Oregon and Washington: Winter 2025–2026

Waterfowl through Terns

A Whooper Swan appeared in Thurston Co 1–3 Dec, Snohomish Co 16 Jan, and Skagit Co, WA 3–19 Feb. It is unknown whether these sightings represent one or multiple individuals; either way, these reports could involve a returning bird from recent winters. Four eastside Tufted Ducks were reported, all males along the Columbia River, with two each in Washington and Oregon. At least four Tufted Duck x scaup sp. hybrids were also reported. Often elusive, Washington’s 22nd King Eider which, last seen in early Nov 2025, reappeared in Westport, Grays Harbor Co 3 Jan–20 Feb.

One White-winged Dove was in Brookings, Curry Co, OR 1 Dec (Tim Rodenkirk), while a long-staying individual continued through the period in Terrebonne, Deschutes Co, OR. A Common Poorwill at 4600 ft. elevation near Blue Hole Falls, Lane Co 31 Dec (Mathias Anderson) was a first winter record for Oregon. Oregon’s 17th Common Gallinule, wintering at Lake Ewauna 14 Jan–16 Feb (Dave Haupt), was surprisingly only a second for Klamath Co. A Common Crane was seen on Wenzel Slough Rd. and then elsewhere in the Chehalis Valley, Grays Harbor Co, WA 2–13 Dec. This was presumably a returning winter visitor from two years earlier. Intriguingly, this year’s Common Crane had an immature in tow that may have been a Common x Sandhill Crane hybrid. Though largely Sandhill-like in appearance, the immature bird showed unusually extensive black in the flight feathers; it was also seen interacting with and begging for food from the Common Crane. Further analysis from experts is pending.

Pacific Golden-Plover is a less-than-annual rarity in winter; one was in Tillamook Co, OR and another was in Linn Co, OR. Up to five Long-billed Curlews northwest of Halsey, Linn Co, OR 7 Dec+ was surprisingly unusual. Singles and small groups of curlews have occasionally wintered on Oregon’s coast, primarily in Coos Co since the 1990s. The southern Willamette Valley has Feb records from 1991 and 2012, and more recently Jan records from 2021, 2025, and now 2026. A Ruff wintered at Baskett Slough NWR, Polk Co, OR for the fourth consecutive winter. Previously unrecorded in winter, an astounding three Sharp-tailed Sandpipers graced the westside in December. The first was at Neah Bay, Clallam Co, OR 14–28 Dec (Ryan Merrill et al.), one was at Wenzel Slough, Grays Harbor Co, WA 28 Dec (Timothy Leque), and one lingered along Wireless Rd., Clatsop Co, OR 12–19 Dec (Mike Patterson).

A flyby Horned Puffin at Cape Blanco, Curry Co, OR 6 Dec (Andrew Pratt) provided a rare from-shore record. Oregon’s ninth Black-headed Gull showed up in Lincoln City, Lincoln Co 16 Dec before reappearing further south in Newport 19–26 Dec. The long-returning Slaty-backed Gull, back for its eleventh winter, lingered in Benton and Franklin Cos, WA into March. A very late Caspian Tern, unsurprisingly a hatch-year individual, stayed until 10 Dec at D River, Lincoln Co, WA. There were no winter records for the region through 2000, but several poorly-documented reports have trickled in since then; this was only the second to be photographed.

Loons through Woodpeckers

An Arctic Loon was photographed just north of Bay City, Grays Harbor Co, WA 29 Nov–4 Dec (Cameron Cox), continuing an uptick of detections for this very rare but likely overlooked vagrant. After a string of good Yellow-billed Loon winters, this season brought only a singleton to Westport, Grays Harbor Co and a handful to the Salish Sea. A 42 year-old Laysan Albatross was found dead on a beach near Surf Pines, Clatsop Co 20 Dec (Owen Schmidt). One Short-tailed Albatross 28 miles west of Waldport, Lincoln Co 18 Jan was the only report (Oregon Pelagic Tours), while a Flesh-footed Shearwater at the same chum stop was notably more unusual for midwinter (ph. Andrew Aldrich). A single Red-footed Booby winging past Westport Marina, Grays Harbor Co 28 Feb (Bill Tweit) was Washington’s fifth, and a first winter record for the region. A Cocos Booby perched on the Siuslaw River Mouth jetty, Lane Co, OR 14 Dec (Ramiro Aragon). At least one Brandt’s Cormorant continued along the Columbia River near Hayden Island, Multnomah Co, OR and off Clark Co, WA, through the period.

