[obol] Feb. Lincoln Co. Bird Notes & Burrowing Owl Saga
Range Bayer
rbayer at orednet.org
Mon Mar 12 13:15:44 PDT 2007
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BIRD FIELD NOTES from the February 2007 Sandpiper 28(2)
for Observations Received Through Feb. 28 by Range Bayer
The Sandpiper is a publication of Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, a
Lincoln County (Oregon) natural history group.
Comments in this column about abundance or seasonality refer to
LINCOLN COUNTY only. If you have any Lincoln County field notes, please
share them with Range (rbayer at orednet.org; P.O. Box 1467, Newport, OR
97365; 541-265-2965) by the 20th of the month. Bird field notes columns in
the Sandpiper since 1992 are at
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#recent (all lower case
letters).
Many Lincoln Co. sites are in the Oregon Coast Birding Trail Guide
(http://www.oregoncoastbirding.com/).
Abbreviations, terms, and some Lincoln Co. site locations: BEAVER
CREEK: creek flowing through Ona Beach State Park, ECKMAN LAKE: lake 2 mi
east of Waldport along HWY 34, HMSC: OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center,
IDAHO FLATS: large embayment just east of HMSC, LNG TANK: large green
Liquefied Natural Gas tank on the north side of Yaquina Bay about 1.5 miles
east of Yaquina Bay Bridge, ONA BEACH: State Park about 6.6 mi south of
Yaquina Bay bridge along HWY 101 at Beaver Creek, SALLYS BEND: large
Yaquina Bay embayment east of the LNG tank, YBSJ: Yaquina Bay South Jetty.
BRANT - NIGHT-HERON
We have more to learn about BLACK BRANT. At 8 AM on 2/3 while
leaving Yaquina Bay on a fishing boat, RL saw a flock of about 25 Brant
flying into the bay over the tip of the North Jetty from the northwest and
land just east of the Yaquina Bay Bridge on the rocky flats. RL notes: "I
have no idea where they were coming from. If they had been roosting on the
ocean, I would suspect they would have departed at sunrise and not his late
in the morning. Wonder if the could have been getting grit on the beach
somewhere?"
A pair of WOOD DUCKS arrived at Beaver Creek in the second week of
Feb. (LO).
1-2 EURASIAN WIGEON graced Sallys Bend on 2/3 (JL) and Eckman Lake on
2/2 & 4 (RL; KMe).
HARLEQUIN DUCKS were found at Yaquina Head during 6 days in January
(BLM); 3-5 were at Seal Rocks on 2/4 (PS & CK; KMe), and 1 was at the YBSJ
on 2/22 (JL).
The most numerous waterfowl during the Feb. 16 YBNFT/GBBC at Alsea
Bay were BUFFLEHEADS (338), SURF SCOTERS (201), and NORTHERN PINTAIL (65).
All three scoters (BLACK, SURF, and WHITE-WINGED) were just north of Seal
Rocks on 2/8 (KB).
Our only LONG-TAILED DUCK report was of one in the ocean at Seal
Rocks on 2/4 (PS & CK).
2 EARED GREBES were at the YBSJ on 2/28 (BO).
A FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL was found dead along 4.6 miles of beach
north of Ona Beach in January (B&SLo, L&VO), and BO discovered a live one
near the third finger of the YBSJ on 2/28.
A single BROWN PELICAN, our first of the year, was flying along the
coast about a mile south of Depoe Bay on 2/7 (KMa).
2 GREAT EGRETS were at Beaver Creek on 2/8 (LO), 1 was at Eckman Lake
on 2/10 (JL), and, at Alsea Bay, 2 were noted on 1/30 (JW) and 3 or 4 were
counted during the 2/16 YBNFT/GBBC.
A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON continued in lower Yaquina Bay on 2/22
(JL; M&MD).
GREAT BLUE HERON ABUNDANCE
How will the numbers of GREAT BLUE HERONS at Yaquina Bay change
during 2007? Now you have a chance to follow RB's counts since 30 Dec.
2006. What is your guess for how the numbers will go in March? Up? Down?
Stay the same? Will there be any signs of migration? What is your
prediction for the most that will be counted this year?
