Most birders anticipate spring migration like it's their first-born child. Oregon birding is definitely superb in the spring, often exceeding even the most demanding birder's expectations. However, the Oregon autumn provides the same delectable avian experiences. (Photo: Steller's Jay)

Some of the state's most sought-after birds are easiest to find in autumn. The Black Rosy-Finches of Steens Mountain commute between the summit and Kiger Gorge, sometimes in large family flocks. The young of the year still burden the adults with feeding chores, often noisily broadcasting their presence from the edge of the mountain's east rim.

Autumn also invites the year's most spectacular influx of shorebirds along the infamous Oregon Coast (as if residents and visitors need another excuse to visit our mesmerizing seashore!). Spring shorebird migration occurs most conspicuously through the interior of the U.S., but in the fall the juveniles of many species follow the coastline, often preceded by their parents. 

Fall birding at Bayocean Spit near Tillamook, along the mudflats of Bandon National Wildlife Refuge, or along the trail behind Newport's Hatfield Marine Science Center can yield an astounding array of plovers and sandpipers. Rare shorebirds, like the Pacific Golden-Plover or Bar-tailed Godwit, drop in with some predictability in autumn, and occasionally a super-rarity such as the Bristle-thighed Curlew appears on Oregon's beaches.

Raptor migration makes fall the peak of some birders' natural year. Hawks, falcons, eagles, harriers, and kites move into and around Oregon in impressive numbers. Local nesting species such as White-tailed Kite and Osprey practice post-breeding dispersal that is evident from the coast to the Willamette Valley. Finley National Wildlife Refuge near Eugene represents just one Western Oregon spot to search for these and other raptors. Golden Eagles, Prairie Falcons, and Swainson's Hawks reared east of the Cascade Crest spread widely across the high desert and grasslands from Malheur Refuge to Fort Rock, and north to the Columbia River.

Oregon's many summits and ridges create thermal activity that migrant raptors utilize to save energy on their journey south. They ride the rising parcels of air and then soar, often great distances, only to repeat the habit until they reach suitable wintering grounds. Each autumn, Bonney Butte, a few miles southeast of Mt. Hood, attracts as many as 4,500 raptors of up to 18 species. This concentration attracted the non-profit Hawkwatch International, who has managed an intensive monitoring program at the site since 1995. One of the highlights of Bonney Butte's fall raptor passage is the number of Merlins that pass over, with 100 or more individuals counted annually. The Hawkwatch web site provides all the details on the Bonney Butte project, including directions to the site.

Another autumn birding highlight in Oregon features the processions of "ground birds," many species of which tend to elude birders most of the year. Anyone who has seen baby California Quail can't help but coo with delight, as they scurry among the brush escorted by their parents. The sight of baby Sage Grouse and Chukar give birders another reason to visit Steens Mountain in autumn. The lucky hiker in the Wallowas may encounter a family of Spruce Grouse, while visitors to the Cascades may chance upon Blue or Ruffed Grouse broods still dependent on their parents for safety.

Autumn birding deserves another look. Tourism travel on the state's highways is low this time of year, and the fall colors provide reason enough to see Oregon's open spaces. In addition to its Rosy-Finches, Steens Mountain hosts impressive aspen and cottonwood galleries. The Metolius Basin sets the scene for a gorgeous display of golden Western Larch, not to mention the region's stronghold of White-headed Woodpeckers. Brilliantly colored vine maples crowd the understory of Oregon's autumn forests, creating shelter for migrant thrushes, and the high desert's late-blooming rabbitbrush paints the way south for an abundance of grassland raptors.

Get outdoors this autumn. And don't forget your binoculars.
 
Oregon Important Bird Areas www.audubonportland.org
Oregon Cascades Birding Trail  www.oregonbirdingtrails.org

© 2002 Stephen Shunk of Paradise Birding  Photos provided by the author.