[obol] RUFF Still at Tualatin River NWR Saturday morning

[Bill Clemons]

RUFF Still at Tualatin River NWR Saturday morning

This morning, my mother (Olive), Debby de Carlo and I
went out to Tualatin River NWR to take a look at the
RUFF and a few other critters.

The RUFF was still in the same place as previously
reported. There were also some Red-necked Phalaropes,
along with Long-billed Dowitcher, Killdeer, as well as
Spotted, Western, and Least Sandpipers.

We also saw an Osprey and an actively
hunting/searching juvenile Peregrine Falcon.

Besides the RUFF, other highlights were:

1)  A singing male LAZULI BUNTING.  He was seen at
times on either side of the same road/trail that the
Ruff is being seen from.  We saw him about 100 yards
or so W of the service gate that you need to walk
around in order to walk out to see the Ruff.

2)  We also saw a very healthy looking juvenile MINK
(about 2/3 adult size) carrying a freshly caught
BULLFROG.  The mink was in a nearly dry but still
muddy canal on the N side of the service road/trail
and just W of the trail intersection that cuts through
the wetland and heads to the N.  We watched it
disappear into the grass closest to us, and when it
came out in the open again, it was dragging a nearly
full sized Bullfrog.  It was grasping the Bullfrog
near the head and as it headed away from us we could
see the Bullfrog's long legs dangling along under the
Mink.  We watched it move N in the open, dragging the
Bullfrog for about 100 feet or so in that canal before
it disappeared into the grasses.

Based on her personal consumption of cups full of
Blackberries, Olive says the Blackberries are in their
prime, and the only thing lacking were benches to sit
on while she consumed her fresh sweet berries.

Bill Clemons
SW of Portland in Mtn Park
Willclemons AT Yahoo dot com


       
____________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase.
http://farechase.yahoo.com/