I talked to Terry Wahl and he reports the following from the family ranch
near Cape Blanco, Curry:
one HORNED LARK on 11/6 with two in the same location today
one SNOW GOOSE on 11/6 (Knute Andersson reported one from Floras Lake a
couple weeks back I believe also)
a SHORT-EARED OWL today (11/7)
On 11/6 I saw one of the MTN CHICKADEES at the BLM office in North Bend
early AM, three has been up to three.
On 11/6 I saw a flock of at least 4 MTN. CHICKADEES in the Floras Lake,
Curry parking lot a bit later in the AM. Also a LAPLAND LONGSPUR on the
north end of the lake.
At Gold beach on 11/6 there were still 30+ ELEGANT TERNS around. With the
big gull group before the river mouth on a gravel bar were at least 4
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES. There were several hundred gulls, mostly CAs and
lots of Mews. I did pick out one THAYER'S and there were quite a few
HERRING GULLS also. A few Heerman's too. No Ring-billeds, a very uncommon
to rare species in Curry (bet not many know that?).
This morning, the 7th, the 30+ ELEGANT TERNS were still around with the
same gull mix in Gold Beach. I found a PALM WARBLER behind the sewage
treatment plant in a really good sparrow trap I like to check from time to
time. The Palm Warbler ended up flying inside the sewage treatment plant
where it disappeared.
Saw the 75 foot BLUE WHALE just north of the Ophir rest area. It washed up
last Sunday, I had great looks at on Wednesday as it was easily visible
from Hwy 101. Since then they have cut it up and pushed it out a bit
further, I think they are hoping it will float out to sea- not positive on
that? There were researchers there much of the week doing a necropsy.
Anyhow, it was amazingly cool to see on Wednesday. Many people have been
checking it out.
Just north of Ophir I saw a late TURKEY VULTURE headed south today. I
haven't seen any on the south coast in several weeks.
At the Blue Silos on the way into Floras Lake (11/7) the overwintering
SAY'S PHOEBE appears to be back; this is either the 4th or 5th winter now.
There has never been more than one so I would imagine it has to be the same
bird each year.
And finally I stopped in Bullards Beach SP during a break in the rain
(which started in Port Orford) at walked the closed "B" loop again. I had
done it yesterday without luck. Today the N. MOCKINGBIRD was in a bush
just across from site B-10 as reported by Jeannie Lea. She first saw the
bird on October 23rd then saw it a couple other times; hope it sticks
around for the Coquille Valley CBC.
Oh, Norm Shorts reports that the SNOW GOOSE that has been around Bandon
Dunes Golf Course flew off Wednesday with 5 other SNOW GEESE (a good number
for the south coast).
Happy Birding!
Tim Rodenkirk
back in Coos Bay
