We went back out to the lake today and I got some better pictures – not great but better ha-ha!! I am beginning to think Sharon from Odd Essay might be right in calling it a yellowlegs. Here’s my picture. Better view than I had yesterday.
Here’s a picture I found online at Whatbird. Scroll down and click on lesser yellowlegs juvenile.
And a short clip of the little guy in action.
“Fern Ridge Reservoir is the Willamette Valley’s largest body of water, surrounded by marshes that are home to nesting Western and Clark’s Grebe, Redhead, Black-necked Stilt, Black Tern and other species that are usually associated more with the vast marshes of the Great Basin. When the reservoir is drawn down in fall, expansive mudflats make this the best shorebirding area in the Willamette Valley, with extraordinary finds including Wood Sandpiper in recent years, along with nearly every
western shorebird species.” Quoted from Willamette BirdingWebsite
We saw another interesting bird along the shore today. I think I have identified that bird as a Semipalmated plover. Please someone correct me if I am wrong.
Here’s where I got my information on that bird.
We also saw a Blue Heron out in the water.
Then an egret flew in and landed not too far from the heron. The egret kept coming closer and the heron stood its ground and warned the egret off.
They both move so slow! I wonder if they ever fight over territory? They seemed to be amicable enough but the heron definitely set some limits on the egret.
Well, that’s all I’ve got folks. Thank you all for helping me and for putting up with my newbie birder phase!!
Wish I could help you, but as I said in the last blog...I know very, very little about birds. I know they are beautiful though.
ReplyDeleteI love looking and watching the birds but know very little about most of them.
ReplyDeleteI love your new header picture. I know less about birds than you do. When we lived in Tillamook and Astoria I just called them all sandpipers ;)
ReplyDeleteThank goodness we have bloggers out there who do know one bird from another. I just know they are beautiful and fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteSorry...I don't have a birdbrain.....
ReplyDeleteI do know the bird above that you think is a plover is a killdeer. I am familiar with this bird from both Oregon and Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteIt's good you found the identification on the juvenile lesser yellowlegs. I learned a new bird today!
I thought it might be a killdeer. That is one I have identified before. But in looking at pictures it more closely resembled the plover. I'll take your word for it!!
DeleteIt looks like a killdeer, but I wouldn't know for sure unless I heard it make the sounds that killdeer make. Is the killdeer related to the plover? I've never seen killdeer in the water.
ReplyDeleteI don't know my birds real well either but I do enjoy photographing them. It is always a challenge to get a good detailed bird photo. But, for me, that is the fun part......
ReplyDeleteI'm not good with birds...if someone says what is that I say a bird..if they say what kind I say a flying one..lol maybe this winter I will make that one of my priority...I do have a nice bird book..maybe I should open it once in awhile :)
ReplyDeleteThe plover has a single "necklace", and the killdeer has a "double strand necklace" (my own terms... but the black stripes on its neck). You might like "The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America" or Sibley's Field Guide to the Birds .... there are lots of others out there but these are our favorites. Thanks for the additional pictures of the ... shall we say "shorebird"... I think that "discussion" is now closed in our household ;-)
ReplyDeleteI haven't got a clue on birds! I know a seagull when I see one though.
ReplyDeleteNice photos.
After meeting Judy I became interested. On May first I started logging in a Petersons the date and place I saw a species. My goodness, sometimes it is difficult as you are finding out, right?
ReplyDelete