Bird Watching - The Outdoor Directory for Birding

Nature's varied shades of green in Spring are so lovely with yellow the dominant base of all the varied spring greens unfolding on the trees and shrubs and grasses. Later in the year the sun will harden the greens of spring into the darker even brownish and blackish greens of summer. But for this morning yet the unfolding of all the hues of spring green drew us out into the woods for a walk midst the morning chorus of bird songs. The woods here are filled with small clouds of birds this time of year. Some are active with the breeding colors of the new season others feeding and foraging heavily as they pause on their journey northward to their breeding grounds.

The trees tops this morning are heavy with Evening Grosbeaks and Black Headed Grosbeaks. A small cloud of Pine Siskins are feeding in the alders and birches. Several Purple Finches are mixed in with all the Grosbeaks. After a brief rain shower we turn our focus from the tree tops to the ground shrubbery and spotted several Song Sparrows. A Rufus Hummingbird darts past my head. As always the ever present local residents are flying by throughout the morning: the Black Cap Chickadees, the Chestnut Backed Chickadees and Red Breasted Nuthatches.

Posted by bill@birdingguide.com at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For another season a pair of Red Tail Hawks are nesting on a fire escape in downtown Portland OR. The young hawks have hatched. You can follow their growth and nest activity from a camera mounted at the nesting site. Go to KGW.com/raptorcam for past photos and a live camera feed.

Posted by bill@birdingguide.com at 06:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Spring and winter are pushing against each other for dominance this year here in the Northwest. We have had a light snow fall for three mornings at our elevation of only 660 feet, which is most unusual for the Coast Range. Such late freezing weather is a big concern for the fruit orchards with are in bloom. With spring and winter overlapping so much I went on a mid April snowshoe trip to Mt Hood in celebration of my 62nd birthday. With over 15 feet of snow on the ground I snowshoed up a steep mountain ridge on the east side of Mt Hood to Elk Meadow, a lovely bowl of wild flowers in the spring, but still deeply covered in snow. Pushing back against winter the birds of spring are arriving even with all the snow. Dozens of Tree Creepers were in the forest, the songs of Robins were ever present and I caught a glimpse of a couple of warblers. The forest around Elk Meadow at 4,500 feet in elevation, though still snowbound, had many orange and brown California Tortiseshell butterflies flying through the trees. A wonderful day it was but I do hope the butterflies in the snow signal the end of winter soon.

Posted by bill@birdingguide.com at 07:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here in the coastal range of the Pacific Northwest we are experiencing a delightful invasion of Varied Thrushes. One can not look out any window of our house without seeing these black, gray and striking orange birds foraging in the lawns for insects, worms and snails. Any apples that have remained all winter on the trees are attractive to the Varied Thrush. Typical of the far west, British Columbia and Alaska they sometimes stray all the way to the Atlantic. They nest in conifers but sometimes also on the ground. Their songs, especially at dawn and dusk, are enchanting. Each evening I enjoy walking the old logging road to listen to their music. In the mornings I pause before getting into my car to listen again to their morning song. There is something about their song that makes it difficult to locate the position of the singer. Their numbers will taper off as many will move on to Alaska before their return in the Fall. but for now what a delight to see them running across the yard and flying through our trees.

Posted by bill@birdingguide.com at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Our male Rufus Hummingbirds returned right on schedule last weekend. The females will soon follow. Some birding excitement around here last week. Our neighbors spotted a couple of Banannaquits. One hit their window and was stunned but recovered quickly. These birds are tropical and are only known as strays in southern Florida. The birds at my neighbors are obviously escapees but still it was nice to get a close look before they flew off.

HAPPY EASTER

Bill@birdingguide.com

Posted by bill@birdingguide.com at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Rufus Hummingbirds that spend the spring and early summer nesting here at our house are due to arrive the day after tomorow. This week has been quite cold so I am curious to see if they delay their return. For years they have showed up plus or minus 24 hours of the 15th of March. the first ones will be males which is typical of migrating birds in the spring The first sighting and the first major movements of all spring birds are nearly always the males. Different species begin their northward migration at different times, of course, but the birds among the same species feel the drive to move at the same time. Usually the birds do not move in one massive flight but in a series of waves. One group following the other. We are waiting for our little "Hummers".

Posted by bill@birdingguide.com at 08:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)