[obol] Tualatin River NWR: RUFF/REEVE = Yes, L-b Curlew = No

[Bill Clemons]

This morning, my mother (Olive), Jane Smith and I went
out to Tualatin River NWR to take a closer look at the
RUFF/REEVE and also to try and find the 2 Long-billed
Curlew reported yesterday by Paul Sullivan and Carol
Karlen.  

We could not find any Long-billed Curlew.

The RUFF/REEVE was still in the same place as
previously reported shallow water/mud flat. It was
still seemingly hanging around with, and at times less
than a foot away from two Long-billed Dowitchers.

We again saw the actively hunting/searching juvenile
Peregrine Falcon, which eventually strafed the
shorebird area and got all the shore birds to scatter.
 I later relocated the 2 L-b Dowitchers, but not the
RUFF/REEVE.

Jane Smith and I are not well versed on RUFF/REEVE
subtleties.  In fact, I have only seen them a few
times in my life. 

Paul Sullivan, on Saturday evening, posted his
reasoning for this bird being an adult REEVE.  It was
Paul's post that made me go back there this morning
for another look.  

Both Jane and I agree with Paul for the following
reasons:

1)  Lacking any buffy aspects, the bird is an adult,
not a juvenile.

2)  Comparing size with the 2 L-b. Dowitchers, the
bird was the same size, or even a tad smaller.  At
times it was less than a foot from one of the
Dowitchers.

3)  Using the Sibley guide (big book), page 189, the
TRNWR bird has a dark bill lacking the orange of the
male.  The black on the flanks of the male, is lacking
on this bird.  The blackish area is lighter than the
Sibley male and also higher on the bird, more like the
illustration of the female.  There is no rusty aspect
to the back of this bird.

Other Critter Highlights: 

MINK:  We saw 2 separate MINK.  One was likely the
same nearly full sized individual I saw yesterday. 
The second MINK was much smaller, and after crossing
the trail near the spot where folks had observed the
shorebirds, it hunted in the water canal and side
grasses before coming back up to the road and heading
E for at least 200 feet or so along the road before
re-entering the canal.
 
LAZULI BUNTING:  A single singing male was still
hanging around along the service road/trail just about
100 yards or so W of the locked service gate.

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


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