The expert longtimers were disappointed with the numbers of birds we saw on Saturday, but the group as a whole set a record for number of species sighted in Lake Oswego, Oregon: 83 or 84, depending on how one species is to be reported.
I saw 25 species myself:
Canada Goose -24
Gull sp. -4
Anna’s Hummingbird -5
Downy Woodpecker -2
Hairy Woodpecker -1
Pileated Woodpecker -1 (but seen twice and they are a marvel!)
Steller’s Jay -19
Western Scrub-Jay -8
American Crow -36
Black-capped Chickadee -81
Chestnut-backed Chickadee -3
Bushtit -24
Red-breasted Nuthatch -1
Brown Creeper -1 (Nice spotting, traveling up a huge fir tree, head up, tucked in, spiraling as he goes.)
Golden-crowned Kinglet -11
American Robin -83
Varied Thrush -9
European Starling -17
Townsend’s Warbler -2
Spotted Towhee -6
Song Sparrow -21
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) -76
Lesser Goldfinch -24
House Sparrow -1
I’m a little tired of counting :-) but this represents 460 birds, 7 1/4 hours (spotting time only, and not at Peet’s before and after) and 9.6 miles.
The weather was chilly, but it never rained or snowed, and I wore just the right clothes. The woman paired with me did not bring lunch, so I worked through until I got a fresh latte and molasses cookie at the meet-up and compile our numbers spot. Aside from being tired and hungy, I was pleased with the day.
I also was able to — with expert opinion from three Portland Audubon board members — feel confident that the goldfinches really were Lesser (they are moving in the area) and probably were what I saw a couple of years ago.
I like mysteries solved.
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sounsd like a good birding count! Good list of species,
i am soooo jealous. i think next year i am going to have to participate in the pdx xmas count.
Bah! I just commented but forgot to fill inthe required fields. What I said: How do you know the names of all the birds? I am a novice birder, know only a handful without book handy, but birds are too quick for me to look, remember, check book. Or maybe I’m too old!
Wish we lived closer so we could bird together!