caused us to postpone the trip by a week. The weather was lovely the day of our trip, but nice weather, combined with the week’s delay, kept our gull total to a modest seven species.

California Gulls are among the most common species on the coast right now.

California Gull in flight, showing the extensive black in the primaries

Herring Gull

Herring Gull coming in for a landing

Short-billed Gulls frequent the Necanicum River Estuary in Gearhart. This bird was stamping their feet in the shallow water to stir up food items.

A stop at the Seaside Cove produced a large flock of Surfbirds.

Just a few Black Turnstones were mixed in with the Surfbirds.

The most unusual bird of the trip was this Long-tailed Duck at the Cannon Beach Settling Ponds. This is a young female, whose dark coloring blended in surprisingly well with the water’s surface.

We didn’t have much time to look for songbirds, but White-crowned Sparrows are always obliging.

Happy Autumn

Autumn at Last

October 27, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in behavior, mammals, reptiles & amphibians, seasonal movements

After a very long dry summer, autumn has finally arrived. While we don’t get the extensive fall colors found in eastern forests, the red Poison Oak highlights the eyes on this Spotted Towhee.

This very ragged Bushtit was found at Wapato Lake NWR, which has finally opened up to birders after a long wait. The refuge will be closed to non-hunters from December-February, but should offer some great birding when it is open.

American Pipits are common migrants this time of year on mudflats and other open habitats.

Male American Kestrel

This American Crow was actively fishing in a tide pool along the Columbia River. I don’t normally think of crows as fish-eaters, but they take advantage of whatever food source is available.

There are still a few American White Pelicans around. They will be gone soon.

Brush Rabbit, blending in with the fall colors

Pacific Tree Frog on a maple leaf. These frogs are very common, but they seldom perch out in the open.

This Black-tailed Deer was just off the path at Cooper Mountain Nature Park.

Happy Autumn

Wetlands in the Summer

September 12, 2022September 8, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in behavior, seasonal movements

In mid to late summer, when conditions are very hot and dry in Oregon, most of the wildlife activity is found near wetlands, at least until they dry up as well. Here are a few images from various wetlands in the Portland area this summer.

A Purple Martin strafes an American Kestrel at Tualatin River NWR

Barn Swallow about to nab an insect off the water’s surface

Anna’s Hummingbird feeding on a cedar at Fernhill Wetlands

Two Northern River Otters at Koll Center Wetlands

This otter was almost too close for my camera to focus

Several young Soras put on a nice show at Commonwealth Lake Park

Black Phoebe with a damselfly at Fernhill Wetlands

Summer is Ugly Duck Season, as males molt into eclipse plumage and all the duck replace their flight feathers. This Cinnamon Teal at Beal Street Wetland is best identified by his shape.

Happy Summer

Shorebirds at Tualatin River NWR

September 8, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge has been good for southbound shorebirds this summer. Early in the season, the Long-billed Dowitchers were still sporting their breeding plumage.

At this point, most of the dowitchers have molted into winter plumage.

Normally seen later in the fall, a few Pectoral Sandpipers have made an appearance at the refuge.

Up to three young Wilson’s Phalaropes were at the refuge this summer.

Least Sandpiper

Greater Yellowlegs are one of the more common, and more vocal, of the migrant shorebirds.

Lesser Yellowlegs are harder to find, but have been reliable at the refuge this summer.

Occasionally, the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs will pose together for a nice comparison.

This Wilson’s Snipe made an unusual appearance out in the open.

Shorebird migration lasts through October, but the water at the refuge typically dries up before then. We’ll see how recent restoration efforts affect water levels this year.

Happy summer

Migration Update

May 12, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements

Our cold wet April has blossomed into a cold wet May. I shouldn’t complain, since we need whatever moisture we can get, but a few balmy spring days would be nice.

Shorebirds on the northern Oregon coast peaked last week. This Black Oystercatcher was one of four hanging out at the Seaside Cove.

Black Turnstones are common in winter at Seaside Cove, but the few that remain are sporting crisp breeding plumage.

A single Ruddy Turnstone has been at The Cove for a while now.

Songbirds have been moving, too, despite the weather. This Common Yellowthroat was singing at Cooper Mountain Nature Park.

The locally nesting White-crowned Sparrows are on territory and ready for nesting.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets don’t nest around here, but they have been singing like crazy. I cannot seem to get a decent photo of a kinglet, but at least the parts of this bird we can see are clear.

In the “totally creepy and yet fascinating” department: here is a second cycle Western Gull showing the structure of their tongue. I didn’t realize their tongues were that big, let alone such an interesting shape. The more you look, the more you see.

Happy Spring

This is April?

April 25, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in mammals, seasonal movements

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA I think we had more snow in April than we did in December. It has been cold and wet most of the month, and while I am very grateful for the rain and the added mountain snowpack, the weather has seemed to delay the onset of spring. Migrants have been few, and resident species a just starting to get revved up for the season. This Pacific Wren was trying out his song at Tualatin River NWR.

The Townsend’s Chipmunks are out and about. I think the two lumps in this one’s ear are ticks.

Hermit Thrushes, which are considered a winter species here in the Willamette Valley, are still around.

This Virginia Rail put on a nice show at Commonwealth Lake Park.

If we can’t have spring migrants yet, we might as well enjoy the local residents. Spotted Towhees never fail to impress.

On a recent semi-birdless outing, I noticed a nice flight of these, Western White-ribboned Carpet Moth. These are tiny, with a wingspan of about an inch and a stunning pattern. It is always great to learn a new species.

So, colorful migrant birds and will show up any minute. Right?

Happy Spring