Morning Dove

This Morning Dove has some odd ruffled feathers on its neck. I suppose it could be a molt of some sort, but it is rather intense in a very localized area. Because of this, I'm guessing that it had been attacked by a predator and was lucky to escape.

Greater Yellowlegs

I haven't been able to get much quality birding in for the last couple of weeks as I have been lighting another production at Wilsonville High School. I decided to take a chance on Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve in hopes of seeing some migration action. The last time I stopped by about three weeks ago, it was totally flooded. Today it was much better, but there wasn't much happening as far as migrants are concerned.
The most interesting thing I saw while there were eleven Greater Yellowlegs all together. I have never seen so many in one place before.

Pine Siskin

I've only seen Pine Siskins once in the past year. That was last summer up at Timberline Lodge. My second sighting turns out to be this past Sunday in my backyard at the feeders.

American Coot

Seems to be the most abundant bird floating on water at the time.
Anyone know what that red vegetation is floating on the water? It's been thick this winter.

Red-winged Blackbird

I love the song of the male Red-winged Blackbird. And they are especially fun to photograph in the Spring as they allow you to get closer than other times of the year. This is especially true right now at RNWR along the same stretch of the Auto Tour where the Soras and Virginia Rails are found. The blackbirds love to perch on the Cattails and there is short area where they are commonly right along the road.
Even some females got into the action during my last visit. Females typically stay a little more hidden down in the reeds and brush.

Cinnamon Teal

On my second time around the Auto Tour last Friday, I found this pair of Cinnamon Teal near the road on Horse Lake at RNWR. They were feeding on the muck floating on the surface of the water.

Great Horned Owl

I found this pair of Great Horned Owls just past marker 9 at RNWR on Friday. I couldn't get a better shot as a large pickup was dominating the best angle, so I decided to make a quick second trip around the Auto Tour, but they had moved on by that time.
This was my first sighting of Great Horned Owls at the refuge. I know they are fairly common as I have seen photos taken of them by others on the web.

Tree Swallow

Tree swallow numbers have been increasing at RNWR. They had been gathering mostly over Big South Lake, but this last Friday many had moved to the wooded areas along the Auto Tour between markers 9 & 10.
These two males appear to be challenging for breeding territory, perhaps for the possible nesting hole just below.

Virginia Rail

Some more Virginia Rail photos taken at RNWR this past Friday. The lake along the auto tour between markers 2 & 3 has become popular with those looking for Virginia Rails and Soras. The are fairly easy to find and are a lot of fun trying to get clear shots as they wander in and out of the cattails and brush along the waters edge.
I'm getting the itch to move away from Blogger again as these images were altered by Picasa. Many are darker than the way I processed them. Ya get what you pay for though I guess. :-)

Northern Flicker - Suet Guard

I saw a Northern Flicker at my suet feeder this evening when I got home from work. I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of it when a European Starling decided to challenge the Flicker for the suet. The Flicker, however, was having none of it!

Pine Warbler?

Another mystery bird from this past year.
I briefly saw this bird while walking along a trail at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Atlanta, Georgia on November 19th. My best guess is a Pine Warbler. A few of the field marks that bring me to this conclusion are the following:

• general yellow coloring
• darker back and wings
• distinct wing bars
• white under tail coverts
• distinct eye ring
• pale striping on sides
• clear yellow on throat
• small dark area on the lores

Any feedback one way or the other is welcomed.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

The images above were taken while on my trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico last June. This is another bird that had me confused.
The top image was taken while I was on the field trip with the local Audubon Society. I was told that it was an Ash-throated Flycatcher and I can now verify that by the brown coloring that wraps around the bottom of the underside of its tail.
The lower image was taken the day before at Rio Grande Nature Center State Park. I was only able to get a few shots from this angle and at the time I thought it might be a Brown-crested Flycatcher.
There are four Flycatchers that are very similar in coloration; the Ash-throated, the Brown-crested, the Great Crested and the Dusky-capped. All have gray heads, pale yellow bellies and rufous coloring on their primaries.
Though not certain, I believe the bird in the bottom image is also an Ash-throated Flycatcher. I base this on two things; the Ash-throated's range is strongest for Albuquerque and its throat is pale. The Ash-throated's throat is the palest of all four of the Flycatchers in question.

Virginia Rail

I lost the Sora in the Cattails after awhile, then refound it it further down the road; or so I thought.
I only got a few pictures of the bird at that point and there were few unobstructed views. To my surprise, when I viewed these last images of what I thought were more Sora pictures, I found that the last views I had where actual that of a Virginia Rail.
The two birds are similar in size and shape, but the coloring is different. The bill of the Virginia Rail is longer and thinner and more orange than the Sora. Its legs are orangish rather than green and the breast and belly peachy rather than gray.

Sora

I have to thank Jen at i used to hate birds for this find. A couple of weeks ago I saw a couple of cars parked on the edge of the road along South Quigley Lake at RNWR. I wasn't sure what they were looking at or for, but I didn't see anything. Then Jen posted some great shots of both a Sora and a Viginia Rail a couple of days ago. Based on her description I figured that the cars must have been watching for these birds.
So, especially since I have not seen either of these birds, I decided to make a trip to RNWR and see what I could find.
Success! I found both, although I didn't realize that the last bird was actually a Virginia Rail until I got home and looked closer at the images.
I was actually watching some Red-winged Blackbirds when I noticed something move down near the edge of the road near the waters edge. It wasn't very big, so a Sora or Virginia Rail wasn't what came to mind. I pictured larger birds, like a Coot. But there it was, a Sora, right below my door. I spent about 10 minutes following it along the edge of the water, trying to get a clear shot as it ducked in and out among the cattails and foliage.
All-in-all, quite a lot of fun.

Cackling x Barnacle Goose?

About a month ago a Barnacle Goose along with a possible Cackling x Barnacle Goose was seen for a few days in the RNWR area. The Goose in the images above strongly resembles the Cackling x Barnacle Goose seen at that time. I saw it this morning amongst a large flock of Cacklers between markers 2 and 3 on the north side of the road along the auto tour.