[obol] Washington - Tillamook County Birdathon (Late Post)

[D.Max Smith]

On Saturday, April 28, the Audubon Society of Portland Birdathon team 
“Swansong’s Seniors and Cygnets” saw and heard 93 species of birds in 
Washington and Tillamook Counties. The group consisted of birders of all 
levels, was organized by Pat Campbell, and was led by Sarah Swanson and 
myself. We began the day at Tualatin Hills Nature Park, then loaded up in 
our van and proceeded to Dawson Creek Corporate Park and Fernhill Wetlands 
before stopping for lunch near Banks. Following lunch, we drove to Killin 
Wetlands, then crossed the Coast Range and braved the high winds while 
finishing the day at Tillamook Bay, Oceanside, and Netarts Bay. Below are 
the highlights from each stop.

Tualatin Hills Nature Park:   We had great looks at a pair of COOPER’S HAWKS 
at their nest near the Nature Park entrance. We heard singing PURPLE 
FINCHES, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, WILSON’S 
WARBLERS, and a VARIED THRUSHES. We also saw a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD 
perched on a snag and a male WESTERN TANAGER foraging high in an oak.

Dawson Creek:   The team was thrilled to see a GREAT-HORNED OWL sitting on a 
nest in a broken-top ash tree. Its mate was perched nearby. We enjoyed 
viewing the always-reliable ACORN WOODPECKERS as well. As we were loading up 
the van, a singing SAVANNAH SPARROW bid us farewell.

Fernhill Wetland:   We walked the Fernhill Lake loop and saw a young 
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, a VAUX’S SWIFT, a BALD EAGLE, 
GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and several broods of CANADA GOOSE goslings.

Lunch Stop:   We watched a pair of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS at a nest box, saw a 
pair of CHIPPING SPARROWS, and ate a great lunch prepared by Pat.

Killin Wetlands:  The afternoon birding was slow at first, but we finally 
heard and saw an AMERICAN BITTERN near the road and heard a SORA in the 
distance.

Tillamook Bay:   The weather took a drastic change upon arriving at the 
coast and the high winds made it hard to locate many birds. Despite the 
weather, we saw huge rafts of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, a large flock of 
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, huge groups of WESTERN SANDPIPERS and DUNLINS, and a 
few SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS.

Oceanside:   We hit the beach and walked towards Three-arch Rocks. A huge 
cloud of birds swarming around the rocks indicated that something had been 
harassing the seabirds. We soon learned that three BALD EAGLES were the 
culprits, dive-bombing the rocks with their legs and talons extended. The 
light was tough, but we were able to identify COMMON MURRES and PELAGIC 
CORMORANTS perched on the rocks, braving the aerial assault. Several SURF 
SCOTERS were bobbing in the waves in front of the rocks.

Netarts Bay:   We were able to pick up a few more species swimming in the 
bay at the end of the trip. The bay’s proximity to the road allowed us to 
identify WESTERN GREBES, PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, and breeding-plumaged 
BONAPARTE’S GULLS from the van. We had to pull out the scopes one more time 
to identify a COMMON LOON, a PACIFIC LOON, and a COMMON GOLDENEYE. There 
appeared to be more birds in the bay, but our time was up, so we turned east 
for Beaverton.



Full species list; (N) indicates that nesting behavior was observed:

PACIFIC LOON
COMMON LOON
WESTERN GREBE
BROWN PELICAN
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
PELAGIC CORMORANT
AMERICAN BITTERN
GREAT BLUE HERON (N)
GREAT EGRET
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
CANADA GOOSE (N)
WOOD DUCK
GADWALL
AMERICAN WIGEON
MALLARD
CINNAMON TEAL
NORTHERN SHOVELER
GREEN-WINGED TEAL
RING-NECKED DUCK
GREATER SCAUP
LESSER SCAUP
SURF SCOTER
BUFFLEHEAD
COMMON GOLDENEYE
RUDDY DUCK
TURKEY VULTURE
BALD EAGLE
COOPER'S HAWK (N)
RED-TAILED HAWK
AMERICAN KESTREL
SORA
AMERICAN COOT
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER
KILLDEER
GREATER YELLOWLEGS
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
WESTERN SANDPIPER
DUNLIN
COMMON SNIPE
BONAPARTE'S GULL
WESTERN GULL
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL
CASPIAN TERN
COMMON MURRE
PIGEON GUILLEMOT
ROCK DOVE
BAND-TAILED PIGEON
MOURNING DOVE
GREAT-HORNED OWL (N)
VAUX'S SWIFT
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
ACORN WOODPECKER
DOWNY WOODPECKER
NORTHERN FLICKER
HUTTON'S VIREO
STELLER'S JAY
WESTERN SCRUB JAY
AMERICAN CROW
COMMON RAVEN
TREE SWALLOW (N)
BARN SWALLOW
CLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE
BUSHTIT (N)
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
BROWN CREEPER (N)
BEWICK'S WREN
WINTER WREN
MARSH WREN
WESTERN BLUEBIRD (N)
AMERICAN ROBIN (N)
VARIED THRUSH
EUROPEAN STARLING
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
WILSON'S WARBLER
WESTERN TANAGER
SPOTTED TOWHEE
CHIPPING SPARROW
SAVANNAH SPARROW
SONG SPARROW
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
DARK-EYED JUNCO
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD
PURPLE FINCH
HOUSE FINCH
PINE SISKIN
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
HOUSE SPARROW

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