Chasing Bar-tailed
There’s an undeniable intrigue when chasing rarities from across the globe. This time I was hoping for a shorebird off course from its typical New Zealand to Alaska migration called a Bar-tailed Godwit. Thanks to unusual weather patterns, a handful had shown up on the Oregon coast this spring. I timed my trip to arrive…
Godwit Days Part IV: The Finale
What better way to end Godwit Days than with a Shorebird Spectacle at the marsh? Not a bad idea. Led by David Fix, author of Birds of Northern California, the spectacle trip started at the mudflats at Humboldt Bay. Unfortunately, the tide didn’t cooperate and most of the birds were pretty far in the distance. The…
Seattle Part I: Reliable Redpolls
A couple of weeks ago, Jen invited me on a birding day trip to Seattle with her and her pups. How could I resist those faces?! To sweeten the deal, there were life-birds up for grabs. A flock of Common Redpolls was reportedly (reliably) camped out in the birch trees near Green Lake. Redpolls typically…