*SALEM AUDUBON MINTO-BROWN ISLAND PARK BIRD WALK*
*Report for Sunday, Nov 3, 2019 8:15 AM - 11:17 AM*
3.416 miles
*SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS;*
Cold bright Sunday morning with 14 birders with 3.4 miles of birding
footwork. Thanks to Paul Evans and Kay Fagan for lead on this busy
multi-use trail. We headed through the field near the 3rd parking to the
brightness of the north-easterly Natural Area. We joined high person trail
activity the entire way. We had low bird yield number sighting, probably
connected with the temperature and much of the berry-raisin food is done,
with few bugs in the air. But we can say with confidence the members had
good looks at the species and enjoyed themselves immensely.
Thanks to eagle eyes we picked up looks of *AMERICAN KESTREL,* through
branches and shrubbery thanks also to leaves-be-gone on distant perches.
The Bald Eagle pair nor the sub adult showed, but we will continue looking
through the winter and the upcoming Salem Aububon CBC in this Sector #4.
The "1" of any census on birding is always intriguing and we had a single
* MERLIN, *chased by a *MEW GULL* over the water and down the river seen
from the river trail. It was truly remarkable connection of the most
unlikely birds to have confrontation.
We had a single *SPOTTED SANDPIPER* on the river edge across.
We had a single *CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE*, in the woodland stand and the
natural area where last year a Mountain Chickadee was found by Fred and Kay.
We had a single *TOWNSEND WARBLER* found with 2* RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET* in
an ash tree and in shade, across from the evergreen woodland in the Natural
Area
Our last bird of the walk was a *RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER*. The tree where
seen today is notable with prior attraction- juvenile being seen
accompanied by an adult in the past. Today in concert with the sapsucker,
an *ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD* followed sipping the created sap wells.
Barbara Dolan
*WE HAD THE FOLLOWING: 40 SPECIES AND 3 ADDITIONAL TAXA:*
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) (Branta canadensis moffitti/maxima) 13
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 27 *Most on the River and some flyover.*
California Quail (Callipepla californica) 5 *3rd parking area on sunny
side of blackberry hedge row.*
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1 S
*een across river trail in the quiet waters far bank area using sight line
from Capital Retirement down to water. *Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
* 2*
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) 2
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1
*On shore edge across from river trail Mew Gull (Larus canus) 2*
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) (Larus occidentalis x glaucescens)
2
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 15
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 2
Buteo sp. (Buteo sp.) 1
Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 3
Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) 2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [cafer Group]) 6
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2
Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 *Opposite river trail being harassed, then
followed by 2nd Mew Gull.*
California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 6
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 121
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 13
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 1 *In a flock of chickadee,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Bewick's Wren,*
* with vocals from Golden-crowned Kinglet in the evergreen woodland
traveling trail of the Natural Area.*
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 5 *Vocal.*
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 9
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 4
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 10
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 6
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) (Passerella iliaca [unalaschcensis Group]) 11 *Vocal
smacking chips provide notice with frequent visual looks and occasional
song.*
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 25
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 1
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 3
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 15
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 2
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 6
Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) 1 * Found on shady walk with
Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the Natural area, across from the deeper woodland
evergreen stand.*
*Thanks to all birders who joined and assisted with finding this variety of
birds on such a cool temperature morn.*
*FUTURE SAS EVENTS:*
* *The next Minto-Brown Island SAS event is Wednesday, December 11. IT IS
THE PRE-COUNT TO THE CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT on Saturday , and the start of
COUNT WEEK for the SALEM CIRCLE,*
** Mike Unger will present CBC Tips and Techniques on Saturday, December 7,
2019 from 10:00 to 12:00 Noon at the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem. It is Free. Birders
with all levels of experience are welcome,*
* * Wednesday, November 13, at 8:00 AM is the Field Trip for Ankeny
National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at Pintail Marsh,*
* * Tuesday, November 26, 9:00 AM - Fairview Wetlands SAS SHORT led by Mike
Unger.*
*Join us if you can.*
