Two days ago a friend and I did a Benton county big day. We started at
Willamette park at 4:30 for some Owling and early morning birding some
highlight were a Yellow-breasted Chat singing across from the water
treatment plant and 2 calling Great Horned Owls.
Next we went to Finley NWR which was quite productive. A Willow
Flycatcher was singing at Cheadle marsh (we also heard some wild Turkeys
there), Yellow-headed Blackbirds and American Coots with their young
were present at the Scrape pond, The HQ yielded a pair of Bullock's
Orioles, at Cabell marsh we found a Singing Yellow-breasted Chat (for
photos, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29834998) and a
female MacGillivray's Warbler and at Prairie overlook we found a pair of
Western Kingbirds.
Then we stopped by the Philomath sewage ponds where we saw; one male
American Wigeon, that Cackling Goose thats been around for a while and 2
female Ruddy Ducks.
The next stop was Marys Peak which was very productive. some
Highlights included; A late male Townsend's Warbler (singing), 2 booming
Sooty Grouse, 2 Hammond's Flycatchers, 4 Red Crossbills, some Pine
Siskins and 5 Gray Jays.
After Marys Peak we went to Fish Hatchery Rd where we saw 2 American
Dippers (for photos,
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29835758 and
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29835718).
After that we headed back to Corvallis where we saw some Vesper
Sparrows and a late American Pipit (heard only) at Bald Hill.
In all we saw 119 species (one short of our goal), walked 10 miles,
drove about 120 miles and we were birding for 15 1/2 hours.
Some odd misses were; Belted Kingfisher, Cooper's Hawk,
Sharp-shinned Hawk and Blue-winged Teal.
Isaac Denzer.
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