I feel like I did a lot this weekend. Not always birding, but really, always birding, no? I started my Saturday morning at Fernhill Wetlands looking for shorebirds. Nothing spectacular to be found, but some nice birds like a lone Red-necked Phalarope...
Semipalmated Plovers are nice too...
I ran into a Hillsboro birder, Nels Nelson, while walking the loop and we birded together for a bit. We both enjoyed watching the American White Pelicans that have shown up at the wetlands.
Saturday afternoon involved some estate sales where I acquired a new yard buddy:
Yesterday I went out to Tillamook with a friend and wandered around Tillamook Bay Wetlands. It was not especially birdy and the highlights were flyover Greater Yellowlegs and this screaming Red-shouldered Hawk:
I found a couple of cool feathers on the trail...
Red-tailed Hawk
Barn Owl
The dogs did not care that the birding was slow.
After the wetlands we stopped at the Whiskey Creek Fish Hatchery to eat lunch and toss cat food to some rainbow trout.
Other stops included an abandoned house that surprisingly had no animals inside and the Tillamook Forest Center, a place I definitely want to explore more.
This afternoon I spent some time preparing for my first pelagic trip coming up soon. My attention span for studying is pretty short but I managed to do the nerdiest thing I've done in awhile:
I seriously made flash cards. Oh boy. Now if someone will just tell me how you pronounce "jaeger" I will be feeling better about this trip. Good times.
Semipalmated Plovers are nice too...
I ran into a Hillsboro birder, Nels Nelson, while walking the loop and we birded together for a bit. We both enjoyed watching the American White Pelicans that have shown up at the wetlands.
Saturday afternoon involved some estate sales where I acquired a new yard buddy:
I found a couple of cool feathers on the trail...
Red-tailed Hawk
Barn Owl
The dogs did not care that the birding was slow.
After the wetlands we stopped at the Whiskey Creek Fish Hatchery to eat lunch and toss cat food to some rainbow trout.
Other stops included an abandoned house that surprisingly had no animals inside and the Tillamook Forest Center, a place I definitely want to explore more.
This afternoon I spent some time preparing for my first pelagic trip coming up soon. My attention span for studying is pretty short but I managed to do the nerdiest thing I've done in awhile:
I seriously made flash cards. Oh boy. Now if someone will just tell me how you pronounce "jaeger" I will be feeling better about this trip. Good times.
Are you going on the Newport pelagic trip this Saturday? Sarah and I will be there and we can hardly wait!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Sarah told you I'm doing one in California- maybe next time I will try Oregon waters!
DeleteAh nice! I'm pining for a Pelagic too, but don't know when it'll happen.
ReplyDeleteJaeger (yay-ger): from the German jaeger, meaning 'hunter'
Happy hunting out there!
Thanks! That's what I was saying without any clue if it was legit.
DeleteCan't wait to hear about your pelagic trip! Nice feather finds and I always love the dog pics :)
ReplyDeleteHaha that is hella nerdy...good idea though. Half Moon Bay pelagics have been very productive this fall, I don't think this weekend will be any different. Let's hope the ocean is mellow.
ReplyDeleteYes, let's hope.
DeleteThe pelagic trip sounds like fun! I just love your cute dogs. Have a great trip, wishing you happy birding and lots of lifers.
ReplyDeleteI think its pronounced like the lyrics in that country song...Like YEAHGRRR
ReplyDeleteOH I get so sea sick, I would love to go Pelagic, and the few times Ive been out to sea...Its been a TOSS UP.
Love the dogs jumping, More Cool Feathers!!
Haha, a "TOSS UP"... I like what you did there.
DeleteI am envious of your pelagic. I keep meaning to sign up for one but always space. I've been on two before and they were spectacular so I hope the same for you. Flash cards are great....I seem to recall that memorizing underwing patterns was most helpful when they are quickly banking and disappearing behind waves. I hope you get lots of albatross! They are so very very cool and big. And super easy to identify. Good luck and thanks for the cute dog picture. I miss my dogs. They are cute, too.
ReplyDeleteYour dogs are indeed quite cute.
DeleteYou're building a pretty nice feather collection. Send those flash cards this way when you're done. I'll be there first week of October.
ReplyDeleteThe feather collection is out of control. The flash cards will cost you...
DeleteCost me like showing you badass TX birds in a couple months?
DeleteBirds are good... cash is also acceptable.
Delete