Oregon and Washington: Winter 2023–2024

Waterfowl through Gulls

Two Whooper Swans were discovered with the large wintering flocks of Trumpeter Swans in the lower Skagit Valley, Skagit Co 14+ Feb (Ethan Aron, et al.). This was the third winter in a row that Skagit Co hosted at least one wintering Whooper Swan. Emperor Geese were historically annual in the region, but have become harder to find; none were reported this winter. Tufted Duck similarly made a poor showing, with just one sighting.

A White-winged Dove, rare but annual in the region, graced a Newport, Lincoln Co feeder from 2–30 Dec+ (Nolan Clements, Torrey Gage-Tomlinson). Costa’s Hummingbird is another barely annual winter vagrant. Two were reported this winter, both males visiting feeders. Ruffs are annual fall visitors and traditionally very rare in winter; one overwintered at Baskett Slough NWR, Polk Co.

Parakeet Auklets were formerly considered very rare in the region, but have shown up in large numbers offshore in some recent years, though generally in early spring. The only report this year was of a pair at Boiler Bay on 26 Feb during ideal seawatching conditions, sustained westerly winds following a strong cold front (Phil Pickering). A Slaty-backed Gull returned to the Tri-Cities area of eastern Washington for the ninth winter in a row.

Loons through Gnatcatchers

Yellow-billed Loons have been barely annual in recent years away from the Strait of Juan de Fuca, so it was noteworthy to get one report each in Lincoln Co, OR; Clatsop Co, and Pacific Co. Remarkably, two dead Nazca Boobies were photographed on 6 Feb and posted to iNaturalist—one on a beach near Bandon, Coos Co (Julie Night) and one on a beach near Tacoma, Pierce Co (P. Wimberger). The region first recorded Nazca Booby in 2015, but the species is increasing, as evidenced by three individuals in fall 2023. This winter’s two sightings bring the region’s total to about 12 records. 

Four Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were reported, a typical number for this rare but expected winter vagrant. A Tropical Kingbird overwintered in Coos Bay (Tim Rodenkirk), furnishing the first overwintering record for the region; the species is annual in small numbers in fall, but most disappear by December and only a few have ever showed up in January. More Tropical Kingbirds than typical lingered into December in Washington, and one stayed until 8 Jan at Cape Blanco, Curry Co (Terry Wahl).

The fall’s unprecedented westside Pygmy Nuthatch irruption continued into the winter, with no coastal reports but a cluster of four in the Coast Range of Tillamook Co, and singles or small groups of two to seven in seven locations in the Willamette Valley and Puget Trough. Above-average numbers of lowland Mountain Chickadees in the Willamette Valley and an “Interior West” White-breasted Nuthatch at Dharma Rain Zen Center, Portland, Multnomah Co on 8 Dec (Ross Barnes-Rickett) also represented continuations of fall irruptions. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are historically very rare in winter in the region, but have been annual the past few winters. It is unclear if they are increasing, or if observers are putting in more effort searching for rare wintering passerines. One found on 21 Nov in Astoria, Clatsop Co lingered until 21 Dec (Jeff Gilligan), and one lingered at Neah Bay, Clallam Co until 4 Jan. The Neah Bay gnatcatcher appeared to be of the eastern “caerulea” subspecies, which has proven to be nearly annual at Neah Bay in late fall.

Wrens through Finches

Canyon Wrens continue to be reported on the lush Multnomah Co side of the western Columbia River Gorge. The species was historically very rare, but has become regular in a couple of locations since the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire burned large swaths of vegetation, allowing more sunlight and warmer, more exposed microclimates. A Gray Catbird at Koll Center Wetlands, Washington Co that appeared in November lingered until at least 28 Jan (Craig Tumer). The species is rare on the westside in Oregon and very rare but increasing in winter anywhere in the region.

