CBC Season Has Arrived!

For some wacky reason, I volunteered Johnny and myself for three Christmas Bird Counts this year. We usually do two, the Upper Nestucca and Lincoln City. Why I volunteered for the Dallas count, I don't know. Maybe because the coordinator wrote a marvelously inviting plea for volunteers and mentioned forested areas that are seldom covered. I'm all for hiking in the woods, so I said we would do it.

Today we scouted the areas that the coordinator mentioned could use coverage. Plus one place I simply wanted to scout because I saw "Berry Creek Falls" on the google map within the count circle. And it was in one of the seldom-if-ever covered areas.

Off we went to the first stop, the waterfall area. It appeared to be just below the bottom of a new clearcut. Johnny had to stay by the van because his knees are not up to climbing over downfalls up and down steep hills, which is what this hike to the falls entailed. I, in fact, fell several times on my way in. One time I cracked my face on something hard and said ouch! But I'm not sure it really hurt, just felt like it should. When I got home and smiled in the mirror... as I try to do every time I see myself in the mirror, because that makes me laugh and laughing makes me happy... I noticed that part of a tooth next to my two big front teeth is missing. Now when I smile, I really laugh.

It was not a very long hike... just down through the new clearcut and down through timber to Berry Creek. The first fall of water I came to was pouring over and under several huge logs that had fallen across the creek. I wondered if this was Berry Creek Falls? I took photos...

That looked more like a log jam than a waterfall, so I kept tripping my way downstream. And then the real waterfall appeared with a roar... or part of it. I could not see the bottom from where I was.

 I kept inching my way down the steep moss-covered rock bank trying for a better view...

 Finally I could see the bottom drop through the trees...

But top and bottom drops are so far apart that, when both drops are in the same frame, the waterfall looks much smaller than it is. So I took a photo of the top alone.

Berry Creek Falls! I did it! And managed to clamber up the steep rock bank and then through the brush and clearcut littered with downfalls to reach the van without breaking any more teeth.

We then drove our scouting route and more or less figured out where we will go on count day, Dec. 27. Between now and then we will do the Upper Nestucca CBC on Dec. 14 and Lincoln City on Dec. 16. Plus our two Raptor Routes before the end of the month.

Rain is forecast for the foreseeable future (or snow in the mountains). I am glad we managed to find Berry Creek Falls today, without rain or snow... and with only one partially broken tooth.