[Umpqua Birds] Last 3 days
- From: Matthew G Hunter <matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2014 14:43:08 -0800
HI Birders,
Yesterday (Friday) afternoon I helped out with Cindy Laws' UCC wildlife
biology class, with a little field trip at Wildlife Safari. It was kinda
rainy, but not too bad. Was interesting to see at least 2 male EURASIAN
WIGEON still there with the large flock of American Wigeon. I would guess
they will stick around until sometime in March or early April. Saw one
PEREGRINE FALCON, but it was very brief and no chance to get anyone else on
it. Some of the students were very impressed with seeing a Belted
Kingfisher, Black Phoebe, American Coot, and female Hooded Merganser up
close through a spotting scope.
This morning about 6 other hearty Oregon birders joined me for a couple
walks in the rain looking at birds at O.C. Brown County Park, the
Dixonville overgrown quarry, and the ODFW office. Despite the rain we were
impressed by a WESTERN MEADOWLARK SINGING IN THE RAIN, a nice look at the
crown of a Golden-crowned Kinglet, a very focused feeding flock of
Golden-crowned Sparrows, a pair of Hooded Mergansers.... We got wet. The
birds were busy foraging despite the rain. It stopped raining when we were
done. :-)
Thursday and today (Saturday), I've seen two adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS
perched together in dead or mostly-dead trees, Thursday along Melrose Road,
and today on the west side of Stewart Parkway across from the wildlife
ponds. They appear to be pairing up.
I've been astonished at the difference between the Willamette Valley
weather/snow compared to rain-only here. We both have moisture, but the
cold air mass is to the north of us right now. Anyway, with all the snow on
the Willamette Valley floor, I'm wondering if we might get any "refugees"
down here from there. Most likely would be grassland/pasture birds, such as
geese, meadowlarks, pipits, killdeer.
Happy Wet Birding,
Matt Hunter
Melrose, OR
Other related posts:
