Pacific City Birding and Blues Festival 2011, Whalen Island

Saturday we drove up to Pacific City to participate in the annual Pacific City Birding and Blues Festival.  In the morning we joined a group of about 15 at Clay Meyers Natural Area on Whalen Island, lead by Dave Irons and Shawneen Finnegan.  The RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS were active, and we began our field trip with Dave's informative conversation about the activity and aggressiveness of the males as they declare their territory - demonstrated moments later by two fighting males buzzing inches over our heads!

The woodland birds were scarce, being early for their migration, so we spent most of the time on the sand by the bay. 







Shawneen pointed out the call of a GREATER YELLOWLEGS - the call was loud and distinct, but never caught sight of the bird.

We saw a wonderful variety of birds, including a small flock of NORTHERN PINTAIL interspersed with several BUFFLEHEAD. 

WESTERN GULL, CRAB & BUFFLEHEAD

WESTERN and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS collected mussels and broke the meat loose by dropping them onto the packed sand.  One gull snatched a crab while we watched.

WHITE WINGED SCOTERS

Two WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS flew by, while a GREAT EGRET stood silently by.

GREAT BLUE HERON

OSPREY

Someone's sharp eyes caught sight of an OSPREY on a far spit watching the bay from its perch on a branch.









CASPIAN TERNS dipped and dove in the air above us - Shawneen explained how to distinguish them from the gulls -- wings, bills and flight being unique.

CASPIAN TERN

RED BREASTED MERGANSERS

Three pairs of RED BREASTED MERGANSERS preened and fed in a low tide stream nearby.

BALD EAGLE

An adult BALD EAGLE made several flights from one side of the bay to the other, perching occasionally in the tall pines on the far side.

BALD EAGLE

BALD EAGLE

 














It was a great morning - a bit on the chilly side with a sharp wind, but no rain!  An enjoyable field trip with gracious and knowledgeable teachers! 

Part two of our day at the annual Pacific City Birding and Blues Festival, the Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge walk, is coming in the next blog!