2011 July 30 - Sauvie Island

The weather managed to work its way from a chilly morning to a sunny and truly "July" kind of day. This is the list of 56 species I recorded. Please comment on any corrections.

Canada Goose. Branta canadensis.

Wood Duck. Aix sponsa.

Pied-billed Grebe. Podilymbus podiceps.

Double-crested Cormorant. Phalacrocorax auritus.

American White Pelican. Pelecanus erythrorhynchos.

Great Blue Heron. Ardea herodias.

Great Egret. Ardea alba.

Turkey Vulture. Cathartes aura.

Osprey. Pandion haliaetus.

Bald Eagle. Haliaeetus leucocephalus.

Northern Harrier. Circus cyaneus.

Cooper's Hawk. Accipiter cooperii.

American Kestrel. Falco sparverius.

American Coot. Fulica americana.

Killdeer. Charadrius vociferus.

Spotted Sandpiper. Actitis macularius.

Greater Yellowlegs. Tringa melanoleuca.

Semipalmated Sandpiper. Calidris pusilla.

Wilson’s Snipe. Gallinago delicata.

Mew Gull. Larus canus.

Rock Pigeon. Columba livia.

Eurasian Collared-Dove. Streptopelia decaocto

Mourning Dove. Zenaida macroura.

Belted Kingfisher. Megaceryle alcyon.

Downy Woodpecker. Picoides pubescens.

Northern Flicker. Colaptes auratus.

Western Wood-Pewee. Contopus sordidulus.

Willow Flycatcher. Empidonax traillii.

Western Scrub-Jay. Aphelocoma californica.

American Crow. Corvus brachyrhynchos.

Purple Martin. Progne subis.

Tree Swallow. Tachycineta bicolor.

Violet-green Swallow. Tachycineta thalassina.

Cliff Swallow. Petrochelidon pyrrhonota.

Black-capped Chickadee. Poecile atricapillus.

Bushtit. Psaltriparus minimus.

White-breasted Nuthatch. Sitta carolinensis.

Brown Creeper. Certhia americana.

Bewick's Wren. Thryomanes bewickii.

House Wren. Troglodytes aedon.

Swainson's Thrush. Catharus ustulatus.

American Robin. Turdus migratorius.

European Starling. Sturnus vulgaris.

Cedar Waxwing. Bombycilla cedrorum.

Townsend's Warbler. Dendroica townsendi.

Common Yellowthroat. Geothlypis trichas.

Spotted Towhee. Pipilo maculatus.

Chipping Sparrow. Spizella passerina.

Song Sparrow. Melospiza melodia.

Black-headed Grosbeak. Pheucticus melanocephalus.

Lazuli Bunting. Passerina amoena.

Brewer's Blackbird. Euphagus cyanocephalus.

Bullock’s Oriole. Icterus bullockii

House Finch. Carpodacus mexicanus.

Lesser Goldfinch. Spinus psaltria.

American Goldfinch. Spinus tristis.

Streaked Horned Lark egg swap

"Wildlife biologists are employing a little trickery to stop the downward spiral of a rare grassland bird in Western Washington. Friday, biologists are taking eggs from healthier [Streaked Horned] larks in Oregon and swapping them into western Washington nests, hoping the lark mothers don't notice."

Hummingbird video

A lovely, behind the scenes view of the filming of the PBS "Nature" documentary on hummingbirds.

2011 July 16 - Mt. Hood

I recorded 32 species on this trip. Highlights included finding an American Three-Toed Woodpecker nest at the Cooper Spur burn, seeing a diversity of birds at the Cooper Spur Resort, and finding a juvenile Clark's Nutcracker begging from its parent in the Timberline Lodge parking lot.

Vaux's Swift. Chaetura vauxi.

Rufous Hummingbird. Selasphorus rufus.

Sapsucker species

Hairy Woodpecker. Picoides villosus.

American Three-toed Woodpecker. Picoides dorsalis.

Northern Flicker. Colaptes auratus.

Olive-sided Flycatcher. Contopus cooperi.

Western Wood-Pewee. Contopus sordidulus.

Warbling Vireo. Vireo gilvus.

Gray Jay. Perisoreus canadensis.

Steller's Jay. Cyanocitta stelleri.

Clark's Nutcracker. Nucifraga columbiana.

Common Raven. Corvus corax.

Violet-green Swallow. Tachycineta thalassina.

Mountain Chickadee. Poecile gambeli.

Red-breasted Nuthatch. Sitta canadensis.

Brown Creeper. Certhia americana.

Mountain Bluebird. Sialia currucoides.

Townsend's Solitaire. Myadestes townsendi.

Swainson's Thrush. Catharus ustulatus.

Hermit Thrush. Catharus guttatus.

