Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Oregon Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Friday, October 10 at 04:13 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Red-bellied Woodpecker,©David Sibley

10 Oct Cape Arago seawatch ["Russ Namitz" ] 10 Oct Possible Sky Lark not re-found (nt). [Jeff Gilligan ] 10 Oct Re: fieldguide usage [Bobbett Pierce ] 10 Oct Fwd: FRR Birders [] 10 Oct Re: Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin [Tim Rodenkirk ] 9 Oct Fernhill Wetland, Oct 9 [Norgren Family ] 09 Oct Western Tanager and other Portland migrants [David Helzer ] 9 Oct More Swallow mysteries ["Floyd Schrock" ] 9 Oct Re: Birding sites on Oregon Coast ["Range Bayer" ] 9 Oct Greater White-fronted geese Florence [Vernon DiPietro ] 9 Oct Re: Taking guides into the ....field? [Hendrik Herlyn ] 9 Oct Portland Book Launch – The Owl and The Woodpecker: Encounters with North America's Most Iconic Birds ["Paul Bannick" ] 10 Oct Migrating Taverner's Geese [] 9 Oct Birding sites on Oregon Coast ["Suresh V" ] 09 Oct Re: obol Digest, Vol 7, Issue 9 [Jim Greaves ] 09 Oct Re: Taking guides into the ....field? [Mike Patterson ] 9 Oct Re: Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin ["Sheran Wright" ] 9 Oct Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin ["Mike and MerryLynn" ] 09 Oct PHOTO ESSAY: Brownsmead in Autumn [Mike Patterson ] 9 Oct Taking guides into the ....field? [Tom McNamara ] 9 Oct More migrants ["Sheila C." ] 09 Oct BSNR fish question [Barbara Millikan ] 09 Oct Malheur update [Alan Contreras ] 08 Oct RBA: Portland, OR 10-9-08 [Harry Nehls ] 8 Oct Eurasian Wigeon in Lincoln County on Oct. 7 ["Range Bayer" ] 8 Oct Lincoln Co.: Oct. 2-7 Live & Dead, Beached White-fronted Geese ["Range Bayer" ] 08 Oct Pittock, NW Portland, week ending 10/08/08 [Wink Gross ] 9 Oct Wood Sandpiper: KATU Portland News [] 8 Oct local RBA--SNOW GOOSE TIllamook County [Norgren Family ] 8 Oct Brookings area Clay-colored Sparrow ["Don & Karen Munson" ] 8 Oct Wed morning, Skinner's Butte,Eugene ["Larry McQueen" ] 8 Oct Raven behavior update ["Martha taylor & Chris Bennett" ] 8 Oct Cent Or Wednesday birders went East Bend to Brothers - no unusual birds ["Judy Meredith" ] 8 Oct Windy day at the port ["Sheila C." ] 08 Oct Columbia Estuary Report - 10/8/2008 [Mike Patterson ] 8 Oct Re: Wood Sandpiper: Register-Guard Article [Jay Withgott ] 08 Oct The possible Skylark. [Jeff Gilligan ] 8 Oct The Big Sit! at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge [] 8 Oct Lunch With The Birds ["Cliff & Joanne Weber" ] 8 Oct Vultures on the Move [Ray Korpi ] 8 Oct Re: WOOD question ["J. Harry Krueger" ] 08 Oct Access to private property [Alan Contreras ] 8 Oct Sept. Lincoln Co. Bird Notes Received Through 9/30 [Range Bayer ] 08 Oct Malheur update [Alan Contreras ] 8 Oct Wood Sandpiper Gratitude ["Bird Brain" ] 8 Oct Re: Why is called WOOD Sandpiper? [Hendrik Herlyn ] 8 Oct Car sit volunteer addendum ["Anne & Dan Heyerly" ] 8 Oct WOOD question [Bobbett Pierce ] 8 Oct Re: Wood Sandpiper: Register-Guard Article ["Tom Crabtree" ] 8 Oct [COBOL] Jays, Jays, Jays ["Tom Crabtree" ] 8 Oct Jays, Jays, Jays ["Tom Crabtree" ] 8 Oct Wood Sandpiper in Media [Norgren Family ] Subject: Cape Arago seawatch From: "Russ Namitz" <namitzr AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:13:30 -0700 9 - 10:30am calm seas, 4-6' swell, sunny with no wind I was trying to pick unusual species out of the common migraters, so I didn't keep very good track of numbers. No rarities. 5 Mallard 5 Northern Pintail 4 Green-winged Teal 15 Greater Scaup 2 Black Scoter 400+ Surf Scoter 50+ White-winged Scoter 2 Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Pacific Loon Common Loon 1 Western Grebe 300+ PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER 200+ Sooty Shearwater Brown Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Brandt's Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant 3 POMARINE JAEGER 1 PARASISTIC JAEGER Heerman's Gull California Gull Western Gull Glaucous-winged Gull 1 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE Common Murre 8+ Marbled Murrelet 1 Rhinoceros Auklet After I left, I met Jim & Ann Lawrence and Paul & Monique ?? from Portland at Simpson Reef looking at birds & pinnipeds. Good birding, Russ Namitz Coos Bay _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Possible Sky Lark not re-found (nt). From: Jeff Gilligan <jeffgill AT teleport.com> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:11:44 -0700 _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: fieldguide usage From: Bobbett Pierce <ensatina3 AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:59:54 -0400 Answers to my question regarding how many birders would be able to ID the wood sandpiper strayed down a different trail than intended. The assumtion was made that my face is usually buried in a book out in the field. I stopped doing that years ago -- not because I got so good I didn't need references any longer, but I lost my favorite guide that I'd had since being a teenager. All my scrawled notes from decades -- gone, thru college, and from trips around the country, including Alaska and Hawaii. Now I take mental notes mostly -- sometimes on paper -- and either look at the bird in guides back home or in the car. I am not that good with fall shorebirds, so would be particularly insecure about declaring a sandpiper as a rare find. Some out-of-range species are much easier to ID. I made the 5th recorded sighting of a indigo bunting in Idaho when I lived there long ago. It was with lazulis. I also ID'd an unusual mockingbird near the Scappoose airport and reported it. Even tho I'm not a top-tier birder, I wouldn't bother at all if I didn't enjoy their beauty and observing their behavior. I am a naturalist at heart. I am not competitive tho, and am not all that worried about how long my lifelist is. One useful conclusion from the obol discussion and wood sandpiper event: I need more bird books that show lots more species not typically found in the U.S. Lona Pierce, Warren _________________________________________________________________ See how Windows connects the people, information, and fun that are part of your life. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093175mrt/direct/01/_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Fwd: FRR Birders From: oropendolas AT aol.com Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:13:16 -0400 Scott Carpenter has posted?a few shots from FRR taken last week. Thanks Scott, John -----Original Message----- From: Scott Carpenter To: Oropendolas AT aol.com Sent: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 8:10 am Subject: Re: FRR Birders Hi John, I'll let you post the link to OBOL -- the photos are up at: http://tinyurl.com/49ohpm which will redirect to http://picasaweb.google.com/slcarpenter/FRR_Birders_SullivanPhotos?authkey=1AsdYXX_ZBE# People can use the "download photo" link to get the original high resolution version if they want it for printing. Otherwise, right-clicking on the image and using the "save image as" option will download a low resolution version. It seems that Sunday there were at least the same number of people at FRR, if not more. All told, I imagine over $100,000 worth of optics and cameras passed through that area in less than 48 hours. I haven't seen something like that since a Common Crane showed up in Indiana many moons ago, and even that did not attract quite as many people at once. I'm looking forward to your next good find! ;) Best wishes, Scott On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 10:53 PM, wrote: > Hey Scott, > > None of them are of very good photo quality, but I thought people might like > to see them anyway. > > Thanks again, > > John > > > ________________________________ > New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, > Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out! _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin From: Tim Rodenkirk <garbledmodwit AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:03:12 -0700 (PDT) It even made it into the Coos "World" on Wednesday, pretty cool! Tim R Coos bay --- On Thu, 10/9/08, Sheran Wright wrote: > From: Sheran Wright > Subject: Re: [obol] Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin > To: "Mike and MerryLynn" , "OBOL" > Date: Thursday, October 9, 2008, 5:26 PM > I assume it's the same Associated Press article that > appeared in the Bend > Bulletin today. > > Sheran Wright > Bend, OR > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mike and MerryLynn" > > To: "OBOL" > Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 5:10 PM > Subject: [obol] Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla > Union Bulletin > > > > Hello All, > > There is a nice note on the Wood Sandpiper in the > Walla Walla Union > > Bulletin. It is in the 8 October 2008 issue. John > Sullivan and Dan Heyerly > > are both mentioned. Way to go gentlemen!! > > Later Mike > > > .................................................................................. > > Mike and MerryLynn Denny > > Birding the beautiful Walla Walla Valley > > > > If you have not birded, you have not lived > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > obol mailing list > > obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org > > http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.173 / Virus Database: 270.7.6/1716 - Release > Date: 10/9/2008 > 9:44 AM > > > _______________________________________________ > obol mailing list > obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org > http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Fernhill Wetland, Oct 9 From: Norgren Family <gnorgren AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 22:31:46 -0700 There were more good birds at Fernhill in half an hour than I've seen there in three months. Three California Gulls were on the main pond, seemingly preparing to roost. Then a BONAPARTE'S GULL appeared from Cattail Marsh and began circling upwards over the end by the mitigation wetland, seemingly preparing to leave. Perhaps it didn't as there was a Bony floating at the east end of Cattail Pond later on. This is only the third one I've seen at Fernhill. A Western Grebe was on the main pond and a pair of Greater Scaup. This pool has typically been devoid of all birds on my recent visits. Ten DUSKY CANADA GEESE were in the stubble field west of Fernhill Road . This seems about two weeks early to me. At the west end of Cattail Marsh were the usual dozen dowitchers, with the addition of a Pectoral Sandpiper in the sw corner, twenty Least Sandpipers, and a Lesser Yellowlegs. This was the first time I've seen a Pectoral at Fernhill, and the best looks I've ever had of one anywhere. When the sun briefly came below the glowering clouds, all shorebirds changed from shades of gray to an array of browns and yellows. One could easily make two species out of the same bird depending on the light conditions. There was still a a fair number of swallows at the east end of Cattail, presumably Violet-greens, but I didn't have time to get close and confirm. Several thousand Cackling Geese took off from the mitigation wetland as