[obol] Common Grackle at Malheur NWR

Wed May 16 12:30:38 PDT 2007

Hello all - I have just returned from four great days at Malheur. I would add another note to Steve's posting, and that is to be sure and check under the bridge just north of the Narrows turn-off to Malheur HQ.  There is a new turn out there for easy views of, among many other shore birds, AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, GREAT EGRETS,  SNOW GEESE, and for us, a lone BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON out on Harney Lake. In addition, two GREAT HORNED OWLS have been roosting under the bridge.  I spotted another BURROWING OWL nest about 1/2 mi. north of the turnout, on the west side of the highway. We also found Steve's nest on Harney Lake Road. It's hard to be back to work after spending time in that beautiful place!

Nancy Brown
NE Portland> From: obol-request at lists.oregonstate.edu> Subject: obol Digest, Vol 43, Issue 13> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 12:00:16 -0700> > Send obol mailing list submissions to> obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit> http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/obol> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to> obol-request at lists.oregonstate.edu> > You can reach the person managing the list at> obol-owner at lists.oregonstate.edu> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific> than "Re: Contents of obol digest..."> > > Today's Topics:> > 1. Off topic bee swarm (Oropendolas at aol.com)> 2. Vanport and Smith &Bybee (Mult) (Tom McNamara)> 3. Black Tern at Sheridan Sewer Ponds (Quinton T Nice)> 4. Re: Off topic bee swarm (Pat Waldron)> 5. Re: Off topic bee swarm (david tracy)> 6. Census Count: Smith Rock State Park, Deschutes County, Oregon> on May 12, 2007 (h_owl at iglide.net)> 7. Fw: Ridgefield NWR River S Unit, Clark County, Washington on> May 12, 2007 (SCOTT MURRAY)> 8. Semipalmated sandpiper at Yaquina Bay (Bruce & Katie Dugger)> 9. FW: Re: bee swarms (Don DeWitt)> 10. Ridgefield River S Unit White faced Ibis (SCOTT MURRAY)> 11. Douglas County Tricolored Blackbirds (Jim & Vikki Hein)> 12. Re: Birder's Guide to Alaska (Prentki at acsalaska.net)> 13. Linn County Forster's Tern (Jeff Harding)> 14. Common Grackle at Malheur NWR, other Harney stuff> (FoxSparrows at aol.com)> 15. Tillamook NAMC (Michelle Simper)> 16. Black-chinned Sparrow (Harry Nehls)> 17. Clatsop shoreirds - 5/13/2007 (Mike Patterson)> 18. NAMC Shorebirds & Other Birds (Cindy Ashy)> 19. Crook NAMC = 151 Species (Charles R. Gates)> 20. Columbia Co. American Golden-Plover and Big Day summary> (Tim Janzen)> 21. Coos Birds 5/12/07 (Tim Rodenkirk)> 22. Census Count: Linn County, Oregon on May 12, 2007> (pjh at centurytel.net)> 23. Boiler Bay (Phil Pickering)> 24. Kingbirds still at Sokol Blosser, Yamhill Co (pamela johnston)> 25. Linn County Forsters Terns- not seen this morning (Jeff Harding)> 26. Columbia County Big Day - full account (Jay Withgott)> 27. Harney Lane Black-chinned Sparrow is a Brewer's Sparrow> (FoxSparrows at aol.com)> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------> > Message: 1> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 15:52:51 EDT> From: Oropendolas at aol.com> Subject: [obol] Off topic bee swarm> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <d29.9d0864d.33777513 at aol.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > Hello All,> > The bee swarm is still on Skinner's Butte this morning in the meadow on the > east side of the butte, on the north side of the trail that leads down to the > meadow from the road. The bees were mostly motionless this morning due to > temperature, I guess. Here are a couple sites with more info. The U of Nebraska > site has a picture that looks just like the swarm on Skinner's Butte.> > _http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/beeswarm.htm_ > (http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/beeswarm.htm) > > _http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/node/9_ > (http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/node/9) > > John Sullivan> Springfield, OR> > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: _McKenzie, Barry A. MD_ (mailto:Barry.McKenzie at USONCOLOGY.COM) > To: _obol at lists.oregonstate.edu_ (mailto:obol at lists.oregonstate.edu) > Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 10:39 AM> Subject: [obol] Skinner Butte Thurs morning: Bee Swarm> > > ....... > About 0930 this morning. A solid ball of bumble bees (not yellow-jackets, > bald-faced hornets, or the fuzzy/hairy kind bees). > Irregular-shaped wad of bees about the size of a basket ball. They were > suspended between branched of a small tree...I could not see any branches or > connecting lichen, leaves, or anything else in the middle of the mass of bees --- g> ave the impression of a solid ball of them. > Estimated 3000 individuals??? Is that typical? Anybody know? > I assume they'll fly off in a swarm when they warm up bit. > I've spent a lot time in the field over the years, but have never before seen > a bee swarm. > Very cool. > Barry McKenzie > Eugene > > > > > > > > ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.> -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/637ccdd8/attachment-0001.htm > -------------- next part --------------> An embedded message was scrubbed...> From: Bruce Newhouse <newhouse at efn.org>> Subject: [obol] Off topic bee swarm...> Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 19:25:15 -0700> Size: 9557> Url: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/637ccdd8/attachment-0001.eml > > ------------------------------> > Message: 2> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 13:21:20 -0700> From: "Tom McNamara" <tmacport99 at hotmail.com>> Subject: [obol] Vanport and Smith &Bybee (Mult)> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <BAY138-F361E6F201AE806972C23BECD380 at phx.gbl>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed> > > OBOL,> > Went out with Steve Cackley this morning to see what was about. At Vanport, > we had 2 Redheads, 1 Semi-palmated Plover, 1 female Canvasback, 1 drake > Eurasian Wigeon, 3 Yellow-headed Blackbirds, 2 Spotted Sandpipers. Small > numbers of Cinnamon Teal, Ruddy Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Gadwall, Pied-billed > Grebes. Swallows: Tree, Barn, Cliff may have been others but we weren't > looking too hard at 'em.> > Steve had to split so I went over to Smith & Bybee and had my FOY Yellow > Warblers and heard Sora (I have to pry myself off Tabor more and get to some > water!) in decent numbers and an assortment of the usual arrivals.> > good birding,> Tom> > _________________________________________________________________> Like the way Microsoft Office Outlook works? You’ll love Windows Live > Hotmail. > http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_outlook_0507> > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 3> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 14:05:34 -0700> From: Quinton T Nice <qtnice at juno.com>> Subject: [obol] Black Tern at Sheridan Sewer Ponds> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <20070512.140534.2088.0.qtnice at juno.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii> > OBOL,> > While doing the Yamhill County NAMC this morning, I found a BLACK TERN at> the Sheridan sewer ponds. It was foraging over the main pond with> hundreds of Barn and Cliff Swallows. I believe there is only one> previous record for the county.> > Quinton Nice> Willamina, Oregon> > > ------------------------------> > Message: 4> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 14:32:33 -0700> From: Pat Waldron <puma at smt-net.com>> Subject: Re: [obol] Off topic bee swarm> To: Oropendolas at aol.com, obol <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Message-ID: <46463271.20007 at smt-net.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"> > Dear Folks,> As a keeper of honey bees, I was quite skeptical of the swarm of the > reported BUMBLE BEES. Bumble bees are more solitary, and do not swarm > like honey bees.> > Thank you John, for clearing this up this identification. Honey bees are > wonderful to have around. I so enjoy their humming song of whatever they > are working, even though I am very allergic to them. Since mites have > become a problem, I do not take honey from them; I am just glad to have > them pollinate everything.> > Pat Waldron> East of Scio> > Oropendolas at aol.com wrote:> > > Hello All,> > > > The bee swarm is still on Skinner's Butte this morning in the meadow > > on the east side of the butte, on the north side of the trail that > > leads down to the meadow from the road. The bees were mostly > > motionless this morning due to temperature, I guess. Here are a couple > > sites with more info. The U of Nebraska site has a picture that looks > > just like the swarm on Skinner's Butte.> > > > http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/beeswarm.htm> > > > http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/node/9> > > > John Sullivan> > Springfield, OR> > > >> > ----- Original Message -----> > From: McKenzie, Barry A. MD> > <mailto:Barry.McKenzie at USONCOLOGY.COM>> > To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> > <mailto:obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> > Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 10:39 AM> > Subject: [obol] Skinner Butte Thurs morning: Bee Swarm> >> > .......> >> > About 0930 this morning. A solid ball of bumble bees (not> > yellow-jackets, bald-faced hornets, or the fuzzy/hairy kind> > bees).> >> > Irregular-shaped wad of bees about the size of a basket ball.> > They were suspended between branched of a small tree...I could> > not see any branches or connecting lichen, leaves, or anything> > else in the middle of the mass of bees --- gave the impression> > of a solid ball of them.> >> > Estimated 3000 individuals??? Is that typical? Anybody know?> >> > I assume they'll fly off in a swarm when they warm up bit.> > I've spent a lot time in the field over the years, but have> > never before seen a bee swarm.> > Very cool.> >> > Barry McKenzie> > Eugene> >> > > > > >> >> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------> > See what's free at AOL.com > > <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503>.> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------> >> > Subject:> > [obol] Off topic bee swarm...> > From:> > Bruce Newhouse <newhouse at efn.org>> > Date:> > Fri, 11 May 2007 19:25:15 -0700> > To:> > OBOL <OBOL at lists.orst.edu>> >> >> > Hmmmm.> > Like you, I've spent a lot of time in the field, but only seen one > > swarm. As far as I know, it is only feral European Honeybees that do > > this. A subgroup will "divide" from a "permanent" colony and form a > > new colony.> > I doubt that it could be bumble bees (in the genus Bombus). They are > > ground nesters, and overwintering females individually start a new > > colony from "zero" in spring. I don't think they swarm.> > What you saw in the tree is somewhat puzzling!> > B> >> >> ----- Original Message -----> >> From: McKenzie, Barry A. MD <mailto:Barry.McKenzie at USONCOLOGY.COM>> >> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu <mailto:obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> >> Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 10:39 AM> >> Subject: [obol] Skinner Butte Thurs morning: Bee Swarm> >>> >> .......