A few more birds

Thursday was beautiful day to be outside, so Sarah and I chased a few birds.

Our first stop was a Northeast Portland backyard hosting a charming Ovenbird. We waited 15 minutes before the Ovenbird walked into the yard, strutting like a tiny chicken.

This individual must be the most most frequently photographed bird in Oregon this month.

 Next, we drove out to Sauvie Island to search for sparrows. A huge flock of sparrows, most in the genus Zonotrichia feeds at the base of a small apple tree. It took a while, but Sarah and I spotted the rarest of these species, a Harris's Sparrow, perched in the tree.

Most of the sparrows, including the ones in the photo above, were Golden-crowned. We also chased down and spotted a Clay-colored Sparrow, an old favorite of mine, perched in a large ash tree. Now that we've found our share of Portland's rare birds, it's time to stay home and get some work done.