I left. A considerably greater number roosted (or fed, it's hard to say which, maybe both) on Eagle Perch Pond about this time last year. Lars Norgren _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Western Tanager and other Portland migrants From: David Helzer <davehelzer AT mac.com> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:50:04 -0700 A WESTERN TANAGER was in the trees along Whitaker Slough in NE Portland yesterday (Oct 8). This is near NE 46th and Cornfoot Road. WHITE-FRONTED GEESE have been moving overhead in NE Portland for the last two days. Also saw my first flock of CACKLERS over Whitaker Slough. An OSPREY was over downtown Oct 7. Dave Helzer Portland Oregon _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: More Swallow mysteries From: "Floyd Schrock" <fschrock AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 21:06:08 -0700 I recently took down one of my Violet-green Swallow nestboxes for the routine "housecleaning" following the nesting season. I had seen one fledgling successfully on the wing back in July, but the others I could hear inside the box apparently never emerged. I was not able to watch closely during those days, so I did not notice that the adult female had completely disappeared, although I saw the fledgling and two adult males occasionally perched near each other on a powerline. (Some readers may recall that the other female, from the camera-equipped box, had been killed before her eggs hatched.) Now, when I opened the nestbox, I found the undamaged, but quite lifeless bodies of the adult female and two almost-grown chicks. What happened? Perhaps there is someone "out there" doing research on Violet-greens who can fit this picture into a larger event. (?) Then, there was another surprise. The dead female has a white-tipped secondary feather on each wing that appears to be too regular to be a leucistic or albinistic feature. By my inexpert count, I think it's at about S-10. I have never seen this mark before in many years of swallow-watching, and cannot find any photos that show it. Have I been missing something obvious all this time? A photo is at http://empids.blogspot.com/. ==================== Floyd Schrock McMinnville, Oregon USA http://empids.blogspot.com ====================_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Birding sites on Oregon Coast From: "Range Bayer" <rbayer AT orednet.org> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 21:04:50 -0700 (PDT) Hi Suresh, A good free resource for locating birding sites along the Oregon Coast is the Oregon Coast Birding Trail guide at http://www.oregoncoastbirding.com/ Good luck! Range Bayer,Newport On Thu, October 9, 2008 6:50 pm, Suresh V said: > Hello everyone, > I'm a birder/photographer from India residing at Salem temporarily > on work. I will be here for some months and have been watching this > list for a while now. > > It has been a while that I've been here now, and want to go out and > see some birds that Oregon has to offer. I am planning to drive down > along the Oregon coast this weekend and would like to know which sites > are good to stop over and look for some birds? I may drive upto Coos > Bay before turning back north and plan to halt for Saturday night > somewhere, but haven't decided where. > > I'm interested in seeing shorebirds, pelagic birds, puffins(I read > that horned puffins are found on the coast, are they easy to locate?), > and generally any good place for birding? I'll be driving with my wife > and 2 1/2 year old son, so also want to visit a place where they can > play in the beach for a bit.(guess it will be cold though). > > Please suggest a couple of sites that may suit me to visit. Thanks > and great birding to all! > > Wishes > Suresh. > www.justbirds.in > _______________________________________________ > obol mailing list > obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org > http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol > _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Greater White-fronted geese Florence From: Vernon DiPietro <vernd AT oregonfast.net> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 19:55:52 -0700 Hello OBOL< This morning at about noon, there were 3 Greater White-fronted geese in the field near Canary rd. and Maple creek rd. South of Florence. They were not there when I was going home ate about 16:00. Also heard a Loon calling this morning on the Siltcoos Lake right below the house. It was calm and the sound was spectacular!!! Best, Vern Vern DiPietro Between Ada and Portland Oregon. www.vernondipietrophotographer.com _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Taking guides into the ....field? From: Hendrik Herlyn <hhactitis AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 19:48:59 -0700 (PDT) Hi everybody, I don't think Harry Kruger's post was meant to imply that nobody should take a field guide out into the field, let alone use one. The way I understood his post was that sometimes birders tend to be too "boxed in" by their expectations of what is "normal" - they see a strange-looking bird and try with all means to make it into something "common". Looking at a field guide that only shows the more regularly expected species in an area may aid in that approach and help us overlook the potential for a true rarity. My advice would be: By all means, bring your field guide, but don't let it limit your expectations. When you see something out of the ordinary, and you just can't really match it with one of the "expected" species, dare to think the unthinkable. Then use your field guide to check whether the unthinkable may just be possible, after all (provided the rare species is even illustrated). When I and a small handful of others came across what looked like a possible Hooded Oriole at Malheur NWR many moons ago  (October of 1993, to be exact) and we noticed that something looked odd about that bird, we did not try to force our sighting into the template suggested by our field guides and our knowledge of what was "possible" in Oregon. At some point, we dared to ask the question: Why isn't this a Streaked-backed Oriole? Unthinkable, because at that point the species had never been recorded north of southernmost California and Arizona in the US. Well, as you all know, we pursued this line of thinking, and the bird turned out to be indeed Oregon's first ever Streak-backed Oriole, seen and enjoyed by many. But I must admit: Without several field guides at hand (not just back at the trailer, but also in the field) I would never have been able to come to the final conclusion about the bird's identity. I wasn't that familiar with all the possible variations of Hooded Oriole, and I did not know much about Streak-backs at all, never having seen one before. Without a field guide, I could not have compared the field marks that I observed with the descriptions and illustrations of both species in question. And having the guide with me WHILE watching the bird helped me know what details to look for. We can't all memorize every last feather detail of every species, common and rare, that we might possibly encounter (at least I can't, despite having birded for over 33 years). Therefore, I like having a field guied close at hand to refresh my memory ... ideally while I still have the opportunity to look at the bird, and not afterwards, when I realize what I SHOULD have concentrated on, but didn't. So bring your field guide or leave it in the car or at home .... just dare to think big when something simply doesn't seem to fit, and take very good notes (and photos, if possible)! Just my 2 cents on this topic. Happy birding Hendrik _________________________________ Hendrik G. Herlyn 2445 SW Leonard Street, Apt. 5 Corvallis, OR 97333 USA Phone: (541)-738-2688 E-Mail: hhactitis AT yahoo.com --- On Thu, 10/9/08, Mike Patterson wrote: From: Mike Patterson Subject: Re: [obol] Taking guides into the ....field? To: "OBOL" Date: Thursday, October 9, 2008, 5:54 PM I'm 50 years old and my dad still thinks I need a haircut. He's wrong, but I love him just the same. As is true of just about everything in bird watching there are at least two schools of thought about taking one’s field guide into the field. Books have been written on the subject. I don’t take my field guide with me out into the field, though I keep a really old copy of the National Geographic guide in my car. I also bring my western Sibley with me when I’m leading groups. I don’t carry a field guide because I’m old (in birder years) and don’t need one most of the time. I don’t carry one because I learned bird watching back in the day when sparrow specific, shorebird specific, warbler specific field guides didn’t exist and most general field guides tended to have an East Coast or California bias. I don’t carry a field guide because I have an old school, field biologist’s bias. I prefer to take notes. Times have changed. The value of a field guide in the field is different these days. There’s a field guide for everything (I own a field guide to snails and slugs, among other field guides). Everybody owns a spotting scope. Digital cameras have supplanted field notes. And everybody carries a trunk full of specialty field guides. I know better than to suggest that folks bird the way I bird, just as I know not to expect people to vote the way I vote or drink the beer I drink. I also know better than to take it personally when somebody suggests that I’m “doing it wrong”. There are “wrong” ways to bird watch, but carrying a field guide into the field probably isn’t one of them. ---- Mike Patterson Astoria, OR _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Portland Book Launch – The Owl and The Woodpecker: Encounters with North America's Most Iconic Birds From: "Paul Bannick" <paul.bannick AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 19:43:19 -0700 OBOLers, Next Thursday night at 7pm at Powell's Books, I will be holding the public launch of my new book: ** *The Owl and The Woodpecker: Encounters With North America's Most Iconic Birds* (The Mountaineers Books 2008). Ted Williams, Editor-at-Large for *Audubon* Magazine, recently described my book in the following way: "The Owl and the Woodpecker is a monumental work of photojournalism by one of North America's top wildlife photographers. The images you'll encounter in this book are the result of an encyclopedic knowledge of birds and their habitats, an intense love of nature, and endless patience. For anyone who appreciates wild things and wild places, each of Bannick's stunning photographs is worth ten thousand words." This comprehensive photographic study of all 43 species of North American woodpeckers explores eleven key habitat types through these birds that often serve as keystone and indicator species, and looks at the ways they define and enrich these habitats. Please join me Thursday as I share images, stories and natural history information about birds as common as Great Horned Owls and Northern Flickers to ones as rare as Ferruginous Pygmy Owls, Spotted Owls and Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers. Books are now available from all standard channels and you can purchase signed copies at this event. *Details: Thursday, October 16th AT 7:30pm* Powell's City of Books on Burnside 
