The dikes around the wetland areas are closed to public access in the winter to prevent disturbance to the birds. But the trail leading through the wooded habitat beyond the wetland is open year round.

Northern Pintails and a Ruddy Duck

several Double-crested Cormorants perched on a log

a congregation of Northern Pintails, Mallards, and Ring-necked Ducks

The star of the refuge in recent weeks has been a lone Emperor Goose. He is the pale gray blob with the white neck tucked under his wings, right in the center of the photo. No, really.

This Dark-eyed Junco was a little more photogenic than the goose was.

Given the amount of brown on the crown and hind neck of this Dark-eyed Junco, I’m guessing she is a first-year female.

Golden-crowned Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco

The local Great Horned Owl is already sitting on her nest. This nest successfully fledged young last year.

In another sign of spring, this Great Egret is already sporting long nuptial plumes.

These Cackling Geese (and one Glaucous-winged Gull) were hanging out on the nearby Heron Lakes Golf Course. A Brandt has been seen on the golf course this week, but I didn’t find him on this visit.

A flock of ten Greater White-fronted Geese were sitting on Force Lake, just north of the Vanport Wetlands.

These geese are young birds, lacking the black and white speckling seen on the bellies of adults.

Nala is not nearly as interested in the birds of Vanport Wetlands as she is in the adjacent off-leash dog park, where she can pursue her prime interest, chasing the Orange Orb of Delight.

I’m teaching a class on Willamette Valley gulls for Portland Audubon on January 18, 2012, with a local field trip on January 21. We will discuss plumage details, but also the shape of each species. Shape is much more useful when trying to ID distant birds, birds in bad light, or birds in my typically grainy photos. For information on the class, or to register, click here.

Ridgeway’s Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii minima) is the smallest race of Cackler, only slightly larger than a Mallard. Their stubby bills and purplish breasts are good field marks. Many individuals also display a prominent white collar.

cuteness

Of course, you can’t visit Westmoreland in winter without appreciating a Thayer’s Gull. This is such a hard bird to find throughout much of the country, I always stop to enjoy them, despite their local abundance. You can’t see this bird’s eye or bill, but the white underside of the far wing and the amount of white visible on the outermost primary (p10) on the near wing are both good clues to the bird’s ID. (yeah, I’m a bird nerd, and I’m proud.)

Eurasian Wigeon is another species that Portlanders enjoy on a regular basis, while birders elsewhere can only dream.

Dark-eyed Junco

Song Sparrow

Lincoln’s Sparrows are among the most beautiful sparrows in North America, but are also rather shy, so they tend to stay out of range of point-and-shoot photography.

Lincoln’s Sparrow, with a Song Sparrow in the background

Fox Sparrows tend to lurk in the thicker cover.

He finally emerged for some millet.

White-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow, first winter

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow, with a Golden-crowned in the background

Spotted Towhee

Black Turnstone at The Cove in Seaside (Birding Oregon p. 121)

Surfbirds blend in with the rocks very well until someone opens their wings.

California Gull in extremely worn plumage. Notice how the primaries have worn down almost to the shaft.

Dragonfly on the water, Neawanna Wetlands

Hooded Mergansers, Neawanna Wetlands

Fox Sparrow

The best birds of the trip were a flock of five Snow Buntings, a species that has eluded me in Oregon until now. They appeared on the beach near the jetty, then quickly moved on.

This image shows three Snow Buntings in flight. No, really.

There were hundreds of California Sea Lions in the area, both on the jetty and in the surf.

A flock of at least 35 Semipalmated Plovers were working the wrack line. There are ten in this image. No, really.

Here’s a better view of a Semipalmated Plover.

This Palm Warbler was a nice surprise. This species is rare along the coast in autumn.

Brown Pelicans were very common. The Heerman’s Gulls that harass them during the summer have already moved south for the winter, so the pelicans can feed in relative peace.

An adult (left) and juvenile Brown Pelican

Western Gull (left) and Herring Gull. The gulls on the beach are much more wary than those that spend the winter in Portland.

Sanderlings and Mew Gulls

Other goodies that escaped the camera were a Peregrine Falcon on the beach, a Northern Shrike, and three Western Meadowlarks. It was a great day to enjoy the sun before the cold wet weather settles in to stay.

Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

The Western Scrub-Jays have been hitting the feeder hard, filling their crops with seeds and flying off to hide them somewhere.

House Finch

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Goldfinch

The main pond, with a few hundred Cackling Geese

This female Surf Scoter has been hanging out for about a week. She is apparently finding enough mollusks to eat in this muddy pond. A few of these sea ducks are found on the Columbia River and on larger bodies of water in winter, but they are unexpected on such a small pond.

She spent a lot of time feeding under water.

Westmoreland is one of the easier places to find a cooperative Thayer’s Gull.

Ridgeway’s Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii minima) is the most common of the “white-cheeked” geese in the Willamette Valley in winter.

The Cackling Geese graze in the lawns at Westmoreland, but are more cautious than some of the other waterfowl.

Taverner’s Cackling Goose (B. h. taverneri) in the foreground, with a Ridgeway’s Cackling Goose in the background

Taverner’s Cackling, with another Ridgeway’s Cackling in the background

This Rock Pigeon was enjoying a bath at the pond’s edge.

a former waterfowl

Most shorebirds have moved on by now. This Lesser Yellowlegs was feeding by himself.

The Lesser Yellowlegs was eventually joined by a small flock of Long-billed Dowitchers.

One of the paths at Fernhill has recently been extended around the back side of Dabblers Marsh. This brushy area hosted a large flock of Bushtits (a female above), along with Mourning Doves, Northern Flickers, Black-capped Chickadees, and my first-of-season Golden-crowned Sparrow.

male Bushtit