I Used to Hate Birds

Last weekend Jacob and I decided to head north to southern Tillamook County to check out some areas I had only driven by before.  Our first destination was supposed to be a forest road I found on the map but it was unfortunately gated on what seemed like private property.  Just up 101 from there is the Neskowin fire station with a little driveway that offers views of the Neskowin Beach Golf Course which has excellent bird habitat.

Kiwanda Creek and Butte Creek

 Coyote keeping an eye on us.

Two Killdeer families were hanging out

After scanning for a bit we continued on north to another area I was curious about, a boat ramp on the Little Nestucca River.  Unfortunately that was closed for the coronavirus.  We went north over the river and turned right on Little Nestucca River Road, much of which is part of Nestucca National Wildlife Refuge.  This road is an eBird hotspot so I hoped it might be birdy.


We stopped at a couple of pull-outs to scan for birds and quickly found my co…

Look, a Swainson's Thrush.


Yup.  There it is.

Everything is so weird right now.  When I start to think too much about all my mild annoyances (or worse, my major annoyances) with the state of affairs I have to stop myself and get back into my crime novel. Or check the bird feeders or start a new game of Candy Crush or go for a walk or start a new garden project or get another cookie or whatever.  It's a game of distraction these days.

5MR Mountain Quail = Distraction level 10

When the beach access parking lots all closed (but beach-walking still permitted) because of the coronavirus I thought the silver lining would be shorebirds partying hard on the beaches.  Nope.  In talking with another local birder a few days ago at a six-foot distance we learned this has probably been the worst spring shorebird migration in recent time. 


This Black-bellied Plover (Distraction level = 9) at the 15th Street access was the most interesting shorebird I saw during the prime weeks of migration, a…