Towering Trees to Ripples of Sand

Brown Creeper

One of the things I’ve come to appreciate about the coastline of the Pacific Northwest is the vast biodiversity found within relatively little geographic space. According to the EPA, there are a total of nine Level III ecoregions in the state and a host of other micro-communities as well. I enjoyed this aspect of Oregon today as I explored two separate communities of specialized birds within a ten minute drive. First stopping in the coastal uplands of Devils Lake State Park, I encountered dozens of songbirds, including Hermit Warblers, Wilson’s Warblers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, White-crowned Sparrows, Winter Wrens, Stellar’s Jays, and even two Hairy Woodpeckers. The catch of the day for me in these woods was the secretive Brown Creeper. Also known as the American Tree Creeper, these birds venture to my territory in the winter, but are year-round residents in this area of the country. I was lucky enough to happen upon four of them this morning. Once Creepers finish canvassing one tree, they will drop to the trunk of another and make their way up – the best time to see them up close. These birds are built for life on the edge (of trees that is), and flutter up and down tree bark in search of insects, using their pointy and rugged tail as an anchor. Because of their size and the way in which they camouflage against the bark of their favorite trees, they are notoriously difficult to spot. In fact, they are so small, that they generally only consume about 4-10 calories a day (compared to the average of 2,000 for humans). I don’t know, what is that, like an eight of a french fry?

Semipalmated Plover

Following my jaunt in the woods, I took a quick ten minute drive to Roads End beach, and viola, I was able to explore the salt and sand of the coastal lowland environment. I could get used to this! Brown Pelicans, Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucus-winged Gull, Western Gull, Caspian Terns, and, my saltwater delight of the day, one Semipalmated Plover. Seen throughout the west coast during migration (moving from the Canadian arctic down, in some cases, to the western side of South America), this is a good sign that fall migration is beginning to commence. For any birder out there, this is one of the most magical times of the year!