> >>> >> About 0930 this morning. A solid ball of bumble bees (not> >> yellow-jackets, bald-faced hornets, or the fuzzy/hairy kind bees).> >>> >> Irregular-shaped wad of bees about the size of a basket ball.> >> They were suspended between branched of a small tree...I could> >> not see any branches or connecting lichen, leaves, or anything> >> else in the middle of the mass of bees --- gave the impression of> >> a solid ball of them.> >>> >> Estimated 3000 individuals??? Is that typical? Anybody know?> >>> >> I assume they'll fly off in a swarm when they warm up bit.> >> I've spent a lot time in the field over the years, but have never> >> before seen a bee swarm.> >> Very cool.> >>> >> Barry McKenzie> >> Eugene> >>> >------------------------------------------------------------------------> >> >_______________________________________________> >obol mailing list> >obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> >http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/obol> >> >To unsubscribe, send a message to:> >obol-leave at lists.oregonstate.edu.> > > >> >------------------------------------------------------------------------> >> >_______________________________________________> >obol mailing list> >obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> >http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/obol> >> >To unsubscribe, send a message to:> >obol-leave at lists.oregonstate.edu.> >> > -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/3298fa43/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 5> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 15:14:34 -0700> From: david tracy <davect at bendnet.com>> Subject: Re: [obol] Off topic bee swarm> To: Obol <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <8F795560-591E-440A-B811-07173188786D at bendnet.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed> > This reminded me of a bee swarm that Julia saw this past Thursday, > the same day as Barry reported the swarm on Skinner's Butte.> > She was outside at about 3 in the afternoon when thousands of bees > started buzzing around the trees between our patio and the neighbor's > house. After a half hour or so they settled down into a tight ball > under the eve of our neighbor's tool shed just on the other side of > the fence. I didn't think about checking it out for myself until > looking at OBOL this morning and seeing the other messages on this > topic. Today the bees are still there:> > http://www.flickr.com/photos/72482309@N00/495261499/> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zuEQNJMwOw> > While off topic, here's a couple pics of a stunning Columbia Silk > Moth that I found clinging to the concrete wall at work yesterday:> > http://www.flickr.com/photos/72482309@N00/495261525/> > http://www.flickr.com/photos/72482309@N00/495261519/> > On a bird related note, the NAMC today in Bend will be tallying some > pretty good numbers of Wilson's Warblers and Evening Grosbeaks, both > of which can be heard from all over town this morning.> > Dave> > > > david tracy> davect at bendnet.com> > > > ----Original Message----> Subject: Off topic bee swarm> From: Oropendolas AT aol.com> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 15:52:51 EDT> Hello All,> > The bee swarm is still on Skinner's Butte this morning in the meadow > on the> east side of the butte, on the north side of the trail that leads > down to the> meadow from the road. The bees were mostly motionless this morning > due to> temperature, I guess. Here are a couple sites with more info. The U > of Nebraska> > site has a picture that looks just like the swarm on Skinner's Butte.> > _http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/beeswarm.htm_> (http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/beeswarm.htm)> > _http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/node/9_> (http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/node/9)> > John Sullivan> Springfield, OR> > > > ----- Original Message -----> From: _McKenzie, Barry A. MD_ (mailto:Barry.McKenzie AT USONCOLOGY.COM)> To: _obol AT lists.oregonstate.edu_ (mailto:obol AT > lists.oregonstate.edu)> Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 10:39 AM> Subject: [obol] Skinner Butte Thurs morning: Bee Swarm> > > .......> About 0930 this morning. A solid ball of bumble bees (not yellow- > jackets,> bald-faced hornets, or the fuzzy/hairy kind bees).> Irregular-shaped wad of bees about the size of a basket ball. They were> suspended between branched of a small tree...I could not see any > branches or> connecting lichen, leaves, or anything else in the middle of the mass > of bees> --- g> > ave the impression of a solid ball of them.> Estimated 3000 individuals??? Is that typical? Anybody know?> I assume they'll fly off in a swarm when they warm up bit.> I've spent a lot time in the field over the years, but have never > before seen> a bee swarm.> Very cool.