1005 W Burnside (800) 878-7323 For Samples of the book, including the foreword by Tony Angell see: http://www.paulbannick.com/OwlandWoodpecker.pdf Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope to see you there! Paul -- Paul L. Bannick Nature and Bird Photography www.paulbannick.com 206-352-1940 My first book, "The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters with North America's Most Iconic Birds" is now shipping! This book features a foreword by Tony Angell and audio by Martyn Stewart. For sample pages and more information, see: http://www.paulbannick.com/OwlandWoodpecker.pdf_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Migrating Taverner's Geese From: Bigrocketman AT comcast.net Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:40:20 +0000 (UTC) The first Taverner's Geese I've heard this season, passed over the Eugene area at 6:07 am this morning, apparently headed for points south.  I've haven't detected any that are staying here yet, but it shouldn't be long.  It's been two days since I've heard any Gr. White-fronted Geese flying over at night.  The first of those came over on the 3rd of September and then there was a two-week time until the main bunch started going by.  I've never heard so many in any past year.  Most of this species didn't migrate over the Willamette Valley, until about 40 years ago.  Most of the migrating geese that were heard at night here before then, were Cackling Geese (minimas), that wintered in California. The White-fronts flew over Central and Eastern Oregon before that time. In 1895-1909, my grandfather shot about 50 of them a year as they flew low over a hill in the town of Fox. He was more interested in feeding his family than in birding. Steve McDonald http://flickr.com/photos/22121562 AT N00/ http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos http://video.yahoo.com/people4019627 http://cid-229807ce52dd4fe0.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Video?uc=2 _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Birding sites on Oregon Coast From: "Suresh V" <verditer AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 18:50:12 -0700 Hello everyone, I'm a birder/photographer from India residing at Salem temporarily on work. I will be here for some months and have been watching this list for a while now. It has been a while that I've been here now, and want to go out and see some birds that Oregon has to offer. I am planning to drive down along the Oregon coast this weekend and would like to know which sites are good to stop over and look for some birds? I may drive upto Coos Bay before turning back north and plan to halt for Saturday night somewhere, but haven't decided where. I'm interested in seeing shorebirds, pelagic birds, puffins(I read that horned puffins are found on the coast, are they easy to locate?), and generally any good place for birding? I'll be driving with my wife and 2 1/2 year old son, so also want to visit a place where they can play in the beach for a bit.(guess it will be cold though). Please suggest a couple of sites that may suit me to visit. Thanks and great birding to all! Wishes Suresh. www.justbirds.in _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: obol Digest, Vol 7, Issue 9 From: Jim Greaves <lbviman AT blackfoot.net> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:16:25 -0600 > 4. Re: WOOD question (J. Harry Krueger) Harry -- No offense intended here, but I think you missed the point of the question. I am "sure" I've seen Lesser Yellowlegs that "exactly" matched the Wood Sandpiper under discussion (bright superciliary, "greenish-yellow" legs, darting about as if starving) -- because I was viewing the LEYE at a couple hundred yards or more (which was the point of my first post on this subject a couple weeks back), or was looking at one which did not "act like" others nearby (this in southern CA, where we all "know" that would be a great find).... With NO experience on which to base such a "sighting" of Wood Sandpiper I am obligated to go with what I know (30+ years of birding experience, and my field guides) to come to "conclusion" that I'm looking at a yellowlegs, and not some rarity not even in some of the "best" field guides -- no apology to Sibley here, since he missed a great chance to depict in his larger, first tome the already already found non-North American birds, so that we wouldn't be "stuck" if that was our only in-field reference... - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Taking guides into the ....field? From: Mike Patterson <celata AT pacifier.com> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:54:20 -0700 I'm 50 years old and my dad still thinks I need a haircut. He's wrong, but I love him just the same. As is true of just about everything in bird watching there are at least two schools of thought about taking one’s field guide into the field. Books have been written on the subject. I don’t take my field guide with me out into the field, though I keep a really old copy of the National Geographic guide in my car. I also bring my western Sibley with me when I’m leading groups. I don’t carry a field guide because I’m old (in birder years) and don’t need one most of the time. I don’t carry one because I learned bird watching back in the day when sparrow specific, shorebird specific, warbler specific field guides didn’t exist and most general field guides tended to have an East Coast or California bias. I don’t carry a field guide because I have an old school, field biologist’s bias. I prefer to take notes. Times have changed. The value of a field guide in the field is different these days. There’s a field guide for everything (I own a field guide to snails and slugs, among other field guides). Everybody owns a spotting scope. Digital cameras have supplanted field notes. And everybody carries a trunk full of specialty field guides. I know better than to suggest that folks bird the way I bird, just as I know not to expect people to vote the way I vote or drink the beer I drink. I also know better than to take it personally when somebody suggests that I’m “doing it wrong”. There are “wrong” ways to bird watch, but carrying a field guide into the field probably isn’t one of them. ---- Mike Patterson Astoria, OR _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin From: "Sheran Wright" <sheran AT bendbroadband.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 17:26:46 -0700 I assume it's the same Associated Press article that appeared in the Bend Bulletin today. Sheran Wright Bend, OR ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike and MerryLynn" To: "OBOL" Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 5:10 PM Subject: [obol] Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin > Hello All, > There is a nice note on the Wood Sandpiper in the Walla Walla Union > Bulletin. It is in the 8 October 2008 issue. John Sullivan and Dan Heyerly > are both mentioned. Way to go gentlemen!! > Later Mike > .................................................................................. > Mike and MerryLynn Denny > Birding the beautiful Walla Walla Valley > > If you have not birded, you have not lived > > > _______________________________________________ > obol mailing list > obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org > http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.173 / Virus Database: 270.7.6/1716 - Release Date: 10/9/2008 9:44 AM _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Nice Wood Sandpiper article in Walla Walla Union Bulletin From: "Mike and MerryLynn" <m.denny AT charter.net> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 17:10:29 -0700 Hello All, There is a nice note on the Wood Sandpiper in the Walla Walla Union Bulletin. It is in the 8 October 2008 issue. John Sullivan and Dan Heyerly are both mentioned. Way to go gentlemen!! Later Mike .................................................................................. Mike and MerryLynn Denny Birding the beautiful Walla Walla Valley If you have not birded, you have not lived _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: PHOTO ESSAY: Brownsmead in Autumn From: Mike Patterson <celata AT pacifier.com> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:47:23 -0700 I spent the morning out at Brownsmead in showery weather hoping for some interesting late fall movements. Lots of ducks, lots of WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, big flock of dowitchers at Svensen Island.... Here are a few snaps: http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/ ---- Mike Patterson Astoria, OR http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/2008/10/wosa20081004.html _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Taking guides into the ....field? From: Tom McNamara <tmacport99 AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 16:24:36 -0700 OBOL, I just read a post by someone who basically claimed that birders who take a book (can we assume it would be a field guide(s) and not a 1000-page copy of Inifinite Jest?) were somehow not going to have the exalted experience of someone who spent all his/her time looking Only at the bird(s). Leave the books at home! Time is precious, right? And any time not looking directly at the bird(s) is time what......wasted? Good grief. You may have possibly inferred by now that I disagree. Why? Because it's not that simple; it's not that either/or. Yes, you can learn things by paying close attention. Like paying attention to words. The word "guide" , for instance, does not connote iron clad impositions of arbitrary authority unless the reader of said guide is devoid of an abilitiy to critically analyse information and a masochist bent on flagellating himself for his ignorance but questing for a "match". No one who knows how to use a field guide properly in the field is going to use it that way; rather, they will use it as an aid, a facilitator to learning; to THEIR enjoyment of birding. If somone starts reading a guide cover to cover out in the field folks might be excused for thinking that That "birder" has misplaced his avocation. Know many of these types do you? H. Kruger's anti-field guide in the field post was occasioned by his visit to Fern Ridge in quest of the Wood Sandpiper. The excellent Peter Low had re-found the bird and when several of us approached where he and another birder had it, it flushed. Then Tom Snetsinger found it again after area birds were roiled by a Peregrine. I was pretty close to H,Kruger, and after viewing the Woodie very carefully for perhaps 20 minutes and noting many field marks and behavior I.....I ...I reached in my bag......and withdrew Paulson's "Shorebirds of North America". OK, I 've said it. Admitted it, right here in the public forum of OBOL.