This week in birds.

Last Sunday I woke up early to drive out to Sauvie Island before work.  Turns out on a Sunday morning it only takes me twenty minutes to get there and it was still dark when I arrived.  Oops.  But I saw a couple Barn Owls so that was cool, and as soon as it was light the celebrity Northern Mockingbird appeared right where it was supposed to appear.

First county bird of the year. 

On Tuesday morning I walked the dogs up to Mays Lake and caught a brutal Canada Goose fight.  There was neck-biting and thrashing and the excitement of a third goose watching the scene.




Fun stuff.  In the afternoon I was working on chores at home with repeated distractions by birds and hail and rainbows and things. 

MODO's do not grace me with their presence often.  

 Fact:  people love Bushtits.  

 Another fact:  people love combos. 

 The gentleman caller of my weird flicker lady who only eats sunflower seed and not suet. 

This yard regular has also found himself a lady. 

This fellow has yet to find a lady.  Perhaps he is living the dream... 

Thank you for allowing me to get my yard birds out of my system.  Now onto Larch Mountain.  I went up there Wednesday morning to look for bluebirds and see if any clearcuts were conveniently missing their "Permit Required" signs.  I was surprised one of my "favorite" ones was missing its sign, so the dogs and I walked out to check the scene.

Clearcut + paper mill pollution = the northwest

I cannot get used to how much they chop down every year.  This area is where I saw all the nighthawks last year so I know this clearcut very well, yet it looked completely different with even more trees cut.  Big amazing trees that must have been SO old.  It hurts.

Birding was slow there, not a single sparrow in a place that is usually teeming with White-crowneds and juncos.  A couple of Gray Jays were the best birds to show up to my awful pishing.


This is where I hid my camera trap once.   When there were trees.  

That afternoon I took my non-birding friend Jeff out to Steigerwald Lake NWR where despite the wind and threat of doom we saw a lot of cool stuff.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Cinnamon Teal


Thursday I hit up Smith & Bybee Lakes and Broughton Beach, but photo ops were not plentiful.  By Smith Lake this Fox Sparrow was singing quietly:


At Broughton Beach I had at least ten sea lions swimming east, the most I have seen there at one time.  Photos are not worth sharing.  Instead I will share yet another Barn Owl with you here:



I have decided this is my bird of the year.  I don't know what that means really but I do know I keep seeing them randomly. 

Don't bother opening your eyes on my account.

Overall, a pleasant week of local birding.  Good times!!

Comments

  1. That's the Barn Owl Power you have...and IM still batting zero, People say "well you have to go in barns," uhh yeah show me a barn where I wont get an A$$ full of buckshot for trespassing..:o)this is the gun happy South Im living in, people are just itching to pull that trigger. Great weeks sightings, Im drooling over the BANO, the CITE, and BUSH! I finally downloaded the 4 letter standardized list I really must get up to date!
    So sorry to see old growth trees go...those can't regrow in our life times...Here its the same thing only its 16 yr old pines, and then the second cutting is 32 yr pines.

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    1. Ha, yeah, I only go in barns when I'm positive there's no one around to shoot me... Be careful out there.

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  2. just today a birder at a meditation group asked where they could find a barn owl in ct.They are very difficult to find in this state-i've only seen one so good for you! I love the teal,birdfeeder, and deer photos!

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    1. I'll trade you a barn owl for fifteen warbler species!

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  3. Congrats on the county bird. NOMO is something that I used to take for granted, but now it would be a country bird for me too. You are also correct about combo shots, and that one is indeed a good one. But then again, so is anything with Lesser Goldfinch.

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