Great Blue Heron on nest, Hillsboro, Oregon on 14 April 2010 by Greg Gillson.Every Wednesday afternoon from 2:00 - 3:30 I lead a free bird walk at the Main Library at Hillsboro, Oregon. The library backs up to the Dawson Creek Corporate Park. There are a series of artificial ponds here that attract more than their share of birds that are very easy to observe.
There are three GREAT BLUE HERONS nesting in the park. Surprising is the one photographed above in a 20-foot tall Douglas-fir right next to the paved and busy trail.
In the ponds floated RING-NECKED DUCKS, LESSER SCAUP, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, MALLARDS, BUFFLEHEADS, NORTHERN SHOVELERS, CANADA GOOSE, and CACKLING GOOSE. Had we been there earlier in the day we might have seen Wood Ducks, too. Not bad for a busy city park in mid April. The winter list of ducks is much longer.
A colony of ACORN WOODPECKERS works the wetlands on the south edge of the property. The trees there are riddled with holes where they store their acorns. And, if you know where to look, there is a broken snag with a GREAT HORNED OWL nesting in it.
Additionally, today we spotted a LESSER GOLDFINCH, some WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER apparently excavating a nest hole.
No reservations are necessary if you want to join me on a future walk. Show up at the bike pavillion on the north side of the library parking lot. This is on Brookwood Parkway, east of the Hillsboro Airport (take Shute Road exit off Hwy 26 if coming from Portland.