No. of Great Blue Herons Within 1 Hour of Predicted Low Tides Less Than
+0.5 Ft at Yaquina Bay Embayments
-
40-
-X X X
20-X X X
-X X X
0-X X X
'|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|
Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov
(The Month starts with a vertical line and is divided into thirds. A census
in the first third is in the vertical line, in the second third in the
first ' and in the last third in the second ')
TURKEY VULTURE-PEREGRINE FALCON
WH reported our first TURKEY VULTURE at the Lincoln/Tillamook County
line at the mouth of the Salmon River on 2/17.
A WHITE-TAILED KITE pair foraged on 2/1 & 2 west of Criteser's
Moorage, downstream of Toledo (SK).
There were many BALD EAGLE reports. On 2/5, BLl saw an adult flying
up the Siletz River near Logsden "at dusk at tree-top height, while a large
fish rolled in a pool, and my dog Dexter played with his ball. It was an
idyllic Northwest scene!"
2 COMMON RAVENS harassed a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK at Oregon Coast
Aquarium on 1/19, and another Red-shoulder was in that area on 2/22 & 23
(BLl). RL identified a juvenile Red-shoulder along the HMSC Nature Trail
on 2/21 & 22, and EH heard a Red-shoulder calling near his home at SE 35th
Street in South Beach on 2/25.
An AMERICAN KESTREL was at Yaquina Head on 1/6 (BLM), at Beaver Creek
on 2/8 (LO), near Olalla Slough/Toledo on 2/11 (JL), and near the Toledo
intersection with HWY 20 on 2/20 (DG).
A PEREGRINE FALCON was at Yaquina Head on 1/30 (BLM) and three days
in early February (CA). 1 perched in the "dead alder" at HMSC Nature Trail
on 2/7 (JL), and two perched together in Newport on 2/13 (WH fide DG).
No MERLIN reports--they have been scarce this winter!
[Image Not Included: Howard Shippey's mid-February photo of a Bald Eagle
flying over his deck near the Newport Bayfront "to an enthusiastic greeting
by 'my' neighborhood crows."]
LINCOLN COUNTY RAPTOR ROUTE
The February Lincoln Co. raptor route was conducted on 2/9 by WH, WN,
and RC. The route runs from Alsea Bay north to Lincoln City, inland
following Hwy 229 to Siletz and Toledo, and along the Yaquina River back to
Newport.
Total raptors were the lowest count in the past two winters, with
both Red-tailed Hawk and Bald Eagle numbers down.
Oregon Winter Raptor Surveys are coordinated by the East Cascades
Birds Observatory (ECBC) (http://www.ecbcbirds.org/Default.aspx?tabid=73).
-------------------------------------------
Dec-Feb.__________________
Lincoln Co. 2004- 2005- 2006-2007___
Raptor Route 2005* 2006@ 12/9 Jn# 2/9
-------------------------------------------
Turkey Vulture 0 0-1 0 0 0
No. Harrier 0-1 1-5 2 1 1
White-t. Kite 1-3 0-3 2 1 0
Sharp-shin. Hawk 1 1-2 0 0 1
Cooper's Hawk 0-2 0-4 2 1 0
Accipiter sp. 0 0-1 0 0 0
Red-should. Hawk 0-2 0 1 0 0
Red-tail. Hawk 10-14 18-22 17 14 11
Bald Eagle ad. 2-12 8+-16 18 22 12
" " subadults 1-4 1+-5 2 5 3
" " unknown 0 0-2 0 0 0
" " total 4-14 11-21 20 27 15
Merlin 0 0-1 1 1 0
Am. Kestrel 1-4 1-5 5 0 2
Peregrine Falcon 0-1 1-3 3 1 3
SUM 29-34 41-62 53 46 33
Counts 3* 3@ 1 1 1
Miles 119- 119- 118 120 117
121 120
Hours 7.3- 7- 7.5 6.8 6.5
7.5 8
+=at least the indicated number was present.
* 12/18/2004, 1/16/2005, 2/12/2005.
@ 12/9/2005, 1/21/2006, 2/12/2006, 3/11/2006. The 3/11/2006 count is not
included in this Table so that it is comparable to the 2004-2005 winter but
is included in the March 2006 Sandpiper field notes.
