Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Oregon lifers

 I am linking up a few of my Oregon lifers with Wild Bird Wednesday  and Nature Notes

Three of my lifers were the Rhinceros Auklet, Brandt's Cormorant and the Tufted Puffin all three seen on the Oregon Coast.
 
This photo above of the Rhinoceros Auklet  belongs to Wikipedia_Rhinoceros_Auklet. Seeing the Rhinoceros Auklet below in the Sea Lion Caves made the visit to the caves for me. But, the sea lions were cool too.


It was dark inside the caves, when I notice three of these birds close to where I was standing watching the sea lions. One was an adult feeding two juveniles. My photo is not the best but if you look very hard LOL, you can see a bit of the horn ( present in breeding birds) and the white plumes above the eyes. . I actually had great views with my binocs since they let so much light in and the three birds were only just on the other side of the fence from where I stood.. They feed on small fish and nest in seabird colonies.


Another one of my lifers was the Brandt's Cormorant.  The breeding Brandt's Cormorant has a blue throat pouch. I was able to catch one of the adult Cormorants showing off his/hers pretty blue pouch. They dive for their food and feed off of small fish.


Edit; Sorry, but this Puffin is the town's mascot and is a statue. I did take the photo but it is not a real Puffin. LOL, pretty life-like statue though!  Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock are known to be breeding areas for the Tufted Puffin.

This was another one of my lifers. Not really, LOL! I did not get a photo of it but, we were able to see the Tufted Puffin twice with my binocs flying in and out of the Haystack Rock on Cannon beach. T

he Tufted Puffin is also known as the Crested Puffin. The yellow tufts appear on both sexes during the breeding season. They nest in grassy sides of cliffs or on the grassy side of the Haystack Rock. I did read their feet turn a bright red in the summer.

 Haystack rock  was a big attraction on Cannon beach. At low tides the tidal pools were great and you could see nesting birds all over the rock. This side shows the grassy side at the top of the rock.

To see more beautiful birds and nature photos please visit Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

Thanks to Stewart the host of Wild Bird Wednesday and thanks to Michelle the host of Nature Notes. Also, thank you for stopping by to see my post. Happy Birding and I hope the rest of your week is great.

52 comments:

  1. Diese Aufnahmen sind einfach herrlich und es ist ein Geschenk durch Bloggerei so etwas sehen zu können...

    Lieben Gruß
    CL

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  2. These are great shots! You have so much knowledge about birds - I see them, wonder what they are, and try to photograph. But I rarely know what to call them...I always enjoy reading about your adventures.

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  3. Puffins-how funny looking. I'll know to keep an eye out for them next month when we are there. You've been really helping me plan our trip-thanks!

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  4. congratulations on really cool life birds Eileen. love the photos

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  5. Great birds to see - I love Puffins, but they dont get this far south.

    The cave sounds like it would have been really interesting.

    Stewart M

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  6. Nice picture of the Rhinceros Auklet. How cool that you were able to capture the Brandt's Cormorant showing off its blue throat pouch.

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  7. You captured some good images. That Puffin sure is colorful!

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  8. What a strange bird this Tufted Puffin !!
    I have never seen such a bird, looks like out of a Disney movie !

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  9. definitely a different range of birds, there. :) love the auklet!

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  10. The "Tufted Puffin"is huge and beautiful.

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  11. Wow the auklet is magnificent! i guess it did the tour for you. I also love your puffin picture ;-)

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  12. It's wonderful that you can have a marvelous vacation and add to your lifer list at the same time. I think you did a great job getting the photos inside the sea lion cave.

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  13. Great pix and lovely descriptions...:)JP

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  14. You shock me more....the Puffin is a dream bird for me to film in flight or just hanging around. That Auklet is a stunner. Incredible birding around these cliffs.

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  15. I liked the first bird and remembered it's name to write but then saw the Brandt's Cormorant and thought W. O. W!!

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  16. Hi !
    Great pictures ;-)
    Céline & Philippe

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  17. Hiu Eileen, I have never seen any of these birds - and wow how exotic are those Puffins? Excellent pictures. Have a great Wed. tomorrow!

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  18. Amazing shots!!So beautiful views!!Iam fan of all the birds!Have a great day my friend!
    Dimi...

