Swans through Pelicans

A Whooper Swan graced western Washington for the second consecutive year, this time in Osceola, King Co 2 Jan+ (Scott Leavens). It would establish Washington’s third record if different than last winter’s individual. Blue-winged Teal is increasing but still rare in the region in winter; one was found at Nisqually NWR, Thurston Co 3 Dec (John Green), and two were at Big Flats HMU, Franklin Co 5 Feb (Jason Fidorra), where particularly notable for being on the eastside. Surprisingly no Tufted Ducks were seen in Washington, where they are typically annual; California and British Columbia also had poor showings with one apiece. Oregon hosted a single female, photographed along the Columbia River in Portland, Multnomah Co 30 Dec–12 Jan (Andrew Aldrich). A young male Common Eider in Bandon, Coos Co 1 Jan+ (Shawneen Finnegan, David Irons) drew birders from far and wide, as it was only the state’s 2nd record.

A White-winged Dove was observed in Adams, Umatilla Co 30 Dec (Rebecca Hartman), while Washington’s 2nd Common Crane along Brady Loop, Grays Harbor 2 Jan+ (Liam Hutcheson) proved to be a much bigger star. It spent the winter roaming with a small flock of locally scarce Sandhill Cranes. A juvenile American Golden-Plover found in early Nov lingered in Lincoln City, Lincoln Co 11–15 Dec (Phil Pickering). A few days later, what was likely the same juvenile straggled into Newport, lingering to 31 Dec. This species usually winters in South America and is unprecedented here in winter. An American Avocet photographed at Willapa Bay NWR, Pacific Co (Nick Yarde) adds to the handful of winter records for Washington. All winter records in Washington are from the coast or Puget Sound, where they are rare in any season. In Oregon the once tiny wintering population in Coos Bay seems to have blinked out, despite healthy numbers in much-larger Humboldt Bay to our south. A Ruff at Baskett Slough NWR, Polk Co 10–16 Feb (Andrew Aldrich) presumably wintered in the area.

A Yellow-billed Loon wintered at the Umpqua River Mouth, Douglas Co 29 Jan+ (Ron Maertz). Two Leach’s Storm-Petrels photographed at Barview Jetty, Tillamook Co 27 Dec (Cliff Cordy) following prolonged west winds were the only sighting of the winter in the region. A sick Nazca Booby was found at the Coquille River Mouth, Coos Co 6 Feb (Karen Saxton). Both winter records in Oregon have been of sick individuals, adding to three September records with one apiece of live (offshore), injured, and dead individuals. Two Brown Boobies were seen in Oregon, one in Tillamook Co and another in Coos Co; fall sightings are nearly annual but winter sightings are far from guaranteed. Incredibly, a county-first juvenile Brown Pelican was photographed circling over snow covered fields in Selah Heights, Yakima Co 6 Dec (Lance and Robyn Koch). Selah Heights is dominated by arid shrub steppe and agriculture, making this a spectacularly odd place for this lost pelican. At least one juvenile Brown Pelican provided several county firsts in eastern Washington in fall 2022; one might ponder whether this was the same individual. Oregon joined in with a few records in interior Lane and Multnomah.

Owls through Waxwings

It was another average winter for Snowy Owl; there has not been a major irruption event since 2012–13. A Burrowing Owl was observed at Cannon Beach, Clatsop Co 31 Jan (Diana Byrne). A Williamson’s Sapsucker in Hood River, Hood River Co 24 Dec (Ricky Ray) was unusual for that area, while a young Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Florence, Lane Co 4–19 Feb (Tim Rodenkirk) was less surprising though the only one in our region this winter. Good numbers of out-of-place Acorn Woodpeckers continued through the winter after an impressive fall irruption, with several in King Co and one wintering as far north as Chelan Co. Though always abundant along most of our region’s river, the 336 Bald Eagles in Rainier Marina, Columbia Co 11 Feb (Philip Kline) was a surprising high count. Once exceptional here in winter but now a bit less than annual, a Swainson’s Hawk wintered at the Oregon State Psychiatric Hospital Wetlands, Lane Co 1 Jan+ (John Sullivan).

One Tropical Kingbird made it into January on the Oregon coast and a Cassin’s Vireo was photographed at Alberta Park in Portland, Multnomah Co 31 Dec (David Leal, Timmie Mandish, Mike Green). Blue Jay sightings were well below average this year, with none in Washington and one in Oregon in Joseph, Wallowa Co. It is not unusual for the region to host double digit individuals in a winter. A Winter Wren at Skinner Butte Park, Lane Co 10 Dec+ (Courtney Kelly Jett, Caleb Centanni) was the third for the region and second for Oregon, though this species is surely overlooked.

It was an exceptional winter for Gray Catbirds – a species that was formerly unrecorded in winter in Washington and exceedingly rare in Oregon. Two were recorded in Washington; one at Ihiya Biological Reserve, San Juan Co 23 Dec–3 Jan and another in Pasco, Franklin Co 3 Dec (Steven Kahl). Meanwhile, Oregon hosted singles in West Haven-Sylvan, Washington Co 21–23 Jan (Colby Neuman) and Reedsport, Douglas Co 16 Feb (Tim Gannon). Washington’s first Eastern Bluebird, a male, was photographed and enjoyed by many at Leslie Groves Park, Benton Co 1–15 Dec (Jane Abel). Impressively, this park simultaneously hosted all three bluebird species, allowing many a chance to observe a bluebird sweep. A Mountain Bluebird photographed near the Oyehut Game Range, Grays Harbor Co 11 Dec (Pamela Girres) is among few if any coastal winter records for Washington. Bohemian Waxwings showed rather poorly, in line with other northern species.

Brambling through Blackbirds

Washington experienced an incredible showing of Bramblings, with a total of seven reported. Four of these were observed in Clallam Co; two different individuals were found on the very snowy Neah Bay CBC, 20 Dec (Brad Waggoner, Elizabeth McManus), one appeared in Ramapo 6 Feb (Sue Nattinger), and the fourth visited Port Angeles 9 Dec+ (Kirsten Tucker). Additional individuals were discovered at Cape Disappointment SP, Pacific Co 1 Jan+ (Ryan Abe), Whittier Heights, King Co 6–7 Feb (Stephanie Burkemoore), and Bellingham, Whatcom Co 15 Nov–4 Dec (Rick Griffen). Interestingly, Oregon missed out on the Brambling action altogether.

It was an overall poor winter for finches in the region, likely in response to poor cone crops. Very few Pine Grosbeaks were reported in interior Washington, though interestingly two were recorded in Blaine, Whatcom Co. Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins were also sparsely distributed, with the latter very uncommon in eastern Washington where they can be numerous. Only a few White-winged Crossbills were reported, with most in Okanogan Co where expected. A huge flock of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches was observed several times at Hurricane Ridge, Clallam Co, peaking at 274 individuals 22 Jan (Melissa Marshall, Eric Guzman). Rosy-Finches are patchily distributed in Olympics, making this congregation especially noteworthy. Now nearly annual in southern Oregon, a Lawrence’s Goldfinch was photographed visiting a feeder in Medford, Jackson Co 10–23 Jan (Lisa Milano).

A Clay-colored Sparrow in Warrenton, Clatsop Co was surprisingly the only report of the season. Oregon’s first Field Sparrow showed off to many observers at Monmouth Sewage Ponds, Polk Co 17 Jan+ (Brandon Wagner). An immature male Orchard Oriole spent the winter in Florence, Lane Co. A young male Hooded Oriole visited a hummingbird feeder in Lewisburg, Benton Co 2–15 Dec (W. Douglas Robinson), while in Washington an adult male continued for its fourth winter in Baycenter, Pacific Co. A Baltimore Oriole was well photographed in Langlois, Curry Co 18 Dec (Ramiro Aragon and Lars Per Norgren). At least three Tricolored Blackbirds were viewed at a feeder in Lyle, Klickitat Co 15–18 Dec (Bill Tweit), where they are rare any time of year. It was an average winter for Rusty Blackbird in the region, with two apiece in Washington and Oregon.

Warblers through Buntings

Common breeding warblers that wintered included at least two Yellow Warblers, two Wilson’s Warblers, and several Nashville Warblers, notably including a Nashville Warbler in snowy Neah Bay, Clallam Co 21 Dec (Brian Pendleton, Darchelle Worley). Vagrant warblers stole the show, though, especially in Oregon. Most were found in historically under-birded coastal neighborhoods that for once received ample coverage. Several Northern Waterthrushes were found along the coast, while an inland Black-and-white Warbler at Riverview Park, Polk Co spent the whole winter. The exceptional fall for Tennessee Warblers extended into winter, with numerous reports on the Oregon coast and one in Neah Bay, Clallam Co 19 Dec (Ryan Merrill). A Lucy’s Warbler at Fort Stevens, Clatsop Co 18–19 Dec (Courtney Kelly Jett, Caleb Centanni, Colby Neuman) was Oregon’s 4th following a sighting in Coos Co less than a month prior. A Northern Parula wintered at a feeder in Bandon, Coos Co.

Rarer eastern warblers abounded as well, including a Magnolia Warbler in Brookings, Curry Co 6 Feb (Tim Rodenkirk), a Blackburnian Warbler in Corvallis, Benton Co 14–22 Dec (Carl Lundblad), and a male Black-throated Blue Warbler in Sutherlin, Douglas Co 17 Dec+ (Matt Hunter). Oregon’s third Pine Warbler appeared in Veterans Park, Klamath Co 9 Jan–28 Feb (Elijah Hayes). And last but not least, a Black-throated Green Warbler first sighted in the late fall at Riverfront Park, Spokane Co lingered to 17 Dec before surely succumbing to the cold northern winter. Palm Warbler, the only “eastern” warbler that visits our coast in good numbers every fall and winter, ironically under-showed with only a few reports. There were however 10 on the Port Orford CBC, Curry Co.

Two Summer Tanagers in Oregon, including one in southeast Portland, Multnomah Co 3 Jan–5 Feb (Gary Hoen), contributed to their eventual removal from the state review list after three individuals later in the year brought Oregon’s total to 36. More than half of those have come since 2010. Eleven Western Tanagers, including four from Washington, was surely a seasonal record for the region. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak popped up in Corvallis, Benton Co 17 Feb (Christopher Wells), and another appeared in Pistol River, Curry Co 8 Jan (Trevor Hook). An immature male Indigo Bunting came to a feeder in Warrenton, Clatsop Co 20 Feb (Tate Pyle, Arna Vanebo).

Report processed by Andrew Keaveney, 26 Mar 2025.