I spent 3 hours walking into Willow Creek this morning. Most summer breeders
like Bullock's Oriole and Yellow Warbler have not arrived yet, so it was just a
little early. Mosquitoes were light though.
Birdwise, 17 American Avocets stole the show. 2 White Pelicans, 3 California
Gulls and 4 Caspian Terns were on the mud flats, most ducks have cleared out by
now. 2 Virginia Rails (one bird was kidick-kidicking at night as well), 3 pairs
of Western Kingbirds, 3 Rock Wrens, and lots of Cedar Waxwings; you get the
drift. It was a slow day. No migrants at all.
The highlight of the trip was an Ord's Kangaroo Rat on the access road the
night before. The critter kept approaching my car in the beam of the light, so
I had to back up a few times. A couple of Barn Owls were in Morrow Co, a single
Barn in Gilliam. No curlews today.
A Yellow-headed Blackbird was at the pond along 3-Mile-Canyon-Rd just past the
Willow Creek turnoff in Morrow Co.
Several Columbia Bighorn Sheep were just west of the Philippi Canyon exit (MP
123)
Stefan SchlickHillsboro, OR
