I almost forgot that Norm Shorts had a BARN SWALLOW at Pacific Dunes golf
course near Bandon yesterday (Tuesday) for a count week bird for the
Coquille Valley CBC.
Tim
On Wednesday, January 3, 2018, Tim Rodenkirk <timrodenkirk@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Sunday my wife and I hiked for three hours on the trail system at Cape
Arago, Coos which is almost entirely in Sitka spruce forest. We heard and
saw many Reds Crossbills but no White-wingeds. After hiking we found more
Reds in a few places along road including the end of the road at the Cape
but still all Reds. Incidentally there is what appears to be a clay lick on
the south end of the Cape across from the parking areas near bathrooms just
below road in the cliffs there. Many crossbills can be found low in trees
or on the clayey area where they zip into the low vegetation when
humanoids approach. We did also hear two or three pygmy owls and all the
usual wood’s species (kinglets, chickadees, thrushes, creepers) on our hike.
On Monday I took a drive out into the same area and had great audios of a
single WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL with 6 Reds. It never let me see it though.
It was between Shore Acres and the sea lion overlook at a pull off where
I have heard them three times in the last month but have just seen a single
female.
Terry Wahl teports the continuing TROPICAL KINGBIRD at the family ranch
near Cape Blanco today.
I saw only one WILLET at the usual downtown Coos Bay wintering spot
today. The once large flock was down to 2 last year- this could be the last
winter for them?
One CLARK’S GREBE with Westerns and assorted ducks including Canvasback on
N Spit Coos Bay yesterday. Also the lone REDHEAD continues on Johnson Mill
Pond near Coquille if you can find it amongst the 10,000+ waterfowl there
now (not to be confused with the 14 male Eurasian Wigeon there also, three
more were in pasture adjacent to pond on the CBC).
Low 60s in the moonscape of the Chetco Bar fire NE of Brookings today
where I was working. There was no snow on the adjacent Kalmiopsis
Wilderness high peaks either. I did see some in the high Siskiyous of N CA
but Preston Peak (7200’) had a lot of snowless areas- very unusual for
January. Of course that could all change in a heartbeat.
Merry New Bird!
Tim R
Coos Bay