> Barry McKenzie> Eugene> > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 6> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 22:43:58 GMT> From: h_owl at iglide.net> Subject: [obol] Census Count: Smith Rock State Park, Deschutes County,> Oregon on May 12, 2007> To: obol at lists.orst.edu> Message-ID: <200705122244.l4CMhwLn016463 at rottweiler.furfly.com>> > This report was mailed for Steve Lay by http://birdnotes.net> > Date: May 12, 2007> Location: Smith Rock State Park, Deschutes County, Oregon> > Low temperature: 47 degrees fahrenheit High temperature: 55 degrees fahrenheit> Percentage of sky covered by clouds: 40%> > The morning was nice and the birds were great. I started at 6:45 and> left the park a little before 10:00. I went out to the point below> the eagle nests. The Golden Eagles were both at the nest on "The> Monument". I didn't see babies. The river has dropped way down and> after climbing down the rim I was able to cross on rocks. Magpies> were thick among the rocks and mud, apparently looking for> invertebrates that were left high and dry. after crossing the river,> I followed it downstream to the bridge. I crossed back to the east> side and continued downstream to the sharp bend at the south end of> the park. I then climbed the rim and returned along the top. Mammals> seen: 1 beaver, 3 otter, cottontail, 3 marmot, 5 mule deer> > Birds seen (in taxonomic order):> > Canada Goose 37 [1] > Wood Duck 2 [2] > Mallard 13> California Quail 6> Great Blue Heron 2> Turkey Vulture 7> Red-tailed Hawk 1> Golden Eagle 2 [3] > American Kestrel 1> Killdeer 1> Spotted Sandpiper 4> Rock Dove 125> White-throated Swift 21> Belted Kingfisher 2> Northern Flicker 2> Say's Phoebe 1> Ash-throated Flycatcher 1> Western Kingbird 2> Black-billed Magpie 31> Common Raven 6> Tree Swallow 2> Violet-green Swallow 80> Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2> Cliff Swallow 125> Rock Wren 2> Canyon Wren 6> House Wren 10> American Dipper 2 [4] > Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1> American Robin 5> European Starling 2> Yellow Warbler 1> Wilson's Warbler 2> Song Sparrow 1> Red-winged Blackbird 15> Western Meadowlark 2> Brewer's Blackbird 7> Bullock's Oriole 6> House Finch 2> House Sparrow 1> > Footnotes:> > [1] 6 pairs with young> [2] a pair> [3] at nest> [4] nesting in a niche in a big boulder in the river> > Total number of species seen: 40> > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 7> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 16:09:26 -0700> From: "SCOTT MURRAY" <scottbmurray at msn.com>> Subject: [obol] Fw: Ridgefield NWR River S Unit, Clark County,> Washington on May 12, 2007> To: "obol" <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Cc: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>> Message-ID: <BAY133-DAV16ABA1C1C2DC378318C36D8380 at phx.gbl>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: scottbmurray at msn.com<mailto:scottbmurray at msn.com> > To: scottbmurray at msn.com<mailto:scottbmurray at msn.com> > Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2007 3:41 PM> Subject: Ridgefield NWR River S Unit, Clark County, Washington on May 12, 2007> > > This report was mailed for Scott Murray by http://birdnotes.net<http://birdnotes.net/>> > Date: May 12, 2007> Location: Ridgefield NWR River S Unit, Clark County, Washington> > > Nice views of Wilson's Phalarope on Ruddy lake there was 3 of them> today> > Birds seen (in taxonomic order):> > Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)> Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)> Gadwall (Anas strepera)> American Wigeon (Anas americana)> Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)> Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)> Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)> Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)> Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)> Green-Winged Teal (Anas crecca)> Redhead (Aythya americana)> Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)> Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)> Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)> Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)> Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)> Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)> Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)> American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)> Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)> White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)> Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)> Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)> Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)> Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)> Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)> American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)> Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)> Sora (Porzana carolina)> American Coot (Fulica americana)> Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)> Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)> Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)> Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)> Dunlin (Calidris alpina)> Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)> Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)> Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)> Rock Dove (Columba livia)> Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)> Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi)> Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)> Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)> Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)> Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)> Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)> Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)> Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)> Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)> American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)> Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)> Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)> Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)> Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)> White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)> Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)> Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)> House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)> Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)> American Robin (Turdus