I decided to celebrate the end of phase 1 at Malheur plus enjoy a sunny day
before the atmospheric stream hits, so I took the day off and went
birding. Third day in a row over 60F here- gotta love it! The Australian
acacias are in full flower and the flowering cherries are starting up,
spring fever for sure.
I drove south to the SW corner of the county and was up Bethel Mtn. about a
half hour before sunrise. When I got up close to the quarry it was windy
and I noticed quite a few large birds circling over it. I thought they
must be vultures at first but it turned out they were all eagles! It was
to dark to make them out at first but it appeared that there were at least
7 BALD EAGLES (all immature) and about 4 GOLDEN EAGLES. They were later
joined by 20 to 30 ravens and kept circling for the entire hour I was there
moving back and forth along the ridgeline. There were many singing
meadowlarks, a flock of pipits, and two kestrels and a harrier also. It
was very cool!
I then went north to Bandon and tried to chum up an unusual gull at the
south jetty without luck. I did find the large blackbird flock and one
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD. Close by was a flock of 12 LESSER GOLDFINCH, a large
number for coastal Coos.
I then headed over to the Coquille Valley and was able to refind the SAY'S
PHOEBE off Picture Valley road that has been there at least since the CBC
on the 2nd. From there I drove south to Norway hoping to refind the
PRAIRIE FALCON that Joe Metzler found on the CBC. I didn't have to wait
long when a falcon zipped by headed north. I didn't get good looks before
it disappeared. I headed back north and with the circling TURKEY VULTURES
I found the Prairie Falcon and a Red-tailed Hawk. I ended up seeing about
eight TVs total.
End of afternoon I took Teak for a walk in Eastside. We ended up cutting
through the neighborhoods on the way back to the truck and I saw two
different ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS.
Super nice mostly sunny and warm day.
Happy birding!
Tim Rodenkirk
Battening the hatches in Coos Bay : )
