Upper Tygh Creek and young birds

I took a look at weather radar at 5 am today and decided I would be dry if I went on a bird hike in the Badger Creek Wilderness.  I have birded the lower section of Tygh Creek up into the wilderness, I wanted to avoid a repeat of the brutal hike up the steep trail. so I drove up FR 2720 to the Jordan Cutoff Trail which gives you access to the upper sections of Tygh Creek and avoids the steep climb.  While this upper  trail goes up and down in spots, it is really rather flat and is an easy bird hike.  It is the purple section on my often posted map of the area (see below) the access trail is in red and starts at the red star.  My map is getting rather cluttered, you might need to zoom in to see the trails.

Early July is a great time to bird in these areas, the woods are full of birds. With all the recently fledged birds, I would say it is the busiest time of the year.

This clearing was right before you cross Tygh Creek on the trail.  I estimated over 50 birds were in the surrounding trees. It was birding madness trying to track them all.  Dark-eyed Juncos, Pine Siskins, Red-breasted Nuthatch,  Cassin's FInch. MacGillivray's Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler were the main varieties.

There was a young MacGillivray's hanging out in the brush. I could not get a photo, so I settled on what I thought was mom, no black lores.

Young Dark-eyed Juncos were the most common hatch-year (HY) birds I saw.

All along the trail adult juncos let me know I was an intruder. Lots of noisy complaints were filed.

Hatch-year Chipping Sparrow.

Thankfully there are volunteers that go out into these wilderness areas and clear the trails.

A good portion of the trail passes through old blow-down.  With all the flowers out, it is really very beautiful. I saw 9 Rufous Hummingbirds, most were in habitat like this.

A family of House Wrens were making a huge racket in this clearing.   Juveniles are supposed to not have strong barring on flanks, I figured this one was the best bet for a juvenile.

Another MacGillivray's was a nice treat.

Lots of young Yellow-rumps were in the trees, note heavily streaked below.

This one was also heavily streaked below, but had a yellow throat, so I went with hatch-year male.

Juvenile Western Tanagers have streaks to the underparts, so I do not think this is a hatch-year bird. I did see a few juveniles.  But they were very secretive.

Not a hatch-year tanager. Hatch-year birds have no red. A classic image from the western mountains.

Down at the crossing of Tygh Creek a juvenile Pacific Wren was in the dark brush.

Juvenile Townsend's Solitaires should still have scaly underparts, so this is not a hatch-year bird.

Groups of Evening Grosbeak were up in the dark tree tops.  I could not tell if this was a juvenile or not.  It seemed to be following an adult around.

Lots of birding activity, it took me almost seven hours to bird seven miles. I would urge folks to try this very nice birding area, or just get out in your local woods and enjoy all the youngsters!

Turkey Vulture  5
Rufous Hummingbird  9
Williamson's Sapsucker  1
Western Wood-Pewee  5
Hammond's Flycatcher  3
Dusky Flycatcher  7
Cassin's Vireo  1
Warbling Vireo  2
Mountain Chickadee  2
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  9
Red-breasted Nuthatch  13
Brown Creeper  9
House Wren  11
Pacific Wren  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet  17
Townsend's Solitaire  1
Hermit Thrush  7
MacGillivray's Warbler  5
Yellow-rumped Warbler  23
Hermit Warbler  2
Chipping Sparrow  26
Dark-eyed Junco  43
Western Tanager  15
Cassin's Finch  13
Red Crossbill  3
Pine Siskin  32
Evening Grosbeak  9

After a long, exciting hike, Huck was eager to get in the car and rest. Once he senses he is getting near the car, he races ahead and waits.

Thanks for the visit.

Netarts Spit at Cape Lookout State Park

I returned today (1/10/15) for what is turning out to be an annual birding trip to Cape Lookout State Park , the beach area.  Last year's report is here.

Today was warm with lots of sunshine, a strong easterly wind soon died down.

I was a bit concerned about a rising tide.  I did not want to get nailed by a wave coming up a narrow beach with all these logs strewn about.  I made it to the north end with no trouble; by the time I was done checking out the bay the tide had turned and was ebbing for my walk back down south.

Lots of Surf Scoters were doing what Surf Scoters do.

As the tide was rising on my northerly walk all I saw on the beach were Sanderlings and Dunlins.

Their bill lengths do vary a bit.

Sanderling and Dunlins taking a nap.

I wanted to explore the interior in hopes of some passerines and that one rare bird that would make the day. This large bog was full of Mallard, Northern Pintail and Northern Shoveler.

Some Mallard even from this far away saw me and flushed off the bog, so I did not stay around too long.  When I whistled like a Pygmy-Owl even more flushed, what the heck was that about.

I finally walked the 5 miles to the tip.  A small flock of gulls were on the bay side.   I figured this was a first-year Thayer's.  Nicely checkered pattern.

Mew Gull.

Same bird. When it flew in, the underwing was more like a Thayer's than a Herring Gull. It seems too bulky and short-winged for a Thayer's.  I know some Herring can have less black on the underwing.  Apical spots seem in between. I decided on Herring due to structure of body and bill.

On the walk back south  the tide was just turning toward ebb.  A Black-bellied Plover was on the beach.

It was hanging out with a Semipalmated Plover.

With high tide came lots of Least Sandpipers hiding in the beach debris..  I looked at every peep, all looked Least to me.

At a few points along the beach you can go to a dune and look over a narrow spot into the bay.  Northern Pintail were hanging out on the marsh grass.

One of the few passerines spotted..

Song Sparrows were just about the only passerines willing to show themselves.

Netarts Spit (Cape Lookout St Pk), Tillamook, Oregon, US

Jan 10, 2016 8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
10.5 mile(s)
Comments:     sunny, gusty wind form east in morning then light breezes
35 species (+1 other taxa)

American Wigeon  7
Mallard  150
Northern Shoveler  10
Northern Pintail  120
Surf Scoter  45
Bufflehead  6
Western Grebe  1
Northern Harrier  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  3
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Black-bellied Plover  1
Semipalmated Plover  1
Sanderling  125
Dunlin  75
Least Sandpiper  200     many on beach, have photos
Mew Gull  4
Western Gull  12
California Gull  2
Herring Gull  1 
Thayer's Gull  1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  14
Common Raven  3
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Marsh Wren  3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
Wrentit  1
Hermit Thrush  2
American Robin  4
Varied Thrush  2
European Starling  10
Yellow-rumped Warbler  3
Fox Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco  4
White-crowned Sparrow  5
Song Sparrow  12
Spotted Towhee  1

Huck enjoyed the company of a gal pal named Tess.  She is a youngster that never tired, Huck and I enjoyed having her along.