May 2014 – Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
This area is at the very western edge of the Bobolink’s range, but here they are… in a particular marshy meadow not far from Frenchglenn, they appear to be particularly happy.

Bobolink

Brewer’s Blackbird

March 2013 – Fernhill Wetlands, Oregon

These birds are common in suburban parking lots across the country. They’re often overlooked, and dismissed. But, they do have a certain beauty – just look at those eyes. This one is a male.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

May 2012 – Tule Lake, California

A bunch of Yellow-headed Blackbirds had staked-out territory in the reeds on the south shore of Tule Lake. Each seemed to hold about a 30ft radius from the next – not a whole lot of territory.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Another Yellow-headed Blackbird hanging out in the reeds on the south shore of Tule Lake. The females generally stayed much lower in the reeds, but did pop up from time to time.

Red-winged Blackbird - Male

May 2011 – The Oregon Garden

The Red-winged Blackbirds were plentiful, noisy, and flamboyant at the Oregon Garden in May 2011. The bird on the top is a male, obviously, and strutting his stuff in a small wetland.

Red-winged Blackbird - Female

May 2011 – The Oregon Garden

The image on the bottom is a female. Usually the females are more timid, but on this day, they seemed every bit as raucous as the males. I wonder if this habitat was just so perfect that they’d let down their guard a bit.

Western Meadowlark

April 2008 – Catherine Creek, WA
You know it’s spring when the Meadowlarks fill the crisp air with their distinctive warble.