Kris Gates

#Bird of the Day: Gadwall (GADW) & the golden duck bracelet of Ramesses II Our Oregon rainy season brings large flocks of winter waterfowl, although some Gadwall ducks remain here all year. The Gadwall range is quite large, spanning much of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, including a

at age 90, leaving a body that was carefully mummified & now resides in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The bracelets are in the Egypt Museum, which describes them here: egypt-museum.com/duck-bracele... The stone comprising

#Bird of the Day: Gadwall (GADW) & the golden duck bracelet of Ramesses II Our Oregon rainy season brings large flocks of winter waterfowl, although some Gadwall ducks remain here all year. The Gadwall range is quite large, spanning much of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, including a

for meat & feathers🪶, & were also offered as part of ritual ceremonies, sometimes even mummified. Duck motifs represented fertility & abundance & were worn by even those of highest rank. This solid gold pair of bracelets is marked with cartouches (hieroglyphics representing a name) of Ramesses II,

#Bird of the Day: Gadwall (GADW) & the golden duck bracelet of Ramesses II Our Oregon rainy season brings large flocks of winter waterfowl, although some Gadwall ducks remain here all year. The Gadwall range is quite large, spanning much of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, including a

5153! That's how many photos I took with my #birding camera during our 7 days in the beautiful region of Santa Barbara County, California. A favorite moment was seeing this Osprey with a catch: Barred Surf Perch! We stayed 3 nights in Santa Barbara itself, a block from the beach, & explored in

several directions on foot (ubered to our destinations). And 4 nights using the small town of Solvang as our home base for 3 days of guided #birding from a local expert. Really not a major glitch in the whole trip & we made the most of every day. I came home tired but happy, just the way I like it.

#Bird of the Day: Anna’s Hummingbird (ANHU) In some BOTD, I mention that certain species are in decline. The most common cause is habitat loss, but factors such as climate change, hunting, & introduced species can also play a role. But for some birds, human influence has actually increased bird

still inhabit my yard throughout the cold season. I typically have blooms through first frost in November & starting in early January. 🪶If they can’t find nectar, ANHU will eat insects & spiders. If you do keep a feeder, experts recommend that you wash it thoroughly (by hand) every 5-7 days in cool

#Bird of the Day: Anna’s Hummingbird (ANHU) In some BOTD, I mention that certain species are in decline. The most common cause is habitat loss, but factors such as climate change, hunting, & introduced species can also play a role. But for some birds, human influence has actually increased bird

there were no documented Portland-area sightings of ANHU during the CBC. The #birds typically migrated south for the winter, with some individuals returning to the Pacific Northwest in Spring. But these days, it’s very common for many ANHU to remain here all year round, & even further north into

#Bird of the Day: Anna’s Hummingbird (ANHU) In some BOTD, I mention that certain species are in decline. The most common cause is habitat loss, but factors such as climate change, hunting, & introduced species can also play a role. But for some birds, human influence has actually increased bird

#Bird of the Day: Wood Stork (WOST) If you were a biologist 100 years ago or more, you’d be classifying birds based on their appearance, habits, & habitats. The wood stork shares some of these with ibises, herons, & other wading birds, but now that we have genetics to assist with classification, we

Wood Storks find prey primarily by touch. They submerge that long bill into shallow, often muddy, water, & sweep it back & forth feeling for prey. When sensed, the food is grabbed quickly, a splashy process. 🪶The bare head is easier to dry & may also enhance transmission of small vibrations from the

#Bird of the Day: Wood Stork (WOST) If you were a biologist 100 years ago or more, you’d be classifying birds based on their appearance, habits, & habitats. The wood stork shares some of these with ibises, herons, & other wading birds, but now that we have genetics to assist with classification, we

know that WOST are only distantly related to those #birds. Instead, they share a more familial relationship with New World vultures such as Turkey & Black Vultures, which aren’t waders at all & feed/behave quite differently. What they do have in common are virtually featherless heads. In vultures,

Our last morning in Solvang is a drizzly one but I spent a couple hours happily exploring the Hans Christian Andersen park looking for birds. Saw plenty but not good light for photography. Admired the huge Coast Live Oaks. At one point I’m under this one that had lost major limbs, taking pictures,