Cowlitz County Bird List - 2025 February Update

Details

Last Updated: March 06, 2025

By Russ Koppendrayer

Early February saw new species trickle in with the last week being a bit more active on that front. We did not find any species that is particularly rare for Cowlitz County however. The only species that the list shows as less than annual here was Western Screech-owl, and that designation is more likely due to lack of people owling and/or not reporting them. If the pattern here is similar to places in western Washington where good surveys have been ongoing we actually are probably losing Screech-owl density. Where good long term data is available the invasion of Barred Owls has had a significant impact on the prevalence of Western Screech-owls. Anecdotal evidence here seems to bear this out as people who used to have them on or near their property no longer encounter them. 

On the brighter side we did have all three of the very early migrant arrivals before the first of March. Rufous Hummingbird, Turkey Vulture and Tree Swallow all arrived before that date, and many years we seem to need very early March to get one of them. the arrivals should become more numerous as spring continues to delight those of us who pay attention to them.

Download the pdf here.

Cowlitz County Bird List - 2025 January Update

Details

Last Updated: February 03, 2025

By Russ Koppendrayer

We're off to another fine beginning to our avian year here in Cowlitz County. Included in this month's reports was a flock of six Barn Swallows in the Longview industrial area. Although it seems incredible to me to have swallows in our region in mid-winter, it is becoming more frequent for these to appear at random western Washington locations during this season. 

We also had a couple duck species found that are rare here in any season. A Long-tailed Duck found in the Columbia River in the Woodland Bottoms was the third ever record for the county. Photographed at the time it has been elusive and not refound since then. Also in the Woodland Bottoms and also a third county record was an adult male Tufted Duck. This bird has been seen on a few different occasions, but can be difficult to locate as it is frequently embedded in the massive rafts of Greater Scaup in the Columbia there. Not only is it similar in appearance, but the rafts like to position themselves where it can be tough to scope them due to river access limits. 

Here's to a great 2025 of birding!

Download the pdf here.

Cowlitz County Bird List - 2024 Final Update

Details

Last Updated: January 04, 2025

By Russ Koppendrayer

In the last two months of 2024 we added three species to our Cowlitz County year list. The most exciting was a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak that visited a Longview backyard feeder for a few days that a couple avid birders were fortunate to be able to photograph. This was a first ever record for the county. Nearly as rare was a third record of Yellow-billed Loon found in the Columbia River at the Woodland Bottoms and seen by a number of birders. Considered annual in the county, a Red-throated Loon was seen at Willow Grove in the last week of the year as it made a brief stop out from a couple birders before continuing downstream.  This was the last of our annually expected species in the nick of time.

A quick recap of the entire year showed that in addition to seeing all the expected species we experienced many less than annual species including eight that had less than five previous county records.  Not included in those eight were two species that had never been documented in the county before. In addition to the already mentioned Rose-breasted Grosbeak, there was a Slaty-backed Gull found in the Woodland Bottoms during the spring smelt run.

We ended the year with 207 species, just two shy of our record of 209, but definitely above our yearly average. 

Here's to another great year of birding the area in 2025.

Download the pdf here.

Winter 2024 Whistler is available

Details

Last Updated: March 04, 2025

The Winter 2024 Whistler is available now.

Read more of its content: 

• 2024 Breeding Bird Survey Summary
• Membership Form
• NW Birding Events
• Fieldtrips and Programs
• The Willet: Dull, but Interesting
• Mr. Swainson and Mr. Douglas Come Calling
• Ongoing Citizen Science at home “Project Feeder Watch”

Cowlitz County Bird List - 2024 October Update

Details

Last Updated: November 04, 2024

By Russ Koppendrayer

Time for the end of fall update to our 2024 species list of birds seen in Cowlitz County. In the last two months we have added four species, which can be seen on the updated attached list. The four included Red-necked Grebe which makes annual stops during fall and early winter along the Columbia River in our county. Also seen was a single Sanderling seen along the Columbia in the Woodland Bottoms  by a single observer. Sanderling make very infrequent appearances in Cowlitz County and the handful of records are spaced across numerous years. Scope views of at least one and possibly two Lewis's Woodpecker were had by a small group of birders counting migrant Turkey Vultures in the Woodland Bottoms. Like Sanderling, this species also has a handful of records over a span of years. The final addition was a Palm Warbler seen by a single observer in the Woodland Bottoms (a bit of a theme it seems). Only our fifth ever record for this species.
I also added Common Tern to the list as a group of three were observed flying downstream along the Columbia River near Kalama in late April. While being documented then this fourth record in Cowlitz County somehow eluded me adding it to this list until now.

Download the pdf here.

