First Bird of the Year

Our first bird of the year was a Bald Eagle! This might seem a little like a scripted event, but honestly, when we stepped out of the van on Sunday Morning at the Salmon River Fish Hatchery, this Bald Eagle high in a tree eyeing the fishponds below, was the first bird Jeanette spotted. 

Normally, on the first day of the New Year we hit the nearby trials wherever we are living to count birds.  This year was a little different in that we headed to the Lincoln City area to do our birding. A couple of factors entered into our decision. For one, I was interested in going to the coast because it's a few degrees warmer. Secondly, I knew a landslide had blocked Highway 18 near Otis which would require taking a detour on Northbank Rd. to reach Lincoln City. That route would take us past the Salmon River Fish Hatchery. We had spent some time there back in 2008 and 2009 while volunteering for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Checking the eBird map I discovered it is now listed as an eBird Hotspot.  So, we made it our first stop of the day. 

We were delighted to discover this Hotspot. Located along the Salmon River, on the opposite side of busy Highway 18, it is a natural birding location. We enjoyed the morning sun and a good variety of birds. You can see our Observation List here.  We stayed on the asphalt walkways, but under drier conditions we will explore the dirt trails along the river. I can't wait to return; we expect this will be a regular birding location for us.

(click on image to enlarge)