“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.”
― Robert Lynd

There are few things I enjoy more than birding, except perhaps, writing down the birds I’ve seen with a favorite fountain pen.  I saw some amazing birds in the Tillamook area and I took over 200 photographs on January 12, 2015.  There are just a few here because when I returned home, I realized a setting on my camera had been bumped and most of the photos were not useable.  It happens to everyone eventually I guess.  Lesson learned.  Regardless, my list for the day topped out at 44 species, bringing my Big Year total to 69 species so far.  I have a good start on the year, that’s for sure.

The stars of today included the Tundra Bean-goose (from Russia), a few Common Loon’s, a female Ruddy Duck, a couple of Lesser Scaups, Canvasbacks, a Cooper’s Hawk  and a Western Grebe.  I had amazing views of a Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, and of course the goose.

Tundra Bean-goose Netarts National Wildlife Refuge January 12, 2015

Red-tailed Hawk January 12, 2015

List of species seen today:

Netarts, Oregon:

• Herring Gull
• Great Blue Heron
• Common Merganser
• Western Gull
• American Crow
• Red-necked Grebe
• Surf Scoter
• Bufflehead
• Bald Eagle
• Common Loon

Bay Ocean Spit, Tillamook County, Oregon:

• Stellars Jay
• Great Blue Heron
• Common Loon
• Common Raven
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Ring-necked Duck
• American Wigeon
• Northern Pintail
• Canvasback
• American Coot
• Song Sparrow
• Bufflehead
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Gadwall
• Northern Shoveler
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Western Grebe
• Belted Kingfisher
• Lesser Scaup
• Ruddy Duck
• European Starling
• American Robin
• American Crow
• Mourning Dove
• Brewer’s Blackbird
• Rock Dove

Others:

• Tundra Bean-goose (Nestucca WLR)
• Canada Goose (Nestucca WLR)
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Nestucca WLR)
• Dark-eyed Junco (Nestucca WLR)
• Coopers Hawk (Hwy 101)
• Red-tailed Hawk (Hwy 101)
• Mallard (Hwy 101)
• Northern Shoveler (Scappoose, Oregon)
• Sandhill Crane (Scappoose, Oregon)
• Canada Goose (Scappoose, Oregon)
• Western Scrub Jay (Scappoose, Oregon)
• Golden-crowned Sparrow (Scappoose, Oregon)
• Black-capped Chickadee (Scappoose, Oregon)