A single Black-bellied Plover was flying back and forth over the whole
complex about 4pm Sunday 11/15. The same thing happened one morning about ten
days ago. I know it's a good bird in Benton County. I didn't report it the
first time as it was clearly looking for company and showed no inclination to
stay. I only saw two Eared Grebes, down from two score early last week. I have
read that the wing muscles of Eared Grebes atrophy on the wintering grounds and
they become temporarily flightless. Anyone else encounter this tidbit? If true,
it sounds like a very strong incentive to choose winter quarters wisely.
Bufflehead numbers seem down and Ruddy Duck numbers way up. Two Greater
Scaup were at the south end of the nw pond, far removed from the Lesser
Scaup(about 20) at the north end of same pond. A few hundred Cackling Geese
were in the field a very short distance east of the ne pond. They were mostly
minima, and a family group of mofitti Canada Geese at the flock's south end.
Molly's report of 35 Dusky Canada Geese in the field at 35th & Western in
Corvallis is fascinating. Back in the 60s one never saw any kind of geese
inside the city limits. Friday 11/13 I saw three dozen Duskies in the field
where Campus Way bike path hits Bald Hill. Likely the same group. As many as a
thousand white-cheeked geese were south of Philomath Road at the intersection
of Country Club Road on Saturday afternoon. It was getting dark and I didn't
have a scope. I would guess they were mostly minima Cacklers, but it would be
interesting to know for sure. This was a spot never used by geese in the 60s,
70s and 80s. Lars
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