Hello all~
Visiting birder Bill Tice and I birded a few areas around Jackson County today.
We birded Lost Creek Lake and saw at least 10 COMMON LOONS and noted the
continuing 125+ AMERICAN PIPITS, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
At the Rogue River spillway (Holy Waters), there were about a dozen GREATER
SCAUP among many more LESSER SCAUP, making for excellent comparisons of females
using head shape. There were also about 10 BARROW'S GOLDENEYE upriver.
There were 2 PRAIRIE FALCONS hunting out along Brophy Rd in Eagle Point, but
the blackbird flock was not present at the cattle feedlot.
At Kirtland Ponds, there were 62 DUNLIN, 8 LEAST SANDPIPERS and 1 probable
WESTERN SANDPIPER. I say probable because although it matched up with Western
Sandpiper from a distance, it appeared to have a pretty short bill for that
species. As we approached closer, the flock flushed and not all birds
returned, including the suspect peep. Oddly, there was a ROCK WREN on the very
far side of the shallow county pond.
The WESTERN GREBE continues at Agate Lake as does the ROCK WREN on the dam.
Of note, very small numbers of CACKLING GEESE were present in most large flocks
of Canada Geese that we saw.
Good birding,Russ NamitzMedford, OR
