KenM
Well-known member
Following on from our coastal visit it was back to Portland where I spent the next couple of days planning four more trips- Sauvie Island, Washington Park, Forest Grove (Acorn Woodpecker site), and Mount Tabor (extinct volcano), all visited in previous years, hoping to catch up with some regular species that had so far eluded me! On Sunday 19th I went to Sauvie Island, here I picked up Violet-green Swallow on the overhead wires a stunning hirundine! Also several Cliff Swallows and Red-winged Blackbird all adjacent to the river Williamette...not to mention even more Ospreys, and a Turkey Vulture on the deck!
Monday 20th found me in Washington Park, a superb park overlooking Portland...and in turn on a clear day, being overlooked by the magnificent Mount Hood (in the news this past couple of weeks, for the first ever! reported Cougar attack from Mt.Hood on a lone Woman hiker....a tragic incident).
For the first time in many previous year visits, I failed to connect with Black-throated Grey and Townsend's Warbler, not to mention Rufous Humming bird, American Robin and Varied Thrush (at site, certainly too early for the latter). Just a general lack of regulars, I went back three times, such was my desire to frame these beauties, and once off the ''Max'' (Trolley) replete with Judy Garland's Bell intro....''Clang-clang-clang went the trolley-ding-ding-ding went the bell!''....the park entrance a steep angle of climb (is not for the faint-hearted)....but to no avail! I suspect the birds were just not filtering through (probably a week early?). The secret is to find the Chickadee flock and all should eventually present itself, this I only achieved on my 3rd visit! with Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oregonian Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, Empid sp, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Brown Creeper being the observed players in a single flock with the bonus of a very smart Bewick's Wren which was quite separate from the throng.
On Wednesday 22nd. We headed out via the Max (Trolley) to Hillsboro where we caught the bus to Forest Grove. This is/was...the site of the famous Acorn Woodpecker. Stopped for a sandwich and coffee before entering the campus, after several hours were spent trying to glean any avian activity apart from a preening Accipter high in the Douglas Fir, a Brown Creeper and a Hummer sp. I noted that all the dead branches that were used as ''Acorn larders'' by the birds had been removed, and was told by a passing lecturer, that it was because of Health and Safety, and that he hadn't seen them on the campus this year...surprise, surprise!
Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th found me in S.East Portland on Mount Tabor...still hunting the ''Warblers'' et al, once again I drew a blank on BT.Grey and Townsends, however I found some fresh trip ticks in the shape of Band-tailed Pigeon (a bit distant but adequate views), Steller's Jay, Hutton's Vireo, Rufous and Anna's Hummers also Spotted Towhee .
In conclusion back to Blighty on the morrow (Sat 25th), a fascinating part of the world, from a European perspective, the species that have occurred from that neck of the woods...Varied Thrush, Tufted Puffin and Thayer's Gull etc. all guaranteeing a ''consideration'' for jumping in the jam-jar and driving through the night, for a glimpse of one of these stars! After all, one could easily do a 10 hour (on yer butt+) round trip drive, for one of these megas!
Cheers to all. :t:
Monday 20th found me in Washington Park, a superb park overlooking Portland...and in turn on a clear day, being overlooked by the magnificent Mount Hood (in the news this past couple of weeks, for the first ever! reported Cougar attack from Mt.Hood on a lone Woman hiker....a tragic incident).
For the first time in many previous year visits, I failed to connect with Black-throated Grey and Townsend's Warbler, not to mention Rufous Humming bird, American Robin and Varied Thrush (at site, certainly too early for the latter). Just a general lack of regulars, I went back three times, such was my desire to frame these beauties, and once off the ''Max'' (Trolley) replete with Judy Garland's Bell intro....''Clang-clang-clang went the trolley-ding-ding-ding went the bell!''....the park entrance a steep angle of climb (is not for the faint-hearted)....but to no avail! I suspect the birds were just not filtering through (probably a week early?). The secret is to find the Chickadee flock and all should eventually present itself, this I only achieved on my 3rd visit! with Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oregonian Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, Empid sp, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Brown Creeper being the observed players in a single flock with the bonus of a very smart Bewick's Wren which was quite separate from the throng.
On Wednesday 22nd. We headed out via the Max (Trolley) to Hillsboro where we caught the bus to Forest Grove. This is/was...the site of the famous Acorn Woodpecker. Stopped for a sandwich and coffee before entering the campus, after several hours were spent trying to glean any avian activity apart from a preening Accipter high in the Douglas Fir, a Brown Creeper and a Hummer sp. I noted that all the dead branches that were used as ''Acorn larders'' by the birds had been removed, and was told by a passing lecturer, that it was because of Health and Safety, and that he hadn't seen them on the campus this year...surprise, surprise!
Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th found me in S.East Portland on Mount Tabor...still hunting the ''Warblers'' et al, once again I drew a blank on BT.Grey and Townsends, however I found some fresh trip ticks in the shape of Band-tailed Pigeon (a bit distant but adequate views), Steller's Jay, Hutton's Vireo, Rufous and Anna's Hummers also Spotted Towhee .
In conclusion back to Blighty on the morrow (Sat 25th), a fascinating part of the world, from a European perspective, the species that have occurred from that neck of the woods...Varied Thrush, Tufted Puffin and Thayer's Gull etc. all guaranteeing a ''consideration'' for jumping in the jam-jar and driving through the night, for a glimpse of one of these stars! After all, one could easily do a 10 hour (on yer butt+) round trip drive, for one of these megas!
Cheers to all. :t:
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