Every August, the taxonomic decisions are announced, and every October, Cornell lab updates eBird and Merlin to reflect those changes. This year we have had a number of big changes that affect birding in Oregon, all detailed here.
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Birder, Outings Leader, and poet Elsa Hume has been a part of our community since 2021, when she began attending our newly created Bird Days of Summer series. Since then, she’s attended field trips and classes almost monthly and has gone on to lead free outings and Bird Song Walks as a volunteer. In August, she joined us as an instructor for the first time, sharing her beautiful bird poetry with the world while leading our Poet Birds class.
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If you’ve been watching our community science page or attended Swift Watch over the last week, you’ve likely noticed a large decline in numbers, with the count dropping to almost zero over the last few days. The question on everyone’s mind is, where did they go? And why did they leave their longtime roost site at Chapman?
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Over the last year, we’ve collaborated with the Conservation team to hone truer to this mission. We meet regularly to learn about upcoming conservation initiatives and identify opportunities for collaborative messaging. We’ve identified joint projects in which we can work together to amplify some aspects of Conservation’s work.
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Avian courtship is a fascinating ritual that varies wildly by species and can involve elaborate dancing, wing displays, construction projects, and all sorts of vocalizations. Early spring is courtship season for the Western Snowy Plover on Oregon’s sandy beaches.
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Our journey towards conservation and environmental stewardship has been deeply fulfilling, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the preservation of nature. Through our partnership with Bird Alliance of Oregon and our planned gift, we aim to leave behind a world where future generations can continue to marvel at the wonders of the natural world.
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For close to 40 years, Bird Song Walks have invited Portland metro area residents to celebrate and track spring migration together. At a host of different locations throughout the city, a dedicated group of volunteers, staff, and neighborhood residents gather weekly to note the comings and goings of species through the chorus of songs that fill the early morning air.
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Most birdsong is in the spring, as birds define their territory and try to attract mates. So why is this Bewick’s Wren singing now, in October, when it won’t nest again until April?
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As of July 2023, every Bird Alliance of Oregon trip will include carbon offsets as a member of the Sustainable Travel International. The program also works alongside local communities, engaging travelers, businesses, and policy-makers in responsible practices. Through this work, they aim to combat climate change and empower communities to preserve destinations around the globe.
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Vulnerable birds, like threatened Snowy Plovers, that use our coastline have evolved over thousands of years to deal with the hazards of near-constant wind, rip tides and storm surges, hot and cold weather, and predators stealing eggs and young. Only in the last century have they had to deal with a high volume of people recreating directly within their nesting areas.
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