It’s time again for our annual wrap up of the various critters we encountered over the previous year. Several years ago we split our wildlife post into feathered and featherless friends and have continued with that tradition ever since.
While we really enjoy taking pictures as a way to record what we see on our hikes, we are by no means photographers. We use our phones and a point and shoot camera on the auto setting, so the pictures are far from professional, but we hope you enjoy them. We also practice Leave No Trace Principles including Principle 6: Respect Wildlife which means observing from a distance, never feeding, and respecting any area wildlife closures.
With that being said here is a collection of the various species of birds we were able to get pictures of in 2025.
American bitterns – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
American coot – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
American dipper – June Lake, 09/20/2025.
American goldfinch – Fernhill Wetlands, 05/02/2025.
American kestrel – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.
American pipit – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 09/17/2025.
American wigeons (toward the back) – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Anna’s hummingbird – Fernhill Wetlands, 05/02/2025.
Black-capped chickadee – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.
Bald eagle – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Barred owl – Willamette Mission State Park, 09/01/2025.
Barrow’s goldeneye – Elijah Bristow State Park, 04/19/2025.
Black-backed woodpecker – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 07/14/2025.
Blue-winged teal – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.
Brown pelicans – Manhattan Beach, 10/11/2025.
Bufflehead – Elijah Bristow State Park, 04/19/2025.
Bullock’s oriole – Deschutes River Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.
California quail – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
California scrub jay – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Canada jay – Mt. Hood Wilderness, 08/31/2025.
Cedar waxwing – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/08/2025.
Chestnut-backed chickadee – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/07/2025.
Chipping sparrow? – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/04/2025.
Cinnamon teals – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Clark’s nutcrackers – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/05/2025.
Cliff swallow – Criterion Tract, 05/25/2025.
Common loon – Crescent Lake, Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.
Common mergansers – Milo McIver State Park, 02/22/2025.
Common yellow-throat – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Cormorant – Olympic National Park, 05/14/2025.
Crow – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.
Mourning dove – Fanno Creek Trail, 04/26/2025.
Eurasian-collard dove – Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 05/02/2025.
Prairie flacon? – Mt. Hood Wilderness, 08/31/2025.
Green-winged teals – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
House finch – Fanno Creek Trail, 04/26/2025.
House sparrow – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.
Gadwall – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.
Canada geese – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.
Gold-crowned sparrow – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.
Great blue heron and great egrets – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.
Greater white-fronted geese – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.
Greater yellowlegs – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Grosbeak? – Rogers Peak, 06/07/2025.
Sooty grouse – William O. Douglas Wilderness, 08/08/2025.
Red-tailed hawk? – Three Sisters Wilderness, 09/13/2025.
Hooded mergansers – Fanno Creek Trail, 04/26/2025.
Rufous hummingbird – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 07/17/2025.
Ruffed grouse – Silver Falls State Park, 11/11/2025.
Junco – William O. Douglas Wilderness, 08/08/2025.
Killdeer – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Lark sparrow – Criterion Tract, 05/25/2025.
Lazuli bunting – Mt. Washington Wilderness, 07/19/2025.
Least sandpiper – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Lesser scaup – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.
Lewis’s woodpecker – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/24/2025.
Lincoln’s sparrow – Dean Point, 10/11/2025.
Long billed dowitcher – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.
Mallard – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.
Marsh wren – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Mute swan – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.
Northern flicker – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.
Northern harrier – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Northern pintail – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.
Northern pygmy owl – McDonald-Dunn Forest, 07/05/2025.
Northern shovelers – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.
Red-breasted nuthatch (juvenile) – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/04/2025.
Osprey – Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 05/02/2025.
Oyster catcher – Olympic National Park, 05/14/2025.
Pacific wren – Thurston Hills, 04/19/2025.
Pied billed grebe – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.
Pine siskin – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/08/2025.
Purple martins – Fernhill Wetlands, 05/02/2025.
Raven – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/04/2025.
Red-breasted sapsucker – Milo McIver State Park, 02/22/2025.
Red-winged blackbird – Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 05/02/2025.
Ring-necked ducks – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Robin – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/08/2025.
Ruddy duck – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Savanah sparrow – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Solitary sandpiper – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.
Spotted sandpiper – William O. Douglas Wilderness, 08/08/2025.
Western gull – Driftwood Beach, 01/11/2025.
Semipalmated plovers – Driftwood Beach, 01/11/2025.
Short billed dowitchers – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Song sparrow – Metzler County Park, 03/08/2025.
Spotted towhee – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Starling – Champoeg State Heritage Area, 06/19/2025.
Stellar’s jay – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.
Violet green swallow (bottom right corner) – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.
Tree swallows – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.
Townsend’s solitaire – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/26/2025.
Turkeys – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Turkey vulture – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Varied thrush – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 10/18/2025.
Western bluebird – Catherine Creek Recreation Area, 03/29/2025.
Western kingbirds – Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.
Western meadowlark – Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.
Western tanager – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/24/2025.
Western wood-pewee – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/24/2025.
Whimbrel – Olympic National Park, 05/15/2025.
White-crowned sparrow – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.
White pelicans – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.
Wilson’s warbler – Clatsop State Forest, 05/11/2025.
Wood ducks – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.
Hairy woodpecker – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.
Downy woodpecker – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.
Merlin says Hermit Thrush – Umpqua National Forest, 05/31/2025.
Merlin says Say’s Phoebe – Deschutes River Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.
Merlin says Purple Finch – Mt. Hood Wilderness, 08/31/2025.
Merlin wouldn’t take a stab at this bird seen on Second Burroughs Mountain in Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/05/2025.
The highlight of the year was the seeing the northern pygmy owl in McDonald-Dunn Forest with its catch which was the first northern pygmy owl that we’d seen. The Say’s phoebe along the Deschutes River was another first (as far as we know), but at the time we weren’t sure what type of bird we were seeing. I believe those are the only two that were new sightings for us.
As always please let us know if we’ve misidentified anything, and happy trails!
The yellow-headed blackbirds were particularly noisy.
A cinnamon teal in front of two mallards?
This loop was 3.4-miles.
Grizzly Mountain from Pond 4.
Killdeer
One of the interpretive signboards ahead.
Goose family
There were plenty of benches to enjoy the views from.
Mallards
Cinnamon teal
Must be a green-winged teal but the angle of light made the patch on his head look blue.
We’d never seen so many killdeer in one area.
Spotted sandpipers
Brewer’s blackbird
Swallow
Pollinator garden
Ring-necked ducks
Wilson’s phalarope
Yellow-headed blackbirds
American coot
Adolescent geese
Dove
Gadwalls
Female yellow-headed blackbird
Pair of bucks.
Ruddy ducks
Red-winged blackbird harassing an osprey.
Gray Butte
A pair of hawks.
Not birds.
Marsh wren
Great blue heron
Observation deck at Pond 10.
Another marsh wren.
Heading back to the parking area.
Hummingbird at Memaloose Hills in May.
Hummingbird at Upper Table Rock in May.
Black capped chickadee at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Yellow-rumped warbler (Audubon’s) at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Wren (marsh?) at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
White-crowned sparrow at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Sparrow? at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Common yellow throat at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Yellow-rumped warbler (Myrtle) at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Tree swallows at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
White-crowned sparrow and a wren at Miller Woods in May.
American goldfinch pair at Miller Woods in May.
Another sparrow at Miller Woods in May.
Hermit warbler? near Kings Mountain in May.
House finch? at Upper Table Rock in May.
Rock wren? at Upper Table Rock in May.
Ash-throated flycatcher at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Unknown at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Swallow at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Some sort of warbler? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Purple martins at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Another wren at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Unknown at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Sparrow? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Warbler? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Black phoebe? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Mountain bluebird near Union Peak in September.
Red-breasted nuthatch (best I could get) at Crater Lake in September.
Red crossbilss at Crater Lake in September.
Wren on the Eagle Creek Trail in November.
Dark eyed junco at Waverly Lake in December.
Canada jay (grey jay) along the Crown Zellerbach Trail in March.
California scrub jay along the Balfour-Klickitat Trail in April.
Stellar’s jay along the Hood River Pipeline Trail in May.
Female red-winged blackbird at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Red-winged blackbird at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Spotted towhee at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Starlings along the Hood River Pipeline Trail in May.
Brownheaded cowbird at Upper Table Rock in May.
American robin at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Tropical kingbird? at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Black-headed grosbeak (also all I could get) at Applegate Lake in May.
Lazuli bunting at Roxy Ann Peak in May.
Cedar waxwing at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Western tanagers, Siskiyou Wilderness in July.
American dipper (Ouzel) near South Umpqua Falls in September.
Townsends solitaire at Crater Lake National Park in September.
Clark’s nutcracker at Crater Lake National Park in September.
Varied thrush along the Eagle Creek Trail in November.
Unknown at Cascade Head in October.
Forest Park in January.
Northern flicker at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April. We seem to see flickers on nearly every hike, but they don’t often sit still long enough for us to get a decent picture.
Pileated woodpecker at Chehalem Ridge Nature Park in May. We rarely see these but like the flickers, when we do they are very difficult to get a photo of.
Acorn woodpecker at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Hairy? woodpecker near Twin Lakes in the Umpqua National Forst in June.
Red breasted sapsucker at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area in July.
Either a hairy or downy woodpecker along the Eagle Creek Trail in November.
Unknown, Sky Lakes Wilderness in late September.
Crow along the Crown Zellerbach Trail in March.
Raven at Upper Table Rock in May.
Turkey Vulture at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
American kestral along the Crown Zellerbach Trail in March.
Osprey along the Hood River Pipeline Trail in May.
Another osprey at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Bald eagle at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Eagle in the Sky Lakes Wilderness in September. Not sure if it is a bald or golden.
A bald eagle and hawk at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Pair of hawks at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Hawk at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Hawk at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.
Hawk along the Pacific Crest Trail near Carter Meadows Summit in August.
Hawk at Crater Lake National Park in September.
Barred owl at Noble Woods in May.
Great horned owl at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Young great horned owl at Roxy Ann Peak in May.
Ring-necked pheasant
Silver pheasant
Near the breeding facility at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area.
Mourning dove at Roxy Ann Peak a in May.
Grouse? in the Siskiyou Wilderness in July.
Grouse in the Mt. Adams Wilderness in August.
Grouse in the Sky Lakes Wilderness in September.
Long billed dowitchers? at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Killdeer at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Sandpiper? at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Great blue heron at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Kingfisher at Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge in June.
American bittern at Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge in June.
White pelicans at Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge in June.
Hooded mergansers at Yakona Nature Preserve in February.
Common mergansers along the Klickitat Trail in April.
American coot at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Cinnamon teal at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Ring-necked ducks (and an American coot) at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Northern shoveler at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
White-fronted geese at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.
Mallard along the Hood River Pipeline Trail in May.
Wood duck at Denman Wildlife Area in May.
Not sure if this is a ruddy duck at Waverly Lake in December.
Mostly American widgeons with a green winged teal and a female bufflehead or two mixed in at Talking Water Gardens in December.
Bufflehead at Talking Water Gardens in December.
Canada geese at Applegate Lake in May.
Domestic geese near the Klickitat Trail in April.
Domestic or hybrid? ducks at Waverly Lake in December.
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