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By Russ Koppendrayer
We had a very productive couple of months for adding species to our list of bird species found in Cowlitz County during 2026. Finding both Red-neccked and Western Grebes as well as Lesser Yellowlegs means we have all the species that are recorded annually. A Northern Shrike was found at Canal Road as well, which is a species found here most years. A small flock of Gray-crowned Rosy-finches were seen in the Davis Peak area. We frequently go many years between reports of this species in Cowlitz County. A Clark's Nutcracker seen at the Science and Learning Center by Coldwater Lake was a fifth ever for Cowlitz County.The rarest find of all was our second record of Parasitic Jaeger seen in flight over the Columbia River at Kalama.
Our species total for the year now stands at 208 which is one short of the 209 found in 2020. We have two months to add two species for the all time highest total. We'll see what is found in the remainder of 2026.
Download the pdf here.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
With fall migration well underway we managed to add six species to our Cowlitz County year list during July and August. Five species were migrant shorebirds and the sixth was Eastern Kingbird.
The Sportsman's Club Road access to the Columbia River hosted two species of plover in August; a Black-bellied Plover early in the month and three weeks later a Semipalmated Plover was found there. Both species were one day wonders, but both are recorded nearly every year in Cowlitz.
The ponds at the west end of Longview that once were the city's sewage treatment facility had Long-billed Dowitchers present for a number of days in late July. Then a Baird's Sandpiper put in a one day appearance in mid August at the same location.
A Semipalmated Sandpiper was found on the beach at Austin Point in the Woodland Bottoms in mid July. This species is also nearly annual as a fall migrant in the county.
Four Eastern Kingbirds were in the Woodland Bottoms in early August and tarried until at least the middle of the month. They appeared to be a family unit of two adults and two hatch year birds, likely indicating they had nested somewhere nearby. This is only the third record for this species in Cowlitz County.
There is still a lot of fall migration to happen, so get out there and enjoy the birds passing through our area.
Download the pdf here.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
We've reached the halfway point in the year here at the end of June, where we added two new species to our list in that month. Instead of my usual remarks about the latest additions, I've decided to reference the species we frequently have recorded by this time, but are missing this year. We have four species that are considered annual in Cowlitz County but not seen as of yet. We obviously do have a full six months left for them to surface.
The first two are shorebirds in the sandpiper family, Lesser Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitcher. Lesser Yellowlegs is typically seen in either spring or fall migration. Shorebird fall migration has already begun and we could see one anytime between now and the end of September, after which they become much less likely. Long-billed Dowitchers on the other hand mostly migrate through, but some do over winter in western Washington so we could see them up to the end of December.
The other two species are both grebes, Red-necked Grebe and Western Grebe. Western Grebe is a wintering species in western Washington that seems to be found in smaller numbers over recent years. Red-necked Grebe we primarily find in late fall passing through along the Columbia River, but they do appear at other more random winter occasions.
Time to keep an eye out for these birds as well as any of the less frequently reported species in he last half of 2026.
Download the pdf here.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
Spring migration continued on with new species arriving in spurts throughout the month of May. We found species that move through and some that arrive to nest in large numbers. Nothing really rare for the county list was recorded, but a couple finds were at an unusual time of the year.
A Red-breasted Merganser was found roosting on the sand bar at the end of Sportsman's Club Road at Kalama, a species that primarily prefers to over winter in salt water. We get occasional birds that are found for a short stay in the Columbia River between the last week in October until the first week of April. Our first one this year was found in early May, setting a new late spring date by a month.
The second species seen at an odd time of year was a Pectoral Sandpiper, found at the same end of Sportsman's Club Road location a couple weeks later. We typically only see hatch year birds in the fall in Washington. Adults go south from their extreme northern Alaska and Canada breeding grounds east of the Rocky Mountains. For the return trip in the spring all individuals use the central states pathway. So not only was the timing unusual, but the few who saw the bird got to witness one in breeding plumage here in Cowlitz County.
Download the pdf here.
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By Russ Koppendrayer
Here at the end of April we are right in the midst of active spring migration with new species showing up nearly every day. The past five to ten years has seen a large jump in the active birders in Cowlitz County who are reporting their findings. This naturally has led to a more robust bird list at this juncture in time.Thanks to all who are involved in some way.
Along with all the expected species there were a number of less expected species found in Cowlitz County in the last half of April. The rarest of these was a third ever county record of Long-billed Curlew that was heard calling as it flew over Barlow Point Road and a little later found on the ground along Industrial Way. Amazingly this bird was joined within minutes by a flock of eleven Whimbrels of which the county has only a handful of records. Unfortunately the views of these spectacular large sandpipers with long decurved bills were not shared as they had left before other birders arrived.
Just as rare for the past eighteen years was a White-tailed Kite, also found at Barlow Point Road and enjoyed by many birders over a few days. Once a resident species and breeder, they are now a rare visitor with many years between appearances. Another great find was a couple Brown Pelicans in the Lewis River at the Woodland Bottoms. Very unusual for this species to be away from salt water in Washington, these two immature birds were found fishing and roosting in the area in mid April and have continued to the present writing in early May.
Here's to more great birding as spring migration continues to heat up through May.
Download the pdf here.