The highlight of the season was Washington’s first Song Thrush, photographed in a Port Angeles neighborhood on 12 Jan (Scott Gremel). This was only the fifth North American record, and the first for the Lower 48 states. Chasers failed to refind the bird, although given the date and location, it likely wintered somewhere nearby.

Pine Grosbeaks extended their exceptional fall irruption with at least ten lowland westside records including two reports in Pacific Co and an exceptional flock of 12 in Warrenton, Clatsop Co 19 Jan; Pine Grosbeaks are traditionally rare but annual on the westside and accidental to the Oregon coast. A remarkable spate of at least eight Redpoll sightings in January on the Oregon Coast, where generally very rare, coincided with a cold snap throughout the region. Interestingly, away from the coast on the westside it was an average winter for Redpolls, with a smattering of records, and it was an average-to-poor year on the eastside, with few large flocks. White-winged Crossbills had a poor showing regionwide, so two in coastal Nehalem, Tillamook Co on 3 Feb (Colby Neuman, Peyton Cook) was a particular surprise for a species that has only reached the Oregon Coast a few times outside of the exceptional irruption year of winter 2017–2018.

Sparrows through Buntings

A rare westside Sagebrush Sparrow at Blaine Marine Park on 18 Feb (Mark Spiry) was a first for Whatcom Co. An Orchard Oriole wintered in Coos Bay, Coos Co (Tim Rodenkrik), and at least one wintered in Brookings, Curry Co (Tim Rodekirk), bringing Oregon’s total to 22 records, more than half of which come from the last ten years. Oregon and Washington have both seen an explosion of recent records, likely due to better observer coverage of coastal vagrant traps in fall and coastal towns in winter where the species tends to show up. Hooded Oriole is a rare annual vagrant to the region, mostly on the Oregon coast. One in Coos Bay, Coos Co in December (Adam Mitchell) fit the trend, while a male in Canby, Clackamas Co furnished a rarer inland record. The Canby bird was present from 6 Dec until it was found dead on a patio on 7 Feb. Rare blackbirds put in an average showing, with a Common Grackle in Union Co 4 Dec–7 Jan and a smattering of six Rusty Blackbirds, mostly on the eastside in Washington where they are rare but regular.

As is typical, a handful of vagrant “eastern” warblers overwintered or attempted to overwinter. Two Black-throated Blue Warblers, which are less-than-annual winter vagrants, were reported—a male that visited a feeder in Spokane Co until 10 Jan and another male was west of Klamath Falls, Klamath Co from 29 Dec–5 Jan. Magnolia Warbler is another less-than-annual winter vagrant, but one was near Eugene, Lane Co 31 Dec (Thomas Meinzen, Torrey Gage-Tomlinson) and one overwintered in Coos Bay, Coos Co (Tim Rodenkirk). More expected were seven Tennessee Warblers (all on the Oregon Coast), three Black-and-white Warblers (all on the westside), and three Northern Waterthrush (all on the westside)—these three warblers have become rare annual vagrants to the westside in winter. Washington’s 10th Hooded Warbler at Neah Bay, Clallam Co, originally found in November, lingered until 1 Jan.

Summer Tanager is another species with an increasing number of records coinciding with better observer coverage, although it is still very rare in winter; a male was in Brookings, Curry Co on 8 Dec (Tim Rodenkirk). A Rose-breasted Grosbeak, another rare but annual winter vagrant, frequented a farm east of Eugene, Lane Co through the winter (Ritch Pope). Indigo Bunting is annual in the region but exceptional in winter with only a few prior records; one wintered near Alsea, Benton Co (Michael Frenock) and one was near Port Angeles, Clallam Co 2 Feb (Stephanie Kinnaman). A Painted Bunting—a green bird, as most regional records are (as opposed to a bright adult male)—visited a feeder in Waldport, Lincoln Co on 21 Jan (Evan Hayduk), rounding out the list of winter highlights.

Report edited by Randi Minetor, 23 July 2025.