migratorius)> European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)> Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata)> Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)> Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)> Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)> Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)> Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)> Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)> Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)> Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)> Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)> Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)> Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)> Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)> House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)> American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)> > Total number of species seen: 76> > > -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/abd68eeb/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 8> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 16:12:02 -0700> From: "Bruce & Katie Dugger" <tinamou at comcast.net>> Subject: [obol] Semipalmated sandpiper at Yaquina Bay> To: <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <000001c794ea$f3dacf50$56901518 at Home>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > I was walking the shoreline trail at the Hatfield Science Center today (ca.> 11:00) when I came across a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER feeding with several> SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. Nearby, there was a small flock of WESTERN> SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN and two SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. If you start at the> parking lot, the bird was on the mud out from the bench that's located along> the trail before you get to the protected shelter. > > Bruce Dugger > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 9> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 00:16:42 +0000> From: "Don DeWitt" <dondewitt at hotmail.com>> Subject: [obol] FW: Re: bee swarms> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <BAY101-F38A7BEEC850AFA96D96CCB53F0 at phx.gbl>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed> > OBOL,> A few years ago I was birding on a trail uphill from the main Arboretum > area of Mt. Pisgah, near Eugene. I saw a huge mass of roiling bees and > stopped at the caretaker's residence to tell Tom Locasio about this event. > Tom told me he was a beekeeper and would go collect the swarm. In regard to > the current bee swarm thread on OBOL, I asked Tom to explain that day's > swarm to me and to allow me to forward his message to the group. Seems to > me his response is very interesting and helpful, so here it is:> > > > >From: Tom LoCascio <pisgah4 at epud.net>> >To: "Don DeWitt" <dondewitt at hotmail.com>> >Subject: Re: bee swarms> >Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 09:49:43 -0700> >> >Hello Don,> >> >You are correct in that I did gather that swarm. I placed it in a bee box > >and created another colony for my apiary.> >> > The honey bees that we encounter in large basket ball sized mass are > >European honeybees, Apis melifera. These European honeybees, as the name > >suggest, were native to the old world and introduced to the US west coast > >in the 1850's.> >> >Honey bees being social bees nest in colonies that can grow up to 50,000. > >(Our only native social bee is the bumble bee which generally consist of > >300 bees or less. They often nest in dry grass.) Honey bees prefer to nest > >in cavities. In the wild, they are often found 30 or more feet off the > >ground in the cavity of a deciduous tree. In the Arboretum, I know of 3 > >feral colonies (a term bee keepers use as these wild colonies often become > >vectors for spreading disease to managed apiaries.)> >> >Each colony consists of one queen, thousands of workers, which are sterile > >females, and up to few hundred drones, males, which mate once with a > >virgin queen. The queen mates once in her life with several drones outside > >her colony. Her only job is to produce eggs. She can lay up to 1800 per > >day! The majority of the remaining bees are the worker bees. They care for > >all colony function tending the brood and gathering nectar, which they > >produce into honey. They also gather pollen which is important for muscle > >development in young bees.> >> >When a honey bee colony grows too large for its space the workers create > >swam cells, which become queen cells, by feeding the developing larvae > >royal jelly. Royal jelly is produced by glands in young worker bees. > >Shortly before the first virgin queen hatches roughly half of the colony > >of primarily young worker bees fill their stomachs with honey and (swarm) > >leaving with the old queen to form a new colony.> >> > The social order of honey bees is fascinating. I'd be glad to show you > >or others some of the hive function in the observation hive at the > >Arboretum when you're out at the site.> >> >I hope all is well.> >Smiles,> >Tom LoCascio> > >>> >>_________________________________________________________________> >>PC Magazine’s 2007 editors’ choice for best Web mail—award-winning > >>Windows Live Hotmail. http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en- > >>us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_pcmag_0507> >>> > _________________________________________________________________> More photos, more messages, more storage—get 2GB with Windows Live Hotmail. > http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_2G_0507> > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 10> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 17:45:38 -0700> From: "SCOTT MURRAY" <scottbmurray at msn.com>> Subject: [obol] Ridgefield River S Unit White faced Ibis> To: "obol" <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Cc: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>> Message-ID: <BAY133-DAV6E89E5C5337113DABA23DD83F0 at phx.gbl>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > Hello all Today had excellent views of a White-faced Ibis on the Kiwa trail this is a rare treat for Ridgefield. the Ibis was seen on the Kiwa trail when you go in on the trail if you go left then after you cross the 1st wooden bridge it was off to your right.