[obol] Polk/Yamhill Counties: Bur Owl, RL Hawk, Eur Wig

[Scott Carpenter]

I observed the previously reported BURROWING OWL today in the previously
reported location -- on the east side of Livermore Rd about 1.1 miles south
of Bethel Rd in Polk County.

Also in the general area was a pair of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS I first observed
north of Coville Rd just west of Hwy 99W.  They meandered northward at a
pace similar to mine, and we both ended up at the BURROWING OWL around
noon.  Along the way, I passed a third ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK that was hunting
the fields west of Livermore Rd, north of Smithfield Rd.

The BURROWING OWL was out the entire time I was there, except for a few
minutes when the pair of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS flew directly overhead at a
relatively low altitude.  For those few minutes, the owl completely
disappeared from view by going into the pipe just below its perch.  There
was also an adult male NORTHERN HARRIER hunting the fields at the time, but
the owl appeared to be concerned with only the ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.  Shortly
after returning to view, the owl nabbed a large insect and quickly devoured
it.

Farther north in a pond on the west side of McKee Rd just SW of its
intersection with Hwy 99W was a male EURASIAN WIGEON.  Also in the same pond
was what appeared to be a male hybrid AMERICAN X EURASIAN WIGEON.  This
location is just south of Amity in Yamhill County.

The "ponds" along Coville Rd at Baskett Slough NWR were almost completely
dry.  As a result, I saw no waterfowl on the refuge other than flyby geese.
It left me wondering if it has been very dry in the area and/or if the
refuge staff are draining the water for some reason.

Scott Carpenter
SW Portland
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