Way cool and undoubtedly one of the highlights this year. Way to go on photos!
I want to go see one. How can I get the Matt Hunter luck charm for spotting
unusual birds? Maybe someday I can just bird…..sigh.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/cayugabirdclub/photos.htm
Janice Reid
Wilbur, OR
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: Matthew G Hunter
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2015 3:35 PM
To: Alan Contreras
Cc: OBOL;ub
Subject: [Umpqua Birds] Re: [obol] Re: Bohemian Waxwing, Melrose
I don't know. I'm puzzling over the origin of the bird. I actually did examine
it pretty well, in the field and photos, just to be sure, and it looks pretty
clean to me. I've not heard of hybrids (?). All I can figure is maybe its
great great great great great grandparents nested in Gearhart, Clatsop Co., in
1958 (Oregon's only nesting record), and it has "southern latitude" genes.
There were a couple juvs that seemed large to me (see one in 3rd to last photo
on album), and possibly seemed attracted to the Bo (it pecked at a juv once),
but they had no markings I could see to suggest partial Bohemian parentage. I
just peeked at an eBird species map of Bohemian Waxwing for June to September
this year and there was only one other report in the Lower 48, northern Rockies
in Montana. ... which seems to indicate there is no "invasion" going on, just a
southern latitude bird for some reason.
Matt
On Mon, Sep 14, 2015 at 2:36 PM, Alan Contreras <acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Matt, does this mean that we need to beware of… hybrid waxwings? :-)
Alan Contreras
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
NOTE: Owing to my very heavy workload and travel schedule through December 5,
my response to your messages may take up to a week.
On Sep 14, 2015, at 3:14 PM, Matthew G Hunter <matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I've uploaded some photos, link below.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewghunter/albums/72157658215602090
There were multiple flocks of 30-40 waxwings visible flying around within a
quarter mile of my place. A group of about that size was in the madrone and oak
trees between the house and barn and I heard a Bohemian Waxwing -like call 2 or
3 times. I had heard something similar at Elk Island (Roseburg) about a week
ago, but found only Cedar Waxwings (but there were loads of waxwings). Anyway,
figured it was probably an odd or juv Cedar Waxwing... I mean what are the
chances? But as I searched, ...there was a group of waxwings in my madrone
snag and a larger silhouette was obvious! Hoping against hope I crept down the
road for some photos with the sun more at my back, and it actually stayed in
the snag and then flew only to the next tree. Got some photos and some brief
voice recording of its call. Despite searching, I did not find other Bohemian
Waxwings in the flock. Within 10 minutes the whole flock resumed their travels
to who-knows-where. Flocks continue to wing their way around the landscape
through the variable and blustery wind....
Matt Hunter
Melrose
West-central Douglas County
On Mon, Sep 14, 2015 at 7:48 AM, Matthew G Hunter <matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
At my place right now. At least one. Photos. Heard bo type call. Thought no
way. Followed it. There it was/is! Adult. More later.
Matt Hunter
Melrose
541.670.1984
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