Jackson Bottom Wetlands Education Center, Hillsboro, Oregon on 17 June, 2010 by Greg Gillson.Spring weather may continue at Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve in Hillsboro, Oregon. However, spring bird migration is over.
All birds detected this week were summer residents. Some are singing to declare their territory or attract a mate. Most, however, have already begun nesting--some for the second time. For instance, the AMERICAN ROBINS nesting in the Kingfisher Marsh view shelter completed building their second nest.
Many birds are feeding young. The parents are going one way with a bill full of worms, and back the other way a few minutes later with a fecal sac for disposal.
Some of the confirmed breeding activity observed this week includes COMMON YELLOWTHROAT carrying food to the nest. Recently fledged birds just out of the nest include SONG SPARROW, LESSER GOLDFINCH, MARSH WREN, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW.
The nestling BALD EAGLE "chick" is now 8 weeks old and nearly as large as its parents. It has been noted hopping up and down on the nest flapping its wings. It will not be ready for its first flight for several weeks yet.
This week's list of detected birds is quite a bit shorter than what's actually here. Chest-high grass, soaking wet from continuing showers, clogs some of the trails (but as I write this I hear the Hillsboro Parks crew mowing some of it down).
Canada Goose
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Hooded Merganser
Ring-necked Pheasant
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Virginia Rail
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Vaux's Swift
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Bushtit
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch