Just a clarification on Shawneen’s posting: The area we each used for parking
along the highway was several hundred meters NORTH of the dangerous bend where
the lark & longspur flock was, not south of it. There was also a bit of
shoulder south of the site, but the northern stretch seemed wider & safer. The
snow cover and wet gravel is limiting the shoulder width and making it hard to
judge what’s safe to drive on, so be careful out there!
The snowy landscape was gorgeous in interior Sherman & Wasco Cos., but
according to Silas Lewis, who we ran into, the snow cover (latest in the season
in decades in that region) is killing many newborn calves on the cattle
ranches. Good news for magpies and ravens, but that’s about it.
Also of note from yesterday and unusual for the region were flights of Sandhill
Cranes. Nick and I had 21 fly over Deschutes River S.P., from the SW heading NE
then E, and Dave and Shawneen had I think 31 near Biggs also flying E a bit
later that were probably different birds. I’m curious where they were coming
from and heading to, and wonder if snow cover was a factor.
Jay W., Portland
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