Spent the morning touring around Washington County, as my Sooty Grouse trip did
not get announced in time and was therefore cancelled. :-(
The Metro Wetlands along Fernhill Rd had a lot of singers at around 7:30am, but
neither Lazuli Bunting nor Yellow-breasted Chat have arrived yet. Purple Finch,
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat,
Savannah Sparrow was all she wrote. A Sora was calling from the marsh; it will
be drying up soon.
At least one Solitary Sandpiper continues along 47 just south of Forest Grove
(right where B St hits 47, there are some mudflats east of the highway). I see
Phil had 3 later in the day.
Black-throated Grays and a single Warbling Vireo were singing at the Buxton
trailhead (to the Banks-Vernonia Linear Trail).
Johnson Rd mid morning was great: I was dumbfounded to get prolonged looks at a
Mountain Quail along the road (at about 0.3mi; I usually see them higher up).
MacGillivray's and Wilson's Warblers are back in full force, there was always
one within earshot. 2-3 Hermit Warblers were at the gate at the end of the
road, a traditional spot for them.
At Pacific University in Forest Grove, I only found a single Acorn Woodpecker.
They used to be easy there, but have been declining there recently (none was
seen there during the CBC). On the hummingbird front, I could only find a
single female Anna's. No Orioles.
Fernhill Wetlands was very slow early afternoon. Several Soras and a Virginia
Rail were still calling, but that was about it.
Stefan SchlickHillsboro, OR
