August is always prime season for shorebirds as you can see from the following reports. With the low water levels at Fern Ridge Reservoir, large numbers of shorebirds stopped on their southern migration, allowing birders a glimpse into the species and numbers that normally pass us by. August also signals the arrival of our wintering species as well as the departure of some of the breeding species. It's always an exciting time as birds move about after breeding--you never know what might show up.

Waterbirds
Pink-footed Shearwater Aug 26; NJSR; DPe
American White Pelican (40) Aug 5; FRR; DD
Great Egret (24) Aug 15; FRR; DF
Greater White-fronted Goose Aug 31; NJSR; DPe
Harlequin Duck (40-50) Aug 23; north of Florence; DF
Common Merganser (22) Jul 22; Alton Baker Park; VA

Raptors
White-tailed Kite (3) Aug 10; E. Coyote Unit, FRR; DAr
Red-shouldered Hawk Aug 24; SJSR; B&ZS
Swainson’s Hawk Aug 30; West Eugene; LM,DAr
Peregrine Falcon Aug 6; FRR; DF

Gallinaceous & Shorebirds
Mountain Quail (11) Aug 13; Florence; B&ZS
Black-bellied Plover (12) Aug 2; FRR; DF
American Golden-plover Aug 10; Crab dock SJSR; B&ZS
Pacific Golden-plover Aug 22; Crab dock SJSR; B&ZS
Solitary Sandpiper Aug 11; Siltcoos; HH,DF,VA,HR
Wandering Tattler Jul 19; NJSR; DPe
Whimbrel (15) Aug 2; FRR; DF
Whimbrel (Siberian race?) Aug 26; NJSR; AC,HH,DF
Long-billed Curlew Aug 27; Alvadore; DB
Marbled Godwit Aug 6; FRR; KL
Ruddy Turnstone Jul 28; Heceta Beach; B&ZS
Red Knot Jul 28; Heceta Beach; B&ZS
Sanderling (1000+) Aug 1; Siltcoos; HH,SS,DF
Sanderling Aug 3; FRR; DF
Semipalmated Sandpiper Aug 14; FRR; LM
Long-toed Stint Aug 1; Siltcoos; HH,SS,DF
Baird’s Sandpiper Aug 1; Siltcoos; HH,SS,DF
Baird’s Sandpiper Aug 10; FRR; DF
Pectoral Sandpiper Jul 31; Deflation plain; B&ZS
Wilson’s Phalarope (2) Aug 3; FRR; DF
Red-necked Phalarope Jul 25; Deflation plain; B&ZS
Red-necked Phalarope Aug 2; FRR; DF

Gulls, Terns, & Alcids
Pomarine Jaeger Aug 19; NJSR; PSu,et.al.
Caspian Tern (5) Aug 5; FRR; DD
Elegant Tern (2) (possible?) Aug 17; SJSR; B&ZS
Forster’s Tern Aug 16; FRR; PS,DD,DAr
Forster’s Tern Aug 25; FRR; TM
Tufted Puffin Aug 19; NJSR; PSu,et.al.

Doves, Goatsuckers, & Swifts
Black Swift (11-12) Aug 15; Salt Creek falls; RF,DD,MD

Passerines
Belted Kingfisher Aug 3; Alton Baker Park; VA
Lewis’ Woodpecker Aug 31; West Eugene; PS,DD
Williamson’s Sapsucker Aug 15; Waldo Lake area; RF,DD,MD
Williamson’s Sapsucker Aug 24; Waldo Lake area; JS
Swallow spp. Aug 22; West Eugene & T Lake; TM
Gray Jay (2) Aug 10; Creswell area; D&HL
Western Scrub-jay mid-July; Florence; B&ZS
Western Scrub-jay Aug 5; Siltcoos Lake; MRu
Western Tanager Aug 20; Eugene/Springfield area; m.ob.
Yellow-headed Blackbird Aug 26; Deflation plain; AC,HH,DF
Brewer’s Sparrow Aug 22; Royal Ave., FRR; LM,DAr
Lincoln’s Sparrow Aug 28; Creswell; SN
Lazuli Bunting Jul 30; Alton Baker Park; VA
Gray-crowned Rosy-finch (2) Aug 11; South Sister; A&TM,JC

Abbreviations:

FRR Fern Ridge Reservoir, deflation plain deflation plain at the South Jetty of the Siuslaw River, m.ob. many observers, NJSR North Jetty of the Siuslaw River, SJSR South Jetty of the Siuslaw River, Siltcoos Siltcoos River mouth.

Thank you, contributors!

DAr Dennis Arendt, VA Vjera Arnold, DB Dave Brown, JC Jim Carlson, AC Alan Contaras, MD Mason Davis, DD Don DeWitt, DF Daniel Farrar, RF Reid Freeman, HH Henrick Herlyn, KL Kit Larsen, D&HL Don & Hydie Lown, LM Larry McQueen, A&TM Allison & Tom Mickel, DPe Diane Pettey, HR Holly Reinhard, MRu Mark Rudolph, SN Sally Nelson, PS Paul Sherrell, JS Jamie Simmons, SS Shawn Steinberg, PSu Paul Sullivan, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz.

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