A Cattle Egret lingering at The Narrows until 28 Dec was unusual so late in the year for Harney Co, OR. There were a handful of Snowy Owl sightings on the central Oregon coast representing at least one individual bird. Singles were in Newport 6–11 Dec (Ethan Allred), at the Siuslaw River Mouth, Lane Co 23 Jan–3 Feb (Sally Hill), and at North Spit Coos Bay, Coos Co 14 Jan (Steve Fowler) and again in Mar. In Washington, the furthest south individual was outside Kennewick, Benton Co 7 Jan–1 Feb (Jeff Blake). Single Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in Crook Co, OR 31 Dec–13 Jan (Milton Vine) and Skamania Co, WA 21 Dec (CJ Flick) were county firsts. Two Black-backed Woodpeckers at Hart Mountain, Lake Co, OR on the 17 Dec CBC were unusually far from any breeding habitat (fide Joel Geier).

Passerines

Oregon’s 31st Eastern Phoebe showed up at Farmer Rd., Polk Co 3 Feb+ (Don Berg). An early Cliff Swallow returned to Malheur NWR, Harney Co, OR 27 Feb (Katie Sorenson, Peter Olsoy), while an exceptional winter season Cliff Swallow graced Fernhill Wetlands, Washington Co, OR 26 Dec–1 Jan (Stefan Schlick). Single Winter Wrens occurred in both states; one continuing from fall in Nehalem, Tillamook Co, OR was last seen 14 Dec, and one was at Roses Lake, Chelan Co, OR 20 Dec–1 Jan (Neil Paprocki). These brought the region’s total of this recently-split species to nine in the past five years.

Single Gray Catbirds were in Klamath and Clallam Cos, OR in December. A late Grasshopper Sparrow at Neah Bay 14 Dec (Ryan Merrill, Ali Kasperzak) was Washington’s first winter record. The Song x Swamp Sparrow hybrid returned to Brady Loop, Grays Harbor Co, WA for another winter, with a single sighting 17 Jan (Liam Hutcheson). A first-winter male Orchard Oriole in Northeast Portland, Multnomah Co, OR 30 Jan+ was the second to winter in the county. Four Hooded Orioles were found visiting feeders on Oregon’s westside, including a returning male in Newport, one in Canby, and two in Curry Co.

Rare warblers continue to be found in increasing numbers in the region through late fall and winter, especially in residential areas of Coos and Curry Cos, OR. Coos and Curry contributed three of the region’s four Black-and-white Warblers this winter (a fourth was in Washington Co), the lone Northern Waterthrush, eight of 10 Tennessee Warblers, an American Redstart, one of two Northern Parulas, a Magnolia Warbler, and a Prairie Warbler (Tim Rodenkirk et al.). The Prairie Warbler in North Bend 2–6 Dec may have been a late migrant. Coos and Curry also had a remarkable 25 Nashville Warblers and one Northern Yellow Warbler (Tim Rodenkirk). A striking male Hooded Warbler was seen in Eugene, Lane Co, OR until 13 Dec. Washington’s lone contribution was a single Northern Parula near Boston Harbor, Thurston Co 14–17 Dec (Emily Teachout, Kameron and Shanty Slater).

Coos and Curry added three of five Summer Tanagers in the region this winter; one was also in Seattle, WA 14 Dec (Roniq Bartanen, Erin Layer), and a young male wintered in Southeast Portland, OR 21 Dec+. An Indigo Bunting showed up in Langlois, Curry Co, OR 14 Dec (Tim Rodenkirk), while Oregon’s 12th Painted Bunting graced Winchester Bay, Douglas Co 3–5 Dec (Donna Nordstrom, Jeff Nordstrom).

Report edited by Andrew Keaveney, 7 Jun 2026.