*SAS Minto-Brown Island Park Bird Walk Report*
Barbara, Kay and I led the SAS Minto-Brown Island Park bird walk on
Thursday morning. We were joined by four other birders in what was a
wonderful morning with clear blue skies. The temperatures ranged from 57
degrees to 70 degrees. We walked about 2.5 miles as we covered the east
side of the park including the enchanted forest (Brown Squirrel, Red Osprey
and Yellow Duck Loops) and along the Willamette River. The bird
activity was very good as we saw a lot of birds as well as hearing quite a
few young birds. During the trip we observed (saw or heard) 50 species.
The highlights were as follows:
· The thrushes were the bird family of the day. *American Robins*
including juveniles were all over the place. The *Swainson’s Thrushes*
were vocal again with both their calls and song. But toward the end of the
walk we were delighted to see a *Hermit Thrush*. It was located in the
trees and brush along the path from Parking Lot #3 to the river;
· We actually saw four species of woodpeckers including *Downy
Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker* and *Northern
Flicker. *We only missed on the P*ileated Woodpecker*;
· The raptors seen included two adult *Bald Eagles, *four *Osprey, *two
*Turkey Vultures *and four* Red-tailed Hawks.* The interesting behavior
seen this time was a young Red-tailed Hawk with likely the mother in a
tree. The youngster was yelping like it was hungry. Just down the road we
saw another Red-tailed Hawk with a mouse in its bill. It sat on a
telephone pole and ate the mouse. A short time later this same hawk flew
right by the nest with the youngster still yelping but it paid no attention
and continued on its way;
· We saw three *Spotted Sandpipers* along the Willamette River. We
also saw seven (7) *Common Mergansers* skidding across the water then they
flew up the river. We also saw seven (7) *Great Blue Herons* which is the
most we have seen in the park for a while. Just before the walk ended we
took a look at the slough but it was pretty barren with few birds. Just as
we were turning around to leave a *Green Heron* flew by over the slough.
Our day ended on a bright spot;
· We heard a *Pacific-sloped Flycatcher *again, heard one* Willow
Flycatcher *and saw and heard many* Western Wood-Pewees*; and
· No *Orange-crowned Warbler *this time but we saw several *Common
Yellowthroats.* We also heard *Yellow* and *Wilson’s Warblers*. Another
miss was *Black-throated Gray Warbler* which seems to be scarce this year.
The next field trip is the *Ankeny NWR field trip* on *Saturday, July 22nd
at 7:00 AM.* Meet at the Overlook off of Ankeny Hill Road. The next *SAS
Shorts* is at Minto-Brown Island Park on *Wednesday, July 26th at 6:30 PM.*
Meet at Parking Lot #3. Please join us if you can.
Mike Unger
Keizer, OR
*Minto-Brown Island Park Checklist Summary for July 6, 2017*
*Identified Species: 50*
7 Mallard
7 Common Merganser
7 Great Blue Heron
1 Green Heron -- Fly-by over Slough
2 Turkey Vulture
4 Osprey
2 Bald Eagle
4 Red-tailed Hawk
3 Killdeer
6 peep sp.
3 Spotted Sandpiper
7 Mourning Dove
1 Anna's Hummingbird
2 Belted Kingfisher
4 Red-breasted Sapsucker
2 Downy Woodpecker
1 Hairy Woodpecker
4 Northern Flicker
9 Western Wood-Pewee
1 Willow Flycatcher -- Heard whit call that was not a Swainson's Thrush.
1 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
2 Warbling Vireo
1 Steller's Jay
7 California Scrub-Jay
8 American Crow
3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
5 Tree Swallow
5 Violet-green Swallow
6 Barn Swallow
30 Black-capped Chickadee
2 Bushtit
5 Brown Creeper
6 Bewick's Wren
16 Swainson's Thrush
1 Hermit Thrush
41 American Robin
22 European Starling
12 Cedar Waxwing
10 Common Yellowthroat
7 Yellow Warbler
2 Wilson's Warbler
18 White-crowned Sparrow
4 Savannah Sparrow
18 Song Sparrow
5 Spotted Towhee
3 Black-headed Grosbeak
3 Lazuli Bunting
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 House Finch
1 Purple Finch
3 American Goldfinch