> Good Birding> Scott Murray> -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/096f2dd1/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 11> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 18:50:15 -0700> From: "Jim & Vikki Hein" <heinjv at dcwisp.net>> Subject: [obol] Douglas County Tricolored Blackbirds> To: "obol" <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Message-ID: <20070513015021.3A4C31407C at mail.dcwisp.net>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > Obol,> Because of Charles Gates post requesting Tricolored Blackbird info I checked> out Ford's Pond west of Sutherlin this afternoon. I found a breeding colony> of approx. 20 TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS on the south side of the lake on the> second island from the road. This is the same place that they nested last> year. > > I also saw 3 BONAPART'S GULLS on the lake.> > Other sightings included:> Osprey> Cliff Swallow> Violet-green Swallow> Barn Swallow> American Goldfinch> Canada Goose > Spotted Towhee> Spotted Sandpiper> Double-crested Cormorant> Tree Swallow> Red-winged Blackbird> Brewer's Blackbird> Killdeer> Turkey Vulture> Song Sparrow> Great-blue Heron> Mallard> Wrentit> Ring-necked Duck> Ring-necked Pheasant> American Coot> Common Yellowthroat> Virginia Rail> Mourning Dove > > Good Birding > Jim Hein> > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 12> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 18:12:31 -0800> From: "Prentki at acsalaska.net" <prentki at acsalaska.net>> Subject: Re: [obol] Birder's Guide to Alaska> To: <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <003001c79504$2b132030$6601a8c0 at Dicksnotebook>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > The book is available from ABA sales for $28.95, less for ABA members. They> will rush orders for birders getting ready to travel. See the link below to> the book.> > http://www.abasales.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in> _description=1&keyword=Birder%27s+Guide+to+Alaska&x=18&y=14> > > Dick Prentki> Anchorage, AK> prentki at acsalaska.net> > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 13> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 19:36:36 -0700> From: "Jeff Harding" <jeffharding at centurytel.net>> Subject: [obol] Linn County Forster's Tern> To: "'OBOL'" <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Message-ID: <200705130236.l4D2aWEj027928 at mail374c35.carrierzone.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > There are three Forster's Terns at Cheadle Lake in Lebanon, Linn County this> evening. Cheadle Lake, actually an old mill pond, is on Highway 20 on the> east edge of Lebanon. Access is not good, and it is kind of an ugly place,> so I don't usually check it. But as I drove by on the way home from birding> Santiam Pass, I saw a tern from the Highway, and pulled in. When I left, the> three were sitting on an algae mat (I suppose that is what it is) at the> west end of the "lake". > > > > Just past the new Wal-Mart, look for Poor Richard's Florist. The access> point for the west end is across the street. You can't park on the highway,> but there is space for a few cars at an old entrance across from the> florist. There is a chain link fence there, but it is easy to go around. You> can see the terns from the train tracks, if they are flying around. There is> a place to look over the pond a little way back west from the parking place,> where there some old metal structure. This is a busy highway, so be careful.> Locals go fishing in the pond, and there are almost always cars parked> there. You may not want to leave valuables in your car. It might be a good> idea to stop across the street and check the parking out, then make a u-turn> down the road to approach from the east.> > > > Let me know if you have questions,> > > > Jeff> > -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/b5c804ea/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 14> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 22:49:30 EDT> From: FoxSparrows at aol.com> Subject: [obol] Common Grackle at Malheur NWR, other Harney stuff> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <cec.ff54231.3377d6ba at aol.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > A rare chance to bird most of the day today...> > The COMMON GRACKLE was with the horde of YELLOW-HEADS, BROWN-HEADD COWBIRDS, > and RED-WINGS A at the main feeders in front of HQ. Otherwise:> > It was a big WILSON'S WARBLER day... probably the most numerous small > songbird. Also... AUDUBON'S WARBLER (1), MCGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER (1), YELLOW WARBLER > (2nd most numerous), HERMIT THRUSH (1), DUSKY FLYCATCHER (1), WESTERN > WOOD-PEWEE, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, > WESTERN TANAGER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GREAT HORNED OWL, NORTHERN SAW-WHET > OWL (reported by the PAS bridathon team, but I never found it), WARBLING VIREO > (1), BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (at least 3), NORTHERN FLICKER, > MAGPIE...probably forgot something.