# Because of rain, the south part of the January 2007 Route was on 1/6 and
the northern part on 1/13.
AMERICAN COOT-MOURNING DOVE
KMe found about 120 AMERICAN COOTS at Eckman Lake on 2/4 and wrote:
"Many just swam around calmly, but many others dove, and when one
surfaced, it held and manipulated plants in its bill in order to ingest
them. In several instances, American Wigeon closely attended coots and
grabbed plant mats from them. No coots defended food or even looked
bothered in any way when wigeons took food. It almost seemed that coots
just assumed wigeons would steal food, so they hauled up enough for
everyone. At least one male Gadwall also stole food from coots in the same
way."
As a diver, coots can access food that surface-feeding wigeon and Gadwalls
cannot.
The peak counts of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were 11 at Yaquina Head on
2/9 and 17 at Depoe Bay on 2/10 (CA). On 1/31, one foraged on the beach at
the mouth of Starr Creek in Yachats (SaL).
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS used to overwinter, but the only report this
month was of one at Idaho Flats on 2/2 (JL).
A "couple of hundred" SANDERLINGS (our most numerous wintering
shorebird) escorted KB during her beach walk at Lost Creek north of Ona
Beach on 2/8.
Our only ROCK SANDPIPER report was of 5 at the YBSJ on 2/22 (M&MD).
At Depot Slough in Toledo on 1/28, PD saw 1 WILSON'S SNIPE sunning
near 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS; 4 other snipe walked up into the willows, but
came back in about 10 minutes to also be in the sun.
There was a good effort to find GLAUCOUS GULLS in February, and they
were regularly reported.
A variety of alcids were found beached along 4.6 miles of beach north
of Ona Beach including 3 rare HORNED PUFFINS, a MARBLED MURRELET, 4
RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, and 1 CASSIN'S AUKLET (B&SLo, L&VO).
Live alcids include COMMON MURRES near Yaquina Head on 1/12 & 13 and
rafting off Colony Rock colony on 1/21 & 30 (BLM) and an ANCIENT MURRELET
inside the Yaquina Bay jetties and a small number of Marbled Murrelets in
the ocean between Newport and Seal Rocks on 2/2 (RL). A Rhino was in the
ocean between Newport and Seal Rocks on 2/3 (RL), and near the surf zone at
Seal Rocks on 2/4 (KMe); a total of 15 were at Boiler Bay and Depoe Bay on
2/7 (DT).
Early bird BAND-TAILED PIGEONS occasionally show in winter, and one
was at RL's feeder near Waldport on 1/31, at J&KC's home about 4 miles east
of Waldport on 2/10, and at DG's Toledo home on 2/11.
CP glimpsed 2 MOURNING DOVES at Milepost 6 on north Yaquina Bay Road
on 2/3.
THE BURROWING OWL CONTINUING SAGA
Our first BURROWING OWL record was in 1969, and they were found here
mostly in the 1970's.
The cute, healthy, but too-tame Burrowing Owl attracted much human
attention last November and December after it was reported in Newport at
the Health and Wellness Center. It was the most seen and photographed
Burrowing Owl in Lincoln County.
It also attracted much human concern. The Newport News-Times
newspaper mistakenly reported that this might have been the first time that
one was seen along the central Oregon coast. It also suggested that the
owl may have been transported here by a delivery truck. So some thought it
was a victim of human intervention to be here.
There were also concerns that there was something wrong because it
stood on one leg--but birds often stand on one leg to conserve heat,
analogously to us when we put our hands in our pockets on a cold day. JL
saw it switch legs to stand on, so both legs were OK.
There was a report of a person buying a mouse to feed it because of
concerns that it was not eating. Feeding this owl could have caused it to
lose a healthy fear of people and linger longer than it should. Feeding
bears and raccoons is not advised, and there are cases of where even Great
Blue Herons and Brown Pelicans have tamed down to their detriment when
given handouts. Feeding hummingbirds and seed- or suet-feeding birds at
feeders doesn't create the problems or be detrimental to their health that
feeding other wildlife can cause.
It was so tame that there were concerns about its health, so it was
captured by the Oregon State Police on Dec. 14.
