[obol] Snow Geese 11-11 Umatilla County
- From: "Mike & MerryLynn" <m.denny@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 05:05:25 -0800
Hello all,
After birding McNary Dam and upriver area today we headed for Cold Springs NWR
east of Hermiston OR and watched the fly-in of many thousands of geese. After
counting 7000+ Snow Geese on the shoreline we were amazed to watch another
4000+ fly in from the north - just wave after wave of these beautiful birds
dropping from the sky for over an hour. Stayed until after sundown and they
were still coming in.
We estimated that 1/3 of the flock were young - they must have had a very good
year up north! Did pick out 1 blue phase and 1 Ross's in the flock.
We have NEVER witnessed this many Snows in the lower Columbia Basin - 6,000 was
our high count last year.
5500 Canada, 800 Cackling Geese also present along with 38 Tundra Swan and 3500
Mallard, Ruddy Ducks, Bufflehead, both Goldeneye and a few grebes. A subadult
Bald Eagle kept putting flocks of geese up.
The fly-out in the morning would be just as spectacular - probably before dawn.
Later, M&ML
*******************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
Birding the beautiful Walla Walla Valley
"If you haven't birded, you haven't lived"
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