August on the Oregon Coast - Part 2, Siletz Bay

It's August and the ducks are back and shorebirds abound!  The nature walk along Siletz Bay at Salishan is one of my favorite birding spots.  We've been trying to time our walks to be an hour or two before high tide so we can get the best view of the shorebirds.

I saw my first MARBLED GODWIT under these conditions, keeping company with a juvenile CALIFORNIA GULL.

Marbled Godwit && Juv California Gull

Song Sparrow

Resident SONG and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS pose in the grasses along the trail, as they seem to do whenever we're there.





 

Cardinal Meadowhawk

Dragonflies are plentiful now, large red and blue ones.  They are so fascinating - I may have to learn how to identify them!

Greater Yellowlegs

A GREATER YELLOWLEGS made his solitary way in the mud...

Peeps

while hundreds of PEEPS (various SANDPIPERS and PLOVERS) winged and foraged their way together....

California Gull (juv)

and a CALIFORNIA GULL seemed to enjoy his reflection in the water.










The ducks this time of year are mostly brown, males, females and juveniles almost indistinguishable.  NORTHERN PINTAIL and GREEN-WINGED TEAL are now appearing in flocks with the usual hundreds of MALLARDS.

Northern Pintail && Green-Winged Teal

American Goldfinch

On the trail away from the bay, CHESTNUT BACKED CHICKADEES and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH continue to delight, and often we get glimpses of BEWICK'S and PACIFIC WRENS, and even a pair of WRENTITS (yesterday).





 Visiting an hour or two before high tide (for the shorebirds), or at or near high tide (for the ducks), both make for consistently birdy August activity.