Sauvie Island

1.19.13

First birding of 2013!  I know, so late..  Last year I started the morning of Jan. 1st.
Well my first for the year did not disappoint.  Jeff and I went, hoping to see a White-Throated Sparrow, which he hadn't seen before, and maybe some other sparrows, such as the Harris's Sparrow.

First we stopped at Jeff's grandparent's house (who happen to live on Sauvie Island).  While we were visiting, I was ASTONISHED  to see a Harris's Sparrow among all the Golden-Crowned and White-Crowned Sparrows, feeding on the seed they laid out on a stump.

Every time I hear about the Harris's Sparrow on Sauvie Island, it seems like people are referring to just one.  Last year when I went to look for the Harris's a few times, I ended up with two photos of it on two different days.  I was certain it was two different ones.  
See for yourself.

Of course, we saw another Harris's Sparrow on Rentenaar Rd., proving once and for all (if not to others, at least to me :)) that there is multiple Harris's.  I'm starting to think maybe they are scattered around the island.  Jeff's Grandparent's house is about 12.6 miles away from Rentenaar Rd.  Anyway, these kinds of things interest me... :)

My oh my, it was a foggy day!  It only got worse as the day went on.

Several Northern Pintails, lots of Mallards and a Northern Shoveler or two. Gadwalls and American Wigeons not pictured (probably).

Of course, we have the iconic Red-Tailed Hawk perched in precarious branch.

Freezing fog = iced plants

Northern Harrier flies away.

Snow Goose.  The only one we saw.  Usually you'd see thousands of them, but it was way too foggy for that.  This dingy goose was a renegade from the flock.

I love this photo, even though the Song Sparrow is so out of focus.  He looks so sneaky! :)  Or is that another Lincoln's Sparrow?  It really is a sneak!

And there he goes.

I love Ruby-Crowned Kinglets!  I've never gotten a photo where you can even tell what it is, so for me, this is big. :)

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet.  AND you can see the crown!  Barely, but it's there!  Also, I like the middle photo, capturing it's usual quick movements that make it nearly invisible in all my photos.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (male)

Lincoln's Sparrow*

 *Lifer!  First lifer of the year ~ the Lincoln's Sparrow.

Singing Lincoln's Sparrow.

Ok, so here we are, half way down Rentenaar Rd. where the group of Sparrows eat sprinkled seed.

White-Throated Sparrow

1. White-Throated Sparrows 2.White-Crowned Sparrow 3.Song Sparrow

1.White-Throated Sparrow 2.Golden-Crowned Sparrow

1.White-Throated Sparrow 2.Golden-Crowned Sparrow

Birds not pictured or mentioned:

• Black-Capped Chickadees
• Oregon Juncos
• Anna's Hummingbirds
• Sandhill Crane - another bird that you would normally see tons of, but since it was so foggy, we heard many, but only saw a single one fly by at one point.
• Canada Geese
• Bewick's Wren
• American Crows
• Red-Winged Blackbirds - only by audio
• Double-Crested Cormorants
• American Robin
• Cackling Geese
• Orange-Crowned Warbler
• Western Scrub-Jays
• Belted Kingfisher - positioned in such a way that I couldn't see if it was male or female.
• American Coots - despite all the hunters on this foggy morn. 
• American Kestrels
• Killdeer
• American Bittern!  - Right next to the road, within 5 feet of it, by accident we flushed it out.  Both the Bittern and I were surprised.  Jeff slightly less.
• Spotted Towhees
• Fox Sparrows
• Northern Flickers
• European Starlings - boo
• Great Blue Heron - by audio only - it was pissed about something!