---yep, used a guide. Sheran Wright and another birder from Idaho looked at the pictures in the book too. Were we obsessed with making a "match"? Hmmmmmmm. Well, we had all seen the bird very well. The bird had previously been positively IDed. Just what the hell did we think we were doing, looking at a book in the field!? Well, another confession: for me it was a life bird. It was, by definition, unfamiliar. I knew from OBOL (Sir John Sullivan --good onya, mate; great find!) and Frontiers of ID expert postings that it had been IDed as a juvenile. I wanted to COMPARE what a juvenile bird looked like with an adult. There wasn't an adult version of this megararity handy, darn it. So I looked at a book so I could then re-look at the bird and further reinforce what I had just reinforced by looking at excellent photos. I can't speak for Sheran W. but that was my motivation.I may have even had others....... So, I took a time out from actual eye on the scope. And I spoke with other birders. If I indeed am among those book-resorting "birders" that evoked silent amusement and sadness in H. Kruger I may have been, as he says, "vocal" ---as in I actually spoke ---neither Sheran or the other Idaho birder used sign language either. There was no "disagreement" "vocal" or otherwise. Again, there's that issue of paying attention.....someone wasn't. Books, used well. I love 'em. good birding, Tom _________________________________________________________________ See how Windows Mobile brings your life together—at home, work, or on the go. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093182mrt/direct/01/ _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: More migrants From: "Sheila C." <sheilach AT nwtec.com> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 14:08:37 -0700 NatureA few 'new' birds showed up today, a GOLD-CROWN and a LINCOLIN'S SPARROW and a female PURPLE FINCH. The "usual suspects" are still here, WHITE CROWN, SONG SPARROW, HOUSE FINCHES, CROWS, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD and a gasping PINE SISKIN, hordes of CHESTNUT-BACKED and BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEES and of course EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES but still no morning doves. Somewhere, hiding in the bushes is a young SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. Wer'e getting some scattered showers, a taste of what's to come. Sheila from damp Harbor Oregon Under the Patriot Act, a person can be arrested without probable cause, held indefinitely without being charged, tried without a lawyer or a jury, sentenced without the opportunity to appeal, and put to death—all without notification of…anybody. _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: BSNR fish question From: Barbara Millikan <millikan AT viclink.com> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:27:10 -0700 My husband and his brother birded Basket Slough yesterday, and as well as a greater yellowlegs, egret, mallard and some cacklers, they observed a pond that had about forty large dead fish floating it it; carp my husband said. It looked as though the waters had been higher and had receded, but they were wondering if that was the cause of the fish die out or if something else had happened to them. Does anyone know? Barbara Millikan _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Malheur update From: Alan Contreras <acontrer AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:14:33 -0700 25 and wind this morning at Malheur, almost unbirdable. Slate-colored J at HQ, 2 ibis still at Buena Vista. I am returning to Eugene Thursday evening 9th rather than wait for the 22 degrees and snow forecast for Friday a.m. I hope that you have enjoyed these updates. -- Alan Contreras EUGENE, OREGON acontrer AT mindspring.com Someone who HAS seen Russia from Alaska and who is once again...Nostalgic 4 Nixon. http://oregonreview.blogspot.com/ ­ Commentary http://contrerasbirds.blogspot.com/ ­ Bird Photos & News _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: RBA: Portland, OR 10-9-08 From: Harry Nehls <hnehls6 AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:32:54 -0700 - RBA * Oregon * Portland * October 9, 2008 * ORPO0810.09 - Birds mentioned Gr. White-fronted Goose Eurasian Wigeon American Wigeon Surf Scoter Pink-footed Shearwater Buller¹s Shearwater Short-tailed Shearwater MANX SHEARWATER Am. White Pelican Brown Pelican Gyrfalcon WOOD SANDPIPER South Polar Skua Pomarine Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger WHITE-WINGED DOVE Northern Shrike BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER Clay-colored Sparrow Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird RUSTY BLACKBIRD - transcript hotline: Portland Oregon Audubon RBA (weekly) number: 503-292-6855 To report: Harry Nehls 503-233-3976 compiler: Harry Nehls coverage: entire state Hello, this is the Audubon Society of Portland Rare Bird Report. This report was made Thursday October 9. If you have anything to add call Harry Nehls at 503-233-3976. The WOOD SANDPIPER may still be at Fern Ridge Reservoir, but the area where it has been seen is closed to entry. On October 5 a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was at Finley NWR. The next day one was in Brookings. Another BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER was at Frenchglen October 7. A RUSTY BLACKBIRD and two YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were in a large blackbird flock on Sauvie Island October 4. A major WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE movement passed Oregon during the week with large numbers stopping in the Willamette Valley. Along the coast BROWN PELICAN migrations were conspicuous during the week with over 2000 in the Newport area. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen October 8 south of Brookings. On October 5 a BOBOLINK was on the North Spit of Coos Bay. On October 7 hundreds of PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, 50 BULLER¹S SHEARWATERS, a possible MANX SHEARWATER, 39 POMARINE JAEGERS, 5 PARASITIC JAEGERS, and three SKUAS were seen from the beach on the North Spit of Coos Bay. On October 5 over 200 PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, 12 SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS, and 12 PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen off the North Jetty of the Siuslaw River. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was near Waldport October 7. On October 7 an EURASIAN WIGEON was among 293 AMERICAN WIGEON on Yaquina Bay. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen October 5 at the Wapato Greenway on Sauvie Island. On October 7 a male EURASIAN WIGEON and 10 WHITE PELICANS were at Oaks Bottom in Portland. A female SURF SCOTER was on the Sheridan Sewage Ponds October 5. That day an adult gray phase GYRFALCON was at Lost Lake in Santiam Pass. That¹s it for this week. - end transcript _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Eurasian Wigeon in Lincoln County on Oct. 7 From: "Range Bayer" <rbayer AT orednet.org> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 23:18:59 -0700 (PDT) Hi, On Oct. 7, Janet Lamberson found 1 EURASIAN WIGEON with 293 AMERICAN WIGEON at Idaho Flats,the embayment just east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail. Cheers, Range Bayer, Newport _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Lincoln Co.: Oct. 2-7 Live & Dead, Beached White-fronted Geese From: "Range Bayer" <rbayer AT orednet.org> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 23:16:46 -0700 (PDT) Hi, Besides the reports to OBOL of grounded Gr. WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in Lincoln County, there are the following reports: Oct. 2. 2 live WF Geese near Newport Middle School by Tom Wainwright. Oct. 5. 13 live WF Geese near Seal Rock Stable along South Beaver Creek Road by Laimons Osis. Oct. 6. 4-5 live WF Geese near Newport Middle School by Barry McPherson. Oct. 7. 2 live WF Geese at Ona Beach State Park by Chuck Philo. Oct. 7. 2 dead, beached WF Geese between Thiel Creek & Beaver Creek by Bob Loeffel. Bob's team started doing approximately weekly beached bird walks along 4.6 miles of beach there in 1978. Bob writes that the Oct. 7 birds were "almost a first" for beached WF Geese and very unexpected. The number of grounded WF Geese in Lincoln County is higher than has been found recently in October. Searching the October Sandpiper (http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#recent), the number of records of groundings in October in Lincoln County are in parentheses for the following years: 2004(3), 2005(4), 2006(0), and 2007(1). Cheers, Range Bayer, Newport) _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Pittock, NW Portland, week ending 10/08/08 From: Wink Gross <winkg AT hevanet.com> Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:31:12 -0700 Here is the summary of my morning dogwalks from NW Seblar Terrace to the Pittock Mansion for the week 10/2 to 10/8/08. Species in ALL CAPS were neither seen nor heard the previous week. Additional information about my dogwalk, including an archive of weekly summaries and a checklist, may be found at http://www.hevanet.com/winkg/dogwalkpage.html We did the walk 7 days this week. Species # days found (peak #, date) CACKLING/CANADA GOOSE 2 (100, 10/7) NORTHERN HARRIER 1 (1, 10/2) Red-tailed Hawk 2 (1, 10/3 & 5) GULL sp. 1 (1, 10/7) Band-tailed Pigeon 3 (2, 10/4) Mourning Dove 5 (3, 10/7) Vaux's Swift 2 (20, 10/2) Anna's Hummingbird 4 (5, 10/8) Red-breasted Sapsucker 3 (1) Downy Woodpecker 1 (1, 10/7) Hairy Woodpecker 2 (2, 10/2) Northern Flicker 7 (4) Pileated Woodpecker 2 (1, 10/4 & 5) PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER 1 (1, 10/8) Empidonax sp. 1 (1, 10/2) Violet-green Swallow 1 (1, 10/2) Swallow sp. 1 (1, 10/7) Golden-crowned Kinglet 7 (15, 10/2) Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 (3, 10/2 & 3) CEDAR WAXWING 1 (1, 10/2) Bewick's Wren 4 (1) Winter Wren 4 (4, 10/8) Hermit Thrush 3 (2, 10/8) American Robin 7 (30, 10/8) Varied Thrush 5 (6, 10/8) BUSHTIT 3 (5) Black-capped Chickadee 7 (30, 10/2) Chestnut-backed Chickadee 6 (20, 10/2) Red-breasted Nuthatch 6 (5) WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH 1 (1, 10/8) Brown Creeper 5 (3, 10/2) Steller's Jay 7 (5) Western Scrub-Jay 4 (1) American Crow 6 (6, 10/3) European Starling 4 (1) Hutton's Vireo 4 (5, 10/2) House Finch 6 (10) RED CROSSBILL 2 (2, 10/7) Pine Siskin 5 (2) American Goldfinch 4 (3) Evening Grosbeak 3 (5) Orange-crowned Warbler 1 (4, 10/2) Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 (12, 10/2) Spotted Towhee 7 (7) Fox Sparrow 3 (1) Song Sparrow 7 (15, 10/8) Golden-crowned Sparrow 3 (1) Dark-eyed Junco 7 (30, 10/2) In the neighborhood but not found on dogwalk: TURKEY VULTURE, Great Horned Owl Misses (birds found at least 3 days during previous 2 weeks but not found this week): Swainson's Thrush, Purple Finch Wink Gross Portland _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Wood Sandpiper: KATU Portland News From: Oropendolas AT aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 01:24:14 EDT I'm not sure what they're doing exactly, but Portland News station KATU will have something about the Wood Sandpiper on their 11:00 PM broadcast tonight. John Sullivan & Laura Jonhson Springfield, Oregon **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out! (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000001)_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: local RBA--SNOW GOOSE TIllamook County From: Norgren Family <gnorgren AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 22:19:44 -0700 An adult SNOW GOOSE was in a flock of Western Canada Geese flying south of Fenk Road at 5:30 Oct 8. When I turned around at the end of Fenk Road there were 30 Greater White-fronted Geese to the sw, only their heads visible in the tall grass. The flying geese landed in a field immediately west of the bridge over Tillamook River. It is possible to park at the south end of the bridge and walk back on the shoulder, outside the guard rail, to where a gap in the trees gives a view of this field. It is otherwise out of view of any roads. Just before sunset a raptor glided over the High School football field towards the se. It appeared to be an immature GOLDEN EAGLE. Lars Norgren _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Brookings area Clay-colored Sparrow From: "Don & Karen Munson" <dkmunson AT wildblue.net> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 21:14:01 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time) The state is constructing a new Welcome to Oregon Visitor Center adjacent to Hwy 101 between the Winchuck River and the California state line. I've been trying to compile a bird list to be used for that particular facility. Today while doing a bird survey there I found a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. The area will have a seasonal, at least, wetland and trails. Looks like it could develop into a nice little birding area. Don Munson Brookings, Curry County_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Wed morning, Skinner's Butte,Eugene From: "Larry McQueen" <larmcqueen AT msn.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 18:53:10 -0700 Since most of the good habitat at Fern Ridge is off limits until the 10th, the Wed morning group decided to see what migrants could be found on Skinner's Butte. Here is the list. Mallard - 4 along the river Canada Goose - 25 in the park Vaux's Swift - 500 to1000+, depending on whether the group circled around. Downy Woodpecker - 1 N. Flicker - 15 Anna's Hummingbird - 4 Steller's Jay - 6+ Scrub Jay - 12+ Am. Crow - 9 Black-capped Chickadee - 14 Chestnut-backed Chickadee - 6 Bushtit - 8 Brown Creeper - 5 Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet - 18+ Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3 Hutton's Vireo - 1 Bewick's Wren - 4 Varied Thrush - 25+ too scattered to count and many present could not be seen. Robin - 200+ Townsend's Warbler - 10 Black-throated Gray Warbler - 5 Yellow-rumped Warbler - 10+ Cedar Waxwing - 25 Starling - 10 Red-winged Blackbird - 20 in public gardens by the park American Goldfinch - 50 in public gardens by the park House Finch - 20 Purple Finch - 8 Black-headed Grosbeak - 1 Spotted Towhee - 3 Golden-crowned Sparrow - 2 D-e Junco - 30+ Song Sparrow - 8 Sylvia Maulding, Roger Robb, Randy Sinnott, Don Schrouder, Kit Larsen, Sarah Vasconcellos, Tom Mickel, Barry McKenzie, Paul Sherrell, and Larry McQueen _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Raven behavior update From: "Martha taylor & Chris Bennett" <tayben AT teleport.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 18:43:14 -0700 My co-worker informed me today that there were two Ravens pecking at a different set of windows early (7:00ish) this morning these windows were on a back porch and on either side of a French door unit. Didn't notice him or her at the other window today. I also thought about was there a nesting tree in that area(as Judy Roth questioned). I'll keep everyone updated. Chris _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Cent Or Wednesday birders went East Bend to Brothers - no unusual birds From: "Judy Meredith" <jmeredit AT bendnet.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 17:21:36 -0700 Birders Hi birders Went out to the Dry River Canyon, Pine Mountain, Brothers areas. Although this was scheduled to be a raptor trip, we didn't make it out that far east. Thanks to a nice bunch today, Loren Smith, Sara Schneider, Mary Oppenheimer, Mike Golden, Don Sutherland. We had a nice time even though the birds were hard to find for the first few hours. Also note that the stock tank on the way up Pine Mountain is now totally dry. The guzzler at the Brothers Oasis was dry. The stock tank 1 mile down Camp Creek road was overflowing into the muddy edged pond. A frozen puddle was the site of dozens of thrushes this am. as they gathered along one edge where the sun had started to melt the ice. Full list is below. This report was mailed for Judy Meredith by http://birdnotes.net Greater White-fronted Goose 2 - pavement Camp Creek. Northern Harrier 1 Red-tailed Hawk 3 American Kestrel 2 Prairie Falcon 1 Rock Dove 25 Northern Flicker 2 Say's Phoebe 1 - City of Brothers, fence post. Steller's Jay 1 Western Scrub-Jay 8 - driving thru Bend Pinyon Jay 1 - heard once, Dry River Canyon Clark's Nutcracker 10 Black-billed Magpie 2 Common Raven 10 - aerobatic displays Pine Mtn Horned Lark 36 - pond edge Camp Creek ( GI Ranch) Mountain Chickadee 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 Western Bluebird 2 Mountain Bluebird 120 -?under count? Small groups all over. Townsend's Solitaire 26 American Robin 40 European Starling 15 Orange-crowned Warbler 2 - weeds back of Brothers oasis Yellow-rumped Warbler 120 - flocks throughout Spotted Towhee 1 Sage Sparrow 3 Song Sparrow 1 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 White-crowned Sparrow 8 Golden-crowned Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco 8 Western Meadowlark 3 Brewer's Blackbird 2 House Finch 5 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 10 Total number of species seen: 36 Good birding, Judy Meredith jmeredit AT bendnet.com _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Windy day at the port From: "Sheila C." <sheilach AT nwtec.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 16:31:32 -0700 NatureHi OBOLers It was a sunny but quite windy day at the port of Brookings/Harbor today, the blue sea was covered with whitecaps. Despite that I saw a number of dark HEERMAN'S GULLS, CALIFORNIA and WESTERN GULLS, BROWN PELICANS, BLACK TURNSTONES, a GBH taking a snooze, DOUBLE-CRESTED, BRANDT'S CORMORANTS, WESTERN GREBES, a few ROCK PIGEONS, CROWS and BREWERS BLACKBIRDS hoping for free food. At home a pair of TURKEY VULTURES teetered slowly accoss the sky and filling their crops were hordes of BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, WHITE CROWNED, SONG and a lone FOX SPARROW, ALLEN'S and a ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES and a few PINE SISKINS and now a flock of the now common EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES, missing this time are the Morning doves. Are they being replaced by the alien Eurasian collared dove? The bats are still in my garrage making messes on my poor little white car. Sheila from sunny and warm Harbor Oregon Under the Patriot Act, a person can be arrested without probable cause, held indefinitely without being charged, tried without a lawyer or a jury, sentenced without the opportunity to appeal, and put to death—all without notification of…anybody. _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Columbia Estuary Report - 10/8/2008 From: Mike Patterson <celata AT pacifier.com> Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:34:22 -0800 Columbia Estuary Report - 10/8/2008 An AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER (by flight call) flew over the shorebird ponds at the South Jetty of the Columbia River this morning. There are still plenty of LAPLAND LONGSPURS ther as well. I saw no fewer than 6 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES from the jetty. There are now 200+ GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at Wireless Rd. I saw my first flyover flock of CACKLING GEESE for the season. Two RING- NECKED DUCKS were on Warrenton Sewage Ponds. Steve Warner reports lots of activity at the Seaside Cove, including shearwaters and alcids. The recently lost tide gate at the mouth of Crosel Creek just south of Astoria on Hwy 202 is allowing the Linehan Pasture to flood. It has been attracting yellowlegs, dowitchers and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS in fair numbers at high tides. . -- Mike Patterson Astoria, OR celata AT pacifier.com In Praise of Urtica http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/2008/06/urtica20080622.html _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Wood Sandpiper: Register-Guard Article From: Jay Withgott <withgott AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 16:10:37 -0700 I got a nice response from the video journalist at the Register-Guard, who is himself interested in birding. He told me he "had hoped that my appreciation for the sport would come through in my work." Take a look. The video is at: http://rgweb.registerguard.com/video/ and the article is at: http://www.registerguard.com/web/news/545282//story.csp Jay W, Portland At 1:21 AM -0400 10/8/08, Oropendolas AT aol.com wrote: >Hello All, > >There will be an article running it this Thursday's Register-Guard >about the Wood Sandpiper. In the mean time, you can check out this >video on their on-line page. Yikes! > >http://rgweb.registerguard.com/video/ > > >John Sullivan & Laura Jonhson >Springfield, Oregon > >_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: The possible Skylark. From: Jeff Gilligan <jeffgill AT teleport.com> Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:44:12 -0700 I was bounced from OBOL for a few hours and hadn't seen Dave Iron's post except by recent references to it. The reason that the name of the owner of the ranch wasn't mentioned is because he doesn't want a lot of people calling him. It wasn't a game that I was playing. My post was made in order to get information regarding flight calls of the species, and to let people know of the possibility of access if the bird is relocated. Several OBOL subscribers provided me with links to calls. I played them over the phone to the observer and he believes that some of the calls are good for what he heard. If we can find the bird I will ask if there can be arrangements made for birders to have access. That being said, there are various reasons why access to the ranch is not generally given. These are by my recollection and may not be entirely accurate: 1. It is a working ranch, and the livestock can be skittish. 2. When a group of birders were given access to an area a few years ago, they left the area where they had been asked to limit their birding to. This apparently caused some disruption. (I don't know anything about controlling the movement of sheep.) 3. The ranch is owned by a family corporation and other members of the family don't want people on the ranch. 4. There is a concern about injury liability (cliffs, etc.). 