Pages

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Sauvie, Shadows, and Swifts

Sunday was one of those gorgeous, sunny fall days that you just want to last forever. I hadn't been out to Oak Island (a section of Sauvie Island) for years so we went out there for a walk and a possible paddle on Sturgeon Lake. Birding was pretty slow so the scenery was the star of the day. How much more blue could this sky get?


One of the many oaks on Oak Island. Sandhill Cranes flew over us several times here.

A cow pasture to lounge in for awhile. Aww, who cares that the birding is slow? Let's just take a nap.


Or get goofy with shadows in the mud and reeds.




The canoe trip was foiled by the fact that Sturgeon Lake is a late summer mudflat. Not surprising and actually a wonderful opportunity to watch Great Egrets, White Pelicans, Ring-billed Gulls and lots of ducks taking advantage of the bounty of food.



The day wound up with a trip to Chapman School in NW Portland to watch the annual spectacle that is Swift Watch. Thousands of Vaux's Swifts gather here for several weeks each fall to roost in this large chimney. They fly in a huge flock, swirling around the sky, until moments before sunset they funnel down into the chimney. Been to the bridge in Austin when the bats emerge? It's just like that.....only backwards.



6 comments:

NW Nature Nut said...

No cigarette, but that looked like the Marlboro man in the second photo. tee hee!

NW Nature Nut said...

Um, why are you not proudly displaying the GBC of October logo on your blog like all the other particpants? Only 10 more days! Did you make your suet yet?

NW Nature Nut said...

That's better :)

Rambling Woods said...

That's amazing...I came via NW nature's blog and am going to try to GBC Count. I am getting a bit of a late start to birding at age 50, but better late than never. My blog is mostly about the birds around the pond and woods....

Seth and Michelle said...

Me thinks NW Nature Nut is spot on about the whole Marlboro Man thing. That being said, we can't wait until the GBC! We are hoping a lively, yet friendly, competition!

Gabriel M said...

This wwas a lovely blog post