Interesting Birds I've Seen Lately

From my field notes:

April 15/2011; black-necked stilt at Riverhills dock.  Stilt is the perfect name for this bird because it walks around like a teenager practicing on stilts.  Caught my eye because our familiar river birds don't have such long red legs.  It also has a graceful head with a short beak like a conductor's baton, but overall gives the appearance of being put together from parts of other birds.  I've read that stilts are often found in large flocks, but here I saw only one, and only once.

July 6/2011;  7 am, pair of skimmers in Harney Bypass Canal.  Black skimmers seem like they belong along the coast, but they do occur inland.  Sill, I was surprised to see this pair fishing in the Bypass Canal.  They fly very fast and straight, inches above the surface of the water, with their lower beak actually cutting into and just below the water surface, creating a very precise wake trailing behind the bird's flight path.  Skimmers have red bills, with the lower one that goes into the water being somewhat longer.  They are gull-sized, and very powerful and confident in flight. 

July 16/2011; 8:45 am, family of swallow-tailed kites on pine tree at edge of golf course.  Looked like there were four birds nestled in the top branches of a dying pine tree, two of which were possible juveniles.  They were very active, sort of jostling about, with very white heads and an alarm call of a sharp single note that sounds like a tea kettle when letting off its first steam.  With their deep forked tail, white shoulders, and black wing tips these birds are unmistakable.  I'm thinking that were on or near a nest.  I couldn't linger because I was with my dog and he wanted to move on.  I've seen them sailing around the edges of the golf course, turning with the wind like a paper airplane as they hunt in the air for flying insects.  I've noticed an abundance of dragonflies this year and this must be making our Kite population happy.  Veteran bird watchers marvel at their aerieal grace but rarely see them on the limb, as I did, so I consider myself very lucky. 

Sightings such as these can really perk up an otherwise routine day and remind us yet again how close we are or can be to nature here in the Terrace if we only open our eyes and pay attention.