[obol] Lots of SHORT-EARED OWLS--Linn County
- From: Lars Per Norgren <larspernorgren@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2013 19:06:26 -0800
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My son Linus and I spent six hours in sw Linn County today (Sunday
12/8). The primary target was raptors, and it was a successful trip beyond all
expectations. A north-south gravel road called DAVIS had six SHORT-EARED OWLS
half a mile to its east near the south end. Bell Plain Road goes east-west at
the north end of Davis. There's a cedar tree
missing its top on a mound and the six owls were interacting with a
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK to the sw of it, flying up
kettle-like and returning to earth often. About a half mile north, still well
to the south of Bell Plain, is a huge post with a
single pine sapling planted next to it and three SHORT-EARED OWLS were quite
active well to the west of it, near the edge of the perrenial grass seed field.
They were alternately flying about and landing on the ground, but never left
air space consisting of 5 or 10 acres. They were quite easy to see on the
ground due to short grass, and Linus and I both saw their tiny horns through
the scope.
McGlaghlan is the n-s road across Bell Plain from Davis (a slight jog
east to get there) and there was a stunning dark phase adult male ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK on a utility pole a little to the north of Bell Plain. A bit further
north was an equally boldly colored adult female light phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.
Between GREENBACK Road to the west of here and McGlaghlan we saw 9 Rough-legs,
at least three of them dark phase males. I'm sure this is the most ROHA
I've seen in a day in the Willamette Valley. I may not have the right spelling
for McGlaghlan, but it's the road the massive Bald Eagle roost was viewable
from last winter and the winter before.
The last hour of daylight was spent looking for the Burrowing Owl reported
by R. Adney on 12/1 at a culvert on Twin Buttes W Road (three miles south of
Halsey off 99E). We were not successful in finding it. A human resident of the
road was quite familiar with the bird, which he has not seen "since the weather
turned". His children are quite familiar with it
and he was aware of several parties of birders finding it this year. It has
been present other falls/winters and another or the same Burrowing Owl has
frequented Brandon Road which runs north from Twin Buttes.
Total raptors for the day, a conservative tally based on constant tallying
rather than after the fact guessing:
Red-tailed Hawk 15 adult 5 immature all adults were standard issue,
light end of the spectrum birds, none
remotely dark, as they often are in Washington County in winter. Surprised
by the low number of young birds
Rough-legged Hawk 9 adult Linus had never seen the
species before. By the ninth bird he cautiously
suggested they were becoming a bore.
Bald Eagle 4 adult 8 immature
Northern Harrier 7 seems like a
serious undercount
American Kestrel 2 male 2female something to do with the
weather? Seems ridiculously low for over five
hours in good habitat. We were attentive in counting them, unlike the
harriers.
Short-eared Owl 9 As is often the case, the overwhelming
majority of birds counted were a rather small area. The perrenial grass fields
presumably allow large numbers of voles to build up. To get to Bell Plain Road
from
outside the area, use the Corvallis exit on I-5, then turn south on 99E. Bell
Plain crosses 99E midway between Tangent
and Shedd. Turn west off 99E to get to McGlaghlan/Davis Roads.
Lars
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