[obol] Re: Is there any estimate of Tundra Swans wintering in the Willamette Valley?
- From: Mark Nikas <elepaio@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2015 22:33:47 -0800
2532.
At least that's the average total for the valley Christmas Bird Counts
since 2000. Before I looked that up I had guessed 2300. 1000 for Linn
county, 800 for Lane County and 500 everywhere else. Not too far off but
just by dumb luck. The Forest Grove count has the highest average at 723.
I wasn't aware there were that many that far north. The Brownsville
average was 489. Most years there are around 1000 in Linn County near
Brownsville so many of them stay outside the count circle on count day. Not
his year though. I had the east sector and counted 1204 swans. Surely many
more manage to avoid the nearest CBC circle. I'd guess now that 3000 -
4000 winter in the valley.
Mark Nikas
On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 11:51 AM, Priscilla Nam Hari Kaur <
priscillanhk@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Dear OBOLites;
>
> I know Tundra Swans winter in the Willamette valley, and are found in
> numerous
> places, all the way as far south as Fern Ridge Reservoir. But what I am
> wondering is if there is any approximate estimate of just how many of them
> there are here in Oregon? I haven't looked at range maps to see where
> else they spend the Winter, but I suppose there are lots of other
> locations.
> When I lived in Alvadore a mile from Fern Ridge dam in the late 70s,
> a flock of 400-600 Whistling Swans (their name in those days) would fly
> low over the house most every evening at dusk. That was such a sweet
> pleasure
> as they "whistled" melodiously the whole time. I would often "prime
> myself" before hand and go out on the covered porch and sit and listen for
> them.
>
> I had only heard-seen them a year or two before that for the first time
> back at Finley Refuge near sunset (when I lived in Corvallis). I was on
> Woodpecker Loop hill enjoying the sounds and sights of sunset, when I heard
> children playing way off in the distance somewhere. Hooting and hollering
> or so it seemed. Then a few minutes later I heard it again only it was much
> closer and I realized it wasn't children's voices at all ...
>
> At the very earliest crack of dawn, before I can even detect light, the
> entire flock spending the night on the water at Fern Ridge all rises up at
> once,
> all calling, hooting and whistling as they head out to the farm fields for
> the day. I've only gone out there to hear that a few times, and not at all
> recently.
>
> Priscilla Sokolowski
>
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