This owl, its tameness, and human intervention have been much
discussed in the Sandpiper and OBOL.
Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center near Corvallis determined
that it was healthy. They cared for it until a release site was decided.
On Jan. 5, it was released along the Lincoln County coast at an area
that was as far away from people as possible but still in habitat where
they have been seen in the past in Lincoln County (RB).
Shortly after it was released, I posted background about this bird to
OBOL and the Lincoln County rare bird alert email list and asked:
"The Burrowing Owl may move from where it is released. If you see a
Burrowing Owl in Lincoln County in the next few months, please do not
publicize its location and please do not approach or feed it. Please
contact Range Bayer (541-265-2965, rbayer at orednet.org) or Tami Wagner
(Tami.E.Wagner at state.or.us) or Dr. Doug Cottam
(Douglas.F.Cottam at state.or.us) of the ODFW (541-867-4741)."
In addition to emails about the past history of Burrowing Owls in
Lincoln County, I also sent a press release about the Burrowing Owl to the
Newport News-Times, but no article was printed. I also sent updates to the
ODFW, Chintimini, and USFWS.
On Feb. 8-10, an unbanded Burrowing Owl was seen about 0.4 mile from
the release site (JL; DD; RC, WN & WH; CA). They did not publicize the
owl, upon my email request of Feb. 9, when I notified our Lincoln County
email group that one had been found "along the Lincoln County coast" and
asked "If you see the Burrowing Owl, please do not disclose its location.
The risks of people approaching it too closely and not leaving it alone are
too great." And if seen, I again requested that it be reported to the ODFW
or I.
I did not see any bands on the legs of the Burrowing Owl when it was
released. Chintimini Executive Director JP confirms that it was not banded
and that they have been federally directed to not band rehabbed birds.
While it is possible that the Feb. owl may have been a second
Burrowing Owl, it is very likely that it was the recently captive owl. We
only have had one other Burrowing Owl in Lincoln County since 1992 in 2002,
so having a second one is unlikely, especially since it was near the
release site, chose a location near people, and was not very wary of
people--just like the owl that was captured and released.
One recipient of my Feb. 9 email strongly disagreed with my request
to not disclose its location:
"If more people saw this creature, more people would get to know its
particular story and learn what not to do in the future. It could be the
'poster bird' for observing and appreciating animals from a distance and
why to leave them alone. You are in effect killing this story and in the
process killing this educational opportunity, not to mention the connection
people seem to have for owls and the many benefits that can have."
However, I was the one who first posted about the Newport Burrowing
Owl to OBOL and to Lincoln County birders, so that many people could see
it. I have heard the complaints from some locals that "birders" were the
cause for the owl's tameness and capture. I have participated in the
educational discussion on OBOL and in the Sandpiper about this owl. It was
already a "poster bird." I was also involved in its release. "Been there,
done that." After all that has happened with the Newport Burrowing Owl, I
have no urge to publicize the location for it or a similarly tame Burrowing
Owl that chooses to be near people.
About two weeks after the postings in early January about the Newport
Burrowing Owl "poster bird" on OBOL, a Great Gray Owl was reported in the
Willamette Valley on OBOL with some birders shining spotlights and laser
beams on it to get its attention. Some birders also raised the ire of
nearby property owners. Is there a lesson to learn from people and the
Burrowing and Great Gray Owls?
- - - - - -
The previous latest dates for a Burrowing Owl in Lincoln County were
Feb. 9 (1975) and Feb. 10 (1972)(SemiL). Interestingly, the latest date in
Coos County is also Feb. 10, according to Alan Contreras' "Birds of Coos
County, Oregon."
There was hope that it had migrated because there were no reports for
a while after Feb. 10. Then on 2/22, birders from out of state found it,
and JL spotted it that evening.
Near dusk on March 6, JL saw "somebody creeping up to it for a flash
photo."
The recently captive Burrowing Owl or one that is acting tame like it
is lingering here unnaturally late...
