American Coot

Fernhill Wetlands

October 11, 2023 by John Rakestraw, posted in Invertebrates, reptiles & amphibians, seasonal movements

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I enjoyed a walk around Fernhill Wetlands recently. We are in that in-between time when the seasons haven’t decided exactly who is in charge, so you never know what or who you will find out and about this time of year. This Black Phoebe still shows the pale gape and buffy wingbars of a juvenile.

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Most of the migrant shorebirds have moved on, but this wayward American Avocet was hanging out with the local waterfowl.

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American Coot, enjoying their greens

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I still haven’t taken the leap into studying dragonflies, but I am noticing them more and more. I believe this is a female Cardinal Meadowhawk, but please correct me if I am wrong.

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Southbound raptor migration is pretty hit and miss in the Portland area. You have to be out at the right time when a flock is passing over. I missed the big flights this year, but did get to see a little flock that included a couple of Red-shouldered Hawks.

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I don’t know if this Red-tailed Hawk is a migrant or a resident.

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Now that the rains have begun, the Pacific Treefrogs have become more vocal and more visible. This youngster was sitting in the middle of a leaf on a cottonwood sapling. I missed most of the spring herp activity this year due to the demands of a certain puppy, so it has been great to see a few herps this fall.

Happy Autumn

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.

Fernhill Wetlands

March 20, 2022March 17, 2022 by John Rakestraw, posted in mammals, OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements

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Spring migration hasn’t really kicked in, yet, but the birds that are here are getting more active. Here are some recent images from Fernhill Wetlands. This Brewer’s Blackbird was looking good in the sunshine.

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Black Phoebes are now expected at Fernhill Wetlands. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I found Washington County’s first Black Phoebe there.

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This was my first Rufous Hummingbird of the year. He refused to perch in decent light.

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A large flock of Taverner’s Cackling Geese were hanging out on Fernhill Lake. The Ridgeway’s Cackling Geese were either off feeding somewhere or have moved on.

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Brush Rabbit, always adorable

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California Ground Squirrel, soaking up the sun

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Spotted Towhee

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Downy Woodpecker

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Bright sunlight makes it hard for me to get a decent of photo of an American Coot, but this bird’s yoga pose was too good not to share.

Happy Spring!

Waterfowl

October 26, 2021 by John Rakestraw, posted in seasonal movements

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Waterfowl numbers have been increasing in the Willamette Valley as the rains have begun. This male Northern Shoveler is still in his drab summer plumage.

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This Emperor Goose is currently a local celebrity in the Beaverton area, hanging out with the local ducks and Cackling Geese.

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This Gadwall was hanging out at Koll Center Wetlands. A brick building at the edge of the pond creates those brown reflections in the water, which complement the colors on this duck.

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American Coot having a snack

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Green-winged Teal at Fernhill Wetlands

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Common Merganser at Fernhill

Numbers of ducks and geese should continue to increase into November.

Happy Autumn.

Fernhill Wetlands

November 2, 2020 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites, seasonal movements

The rainy season has been slow to arrive this year, so we have had strings of sunny autumn days. While the dry conditions are preventing many of the seasonal wetlands from filling, the clear skies do make for some pleasant birding. Here are a few shots from Fernhill Wetlands.

This Mourning Dove was blending in nicely with the gravel on one of the wastewater filtering beds.

The Killdeer’s pattern provides good camouflage on a rocky background, but doesn’t do as well in dead grass.

Northern Harrier

The Green-winged Teal are starting to get some nice color.

Cinnamon Teal

The Cackling Geese are back in good numbers. There is currently an outbreak of aspergillus, a fungal infection that causes respiratory distress and pneumonia, that has killed dozens of birds at this site.

Ridgeway’s Cackling Goose

American Coot in the sunshine

The only gulls on this visit were these three Bonaparte’s Gulls, swimming with a Northern Pintail and a Green-winged Teal.

Most of the migrant shorebirds are long gone, but there are still some Long-billed Dowitchers around. Note the pattern on the tail showing wider black bars and narrow white bars. This pattern would be reversed on a Short-billed Dowitcher.

Happy Autumn

Commonwealth Lake Park

January 30, 2016January 30, 2016 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites

Commonwealth Lake Park is your typical urban duck pond nestled in the Portland suburb of Beaverton. Such parks are certainly not the places to go if you seek a wilderness experience, but they can be excellent places to study waterfowl up close. They also serve as a quick and easy birding fix when “life” prevents you from getting out in the field as much as you should.

Species that are normally rather shy, like this Pied-billed Grebe, will often allow a close approach is parks such as this.

American Coots, common and often dismissed by birders, are quite lovely when you get close enough.

Gadwall

male Common Merganser, with what I think is a Yellow Bullhead

female Common Merganser

Greater White-fronted Geese are common migrants over the Portland area, but uncommon winter residents. Four have been spending the winter at Commonwealth.

Since the remodeling of Portland’s Westmoreland Park a couple of years ago, there really hasn’t been a good spot to easily study gulls in the Portland area. This adult Ring-billed Gull was a cooperative model.
This Ring-billed Gull is in his second plumage cycle.

So while I would much rather walk for several miles in a natural setting to find birds, I am grateful for little urban parks like Commonwealth.

Waterfowl Class

February 28, 2014February 28, 2014 by John Rakestraw, posted in mammals, OR Birding Sites

I led my waterfowl class on a field trip to Sauvie Island and Dawson Creek. We had a few big misses (Gadwall and Wood Duck) but the diversity was pretty good.

At Wapato Access Greenway we found some Dusky Canada Geese along with the American Wigeons and Northern Pintails.

This Coyote was munching on a vole.

Tundra Swan was one of the most common species of the day.

This Lincoln’s Sparrow was very cooperative, posing out in the open for great scope views. But even then he blended in amazingly well with his surroundings.

You don’t get to see American Coots in flight very often, as they tend to walk or swim wherever they go. They have even been reported to migrate on foot.

Canvasback, looking very regal
Same bird, looking not quite so regal

American Wigeon pair, Dawson Creek

Bufflehead, preparing to dive

Ridgeway’s Cackling Goose

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, 13 November 2013

November 17, 2013November 17, 2013 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites

The weather has entered its dark and dreary pattern, typical for Portland in late autumn. This makes for dark grainy photos, but here are a few shots from Crystal Springs in southeast Portland.

Steller’s Jay, looking all artsy among the architecture of the boardwalk

This American Coot appears to be concerned with modesty while preening.

Here is the same individual feeding on land. I always appreciate the chance to see this species’ lobed feet.

Western Canada Goose

American Wigeon, with Bufflehead in the background

Wood Duck

I don’t know what this Wood Duck was carrying. They eat acorns, but this appears to be something different.

I am hoping for some sunshine for my next outing.

Random Waterfowl

March 4, 2010 by John Rakestraw, posted in behavior, identification challenges

Here are some random shots of some of the many waterfowl species that winter in the Willamette Valley

This Common Merganser was swimming with her face submerged, looking for fish. I have also seen loons hunt in this way.

the same bird preening

Here she finally shows her face. The clearly demarcated white chin helps to differentiate this species from the similar Red-breasted Merganser.

This female Eurasian Wigeon is recognized by her brown head. Notice the female American Wigeon on the right with her gray head.

Here is a distant shot of a mixed flock of waterfowl (click to enlarge). From left to right, you can see Ring-necked Duck, Canvasback, Cackling Goose, American Coot, and American Wigeon.

March 13, 2009 by John Rakestraw, posted in behavior, species profile

American Coots are quite common throughout much of the country, so we tend to overlook them. But they are strange little beasts, and worthy of study. They spend much of their time on the water, feeding on aquatic plants, propelling themselves with their lobed toes. Despite the fact that at least some populations undertake long migrations, you almost never see these birds in the air. When alarmed they often run along surface of the water, flapping their wings, but they seldom actually become airborn. One observation from 1931 described a large flock of coots migrating on foot.

These birds do fly, after a long running start, but migration apparently occurs at night in small groups. I think I will make it a goal to actually notice a coot in flight. Despite the many thousands of these birds I have seen over the years, I have no recollection of a flying coot. As I rapidly approach the status of “old coot” myself, I think this is a worthy goal.