Ted Buerger and I did a little pre-scouting for tomorrow's bird festival at Tualatin River NWR this morning. We found 72 species in 4.5 hours of birding. Notables included a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 3 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 1 DUNLIN, 2 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and 1 RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. All these birds were at the west end of the water filled impoundment southwest of the visitors center. Refuge biologist mentioned 12 Wilson's phalaropes in the same area earlier this week but they appear to have moved on. A lone GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was on the southwest side of the same impoundment and at least one EARED GREBE is still around.
Also interesting is the number of northern pintails still using the refuge. At least 20 northern pintail were using the main impoundment. The phalarope appeared to be a bit lonely as it kept trying to stay with the pintails as they continually moved around.
**** Note the north-south dike road will remain closed during the festival due to the nesting bald eagles (road will reopen once eagle chick has fledged). The single chick has lost its gray downy look and appears to have grown its first set of feathers.
Jeff DillonGladstone, OR
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