goose – wanderingyuncks

Last year we did something different and split our 2022 wildlife gallery into two posts, one feathered and one featherless. As with all our wildflower and wildlife posts any corrections or additions to our attempts at identifying what we’ve photographed is greatly appreciated. One last note, 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.

For this year’s gallery the photos will be in date order, because why not?
Hermit thrush – 2/11/23, Council Crest Park, Portland

Pied billed grebe – 3/19/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Ring-necked duck – 3/25/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Bufflehead – 3/25/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Sparrow – 3/25/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Lesser goldfinch – 4/8/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Ruby-crowned kinglet? – 4/8/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Egret – 4/8/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Marsh wren – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

Geese, I believe both cackling and Canada – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

California quail – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

Northern shoveler – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

Western meadowlark (Oregon’s state bird) – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

Red-winged blackbird – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

Ruddy duck – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

Savannah sparrow – 4/13/23, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Rickreall

Gold-crowned sparrow – 4/14/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Red-breasted sapsuckers – 4/14/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Hummingbird (Rufous?) – 4/14/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Orange-crowned warbler – 4/14/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Dark-eyed junco – 4/14/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Northern flicker – 4/14/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Turkey vulture – 4/14/23, Minto-Brown Island Park, Salem

Warbler? – 4/22/23, Dave Clark Riverfront Path, Albany

Osprey – 4/22/23, Dave Clark Riverfront Path, Albany

Cormorant – 4/22/23, Dave Clark Riverfront Path, Albany

Red-winged blackbird (female) – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Green-winged teal – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Yellow-rumped warbler (Audubon’s) – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Black phoebe – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Acorn woodpecker – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Hawk – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Mallards – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Chickadee (chestnut-backed?) – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Nashville warbler – 4/29/23, Canemah Bluff Nature Park, Oregon City

Bewick’s wren – 4/29/23, Canemah Bluff Nature Park, Oregon City

House finches – 4/29/23, Canemah Bluff Nature Park, Oregon City

Spotted towhee – 4/29/23 Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park, Oregon City

Common mergansers – 5/1/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, BLM Medford District

Bullock’s oriole – 5/1/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, BLM Medford District

American robin – 5/1/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, BLM Medford District

Greater yellowlegs – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

Mourning dove – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

Gadwall – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

Killdeer – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

Cinnamon teal – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

Anna’s hummingbird – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

American kestral – 5/13/23, Graham Oaks Nature Park, Wilsonville

European starling – 5/13/23, Graham Oaks Nature Park, Wilsonville

Wood duck – 5/23/23, Stigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

Belted kingfisher – 5/23/23, Stigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

American goldfinch – 5/23/23, Stigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

Spotted sandpiper – 5/23/23, Stigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

Purple martin – 5/23/23, Stigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

Common yellowthroat – 5/23/23, Stigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

American bittern – 5/23/23, Stigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

Lark sparrow – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Horned lark – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Mountain bluebird – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Black-headed grosbeak – 5/29/23, Riley Ranch Preserve, Bend

Lewis’s woodpecker – 5/29/23, Tumalo State Park, Bend

Magpie – 5/29/23, Tumalo State Park, Bend

Black-headed cowbird – 5/29/23, Tumalo State Park, Bend

Tree swallow – 5/29/23, Tumalo State Park, Bend

Pygmy nuthatch? – 5/29/23, Tumalo State Park, Bend

Lazuli bunting – 6/3/23, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Trout Lake, WA

Yellow warbler – 6/3/23, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Trout Lake, WA

Western bluebird – 6/3/23, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Trout Lake, WA

Sandhill cranes – 6/3/23, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Trout Lake, WA

Warbling vireo – 6/3/23, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Trout Lake, WA

Raven – 6/11/23, Lewis & Clark Trail, Hermiston

Eastern kingbird – 6/11/23, Lewis & Clark Trail, Hermiston

Caspian tern – 6/11/23, Lewis & Clark Trail, Hermiston

Geese – 6/11/23, Hat Rock State Park, Hermiston

Cliff swallows – 6/14/23, Imnaha Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

Hawk – 6/14/23, Imnaha Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

Common nighthawk – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Chipping sparrow – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Cassin’s finch – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Western wood pee-wee – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Western tanager – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Red-eyed vireo – 6/16/23, Trail 1890, Hells Canyon Wilderness

Bushtit – 6/24/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, Wild Rogue Wilderness

Macgillivray’s warbler? – 6/25/23, North Umpqua Trail, BLM Roseburg District

Woodpecker – 6/25/23, North Umpqua Trail, BLM Roseburg District

Hawk – 6/25/23, North Bank Habitat, BLM Roseburg District

White-crowned sparrow – 7/1/23, Boundary Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Cedar waxwings – 7/1/23, Boundary Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Ouzel – 7/22/23, Metolius River Trail, Deschutes National Forest

Sooty grouse – 7/22/23, Metolius River Trail, Deschutes National Forest

Canada jay – 8/5/23, Timberline Trail, Mt. Hood Wilderness

Wilson’s warbler? – 8/29/23, Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Cloverdale

Clark’s nutcrakcer – 9/2/23, Dry River Canyon, BLM Prineville District

Great horned owl – 9/3/23, P Ranch, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Western grebe – 9/3/23, Krumbo Reservoir, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Unidentified bird – 9/3/23, Krumbo Reservoir, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

White-faced ibis – 9/3/23, Cental Patrol Road, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Ring-necked pheasant – 9/3/23, Central Patrol Road, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Townsends solitaire – 9/4/23 Fryrear Canyon, BLM Prineville District

Rock wren? – 9/4/23 Fryrear Canyon, BLM Prineville District

Mountain chickadee – 9/4/23 Fryrear Canyon, BLM Prineville District

Black-backed woodpecker – 9/9/23, Pacific Crest Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness

American pipit – 9/9/23, Devil’s Peak, Sky Lakes Wilderness

Golden eye – 9/16/23, Fish Lake, Mt. Hood National Forest

White-breasted nuthatch – 9/16/23, Fish Lake Trail, Mt. Hood National Forest

Stellar’s jay – 9/30/23, Big Creek Park, Newport

Red-tailed hawk – 9/30/23, Strom Boulder Ridge, Burnt Woods

Varied thrush – 10/9/23, Babyfoot Lake Trail, Kalmiopsis Wilderness

Seagull – 10/28/23, Oceanside Beach, Oceanside

Great blue heron – 10/28/23, Oceanside Beach, Oceanside

Red-throated loon – 10/28/23, Pacific Ocean, Oceanside

Bald eagle – 10/28/23, Tillamook Wetlands, Tillamook

Hawk – 10/28/23, Tillamook Wetlands, Tillamook

Hooded merganser – 11/18/23, D River, Lincoln City

Crows – 11/18/23, Siletz Bay, Lincoln City

Brown pelicans – 11/18/23, Siletz Bay, Lincoln City

Greetings! I know we weren’t supposed to be hiking again until after our marathon this coming weekend, but we managed to sneak a quick one in. We took advantage of a scheduled cross-training day to head out to the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge just south of Salem. This is the first hike listed in William Sullivan’s 100 Hikes in the Central Cascades book and according to the description April is one of the peak migratory months for the various birds that can be spotted there. A flat 2 mile loop along the Rail Trail worked perfectly for our cross-training needs so it seemed like the ideal time to finally go check out the refuge.

We parked at the Rail Trail parking area and set off on a gravel path heading to the start of the loop.

After a couple of hundred yards we reached the start of the loops where we took a right onto the Rail Trails raised boardwalk.

The boardwalk is necessary as the trail passes through a wetlands that is either under water or too muddy for passage.

There were many small birds present as we approached the bird blind located just over half a mile along the boardwalk. Most of them wouldn’t sit still long enough for a picture but a curious Bewick’s Wren paused long enough for a shot.

We didn’t stay long at the bird blind due to the fact that we were supposed to be cross-training but the blind overlooked a marshy pond where ducks and red-winged blackbirds moved about.

Shortly after leaving the blind a pair of noisy geese expressed their displeasure with our presence.

We discovered the reason for their annoyance was the nest they had built near the trail.

The boardwalk ends at an old dike road where the loop turns left and follows the dike back around to the parking area. Being as early as it was in the year (the dike is only open from April 1st – September 30th) the dike was covered in damp vegetation.

We encountered numerous red-winged blackbirds as we travelled along the dike and we also spotted a good variety of ducks in the many ponds.

Other than our feet getting a lot wetter than we had planned due to the wet grass along the dike it was a peaceful trail. We had a bit of trouble locating the correct place to turn back toward the parking area and had to pass through about 10 feet of saturated ground to get back but that just helped make it feel more like a hike :). Ankeny Wildlife Refuge would be a great place to go if you’re interested in bird watching. Someday we’ll have to go back and spend more time standing still and waiting for the birds to come to us. Until next time – Happy Trails!

flickr photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9319235@N02/sets/72157643529661063/
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