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By Russ Koppendrayer
For the first time there were zero new species found in the last two months of the year in Cowlitz County. It wasn't for lack of coverage as there was a normal amount of birding activity in November and December, just nothing was found that hadn't been recorded earlier in 2023. The only miss of a species that typically occurs annually was Red-throated Loon, and they are usually quite infrequent in the Columbia River in winter. We did finish with an above average total of 207 species for the year.
We did add two new species to our county list during 2023. Most amazing was the Laysan Albatross that was found injured at Willow Grove. This species of the open ocean met with success at a rehab center and later returned to the Pacific Ocean with an assist from the Coast Guard. The other new species was also a salt water specialist. The Brandt's Cormorant was initially found in the Columbia River near Kalama on January 1st and last seen from the Port of Longview the next day.
Here's to a great year of birding in 2024.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
During the months of September and October we added four species to our 2023 Cowlitz County list. The rarest was an adult Sabine's Gull seen flying downstream over the Columbia River in the Woodland Bottoms. Seen well by two birder's, this bird was still in full breeding plumage in spite of the late September date. The only previous record was of a juvenile that spent about a week at the same Woodland Bottoms area and was seen by many happy birders in the fall of 2017.
The other additions were a female Surf Scoter found in October at the former Longview sewage treatment ponds. This species seems to be annual in our county during fall migration. Also found at the above location, but on a September date, was a Red-necked Phalarope. This species has been being found in the county more regularly in recent years. Lastly a Broad-winged Hawk was seen soaring along a ridge near Woodland on its southbound migration. This also is becoming nearly an annual find.
Let's look forward to more fun additions to our year list in the final two months of 2023.
Download the pdf here.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
We have reached the end of August and beginning of September which I consider the heart of fall migration. A few species are already through the county and others will begin to be seen a bit later, but currently there are many birds on the move and passing through our area.
Over the last two months we have added five species to our year list for Cowlitz County. Four of these were migrant sandpipers. Western Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs were two that we happened to miss during their spring passage but caught up to this fall. Semipalmated Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper typically use a route east of the Rocky Mountains in the spring, but some come through Washington on their fall southbound trip. Both have been recorded in the county this fall.
The fifth addition was Black Swift. This species is very likely annual in the county and possibly even nests here, but their small numbers and penchant for foraging high in the sky for flying insects means they are not encountered frequently. Seen at Coldwater Lake near the end of August this year.
Download the pdf here.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
We've reached the halfway mark of 2023 with 198 bird species recorded in Cowlitz County through the end of June. This is the most ever for this juncture and it is a good place to compare years as we've seen winter birds, a full spring migration and all our breeding species are here. One reason may be that we have an ever increasing number of folks in the field as well as more people reporting what they see. Time will tell if this translates to a record number at the end of December.
During June we only added three species to the list. Both Common Nighthawk and Red-eyed Vireo were expected as these local nesters are late migrants that typically aren't seen until June each year. We also added Western Kingbird, which was a different story altogether. Although not staying to nest, these flycatchers generally pass through in small numbers from late April through May, For no one to report one during their typical time was odd enough, but then for one to appear at the late date of June 11 added to the puzzle.
Download the pdf here.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
May saw the spring neotropical migrants continue to arrive and were enjoyed by many birders. For us in Cowlitz County the rarest to be seen were a couple of Lark Sparrows at the sediment retention dam on the Toutle River. For some reason this large sparrow with a striking appearance was seen in unusually large numbers in western Washington this spring. In our state they seem to prefer rocky slopes with some short grass east of the Cascade Mountains for breeding. Only the second record for the county consisted of the two individuals together foraging for seeds in the short grass on top of the sediment retention structure.
Dusky Flycatchers which appear as a code 5 species in the attached list were seen in two locations near Coldwater Lake in May. Code 5 means less than five records for the county and should definitely have been updated to code 4 last year. At any rate this species, formerly difficult to find in Cowlitz County, may have nested in the brushy slopes of the St. Helens blowdown area last summer and may be trying to do the same this year. Not all that surprising as they have bred nearby in similar habitat upslope around the mountain in Skamania County.
Download the pdf here.