American Robin. Turdus migratorius.

Yellow-rumped Warbler. Dendroica coronata.

Chipping Sparrow. Spizella passerina.

White-crowned Sparrow. Zonotrichia leucophrys.

Dark-eyed Junco. Junco hyemalis.

Western Tanager. Piranga ludoviciana.

Brewer's Blackbird. Euphagus cyanocephalus.

Purple Finch. Carpodacus purpureus.

Cassin's Finch. Carpodacus cassinii.

Red Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra.

Pine Siskin. Spinus pinus.

2011 Summer Term Reading List

From Dan's email....

Please choose one book from this suggested list. Some of this stuff can get pretty heady and out there. I really want to focus on the benefits and importance of nature, being in nature, understanding nature and how it applies to our experiences in birds and birding, if and where it is applicable. Being therapeutic, a basic human need etc. and what happens if we are deprived of it. Be very pragmatic in your descriptions of whatever title you choose, when presenting to class, backed up with facts and examples.

You may choose to work in small groups if you would like. By next class please choose a book and so we may find out who else is reading it. You can still change your mind on Wednesday :) I will check in periodically to see how progress is going.

The Voice of the Earth: An Exploration of Ecopsychology - Theodore Roszak

Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World - Bill Plotkin

Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche - Bill Plotkin

Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind - Linda Buzzel

Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth Healing the Mind - Theodore Roszak

Reconnecting with Nature - Michael J. Cohen

Partnering with Nature - Catriona MacGregor


I recommend the following to be read as complimentary to one of the above. Most of the books about animals have a strong focus on domesticated pets.

Beyond Words: Talking with Animals and Nature - Marta Williams

Learning their Language: Intuitive Communication with Animals and Nature - Marta Williams

2011 July 9 - Clackamas County

What a lovely day for our first School of Birding Summer Term field trip! We missed the Black-backed Woodpecker but ended with a Spotted Sandpiper, and we found some wonderful birds and locations. I listed 54 species.
Elizabeth

Canada Goose. Branta canadensis.
Ring-necked Duck. Aythya collaris.
Barrow's Goldeneye. Bucephala islandica.
Hooded Merganser. Lophodytes cucullatus.
Turkey Vulture. Cathartes aura.
Osprey. Pandion haliaetus.
Bald Eagle. Haliaeetus leucocephalus.
Red-tailed Hawk. Buteo jamaicensis.
American Kestrel. Falco sparverius.
Spotted Sandpiper. Actitis macularius.
Vaux's Swift. Chaetura vauxi.
Anna's Hummingbird. Calypte anna.
Rufous Hummingbird. Selasphorus rufus.
Belted Kingfisher. Megaceryle alcyon.
Red-naped Sapsucker. Sphyrapicus nuchalis.
Red-breasted Sapsucker. Sphyrapicus ruber.
Hairy Woodpecker. Picoides villosus.
Northern Flicker. Colaptes auratus.
Pileated Woodpecker. Dryocopus pileatus.
Hammond's Flycatcher. Empidonax hammondii.
Warbling Vireo. Vireo gilvus.
Steller's Jay. Cyanocitta stelleri.
American Crow. Corvus brachyrhynchos.
Common Raven. Corvus corax.
Tree Swallow. Tachycineta bicolor.
Violet-green Swallow. Tachycineta thalassina.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Stelgidopteryx serripennis.
Cliff Swallow. Petrochelidon pyrrhonota.
Barn Swallow. Hirundo rustica.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Poecile rufescens.
Red-breasted Nuthatch. Sitta canadensis.
Golden-crowned Kinglet. Regulus satrapa.
Swainson's Thrush. Catharus ustulatus.
Hermit Thrush. Catharus guttatus.
American Robin. Turdus migratorius.
Varied Thrush. Ixoreus naevius.
European Starling. Sturnus vulgaris.
Cedar Waxwing. Bombycilla cedrorum.
Orange-crowned Warbler. Oreothlypis celata.
Yellow Warbler. Dendroica petechia.
Yellow-rumped Warbler. Dendroica coronata.
Hermit Warbler. Dendroica occidentalis.
MacGillivray's Warbler. Oporornis tolmiei.
Common Yellowthroat. Geothlypis trichas.
Spotted Towhee. Pipilo maculatus.
Chipping Sparrow. Spizella passerina.
Song Sparrow. Melospiza melodia.
Lincoln's Sparrow. Melospiza lincolnii.
White-crowned Sparrow. Zonotrichia leucophrys.
Western Tanager. Piranga ludoviciana.
Red-winged Blackbird. Agelaius phoeniceus.
Cassin's Finch. Carpodacus cassinii.
Red Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra.
Pine Siskin. Spinus pinus.