Michael

@thecorvallisbirder

Fisheries biologist working with the Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife, monitoring coastal fall Chinook. Birder, forager, all-around amateur naturalist and photographer.

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Bluesky

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Michael@thecorvallisbirder· 22d

For Rob's #BirdoftheDay, I'm going with the alt theme of #Paridae. Here's a Mountain Chickadee on a juniper tree taken at a park in Bend, #Oregon. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· 23d

For Alan's theme of #SummerLovin for the #BirdoftheDay, here's a brilliant American Goldfinch feeding among the thistles. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #Oregon #WillametteValley

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· 25d

Hiked Cone Peak yesterday with @sirisharmony.bsky.social. An excellent wildflower hike that we try to do every year. If you're around the Central OR Cascades in late Jun-Jul, check this trail out! #Nature #Photography #Flowers #Insects #bloomscrolling

Two butterflies, black with white and red spots (variable checkerspots) face off (possibly in a mating display) on the leaves of a thimbleberry plant.

A large red flower (paintbrush, Castilleja sp.) against a barren, rocky background.

A cluster of small pink flowers (paintbrush, Castilleja sp) against a rocky background.

A large butterfly with whitish translucent wings with dark and orange spots (Clodius Parnassian) feeding on an ocean spray bloom.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· 26d

For Rob's #BirdoftheDay theme of #Corvidae, here's a Clark's Nutcracker taken in the #Oregon High Desert. This fascinating bird has a taste for pine nuts, which it caches during the summer and then retrieves in the winter, exhibiting incredible memory for the location of it's caches. #Nature #Birds

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· 27d

The Western Tiger Swallowtails have been putting on an absolute show this year here in the Willamette Valley. Here's one on an echinacea in my front yard! #Nature #Photography #Insects #Butterflies #Oregon

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· 29d

Very nice! Here's mine yesterday in S. Central Oregon (brook trout removal).

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jul 7

Got a twofer for Rob's #BirdoftheDay themes of #Orange and #Reflections. A stunning American Avocet feeding along the shoreline of a shallow pool in the #Oregon high desert. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jul 5

For @robcrank68.bsky.social's #BirdoftheDay theme of #EbonyandIvory, here's a couple of Black-necked Stilts from Eastern #Oregon. These tall, elegant shorebirds are extremely striking in their black and white finery! #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jul 4

#WildMotion in the #Oregon high desert, as a female Red Crossbill joins a male at a small pool. #BirdoftheDay #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jul 3

For Rob's #BirdoftheDay theme of #Quackers (any duck will do!) I'm reaching back to 2022 for this shot of Harlequin Ducks at the #Oregon Coast. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #thepeoplescoast

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jul 2

For Alan's #BirdoftheDay theme of #QuietReflection... here's an actual reflection, as an American Avocet pauses in its often frenzied feeding. Taken at Summer Lake in Central Oregon. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #Oregon

An American Avocet, a bird with an orange head, black and white body, and long black legs, stands in shallow water. Its reflection is visible on the rippled water underneath it.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jul 1

Finally getting around to editing photos taken at the start of June during the Dean Hale Woodpecker Weekend in Sisters, OR. My first time helping to guide trips! Here's a trio of photos of a miniscule Calliope Hummingbird. This is the smallest breeding bird in NA. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNW

A tiny Calliope Hummingbird captured in flight, showing spread wings, with the bottle brush top of a pine on the right side of the photo.

A Calliope Hummingbird in flight next to a pine tree, with power lines (a favored perch of this little guy) in the background.

A male Calliope Hummingbird in flight, with a little bit of the bright magenta gorget (decorative throat feathers) visible.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jul 1

Been a minute since I've managed a #BirdoftheDay contribution, but Rob's theme of #RedBeakFeetEyes seems a good opportunity to jump back in with one of my personal faves, a Black Oystercatcher taken on my recent trip up to Vancouver Is. #Nature #Photography #Birds

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jun 10

In the high desert of Oregon, even a small water source, like this artificial pool, can lead to #TheGathering. In this case, a small portion of the huge flock of Red Crossbills that was around. Check out the video I posted a few days ago for another view! #BirdoftheDay #Nature #Photography #Birds

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jun 9

A little piece of the sky, given wings to visit us here on earth. Yes, Mountain Bluebirds really are that color. Taken in Central Oregon. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #Oregon

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jun 6

It's a pool party! There's not much water in the high desert of #Oregon, so even small pools, like these artificial ones at the Cabin Lake bird blinds, get a lot of action. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· Jun 3

#Whales! While in Victoria, @sirisharmony.bsky.social went on a trip with @eaglewingtours.bsky.social. A first time seeing Orcas for both of us! A selection of the many, many photos I took. #Nature #Photography

The backs and dorsal fins of a mother and younger Orca break the surface of calm water, in front of a rocky cliff.

