Ready to take a break from your busy lives to embark on a vicarious adventure to one of the most beautiful places in central Oregon with me? Off we go to Smith Rock State Park.

Walk with me to the rim of a deep canyon and take in the magnificent vista that opens up below you, where the Crooked River wends its way through a rugged landscape of sheer cliffs formed by volcanic eruptions and steep hillsides dotted with western juniper trees. It is perfect walking weather, with temperatures in the high 40s, as we begin a steep zigzag descent into the Realm of Peregrine Falcons and Golden Eagles. (Alas, we won't see any today.) Keep some energy in reserve, because what goes down must go back up.

As we make our way upriver, the Merlin sound ID app (a great tool, but know its limitations) alerts us to the likely presence of Canyon Wrens. I was surprised because while I heard bird calls, I did not hear the series of melodic, descending call notes that I have learned to associate with this striking wren species. But Merlin was right and in a few minutes we see a couple of Canyon Wrens calling and hopping among the boulders on the steep terrain above us. With their enchanting calls, long bills, warm rufous tones and gray heads speckled with white, Canyon Wrens are always a pleasure to observe, especially when one of them poses on a rock for a perfect photo opportunity.

Continuing our walk along the river, we did not see any ducks at first. But soon a group of handsome Barrow's Goldeneyes, a reliable duck species here, make their appearance, diving below the surface of the river to find food (and perhaps worrying about their pending name change, following a recent announcement by the American Ornithological Society that names associated with people are gradually being replaced). The males of this species are easy to distinguish from very similar male Common Goldeneyes because the white patch on their face is crescent-shaped, not circular.

All around us, hordes of Robins make sure we know that Thrushes rule. I don’t know what makes this species so successful, but on any given birding walk we see dozens of them. In one location two years ago, I saw THOUSANDS of them. True story.

Wait — did you hear that? What's that high-pitched ti-ti-ti sound? Looking around in the junipers close to us, we see that a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, looking all fine and dandy (and they know it), with their spectacular yellow crowns with bold black stripes. These tiny birds can tolerate temperatures well below zero, and will huddle together for warmth to survive subzero weather. They are hyperactive and often forage high in the treetops, so they’re hard to see and even harder to photograph. But today we are lucky. The Kinglets are flitting about at eye level, and I am able to capture a few decent photos of this gorgeous species.

The river bends. Colorful canyon walls in shades of pale green, pink, and gold tower above us, rising straight up to dizzying heights. Rock climbers challenge themselves on tough routes, and we see some of them standing atop the highest cliffs, where normally only raptors dare to roam.

Get ready to feel the burn because it’s time to hike up out of the canyon. Pausing at the bridge before our ascent, we get great looks at Golden-crowned Sparrows in a feeding bonanza in a re-seeded grassy area. Up, up, up we go. We stop to rest as our hearts pound, and see a raptor far away, atop one of the highest cliffs on the other side of the river. Too far to ID, but photo processing later reveals a likely Red-tailed Hawk.

No matter how many times you visit, Smith Rock will take your breath away every time. It is a truly magical place.

Ready to take a break from your busy lives to embark on a vicarious adventure to one of the most beautiful places in central Oregon with me? Off we go to Smith Rock State Park.

Walk with me to the rim of a deep canyon and take in the magnificent vista that opens up below you, where the Crooked River wends its way through a rugged landscape of sheer cliffs formed by volcanic eruptions and steep hillsides dotted with western juniper trees. It is perfect walking weather, with temperatures in the high 40s, as we begin a steep zigzag descent into the Realm of Peregrine Falcons and Golden Eagles. (Alas, we won't see any today.) Keep some energy in reserve, because what goes down must go back up.

As we make our way upriver, the Merlin sound ID app (a great tool, but know its limitations) alerts us to the likely presence of Canyon Wrens. I was surprised because while I heard bird calls, I did not hear the series of melodic, descending call notes that I have learned to associate with this striking wren species. But Merlin was right and in a few minutes we see a couple of Canyon Wrens calling and hopping among the boulders on the steep terrain above us. With their enchanting calls, long bills, warm rufous tones and gray heads speckled with white, Canyon Wrens are always a pleasure to observe, especially when one of them poses on a rock for a perfect photo opportunity.

