Hi Folks,
Six intrepid birders ventured out onto the beautiful water of Diamond
Lake today in luxury on one of their patio boats. Weather was good, with
some fog and clouds in the morning and clouds in the early afternoon, and
partly sunny in the middle. Our adventures included the lake itself, as
well as the lodge area, Thielsen View Campground, South Shore Day Use Area,
and the Diamond Lake Sewage Ponds. We found 63 species. My favorite of the
day was an adult male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER that flew past us twice, but we
never saw it on the water. Other unusual, but also not unprecedented birds
were 4 female-type SURF SCOTERS, 3 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 1 imm RED-SHOULDERED
HAWK. The numbers of EARED GREBES and AMERICAN COOTS (1700 and 8260
respectively) were more than I have ever tallied there before, but I think
I did a more thorough count than previously. We also got to see a NORTHERN
PYGMY-OWL, interesting to watch SAVANNAH SPARROWS, FOX SPARROWS, and
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS foraging along the southern lakeshore. A first for
me: BROWN CREEPER bathing in a puddle on the paved path near south marsh.
I'm sure there were experiences that I have not listed that were important
to the others on the trip.
Greater White-fronted Goose (*Anser albifrons*) 18
Cackling Goose (*Branta hutchinsii*)
1
Canada Goose (*Branta canadensis*)
1
American Wigeon (*Anas americana*)
25
Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*)
27
Northern Shoveler (*Anas clypeata*)
200
Northern Pintail (*Anas acuta*)
20
Green-winged Teal (*Anas crecca*)
3
Ring-necked Duck (*Aythya collaris*)
25
Greater Scaup (*Aythya marila*)
2
Lesser Scaup (*Aythya affinis*)
67
Surf Scoter (*Melanitta perspicillata*)
4
White-winged Scoter (*Melanitta fusca*)
1
Bufflehead (*Bucephala albeola*)
920
Barrow's Goldeneye (*Bucephala islandica*) 200
Hooded Merganser (*Lophodytes cucullatus*) 20
Common Merganser (*Mergus merganser*) 7
Ruddy Duck (*Oxyura jamaicensis*)
10
Common Loon (*Gavia immer*)
6
Pied-billed Grebe (*Podilymbus podiceps*)
1
Horned Grebe (*Podiceps auritus*)
6
Eared Grebe (*Podiceps nigricollis*)
1,700
Western Grebe (*Aechmophorus occidentalis*) 31
Double-crested Cormorant (*Phalacrocorax auritus*) 15
Osprey (*Pandion haliaetus*)
1
Northern Harrier (*Circus cyaneus*)
1
Sharp-shinned Hawk (*Accipiter striatus*)
1
Bald Eagle (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*)
6
Red-shouldered Hawk (*Buteo lineatus*)
1
Red-tailed Hawk (*Buteo jamaicensis*)
4
American Coot (*Fulica americana*)
8,260
Bonaparte's Gull (*Chroicocephalus philadelphia*) 3
California Gull (*Larus californicus*)
64
Northern Pygmy-Owl (*Glaucidium gnoma*) 1
Belted Kingfisher (*Megaceryle alcyon*)
2
Northern Flicker (*Colaptes auratus*)
1
Merlin (*Falco columbarius*)
2
Gray Jay (*Perisoreus canadensis*)
9
Common Raven (*Corvus corax*)
3
Mountain Chickadee (*Poecile gambeli*)
39
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (*Poecile rufescens*) 3
Red-breasted Nuthatch (*Sitta canadensis*)
12
Brown Creeper (*Certhia americana*)
6
Pacific Wren (*Troglodytes pacificus*)
3
Marsh Wren (*Cistothorus palustris*)
1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (*Regulus satrapa*) 21
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (*Regulus calendula*) 7
Western Bluebird (*Sialia mexicana*)
1
Hermit Thrush (*Catharus guttatus*)
2
American Robin (*Turdus migratorius*)
4
Varied Thrush (*Ixoreus naevius*)
4
American Pipit (*Anthus rubescens*)
2
Fox Sparrow (*Passerella iliaca*)
13
Dark-eyed Junco (*Junco hyemalis*)
6
Golden-crowned Sparrow (*Zonotrichia atricapilla*) 15
Savannah Sparrow (*Passerculus sandwichensis*) 8
Song Sparrow (*Melospiza melodia*)
2
Spotted Towhee (*Pipilo maculatus*)
2
Red-winged Blackbird (*Agelaius phoeniceus*) 2
Brewer's Blackbird (*Euphagus cyanocephalus*) 1
Red Crossbill (*Loxia curvirostra*)
1
Pine Siskin (*Spinus pinus*)
3
American Goldfinch (*Spinus tristis*)
1
I hope to share some photos later....
Matt Hunter
Melrose, OR
