[Umpqua Birds] Re: East Roseburg/Dixonville Saturday (Feb 1)
- From: "Toni M" <creekwood@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2014 17:58:15 -0800 (Pacific Standard Time)
Matt:
Terrific information! I appreciate your taking the time to provide such a
helpful response, and I'm sure that others on the list will benefit from the
informtion. It will be fun to hear about your 'experimental adventures'
during the coming year, and I look forward to learning from you and other
experienced list members during the scheduled field trips.
Toni M
-------Original Message-------
From: Matthew G Hunter
Date: 2/3/2014 10:52:18 AM
To: umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Umpqua Birds] Re: East Roseburg/Dixonville Saturday (Feb 1)
Toni (and all),
Some interesting thoughts and good questions.
Large groups work good for some situations, not so good for others. I have
been thinking about that issue for some time and I have some trips in mind
with limited space, so stay tuned.
There are a number of people in our area that have the capability of leading
field trips, and I hope they do. I'll just speak for myself. I want to lead
a variety of different field trips locally and throughout the Umpqua Basin
(and beyond on occasion, but I'm mostly focusing on the Umpqua Basin right
now). I am taking it slow so as to not over-commit myself, so I'm mostly in
the planning (and hopeful) stage. I also hope to apply for some grant
funding to do more local and basin-wide education and field trips with
regard to birds, and/or charge for some trips. This year I will be trying
out a number of different approaches.
Currently, on the Umpqua Valley Audubon Society (UVAS) website (www
umpquaaudubon.org), I have two field trips set up (besides the little series
I just announced). One is to help folks learn to recognize Greater
White-fronted Geese when they come over during migration in late April and
early May. The second is sort of a specialty trip, canoeing the Umpqua
Estuary. I say specialty because not many people have canoes and are willing
to do such a trip. But it is a fantastic place! :-)
With regard to these short trips I just announced, (1) I saw an opportunity
to use the time to lead some nearby short walks, using the limited time for
birding vs. travel, and (2) saw an opportunity to introduce whoever is
interested to a few close-by sites, their birds, and how to look for and
find them. These are not high-diversity sites like Ford's Pond, Plat I
Reservoir, and Stewart Park Wildlife Ponds, but they have birds nonetheless,
and I think it is a good lesson in itself just to learn to search for birds
in different locations and habitats. So, I hope we'll have some fun and
learn together.
Regarding birdwatching site maps for Douglas County:
(1) The birdingoregon.info website has information in birding sites in all
Oregon's 36 counties, including Douglas. You can go to this site and click
on Douglas County and explore from there. I'm not wild about how the site is
set up, but it does have a lot of sites.
(2) A color brochure version of most information on the website for Douglas
County is available through Umpqua Valley Audubon Society (UVAS, www
umpquaaudubon.org). You can email Diana Wales (dianawales@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
and request one, or come to one of the UVAS programs and pick one up there.
The programs are on the UVAS website, and/or you can ask Diana to put you on
her email list which she uses to notify folks of upcoming programs, field
trips, etc.
(3) I am currently working on an Umpqua Birds website that will include some
birding site information. In the beginning I will just include sites that
are not on the birdingoregon.info webpage, and just point to that webpage
with a link. Over time, however, I will develop a more comprehensive
treatment of birding sites in Douglas County, ...but that will take some
time. In the mean time, I recommend getting that brochure.
(4) Another thing you can do is go to eBird.org, click on Explore Data, and
check out the Hotspot Explorer or the Range and Point Maps.
I hope that helps, and I am looking forward to more field trips too.
Yours,
Matt
On Sun, Feb 2, 2014 at 6:36 PM, Toni M <creekwood@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Matt:
Great news! I noted that some list members expressed discomfort with the
large field trip groups that have resulted from the list's growth. Perhaps I
d best email you separately, but I was wondering about any longer
local/interior area field trips (paid would be fine) that may be planned
later this year? I was also interested in obtaining information regarding
any reliable birdwatching site maps for Douglas County. (Congratulations on
getting your daughter off 'training wheels' ;-)... )
Toni M
-------Original Message-------
From: Matthew G Hunter
Date: 02/02/14 16:45:57
To: umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Umpqua Birds] East Roseburg/Dixonville Saturday (Feb 1)
Hi Folks,
Mark Hamm and I did a little scouting Saturday for the following series of
short field trips. I thought I would take advantage of a two-hour period
while my daughter is driving for her Driver's Education class for a few more
Saturdays. So I hope some of you can join me. Mark Hamm may be along as well
if he is available.
Some of our interesting sightings from Saturday were:
SAY'S PHOEBE near the Dixonville quarry.
GOLDEN EAGLE north of the ODFW office.
Leucistic FOX SPARROW continues at the ODFW office, in shrubs near the
feeders to the west of the office (see photos from December here http://www
flickr.com/photos/matthewghunter/sets/72157638840748645/)
Following is the announcement that will be on the Umpqua Valley Audubon
Website soon (www.umpquaaudubon.org)
Four-in-a-Row Short Saturday Field Trips
Matt Hunter will lead short birding walks at some central and east Roseburg
sites for the next four weeks while his daughter is in Driver's Education
class at the UCC Small Business Development Center (SBDC, 2555 NE Diamond
Lake Blvd., just before Abby's Pizza on the right on the way out of town).
Meet at 0855 at the SBDC, southeast parking area. From there we will travel
less than 10 minutes to a nearby location where we will look and listen for
birds for about 45 minutes. We will then drive to a second nearby location
for about another 45 minutes. Matt will need to be back at the SBDC at 1100.
If you don't meet in time at the SBDC, feel free to call Matt (541-670-1984)
to meet wherever he is (or you can meet at the first site shortly after
0900). No cost for any of these field trips.
Paired Sites and dates are as follows:
Feb 8, O.C. Brown Park & Dixonville quarry
Feb 15, Sunshine Park & ODFW office
Feb 22, Eastwood Park & Beulah Park
Mar 1, Bike Path at Deer Creek & Laurelwood Park and neighborhood
Recent Observations at these sites can be seen at the following links:
O.C. Brown Park
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16750247
Dixonville Quarry
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16750274
Sunshine Park
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16750314
ODFW area
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16750355
Eastwood Park
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16750412
Beulah Park
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16720356
Bike Path at Deer Creek
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16416029
Laurelwood Park
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16488296
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