[obol] Acorn Woodpecker: LCC trails (Eugene)

From: Priscilla Nam Hari Kaur <priscillanhk@xxxxxxxxx>
To: OBOL <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2014 16:10:48 -0700
The Birds-of-Oregon-and-General-Science (BOGS) group
saw an Acorn Woodpecker on this morning's walk on the trails
behind Lane Community College. We were standing on top of the hill
in the southeast corner at the base of the cell phone tower when we saw it.
I managed to get three not-great photos which I will post later.

I did not recall seeing reports of Acorn Woodpeckers at this site,
though perhaps the Wednesday morning group has seen them.
I usually look at their list every week.  Our leader Steve Barron
said that Oak-Savannah habitat restoration at Mt Pisgah, a few miles east
of LCC, was done partially targeting Acorn Woodpeckers and Bluebirds.  He
wasn't aware of any results yet.

So I checked eBird for Acorn Woodpecker reports in this general
east-of-Eugene area and there are very few; none all that recent:
2011- 3 birds - Mt Pisgah - Cindy Blench
1998 - 3 - Mt Pisgah - Tom Mickel
There are a few reports from Creswell *this* year,
which is maybe 5 or 10 miles directly south.
Further WEST of Mt Pisgah and LCC, there are 2014 reports
at Skinner Butte (Skip Russell),
and the Kelly Middle school area (Vjera Thompson),
and of course the reports become more numerous in west Eugene.
But there are no reports of Acorn Woodpeckers in eBird
for the LCC area unless one goes back to 1983 when Tom Mickel reported one
there.

So perhaps it is worth mentioning our sighting from this morning.
We also had an early arrival male Pintail at the water treatment ponds at
LCC.
(pictures taken)

Here is the official bird list for this morning's trip,
compiled by Doris Wimber:

Bird list for walk at Lane Community College, in the woods behind the
college and along the ponds by 30th Ave., October 9, 2014, 9 a.m. to
11:30.  Weather was warm and sunny, excellent views of several duck species
in basic, (non-breeding), plumage.

1. Cackling goose
2. Mallard
3. American wigeon
4. Northern pintail
5. Northern shoveler
6. Ring-necked duck
7. Hooded merganser
8. Red-tailed hawk
9. American coot
10. Acorn woodpecker
11. Steller's jay
12. Western scrub jay
13. American crow (heard)
14. Black-capped chickadee
15. Red breasted nuthatch (heard)
16. American robin
17. Cedar waxwing
18. American goldfinch
19. Spotted towhee
20. Song sparrow
21. White-crowned sparrow
22. Dark-eyed junco
23. Red-winged blackbird (heard)

-------------------------
Priscilla Sokolowski
[obol] Acorn Woodpecker: LCC trails (Eugene)

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