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Interesting birds reported from Washington County, Oregon. New updates are added to the top of the page, thus the year tends to run backwards from top to bottom. The status of birds given is only for Washington County, unless specified otherwise.
Text below by Greg Gillson. Photos on this page are copyrighted by the photographers and may not be used elsewhere without their direct permission (but you already knew that, didn't you?). Please contact me, Greg Gillson, for instructions on emailing photos for inclusion on this page. Thank you. Washington County, Oregon, Bird Highlights: 2009 Washington County, Oregon, Bird Highlights: 2008 | ||
June 2010: At least one American White Pelican still remained at Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove since 8 birds were first detected in late April (Greg Gillson). A pair of grebes, one a locally rare Clark's Grebe and the other either a Western Grebe or a hybrid between these two species, were at Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove on June 11 (Greg Gillson). As typical, Purple Martins were heard over Hagg Lake on June 11 (Greg Gillson). At least 3 Barred Owls were calling at Hagg Lake just before dawn on June 11 (Greg Gillson). Joe Blowers found two Western Kingbirds at Jackson Bottom Wetlands in Forest Grove on June 5. Greg Gillson spotted one at Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove on June 11. These two reports are about typical for this this rare spring migrant, though they can arrive as early as late April. The third county record this spring, and 9th ever, Greg Gillson spotted a Dusky Flycatcher at Jackson Bottom Wetlands on June 4.
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May 2010: On May 29 Erik Knight photographed a male Great-tailed Grackle at the Tualatin River NWR at Sherwood (Photo here). This is a first county record. Rich Hoyer found 3 Pectoral Sandpipers at Fernhill Wetlands on May 16. While there two Bonaparte's Gulls flew over and 3 Blue-winged Teal were spotted. All these are uncommon to rare annual migrants (though the teal sometimes nest). David Crisman found Barred Owls at Hagg Lake on the night of May 15-16. Detected nearly annually, a Forster's Tern was at Jackson Bottom Wetlands on May 14 (fide Harry Nehls). Detected nearly annually within the county, Doug Robberson spotted a Black Swift over the Tualatin River NWR on May 15. On May 12 Kyle Spinks spotted a rare Yellow-headed Blackbird at the south end of Greenway Park in Beaverton. Not found every year in Washington County, reports of single birds in May are typical. Erik Knight found a female Yellow-headed Blackbird at Tualatin River NWR on May 29. Eight American White Pelicans remained from April to at least May 11 (Steve Nord). Thereafter the number of birds dropped, but one was still present into June. A rare migrant and possible local breeder within the county, a Vesper Sparrow was noted at Fernhill Wetlands on May 11 (Jonathan Plissner). A pair of Purple Martins spent a couple of days during the first two weeks of May at Jackson Bottom Wetlands in Hillsboro. They were photographed on May 6 by Greg Gillson. Leslie Meserve reported two Purple Martins at Fernhill Wetlands on May 4. A rather rare Short-billed Dowitcher was at Jackson Bottom Wetlands May 5 (Greg Gillson). The second report of spring, and first record from Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, a Dusky Flycatcher was found May 5, for the 8th county record (Greg Gillson). Lars Norgren found 2 Black Turnstones on May 3. Lone Solitary Sandpipers were at Jackson Bottom Wetlands the first week of May (Greg Gillson). One was reported from Tualatin River NWR May 1 (fide Leslie Meserve).