Continuing our walk along the river, we did not see any ducks at first. But soon a group of handsome Barrow's Goldeneyes, a reliable duck species here, make their appearance, diving below the surface of the river to find food (and perhaps worrying about their pending name change, following a recent announcement by the American Ornithological Society that names associated with people are gradually being replaced). The males of this species are easy to distinguish from very similar male Common Goldeneyes because the white patch on their face is crescent-shaped, not circular.

All around us, hordes of Robins make sure we know that Thrushes rule. I don’t know what makes this species so successful, but on any given birding walk we see dozens of them. In one location two years ago, I saw THOUSANDS of them. True story.

Wait — did you hear that? What's that high-pitched ti-ti-ti sound? Looking around in the junipers close to us, we see that a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, looking all fine and dandy (and they know it), with their spectacular yellow crowns with bold black stripes. These tiny birds can tolerate temperatures well below zero, and will huddle together for warmth to survive subzero weather. They are hyperactive and often forage high in the treetops, so they’re hard to see and even harder to photograph. But today we are lucky. The Kinglets are flitting about at eye level, and I am able to capture a few decent photos of this gorgeous species.

The river bends. Colorful canyon walls in shades of pale green, pink, and gold tower above us, rising straight up to dizzying heights. Rock climbers challenge themselves on tough routes, and we see some of them standing atop the highest cliffs, where normally only raptors dare to roam.

Get ready to feel the burn because it’s time to hike up out of the canyon. Pausing at the bridge before our ascent, we get great looks at Golden-crowned Sparrows in a feeding bonanza in a re-seeded grassy area. Up, up, up we go. We stop to rest as our hearts pound, and see a raptor far away, atop one of the highest cliffs on the other side of the river. Too far to ID, but photo processing later reveals a likely Red-tailed Hawk.

No matter how many times you visit, Smith Rock will take your breath away every time. It is a truly magical place.

Ready to take a break from your busy lives to embark on a vicarious adventure to one of the most beautiful places in central Oregon with me? Off we go to Smith Rock State Park.

Walk with me to the rim of a deep canyon and take in the magnificent vista that opens up below you, where the Crooked River wends its way through a rugged landscape of sheer cliffs formed by volcanic eruptions and steep hillsides dotted with western juniper trees. It is perfect walking weather, with temperatures in the high 40s, as we begin a steep zigzag descent into the Realm of Peregrine Falcons and Golden Eagles. (Alas, we won't see any today.) Keep some energy in reserve, because what goes down must go back up.

As we make our way upriver, the Merlin sound ID app (a great tool, but know its limitations) alerts us to the likely presence of Canyon Wrens. I was surprised because while I heard bird calls, I did not hear the series of melodic, descending call notes that I have learned to associate with this striking wren species. But Merlin was right and in a few minutes we see a couple of Canyon Wrens calling and hopping among the boulders on the steep terrain above us. With their enchanting calls, long bills, warm rufous tones and gray heads speckled with white, Canyon Wrens are always a pleasure to observe, especially when one of them poses on a rock for a perfect photo opportunity.

Continuing our walk along the river, we did not see any ducks at first. But soon a group of handsome Barrow's Goldeneyes, a reliable duck species here, make their appearance, diving below the surface of the river to find food (and perhaps worrying about their pending name change, following a recent announcement by the American Ornithological Society that names associated with people are gradually being replaced). The males of this species are easy to distinguish from very similar male Common Goldeneyes because the white patch on their face is crescent-shaped, not circular.

All around us, hordes of Robins make sure we know that Thrushes rule. I don’t know what makes this species so successful, but on any given birding walk we see dozens of them. In one location two years ago, I saw THOUSANDS of them. True story.

