Ethical Birder

Bar-tailed Godwits

June 4, 2017June 4, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in rarities

This spring has brought an unprecedented number of Bar-tailed Godwits to the Oregon coast. This species spends the winter in New Zealand, then flies to China and the Korean Peninsula to fatten up for a month before flying to northern Alaska and northern Eurasia to nest. This year, a weather event apparently blew some birds off-course to the east. Four birds appeared near Newport in April. Another 16 were found near Sunset Beach north of Gearhart in late May and into June.

The Bar-tailed Godwits are associating with flocks of Whimbrels.

Here is a comparison of a male (l) and a female (r). The female is noticeably larger and paler.

It would be interesting to know where these birds will end up this summer. It seems late in the season to make it all the way to the arctic to nest at this point. If they don’t make it all the way north, what will their southbound route be? Normally, Bar-tailed Godwits that nest in Alaska fly from the west coast of Alaska directly to New Zealand. A few juveniles get lost and work their way down the west coast. Will these adults stay in North America as they head south, or will they find their way to the south Pacific? It will definitely be worthwhile to scrutinize flocks of Marbled Godwits this summer and fall for adult Bar-taileds.

Northwest Portland Wetlands

May 26, 2017May 26, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in mammals, nesting, OR Birding Sites, reptiles & amphibians

I went out to Smith and Bybee Wetlands and Vanport Wetlands to check for migrants. The Smith and Bybee area was pretty slow. Water levels were high so some of the trails were inaccessible. Vanport had some really interesting birds, including several Redheads and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, both hard to find in the Portland area.

The small colony of Cliff Swallows at Smith and Bybee was active with nest building.

This House Sparrow had moved into an old Cliff Swallow nest.

American Bullfrogs were enjoying the spring weather.

Brush Rabbit scratching an itch

At Vanport, most birds were pretty far away, like this Yellow-headed Blackbird. His song was easily heard, even from across the lake.

This Ruddy Duck was doing his motorboat impression to impress the ladies.

This Cooper’s Hawk was atop a tall tree overlooking the racetrack. The loud engines did not seem to bother him. I can’t say the same for me.

A few birds, like this Cedar Waxwing, were down in the small trees along the near shore of the lake.

Bullock’s Orioles are often obscured by foliage in the treetops. This individual was low enough for a brief glimpse among the blossoms.

Spring on the Coast

May 19, 2017May 19, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in seasonal movements

I have made four trips to the Oregon Coast in as many weeks this spring. For three of the four, I was leading groups. That, combined with rainy weather, limited my photo opportunities, but here are a few shots. The big news on the coast this spring was a Laughing Gull and at least four Bar-tailed Godwits. I missed these birds, but as I like to tell myself, there is always something to see.

Rainy skies at Ft. Stevens. The wreck of the Peter Iredale is visible in the center of the photo.

Harbor Seals enjoying the sunshine in Netarts Bay.

It was fun to see this Red-breasted Merganser hauled out on a rock at the Netarts boat launch. I don’t see them out of the water very often.

Belted Kingfisher, Netarts boat launch

Surf Scoter, Yaquina Bay

Common Loon, still in winter plumage, Yaquina Bay

Harlequin Ducks on Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach

former whale, Ft. Stevens

Sanderling have been one of the more common migrants along the coast this spring.
Sanderling, Ft. Stevens

Whimbrel with a Mole Crab, Ft. Stevens

Black-bellied Plover, with a Sanderling in the background

Black-bellied Plover, still in mostly non-breeding plumage. Such faded birds often show some brown coloring, which fosters ideas of Pacific Golden-Plover. But eventually the birds raise their wings to reveal black axillaries (wing pits), and confirm the Black-bellied ID.

Soggy Songbirds

May 17, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in seasonal movements

This has been the longest February ever. I know the calendar indicates that it is actually late May, and we have had several lovely dry days, but the cold wet weather continues to dominate. Despite the nasty conditions, spring migration has progressed nicely. Here are a couple of shots from Cooper Mountain Nature Park (sunny day) and Mount Tabor (dreary rainy day).

This American Crow was finding either food or water in the top of the stop sign post on Mt. Tabor.

