[obol] Sauvie birds + Vancouver Storngly Albinistic Cackling Goose

[Bill Clemons]

Today was looking so beautiful that I decided to go
birding.

I went first to Sauvie Island, primarily to look at
Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes.  Both are still there
in large numbers (over a thousand Snows, and hundreds
of Sandhills).  Virtually all the Snow Geese were at
the viewing platform on Reeder Rd, as were most of the
Sandhill Cranes.

COMMON TEAL:  This well marked drake was along
Rentenaar Rd on the N side of the road at the first
sheet water on a somewhat open field.  It was very
loosely associated with several other Green-winged
Teal, a few Pintail and some Mallards, though the
drake and a hen were clearly together and more on
there own than in a group.   My thanks go to Gerry
Kazda (spelling?), who told me about this drake when I
met him at the viewing platform.

HORNED GREBE:  This bird was in the marina on the
Columbia off of Reeder Road. 

GREAT HORNED OWL:  This Owl was on a nest well S of
the viewing platform.

I gave the Black Phoebe a chance at the previously
reported spot on Gillihan Rd near Reeder Road, but
failed to see it. 

At Vancouver Lake Park I saw two WHITE-THROATED
SPARROWS.  Both were white striped. I also saw a
female Downy Woodpecker there that I assume had
recently molted her tail as it was a mere stub.

There was a Strongly ALBINISTIC CACKLING GOOSE in the
first water you come to after turning off  of W 4th
Plain Blvd and onto NW Lower River Road.  This Goose
was Quite a surprise.  I was parked on the shoulder
scanning about a thousand Geese on the water and its
edging.  As I decided to drive on toward Vancouver
Lake Park, I had pud down my binoculars and begun to
move when I for some reason glanced once again and
thought I saw a white goose.  Thinking I might have a
lone Ross's Goose I turned around and backtracked.  I
was blown away when I saw a WHITE CACKLER.  The bird
is not totally white.  Its entire body is nearly
completely white with just a few tinges of Brown.  Its
legs are Brown.  Its entire neck and head are a Medium
Brown (a more coffee than milk brown), yet it still
has a White Cheek Patch.  What a sight!   


Complete list:


	                                    Sauvie Is.
Vancouver Lk.
HORNED GREBE	                           X	
Double-crested Cormorant	   X	
Great Blue Heron	                   X	          X
Great Egret	                           X	          X
SNOW GOOSE	                           X	
Cackling Goose	                           X	         
X
Canada Goose	                           X	          X
Tundra Swan	                           X	
Gadwall	                                   X	
American Wigeon	                   X	          X
Mallard	                                   X	         
X
Northern Shoveler	                   X	          X
Northern Pintail	X	
Green-winged Teal	                   X	
COMMON TEAL	                           X	
REDHEAD	                                   X	
Ring-necked Duck	                   X	          X
Lesser Scaup	                           X	          X
Bufflehead	                           X	          X
Bald Eagle                         	   X	          X
Northern Harrier	                   X	          X
Cooper's Hawk	                           X	
Red-tailed Hawk	                   X	          X
American Kestrel	                   X	
American Coot	                           X	          X
SANDHILL CRANE	                   X	          X
Killdeer	                                   X	        
 X
Gull (Species)	                           X	         
X
Rock Pigeon	                           X	          X
Great Horned Owl	                   X (on nest)	
Belted Kingfisher	                   X	
Downy Woodpecker		                          X
Northern Flicker	                   X	          X
Western Scrub-Jay	                   X	          X
American Crow	                           X	          X
TREE SWALLOW	                           X	
Black-capped Chickadee	           X	          X
Red-breasted Nuthatch	           X	
White-breasted Nuthatch		                  X
Brown Creeper	                           X	
American Robin	                   X	          X
European Starling	                   X	          X
Spotted Towhee	                   X	          X
Song Sparrow	                           X	          X
White-throated Sparrow		                  X
White-crowned Sparrow	          X	
Golden-crowned Sparrow	          X	          X
Red-winged Blackbird	          X	          X
Brewer's Blackbird	                  X	          X
House Finch	                          X	          X
House Sparrow	                          X	

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









 
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