Vulnerable birds, like threatened Snowy Plovers, that use our coastline have evolved over thousands of years to deal with the hazards of near-constant wind, rip tides and storm surges, hot and cold weather, and predators stealing eggs and young. Only in the last century have they had to deal with a high volume of people recreating directly within their nesting areas.
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Scientists have been pondering dipping for some time. Some species will bob, like a Rock Wren, or teeter, like a Spotted Sandpiper, but nothing dips quite like a dipper—not even some dippers. There are five species of dipper in the world, and two, the South American species, don’t dip. They are also the only ones that don’t habitually forage underwater.
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Birder, educator, and editor extraordinaire, Laura Whittemore has been a part of the Portland Audubon community for more than 30 years. It’s with great sadness for us, but excitement for her, that Laura’s time in Portland is coming to an end. In May, Laura will move to Madison, Wisconsin.
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Portland Audubon is hosting three Big Sits on May 13, this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, throughout important migratory habitats in Oregon: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon, Jackson Bottom Wetlands in Hillsboro, and Nehalem on the northern Oregon coast.
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Why must there be a deeper connection? At this pivotal moment in time, there cannot be too many environmental stewards. Those who speak for nature can theoretically include every one of us, and this is what passively observing nature induces. Specifically, this practice of being in nature encourages the observer to see beauty and commonality in all things.
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This spring, Adult Education’s free Outings program is getting a fresh update! We have heard from many Outings participants and leaders that you wanted a change, and that feedback has birthed Portland Audubon’s new, free, Standing Outings, offered once every month using a lottery-based registration.
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When a Bald Eagle was hit by a vehicle on I-84, Oregon State Police were called to capture the eagle and they bring her into the Wildlife Care Center. Read on to learn about her injuries and recovery, as well as her release on New Year’s Day 2023!
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Many birds migrate away from the colder regions in winter, but our friends spending the season here have myriad creative adaptations for staying warm.
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Many wonder how our wildlife neighbors, Anna’s Hummingbirds, survive the cold weather. The amazing thing is Anna’s Hummingbirds are quite resilient in snow and freezing temperatures and are uniquely adapted to handle the cold. However, if you’d like to assist, here some tips for how you can do so safely.
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Feathers are fascinating from how strong and flexible they are, to how light and protective they are. They’ve even been studied by engineers for their adhesive properties.
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