[obol] Fern Ridge birds

[Alan Contreras]

I spent the morning with Graham Floyd checking the Redhead Pond and the end
of the road at Royal Avenue at Fern Ridge Res. west of Eugene.

Two female (by size) peregrines) were working the area, keeping things
stirred up.  At, flying in and flying out of Redhead Pond were 125 or so
Western Sandpiper, maybe 75 Least, at least 1 and probably 3 Pectorals, 3
Shortbill dow, 6 Longbill dow, 1 lesser and half a dozen Greater Legs
(mainly flyovers), a Semi Plover, Virginia Rail and a probable Baird's
Sandpiper that I heard a few times but could never see.

At the end of Royal it is now possible to walk north on the boggy dirt.
There is excellent habitat out there now.  We had about 100 Least, 15
Western, some distant dows, large numbers of Great Egrets, maybe 15
pelicans, about ten Caspian Terns and a lot of other water birds.

We saw several female Pintail, which I don't remember being around earlier
this summer.  Other pleasures in the general area included Willow
Flycatcher, orange-crown, a zillion savannah sparrows, many snakes.

By the way, the area north of the end of Royal looks perfect for things like
Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Stilt Sand, pectorals, pipits etc.  It should be
checked regularly from now through the fall.  Could easily have longspurs in
Sept-Oct.

-- 
Alan Contreras
EUGENE, OREGON
acontrer at mindspring.com