Shorebirds at Fernhill Wetlands

Birding this time of year can get sorta tricky, what with the juveniles at various stages of development and late migrating birds and whatnot.  Throw shorebirds into the mix and then we really have a problem.  


A recent trip to Fernhill nearly had me running for the nearest exit, overwhelmed with so many similar looking shorbirds. Checking my book for current ranges wasn't going to solve this problem. In this strange sort of area, that is the Willamette Valley, where weather conditions vary, and the rules of the birds tend to bend quite a bit, makes it rather difficult, but I found that it IS common to see birds I wouldn't normally expect.


The main issue of the trip was the Dowitchers.  At first glance, I didn't know what to think.  A passerby said they were most likely Long-billed Dowitchers.  I had seen Short-billed there before, but questions still remained.  I hung around for a long period of time, taking pictures and did a full scale investigation when I got home.  (Oh yeah, and don't be fooled by the names "short-billed" and long-billed", there is only a slight difference in the length of only the female long-billed.)


Here's what I found.

At first glance, this Dowitcher could be anything, as far as I was concerned.

This is the same Dowitcher, notice the black and white tail feathers - more white than black.  Next, check out the breast - it's slightly rufous and fades to white.  These features indicate a Short-billed Dowitcher. (Another distinguishing difference between the two is their calls, which for me, is a lost cause.)  

On this one, the tail feathers are more black than white.  Think of it as a black feather with white stripes and the other as a white feather with black stripes.  Again, check out the breast.  In this case it's evenly rufous from neck to underbelly.  Lastly it has barring on the sides.  This one is a Long-Billed Dowitcher.

Here's a fun mix of shorebirds.  a = Short-Billed Dowitcher. b = Long-Billed Dowitcher. c = Least Sandpiper. d = Western Sandpiper.

I was really surprised to see a Red-Necked Phalarope there!

The only Red-Winged Blackbird I saw there.  A young, splotchy male. 

Young Great Blue Heron

We watched this Osprey dive into the water and catch a catfish! 

Quite a pleasant surprise on the way out of the wetland! :D 

The full list of birds we saw (my dad and I that is):

• Barn Swallows
• Great Blue Herons
• Western Sandpipers
• Least Sandpipers*
• Mallards - females only (Lately I've only been seeing females, but today on the way up the hill to my family's house in Scappoose, I saw 2 male Mallards standing near the road. Also weird because I've never seen any sort of water fowl around there!)
• Canada Geese
• Eurasian Collared Dove
• Killdeer
• Brewer's Blackbirds
• Brown-Headed Cowbirds
• Red-Necked Phalarope
• Osprey
• Tree Swallows
• Red-Winged Blackbird - young male
• Song Sparrows
• American Goldfinches
• Cedar Waxwings
• Green Heron
• Short-Billed Dowitchers
• Long-Billed Dowitchers*
• American Robins
• Bald Eagle
• Norther Harrier

*Lifers!

7.16.12

Puffin Cam!

Another great bird cam to enjoy, check it out! 

http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/puffin-loafing-ledge-cam

Aren't they darling? :)

Malheur part 1

The most epic trip of all time!  Not an easy trip by any means, the transmission of my husband's car went out on the way there.  Things went wrong, but the birding was amazing.  We had lifers running out in front of us!


The breakdown:  4 days, 29 lifers, 78 species
Who: My cousin and I (so sad my bro and hub couldn't make it, but all the more reason to revisit!)


7.02.12 - Day 1

• Red-Tailed Hawks
• Common Ravens 
• Western Meadowlark
• American Kestrels
• Belted Kingfisher
• American Robin
• Red-Winged Blackbirds
• Cliff Swallows
• Northern Flicker
• Bullock's Orioles*
• Great Blue Heron
• Eurasian-Collared Dove
• Lesser Scaup
• House Sparrow
• Brown-Headed Cowbird
• American Crow
• Western Scrub-Jay
• Turkey Vultures
• Osprey
• Mountain Bluebirds
• Savannah Sparrows
• Yellow-Headed Blackbirds 
• White-Faced Ibis* - one almost flew into the car
• Sandhill Crane
• Franklin's Gulls*
• American Coot
• American White Pelicans
• Black-Necked Stilts* - My favorite bird of the trip!
• American Avocet*
• Canada Geese
• Common Nighthawks*
• Loggerhead Shrikes*
• California Quails
• Black-Billed Magpies*
• Say's Pheobe* 

And this was all before we got checked into the cabin!  We were so tired and getting so overwhelmed with all the new birds on the way in, we had to start ignoring them so we could make it to our destination.  That was difficult to do! 

Female Bullock's Oriole

hill that looks like an owl face

Jack Rabbits everywhere there! So cool!

Sunrise in Malheur

White-Faced Ibis - a weirdo looking nerd bird, soooo neat!

A Forster's Tern making it's way across the sky.

Cooper Mountain like I've never seen it - instagram style! :)

The first time I've been to Cooper Mountain not in the evening.  
Who:  My brother and Dad
6.21.12

• White-Crowned Sparrows
• Barn Swallows Cedar Waxwings
• Spotted Towhees
• Black-Throated Gray Warblers!* Finally!
• Oregon Juncos
• Song Sparrows
• American Crows
• Lesser Goldfinches
• Red-Tailed Hawk
• Bewick's Wren
• Black-Headed Grosbeak - male
• Turkey Vulture
• Cliff Swallows
• Violet-Green Swallows
• Western Woodpewee
• Orange-Crowned Warbler
• Anna's Hummingbird - felmale

*Lifer!

Practicing my "psshhhttt" sounds, I scared off this Song Sparrow, but then he decided he liked me after all and came back. :)

Another bigfoot-esq quality shot of a lifer - Black-Throated Grey Warbler.

The most 'LBJ' bird I've ever seen

What could this bird be?  I've seen it a few times around my house (in Manning, Oregon).  Once June 5th, 26th, and I think the 29th.
It acts like a juvenile, making little cheep-cheep sounds, but it's usually by itself, sometimes near White-crowned Sparrows.  It's slightly larger than the white-crowns.  It's been driving me crazy.  Any help would be much appreciated! :D

Help, I need an identity! haha

LBJ zoomed in a bit.