[obol] Newport area birds
- From: "Wayne Hoffman" <whoffman@xxxxxxxx>
- To: "OBOL" <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 5 May 2013 18:57:07 -0700
Hi -
I birded around Newport and to the south most of the day. Weather was very
warm: 66 degrees at 6:30 AM, built to at least 84. Strong warm east wind
most of day. At 4:00 PM was on a beach N of Waldport, and the wind died,
then was replaced with a cool breeze off the ocean (est. 60 degrees or less)
Fog bank became visible offshore at about 3:40. Then at 4:30 at Yachats.
Was foggy and blowing 25+ from the south, temperature probably in the 50s.
6:40- 7:00 AM Cape Foulweather lookout
Singing warbler that I think was Black-throated Gray
7:20-8:00 Hatfield marine Science Center (HMSC): shorebirds were jumpy and
moved around a lot
Savannah Sparrow 5 fewer than
yesterday
Whimbrel 12
Semi Plover 8
Western Sandpiper 150
Least Sandpiper 80
Dunlin 15
Greater Yellowlegs 1 (heard only)
8:10-8:40 South Jetty (partly with Chuck Philo)
Gadwall 1 drake,
at first finger: odd place and date
Eurasian Collared-dove 25 Tight flock flew in
along jetty, then crossed to Newport: with Phil's sighting suggests a
larger movement.
Golden-c rowned Sparrow 5 have seen none there in
recent days.
8:50-12:00 Yaquina Head
I was particularly watching for landbird migrants, and saw the following:
Hummingbird 1 flew in off
the ocean past the lighthouse.
GRAY FLYCATCHER(?) 1 top of Salal Hill.
Elongated-looking pale Empidonax. Had the Gray-type downward tail wag, did
not vocalize, tended to sit more horizontally than many empids, and quickly
departed across the quarry to the east.
Varied Thrush 1 female
plumage, on entrance road.
Hermit Thrush 2 Larger
gray-backed form with contrast between back and red rump, tail. One on top
of Salal Hill, the other flew in off the ocean.
Orange-crowned Warbler 2 seen W of lighthouse, one
seen flying in off ocean.
Savannah Sparrow 6
Golden-crowned Sparrow 30 have seen none there in recent
days.
Possible GOLDEN-CROWNED X WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW need to check my photos,
will post details.
Seabirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors:
Loons: saw few, likely were farther offshore.
Zero geese
Surf Scoter a few hundred
Common Merganser 9 all drakes, northbound
Red-necked Phalarope present, no good sense of numbers
California Gull modest movement N
Bonaparte's Gull ZERO
Whimbrel 35 N
"Leastern" Sandpipers several thousand - flocks of 15-200
off and on the whole time. Some passed over the head east of the
lighthouse.
Dunlin seemed to be about
10% in the close peep flocks.
Common Murre none on colony rocks, fewer than
10,000 in rafts on the water (has been as high as 40,000 this week).
Bald Eagle 2 imm. Were soaring
very high and circling out over the ocean a mile or more west of the
lighthouse off and on all morning.
Peregrine 1 imm flying north past
point, well above eye level.
Resident
female may be incubating.
Others
Gray Whale 3 Incl. adult with calf
passed by close in front of lighthouse (thrilled family visiting from
Minnesota).
Harbor Seal female with nursing pup.
Beach between Seal Rock and Waldport: 2:45 - 4:10
Whimbrel 1 N
Western Sandpiper 800 flocks of 10 - 80
birds flying low over surf and beach
Least Sandpiper ? a few with
Westerns
Dunlin 50+ with
Westerns
Semi Plover 30 mostly with
Westerns
Bald Eagle 2 Adults
soared high and circled out to sea to the SW
Yachats 4:30 -5:00
Brant 12 In
river mouth
Whimbrel 8 near
river mouth
Mew Gull 1 subadult
Wayne
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