One of the Reclusive Ones: Marsh Wren at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area in Oregon

Some birds might be relatively common, but at the same time they can be very reclusive and hard to see. They can be even harder to photograph. I got lucky with one of those kinds of birds last week as we traveled through Oregon. It was a Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris). It was only the fourth time I've seen one, and only second time I've gotten pictures. We were stopped at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area just inland of Reedsport on the Umpqua River. We actually weren't looking for the elk because we have lots of pictures of elk. The meadow along the river is often a good place to look for birds.

I inadvertently drew the bird out of reeds and into sight. I could hear a bird singing in the thick vegetation but I'm not well-versed in bird calls. I suspected it might be a Marsh Wren, so I pulled out the smart phone to check the call. It played louder than I expected, and suddenly the Marsh Wren jumped out of the reeds wondering who the competition was. Calling birds this way is not really ethical, as it may upset the birds and cause them to use energy that they can't spare.

For more information about Marsh Wrens, I recommend an excellent post by fellow nature blogger Siera Nystrom at the Natural History Journal.

A Thanksgiving Feast: Ticks on Elk...Brewer's Blackbirds at Dean Creek

 Well, that was a strange enough sight. We were driving north into Oregon for the holiday weekend, and stopped for a few moments at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area on the Umpqua River near Reedsport. The Roosevelt Elk were there in fair numbers, but one seemed to have some black warts or something (picture below). They turned out to be birds.

At the distance it was hard to tell the species, but I suspect they were Brewer's Blackbirds (Euphagus cyanocephalus). The Cornell Bird Site does mention that they will pick bugs off the backs of livestock, but it is possible that they are Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). I welcome corrections; both species are reported from this location.

As is usually the case, the elk didn't seem to mind having birds walking around on their backs and hindquarters. If the birds were after ticks and that kind of pest, it would be a relief to have the birds working hard to remove them. Still, it was an odd sight.

The Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area is on Highway 38 just two or three miles upstream from the town of Reedsport. Parking is free.

Bald Eagle on the Umpqua River near Reedsport, Oregon

I guess this was my week for Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). I hadn't seen any for the better part of a year, and then I see two in the space of four days. This one was a lot closer than the bird I saw flying with the pelicans on Tuesday.

We were on our way to our Thanksgiving gathering in central Oregon, and stopped for a few minutes at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing area on the Umpqua River near Reedsport on the coast. We were there to see the elk, but there are almost always some birds about as well. We were leaving when I noticed very large bird in the tree down the highway. There were some Ravens nearby, but this bird seemed larger. Much larger. Although it was silhouetted in the sun, my zoom lens confirmed the shape of the beak and the white head. 

It's no surprise an eagle would be found here, as the river is a haven for salmon. The eagles are expanding their range in the lower 48 states after nearly being extirpated by DDT and illegal hunting. There are one of just a few conservation success stories.

It would have been a shame to drive our national bird to extinction...