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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Where should I go birding in June?

What! Spring's gone already?

My schedule works out so that I am unable to get to Malheur NWR on the Memorial Day weekend in May. So, I'll go a week later, during the first week of June, if I can. There will still be some late migrants, including rarities, I hope! I also have a private pelagic trip to work in during early June.

And I want to get up into the Coast Range in my home county, yet. The Hammond's Flycatchers and Hermit Warblers are up there. It is harder each year to find Common Nighthawk, so I'll give that a try. And the Sooty Grouse should be hooting. Oddly enough, I still haven't seen Hairy Woodpecker or Northern Pygmy-Owl this year yet. So they are also in the Coast Range.

What birds I do see will be nesting. Oregon finished its Breeding Bird Atlas project over 12 years ago, but I still miss looking for breeding evidence--parents carrying food to a nest, newly fledged young, or birds sitting on a nest.

Where are you planning on watching birds in the coming month and what species do you hope to see there? Are you a field trip organizer? We want to hear what you offer (fee or free). Leave your response in the Comments section as ideas for others.

Birding festivals:

Wings Across Big Sky
June 8-10, 2012
Kalispell, MT
MT Audubon.org