We have abandoned California and arrived in the Pacific Northwest.  Leaving the redwoods in the Crescent City CA area was difficult, but the sharp green hills and rugged coastline of western Oregon are very welcoming.  

We sighed looking at the giant redwoods and there saw our first Hermit Warbler.  Known as a "sore neck bird" it resides high in the Pacific Coast forest trees coming only half way down to peer at us mortals squeaking imitations of its pleasing song.  We heard the peculiar hooting of the Spotted Owl but did not see this other denizen of these dark forests.  We also enjoyed hearing the hauntingly melodic song of the Varied Thrush in the redwood groves.  Its song consists of a series of spaced multi-harmonic monotones each at a different pitch.  Someone should make an album of its song to provide comfort to those in the busy world. 

Our first stop in Oregon enjoyed some excitement.  Setting up camp was disturbed by the discovery that one of the rear tires of the motorhome was deflating.  We made good use of our roadside assistance service and watched as a sturdy woman named Sabrina and her assistant managed to jack up Harley, remove our spare and change the tire.  I concluded that until I obtain a pneumatic socket wrench I will do my best never to have to change a tire on this machine.  Our mechanic dumped the flat in our auto trunk after diagnosing a failed valve stem.  We  gave her a fond farewell.  The next day we had the tire repaired and struggled to slide the new spare into its cradle.  We then jacked it closed and bolted it tight. 

We stayed two nights near Eugene visiting my brother and niece there.  We found them well and enjoyed the spring weather.  We hurried on to this location to join a pelagic birding boat trip on Sunday from Newport Harbor.  We are camped at South Beach State Park among pines and dunes in a Tsunami Hazard Area.  If the ground shakes we are to leave as soon as it stops.  That assumes of course that we can and that the road is open.  I'm hoping the ground does not shake while we're here.

The boat trip went well.  The weather and seas were mild and we saw lots of birds, but no life birds on this trip.  We did enjoy our best ever views of Cassin's Auklets and our first views this year of Marbled and Ancient Murrelets.  We also saw probably ten thousand Common Murres.  They are truly common here.

The voyage also gave us pleasing views of the scenic Yaquina Head Lighthouse and of the beaches and rocky shores that surround Newport Harbor.  We plan another boat trip at our next destination, Westport, Washington and hope for similar luck on that trip.  We also hope to see an albatross there.