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  19. Hi Eileen..What an intriguing spot to see...the birds are gorgeous...esp. like the Cormorant with the blue pouch ..great!!!
    Grace

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  20. You sure added quite a few lifers to your list when you went to Oregon!

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  21. My reaction to your birds this week: they are kind of funny looking! In a fun loving way. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge.

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  22. Those are cool lifers! I've seen none of them. Love Haystack rock! That's awesome!

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  23. Fantastic sightings! I've only seen the puffins once in my life (in all those Oregon years and summers -- not counting at the aquarium.) I swear you are the best birder ever.

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  24. Great photos and all those "lifers" are very special.

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  25. is there more then one Puffin? This looks cool too. :) Three lifers, adn great birds too. That´s a great day. Thanks for sharing. .)

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  26. Very nice image series showing.
    Hanne Bente

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  27. Three lifers! Wow Eileen that was an exciting day and a change from seeing woodland warblers and orioles.

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  28. What great photos, the fourth photo he looks like a statue!

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  29. The Puffin is a special bird, in England it's known as simply Puffin. It has bright coloured bill, and it is hard to get close to them. I hope to go to one of breeding places, I hope I can get some pictures.

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  30. Such nice photos of the birds! The puffin looks very cool and quite sweet too, I've never seen one.
    Greetings Pia

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  31. puffins are just so darn cute, aren't they? great pics.

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  32. So beautiful -- that last photo reveals much raw power in the landscape. :)

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  33. Oh My are you kidding me...one of my favorite places, ever in my whole life since I was a child...Haystack Rock is just part of who I am in my memories for decades now, and now I learn that there are Puffins there and I never knew...oh my, one of my favorite life birds, just have to visit there again...but next September, not this coming month. brilliant image shares~

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  34. Wonderful images of all your lovely birds but the Puffin really stands out..it's a beauty.

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  35. Great captures! Congratulations on your three lifers.

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  36. Nice post, the puffin looks great!

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  37. I love puffins. They're such funny birds to watch. I got some greet shots of them on our trip to Newfoundland in 2010.

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  38. Those puffins are incredible!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  39. Great shots, the Oregon coast is great place and particularly Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock. Thanks for sharing these birds.

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  40. Great shots Eileen. Canon beach is awesome but I was unaware of the birdlife when we were there. I'll HAVE to go back!

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  41. I love visiting your nature blog! You find fabulous critters.

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  42. Congrats on the lifers..how exciting Eileen...Michelle

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  43. Eileen, I am so darn jealous! Congrats on the very cool additions to your Life List and the great pics.

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  44. Habe so einen noch nie gesehen, gibt´s bei uns auch nicht, glaube kaum...

    Lieben Gruß
    CL

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  45. The shot of the puffin is too good.

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  46. ok, so you said the Puffin was not your picture.,..but is that REAL or is it a sculpture?? wow!!

    i never even heard of a Rhinoceros Auklet!! wow! another LIFER! congratulations!!

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  47. Nice series. Beautiful sunset.
    Hilda

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  48. Marvelous photos, Eileen. Congrats on the lifers!

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  49. “We feel Fish and Wildlife should withdraw the permits and the corps should stop the shooting,” Sallinger said. “This is a distraction from the real issue, which is the dams. These wild, native birds have coexisted with salmon since time immemorial. It’s absolutely disgraceful that we are blowing these birds out of the sky. It’s time to stop the killing.” http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/killing-one-species-intended-to-save-another-11000-birds-in-cross-hairs-of-multiyear-program/

    “This is not about birds versus fish,” said Bob Sallinger, conservation director of the Audubon Society of Portland. “The Corps and other federal agencies have proposed rolling back dam operations that benefit salmon while at the same time targeting thousands of cormorants." http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/5/28/cormorants-culled-to-protect-columbia-river-salmon.html

    “Dead set on killing cormorants, the Service ignored its own science,” said Collette Adkins, an attorney and biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The agency’s own analysis makes clear that its cormorant-killing program is doing nothing to help endangered fish. My heart aches for all the birds that have needlessly suffered and died. The killing needs to stop now.” https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/double-crested-cormorant-08-12-2015.html

    Authorities so far this year have trapped and put down 54 sea lions.

    see it dont stop,.... sea lions are target too
    "http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/09/judge_allows_killing_of_cormor.htmlSea lions are targeted for capture and killing if they are seen eating salmon at the dam between January and May."

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Have a happy day, Eileen

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