Black-headed Grosbeaks returned to the Portland area in large numbers last week. This damp individual was singing in low brush on Mt. Tabor.
Another Black-headed Grosbeak singing in the sun at Cooper Mountain, but from the top of a tall tree

An Olive-sided Flycatcher, singing in the rain. This species often hangs out at tree-top level, but this guy came down for some nice eye-level viewing.

House Finches were munching on dandelions on Mt. Tabor.

swainson's Here is a typical view of a Swainson’s Thrush, seen on Cooper Mountain during our Warbler and Flycatcher Class. This bird did not vocalize and stayed partially hidden in the brush the whole time, but we decided on the ID based on her warm buffy color, lack of dark spots on the breast, and lack of tail dipping behavior. Darker breast spotting and tail dipping would suggest Hermit Thrush.

The weather forecast calls for warm sunny weather for the next week. We will see how accurate the forecast is, and how long it takes me to complain about how hot and sunny it is.

Spring at Fernhill

April 2, 2017April 2, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements

While we continue to get above-average rainfall in the Portland area, there have been a few dry days of late, so I ran out for a quick tour of Fernhill Wetlands. Most of the wintering geese are gone, and there are signs that spring is slowly making progress.

Yellow-rumped Warblers, both Audubon’s and Myrtle (shown) races, are coming through in large numbers.

Red-winged Blackbirds are in full song and are staking out territories.

Song Sparrows start singing in January, but are increasingly vocal now.

Several pairs of Cinnamon Teal were courting.

Northern Harrier

A flock of Dunlins was using this log to get out of the mud for a while. They were all still in winter plumage. Dunlins are one of the first species to arrive in spring.
Spring shorebird migration peaks in late April/early May. There is still room in my shorebird class with Portland Audubon April 27/29.

This Sora was being typically elusive.

The red currants were is full bloom, attracting both Anna’s and Rufous Hummingbirds.

February Doldrums

March 3, 2017April 2, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in rarities, seasonal movements

I think February is the most challenging month to live in the Portland area, as it is typically wet and dreary. This past month had three times the normal rainfall, so the brief sun breaks were especially appreciated. A quick trip to Broughton Beach provided looks at a large flotilla of Great Scaup (with some Lessers mixed in).

This Great Blue Heron was staring at the ground at the airport, waiting for a vole or some other rodent to appear. The dark mud at the end of his bill suggest previous attempts at napping some land-based prey.

American Crow, calling from the top of the dike

A few Horned Grebes were on the Columbia River. They are just starting to show some color on their necks.

The first real harbinger of spring was this Say’s Phoebe. Several of these birds have been reported in the Portland area in recent weeks. It has been too cold for many insects to be out, so I imagine it has been tough for these flycatchers to find enough to eat. Hopefully March will be a little more pleasant for all of us.

Commonwealth Lake

February 3, 2017February 3, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites

Now that the snow has melted, the weather has turned to freezing temps and a howling east wind. Bleah. Despite the lousy conditions, I bundled up and took a walk around Commonwealth Lake. The park was hosting a large flock of Cackling Geese and a similar sized flock of American Wigeon. Other species were present in much smaller numbers.

This Great Egret was getting a lot of attention from the dog walkers and joggers in the park, with people stopping to take cell phone photos. I try not to be a birding snob, realizing that the big flashy species are what get people’s attention. Great Egrets are gorgeous birds, and always worth a look. But most of these folks were oblivious to the smaller creatures flitting around this bird’s feet…

like this guy. This Green Heron was fluffed up against the cold and was staying in the thick brush along the water’s edge.

Duck Butts! A pair of Gadwall were doing the dabbling thing.

After a successful nesting season at this site, Pied-billed Grebes are still present in good numbers.

This Ring-billed Gull was struggling to remain perched on a post in the high winds. Note the red orbital ring and gape, suggesting that breeding season may not be all that far off. If we can just get through February…

Post-Snowpocalypse Ramblings

January 28, 2017January 28, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites

The Portland area got a dump of about 10″ of snow recently. It was lovely on the first day, but for the next week it was a pain, with roads being impassable from the ice and snow. When I was finally able to get out, I went to Amberglen office park in Hillsboro to scout for my Hillsboro Parks and Rec gull class. This Ring-billed Gull was posing on the ice.

