Whereas the Black Phoebes that were spotted during winters over much of the Willamette Valley for the last decade were assumed to be reverse migrants, over the last few years, many seem to have simply stayed, found a mate, and are now year-round breeding birds at many of our local areas, especially along the Columbia Slough.
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Willamette Valley is home to large numbers of wintering birds, and birders in this area define the season in terms of waterfowl and sparrows, gulls and raptors. Winter birding has a charm of its own and it may be the season many of us value the most – perhaps not for what birds the winter brings, but for what birding brings to winter.
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In October, we wrapped up the thirteenth consecutive Vaux’s Swift monitoring season at Chapman Elementary School and other chimney sites in the Portland metro area. The roost at Chapman is considered one of the most important stopover points on the Pacific Flyway and can host up to 15,000 swifts in a single night!
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This fall, we are delighted to share that a dedicated core group of Outings Volunteers will begin leading outings again, with strict COVID protocols in place that we are confident will keep participants safe while enabling us to enjoy one another’s company together again.
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In consultation with our partners, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Swift Watch for the second year in a row.
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When the hot weather hit, I feared the worst. These birds would be too small to get their own water, and, in that heat, I worried the mother wouldn’t be able to provide her young with enough.
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This summer, Portland Audubon is excited to launch The Bird Days of Summer, a suite of sliding-scale programs designed to engage new audiences in nature and birding. Together, we’re striving to build an inclusive community that is accessible to all.
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Of the 149 birds of North America that have honorific names, all of them are named after white people. Whether they were named after the “discoverer” of the birds (Wilson’s Warbler, for example, named by Alexander Wilson) or in honor of someone else (like Franklin’s Gull, named in honor of the leader of a scientific expedition), these birds were all named in a time and place where only white men were allowed to be in these positions of power and privilege.
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On January 2, 2021, Portland held our 95th annual (and first “Covid-safe”) Christmas Bird Count, under wet and windy conditions. The weather was the last and least of this year’s challenges.
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We all know and love the Chapman Vaux’s Swifts. Here are the observations from staffer Candace Larson on how they are behaving in the midst of the smoke.
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