Two more spring arrivals, and more importantly, two great moments with both of these birds along the Willamette River today. It's also nice to hit 75, the second earliest in my 9 eBird years that I've reached that number. I'm a slow and careful lister, who only marks birds I am very sure of, so every one is a fairly close, unique experience.

74) Greater Yellowlegs
75) Osprey

#BirdsOf2026

Spring continues to arrive, one migrant bird at a time. I had a fabulous half-hour walk at Jackson-Frazier Wetland, with 18 species and 2 new for the year. Oregonians, get out every day you can. Literally see it before it burns, because the summer is going to be rough.

72) Barn Swallow
73) Orange-crowned Warbler
#BirdsOf2026

This was my first real trip to the coast this year, where I could actually sit and watch birds, and it was spectacular. Seaducks for days. The harleys in particular are a bird I don't see every year and haven't in the last few. Add in my first pelicans of the year and a lovely close look at a male crossbill, and it was all such a treat.

65) Western Gull
66) Harlequin Duck
67) Black Oystercatcher
68) Surf Scoter
69) Red Crossbill
70) Black Scoter
71) Brown Pelican

#BirdsOf2026

I spend most of my time watching birds in parks and wilder land, and that means I sometimes miss the ones that hang out in human spaces. These days, you're more likely to see these dudes in a big box store parking lot than their native wetlands and grasslands, but I'm glad I saw them on the farm, in the grass where they belong.

64) Brewer's Blackbird
#BirdsOf2026

Spring continues its approach, and the migration is speeding up. Today, at Ankeny Hill refuge, I spotted my first migrating hummingbird of the year, a great look at a male rufous. After a long flight on such tiny wings, I hope you have a good summer, little one.

63) Rufous Hummingbird
#BirdsOf2026 #oregon

Swallow season has arrived in western Oregon, and to me at least, it has come all at once. I usually see Trees at least a little before VGs, but today they both put on a show at Willamette Park and showed me all their butts and faces, so I could see the difference. Welcome to spring.

61) Tree Swallow
62) Violet-green Swallow

#BirdsOf2026

Introduced, but they count. It's not their fault that we brought them here, or that they happen to like it so much and do so well where we put them. The hoo-HOO-hoos have arrived.

60) Eurasian Collared-Dove
#BirdsOf2026

I saw my first vulture of the year today, often one of my favorite days of the year. My muse, my champion, the golden purifier, Cathartes aura. And I can't even enjoy it. I can't welcome this old friend back to my skies, because I am mourning those my government is killing and the many, many more who will die and be harmed because of it.

59) Turkey Vulture
#BirdsOf2026

We pretty regularly get chickadees both -capped and -backed at the farm, but I can't ID the latter by song, so it always takes me a little longer. Gotcha.

58) Chestnut-backed Chickadee
#BirdsOf2026