Normally during mid/late June I run a Breeding Bird Survey route that samples
the western Cascades east of Lacomb in Linn County, but this year due to the
covid-19 situation I didn't run that one. It requires a visit to a timber
company office to pick up a gate key.
Yesterday and today my daughter Martha and I finally visited the upper end of
the route for the first time this year, coming around the back way.
Dawn song by thrushes seems to have ended completely -- I didn't hear a single
song out of the Swainson's, Varied, or Hermit Thrushes that I normally detect
in June, along with American Robins. Warblers and flycatchers were silent
except for call notes.
We saw family groups of Mountain Quail (2 adults with 21 half-grown young),
Osprey, Canada Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Hairy Woodpecker, Band-tailed Pigeon
and Vaux's Swift. We heard more Red Crossbills (higher-pitched kip-kip variety)
than we usually do. Otherwise remarkably quiet up there, in a good way.
--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis
