We were up at EE Wilson north of Corvallis. Nobody around where we walked
into (way off the main road). The change in lighting and temp was
incredible. We had a field of cicadas(crickets?) suddenly start up when the
eclipse first started but totally stop when totality hit and quiet
thereafter. Right when totality happened the oak grove near us exploded
with calling Acorns- it was totally quiet the hour beforehand. The strange
light and sudden beam of sunlight and the end of totality was awe
inspiring. Have seen several partials but never a total, the difference is
monumental- like between night and day : )
We were all totally blown away- it lived up to all the hype.
Tim Rodenkirk et al.
Headed back to Eugene- traffic not bad
On Monday, August 21, 2017, Cody W. Smith <kingsalmon92@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Greetings everyone,
I did 3-minute stationary point counts at 0900, 0945, 1016, 1045, and 1130
out on 53rd St, ~1/4 mile south of the Mary's River near Corvallis.
0900: 19 species - 92 individuals. Normal behavior. Odd species found was
a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER which perched near the top of a cedar or redwood
species, then flew off to the southwest.
Darkness became more apparent as we got closer to 0945. No obvious strange
behaviors.
0945: 10 species - 65 individuals. Many of the birds observed were moving
north toward Mary's River.
I think birds were moving toward roost locations, it was getting quieter
as it got darker. Swallows and swifts were absent after 1010.
1016: 4 species - 26 individuals. Dead silence during the period of
totality, with the exception of one starling. As soon as the sun popped
back out at ~10:18, I heard Acorn Woodpeckers starting to call again,
followed by a Western Wood-Pewee and a Bushtit. *The temperature dropped
11.3 degrees total during the 1.65 duration of totality.*
Bird activity picked back up pretty rapidly over the next 15 minutes - as
it if it were sunrise.
1045: 6 species - 23 individuals. Activity was probably dropping off due
to it getting warmer/later in the day. Activity seemed fairly normal. It
was almost back to normal levels of light and temperature.
11:30: 7 species - 14 individuals. Activity seemed fairly normal.
It was interesting to observe bird behavior during the eclipse, but it was
PHENOMENAL to witness this incredible eclipse. There were several things
that happened that I did not expect - including the rapid temperature drop,
the uniqueness of the light levels in the 20 minutes preceding the eclipse
and, above all, the absolutely stunning brilliance of the sun's corona! I'm
still awestruck. I can't wait to share some photos.
Happy Total Solar Eclipse Day!
Cody
--
*My Kindest Personal Regards,*
*Cody W. Smith*
*p 541-788-7269 *
