Tag: Say’s Phoebe

Phoebes

by John Rakestraw, posted in species profile

A wayward Eastern Phoebe has been hanging out at Whitaker Ponds in Portland lately. This species has shown up in many locations in Oregon over the years, but it is always a rare treat. Eastern Phoebes are not much to look at, but their rarity in Oregon makes up for what they may lack in snazzy plumage.

Black Phoebes are not particularly colorful, either, but their stark contrast of black and white makes them a little more eye-catching. When I first moved to Oregon, Black Phoebes were limited to the southwestern corner of the state. They are now year-round residents of the Portland area and have expanded their range north into Canada.

Say’s Phoebes typically nest east of the Cascades, but they do pass through the Portland area in early spring. Dull grayish on the upperparts, they sport a splash of buffy color on the belly. This is a juvenile, evidenced by the bufffy wing bars and the bit of yellow at the gape (corner of the mouth).

Cottonwood Canyon

by John Rakestraw, posted in mammals, OR Birding Sites, reptiles & amphibians

My team for the Portland Audubon Birdathon visited Cottonwood Canyon State Park in late May. Birding was a little slow that day, but it is always a treat for me to get to the east side of Oregon.

Chukars were introduced to Oregon from Asia, but they are a stunning addition to the local avifauna.
This Say’s Phoebe was perched on the entrance sign to the state park.
Western Kingbird
Brewer’s Blackbirds were common along the John Day River.
High above the canyon were several Bighorn Sheep. This one had a baby at her feet.
The sheep were almost half a mile away, so this is as close a view as we could get.
Western Fence Lizard, on a fence. Below is a Western Fence Lizard on a rock, defying your labels.

Happy Summer

Crooked River Wetlands Complex

by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites

crooked river parking lotI had a chance to visit Crooked River Wetlands near Prineville. Like Fernhill Wetlands, this site was constructed as part of a wastewater treatment system. But Crooked River Wetlands was designed from the beginning to accommodate both birds and birders. The parking lot has a covered picnic area (the only shade on the property) and a restroom. Paved and gravel paths provide easy viewing of the wetlands.

crooked river wetlandsThere are 15 bodies of water in the complex, which is right next to the Crooked River. Water levels vary with the seasons, so there is a variety of water depths which attract different species.

western sandpiperShorebird migration is getting underway. Here are some Western Sandpipers.

spotted sandpiperSpotted Sandpiper

ruddy duckOne of the deeper ponds held this pair of Ruddy Ducks.

eared grebe and babyEared Grebe with baby

Tree SwallowBetween the river, the ponds, and the adjacent wastewater plant, this site attracts swarms of swallows. Tree Swallows use the many nest boxes.

Bank SwallowThis is one of the easiest places I know to see Bank Swallows.

n harrierNorthern Harrier

brewer'sBrewer’s Blackbird was one of five blackbird species I saw on this visit.

Tricolored BlackbirdTricolored Blackbirds can be hard to find in Oregon, but this site is pretty reliable.

yellow-headed blackbirdsYellow-headed Blackbirds are common here. The males tended to hide in the reeds, but this female and youngster posed nicely.

Say's PhoebeThis is one of two Say’s Phoebes that were working the fence line at the edge of the property.

Crooked River Wetlands is one of the best birding sites in central Oregon, providing access to a great variety of wetland species in a very dry part of the state. It provides a nice pocket of avian diversity at a time of year when birding can be pretty slow.

Happy Summer

Smith Rock State Park

by John Rakestraw, posted in mammals, OR Birding Sites

I hadn’t been to the dry side of Oregon for far too long, so I took a trip to Smith Rock State Park. The avian stars of this site are the White-throated Swifts that nest here. They did not disappoint, but those little winged rockets are far too fast for my photographic abilities.

Unlike the swifts, the abundant Violet-green Swallows will occasionally pose for a photo.

There was apparently a good crop of Black-billed Magpies this year, so lots of youngsters were hopping around near the parking lot.

Direct sunlight and iridescence make for a lovely flash of color on these black birds.

Desert Cottontail. Note all the ticks on the edge of his ear.

itchy rabbit

I hiked over the rock formation on the aptly named Misery Ridge Trail, then back along the Crooked River. Rock Wrens were plentiful, but whenever I try to photograph that species I end up with crystal clear images of rocks with blurry birds on them.

Mule Deer were common in the grassy areas along the river.

The river held lots of Mallards, like the family pictured here, and Canada Geese.

Looking up at the cliff face from the river

Say’s Phoebe, looking regal

The same Say’s Phoebe, about to hork up something

By noon, the park was getting pretty crowded and the heat was intense so I headed for home. Birding was quite good despite the heat and the lateness of the season. I think a trip here in early June would be even more productive.

February Doldrums

by John Rakestraw, posted in rarities, seasonal movements

img_9341I 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).

img_9336This 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.

img_9326American Crow, calling from the top of the dike

img_9337A few Horned Grebes were on the Columbia River. They are just starting to show some color on their necks.

img_9319The 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.

Powell Butte

by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites, rarities

I hadn’t been to Powell Butte Nature Park in east Portland since they finished renovations. They had been working on one of the water system reservoirs and have added more parking, a visitor center, and new trail markers and maps. The targets of this visit were several Mountain Bluebirds that had been hanging out for a while.

mt bluebirdI found a male and two three females, all of whom kept their distance.

yellow-rumpedThere was a big wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers in the park. All that I got a good look at were Audubon’s race, and most were male.

say'sAnother regional rarity that has been hanging out at Powell Butte is this Say’s Phoebe. This bird was active and vocal, but also kept his distance.

kestrelThe open meadows are attractive to Northern Harriers (not photogenic) and American Kestrels (slightly more cooperative). The raptors can make it harder to study the grassland songbirds, but this site is still very productive. There was one singing Savannah Sparrow while I was there. In a few weeks, that bird will be joined by more Savannahs and Lazuli Buntings.

John Day Fossil Beds

by John Rakestraw, posted in nesting, OR Birding Sites


Marsha and I visited the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in the Painted Hills (Birding Oregon p. 34). This site offers a great combination of beautiful scenery, a museum with excellent fossil specimens, and, of course, a few birds of the sage steppe and rimrock habitats.


This skull replica graces the courtyard in front of the museum. Just above, several Cliff Swallows were building their mud nests.

The sage around the center held several Western Meadowlarks and Western Kingbirds

A pair of Say’s Phoebes had a nest in a shed by the monument headquarters, just down the road from the museum.

These birds would perch on a set of Mule Deer antlers mounted above the door before entering the shed to attend the nest. The fact that this bird is carrying food indicates that the eggs have hatched.