HI Folks,
We had a small (~30?) but awesome group of birders at the Oregon Birding
Association (OBA) annual meeting in Sutherlin, central Douglas County this
Friday to Sunday. I hope every one has made it or is making it home safely.
Susan Haig's presentation on California Condors was revised and stunning!
What amazing birds ... which we in Oregon may have the opportunity to see,
free-flying, in the next few years if introductions by the Yuroks in
northern California are successful. Can you believe that?
Bob Altman's presentation on Oak/Prairie birds, with a focus on the Umpqua
Valleys, was totally captivating, with great context and specific
information, and some great insight into the life histories and sounds of
these birds.
Field trips turned out great, with some super leaders, to whom we are all
greatly indebted: Jimmy Billstine, Jeff Dillon, Russ Namitz, Liz Gayner,
Janice Reid, Jim Houseman, Joel Geier, Mikeal Jones, and myself. And
thank-you to a few leaders who were prepared, but didn't get sign-up for
their trips (we had quite a selection)!
We had something like 85% out of towners and 15% locals (?). Almost
EVERYONE got to experience habitats and birds in central Douglas County
like they never have before, including:
*Grassland/savannah species: numerous GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, VESPER
SPARROWS, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, WESTERN KINGBIRD, ACORN
WOODPECKERS, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, LAZULI BUNTINGS. A few ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER, WESTERN BLUEBIRD, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, CHIPPING SPARROWS,
ETC.
*One Sunday group got up close with adults and young of both BARRED OWL and
SPOTTED OWL and witnessed banding of a young Spotted Owl!
*Also on Sunday a group got to observe BALD EAGLES w/nestling on nest, a
GOLDEN EAGLE nestling on nest, PEREGRINE FALCON nestlings on nest
cliff/ledge and one feeding from an adult!
*Many experienced the excitement of super rare species for our area:
RED-EYED VIREO at Reustle Winery and BLACK-THROATED SPARROW at North Bank
Habitat Management area, in both cases the songs alerting nearby birders
that something was up!
*Some also enjoyed the excitement of some "regular" rare species for our
area this time of year, such as BLUE-WINGED TEAL, CASPIAN TERN, and MERLIN.
*And the YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS dotted nearly everywhere was really fun.
TOTAL BIRD SPECIES AS OF SUNDAY AFTERNOON: 116.
I thought the food was good too!
One story from me (well, in addition to the racoon family sticking their
heads out of the tree...): On our trip Saturday morning, on Gross Lane, we
had stopped to listen to and watch Vesper Sparrows. I was astonished to see
a female and immature male Bullock's Oriole working their way down a fence
line, inspecting every inch of the barbed wire and field fence, 50+yds from
the nearest tree (where they had a nest). I wondered if the orioles were
looking for livestock fur for nesting material or bugs. In any case, at one
point we watched Western Kingbird, Bullock's Oriole, and Vesper Sparrow,
all perched on the wire fence row within about 20 ft of each other. Quite a
sight.
Thanks to all who came. Please come back to Douglas County again! Please
share any of your favorite stories/experiences.
Best Regards,
Matt Hunter
Melrose, OR
