These mitigation wetlands are just nw of Liberty High School, the
townsite of West Union. One of the earliest reliable sites for Cinnamon
Teal in the county, I swung by at 5 o'clock. The south ponds had two pair
BUFFLEHEAD.
The north pond 16 GADWALL and a PIED-BILLED GREBE. Water levels were the
highest I've ever seen, and there was a pond east of Croeni Drive, where
I've never seen water before. This is about the least numbers and variety I
recall from the spot. The Intel property to the east is the county's ersatz
prairie with regular Meadowlarks and Ring-necked Pheasants in May and June,
although I haven't checked in at least two years. The vast acres of
blackberries have been mowed. Interesting to see what will be there as
spring progresses. There was a high density of Lazuli Buntings here when
the brambles were high.
There are also some mitigation wetlands south of Hillsboro Stadium
that I might check before dark. One SLATE-COLORED JUNCO in our flock of
thirty OREGON JUNCOS in Manning today. There has routinely been one here in
March, and March only for many years. We also get CASSIAR JUNCOS at a
similarly low frequency.
Lars
