Fall Part Two.

This weekend I did some good old fashioned local birding with no crazy trips or adventures.  Tastes of fall were everywhere as I hit up Smith & Bybee Lakes, Force Lake, and Ridgefield NWR as well as a few Sauvie Island pumpkin patches.  At Sauvie Island farms this handsome turkey is kept in a sadly small pen with some other fowl:


Not as sad as the animals in pens at the official Pumpkin Patch, though.  That place is just depressing.  Anyway, back to wild birds... Brown Creepers are the ultimate fall bird dressed in their little camouflage hoodies...

Smith & Bybee Lakes

Speaking of camouflage, the fluorescent green water at Force Lake keeps the frogs fairly well-concealed...


A couple of geese came in for a landing while I was trying to pick frogs out of the muck (visually, I mean)...


Also on the lake a cute couple relaxed on a log...

Double-crested Cormorant & Glaucous-winged Gull

 At Ridgefield yesterday the geese are really moving in while the shorebirds move out.  Greater Yellowlegs remain to keep things squeaky...


A Bald Eagle peeked down at me through some branches- hopefully more will be arriving soon. 


Wood Ducks always look a thousand times flashier when swimming around in pretty leaf reflections...


Even the lowly Song Sparrow looks fancy with a gorgeous background...


The last couple of birds look fancy regardless of the season... bitterns and cranes:


I said it before and I'll say it again: Yay, fall!

Comments

  1. Jen, I can not get over your luck at seeing the Bitterns and getting photos. I love the creeper shot and the wood duck. The Bald Eagle is awesome! Great birds and post. Happy Birding!

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  2. OHHHH the cranes, I want to see one so bad! I love that bittern with his neck outstreched lovely. Feeling very sorry for that caged turkey~~the light on your wood duck is stunning!!

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  3. Nice! I didn't get out this weekend :( but enjoy seeing your photos and hope to get to Ridgefield next weekend. Yah, Fall!!

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  4. The neon green/yellow muck or "water" at Force Lake can't be good for the frogs. Do you suppose the Expo Center dumps their waste straight on in there?

    Also, I'm confident that you're not supposed to be frog giggin' in there, Jen. It's bad for the lake's image and reputation, and what about the neon green water the frogs are drinking?

    That said, nice Glaucous-winged!

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    1. Frog giggin' is a no-no? But I've been supplementing the dogs' kibble with frog legs for months... Plus they glow in the dark now so I'm saving on electricity.

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  5. Nice! Looks like a solid run through the local patches. It's great how the changing seasons always rejuvenate even the littlest local birding spots, at least for a while.

    Great stuff with the Creeper too, it's hard to get those buggers sharp given their shady dwellings, and you even got catch light! The Bald Eagle is a stud too, and you've always got great Bitterns. (Are you sure that's not your soul bird?)

    Wouldn't it be rad if Sandhill Cranes were several feet taller, 200lbs. heavier, and could be ridden?

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  6. Sounds like a great, wonderful weekend! Love the geese landing you chose for your banner. All the pix are awesome, and I totally agree Yay Fall!

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  7. The reason the water is so green is from the effects of a process called hypertrophication, It's caused by the fertilizer run-off from Heron Lakes Golf Course.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication

    greg haworth
    se portland

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