Ruffed grouse often forage in grassy roadside edges.

I am up at the crack of dawn these days to walk Samantha! She is a dog who is interested in birding. She watches very closely when one flies overhead or there is chirping in the trees. She seems to know that I am interested in knowing when there are birds in the area. As we amble along, she draws my attention to the wild geese that are flying south and the robins as they fly form tree to tree as they wend their way to warmer climes.

Yard birds draw her attention too. A few warblers are dilly dallying as they glean insects from the leaves that still cling to their branches or hide in the warmth of the conifers. Wilson’s orange-crowned and yellow-rumped warblers are the most often seen these days. Ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets are flitting about the trees too. These species will all be with us throughout the coming months as fall draws to a close and the cooler days of winter materialize. They will be among our most colorful and welcome friends in the days ahead.

Other songbirds like the northern flicker are gathering too. Samantha notices them as they move with undulating flight from tree-top to tree-top. Many will stay with us, but others will move on. Golden-crowned sparrows will soon be common in our backyards and at our feeders, replacing some of the white-crowns. If you are putting out peanuts in the shell these days. The jays will snag them for a tasty treat or to hide for the cooler days ahead when food may be a little scarcer.

Samantha loves to walk on the beach as well as on the shoreline of Willapa Bay too. She notices the large flocks of dunlin and sanderlings. She never ever chases them. She seems to understand that they need rest and feeding time undisturbed and that I am trying to get photos for the next Observer article. Bald eagles and other raptors may soon be on our beach in relatively large numbers looking for an early breakfast or lunch. Included will be young eaglets enjoying and sharing whatever treats are available with the adult eagles.

Samantha also loves to go driving to look for birds. She sits attentively gazing out the side windows for anything that moves. A few barks alert me to the possibility that there are birds, so I stop immediately. Invariably, she is right. Once a small family of ruffed grouse were foraging in the grassy edges of the road and on one other occasion a few ring-necked pheasants were not far off the roadside edge. Of course, much of the time on a drive she is content to sleep in the backseat and let me find the birds on my own.

Samantha is an excellent birding companion. She loves the birds and protects their food source in the yard when the squirrels try to take over their favorite feeder. I enjoy birding with Samantha. I hope you have a birding companion. One that keeps you on your toes just like Samantha! Happy birding!