5. There is a concern about gates being left open. Yesterday, the area that had the possible Skylark had a Pectoral Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper together. There have been very large flocks of Lapland Longspurs and American Pipits. (I have been asked why I don't give Washington birders access to my property on Willapa Bay. My reason is that the neighbor is a recently retired county sheriff who checks out anyone he sees on my property. I am concerned that if there are a lot of people who walk onto the property that he will stop checking on them.) Jeff Gilligan _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: The Big Sit! at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge From: dawn_grafe AT fws.gov Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 14:26:51 -0700 The Big Sit Comes to Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge Birding will be one of the primary activities occurring on Cannery Hill the day Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge opens for the first time to public use. As part of the festivities for the grand opening of the refuge, Lincoln City Audubon Society will host The Big Sit! For those unfamiliar with The Big Sit, it is an annual, international, noncompetitive birding event. The way it works is a group, in this case Lincoln City Audubon, finds a good spot for bird watching (Nestucca Bay Refuge). They then create an imaginary circle 17 feet in diameter and sit inside the circle for 24 hours, counting all the bird species seen or heard. The Big Sit! is like a Big Day, or a bird-a-thon in that the object is to tally as many bird species as can be seen or heard within 24 hours. The difference lies in the area limitation from which you can observe. Lincoln City Audubon welcomes any and all interested birders to join them on October 11, 2008. For information on participating email organizer Jack Doyle at jackdoyle AT charter.net. For more information about other events for the day visit http://www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/. Dawn Grafe Visitor Services Manager Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Lunch With The Birds From: "Cliff & Joanne Weber" <WeberHome AT att.net> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 14:15:40 -0700 OBOL, hello! Both of Jackson Bottom Wetlands' adult Bald Eagles are back on their home turf. Sightings at noon today: Female Northern Harrier, Red Tail Hawks, Female Ring-neck Pheasant, Song Sparrows, Scrub Jays, Cackling Geese, American Kestrel, Gadwalls, and one escaped car-lot balloon. Where? . .City of Hillsboro, at the intersection of SW Wood Street and Hwy 219. Thomas Bros Portland street guide page 593, square B6. Wild In The City, pages 159-160. Exploring The Tualatin River Basin, pages 19-20. Google satellite image: http://tinyurl.com/ypd665 ADA friendly? . .Yes; really easy wheeler and walker access to a roofed and hand-railed deck. Some bench-style seating inside the shelter, and more outside along a sidewalk. Off-street parking? . . Yes Restrooms? . .Good ones available a mile south at Jackson's spiffy education center. McDonald's is closer, at the corner of Baseline and 1st Ave. Gourmet Coffee? . .Nearest Starbucks is at the corner of Main and 1st Ave. Convenient parking is competitive. McDonald's is closer, and the parking is plentiful. Information about Lunch With The Birds-- and additional Jackson Bottom Wetlands resources --is available online at www.jacksonbottom.org Cliff & Joanne Weber Beaverton (Bethany area) _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Vultures on the Move From: Ray Korpi <rkorpi AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 14:12:53 -0700 All, Over the last two days, TURKEY VULTURES have been on the move over Vancouver. Yesterday I had a kettle of 52 birds over the SW Washington Medical Center and 3 over the Clark campus. This afternoon, I just had 25 birds over my house. Nice to see big vulture movements. First CACKLERS over campus this morning as well Ray Korpi Vancouver WA rkorpi AT hotmail.com_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: WOOD question From: "J. Harry Krueger" <hkrueger AT cableone.net> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 13:47:41 -0600 Lona (and all), Yours is a very important (and potentially revealing) question. Please understand that what I'm about to say doesn't come from a "I'm a better birder than you" perspective or attitude, but from the personal observation and experience of well over thirty years of birding... and a desire for us all to continue to become more observant and functionally intelligent birders. Many birders love to play the "match game," making sure that whatever they see somehow matches the "authority of the field guide" (whether Sibley's, NGS, or another doesn't matter. Amusing, but also sad, was a pointed situation I witnessed while at Fern Ridge viewing the sandpiper. As a few of us were intently looking at the bird, trying to note as many details as possible (I even recite them to myself, or anyone in hearing distance), another group had their "books" out, comparing pictures to try and best fit what it looked like to the illustration(s), often in vocal disagreement as to which book had the better fit for the actual bird. Now, perhaps they had all seen the bird for quite some time previously that day or before, so that this new opportunity of observation (it had just be "re-found") was not necessary... although by their comments, that didn't seem to be the case. I've personally decided quite some time ago to not even carry a "regular field guide" with me in the car, no less out in the field. The "matching temptation" is too strong when something unusual is encountered, and rather than spending all available time looking at the live bird(s) while they can be seen, too much time is spent in viewing descriptions, photos, illustrations, etc. The illustration becomes the standard, rather than the bird itself being the focus. When we begin to spend time "bird watching" rather than illustration matching, a whole new world of awareness of the sometimes subtle differences in even the common species, no less a recognition of the often more glaring visual distinctness of rarities, becomes a whole new world of rich birding adventure. Taking the longer and focused looks at that Orange-crowned Warbler... or that Steller's Jay... or that "white-cheeked" goose... or whatever I may have the priviledge to meet up with, has made me not only a better birder, but a more fulfilled and satisfied birder. When my Idaho birding associates ask how I happen to "see good stuff" that they miss, I silently don't chalk it up to luck. To get back to the original question of how many "would have been able to recognize this sandpiper for what it was?" I'm not sure, but it is hinted at that perhaps not many. Go back and read John Sullivan's original description. It's not the description of a birder "illustration matching." It's the description of someone who has viewed birds carefully enough under usual situations that when the unusual comes along, he is fully alive to the differences. Sure, John went home and pored over the possibilities in the printed and media resources available to him... but he did so after the encounter... away from the presence of the bird. On my way back to Boise I "holed up" in the back seat, writing a long description of what I had seen, made a sketch... and then finally consulted the mini-library of shorebird (and other) books that filled the area behind the seat of the Honda CRV to read up on plumages, migration, and behavior. The Wood Sandpiper had, in a very personal sense, become my "discovery" although so many had seen it before I was able to get there on Friday. Good birding to my Oregon friends... and many thanks for the courtesies in Eugene. J. Harry Krueger Boise On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 11:34 AM, Bobbett Pierce wrote: > Not in a hundred years would I have been able to ID the wood sandpiper as a > rarity. I would have matched it to the closest thing in Sibley's. How many > oboler's can say they probably would have been able to recognize this > particular sandpiper for what it was? Lona Pierce, Warren > ------------------------------ > Want to do more with Windows Live? Learn "10 hidden secrets" from Jamie. Learn > Now > > _______________________________________________ > obol mailing list > obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org > http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol > >_______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Access to private property From: Alan Contreras <acontrer AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:44:06 -0700 Allow me to disagree in part with my esteemed colleague Dave Irons. It is not that uncommon for private landowners to charge an access fee for birders. I paid such a fee at one site in Texas, and I know a second landowner in Texas charged an access fee when a rarity was there. I don't know whether the Wahls are interested in doing something like that; I suspect not, but it has been done elsewhere. I personally would be happy to pay an annual access fee for private areas that have good habitat, or to help underwrite a group rate of some kind, e.g. for OFO members. I have met Terry Wahl a few times but I don't really know him well. Has anyone ever approached him about some kind of fee-based arrangement? I am sure that there is enough support from private donors to cover, say, an annual fee of $1,000 to cover access by OFO members or some similar category. For those interested in birding similar if not as tasty habitat in that area, the Floras Lake region is excellent birding. Also try the walk out to the mouth of Sixes River. -- Alan Contreras EUGENE, OREGON acontrer AT mindspring.com Someone who HAS seen Russia from Alaska and who is once again...Nostalgic 4 Nixon. http://oregonreview.blogspot.com/ ­ Commentary http://contrerasbirds.blogspot.com/ ­ Bird Photos & News _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Sept. Lincoln Co. Bird Notes Received Through 9/30 From: Range Bayer <rbayer AT orednet.org> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 14:49:24 -0700 (PDT) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ BIRD FIELD NOTES from the September 2008 Sandpiper 29(7) for Observations Received Through 9/30 by Range Bayer The Sandpiper is a publication of Yaquina Birders and Naturalists, a Lincoln County (Oregon) natural history group. Comments in this column about abundance or seasonality refer to LINCOLN COUNTY only. There are too many Lincoln County sightings that have been sent to me or that I have compiled from Oregon Birders On-Line (OBOL) to report them all. Only those considered particularly noteworthy are included here. If you have any Lincoln County field notes, please share them with Range (rbayer AT orednet.org; P.O. Box 1467, Newport, OR 97365; 541-265-2965) by the 20th of the month. Bird field notes columns in the Sandpiper since 1992 are at http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#recent (all lower case letters). Many Lincoln Co. sites are in the Oregon Coast Birding Trail Guide (http://www.oregoncoastbirding.com/). Abbreviations, terms, and some Lincoln Co. site locations: BEAVER CREEK: creek flowing through Ona Beach State Park, ECKMAN LAKE: lake 2 mi east of Waldport along HWY 34, HMSC: OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center, IDAHO FLATS: large embayment just east of HMSC, LNG TANK: large green Liquefied Natural Gas tank on the north side of