An Orca back and dorsal fin, with the wispy cloud of the whale's spout.

An adult Orca leaps out of the water, while another tourboat looks on.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 31

From a few weeks ago, during our trip to Vancouver Island, on a tour with @eaglewingtours.bsky.social. Sound on for this one! Thanks to our naturalist guide for providing the narration. #Nature #Whales #Orca

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 30

This time of year, my garden has 2 crowning glories. One is my pollinator bed; a lot of work went into this, and I am so, so happy with how it's progressed. The second is the strawberry bed. What's shown here, 4 pints worth, is 80% of today's harvest! #Flowers #Bloomscrolling #Gardening

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 27

For Alan's #BirdoftheDay, here's a shot of a Black Oystercatcher showing both the #Texture of its rocky seashore home and #Determination in hunting for food just out of the reach of the crashing waves. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #thepeoplescoast #Oregon

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 26

For Rob's #BirdoftheDay theme of #Anatidae, it feels only appropriate to post my personal favorite duck, the Harlequin Duck! These beauties breed in high mountain rivers, but come visit our coastline in the winter. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #thepeoplescoast #Oregon

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 25

Out picking mushrooms again today. We visit my in-laws ever Memorial Day weekend for morel season. Good day of picking, plus lots of wildflowers! #Nature #Photography #Flowers #Mushrooms #Oregon

A cluster of Calypso orchids, Calypso bulbosa - the largest number I've ever seen growing together!

A black morel, possible Morchella snyderi. One of (likely) 3-4 species we pick every spring in NE Oregon.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 22

Unsurprisingly, while I didn't photograph every last rhody at the garden, I did get far more than would fit in one post...

Three clusters of rhododendron flowers, the right ones dark orange and the upper left on bright white.

A grouping of plants around one of the garden pathways; on the right are pale pink rhododendron blossoms, with dark red rhodies in the middle. A cluster of ferns and pale colored daisies fill the bottom left corner, while multicolored flowers create two patches in the middle, separated by a walkway.

A shrub covered in dark red flowers sitting in front of a stone wall. Below it is a field of pink and white daisies.

A cluster of pale pink flowers with red speckling in the center.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 22

Recently got back from a vacation to the beautiful Vancouver Island. We spent some time in Victoria, and while there visited the absolutely spectacular Butchart Gardens. The rhododendrons were at the peak of their bloom, and here's a sample of them! #Photography #Flowers #Gardens #Bloomscrolling

Oops, my stamens are showing! A deep pink rhododendron blossom, with the black tips of the stamens (anthers) showing within the petals, surrounded by green foliage.

A cluster of deep orange flowers against dark green foliage.

A cluster of pale purple flowers with dark speckling and white stamens, against a dark green foliage background. These are one of my absolute favorite varieties of rhododendron.

Several clusters of bright pink flowers with dark red speckling in the center.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 15

In Victoria, BC on vacation, found this lovely yellow rhodie outside House of Boateng in Langford. Brunch there was pretty good too!

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 14

Finally got around to processing some photos from last month, so here's a selection of #Ducks seen in Eastern #Oregon. See alt text for species and more info. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding

A brownish-red duck with a black bill and intense red eye floats on calm water.

This male Cinnamon Teal is one of the more striking Ducks around, with his intense red plumage.

A Duck with a large bill, dark green head, and brown and white sides.

The Northern Shoveler is a common sight in Oregon, named for their almost comically oversized bill.

Three ducks with green heads, bright yellow bills, and gray and black bodies.

Sometimes you just need to get all your ducks in a row, like these three male Mallards.

A grayish-brown duck with a black tail and a bright white patch on the wing.

Gadwall are understated but elegant ducks, with soft, rich colors set off by their intensely white wing patches.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 13

For Alan's #BirdoftheDay theme of #FeatheredFemmes today, here's a female Brewer's Blackbird taken over the weekend in Central #Oregon. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 9

Mount Jefferson seen from Haystack Reservoir in Central Oregon, our campground for the weekend.

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 8

To my mind, it doesn't get much more #Photogenic than a Western Bluebird! I'm lucky enough to have them nesting in my backyard, which is where I got the photo of this striking male. #BirdoftheDay #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #WillametteValley

Michael@thecorvallisbirder· May 7

For the #BirdoftheDay theme of #InMotion, here's a White-breasted Nuthatch I caught in the act of climbing his way up a tree. This is actually a little unusual for Nuthatches, as they can usually be found going the other way, that is head-down. #Nature #Photography #Birds #PNWBirding #Oregon