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April 2010: This spring featured 3 reports of Dusky Flycatchers, one each in April, May, and June. The first was April 29 at Emma Jones Nature Preserve in Hillsboro by Stefan Schlick. This was the 7th county record. Regular migrants in a very narrow temporal period, 2 Solitary Sandpipers were right on time at Jackson Bottom Wetlands on April 28. Two were at Killin Wetlands, Banks, on September 30, and another north of Banks that same day. Rather rare migrants, locally, Nashville Warblers were noted April 29 at Fernhill Wetlands (Steve Nord) and at Emma Jones Nature Reserve in Hillsboro on April 21. An anonymous report of one bird was from Jackson Bottom Wetlands in Hillsboro on April 30. Another was at Cooper Mountain Nature Park in May(?) but I lost the details. This may turn out to be a decent place to look for high concentrations of migrants in spring. A rare Golden Eagle flew through Jackson Bottom Wetlands on April 17 (Dennis Manzer). Eight American White Pelicans were at Fernhill Wetlands from April 26-29 (Greg Gillson, Steve Nord). A Calliope Hummingbird was reported from Manning on April 27 (fide Harry Nehls). This is about the 10th county record. A juvenile Northern Goshawk was spotted at Noble Woods Park in Hillsboro on April 14. More expected, Greg Gillson spotted a Northern Goshawk near Tophill on April 8. The Gaston Hooded Oriole was reported into April (fide Harry Nehls). March 2010: The Northern Shrike continued at Jackson Bottom Wetlands to March 13 (Leslie Meserve). Continuing a spate of Common Goldeneye reports, three were at Jackson Bottom on March 10 (Greg Gillson). At least 3 different White-throated Sparrows were noted at Jackson Bottom Wetlands during the month (Greg Gillson). The bird present most of the winter disappeared in January (see January report). February 2010:
The Prairie Falcon first found near Verboort on December 26 was spotted near Roy on February 1 (Tom Love). [See December 2009, January 2010] The Gaston Hooded Oriole continued through February, March, and into April. (See January report.) Several Common Goldeneyes, usually rare annual visitors, were reported in various locations throughout the county. A Northern Shrike was at Jackson Bottom starting on February 7 (Greg Gillson) and continuing into March. It may be the same individual as reported back in November (See November 2009 and March 2010). A rare annual visitor, a single Black-crowned Night-Heron was on a pond at the Hillsboro Landfill during the winter (Rick Balazs). It was seen a couple of times in early February, including February 6 (Greg Gillson). An unseasonably early Barn Swallow put in an appearance at Jackson Bottom Wetlands on February 26 (Greg Gillson). A rare annual visitor, a Common Teal was in Hillsboro on February 22 (Stefan Schlick).
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January 2010: Not annual, the 12th county record of Brant was with Cackling Geese at Fernhill Wetlands on February 5 (Steve Nord). An unconfirmed report, without description, of Long-tailed Duck came from Fernhill Wetlands on January 30 (Chris Hein fide Jon Plissner). There are 5 previously accepted records for the county. Also unconfirmed, apparently without photos, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird was reported from Beaverton (fide Harry Nehls). I believe there is only one record for the entire state. On January 28 a Townsend's Solitaire was at Jackson Bottom Wetlands, for a first locality record (Greg Gillson). This species is a rare annual spring migrant and winter visitor in the lowlands, and a rare local breeder in the Coast Range of Washington County. Western Meadowlarks are rare in Washington County, but expected in small numbers in winter. In later winter they form into larger flocks before migrating back to breeding areas (east of the Cascades?). A flock of 29 was at Jackson Bottom Wetlands on January 14 (Greg Gillson). Annual, but difficult to locate, an immature White-throated Sparrow was noted nearly daily at the feeders at Jackson Bottom Wetlands from December through January (Greg Gillson). The Red-shouldered Hawks both at Fernhill Wetlands and at Jackson Bottom Wetlands continued to be reported. The Jackson Bottom bird was noted nearly daily through January (Greg Gillson) and the Fernhill bird was reported January 3 (Em Scattaregia), January 5 (Steve Nord), and January 9 (Larry Maurin). [See December 2009 report.] A rare annual Common Goldeneye, a female, was at Hagg Lake on January 9 (Larry Maurin). Another was at Fernhill Wetlands on January 18 (Greg Gillson). Three rare annual Black-crowned Night-Herons were encountered after dark at Fernhill Wetlands on January 9 by Lars Norgren. As has been the case for the past couple of years, large numbers of winter Canvasbacks were recorded at Jackson Bottom. There were 259 counted on January 12 (Stefan Schlick), 275 counted on January 18 (Joe Blowers), and 246 counted on January 28 (Greg Gillson). This breaks the previous Willamette Valley record of "200+" in January 2006, also at Jackson Bottom. Returning for its 4th consecutive year, the Prairie Falcon first found near Verboort on December 26 was spotted near Roy on January 13 (Stefan Schlick), in the same tree as last year. Also January 24 (Lars Norgren). [See December 2009, February 2010] Two Common Teal were reported from Fernhill Wetlands on January 5 by Steve Nord. There was also a hybrid Common x American Green-winged Teal. The Hooded Oriole in Gaston from December continued through January (Tom Love, Marcia Marvin). [See December 2009, February 2010.] A rare annual winter visitor, four Greater Scaup were at Hagg Lake on January 1 (Greg Gillson). Three rare annual Trumpeter Swans were at Hagg Lake on January 1 and another was near Dilley on January 1 (Greg Gillson). Possibly this same bird was at Jackson Bottom January 7 (Stefan Schlick) and Fernhill Wetlands on January 9 (Larry Maurin).
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Washington County, Oregon, Bird Highlights: 2009 Washington County, Oregon, Bird Highlights: 2008 |
