I have seen flocks of 100+ birds in southern Linn County during winter. I think
its safe to assume that thousands of pipits winter out in the south central
Willamette Valley, where there are many many square miles (much of it
inaccessible to birders) quality pipit habitat. As for Horned Larks, I have
almost never seen them, or any other species mixed in pipit flocks. Sadly, not
even other species of vagrant pipits. Conversely, lark flocks of Horned Larks
are good for yielding the occasional longspur. Just in western Oregon I've seen
Lapland, Chestnut-collared and McCown's Longspurs with Streaked Horned Larks.
Still looking for that Smith's to complete the set.
Dave Irons
Beaverton, OR
________________________________
From: obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Alan
Contreras <acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2018 2:43 AM
To: ptrail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: OBOL Birders Online
Subject: [obol] Re: Pipits at Ankeny NWR
The valley gets some big pipit flocks in winter. I have seen flocks of 75+ at
Baskett Slough.
Alan Contreras
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx>
Eugene, Oregon
www.alanlcontreras.com<http://www.alanlcontreras.com>
On Jan 28, 2018, at 6:40 PM, Pepper Trail
<ptrail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:ptrail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
I'm not sure how unusual this is for the Willamette Valley, but there was a
flock of at least 75 American Pipits in the field north of Buena Vista Road
just east of the Eagle Marsh viewpoint. There didn't seem to be any horned
larks with them, sadly.
Pepper Trail, Ashland
