One of the challenges of a no plan trip is full campgrounds!

I left the Ukiah area headed for Cottonwood Canyon SP near Wasco this morning but upon arriving the camp sign read FULL! There was over flow camping available in a paved parking lot but it was the same price as a campsite so I kept driving and ended up at Indian Ford campground near Sisters! A couple bits of good news is I managed to submit an ebird list in all the Oregon counties east of the Cascades that I was missing. Now I have just 9 counties left in the entire state, 7 in the northwest and 2 in the southwest. The gray areas are the missing counties!

The other good news is I identified a Black-backed Woodpecker here at Indian Ford, my first in this area.

Not much else for today. I will have to wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Wednesday and Thursday campgrounds

There was no cell service in either of my last 2 stops so am catching up today! I spent Wednesday at Bates SP just east of Prairie City OR. A beautiful and well landscaped state park. It was very well cleaned pit toilets and potable water. Fees are $11 per night for a nice flat gravel parking spot and green lawn!

Lot's of hiking trails that are easy to walk. Some wander thru the wooded areas and some by the streams and a large pond upstream from campground.

Of course lots of birds! I identified 36 species in the 24 hours I spent there. I watched a number of birds, like bluebirds and warblers, feeding their young. If you would like to see pics and the complete birding list, click here: Bates SP bird list This is definitely a place I recommend!

Yesterday I stayed at the Ukiah-Dale SP north of John Day. It iwas $10 per night. Not near as well maintained at Bates SP but still a good 1 night lay over. I identified 23 birds while staying there. To see bird pics and a complete list, click here: Ukiah-Dale SP bird list

Union Creek Campground

I am now at Union Creek campground on the shores of Phillips Lake, near Sumpter, OR. A federal campground so my senior pass is valid! $20/$10 for no hookups or $34/$17 with partial. It has potable water, flush toilets and a waste water dump. It is a lovely treed campground.

There are lots of wildflowers blooming at this time. I don't know the names but here are a few!

And of course, lots of birds including both Mountain Bluebird and Western Bluebird!

The Mountain has the gray chest and the Western has the orange. There are only four other ebird lists for this location this year. The 28 species I have identified so far today puts me in 7th place for this hot spot! For more pics and a complete list of today's birds, click here: Union Creek Campground bird list

Spring Recreation area campground

I spent last night on the banks of the Snake River in the Spring Recreation area. The campground is just 3 miles from Huntington, OR.

It has potable water, pit toilets and gravel parking areas for camping. The host were friendly and helpful and do a great job of keeping the camp area in tip top shape!

The cost is just $5 per night or just $2.50 with my senior discount. It has great views of the river!

Lots of wildlife in the area with a doe and 2 fawns wandering thru the campsites.

Fisherman were coming and going from the boat launch. Catfish is the main target species here. I spoke with some fisherman that came in with about 20 catfish weighing in the 3 to 10 lb range. They made the catfish I catch in the coastal lakes look like minnows! I tried bank fishing but no luck! I identified 22 bird species in the area. Lots of colorful birds like these Bullocks Orioles.

To see more pics and a complete list of yesterday's birds, click here: Spring Rec bird list

Antelope Reservoir

I am now camping at Antelope Reservoir, just a few miles west of Jordan Valley, OR. Antelope Reservoir Campground is a free BLM campground! It is only a mile off of the highway down a narrow dirt road. It has fire pits and a pit toilet. One thing I am especially grateful for is NO mosquitoes except for a few that escaped from the cab of my truck on arrival here! No worries though as the wind should have carried them south all the way to Nevada by now!

 

 For years I have wanted to travel this area and I have not been disappointed. So far this trip I have added 3 life birds to my life list and 2 more counties to my Oregon birding list! The life bird today was a Swainson's Hawk. I captured this pic as it flew below me while I was standing on a cliff over looking some farm land.

Hopefully my next stop is Leslie Gulch. Another place I have wanted to visit since seeing it highlighted on the Oregon Field Guide television show several years ago!

Page Springs Campground

I am now at Page Springs Campground near Frenchglen, OR! It is a beautiful campground on the Donner and Blitzen River.

Well maintained lawns and restrooms. Potable water is available at a number of spigots. Another BLM campground so just $8 per night or $4 with my senior discount. Lots of birds here! The main purpose of my visit here was I was hoping to see a Yellow-breasted Chat and a Bobolink. Two birds I needed for my Life list. I spotted both species on my drive thru the campground looking for a site! I only got a pic of the Chat which is below!

I also saw a colorful Bullock's Oriole.

The down side of this area is the mosquitos! They wont disappear until the heat hits and I don't want to be here then! I planned on staying a couple days but ay just make it one!  Besides, I found my target birds already!

Chickahominy Reservoir

I am camping at Chickahominy Reservoir Campground near Riley, OR.

It is a BLM campgound so fees are $8 per night and I can use my senior pass for a 50% reduction in cost. As you can see it is a wide sage brush covered valley. The dam blocks up a canyon making this the only body of water for some distance. It does have a good variety of bird species such as Sage Thrashers, Horned Larks, Lesser Nighthawks and Vesper Sparrows. To see a list of today's birds and some pics, click here: Chickahominy Reservoir.

Poison Butte Campground

I left Big Lake yesterday morning as it was snowing and I spent last night in Poison Butte Campground along the Crooked River.

It is a small BLM campground with only 5 sites. Being federal land I was able to use my senior discount so only $4! Great views of the river and canyon walls. 

Not a great variety of bird species but I did have a National Geographic moment when 2 Golden Eagles pursued a small deer across the canyon wall! One appeared to actual touch the deer before they broke off pursuit!

Hwy 126 lakes.

With the crabbing and fishing being slow in the Florence area, I decided to head inland. Last night I camped at Fish Lake. With the snow gone the lake is quickly losing volume! I estimate it dropped about 12 inches in the 24 hours I spent there.

The birding was good as I was able to add enough species to get into the Top 10 ebird hotspot for that location. I am now at Big Lake just a few miles further east.

As you can see it has an awesome view of Mt. Washington. I have already done a bit of birding and am now getting ready to eat and nap! I love being retired!