*SALEM AUDUBON SHORT BIRD WALK AT MINTO-BROWN CITY PARK*
*For Thursday February 23, 2017*
* Comments:*
11 participants joined on this SAS SHORT Bird Walk; 3 birders who
were new had not walked the habitat of Minto-Brown. Short walks are not
Field Trips and they allow quick and valued looks for birds and nature in
busy schedules. We had a cool morning but good weather. The river was at 20
feet and there was closure of the path to the river. We first took a look
at the oxbow from the ramp. Then we proceeded to the bridge and enjoyed
Double-crested Cormorant and anticipated their breeding plumage with green
eyes. The snags had a pair of American Kestrel in their territory of past
cavity nesting. Fred identified the spot where a pair of Bushtit built a
nest and the signature features on a tree in the same area with sap wells
made by a Red-breasted Sapsucker. Signs of spring are apparent. The fly
over of the Pileated Woodpecker vocalizing was exciting and even on return
we could hear it in the woodland. On return we took a muddy path into
western Ponderosa hoping for warbler - not even a Yellow-rump. We headed
for the back edge of the dog walk field and enjoyed the diverse plumage of
half our Song Sparrow and Tim gave an explanation on the species and how we
know it has learned its song from the work of the research by Kroodsma.
Barbara Dolan
*Highlights* included great looks at Chestnut-backed Chickadee on the trail
to the bridge where they are not regularly seen or heard. We had great
looks at a flock or family of agitated White-breasted Nuthatch though
unable to determine 'why' their behavior. This was definitely a short, fun
trip with the action. The following species were seen and/or heard.
24 species (+2 other taxa)
Cackling Goose (minima) (Branta hutchinsii minima) 160
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) (Branta canadensis moffitti/maxima) 4
Canada Goose (occidentalis/fulva) (Branta canadensis occidentalis/fulva) 12
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 4
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 4
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
hummingbird sp. (Trochilidae sp.) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) 2
California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 3
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 8
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 6
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 4
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 9 Very vocal and agitated
near big corner.
Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus) 2
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 3
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 22
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 11
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 7
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 5
*For the Next SAS Field Trips and Bird Walks for March*
See the *Kestrel* Newsletter and Join us on Facebook.
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34838792
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