I told myself that I would write more, and although putting words down is somehow more intimidating than just uploading photos, I am going to keep my word. I saw a quote just moments ago that said “Done is better than perfect.” It resonated so here we are - I will take that sentiment into this blog post.

Weekends have traditionally been reserved for driving somewhere new to find birds. As we are still newish to the Portland area, this isn’t a hard task as most places remain unfamiliar territory. Although a vagrant Snowy Owl had once again been reported on the coast, we decided to take the back roads to the Eugene area instead. A birding friend had tipped me off on a good spot to see Short-eared Owls. I do not take tips like this for granted, because owl locations are usually off-limits to any and all who ask. However, this was not a super secret spot as it had also been reported on E-bird, and even if you went, you weren’t guaranteed to see them.

Owls are incredibly special birds, there is something spiritual about encountering one in the wild. It almost feels like they choose you in that moment, to see them. I have spent many hours observing two different pairs of owls. And even though I know the parks and areas that they live in and frequent, I sometimes go a month or two without spotting them. So, I went into this trip knowing that I may not see one, and that was ok. Birding is mostly walking, listening, observing, and connecting with nature. Sometimes I walk away without any photos and I still feel grounded, fulfilled. On more than one occasion I have found myself walking through a park and thinking, “where are all of the birds!?” But, that’s birding. That’s nature. We’re on their schedule, their timing, and it’s not forced.

On our way, we saw a Red-tailed Hawk on almost every powerline post, fence, street light, and even in a perfectly lit bush right off the side of the road. We weren’t surprised, yet it almost became comical as they were EVERYWHERE. I half expected one to be in our backseat looking back at us in the rearview.

We arrived an hour before sunset, which was the perfect time to see these owls. We saw a couple of cars parked ahead on the side of the road and drove towards them. You never know what the overall vibe will be when approaching other birders. I for one, when birding alone, do not especially love to be approached. However, there was a friendly looking group near a gated parking lot so I decided to try my luck. I was relieved when they smiled back and invited me into their immediate viewing area.

It wasn’t long before we spotted the first shorty. When I tell you that time stood still, it did. But only for a nano-second, and then it became a blurry fast encounter with a lot of “I hope I got the shots!” We saw at least three owls total, and a just as many Northern Harriers. At one point, two of the owls engaged in some sort of dueling aerobatics. It was exciting but they didn’t stick around long enough to tell what it was for.

In a nearby field there was a large pond with several waterfowl and a circling Bald Eagle. Across the street a herd of Elk lingered in the tall grass, glowing gold and blending in with the landscape. Nearby a flock of Western Bluebirds flew into view. It was fun to see them dancing around weeds, little blobs of blue in the diminishing light. We stayed until my iso was in the 5 digits. We said our goodbyes to the other birders, ever grateful for their kindness. Once strangers, now friends - feeling like a part of something much bigger. I surely do love the birding community.

Hit the road - find the birds.