Yaquina Bay about 1.5 miles east of Yaquina Bay Bridge, MIKE MILLER PARK: county park 1.2 miles south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge on the east side of Hwy 101, ONA BEACH: State Park about 6.6 mi south of Yaquina Bay bridge along HWY 101 at Beaver Creek, SALLY'S BEND: large Yaquina Bay embayment east of the LNG tank, THORNTON CREEK: about midway between Toledo and Eddyville along HWY 20, YBSJ: Yaquina Bay South Jetty. WATERFOWL Our first flock of south-bound GR. WHITE-FRONTED GEESE passed over Thornton Creek on 9/12 (D&LF). The next report for them was of a flock calling over the HMSC in the darkness on 9/21 (RB). Other flocks were reported flying over the HMSC on 9/22 (RB), Newport LNG tank on 9/23 (CP), and Criteser's Moorage downstream from Toledo on 9/24 (SK). During migration, some geese may drop out, presumably because they are unable to keep up. 1 White-fronted Goose was spotted on the ground at the YBSJ on 9/25 (RP & DG), and 4 juveniles were there on 9/26 (WH). No BRANT reports this month, but migrants could start showing up as early as Oct. 22, so be on the lookout! YB&N is a project partner of the International Brant Monitoring Project (IBMP) (http://www.padillabay.gov/brant/). RB relays on sightings of significant numbers of Brant in Lincoln County to their Observation Log (see link on the left side of their web page). On 8/31 & 9/1, BB saw a total of 2 flocks of 6 and 15 CANADA GEESE flying south past Yachats. Some are local residents, but others appear migratory. A TUNDRA SWAN at Siletz Bay during the 9/13 LCAFT is very unseasonal- -could it be the one that was there abnormally late last May? Other first arrivals of fall included AMERICAN WIGEON and NORTHERN SHOVELER at Eckman Lake on 9/7 (KM) and GADWALL and GREEN-WINGED TEAL at Eckman Lake during the 9/19 YBNFT. Seal Rocks was the place to see HARLEQUIN DUCKS with 4 in late August (GM), 2 on 9/6 (RI) and 9/19 YBNFT, 6 males on 9/21 (PP), and 7 males on 9/22 (LO). KM found a few hundred mostly WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and some SURF SCOTERS at Seal Rocks on 9/7. LOON-RAPTORS A RED-THROATED LOON lingered at Siletz Bay on 8/23 (JSha). 4 RED- NECKED GREBES and 70 WESTERN GREBES were at Seal Rocks on 9/7 (KM). The Red-necks were our first reported this season. KM also reported our first PIED-BILLED GREBES (3) of fall at Eckman Lake on 9/7. The 9/13 Bird Guide pelagic trip out of Newport was truly graced-- they found the second record for North America of a WANDERING ALBATROSS (Antipodean form)! Other tubenoses they viewed offshore included 1 LAYSAN and 40 BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES, a rare FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, 3 BULLER'S, 100 PINK-FOOTED, and 150 SOOTY SHEARWATERS; 45 NORTHERN FULMARS, and 5 FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS. On 8/25, RL saw some BROWN PELICANS foraging 6-7 miles west of Yaquina Head, which is farther offshore than normal. In Sept., not as many Brown Pelicans were reported as late last month, but it is not clear if this is because there were really fewer pelicans or if observers had became habituated to them. High counts this month included 100+ at Seal Rocks on 9/1 (KB) and 9/19 (YBNFT), 163+ on Elephant Rock at Seal Rocks on 9/22 (LO), and 122 at Yaquina Bay on 9/28 (CA). Usually, Brown Pelicans are along the coast or in late summer in lower estuaries, but on 9/11, CP and D&LF found immature and adult pelicans at about Yaquina River Mile 10-11, with some headed upstream. This is exceptionally far upstream for them. Squawker, the GREAT BLUE HERON that nearly continuously calls while flying, was noted at the HMSC near dusk on 9/3, 4, & 23 (RB). OSPREY mostly fish on lakes, where the water is relatively calm. Yet, some fish along the coast, where the water is rougher. On 9/2, KB saw an OSPREY catch a big fish in the surf north of Seal Rocks. It was unable to fly away before it was "slapped by 4 breakers" and "lay splayed out on the ocean"! The fish got away, as did the Osprey! 2 WHITE-TAILED KITES surveyed the grasslands near the Newport Airport on 8/31 (BM). A juvenile SHARP-SHINNED HAWK appeared at L&JM's home east of Sally's Bend on 9/18. It was teased by several Steller's Jays, which appeared to be playing "tag" with the hawk. First of fall immigrants include a juvenile RED-SHOULDERED HAWK that struck EG's window in Yachats on 9/17, and a MERLIN chasing European Starlings at the HMSC on 9/28 (TW). The Red-shoulder left an oil/feather- powder impression on the window, but recovered and flew away -- apparently the same one was seen the next day, when it was harassed by Steller's Jays and a "murder" of American Crows (EG). 1 PEREGRINE FALCON was at Siletz Bay during the 9/13 LCAFT, and 2 were at Yaquina Bay during the Bird Guide pelagic trip the same day. SHOREBIRDS The 35-40 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS at Siletz Bay during the 9/13 LCAFT was our high count. BB & SaL saw 2 WHIMBRELS walking along the driftline along CoastWatch Mile 198, south of Waldport, feeding on mole crabs. Single MARBLED GODWITS were widely reported on 9/4 & 5 near the HMSC (JL; RI), on 9/11 near Seal Rocks (MC), on 9/13 at Siletz Bay (LCAFT), and on 9/30 at Idaho Flats (TW). While bicycling along Beaver Creek Road about a half mile from HWY 101 on 9/19, MN glimpsed without binoculars what appeared to a BLACK-NECKED STILT. Unfortunately, it was not relocated. Our first and only previous report was in April 1985 (SemiL; FN). [Dennis Comfort's photos of 9/22 that confirmed it as a Black-necked Stilt were received on 10/6.] On 9/19, CP found an uncommon SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER with 3 WESTERN SANDPIPERS near Mile Post 8 along north Yaquina Bay Road. On 9/7 at Seal Rocks, KM watched 4 SANDERLINGS that were following the waves less than usual. They were feeding higher up the beach on little red polychaetes in the sand. The 9/19 YBNFT had an exceptional view of 2 WILSON'S SNIPE at Eckman Lake. They were in bright sunshine--not overcast and drizzly like when we often seem them in winter. They were richly brown with striking stripes along their back. Nearby, the YBNFT also had side-by-side comparisons of GREATER YELLOWLEGS and LESSER YELLOWLEGS. [Image Not Included: Maxine Centala's Sept. 11 photo of a Marbled Godwit strolling near the waterline at Seal Rocks.] [Image Not Included: Kitty Brigham's Sept. 1 photo of a Red-necked Phalarope and its rippled reflection at Seal Rocks.] OREGON SEABIRD CATALOG This USFWS catalog is also now available for downloading for free on the Oregon Coastal Refuges web site as a complete document or by sections at http://www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/seabird_colony_catalog.htm This is a great informational resource! SKUAS-ALCIDS 2 SOUTH POLAR SKUAS and 2 POMARINE, 4 PARASITIC, and 1 LONG-TAILED JAEGER were tallied offshore during the 9/13 Bird Guide pelagic trip out of Newport. In late summer on warm days, insect swarms sometimes launch into the sky, apparently to mate and disperse. Regularly, gulls and even EUROPEAN STARLINGS will fly around and try to snatch these insects in the air. Before dusk on 9/7, RB saw flying ants in the sky at the HMSC, and a loose flying flock of 5 gulls trying to catch them. KM detected our only BONAPARTE'S GULL, a juvenile, at Eckman Lake on 9/7. JShr spotted 2 COMMON TERNS or ARCTIC TERNS at the YBSJ on 9/11. 2 were also at Sally's Bend on 9/15 (RB). Seabirds die and often wash up on beaches. In August, along 4.6 miles of beach north of Ona Beach, 25 adult and 43 juvenile COMMON MURRES were found (B&SLo, L&VO). For BLo's counts that started in 1978, this number of adults is slightly more than normal but far less than the 85 in 1980 and 98 in 2005. Their count of juveniles is less than normal, though numbers are quite variable with 1,201 in August 1982. Beached murres were also reported in September (BB & SaL), and BLo's team tally will be helpful in determining if there were more than usual. A juvenile PIGEON GUILLEMOT also washed ashore on the beach north of Ona Beach in August (B&SLo, L&VO). CASSIN'S AUKLETS are rare in estuaries, but one floated near the HMSC on 9/5 (RI). DOVE-RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD 12 MOURNING DOVES were at DG's Toledo home on 9/18. BAND-TAILED PIGEONS were abundant this summer, and 20-30 lingered at BB's Yachats feeders on 9/23 --most should be gone by November. A BARRED OWL hooted near LO's north Beaver Creek home on 9/14, and N&EE saw another near their home south of Depoe Bay on 9/15 (fide DS; DD). DG & RL commented that a female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD nested in a small bush outside of an office in the USFWS building at the HMSC. Two chicks hatched on 6/12. On 6/30, the juvenile COMMON RAVEN seen at the HMSC by TW raided the nest. DG writes that "The nest was strewn about 10 feet from the bush, and the chicks were gone. After a few minutes of sleuthing we found the chicks huddled up under the bush, alive and well. We reassembled the nest, put the chicks back in the nest, and then built an elaborate 'cage' to keep out any more marauders." The chicks fledged on the 4th of July at 23 days old. Our last RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD report was at Toledo on 9/16 (CP). [Image Not Included: Roy Lowe's photo of a female Rufous Hummingbird feeding one of her two chicks in June 2008. The chicks are in a tiny lichen adorned nest cup outside the office of the USFWS Building at the HMSC. To the right of the chick with barely open eyes, the other chick's yellow bill gapes upwards in expectation of a meal. According to the Birds of North America Online, Rufous Hummingbird nests are bound together with spider silk, the inside diameter of the nest cup is only about 0.9 inch wide, the average egg size is 0.5 inch long by 0.3 inch wide, and a chick's eyes open when it is about 9-12 days old.] KINGFISHER-EVENING GROSBEAK A small flock of 6 BELTED KINGFISHERS were "raising quite a ruckus" near PK's home near Siletz for several days through 9/14. PK watched one feed another. These were probably a family group of 4 young and the parents, since the Birds of North America Online indicates that young remain with the parents and are fed by them for about 3 weeks after leaving the nest. In fall, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS often show up along the coast, and the first this fall appeared at EH's South Beach home on 9/16. Signs of emigration of summering birds include the last seen dates for BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK of 9/3 at the HMSC (RL), WESTERN TANAGER of 9/4 at Mike Miller Park (RI), WILSON'S WARBLER of 9/5 at Mike Miller Park (RI), PURPLE MARTIN of 9/10 at the HMSC (RB), and BARN SWALLOW on 9/19 at Eckman Lake (YBNFT). Another emigration sign is migrating SWAINSON'S THRUSHES giving call notes in the darkness, as heard at north Beaver Creek on 8/26 (LO) and at the HMSC on 8/28 (RB). RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES often appear nomadic, rather than having regular, predictable migrations--they may arrive or not in early fall. This year, their arrival was widely noted on about 9/11 east of Sally's Bend (L&JM), Newport (SM), and South Beach (EH). While many summer residents have departed, fall immigrants include AMERICAN PIPIT and LAPLAND LONGSPUR at the YBSJ on 9/4 (RI), and FOX SPARROW at north Beaver Creek on 9/21 (LO). TS found 12 Laplands at the YBSJ on 9/13. DARK-EYED JUNCOS nest in appropriate habitat in Lincoln County, but at many locations they are migrants. The first of fall arrived at the HMSC on 9/21 and 2 days later at BB's Yachats home. WESTERN MEADOWLARKS have not been found nesting here, and TW heard the first fall immigrants at the HMSC on 9/28. RED CROSSBILLS are also nomadic. 