Hi –
I think it has been the norm on back roads in Harney County
Wayne
From: boo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:boo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of ;
David Irons
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2016 10:12 PM
To: boo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [boo] Re: Malheur Reflections
Thanks Clay. This is great stuff. You are now the second birder (including
Jesse Laney on OBOL) who has reported that local ranchers waved and were
friendly when they saw birders. Folks in Harney County are mostly salt of the
earth types, who I suspect don't want to give the impression that they are
hostile towards birders, either by default, or by failing to make friendly
gestures towards us.
Having spent many years of my life living in the Midwest (Indiana and downstate
Illinois), where friendly waves are almost automatically exchanged with
everyone you pass, it would be nice to see that become the new norm in Harney
County.
Dave Irons
Portland, OR
_____
Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2016 20:11:34 -0700
Subject: [boo] Malheur Reflections
From: ruffledgrouch@xxxxxxxxx
To: boo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; cobol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you’ve ever thought about joining the ODFW Adopt-A-Lek program, it’s a hoot.
On the way to and from my assigned leks in the Owyhee uplands this week, I
spent some time in the Greater Harney County Basin and on the Malheur National
Wildlife Refuge. I now have a new standard for quiet. Three days without
hearing a truck or seeing another person. Sure wish they required mufflers on
small planes that are flying low search patterns. Grumph.
Sunday 20 March
Shortly before Hampton there was a field swarming with Sage Rats and at least
11 Bald Eagles feeding on them (Hwy 20, mp 61, south side). Did not stop and
count the smaller raptors. This could have been the place mentioned in the
recent New York Times article about the Malheur recovery. It includes a lyric
description of why so many become birders:
I may not have understood the point of birding when I was off looking for
courting sage grouse, but in that moment I understood why birders are about to
return to Malheur with a vengeance. We fly through life on cruise control,
going 75, not knowing what we’re missing. Birding forces us to slow down, to be
observant, to savor our surroundings. As the last bald eagle I saw soared out
of sight, I thought of the last bit of advice that Mr. Blount had given me,
“Just pay attention,” he said. “Look around, because you never know what you
might see.”
— Dave Seminara,
March 21, 2016
Link shared on BOO list by Dolores Porch; see
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/travel/oregon-standoff-bird-watching.html.
The reservoir at Chickahominy was substantially fuller than I’ve seen it the
last five springs. Not even close to the high water mark, but 3–4 feet over
previous years. The fence in the gully under the powerlines was underwater. I
did not cross the fence and could not see the stream mouth which was up around
the corner instead of several hundred feet below the fence. There was no water
flow below the dam. This area drains past Riley and into Harney Lake west of
the Narrows. There were two Avocets and some Killdeer, plus typical dabblers
and diving ducks. Zero grebes and no loons. The roadside reservoir at Riley
looked low as usual.
Monday 21 March
Greenhouse Lane Loop
Unfortunately it is time for ECAS to update the description of the former
wetland at the 90 degree turn on Greenhouse Lane (see
http://media.wix.com/ugd/2c5973_49d28c62acb34f869cbd5614ebd0df54.pdf). It is my
understanding that the springs here have gone dry due to pivot pumps drawing
down the groundwater. The current use is a winter cattle feeding yard. The
Oregon Department of Water Resources is currently holding public hearings about
approval of additional pumping (see
http://www.oregon.gov/owrd/Pages/law/Department_Rulemaking.aspx). Standing here
I can hear the geese on Porter Swamp Road. They are loud and that must be a BIG
flock to be audible at that distance. I decide not to spend time waiting for a
flyout.
Moving east I found a trio of Black-necked Stilts across the road from the lone
cottonwood. The field here is starting to fill and must have a high priority
water right. Birders who enjoy sorting through blackbird flocks will find
plenty of opportunity to indulge their hobby at the cattle feed lot. There was
a scattering of large Sandhill Cranes that are in pairs and acting territorial.
Also present are loose groups of smaller cranes. They are in small scattered
flocks of 20–50 birds. Did not observe any dancing.
At a gas station in Hines I was able to joke with the owner about being
relieved that the invasion of wannabe rodeo clowns had been relocated to more
suitable habitat. He laughed and stated that some of the militia demonstrators
had become stranded in town, unable to make it home. They were welcome to go
home.
The large flock of white geese across Egan Road from the Fairgrounds was mostly
Ross’s. Drove in and parked by the back. The Poo Ponds were mostly empty.
Received a friendly wave from a stockman loading horses. The area south of the
ponds had scatted flocks of white geese and about 100 swans. They were spread
from there down toward the BLM headquarters.
Island Ranch–Emblee Bridge Road is a well-graded wide gravel road. There were
Rough-legged Hawks and a Great Horned Owl. Did not see any Egrets in the willow
grove where they congregate in the spring. I was surprised by how few
Red-tailed Hawks were present. This was a substantial decrease from December
2015.
Thursday 24 March
The Princeton-Narrows Road had been recently graded, is two lanes wide and
might even have been regraveled with the light colored 3/4-minus that the
county uses. This dirt road is a pleasure to drive on. There were two Turkey
Vultures soaring low over a field on the north side of the road that had some
Sage Rats. I did not notice the two shooters in the shade of a hay pile until
after I stopped. They gave me a friendly wave. There was a pair of Loggerhead
Shrikes near an old BLM experiment sign. It was windy and late so few birds
were up and active. The bay where the road bypasses Vanguard was dry and winter
dormant. No Ferruginous Hawks or Short-eared Owls. There were a few Harriers
and the usual coyotes.
It was quiet at the Malheur NWR headquarters entrance. There was no sign of
security. A Turkey Vulture was roosting in a tree above the Visitor Center. I
scoped Malheur Lake, and it was a long way past the boat ramp to where the
water starts. It was gray-blue and looked far healthier than the roiled muddy
brown of last spring. The vegetation still had the brown tones of winter
dormancy. Traffic included two work trucks bearing the name of a national
insurance repair service. They were departing, as it was about quittin’ time. A
white government pickup arrived about then. They did not wave or stop to talk.
A 30-something Irish couple stopped and chatted. They were Twitchers and asked
if any unusual birds had been seen. A large flight of Snow Geese was circling
down somewhere to the south along the Patrol Road. The ruins of Camp Ridiculum
had subsided to a white plastic mound at the lower end of the parking lot. It
had been surrounded by temporary chain link fence panels.
The Golden Eagle nest west of the Narrows was not visibly occupied but appeared
to have fresh construction. Enjoyed a fantastic sunset over Harney Lake.
Out of time — more soon.
--
Happy birding
,
Clay
Crofton
There's more Birders than Golfers
