Moving to a new habitat has renewed my desire to learn more about birds. I now live right on a river that has a grassy meadow that leads up to my house. I also live on the edge of a pine forest and at a high altitude. In addition, I live in a place where I will see migratory birds that will only visit for brief periods of time or for a whole season.
It’s a whole new birding world here in Central Oregon.
I have been keeping track of the many birds that visit my yard or fly overhead during the past month and a half. It can be such a distraction to spot a new bird and feel the impulse to drop everything to grab my binoculars and field guide. But, this is part of the reason we moved here; to have our love of nature stimulated again with new and exciting nature experiences.
The people who lived in our house before us were birders as well so they had their binoculars and field guide at the window when we came to view the house. They also had a seed feeder and a hummingbird feeder set up in the backyard which made my heart happy. We have since added three more seed feeders (two sunflower and one nyjer seed), a suet feeder, an additional hummingbird feeder and two bird baths to the yard.
This list is in no way a list of EVERY bird we have had visit our yard. A few of the birds I am struggling with identifying and if I happen to capture a good image, I will share the photos in the hope that someone will know what they are and tell me.
May and June 2017 – First Bird List from Oregon!
- Black-headed grosbeak
- Mourning doves
- Canada goose
- Brewer’s blackbird
- Red-wing blackbird
- Tree swallow
- Cliff swallow
- Mountain chickadee
- American robin
- Mallard duck
- Osprey
- House finches
- Northern flicker
- Steller’s jay
- Common raven
- Turkey vulture
- Great blue heron
- Red-breasted sapsucker
- Rufous hummingbird
- Bull bat (common nighthawk) – heard early morning
You may be interested in reading this entry about keeping a bird “life list”. There are several suggestions for your family to get started with this satisfying project: Keeping a Bird Life List. It has a free printable list!
If you are looking for a fantastic set of bird notebooking pages that includes all of the birds in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford-Comstock, this is THE product to have on hand.
I have used these pages with my children and in my own nature journal over the years. Please note that I am an affiliate for NotebookingPages.com and will receive a small commission if you purchase any of their products. I highly recommend this set for your bird nature study. In fact, they go perfectly with my new Learning About Birds ebook challenges!
We just had a new bird visit last week, eating the grape jelly in the Oriole feeder. It was a gray catbird. I was so surprised to see a brand new bird after living here for 7 years!
I heard a catbird when I was in Florida but no where else since. Do you have orioles in your feeder? I would love that!
Yes, we have orioles at our feeder, though not that often. The most frequent visitors to the oriole feeder are house finches. I have to refill the grape jelly at least twice a day. My daughter says that they have a “sweet beak” instead of a sweet tooth.
Sweet beak!!! Love it!!!