BLACK-NECKED STILT AT BSNWR

5/16/20

Hi All,

Rosie and I went for a walk over to the local refuge.  I was interested to know if any of the more rare birds which have been reported from there recently were still there.  A couple of Ibis were still lurking out in the east marsh, and I hear the Red-necked Grebe is still below Morgan Lake, but we did not go there.  However, I did get some shots of some Black-necked Stilts on the west side of the east marsh, all while in flight.  I think the best one is the shot where you can see some water droplets falling off his feet. That pic seems the most crisp. With such longs legs it is little wonder why they are called "Stilts."  The birds were a good 50 feet away, so they lack some clarity, but otherwise help me in honing my skills.  Yea, I know, this is only one species this time.  I can assure you there will be more coming. 

RED HOT POKER BIRDS

Hi All,

Today I went over to the coast to bird with my friend Chuck Philo.  My main target was Black Swift, which are just starting to enter the state on the migration path north.  Matter of fact, earlier in the morning a friend from the south coast reported to me over 80 flying north, and this was about 120 miles to our south.

Well, we did not fin any, but in the process of looking for other birds, we were near a patch of plants called, “Red Hot Pokers,” which I have found out are fantastic for birds.  Here are some shots I took from 10-15 feet away of a few birds.

My plan now is to get some for my backyard so that we can view them from our kitchen table while eating.  So if any of you know of a patch where I can dig some up, please let me know.  Thanks.

Male American Goldfinch

Male Western Tanager

Immature Male Western Tanager

Male Western Tanager

Female Black-headed Grosbeak

Male Western Tanager

Male Black-headed Grosbeak

Immature Male Western Tanager

Male Black-headed Grosbeak.  The reason I added this pic is because you can
see some very small "horns" to the upper side of his head.

Female Rufous Hummingbird

2020 SPRING TIME.

March 2020,

I’ve been experimenting trying to get pics of birds flying into my feeder, but so far, the results have not been so great. Later in this group of pics I finally figure out some better settings, so they start getting better toward the end.  That should continue.

My wife notes there are repeats of species I've shot before.  So I guess this is to be expected.  Also, this is getting quite large, so I had better send it off. 

Northern Flicker

Black-capped Chickadee

March 17 - A Burrowing Owl showed up in the coast in Lincoln County, so I called Chuck Philo who was up for such a jaunt.  I left home about 5:30 so as to stop at Darrel Faxon’s place to try for a Barred Owl, which was cooperative, barely.  Then it was on to Chuck’s to pick him up and headed North to the Salishan Spit.  We had to walk about 2 miles, but finally found it in the driftwood, a situation they sometimes patronize.  He was quite cooperative, so these shots are under 10 feet.  The next day I had to run some errands in town so took these shots of coots and a horned lark afterwards.  

Burrowing Owl

Burrowing Owl.  You can tell he is in the shadow of a branch

The diminutive American Coot

American Coot

Cinnamon Teal

Horned Lark

Horned Lark

3/20/20
As it was Sunday and assuming there would be less traffic in Portland, I headed that way to work on that particular county.  I had maybe 10 potential birds to look for, but it turned out to be a wash.  Due to the virus, everyone and his brother were out getting fresh air in the various parks where I went, such that I think I saw more people than birds.  But I did get one good one, a Western Screech Owl which has been wintering in a hole in a dead tree and even got a reasonable picture of him.

Western Screech Owl

California Scrub Jay

3/28/20
It is not often that you can see a Great Blue Heron and Wild Turkeys in the same field of view, but here it is.

Dark-eyed Junco

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Female Red-Winged Blackbird

Stellar's Jay

Horned Lark

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Female Brewer's Blackbird

Male Violet-green Swallow.  A couple pair are nesting at my place now

Cliff Swallows

Yellow-rumped Warbler

A male House Wren just arrived at my place

Brewer's  Blackbird.  Check out that irredescence.....

5/4/20

Osprey fishing

Band-tailed Pigeon.  This was after I finally figured out better settings for flying birds. 
While the light was too bright and washed it out, the bird is in pretty good focus.

Male Western Bluebird

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Black Phoebe

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Female Northern Harrier.  This is the mate of the male which I posted last time.

Same as above

Female Evening Grosbeak

Male Brown Cowbird

A pair of Brown Cowbirds, with the male showing off for the female

A pair of Bald Eagles

Turkey Vulture.  She looks primped for a beauty contest

Male American Goldfinch