[obol] Another January

[Donna Lusthoff]

Hi, Steve and all
 
You describe the weather Verda and I had when we went to E OR in Jan of
85.
Our birds, against the bright blue sky and the snow on the ground were a
flock of Pine Grosbeaks in a small deciduous tree in Enterprise, a
White-winged Crossbill (f) in Enterprise, and a flock of about 200
Common Redpoll near Cove OR.
 
It was a wonderful, magical trip.
 
(Remember, Owen?)
 
Donna Lusthoff
 
-----Original Message-----
From: obol-bounces at lists.oregonstate.edu
[mailto:obol-bounces at lists.oregonstate.edu] On Behalf Of
FoxSparrows at aol.com
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 6:05 PM
To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu
Subject: [obol] The terrorists in Wallowa County... what is an
honestwaxwing to do???
 
Laura and I made a quick three-day dash to beautiful Wallowa County this
weekend. Since we already have subfreezing temperatures at home in
Harney County, we were looking for some real snow to go with it. Plus...
it ain't far away any more!
 
We never found any Snow Buntings...drove all the roads that the Paradise
Birding Trip reported... we saw a flock of Horned Larks at the summit of
Golf Club Road, but that was it. What we did see was something I'd only
read about... GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES were inhabiting a building (barn
with silos) at the intersection of Leap Lane and Highway 3 north of
Enterprise, about 45 minutes before sunset.... maybe 20 or so birds.
They were very busy... flying up along the rough-wood side of the barn
and clinging to the siding, or flying up  into the open metal caps of
the silos. This was on Saturday afternoon.
 
On Sunday morning at about 0800, I watched a large flock of 200+
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and maybe 50 CEDAR WAXWINGS land in a in a spruce tree
in downtown Enterprise (X of Greenwood Street and Highway 82), after
which some of the Cedar Waxwings dropped into a Mountain Ash below to
feed with Robins. A few minutes later, a very dark MERLIN (probably the
one reported from last weekend) swooped in and drove the whole bunch
away east over the neighborhoods. The Merlin perched in spruce tree, as
if to say "Go ahead, come on back... MAKE MY BREAKFAST!" WE never found
the Enterprise Bohemian Waxwings again over the next 1 1/2 days.
 
In Joseph this morning, we finally found Bohemian Waxwings behind a
house at the X of 2nd Street and Mill Street.... 250+, no Cedars with
them. Same deal... after a few minutes, a Merlin swooped in and split
them into two flocks. This was not a black Merlin, and it pursued the
largest flock south toward Wallowa Lake. The waxwings seem to get NO
PEACE with the local terrorists on patrol.
 
The other curious thing... a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL was hunting in a
backyard along Little Sheep Creek Road, essentially IN TOWN, just below
the big upon which the middle and high schools sit. This is nowhere near
any real forest, or even woodland. This morning, it was still in the
same back yard. We even got photos...
 
Eagle of both types everywhere, as well as Red-tails and Rough-legs. It
is really gorgeous there when the sun is shining on really cold sparkly
snow...
 
Steve Dowlan
Hines, Oregon
At the edge of 
Great Basin...
Where life is good!
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