Birds of Bethany Pond

A year end review of the birds around Bethany Pond/West Union Area (August 2005 to September 2006). By taxonomy: Order, Family, Subfamily:

[M]=migrant [R]=resident and breeding [B]=migrants breeding here [?]=no confirmation, but likely status

Anseriformes (Screamers, Swans, Geese and Ducks)

Anatidae (Swans, Geese and Ducks)

Anserinae (Geese and Swans)

• Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) [B, R, M]
  

• Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) [M]
  

• Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) [M]
  

Anatinae (Ducks)

• Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) [B, M]
  

• Gadwall (Anas strepera) [M]
  

• American Wigeon (Anas americana) [M]
  

• Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) [B, M]
  

• Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) [M]
  

• Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) [M]
  

• Redhead (Aythya americana) [m]
  

• Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) [M]
  

• Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) [M]
  

• Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) [M]
  

• Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) [M]
  

• Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) [M]
  

Gaviiformes (Loons)

Gaviidae (Loons)

• Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) [M]
  

• Common Loon (Gavia immer) [M]
  

Podicipediformes (Grebes)

Podicipedidae (Grebes)

• Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) [R?, B, M]
  

• Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) [M]
  

• Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) [M]
  

• Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) [M]
  

• Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) [M]
  

Pelecaniformes (Totipalmate Swimmers)

Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)

• Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) [R]
  

Ciconiiformes (Herons, Ibises, Storks and Allies)

Ardeidae (Bitterns and Herons)

• Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) [R]
  

• Great Egret (Ardea alba) [one record)
  

• Green Heron (Butorides virescens) [B, M]
  

Cathartidae (American Vultures)

• Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) [R]
  

Falconiformes (Diurnal Birds of Prey)

Accipitridae (Hawks, Kites, Eagles and Allies)

Pandioninae (Ospreys)

• Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) [R]
  

Accipitrinae (Kites, Eagles, and Hawks)

• Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) [one record]
  

• Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) [R]
  

• Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) [R]
  

• Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) [R]
  

Falconidae (Caracaras and Falcons)

Falconinae (True Falcons and Laughing Falcons)

• American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) [R]
  

Gruiformes (Rails, Cranes and Allies)

Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules and Coots)

• Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) [one record]
  

• Sora (Porzana carolina) [several records, status?]
  

• American Coot (Fulica americana) [M]
  

Gruidae (Cranes)

Gruinae (Typical Cranes)

• Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) [M]
  

Charadriiformes (Shorebirds, Gulls, Auks and Allies)

Charadriidae (Lapwings and Plovers)

Charadriinae (Plovers)

• Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) [M]
  

• Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) [R]
  

Scolopacidae (Sandpipers, Phalaropes and Allies)

Scolopacinae (Sandpipers and Allies)

• Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) [M]
  

• Sanderling (Calidris alba) [M]
  

• Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) [R?, B]
  

Laridae (Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Skimmers)

Larinae (Gulls)

• Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) [M]
  

• California Gull (Larus californicus) [M]
  

• Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) [M]
  

• Thayer's Gull (Larus thayeri) [M]
  

• Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) [M]
  

• Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) [M]
  

• Glaucous-winged x Western Gull (Larus glaucescens x occidentalis) [M]
  

Sterninae (Terns)

• Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) [M]
  

Columbiformes (Sandgrouse, Pigeons and Doves)

Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)

• Rock Dove (Columba livia) [R]
  

• Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) [R]
  

Strigiformes (Owls)

Strigidae (Typical Owls)

• Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) [R]
  

Apodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)

Apodidae (Swifts)

Chaeturinae (Chaeturine Swifts)

• Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) [M]
  

Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)

Trochilinae (Typical Hummingbirds)

• Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) [R]
  

• Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) [M]
  

Coraciiformes (Rollers, Motmots, Kingfishers and Allies)

Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)

Cerylinae (Typical Kingfishers)

• Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) [M, B]
  

Piciformes (Puffbirds, Toucans, Woodpeckers & Allies)

Picidae (Woodpeckers and Allies)

