I joined Christmas Bird Counts on the Washington side of the Columbia River
yesterday and today. Friday's count on Bachelor Island of Ridgefield NWR
paired with Sauvie Island on the Oregon side. Nothing special was found in
rainy and afternoon breezy conditions with poor access to the Columbia River
due to mucky roads. Two Rough-legged Hawks appeared where they are pretty
much expected every year. Few finches and no redpolls found as across the
river. Today a very narrow strip of the Vancouver waterfront that is part
of the Portland CBC didn't get the multitude of rarer species found right
across the Columbia River channel at Columbia Point, although we did find a
Red-breasted Merganser flying under the I-5 bridge, and eventually saw it on
the water within a quarter mile downstream. Better numbers of goldfinches
at feeders and birches upstream near McMenamins, but still no redpolls.



Randy Hill

Ridgefield