> > The grackle was nice to see... and was seen by many. Added BULLOCK'S ORIOLE > to my yard list... a pair is coming to my oriole feeder in Hines. That's FIVE > ICTERIDS now.... COOL!> > There is a BURROWING OWL nest .5 miles down Harney Lake Lane from The > Narrows... directly behind the big yellow scraper (without a tractor connected to > it). LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS are now common in the old (1990) Pine Srings Burn > northwest of Hines, off FS Road 47.> > Steve Dowlan> Hines, Oregon> At the edge of > Great Basin...> Where life is good!> > > > ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.> -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/af696ff6/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 15> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 20:50:55 -0700 (PDT)> From: Michelle Simper <shelsimper at yahoo.com>> Subject: [obol] Tillamook NAMC> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <315020.72117.qm at web36111.mail.mud.yahoo.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > OBOL,> > I participated today in the Tillamook NAMC. I counted species from Kilchis Meadows/Bay City area north past Manzanita. It was a great day and in the area that I covered I observed 87 species. Notable sightings were a EURASIAN-COLLARED DOVE, WESTERN KINGBIRD, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, and several breeding plumage BONAPARTE'S GULLS on Tideland Road in Nehalem (Nehalem Sewage Ponds area). The BALD EAGLE nest that you can observe from the sewage ponds had one very active chick. Shorebird numbers were good but no unusual ones to note.> > Happy NAMC counting,> Michelle Simper> Craig Roberts Birding Group/Tillamook County> > > ---------------------------------> Get the free Yahoo! toolbar and rest assured with the added security of spyware protection. > -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/08b5b34f/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 16> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 21:14:51 -0700> From: Harry Nehls <hnehls at teleport.com>> Subject: [obol] Black-chinned Sparrow> To: obol <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <C26BDECB.11500%hnehls at teleport.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > Obolers,> > Wink Gross just called to report that his birdathon group heard a> Black-chinned Sparrow at Malheur.> > It was along Harney Lane about a half miles west of Hwy 205. Harney Lane is> the dirt road that runs west just south of the narrows.> > > Harry Nehls> Portland, Oregon> > > -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070512/6ad11a1b/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 17> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 21:40:46 -0800> From: Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com>> Subject: [obol] Clatsop shoreirds - 5/13/2007> To: Obol <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <4646A47A.93D0D2B1 at pacifier.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii> > Lots of interesting shorebirds today and a BLACK-LEGGED> KITTIWAKE sitting on the beach with SANDERLINGS...> > LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS at Warrenton> Sewage Ponds, too.> > Location: Sunset Beach, Clatsop County, Oregon> > Canada Goose 12> Brant 85 [1] > Green-Winged Teal 4 [2] > Surf Scoter 40> White-winged Scoter 2> Pacific Loon 75> Brown Pelican 28> Northern Harrier 1> Black-bellied Plover 12> Whimbrel 20> Ruddy Turnstone 1 [3] > Red Knot 3> Sanderling 100> Western Sandpiper 10> Dunlin 75> Bonaparte's Gull 7> California Gull 12> Herring Gull 1> Western Gull 35> Glaucous-winged Gull 15> Black-legged Kittiwake 1 [4] > Common Murre 300> Barn Swallow 30> > Footnotes:> > [1] 2 flocks; northbound> [2] Fly north> [3] photos> [4] Sitting on the beach with Sanderlings; photos> > Total number of species seen: 23> > -- > Mike Patterson > Astoria, OR > celata at pacifier.com > > Lies, damned lies and White-throated Sparrows> http://tinyurl.com/34vgwm> > > ------------------------------> > Message: 18> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 21:54:15 -0700 (PDT)> From: Cindy Ashy <tunicate89 at yahoo.com>> Subject: [obol] NAMC Shorebirds & Other Birds> To: OBOL <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <476795.52347.qm at web51808.mail.re2.yahoo.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1> > I spent more than 3 hours at Sally's Bend today. When I first arrived the tide> was very low exposing a very extensive mudflat...the tide was coming in when I> left. The lighting was perfect...overcast so no glare but still quite bright.> > Whimbrel - most abundant bird, spread out all over the mudflat> 2 Marbled Godwit> 1 Greater Yellowlegs> Dunlin & Western Sandpiper mixed flock (very rough count: 20 Dunlin and 40> Western Sandpipers....number changed over the time I was there)> 2 Adult Killdeer....an obvious courtship display spreading out wings/tail> feathers to show rufous coloration...then they copulated....male then> aggressively charged the grass and flushed the next bird:> 1 Spotted Sandpiper in exquisite breeding plumage...really beautiful> 1 Juvenile Killdeer - twice I saw the juvenile go head first beneath the mom's> chest all the way under mom> 5 Turkey Vultures> 7 Great Blue Heron (but no egrets!)> American Robin> White-crowned Sparrow> Brewer's Blackbird> American Crow> Western Gulls> Glaucous-winged Gulls (not as many as westerns)> > In the last 30 minutes as the tide was coming in, the ducks started showing up:> > Greater Scaup - mostly these...I didn't really count but maybe 40> Surf Scoter - maybe a dozen> White-winged Scoter - a few> 1 Black Scoter> > Is this a scoter slam? :-)> > I also went to Nye Beach before sunset:> > 25 Whimbrel> Dunlin (small flock)> 1 Glaucous Gull (I think the same one I've seen twice before)> Western Gulls> Glaucous-winged Gulls> American Crows> Rock Pigeons> > Scoped from Nye Beach - I could see the end of the North Jetty (from the> western most maker to the end):> > 38 Brown Pelicans (largest flock I've seen this year)> > I'll send the Bonding With Birds list later.