[obol] Sisters & Camp Sherman woodpeckers, etc.

From: Stephen Shunk <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: COBOL <COBOL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2014 13:28:53 -0700
Greetings, All,
Over the last 12 days, I have been in the field 5 days with private tours
in the Sisters/Camp Sherman area. All the local breeding birds are very
active, with an awesome dawn chorus in the mountains and many nesting
woodpeckers. Here are some of the highlights:

OWLS
I did one early morning of owling between Black Butte Ranch and Bluegrass
Butte, with most of the birds on FR 2061 and FR 1030. We had at least 4
FLAMMULATED OWLS, a GREAT HORNED, a SAW-WHET, and a couple COMMON
POORWILLS. The best spots were on FR 2061, just as you reenter USFS land
after crossing the last private pine plantation (about 4 mi south off Hwy
20), and behind Bluegrass Butte on FR 1030. We have also repeatedly had a
NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at Calliope Crossing.

WARBLERS
I have had at least 4 different HERMIT/TOWNSEND'S-type WARBLERS at Trout
Creek Swamp, south of Hwy 242. These have included 1 pure male TOWNSEND'S,
1 HE x TO female, and 2 different HE x TO males. I have yet to pull a "pure
" Hermit out of that spot this summer, although I have seen them in several
other places. MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS have also been very vocal along Trout
Creek, the Metolius River, Lake Creek (at Metolius Preserve), Cold Springs,
Abbott Creek, and several other random places in the region. NASHVILLE
WARBLERS are singing loudly near Bluegrass Butte and near Abbott Creek in
the BnB burn, off FR 12.

BnB BURN-FR 12
I list this place separately because it was so busy last week. If you take
FR 12 north, either from Hwy 20 near Suttle Lake or from Camp Sherman (via
FR 1419), stop as soon as you come to the big right curve (less than a
half-mile before the left turn onto FR 1280). Within just a few minutes of
birding here we had BLACK-BACKED, LEWIS'S, and HAIRY WOODPECKERS, and
FLICKER; several LAZ BUNTINGS; MAC'S, NASHVILLE, YELLOW, and AUDUBON'S
WARBLERS; multiple SPARROWS and FLYCATCHERS, et cetera. The area around
this curve and then up FR 1280 has been excellent birding ever since the
BnB fire, and it continues to be very productive. Right now is prime time
to be there.

WOODPECKERS
I have not yet run across a Pileated or Red-naped Sapsucker this season,
but all our other woodpeckers are busily nesting across the region. We have
6 species nesting in and around the Cold Springs basin, including DOWNY,
HAIRY, FLICKER, and WHITE-HEADED, plus WILLIAMSON'S and  RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKERS. I have found at least 20 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS in the Pole
Creek burn area south of Sisters. Most of these have been in the vicinity
of three major trailheads that enter the burn: Scott Pass, Pole Creek, and
Park Meadow. Yesterday, we also had 2 AM. THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS about a
half-mile in on the Park Meadow Trail (trailhead off FR16/3 Creek Rd.).
LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS are conspicuous along Abbott Creek at FR 12 and FR
1280. I did get a tip on a possible PILEATED nest on the Metolius Preserve,
southwest of Camp Sherman, but I have not been able to follow up.

CROSSBILL MANIA
I have been overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of RED CROSSBILLS swarming the
forest from Sisters to Camp Sherman and elsewhere in the region (including
Bend). Fledglings are out and quite vocal and parents are very busy trying
to keep them fed. They are fairly easy to watch at the Sisters Ranger
Station and in the Sisters Village Green park and often coming down to the
water at Cold Springs. It is hard to go anywhere in the region right now
and not hear crossbills overhead, with lesser numbers of but still
conspicuous EVENING GROSBEAKS.

MISCELLANY
SWAINSON'S THRUSHES are singing along the north fork of Lake Creek on the
Metolius Preserve. GRAY JAYS (with fledglings) have been conspicuous in
various places at the edge of the Pole Creek burn, and the "downtown"
Sisters  PINYON JAY flock has been active east of Sisters High School. Both
SORA and VIRGINIA RAILS are quite vocal at Hindman Spring on Camp Polk
Meadow Preserve, as long as you can sort out their calls from the cacophony
of RW BLACKBIRD parents and babies. I have seen VAUX's SWIFTS in multiple
locations in the burns as well as the Camp Sherman area, and a pair of
SPOTTED SANDPIPERS is very active where Lake Creek leaves Suttle Lake. I
have heard a couple PURPLE FINCHES (Camp Sherman and Calliope Crossing) but
far more CASSIN'S FINCHES.

A quick note on our private tours: Chuck Gates is now coordinating our
private tours locally and around the state, and we have plenty of dates
still available this summer for half- and full-day guiding birding. Get in
touch with Chuck at  cgates326@xxxxxxxxx for details.

Good summer birding to all!
Steve Shunk

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Stephen Shunk
Paradise Birding
P.O. Box 547
Sisters, OR 97759
541-408-1753
[obol] Sisters & Camp Sherman woodpeckers, etc.

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