[obol] Grosbeaks and interesting yard birds

[Kyle Spinks]

Hi all,
I don't post often (perhaps not often enough?) but the latest thread regarding a dearth of yard birds triggered something in me about what I'm seeing on my farm out in rural Hillsboro.  I'm exactly 6 miles south on Hwy 219 on a knoll with a filbert orchard, around which approximately 3/4 mile of Christensen Creek flows.  I have several feeders up and have been getting a variety of birds lately.  This isn't as comprehensive a list as some of the more diligent birders on OBOL post, but I gotta be at work or otherwise busy off the farm each day, so I'm sure I'm missing a few.  Anyway, here's my list of birds seen in the last month:

Black-headed Grosbeak (adults and yoy)
Black-capped Chickadee (year-round visitors)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (year-round visitors)
Robins, robins, robins (I have usually 50 in the orchard at almost any one moment)
Scrub Jay
Steller's Jay
Mourning Dove
European Starling (got 'em out of my barn earlier this year, but they renested somewhere close by)
Violet-green Swallow (Thanks, Kelly for helping me to ID these)
Great-horned Owl (a family nests in the trees and I hear them almost year-round)
Red-tailed Hawk (soaring overhead and occasionally perching in one of the taller oaks)
American Crow
American Goldfinch (LOTS and both adults and yoy)
Lesser Goldfinch (I think...but I only got a quick glance about a week ago)
House Finch (year-round visitors)
Dark-eyed Junco (year-round visitors)
Swainson's Thrush (heard this one a couple weeks ago down by the creek)
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Flickers (scaring the heck outta the cats when the drum on the chimney flashing!)
Great Blue Heron
Cedar Waxwing

There are a few that I'm forgetting, but it's a nice little list nonetheless.  I'd be happy to show any birder around the farm...drop me an email.

Kyle Spinks

Natural Resources Technician
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District
Natural Resources Department
5500 SW Arctic Drive, Suite 2
Beaverton, Oregon 97005
503-629-6305 x2952