Little Birder: Excellent Early May Weekend

I knew it was going to happen. May arrived, and with it came photos and checklists from my friends in Chicago. Migration was beginning to ramp up there, when a walk to work can produce more warblers than I'll see all year in Oregon. I love every part of living in the PNW again, but for these couple weeks (and a couple more in the fall) I do miss Chicagoland and its neotropical migrants.

That sentiment hasn't changed altogether, but my regrets over not being back in Illinois right now have been mitigated after an awesome weekend of birding in my new home state. All told, I picked up 133 species on Friday, and 173 by the time Saturday's total had been added to it. Fifty-four year birds. County ticks galore. And, seven state lifers brought me into the 300 club for Oregon. Here's how it happened.

Friday, May 6.

The alarm went off at 3:05 AM and I was on the road a little after 3:30. I was headed south and hoped to get to my first destination at sunrise. I timed it just right and had a really lovely hike at dawn.

Sunrise

Lower Table Rock, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

The early morning sun lit up a new location for me— Lower Table Rock in Jackson County. I had picked this spot at the suggestion of Russ Namitz after sharing some of my target birds with him. I began the day with 295 species for Oregon, and since this was my first time birding the southern part of the state, I was hoping for a nice bump in the state list. It didn't take long for that hope to come to fruition in the form of this enjoyable bundle of birds.

#296:

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Lower Table Rock, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

#297:

Lark Sparrow

Lower Table Rock, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

#298

Oak Titmouse

Lower Table Rock, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

#299 was the California Towhee, chilling with an Ash-throated Flycatcher.

California Towhee with Ash-throated Flycatcher

Lower Table Rock, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

It turned out that Ash-throats and their distinct calls were rather ubiquitous all the way from the parking area to the top of Lower Table Rock.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Lower Table Rock, Jackson Co, OR

My next stop was at the ponds along Avenue G where I was hoping for one state lifer and came away with another. Upon getting out of the car I heard an elongated call that seemed to me to belong to a mockingbird, but I couldn't see the bird. So I checked the pond area, where I got skunked by the resident Great-tailed Grackle. I returned to my car and drove in the direction of the call I had heard earlier. Sure enough, on the other side of Avenue G, there was my Oregon #300 singing its little masquerading heart out.

Northern Mockingbird

Ave G, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

The Kirtland Ponds had some waterfowl diversity and a little group of shorebirds, including some Black-necked Stilts and a handful of Western Sandpipers.

Black-necked Stilt

Kirtland Ponds, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

As I finished there, it was 10:30 and I had a decision to make. I knew I wanted to end the day in southern Klamath County, but I was also interested in the Grizzly Peak area. My day had been efficient enough to that point that I decided to book it south for a little montane birding.

The drive up to Shale City Road was a treat for me as the extended oak habitat was new to me; as I continually climbed the views back down the valley behind me grew more and more impressive. A Bullock's Oriole was singing away around one corner, a Black-headed Grosbeak around the next, with some more gnatcatchers in between.

Trees topped with my first Western Tanagers of the year began Shale City Road for me, and the next four and a half miles up to the trailhead were an absolute blast. I had the window down as I cruised along, hearing the usual suspects. A Cassin's Vireo and a buzzy warbler call caused me to pull over and take my first extended stop along the road. I got on the vireo and kept hearing some other passerine activity, so I started the pulsing whistle of a Pygmy Owl to see if I could rustle up some more.

To my surprise, I got a response from an owl almost immediately! I was about to strike a dialogue with it when a Ruffed Grouse began its drumming display nearby, another surprise! I put my owl interest on pause for a moment to try to track down the grouse. I ended up seeing it briefly, but not satisfactorily, as these kinds of searches usually ago. Still, it had been a long time since I had heard one drumming, so I was pretty excited.

The owl was calling all the while, so I put some effort into finding it. I was unsuccessful, but the search wasn't in vain because in the process I ran into the source of that buzzy warbler song, a very friendly Hermit Warbler! These were some of my best looks at this species, an absolute delight.

Hermit Warbler

Shale City Rd, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

Then a Nashville joined the party.

Nashville Warbler

Shale City Rd, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

By this point I was a big fan of Shale City Road. I continued towards the top and made my next stop when a group of Chestnut-backed Chickadees caught my ear. I tried the owl imitation again and got an even quicker response this time! This one gave the trill first then slowed to its regular pace on a few occasions. It also took a great deal more interest in me than the previous individual and provided my best views of this species in years!

Came well equipped to deal with that itch:

Northern Pygmy Owl

Shale City Rd, Jackson Co, OR

May 6, 2016

I eventually made it up to the trailhead where the views were limited by some low hanging clouds. I decided to walk around a few minutes before heading back down, and in that time I had a couple of Mountain Quail calling simultaneously!

All this fun had taken a little more time than I had expected, but it was totally worth it and I was still in a good position to get to Klamath on schedule, more or less. I checked out Keno Access Road on the way, where I picked up a few more Jackson County species (and my Hermit Warbler count swelled to eighteen!), bringing my total for the day up to 101. I had no goals number wise for the day, so hitting triple digits before even getting to one of my primary locations seemed like a solid accomplishment.

I drove over the pass, enjoyed the snowy views, then descended into the little town of Keno, now into Klamath County. Forster's and Caspian Terns dominated the scene at the river crossing in Keno, which was rather birdy. A flyover Black-crowned Night Heron was a year bird, plus a nice group of Western and Clark's Grebes added nicely to the day list.

From there it was on to Township Road and the Oregon Drain. As it turns out, most of the fields were dried up in this area, which was a bit disappointing, but the habitat along the Oregon Drain was still sufficient to provide some nice highlights.

Bald Eagle

Oregon Drain, Klamath Co, OR

May 6, 2016

Forster's Tern

Oregon Drain, Klamath Co, OR

May 6, 2016

There was a lone American Avocet and a lone Wilson's Phalarope amidst a healthy and diverse flock of waterfowl, along with a few other repeat shorebirds. Two of the species I was most hoping to see down here were Willet and White-faced Ibis, and I lucked out with both. Got an award worthy shot of the Willet too, wouldn't you say? :P

Willet

Oregon Drain, Klamath Co, OR

May 6, 2016

White-faced Ibis

Oregon Drain, Klamath Co, OR

May 6, 2016

I dipped into California ever so briefly and picked up a handful of state lifers at Sheepy Lake. My only Eared Grebe and Ring-necked Pheasant of the day were on the Cali side of the line.

Long-billed Dowitchers

Sheepy Lake, Siskiyou, Co, OR

May 6, 2016

I still had a little time to spare as I was wrapping up there, so I checked Birdlog and saw that there had been some interesting birds at the wetland along Old Midland Road. I decided to stop by on my way back and found about fifty American Avocets along with my first Semipalmated Plovers and Dunlin of the day.

American Avocets

Old Midland Rd, Klamath Co, OR

May 6, 2016

A distant Golden Eagle and a few alternate plumaged Franklin's Gulls rounded out a nice set of additions to the day list at this last birding stop of the day.

Franklin's Gull

Old Midland Rd, Klamath Co, OR

May 6, 2016

My route home took me up 58, and I find it rather tough to drive past the 286 foot beauty that is Salt Creek Falls when it's right off the highway! I managed to get to the overlook as the sunset was emerging in a rather spectacular fashion. I paused a minute to take in the magnitude of the scene before me and the day behind me. Turns out Oregon in May is going to be alright after all.

Sunset

Salt Creek Falls, Lane Co, OR

May 6, 2016

Saturday, May 7.

I took the morning to sleep in and have breakfast with a friend who was coming through town, both of which helped me feel rested and rejuvenated for a little half day of birding on the coast in Lane County.

I made it to the North Jetty of the Siuslaw at noon where I quickly picked up a few year birds, my favorites being alternate plumaged Bonaparte's Gulls, Rhinoceros Auklets, and Marbled Murrelets. Viewing conditions we're great as it was getting a little foggy, but I could tell birds were moving so I headed to the Siltcoos to try for some shorebirds. Going into the day, I was thinking Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, and Red Knot would be really excellent finds...

I parked the car and climbed to the crest of the dunes, gathered myself, and not a moment later I spotted some Black-bellied Plovers flying by. I put the binocs up to find that there were some smaller red birds in with them, so I scrambled to get the scope on them quickly. Sure enough, Red Knots!