[obol] Skinner Butte, Eugene, Lane County 4/28/2014
- From: "Anne & Dan Heyerly" <tanager@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 15:47:03 -0700
April 28, 2014
Obol,
This morning Anne and I encountered quite a birdy butte from about 8:30 to
10:00am approximately.
At the west end of the grassy meadow on top of the butte a very small
hummingbird was not happy about two Lesser Goldfinches perching on the top
of a dead branch on a stunted Big-leaf Maple located just inside the loop
path between a shrub and a large Ash tree. It succeeded in driving them off,
then perched for a bit before crossing the grassy area to an Oak just
starting to leaf out. On that last perch it showed us its streaked/splayed
purple Calliope Hummingbird gorget. An Anna's Hummingbird then joined it and
drove it off to the west and the Oaks just west of the two benches near the
overlook. We did not see it again, although the Anna's promptly occupied its
rightfully owned perch atop that stunted maple.
Other birds seen throughout the morning were Warbling Vireo, warblers
(Townsend's, Nashville, Orange-crowned, and a very vocal Black-throated
Gray), Vaux's Swift, Violet-green Swallows, and many sparrows (Lincoln's,
White-crowned, Golden-crowned, Song, and Fox). Turkey Vultures and American
Robins were present, and one adult Bald Eagle was watching over a growing
chick in their nest. Bewick's Wrens, Spotted Towhees, Steller's Jays,
Western Scrub Jays, Bushtits, and Black-capped Chickadees also made
themselves known.
One flycatcher was noted on the north side of the butte near the western
end. It was high up in a conifer (eye level for us) and it had very buffy
wing bars, a pewee-like vest, no eye ring to a hint of an eye ring depending
on the angle of viewing, and it did not sing. It had a very light colored,
almost white, throat. I saw it thrust its tail down and up one time before
flying off to a Big Leaf Maple. It perched in various concealed-by-leaves
locations over the next minute, but never showed itself long enough for a
study of either the bill or primary extension. We (Maitreya, Anne, Sylvia
Maulding, and I are leaning toward Western Wood Pewee.
Good Birding,
Dan Heyerly, Eugene
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