This morning I checked back on the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW nest that I
found while weeding on May 6th. At that time the nest had four eggs.
Today I could see at least three fully-feathered chicks that looked like
they were ready to fledge any day now. There could well be a fourth
chick in there, as my view was partly obstructed by vegetation.
So this nest appears to be on track to produce a very early batch of
fledglings. According to the species account (written by Hendrik)
in /Birds of Oregon: A General Reference/, in western Oregon,
"[h]atching usually begins in late May and fledging in early Jun."
A couple of CHIPPING SPARROWS were also singing in the area today. I saw
one small bird carrying nesting material to the middle branches one of
the Douglas-fir trees, jut before I heard a Chipping Sparrow singing
from the same tree, but I can't be sure if the bird carrying nesting
material was a Chipping Sparrow.
Other species heard around the work area included SWAINSON'S THRUSH,
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, LAZULI BUNTING, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK.
Native wildflowers blooming now include self-heal (Prunella vulgaris
var. lanceolata), yarrow, slender cinquefoil, rose checkermallow, and
meadow checkermallow.
--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis
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