Vaux's Swifts Fall Migration view and dinner

Details

Last Updated: September 21, 2024

We hope you don't miss the spectacle that is the Vaux's swifts entering the chimney at Riverside Community Church in Rainier to roost for the night along their migration route. Numbers have been as high as 18,000. So, make your way to Rainier, have a nice dinner at one of the restaurants there and get over to the corner at W D St and W 3rd St near Fox Creek. We have arranged for several tables at El Tapatio Restaurant, 117 West "A" street for a 5:30pm group dinner on September 26.  Everyone is expected to pay their own way.  Walk-in are welcome or you can contact Gloria Nichols at (360) 636-3793 or by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.to reserve a seat. Members will be there to answer questions and add flavor to what you're seeing.  You can learn how to count 10,000 birds in a short span of time.  Take a camping or folding chair for a comfortable view.

The birds can be unpredictable but, in general, if the weather is relatively calm, they begin entering the roost around an hour before sunset and conclude half an hour after sunset.

The Oregonian recently featured the Vaux's Swifts in Rainier Ore, check out the video below and see our volunteers in action.

If the video is not loading watch it on YouTube.

Cowlitz County Bird List - August Update

Details

Last Updated: September 07, 2024

By Russ Koppendrayer

As usual the last two months have been rather slow for adding new species to our annual Cowlitz bird list. We did add two species that are both reported less than annually.

The first were Black Swifts which were reported on two occasions. Likely present every breeding season in very low numbers, they can be very difficult to find as they can forage very high in the sky and cover a huge area. Finding them is a hit and miss proposition and always a pleasure to encounter them. 

The second species was a group of three Baird's Sandpipers found feeding on the sand bar at Sportsman's Club Road. This species is unique in that we rarely get adults in western Washington as they migrate farther inland in both spring and fall. We can also go a few years between sightings in Cowlitz County and then usually only one individual. Having three hatch year birds together was a nice treat.

Fall migration will continue for a couple months and usually bring some surprises, so keep your eyes and ears open.

Download the pdf here.

Fall 2024 Whistler is available

Details

Last Updated: September 04, 2024

The Fall 2024 Whistler is available now.

Read more of its content: 

• A Patch of Sky - Presidents message
• Membership Form
• NW Birding Events
• Fieldtrips and Programs
• A lovely Picnic at the Turners' home
• Children's Discovery Museum is moving to Catlin School
• A Camera for the Chimney
• Vaux's Swift Fall Migration in full swing

2024 Vaux's Swifts Fall Migration is in full swing

Details

Last Updated: September 03, 2024

Several years ago, Darrel Whipple and crew removed the grating covering the smokestack at Riverside Community church in Rainier OR. The purpose was to attract Vaux's swifts during their twice-yearly migration. 

The southward migration of the swifts from all over the Northwest usually starts in September, affording us more opportunities to view thousands of them entering the chimney. The success was greater that possibly imagined.  One Sunday night in early September last year saw 25000 birds enter the chimney before dark.  Similar counts happen each night during the 3-4 weeks of migration.  You can watch them and meet our volunteers from the corner of W D St and W 3rd St near Fox Creek in Rainier, Ore.

Larry Schwitters of Vaux’s Happening sent out the rankings for the top 14 roost sites on the flyway for the migration. Rainier's Riverside Community Church ranked first, second or third in all three categories!

Enjoy the video below and come and see the spectacle in person. 

The birds can be unpredictable but, in general, if the weather is relatively calm, they begin entering the roost around an hour before sunset and conclude half an hour after sunset.

The Oregonian recently featured the Vaux's Swifts in Rainier Ore, check out the video below and see our volunteers in action.

If the video is not loading watch it on YouTube.

Cowlitz County Bird List - June Update

Details

Last Updated: September 07, 2024

By Russ Koppendrayer

With the end of June the year is half over and we have seen wintering birds, spring migration and breeding birds. That is reflected in our fine total of 197 species. From here on we will see additions to our Cowlitz County year list slow dramatically and I will give an update every other month instead of monthly.

We did add five species in June. Red-eyed Vireo and Yellow-breasted Chat are late arriving annual breeding species here and were found early in the month. Golden Eagle and Western Screech-Owl are coded as less than annual. The vast majority of Golden Eagle sightings are of soaring birds and are rarely repeatable, but are found most years. Western Screech-Owl is likely a year around resident in Cowlitz County that has been historically under reported. With more people out there birding, especially at night this species will likely become coded as an annual species in the near future.

A Lark Sparrow found along Tradewinds Road near Kalama provided only the third record of this species for Cowlitz County. A species that utilizes a variety of habitats to nest in most of the United States west of the Mississippi River, it is oddly absent in western Oregon and Washington. A lost migrant or more rarely a winter bird shows up in random places west of the cascades.

Download the pdf here.