Wait — did you hear that? What's that high-pitched ti-ti-ti sound? Looking around in the junipers close to us, we see that a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, looking all fine and dandy (and they know it), with their spectacular yellow crowns with bold black stripes. These tiny birds can tolerate temperatures well below zero, and will huddle together for warmth to survive subzero weather. They are hyperactive and often forage high in the treetops, so they’re hard to see and even harder to photograph. But today we are lucky. The Kinglets are flitting about at eye level, and I am able to capture a few decent photos of this gorgeous species.

The river bends. Colorful canyon walls in shades of pale green, pink, and gold tower above us, rising straight up to dizzying heights. Rock climbers challenge themselves on tough routes, and we see some of them standing atop the highest cliffs, where normally only raptors dare to roam.

Get ready to feel the burn because it’s time to hike up out of the canyon. Pausing at the bridge before our ascent, we get great looks at Golden-crowned Sparrows in a feeding bonanza in a re-seeded grassy area. Up, up, up we go. We stop to rest as our hearts pound, and see a raptor far away, atop one of the highest cliffs on the other side of the river. Too far to ID, but photo processing later reveals a likely Red-tailed Hawk.

No matter how many times you visit, Smith Rock will take your breath away every time. It is a truly magical place.

Ready to take a break from your busy lives to embark on a vicarious adventure to one of the most beautiful places in central Oregon with me? Off we go to Smith Rock State Park.

Walk with me to the rim of a deep canyon and take in the magnificent vista that opens up below you, where the Crooked River wends its way through a rugged landscape of sheer cliffs formed by volcanic eruptions and steep hillsides dotted with western juniper trees. It is perfect walking weather, with temperatures in the high 40s, as we begin a steep zigzag descent into the Realm of Peregrine Falcons and Golden Eagles. (Alas, we won't see any today.) Keep some energy in reserve, because what goes down must go back up.

As we make our way upriver, the Merlin sound ID app (a great tool, but know its limitations) alerts us to the likely presence of Canyon Wrens. I was surprised because while I heard bird calls, I did not hear the series of melodic, descending call notes that I have learned to associate with this striking wren species. But Merlin was right and in a few minutes we see a couple of Canyon Wrens calling and hopping among the boulders on the steep terrain above us. With their enchanting calls, long bills, warm rufous tones and gray heads speckled with white, Canyon Wrens are always a pleasure to observe, especially when one of them poses on a rock for a perfect photo opportunity.

Continuing our walk along the river, we did not see any ducks at first. But soon a group of handsome Barrow's Goldeneyes, a reliable duck species here, make their appearance, diving below the surface of the river to find food (and perhaps worrying about their pending name change, following a recent announcement by the American Ornithological Society that names associated with people are gradually being replaced). The males of this species are easy to distinguish from very similar male Common Goldeneyes because the white patch on their face is crescent-shaped, not circular.

All around us, hordes of Robins make sure we know that Thrushes rule. I don’t know what makes this species so successful, but on any given birding walk we see dozens of them. In one location two years ago, I saw THOUSANDS of them. True story.

Wait — did you hear that? What's that high-pitched ti-ti-ti sound? Looking around in the junipers close to us, we see that a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, looking all fine and dandy (and they know it), with their spectacular yellow crowns with bold black stripes. These tiny birds can tolerate temperatures well below zero, and will huddle together for warmth to survive subzero weather. They are hyperactive and often forage high in the treetops, so they’re hard to see and even harder to photograph. But today we are lucky. The Kinglets are flitting about at eye level, and I am able to capture a few decent photos of this gorgeous species.

The river bends. Colorful canyon walls in shades of pale green, pink, and gold tower above us, rising straight up to dizzying heights. Rock climbers challenge themselves on tough routes, and we see some of them standing atop the highest cliffs, where normally only raptors dare to roam.

Get ready to feel the burn because it’s time to hike up out of the canyon. Pausing at the bridge before our ascent, we get great looks at Golden-crowned Sparrows in a feeding bonanza in a re-seeded grassy area. Up, up, up we go. We stop to rest as our hearts pound, and see a raptor far away, atop one of the highest cliffs on the other side of the river. Too far to ID, but photo processing later reveals a likely Red-tailed Hawk.

No matter how many times you visit, Smith Rock will take your breath away every time. It is a truly magical place.