Camping/Birding Marathon

 Day 1 - Saturday Sep 25

Monroe City Park 

California Scrub Jay

Our first night's stay

a pair of Racoons

The credit for this trip goes to friends, Vern and Ann Beeson, fellow residents of Dallas Retirement Village.  Vern set up two nights of camping at Honeyman State Park and two nights of camping at Boice Cope County Park.  Jeanette and I left a day early to do some birding and camp with our friend Glenn Reubon at Tyee Campground.  In route we made our first stop at Monroe City Park where we enjoyed some birding and lunch, then on to the coast and to Tyee Campground.  After connecting with Glenn and getting set up we walked over to West Lake County Park & Boat Ramp for some birding.

Day 2 - Sunday Sep 26

Red-wing Blackbird female

Song Sparrow

Wood Duck male

Sunday morning we started the day with another bird list for West Lake Park & Boat Ramp. Afterwards we drove down to Lagoon Campground for a second bird list. Saying good-by to Glenn we traveled up to Florence for some shopping at Fred Meyer, and an afternoon nap before venturing on to Honeyman State Park to claim our campsite for the next two nights with Vern & Anne Beeson.

Day 3 - Monday Sep 27

Vern, Jeanette & Anne at Woahink Lake

Wood Duck female at Lily Lake

Canada Goose pair at Cleawox Lake

Wilson's Snipe at Cleawox Lake

The rain came in Sunday night as promised, and continued in the morning.  We thought we had a little break around 10:00 at went for a walk to Woahink Lake.  Not much to report, saw mostly rain.  In the afternoon it cleared and Jeanette and I were getting house bound so we took off on a walk to Cleowox Lake. On the way past Lily Lake we saw the female Wood Duck, then the Canada Geese on Cleowox, and then miraculously, Jeanette found the Wilson's Snipe.

Day 4 - Tue Sep 28

Coquille River Lighthouse

Black Oystercatcher

Pelagic Cormorant

campsite at Boice Cope Campground

Happy House at Boice Cope Campground

Day four was mainly a travel day down the coast to Curry County and our campsite in Boice Cope Campground on the shoreline of Floras Lake. On the way we made stops at North Bend Boardwalk to bird (got rained out), and a stop at our favorite book store, Books by the Bay.  Then on to Fred Meyer for supplies, before making a stop at Bullards Beach out at the Coquille River Lighthouse. Some of the crew made it a rest stop, others made it a bird walk.

Day 5 - Wednesday Sep 29

Jeanette Vern & Anne on the beach

 

pair of Wrentits

On this day we took advantage of  the glorious sunshine to take a serious hike to the lake and the beach. The beach was quite amazing with views off to the south of the various rock formations of Blacklot Point. Birds were very scarce, but we did enjoy seeking out a group of Wrentits along the trail back. Cell service was almost not existent here even with the park WiFi, so Jeanette and I walked back towards the beach for a good enough cell service to be able to upload some photos. 

Day 6 - Thursday Sep 30

A lone Cackling Goose roaming the neighborhood

Black Phoebe on a boat railing

a busy Wilson's Snipe

Glenn & Jeanette on Westlake Dock

Thursday we were on our way as soon as daylight would permit around 7:20.  We knew we had a long day of driving to get back home, and we traded off driving.  We did take a break when we passed Siltcoos Lake to stretch our legs and take another bird walk with Glenn at the Westlake County Park and Boat Ramp.

Leaving Glenn we continued on our way home, up along the coast to Newport, then inland to Corvallis, and up Highway 99 to Dallas. A wonderful trip with 15 different bird lists, and 5 nights of camping with friends.