After a successful test of my Achillies and hip on Saturday morning I decided to take advantage of the Monday holiday and give them another easy workout. I’d been seeing quite a few pictures of American bitterns coming from Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove, so I decided to make the 50-minute drive north to see if I could spot one myself.
When I arrived at the parking lot at 7:15am there was only one car, and a bit of fog.
Given the foggy conditions I decided that I would start the morning by hiking the 1.4-mile Dabblers Marsh Loop which loops around some fields to allow the fog some time to burn off. From the lot I headed left on the dirt path along Fernhill Marsh.
The first thing I spotted was a hawk (I believe a Cooper’s hawk).
Next up was a rabbit.
After passing the rabbit I detoured on a short path that led to a view of a part the marsh.
I did not notice the bittern in the foreground near the water at first. Instead, I spotted one to the right across the water.
The first bittern I noticed.
While I was watching the one I’d seen a second bittern flew in and landed to the right of the first.
The second bitter I saw which was actually bittern #3.
I finally noticed the third (first) bittern as I was sending a video to my family.
After watching the bitterns for a while I continued on, stopping at another small opening where I saw several birds in the water.
It was too foggy to get any good shots of the ducks, but then I spotted yet another bittern just to my left next to a log.
Continuing on I passed between Fernhill Lake and the Water Gardens where ducks, geese, and great blue herons were out in numbers.
Fernhill lake on the right.
Looking toward the Water Gardens.
Pied-billed grebe
American coot
Great blue heron in the Water Garden.
Cackling goose
Another great blue heron
Barn swallows
The fog was pretty heavy over Fernhill Lake so I turned left onto the Dabblers Marsh Trail when I reached that junction.
I didn’t expect to see much on this loop, but I did see a rabbit, a couple of squirrels and several birds.
Looping around the field.
Red-tailed hawk
This section at the far end of the loop is always good for at least a couple birds.
Northern flicker
Scrub jay
A crew was doing some work on part of the road/loop around the field, so I used the Return Prairie Path for the first time.
My plan had somewhat worked as there was less fog over the lake when I got back. I could now see several egrets, ducks, geese and a great blue heron on the far bank.
Egret coming in for a landing with two others and a great blue heron on the right.
I made my way around the lake to the gazebo overlooking the Barney Wetlands where there was quite a bit of activity.
Song sparrow
Barney Wetlands
Fernhill Lake from the gazebo.
Long-billed dowitcher
Starling and a bald eagle
A couple of ducks in the weltands.
American goldfinch
I continued on from the gazebo by passing between Cattail Marsh and Fernhill Lake then visiting Eagle Marsh and looping back around Cattail Marsh before heading back to the parking area. It seemed like birds were everywhere I looked. Here are some of the different types I spotted.
A couple of egrets and geese.
Mallards and a heron.
Red-winged blackbird
Another egret
A few ducks.
Gold-crowned sparrow
Cormorant
Gadwal
Northern shoveler doing duck yoga.
Killdeer
Green-winged teals
Cedar waxwing
Finch
Northern pintails
Duck variety pack.
Gadwals
American coots
Northern shoveler
American wigeon
Another bittern
Geese
Northern pintail
Bald eagle
The invasive nutria
Wilson’s snipe patrolling the shore.
The cinnamon teal drake in between the other two was not cooperative when it came to getting a decent picutre.
Black phoebe
Spotted towhee
Bittern heading into the grasses.
Great blue heron
When I got back to the parking area, I decided to take a loop around the Water Gardens before leaving so I followed the paved path over to them and wandered around before looping back.
Junco
Heron on top of the piling.
Robin
Mallards
A talkative pied-billed grebe.
Barn swallow
Chestnut-backed chickadee
I wound up covering 5.6-miles on my wanderings and had no issues with the foot or hip.
All in all, a very successful outing. I had hoped to see a bittern and I saw at least four different birds for sure and up to 6 depending on if either of the latter two were ones I’d seen earlier in the morning. Happy Trails!
Flickr: Fernhill Wetlands
