Lincoln County NAMC 5-12-2012

My hubby and I took the Waldport to Newport area for the North American Migration Count (NAMC) yesterday (5-12-2012). We covered the area from Eckman Lake to Big Creek (Newport) in 9 1/2 hours, with 13 stops (14 if you count lunch); 72 species, at least 4 new ones for me. We saw some new places and had a great time.

We started at Eckman Lake at about 8:15 and spent 1.5 hrs walking/driving around. Wood duck with 5 babies, a pair of Common Yellowthroats, Red-Necked Phalaropes and several noisy Marsh Wrens were the highlights. On the bay side, we were disappointed that there were no shorebirds, but we did find at least 4 pairs of Canada Geese nesting, a solitary Greater White Fronted Goose and an Osprey.

One of the little turnouts on Hwy 34 again yielded very little activity until we noticed some movement in the trees across the street. Six Western Tanager (5 of them males) brightened up the greenery with flashes of yellow and red. (Note, Eckman Lake list below includes Alsea Bay along highway).

Throughout the day we saw small flocks of Canada Geese heading north (the largest consisted of 45 birds, the rest ranged from 7 to 15). This is typical of this time of year, most likely geese who failed to mate.

Near Seal Rock, we enjoyed Black and Ruddy Turnstone (the Ruddy's were a first for me), two Black Oystercatchers and much more. The low tide had the beach hopping and this out-of-the-way spot had few people. A gentleman coming back from the beach said he'd seen Oystercatchers and Wood Ducks - we figured he meant Harlequin Ducks, but we didn't see them. His information did cause us to persist until we found the Oystercatchers though!

Walking back to the car, movement on the rock caught my eye -- my first ever American Pipit -- all by itself on the rock.

The next little beach yielded another first for me - Northern Rough-winged Swallows nesting in the cliffs! I counted at least a dozen. Low tide had also brought several Whimbrel and Sandpipers to forage in the shallows.

After stopping at the bayfront for some ice cream cones, we drove out Bay road to the LNG tank - lots of birds on the mudflats but the most amazing thing were the Great Blue Herons - we counted 27 easily, very likely more! There were a few Whimbrels and some Spotted Sandpipers as well. Unfortunately also some people enjoying the mud :o)

An adult Bald Eagle kept sentinal above us, keeping the birds below pretty well scattered, except the Herons who seemed oblivious.

We decided we wanted to hit Hatfield when the tide was in a bit more, so we drove down to South Beach park to walk the trail. We were treated to a wonderful display by an Anna's Hummingbird -- he ventured high into the air in a straight line, dove straight down with a swoosh at the bottom (the famous "J"), hovered momentarily before elevating straight up again. What an amazing sight - - and sound! He was so close we could really hear him as he made the swoosh at the bottom - wow! Then he stopped to rest, panting heavily, close enough for a couple of pictures.

We made it back to HMSC almost too soon - probably would have been better in an hour or two, it was quiet except for the many people clamming on the mudflats. Best here were the two pair of Black Headed Grosbeaks and a Merlin strafing the few shorebirds (it seems late for a Merlin, and I didn't get a photo, but the small raptor looked and behaved like a Merlin to me). Away from the water, Brown Headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds and White Crowned Sparrows were the majority, along with the many swallows sw0oping through the air.

The Ocean-to-Bay trail from Agate Beach was our last stop before calling it a day and hitting the Chowder Bowl in Depoe Bay. There we picked up a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers and a Brown Creeper carrying food! I had no idea they could fly so fast -- thought it was a hummingbird at first. Still the woods were pretty quiet, only other birds were many Red-winged blackbirds and a beautiful (but quiet) Wilson's Warbler.