My last update covered 1-9 January. This update will cover from the 10th
through the 25th.
*11 Jan*- Samuel Forgey reports a HARRIS'S SPARROW at his feeders in Bandon.
*14 Jan*- I decided to walk the neighborhood where the Harris's Sparrow
showed up since I had not visited that part of Bandon in my birding travels
the past two winters. I did not find the Harris's but I was surprised to
see a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER in the same area the Harris's was reported.
I also saw the continuing NASHVILLE WARBLER in the neighborhood further
west closer to downtown. Also the SAY'S PHOEBE continued at tiny Bandon
Airport.
*15 Jan*- finally got a short break in the weather so I decided to head to
Brookings, it has been getting pummeled with rain this winter but Hwy 101
has not slid out yet so I beat feet down there. Best bird was a female
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE at the south end of Stout Park at the Art Center and then
refound a block west in a persimmon tree covered with fruit.
*16 Jan*- while on our morning dog walk I was surprised to hear the WESTERN
TANAGER calling right at sunrise from a location I had seen it twice before
at the base of the Telegraph Hill in Coos Bay. It was too dark to see the
bird and it called for a couple minutes then disappeared, it was too dark
to even see it fly off. I have no idea where this bird is feeding- I have
yet to find a location with an apple tree or some other type of fruit it
could be eating although there could easily be one in a backyard out of
sight. This bird has been around since 11 Dec. Also Sarah Schwartz and Boch
Hoeflein reported 6 TREE SWALLOWS from the N Spit of Coos Bay. While Barns
have become regular in mid-winter along the outer coast, Trees Swallows
have not- they are very rare and normally found inland (like in the
Coquille Valley) when found this early.
*18 Jan*- we had dry weather so we were going to head to Brookings but
stopped in Gold Beach because the wind was howling. We did still walk a
neighborhood there and were surprised to find another NASHVILLE WARBLER
given the windy conditions but temps in the mid60s! Dave Lauten and Kathy
Castelein reported two TREE SWALLOWS on the North Spit of Coos Bay- crazy
early for this species, the second report in just three days from that area.
*19 Jan*- finally a decent day with sunny conditions, Brookings seemed
almost balmy. We walked neighborhoods SE of the harbor area (technically in
the town of Harbor) and had a couple surprises. A LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was
flycatching from power poles on Pedrioli and was absolutely mesmerizing
to watch. A new county bird for me. Also a surprise was the third Curry
ORCHARD ORIOLE since Sep! It was in an apple tree sort of close to the
harbor where I had seen a young male Bullock's Oriole on my last visit in
Dec. This was 1.3 miles from the Dec Brookings Orchard Oriole and appeared
to be a different bird? No Nashville's to be found (I saw two in this area
in Dec) but five OC Warblers.
*20 Jan*- a trip out to Pigeon Point in Empire (I had not had time to get
out here in Dec) finds that the male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE is indeed back for
its 7th winter. There was a nice flock of gulls out there including one
first cycle GLAUCOUS GULL. A fair number of shorebirds too but the godwits
have all departed and I only found one Western Sandpiper but they are
pretty uncommon/rare in winter even here in Coos Bay. Also observed 32
BRANT.
*21 Jan*- Teri Spencer finds a COMMON REDPOLL at her feeders in Bandon.
Word doesn't get out right away though.
*22-23 Jan*- Tim Yaukey has a COMMON REDPOLL at his feeders in Bandon on
both days. He lives only about 1/3 mile from Teri's so at first we assume
they are the same bird, but once photos are compared it appears they are
different birds. Both these redpolls continued on the 24th and 25th. Not
having a clue that there was even a redpoll in the county (yet) on the
22nd, I went out to the little hamlet of Arago near Myrtle Point and saw
the wintering NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD and was able to refind the female
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE about a block from where it was in Dec still hanging
around an apple tree with apples.
Warm and wet so far in January on the south coast with more warm and wet
forecasted.
Happy Birding All!
Tim R
Coos Bay