I found a few California Gulls on my scouting trip, but they were a no-show on class day.

This Lesser Scaup was bathing at Dawson Creek. The bill color on these birds is striking.

On Thursday I went to Sauvie Island, partly just to go birding and partly to scout for my upcoming waterfowl class. There was so much water from the melting snow that the ducks were scattered everywhere. Raptors put on a good show. Here is a young Red-tailed Hawk.

This Peregrine Falcon was keeping an eye on the ducks.

Northern Harrier

I laid down some millet in various spots to chum for sparrows (class in March, hint, hint).

Golden-crowned Sparrow, one of the more common winter residents.

White-throated Sparrows were a big deal when I first moved to Oregon, but they are now considered rare but regular in the winter.

Spotted Towhees are so common they tend to be overlooked. But it is nice to stop and appreciate just how gaudy and beautiful they are.

Lots to see in the Portland area this time of year. Cheers.

Random Images

January 11, 2017January 11, 2017 by John Rakestraw, posted in behavior

Life and inclement weather have conspired against me of late, so my outings have been far too few. But here are some photos from recent weeks.

A trip to Broughton Beach provided nice looks at a small flock of Horned Larks. I want to read up on the many subspecies of Horned Larks to see which ones are found in Oregon. Whether I would be able to distinguish them in the field remains to be seen.
This female Eurasian Wigeon has been hanging out at Commonwealth Lake.

Pied-billed Grebes, Commonwealth Lake
The Portland area received about ten inches of snow last night. While this unusually large snowfall made for a lovely winter wonderland, it is quite challenging for the resident Anna’s Hummingbirds.

I finally got around to making some vegan suet (equal parts coconut oil and peanut butter with a little corn meal mixed in). It took the birds a while to find it, but it has become quite popular. Here is a Red-breasted Nuthatch.

the nuthatch sharing with a few Bushtits

and a big old wad of Bushtits. Other species seen eating the suet include Bewick’s Wren, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Black-capped Chickadee. I hope some warblers find it soon. We shall see.

Siletz Bay

November 24, 2016November 24, 2016 by John Rakestraw, posted in mammals, OR Birding Sites, rarities

This Common Scoter was recently found in Siletz Bay, just south of Lincoln City. This is only the second record of this species in North America, so he was definitely worth chasing.

The Common Scoter seems pretty comfortable in Siletz Bay, feeding and resting near the pull-out just south of the Schooner Creek bridge, so he was an easy tick. I just showed up and there he was. It can seem a little anticlimactic when a staked-out bird is too easy to find. But the advantage of such a situation is that you have the time to explore the surrounding area. On this day I birded from the D River in Lincoln City to Boiler Bay. This whole area is covered on pages 155 – 157 of Birding Oregon. There are a lot of birds packed into just over two pages. Or perhaps my writing is just very concise.

This Bonaparte’s Gull was hanging out at the D River.

male Brewer’s Blackbird, D River

female Brewer’s Blackbird, D River. I find female Brewer’s to be much more photogenic than males. Perhaps my camera just doesn’t do well with extreme blacks and whites.

Surf Scoters in the surf

The sand spit at the mouth of Siletz Bay is a favorite haul out spot for Harbor Seals.

happy Harbor Seal

Red-throated Loon

A little farther up the bay, I found two Brant. I don’t get to see then often enough.

Recent storms have brought a lot of Red Phalaropes to the coast and points inland. These birds were hanging out at the Salishan golf course.
It’s nice that a golf course is actually being good for something.

I saw some nice birds at Boiler Bay, but most were too far out for photos. This Thayer’s Gull was perched on this little knob of rock for several hours.

One can often get close looks at Black Oystercatchers at Boiler Bay. This bird was particularly vocal.
Black Oystercatcher, sleeping with one eye open

The Siletz Bay area is typically not a big birding destination, with the exception of Boiler Bay. But this stretch of the coast can be very birdy, so it was nice that the Common Scoter has inspired so many birders to explore the area. Cheers.