Picinae (Woodpeckers)

• Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) [one record]
  

• Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) [R]
  

• Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) [a few records]
  

• Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) [R]
  

Passeriformes (Passerine Birds)

Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

Fluvicolinae (Fluvicoline Flycatchers)

• Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) [M]
  

Tyranninae (Tyrannine Flycatchers)

• Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) [M]
  

Laniidae (Shrikes)

• Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) [M]
  

Vireonidae (Vireos)

• Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) [M]
  

Corvidae (Crows and Jays)

• Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) [R]
  

• Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) [R]
  

• American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) [R]
  

• Common Raven (Corvus corax) [a few records]
  

Hirundinidae (Swallows)

Hirundininae (Typical Swallows)

• Purple Martin (Progne subis) [M, B]
  

• Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) [M, B]
  

• Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)

• Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) [M]
  

• Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) [M]
  

• Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) [M, B]
  

• Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) [M, B]
  

Paridae (Chickadees and Titmice)

• Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) [R]
  

• Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) [M]
  

Aegithalidae (Long-tailed Tits and Bushtits)

• Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) [R]
  

Sittidae (Nuthatches)

Sittinae (Typical Nuthatches)

• Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) [R?]
  

Certhiidae (Creepers)

Certhiinae (Northern Creepers)

• Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) [R]
  

Troglodytidae (Wrens)

• Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) [M]
  

• House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) [M]
  

• Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) [R]
  

• Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) [M]
  

Regulidae (Kinglets)

• Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) [M]
  

• Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) [M]
  

Turdidae (Thrushes)

• Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) [M]
  

• Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) [two records]
  

• Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) [M]
  

• American Robin (Turdus migratorius) [R]
  

• Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) [M]
  

Sturnidae (Starlings)

• European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) [R]
  

Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)

• American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) [M]
  

Bombycillidae (Waxwings)

• Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) [M]
  

Parulidae (Wood-Warblers)

• Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) [M]
  

• Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) [M]
  

• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) [R]
  

• Townsend's Warbler (Dendroica townsendi) [M]
  

• Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) [M]
  

• Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) [M]
  

Thraupidae (Tanagers)

• Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) [M]
  

Emberizidae (Emberizids)

• Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) [M, B]
  

• Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) [M]
  

• Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) [M]
  

• Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) [M]
  

• Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) [M]
  

• Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) [R]
  

• Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) [M]
  

• White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) [M]
  

• White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) [M]
  

• Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) [M]
  

• Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) [R]
  

Cardinalidae (Cardinals, Saltators and Allies)

• Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) [M. B]
  

Icteridae (Blackbirds)

• Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) [R]
  

• Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) [R]
  

• Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) [M]
  

• Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) [M]
  

Fringillidae (Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies)

Carduelinae (Cardueline Finches)

• Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) [one record]
  

• Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii) [M]
  

• House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) [R]
  

• Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) [M]
  

• Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) [M, B, R?]
  

• American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) [M, B, R?]
  

Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)

• House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) [R]

Total number of species: 125

(Not Bethany Pond, but the Christmas Bird Count 2005 at Sauvie Island)

With my girl in Sierra City, California

Leslie and me on the North Fork of the Yuba River last New Year's Eve. We both have connections in the small town of Sierra City - I have a house there with my brother and Leslie's aunt lives there, in fact, we met there and that is how I ended up in Portland, her long time home town.

Planning something new

We are planning a canoe trip to central BC in a few weeks. I suspect we will be very wet and freeze half to death, but that means doing a bit of planning. The trip is 160 km and self-supported so it will be interesting at the end of the season. The good news is that few others will be there that time of year.

Timberline Lodge, Mt Hood, Oregon

We spent the first weekend in August at Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood. It was a great experience. No camping or climbing this time, just a birthday weekend for Leslie. I think that Mt Hood is the only of the big Cascade volcanoes I have not climbed, not for lack of trying, but there always seems to be a storm just over the horizon. I would rather do the climb in winter though, so after actually living within an hour and half for a year now, maybe Thanksgiving weekend? We will see.