New year’s birds

The end of the year brings cold wet weather and busy schedules, so I look forward to the start of the new year to get back out in the field. The weather is still bad most of the time, but schedules allow a better chance to get out if there is a dry patch.

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This White-breasted Nuthatch put on a nice show in the back yard.

golden-crowned leftThis Golden-crowned Sparrow was foraging around the shrubs at the Hillsboro library.

white-crowned smallHere’s a young White-crowned Sparrow for comparison.

ring-billedWe still have about a month to enjoy a good diversity of gull species before they start to disperse. This first-cycle Ring-billed Gull was swimming with two adults.

gullsThis Olympic Gull (Glaucous-winged X Western hybrid) was hanging out with the Ring-billed Gulls.

At least in western Oregon, January provides some really good winter birding. Get out and enjoy it before the February doldrums kick in.

Happy Winter

Boulder Birds

Here are a few birds I saw on a recent trip to Boulder, CO. There was nothing unusual, but there is always something to see.

cooper's 1This young Cooper’s Hawk was amazingly tame.

oriole 2Bullock’s Oriole

pelicansAmerican White Pelicans

nuthatch 1White-breasted Nuthatch. Despite the proximity to the Rocky Mountains, this individual appears to be of the eastern race (Carolina Nuthatch).

blue jayI heard a lot of Blue Jays, but this is the only individual that I got a look at.

rabbit 1Rabbits are everywhere around Boulder. I think this is an Eastern Cottontail.