September 3, 2018

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters
(where rarities show up but only a day or two after I leave)

Before we headed back to Salem, we stopped at Headquarters to bird the pond, feeders, and general premises.

Great Horned Owl; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Mountain Cottontail (I think?); Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Turkey Vultures; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Turkey Vultures; killin’ them parasites or just enjoying the sun?; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Great Horned Owl; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Townsend’s Solitaire; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Common Nighthawk; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Rufous Hummingbird; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Lewis’s Woodpecker; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Last Quarter; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge –  Headquarters; Harney County, Oregon; September 3, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

 

No new species.

September 2, 2018

Steens Mountain 

The focus of our trip to the Steens was to find Black Rosy-finches and to do some hiking.

We didn’t find any Black Rosy-finches for certain. We did see a flock of birds afar that sounded like Black Rosy-finches, and looked the right size, but I did not get good enough looks of them.

Rock Wrens, however, accompanied us everywhere we went. Species #223.

Enjoy some Rock Wren photos and some photos of the Steens and Wildhorse Lake.

Rock Wren; East Rim Lookout; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

Rock Wren; East Rim Lookout; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

East Rim Lookout; Steens Mountain; view facing east; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

East Rim Lookout; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

East Rim Lookout; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

East Rim Lookout; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

East Rim Lookout; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

Wildhorse Lake; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

Wildhorse Lake; Steens Mountain; September 2, 2018; photography by Linda Burfitt.

New Birds for 2018: 1
2018 Year-to-Date Talley: 223

September 1, 2018

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and Greater Area

Diamond Loop Road

New species: Loggerhead Shrike and Sage Thrasher (not great photos)

Loggerhead Shrike; Diamond Loop Road; Harney County, Oregon; September 1, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Somewhere along Diamond Loop Road; Harney County, Oregon; September 1, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Sage Thrasher; Diamond Loop Road; Harney County, Oregon; September 1, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Rockford Lane

New species: Sagebrush Sparrow (no photo)

Benson Pond (full eBird list here)

New species: Long-billed Dowitcher

Mostly America Avocets transitioning into their winter plumage; Benson Pond; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge; September 1, 2018.

Great Egrets; Benson Pond; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge; September 1, 2018.

Long-billed Dowitchers and American Wigeons; Benson Pond; Malheur National Wildlife Refuge; September 1, 2018.

New Birds for 2018: 4
2018 Year-to-Date Talley: 222

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 26, 2018

Cabin Lake, Lake County, Oregon

Cabin Lake is a birding hotspot that is maintained by the Eastern Cascades Audubon Society (ECAS) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). In the middle of nowhere, in a sea of ponderosa pine, juniper, and sagebrush, the ECAS (and/or the USFS?) built two bird blinds and installed two cisterns to attract birds. They did this for birders. #bless. Thankfully I did not pack my swimsuit because the lake at Cabin Lake has been dry for more than a century.

I took a lot of photos, and it’s easier (i.e., quicker) for this post to omit captions for now. I’ll revisit soon and update them! What follows is my full list of bird species from this site.

White-headed Woodpecker
Clark’s Nutcracker
Mountain Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Red Crossbill
Green-tailed Towhee (new species!)
Yellow-rumped Warbler

New Birds for 2018: 1
2018 Year-to-Date Talley: 218

August 25, 2018

Crater Lake National Park

Garfield Peak Trail

Olive-sided Flycatcher (great views, finally!!)
Clark’s Nutcracker

Crater Lake, looking so dreary and awful; Crater Lake National Park; Klamath County, Oregon; August 25, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Hiking up to Garfield Peak; Crater Lake National Park; Klamath County, Oregon; August 25, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Clark’s Nutcracker feeding on white pine; Crater Lake National Park; Klamath County, Oregon; August 25, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Olive-sided Flycatcher; Crater Lake National Park; Klamath County, Oregon; August 25, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Olive-sided Flycatcher; Crater Lake National Park; Klamath County, Oregon; August 25, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

 

Cleetwood Trail

Canada Jay (seen while trying to find parking; hence, no photos)

Hiking down the Cleetwood Trail to go swimming in the lake; Crater Lake National Park; Klamath County, Oregon; August 25, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

Hiking down the Cleetwood Trail to go swimming in the lake; Crater Lake National Park; Klamath County, Oregon; August 25, 2018; photograph by Linda Burfitt.

New Birds for 2018: 3
2018 Year-to-Date Talley: 217