Yesterday I led the third installment of the Portland Audubon Willamette
Valley Refuge series with a full day exploration of Baskett Slough and
surrounding areas.
The series has been a fun way to really get to know the landscape and
appreciate the significant differences, and specialties, of the three
refuges (apologies to TRNWR for not being included). We also had
significant weather challenges for each, with persistent fog (Finley),
bitter cold (Ankeny), and heavy rain (Baskett Slough), but Portland birders
are a hardy bunch (as long as there isn't snow), and we ended with smiles
after each.
We started our Polk county exploration by driving out Farmer Road, where we
found plenty of rain, and little bird activity, but had a pleasant
surprise when a SWAMP SPARROW joined the chorus of sparrows at Mud Slough.
No amount of funny noises could coax the bird out of the bush, providing us
with only calls.
A highlight on account of the rain was the many redtails we saw in
scarecrow posture, where they attempt to dry themselves off by drooping
their wings.
The Rich Guadagno trail had lots of singing WESTERN MEADOWLARK and calling
WESTERN BLUEBIRD, as well as WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH and ACORN WOODPECKER.
On Friday, Andy and I had a flyover LEWIS'S WOODPECKER near the overlook. A
number of Rough-skinned Newts crossing the trail were a fun addition.
One of the more exciting parts of the day was at the Guadagno parking area
when a fellow birder informed us that Bill Tice had a Prairie Falcon the
day before at the same location. Just as we were about to load into the
van, I noticed a large falcon mob a Redtail, leading me to yell "PRAIRIE
FALCON!" before chasing it down, scoping it, and realizing it was instead
an adult Peregrine.
The nearby corner where Harris's Sparrow was reported failed to turn one up
over four visits.
Baskett Slough itself seems to have reduced numbers of waterfowl owing to
what seems like low water, but average diversity was present, including
nine SNOW GEESE at Taverner's Marsh. The scoping of Taverner's was most
accessible from just up the road from the official viewpoint, and it was at
this location that Andy Frank and I had a SAY'S PHOEBE the day prior, but
the bird did not appear on Saturday. ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD are in full warfare
at this spot.
Continuing north along Smithfield we encountered a young NORTHERN SHRIKE
hunting along the fenceline, making us 3/3 for shrike at the refuges.
From there we headed north on Livermore Road, encountering a couple
WILSON'S SNIPE and our only MARSH WREN of the trip. An intergrade NORTHERN
FLICKER displaying red nape and malar tried its hardest to blend in to a
large flock of mourning doves.
The last stop of the day was at the pond on Perrydale and Tucker, where Roy
Gerig discovered LEWIS'S WOODPECKER last week (thanks Roy!). We were able
to find two to three birds both days, most reliably perching in the tall
snag across the pond, where it appeared they might have been robbing Acorn
Woodpeckers (also present) of their granary contents.
All told we had 63 species on Saturday, a respectable tally for such a
rain-soaked outing, and perhaps as many AMERICAN KESTRELS as I've seen.
Already looking forward to the possibility of repeating the series next
spring.
Good birding,
Brodie Cass Talbott
Educator/Naturalist - he/him
Portland Audubon <http://portlandaudubon.org>