4-5 were making daily visits to BB's feeders in Yachats until 9/1, and 1 was at Beaver Creek on 9/6 (RI). EVENING GROSBEAKS continued to put on an exceptional show, with many at LO's birch tree in north Beaver Creek on 9/6 and feeding on ripe berries at BLo's mountain ash tree in Thiel Creek (about 3.5 mi south of Yaquina Bay) where they rarely are on 9/18-21. DF has been hearing them daily for the past few months at Thornton Creek, and notes that they have been much more common than in the past 8-10 years. OBSERVERS/SOURCES: Cindy Ashy, Betty Bahn, Range Bayer, Kitty Brigham, Maxine Centala, CoastWatch (a volunteer project monitoring one- mile segments of the Oregon coast; http://oregoncoastwatch.org/), Dick Demarest, Nancy & Eddie Edwards, Darrel & Laura Faxon (some sightings at http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#thornton_creek, Elizabeth Gates, Dawn Grafe, Bird Guide Pelagic Trip out of Newport (BGPT; info about pelagic trips, http://thebirdguide.com), Wayne Hoffman, Eric Horvath, Robert Ingle, Penelope Kaczmarek, Steve Kupillas, Janet Lamberson, Lincoln City Audubon Field Trip (LCAFT led by DD), Sally Lockyear (SaL), Bob Loeffel (BLo) & Shirley Loeffel (SLo), Roy Lowe, Linda & John MacKown, Sue Martin, Barry McPherson, Kathy Merrifield, Guy Monroe, Michael Noack, Field Notes (FN; Lincoln County records from the Sandpiper since 1992 are searchable at http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#recent [all lower case letters]), Oregon Birders On-Line (OBOL; recent postings at http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/OBOL.html), Laimons & Vicki Osis, Ram Papish, Pam Parker, Chuck Philo, SemiL (semimonthly Lincoln Co. bird records through 1992 for each species at ScholarsArchive AT OSU [http://hdl.handle.net/1957/8070]), Julie Shafer (JSha), Joline Shroyer (JSh), Tom Snetsinger, Don Stein, Tom Wainwright, Yaquina Birders & Naturalists (YBNFT Field Trip led by RB). _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Malheur update From: Alan Contreras <acontrer AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:16:02 -0700 Nothing much new here, very cold overnight. Tonight we expect a north wind 10mph and clear skies and I expect turnover throughout the area. -- Alan Contreras EUGENE, OREGON acontrer AT mindspring.com Someone who HAS seen Russia from Alaska and who is once again...Nostalgic 4 Nixon. http://oregonreview.blogspot.com/ ­ Commentary http://contrerasbirds.blogspot.com/ ­ Bird Photos & News _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Wood Sandpiper Gratitude From: "Bird Brain" <birdbrain2000 AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 11:44:28 -0700 Thank you to all of the Eugene area birders who generously gave of their time to patrol the parking lot this past weekend. Please know that because of your efforts, WREN ( http://www.wewetlands.org/wren.asp) just received $50 from this grateful birder. I suspect other birders will be doing the same, all thanks to your generosity. What a wonderful standard you set -- hopefully the rest of us will live up to it should the opportunity ever present itself. Good Birding._______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Why is called WOOD Sandpiper? From: Hendrik Herlyn <hhactitis AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 10:41:48 -0700 (PDT) Hi Dave and all, I guess it is called Wood Sandpiper since it tends to breed in bogs and small marshes in boreal forests, usually near trees. And like its close relatives, Solitary and Green Sandpiper, it occasionally utilizes old bird nests in trees to lay its eggs in (however, I've always thought that Wood Sandpiper was a slight misnomer for this species, since the Green Sandpiper in Europe is much more closely associated with wooded habitats ... in fact, the German name of Green Sandpiper translates to "Wood" Sandpiper, whereas the Wood Sandpiper is more aptly called "Bog" Sandpiper ... a constant source of confusion when I tried to learn their English names many moons ago). Glad you got to see the bird Hendrik _________________________________ Hendrik G. Herlyn 2445 SW Leonard Street, Apt. 5 Corvallis, OR 97333 USA Phone: (541)-738-2688 E-Mail: hhactitis AT yahoo.com --- On Fri, 10/3/08, Dave Brown wrote: From: Dave Brown Subject: [obol] Why is called WOOD Sandpiper? To: obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org Date: Friday, October 3, 2008, 9:26 PM I can't help wandering why it's called a Wood Sandpiper when we don't see it in the woods? Does it nest in a tree like the Wood Duck in it's northern range? I have a bird book of world birds but it is not in it. I did get to see the bird on Wednesday evening thanks to Daniel and Lydia.   Dave Brown Alvadore  _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Car sit volunteer addendum From: "Anne & Dan Heyerly" <tanager AT nu-world.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 10:40:24 -0700 Obolinks, I mistakenly omitted one volunteer that helped out in the parking lot security project last weekend. Barb Combs also assisted in the effort. She risked being late to a concert to help out. Now that is dedication! Thanks Barb. Also, on the Thursday prior when the Wood Sandpiper graced us (Lars Norgren, Anne, myself, Dennis Arendt, and Paul Sherrell) with the close-up views, Barb also arrived as we were looking at the bird. Barb you were not invisible, just quiet. And that's a good thing! Dan Heyerly _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: WOOD question From: Bobbett Pierce <ensatina3 AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 13:34:37 -0400 Not in a hundred years would I have been able to ID the wood sandpiper as a rarity. I would have matched it to the closest thing in Sibley's. How many oboler's can say they probably would have been able to recognize this particular sandpiper for what it was? Lona Pierce, Warren _________________________________________________________________ Want to do more with Windows Live? Learn “10 hidden secrets” from Jamie. http://windowslive.com/connect/post/jamiethomson.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!550F681DAD532637!5295.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_domore_092008 _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Re: Wood Sandpiper: Register-Guard Article From: "Tom Crabtree" <tc AT empnet.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 09:57:40 -0800 Sir John, I will echo Dave's comments. It was a great video. It's always nice when there is an articulate spokesperson telling the story, too. Nice crowd shots - any chance you could post some of those online? I'd like to have a copy to commemorate the experience. Tom Crabtree, Bend _____ From: obol-bounces AT oregonbirdwatch.org [mailto:obol-bounces AT oregonbirdwatch.org] On Behalf Of David Irons Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 9:37 PM To: oropendolas AT aol.com; obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org Subject: Re: [obol] Wood Sandpiper: Register-Guard Article John, The video was great. For once it is nice to hear a real birder talking about a bird and birding in terms that don't trot out all the ridiculous stereotypes. Hopefully, the R-G article will be of similar ilk rather than the usual cheesy stuff that gets published when rare birds are discovered. At least the Register-Guard is good about covering the story when major rarities show up. Dave Irons Eugene, OR _____ From: Oropendolas AT aol.com Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 01:21:01 -0400 To: obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org Subject: [obol] Wood Sandpiper: Register-Guard Article Hello All, There will be an article running it this Thursday's Register-Guard about the Wood Sandpiper. In the mean time, you can check out this video on their on-line page. Yikes! http://rgweb.registerguard.com/video/ John Sullivan & Laura Jonhson Springfield, Oregon _____ New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out ! _____ See how Windows Mobile brings your life together-at home, work, or on the go. See Now _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: [COBOL] Jays, Jays, Jays From: "Tom Crabtree" <tc AT empnet.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 09:49:50 -0800 I took a short walk this morning from the Tower Theater to my office across from the courthouse, on Wall, Oregon & Bond Streets. In less than 10 minutes time I had 31 Scrub Jays and 7 Steller's Jays. All were engaged in a feeding frenzy among the oaks lining the street. It is really quite a spectacle. No doubt we will record fewer than 31 Scrub Jays for all of Bend on the Christmas Count in two months time. I wonder how many we would get if we really had some coverage of the downtown area. Interestingly, all the Steller's Jays were between the Tower Theater and the Breezeway, whereas the Scrub Jays were scattered all over. Get out, enjoy the fall, find some birds. Tom Crabtree, Semi-sorta stuck in the office in Bend _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol Subject: Jays, Jays, Jays From: "Tom Crabtree" <tc AT empnet.com> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 09:49:50 -0800 I took a short walk this morning from the Tower Theater to my office across from the courthouse, on Wall, Oregon & Bond Streets. In less than 10 minutes time I had 31 Scrub Jays and 7 Steller's Jays. All were engaged in a feeding frenzy among the oaks lining the street. It is really quite a spectacle. No doubt we will record fewer than 31 Scrub Jays for all of Bend on the Christmas Count in two months time. I wonder how many we would get if we really had some coverage of the downtown area. Interestingly, all the Steller's Jays were between the Tower Theater and the Breezeway, whereas the Scrub Jays were scattered all over. Get out, enjoy the fall, find some birds. Tom Crabtree, Semi-sorta stuck in the office in Bend _______________________________________________ COBOL mailing list COBOL AT lists.oregonstate.edu http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/cobol To unsubscribe, send a message to: COBOL-request AT lists.oregonstate.edu with the word "unsubscribe" in the body. Subject: Wood Sandpiper in Media From: Norgren Family <gnorgren AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 09:41:22 -0700 OPB covered the Royal Woodie in this morning's radio news. Completely factual and inoffensive. Lars Norgren _______________________________________________ obol mailing list obol AT oregonbirdwatch.org http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol