The bridge over Beards Hollow offers a great vantage of the wetlands as well as the coastal forest making it a valuable location for spotting a wide variety of birds near Cape Disappointment. (photo by Jon Schmidt)

Recently, I introduced readers to William H. Kobbe’, a lucky young man who spent two years at Cape Disappointment over one hundred years ago. Kobbe’ wrote at least two articles for “The Auk,” a journal of ornithology. “The Birds of Cape Disappointment” was published in this journal back in the fall of 1900. Kobbe’s knowledge of bird species was far superior to my own; I have never claimed to be a “birder.” His observations intrigue me most when they reference the geographic locations of his sightings. I do however; also find myself amazed at the richness of bird life and their seasonal occurrences at Cape Disappointment. It’s fun too, to compare Kobbe’s observations with the species I see frequently throughout the year, and others, that I have never seen here, yet.

The following is a list of entry’s William Kobbe’ made for “The Birds of Cape Disappointment.” The species and their descriptions found here focus on those birds we should be able to see at the cape now or in the near future.

Western Grebe: This species is abundant throughout the winter months, arriving soon after the rainy season begins in September or October and departing in March or April. It was the only species found by me upon the cape and much preferred the bay to the fresh water lake formed by the heavy rains.

Canvasback: This is the only species of the subfamilies Anatinae and Fuligulinae which may be said to really inhabit the cape, with the exception of the Scoters (Oidemia). The Canvas-backs arrived in November 1897, and remained until the following March. There were immense flocks of them upon the bay, but after a few months they became very ‘fishy’ and unfit for the table.

Surf Scoter: A very abundant species. One of the first Ducks to arrive in September and the last to leave in April. Feeds extensively on mussels and always swallows the shells, some of them being empty or else filled with mud. When rowing upon the bay on a bright, or at least not stormy day, large flocks of these Ducks are often frightened at the approach of the boat and take to wing, only to settle a short distance ahead. Upon these occasions the loud whistling of their rapid wing beats can be heard a long distance, a half mile or more if the weather is very calm.

Varied Thrush: The Varied Thrush or Oregon Robin is a very common bird during the winter, but departs to its breeding grounds with the advent of spring. In habits it is much like the common Robin.

Great Blue Heron: Not abundant. This species is sometimes seen in the fall of the year, but its scarcity is quite natural since the cape is not at all suited to its wants. The individuals seen by me were either perched upon the fish-trap poles or else wading in the lake.

Wilson’s Snipe: During the fall of the year this species is sometimes abundant and at other times rare. There is only a very small marsh upon the cape where they are to be found and which is hardly suited to the habits of the species.
Over one hundred years later, Cape Disappointment is still a great place to watch birds, whether it’s up on top of McKenzie Head watching eagles or down at

Benson Beach watching the gulls. The next time you visit Cape Disappointment State Park, try to imagine what it would have looked like when William Kobbe’ was out trampling around the rainforest or paddling his raft in the bay.

More birding information locally:  http://www.funbeach.com/attractions/birding

Birding Forum:  http://www.funbeach.org/forums