Tillicum Beach Campground

I left Polk County Fairgrounds this morning and am now at Tillicum Beach Campground just a few miles north of Yachats, OR. My timing was great as when I arrived there were only half a dozen sites available and now most of those are gone! I was lucky to get a large site with an ocean view. The first pic is the site. The second pics is out the back window and the third is from the fence. Beyond the fence is a 20 foot drop to the beach!

The light makes it difficult to see the ocean view but sitting hear the view of the ocean is like the third pic! The down side is not much sunlight reaches the solar panels because to the trees but I can always fire up the generator. Campsites are $13 per night with my Senior pass for no hookups and $20 for sties with electric. No waste water dump available here as is most of the federal parks in the Siuslaw National Forest! I did get in a bird walk where I picked up my first Red Cross-bills of the season. I also spotted several whales surfacing and spouting! I think this will be coming back to this location in the future but I may need to make a reservation to be sure to get a site!

Birding with friends

The last couple days I have had a greatly rewarding time birding with my friends, Jim and Jeanette Scott. They live locally and have been taking me to some of their favorite hot spots. We have seen a good variety of bird species and even got a few good pics. The first is a Red-breasted Sapsucker. The second is a Rufous Hummingbird.

The next pics are of birds taken in Nesmith Park which is next to Polk County Fairgrounds where I am staying. The first is of course a Great-horned Owl. The second is a White-breasted Nuthatch and the last is a Song Sparrow singing!

Tomorrow I go with Jim to volunteer at a park operated by the Salem Audubon Society! 

Polk County Fairgrounds, Rickreall - OR

I will be spending a few days here in Rickreall. The Polk County fairgrounds offers $25 a night RV camping with water and electric. They also have a waste water dump included in the price. Non campers pay $10 to dump. It is just a large  gravel parking lot surrounded by woodlands and farm fields. I have a great view of Mt Jefferson!

Mt Jefferson is right behind that large metal building! There is only 1 other camper here at this time. They are having some maintenance issues so only a few sites available. I was able to meet up with, Jim and Jeanette, my birding friends and we birded in the park on the north side of the fairgrounds. We will be visiting a number of close by birding sites over the next few days. A quite campground and birding with friends is my idea of a great week!

Trying to dodge the cold weather!

I have been bouncing back and forth between Eugene, Dexter and Veneta the last couple weeks. I left the snow behind in Dexter and went to the coast. It was warmer but wet with only a few days of sun! I did catch a number of Surf Perch which make for delicious meals! Right now I am in Veneta visiting Amy and her family. I went birding at Perkins Peninsula this morning where I saw this Leucistic Robin.

As most of you know a Robin should be mostly gray with an orange belly! I also spotted this Red-breasted Sapsucker.

It was great to be out birding in the sunshine! For a complete list of today's birds and a few more pics, click here: Perkins Peninsula