Deschutes River State Recreation Area

I went out to Sherman County today to explore the Deschutes River State Recreation Area.  Wasco County is on the western side of the river, Sherman is on the eastern side.  I did a 7 mile (round trip) bird hike up to where Gordon Canyon comes down to the Deschutes.  It was a very birdy day,  no unusual birds were found but lots of action kept it fun.

You  can either bird along an old road up off the river or bird the Blackberry Trail.  The trail follows the river's edge. It is an easy hike.  There is one spot where the canyon narrows and you need to hike up and over a shoulder that sticks out from the edge of the canyon, but it is not all that bad and right upstream from the shoulder was the best area for birds.





Sagebrush, small trees, blackberries and grass line the river.

Meadowlarks and sparrows were common along sections like this.

The river trail petered out here, the road continues on up river.

A view downriver at my turnaround point.

Spotted Towhees were all looking nice.

The two in the center are Barrow's Goldeneye.

A few flocks of Bushtits were creating  their normal racket.

Geese were everywhere, in sage and water.

I thought I heard a Say's Phoebe, but it was a Rock Wren.

Song Sparrows were all out singing. This one looked nice with the red twigs.

Merg on a rock.  Common Merganser, goldeneye and geese were flying up and down the river all day.

A number of Canyon Wrens were singing.  I tried to get a photo of this one before it dove for cover.

Fortunately it popped right back up.

Other than a distant Sharpie, this was the only raptor I found. My excuse is I had my head down all day looking for sparrows.  Anyway,  on Golden Eagles the wings pinch in at the body a bit more than Bald Eagles.  Their heads are a bit smaller.  And all ages have the golden nape.  I thought this was a 3 or 4 year-old bird with those tiny flecks of white still visible on the wing. After reviewing Liguori's "Hawks at a Distance" when I got home, now I think it is an adult that is showing some molt, the white is in the wing linings rather than the secondaries.

Lots of train action on the Wasco County side.

My eBird list for the day:

Canada Goose  30
Mallard  4
Bufflehead  8
Common Goldeneye  15
Barrow's Goldeneye  4
Common Merganser  11
California Quail  1     heard only so not sure on number
Double-crested Cormorant  6
Great Blue Heron  3
Golden Eagle  1
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  1
gull sp.  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  4
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  4
Western Scrub-Jay  4
Black-billed Magpie  6
Black-capped Chickadee  10
Mountain Chickadee  3
Bushtit  12
Rock Wren  1
Canyon Wren  5
Golden-crowned Kinglet  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  11
American Robin  6
European Starling  12
Yellow-rumped Warbler  40
Dark-eyed Junco  5
White-crowned Sparrow  13

Golden-crowned Sparrow  24

Song Sparrow 20
Spotted Towhee  14
Red-winged Blackbird  30
Western Meadowlark  11
Pine Siskin  1
American Goldfinch  35

Thought I would mention a nice spot I found last weekend:

Last weekend I went exploring in western Wasco County, at the White River WMA.  I think I found a good spot for warblers this spring. It is west of headquarters about 2 miles or so.  There is an irrigation ditch that passes through the woods.  I will be back come spring.  See the ECAS site, Wasco County, White River WMA, there is a map.  I hiked the blue loop.  Not many birds at all but that will change as spring approaches...I hope.

A great birding experience today.  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.

The New Fernhill

I had heard of all the changes at Fernhill Wetlands but had yet to visit the site since the trails had reopened.  I took a drive out there today after wandering around a cloudy and foggy Mt Tabor earlier in the morning.

The Fernhill site is owned by Clean Water Services.  They are trying to improve the water treatment site.  The idea is to use a natural process to clean and cool waste water before it enters the Tualatin River.   It is called a Natural Treatment System (NTS).  Their site is here. 

For directions on how to get to Fernhill, check out the Oregon Birding Trails Tualatin Loop.

Below is a view south from the parking lot which is located at the northern end of the complex. The phone poles along the right side are on Fern Hill Road.

Next is shot from same spot looking to the east.

This little Killdeer was not pleased with me passing by its nesting area along the trail.  With the stronger black in the face and the bright red orbital ring, I think this is a male. Females would have less contrasting black and more of an orange-red orbital ring

I went counter-clockwise around the site, so down Fern Hill Road first. This picture is of the next pond down the path. I am standing in the small observation deck.  All the ponds are set up in a similar fashion.  They did leave one flooded, the one over in the NE corner.  They will use that water to flood these other ponds every few weeks or so and then let them dry out. This is to get the vegetation off to a good start.

I was happy to see so many American Pipits in the muddy areas. I scanned all that I could, no oddballs.

A beautiful light gray Peregrine Falcon zoomed over the flats, it scared all the pipits up into the air.  A flock of Least Sandpipers took flight and then dove for cover in the mud.  Least Sandpipers can vanish in a mud flat if they want to.  How many can you find?

7

I have now crossed the area on the lower dike.  I am now looking north toward the parking lot. In front of me is the lake they will use to flood the other areas.

These Cacklers were a enjoying a lunch of grass along the lake, until I tried to slip by on the trail.

A  Song Sparrow is nice bird to enjoy when it is sitting out in the sun.

Which three North American warblers sport a bright yellow rump?

Yellow-rumped, Magnolia and Cape May

Dabbler Marsh is much the same as always, as is the area on the east side of the site.  I did hear an Indigo Bunting singing down the trail. I took off on a run to get a picture.  I stopped after a few steps, I realized I had just been fooled by a Lesser Goldfinch.

Which bird is this?  Long thin wings, held in a M shape.

Osprey.

A view looking south with the sun out.

Up behind the restrooms you have access to two small ponds.  They are fenced off but it looks like a trail goes down the south side.  Below is a shot looking east at the two ponds.

There were 27 Greater Yellowlegs and two Green-winged Teal on the ponds.

Greater Yellowlegs look larger headed than Lesser, they have more barring on the flanks in alternate plumage and their bills are thicker looking. And at the right angle they look knobby kneed.

Birds seen inside the NTS boundary (the new mudflats):

Snow Goose  1
Cackling Goose  1000
Canada Goose  15
Gadwall  6
American Wigeon  4
Mallard  11
Green-winged Teal  21
Bufflehead  3
Great Blue Heron  2
Turkey Vulture  1
Osprey  1
Killdeer  6
Least Sandpiper  20
Belted Kingfisher  2
Peregrine Falcon  1
Tree Swallow  75
Violet-green Swallow  15
Barn Swallow  5
Cliff Swallow  3
American Pipit  40
Song Sparrow  3
Red-winged Blackbird  4
Brewer's Blackbird  6
House Finch  4

Birds seen outside the NTS (everything else that was not changed up to middle of dikes):

Cackling Goose  1100
Canada Goose  25
Gadwall  8
American Wigeon  4
Mallard  7
Cinnamon Teal  4
Northern Shoveler  8
Northern Pintail  6
Green-winged Teal  25
Canvasback  5
Bufflehead  3
Common Merganser  3
Ruddy Duck  1
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Great Blue Heron  2
Great Egret  1
Turkey Vulture  1
American Coot  25
Killdeer  2
Greater Yellowlegs  27
Mourning Dove  2
Anna's Hummingbird  3
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Western Scrub-Jay  3
American Crow  1
Tree Swallow  20
Violet-green Swallow  5
Black-capped Chickadee  4
Bewick's Wren  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
American Robin  6
European Starling  11
Orange-crowned Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  9
Fox Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  14
Golden-crowned Sparrow  6
Dark-eyed Junco  2
Red-winged Blackbird  7
Brewer's Blackbird  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
House Finch  7

I am looking forward to see how this area develops.  Thanks for visiting.

Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, Cape May