- - - - - -
As I wrote in the Nov. and Dec. Sandpipers, I believe that we need to
respect wildlife and leave wildlife wild, even if the wildlife appears
tame. Not disturbing wildlife is recommended (e.g.,
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/ethics-b.htm). As the American
Birding Association's "Principles of Birding Ethics"
(http://www.americanbirding.org/abaethics.htm) states:
"Everyone who enjoys birds and birding must always respect wildlife,
its environment, and the rights of others. In any conflict of interest
between birds and birders, the welfare of the birds and their environment
comes first."
If there wasn't a need for this, the ABA would not have given it as
one of their principles.
If you see a Burrowing Owl in Lincoln County in the next few months,
please do not publicize its location and please do not approach or feed it.
Please contact Range Bayer (541-265-2965, rbayer at orednet.org) or Tami
Wagner (Tami.E.Wagner at state.or.us) or Dr. Doug Cottam
(Douglas.F.Cottam at state.or.us) of the ODFW (541-867-4741).
Thanks!
HUMMINGBIRDS-CROSSBILLS
Our first RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was at GT's Depoe Bay feeder on 2/5, and
then at EH's South Beach home on 2/17, J&KC's home east of Waldport on
2/18, and J&JG's Yachats home on 2/23. An ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD was carrying
nesting material at Depoe Bay on 2/7 (DT). J&JG write about Anna's at
their Yachats home:
"Last fall we had a male and a female. About Christmas the female
disappeared, and we had only the male. Grevillea victoreae is our best
winter bloomer with lots of orange flowers continuously all winter, and the
hummingbirds love it."
On 2/7, MW visited his dentist GH in Toledo (fide HS). MW was amazed
to see a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER! His dentist had also identified it using
a field guide prior to MW's appointment (fide HS). Our only previous
records for Yellow-bellieds are for 7/17/1977, 8/4/1998 (probable), and
3/21/2000 (SemiL, FN). They can be difficult to distinguish from the
similar Red-naped Sapsucker, for which we only have 3 records (4/25/1982,
June 1995, and 5/22/1999) (SemiL, FN). Now doesn't this want you to go to
a dentist to see what rare birds you may find?
The most numerous bird during the Feb. 16 YBNFT/GBBC at Alsea Bay was
AMERICAN CROWS (470). They are a significant part of the bird community in
our estuaries.
WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were at Yaquina Head during 9 days from 1/1-20
(BLM).
All Feb., PD notes that an EURASIAN STARLING in her Toledo
neighborhood was sounding exactly like a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.
A PALM WARBLER was at the South Beach Marina on 1/27 (JA), 2/4 (PS &
CK), and 2/7 (JL). Two were photographed near the HMSC on 2/22 (M&MD).
A flock of 40 RED CROSSBILLS were at BB's Yachats home on 2/3, and a
flock of 6 or so remained to feed on sunflower seeds almost daily in mid-
February.
OBSERVERS/SOURCES: Jim Arneson, Cindy Ashy, Betty Bahn, Range Bayer,
Kitty Brigham, Bureau of Land Management staff at Yaquina Head (BLM),
Rebecca Cheek, Jorrie & Ken Ciotti (http://www.birdsamore.com), Dick
Demarest, Mike & MerryLynn Denny, Pat Dickey, Jim & Janice Gerdemann, Dawn
Grafe, Gregory Herkert, Wayne Hoffman, Eric Horvath, Carol Karlen, Steve
Kupillas, Janet Lamberson, Bob Lewellyn (BLl), Sally Lockyear (SaL), Bob
Loeffel (BLo) & Shirley Loeffel (SLo), Roy Lowe, Kate Madison (KMa), Kathy
Merrifield (KMe), Walt Nelson, Field Notes (FN, Lincoln County records from
the Sandpiper for rare bird species since 1992 can be searched for at
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/search.htm [all lower case
letters]), Bob Olson, OBOL (Oregon Birders On Line; recent postings with
info about joining is at http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/OBOL.html),
Laimons & Vicki Osis, Chuck Philo, Jeff Picton, SemiL (semimonthly Lincoln
Co. bird records through 1992 for each species at
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#semimonthly [all lower case
letters]), Howard Shippey, Paul Sullivan, David Tracy, Gordon Tracy, Jean
Weakland, Mark Worden, Yaquina Birders & Naturalists Field Trip/Great
Backyard Bird County (YBNFT/GBBC [http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/] led by
RB).
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