> > Cindy Ashy> > cc: Janelle Wesley> Lincoln County NAMC coordinator> > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________> Looking for earth-friendly autos? > Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center.> http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/> > > ------------------------------> > Message: 19> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 23:30:57 -0700> From: "Charles R. Gates" <cgates at webformixair.com>> Subject: [obol] Crook NAMC = 151 Species> To: "obol" <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Message-ID: <DAEPJHIHFEIMNNFCNJKHEEFHDPAA.cgates at webformixair.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > Nicole Neilson-Pincus, Peter Low, Kay Hartmann, JoAnne Bernt, and myself ran> the Crook County NAMC today. We had a great day and tallied 151 species.> My car alone saw 134 species. I haven't totaled anything yet but I'll give> the species we saw.> > Highlights:> Greater White-fronted Goose> Ross' Goose> Blue-winged Teal> Common Golden-eye> Barrow's Golden-eye> Chukar> Mountain Quail> Clark's Grebe> American Bittern> Eurasian Collared Dove> Short-eared Owl> White-throated Swift> Black-backed Woodpecker> Eastern Kingbird> Tri-colored Blackbird> > Here's the whole list:> Greater White-fronted Goose> Ross' Goose> Canada Goose> Trumpeter Swan> Wood Duck> Gadwall> American Wigeon> Mallard> Blue-winged Teal> Cinnamon Teal> Northern Shoveler> Northern Pintail> Green-winged Teal> Canvasback> Redhead> Ring-necked Duck> Lesser Scaup> Bufflehead> Common Golden-eye> Barrow's Golden-eye> Common Merganser> Ruddy Duck> Chukar> Ring-necked Pheasant> California Quail> Mountain Quail> Pied-billed Grebe> Eared Grebe> Western Grebe> Clark's Grebe> American Bittern> Great-blue Heron> Turkey Vulture> Osprey> Bald Eagle> Northern Harrier> Sharp-shinned Hawk> Swainson's Hawk> Red-tailed Hawk> Ferruginous Hawk> Golden Eagle> American Kestrel> Prairie Falcon> Virginia Rail> Sora> American Coot> Sandhill Crane> Killdeer> Black-necked Stilt> American Avocet> Willet> Spotted Sandpiper> Long-billed Curlew> Long-billed Dowitcher> Wilson's Snipe> Wilson's Phalarope> Bonaparte's Gull> Ring-billed Gull> Caspian Tern> Forster' Tern> Black Tern> Rock Pigeon> Eurasian Collared Dove> Mourning Dove> Great Horned Owl> Short-eared Owl> Vaux's Swift> White-throated Swift> Belted Kingfisher> Williamson's Sapsucker> Hairy Woodpecker> Downy Woodpecker> Black-backed Woodpecker> Northern Flicker> Pileated Woodpecker> Gray Flycatcher> Dusky Flycatcher> Say's Phoebe> Ash-throated Flycatcher> Western Kingbird> Eastern Kingbird> Loggerhead Shrike> Warbling Vireo> Gray Jay> Steller's Jay> Pinyon Jay> Clark's Nutcracker> Black-billed magpie> American Crow> Common Raven> Horned Lark> Tree Swallow> Violet-green Swallow> Northern Rough-winged Swallow> Bank Swallow> Cliff Swallow> Barn Swallow> Mountain Chickadee> Bushtit> Red-breasted Nuthatch> White-breasted Nuthatch> Pygmy Nuthatch> Brown Creeper> Rock Wren> Canyon Wren> House Wren> Marsh Wren> American Dipper> Ruby-crowned Kinglet> Golden-crowned Kinglet> Western Bluebird> Mountain Bluebird> Townsend's Solitaire> American Robin> Sage Thrasher> European Starling> Orange-crowned Warbler> Nashville Warbler> Yellow Warbler> Yellow-rumped Warbler> Townsend's Warbler> MacGillivray's Warbler> Common Yellowthroat> Wilson's Warbler> Green-tailed Towhee> Spotted Towhee> Chipping Sparrow> Brewer's Sparrow> Vesper Sparrow> Lark Sparrow> Sage Sparrow> Savannah Sparrow> Song Sparrow> Golden-crowned Sparrow> White-crowned Sparrow> Dark-eyed Junco> Black-headed Grosbeak> Lazuli Bunting> Red-winged Blackbird> Tri-colored Blackbird> Western Meadowlark> Yellow-headed Blackbird> Brewer's Blackbird> Brown-headed Cowbird> Bullock's Oriole> Cassin's Finch> House Finch> Red Crossbill> Pine Siskin> American Goldfinch> House Sparrow> No virus found in this outgoing message.> Checked by AVG Free Edition.> Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.0/801 - Release Date: 5/12/2007> 6:40 PM> > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 20> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 00:13:03 -0700> From: "Tim Janzen" <tjanzen at comcast.net>> Subject: [obol] Columbia Co. American Golden-Plover and Big Day> summary> To: "'obol'" <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Message-ID: <020401c7952e$25f75970$6600a8c0 at TIMJ>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > Dear All,> Jay Withgott, Shawneen Finnegan, Jim Danzenbaker, and I did a Big> Day in Columbia Co. today, May 12. We found a total of 126 species. The> bird of the day was an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER we found in Columbia Co. on> Sauvie Island. The bird was in the Pope Lake Unit about 100 yards south of> Retenaar Rd. To reach this location, take Reeder Rd. on Sauvie Island north> to Retenaar Rd. Turn left and go 0.2 miles west on Retenaar Rd. The bird> was on the east side of a muddy shallow pond in the Pope Lake Unit.> Among the other nice birds we found was a female COMMON GOLDENEYE> seen in the large pond from the viewing platform along Reeder Rd. just north> of the Columbia County line on Sauvie Island. A LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a> GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE were at a small pond about 1/2 mile north of the> Columbia Co./Multnomah Co. line along Sauvie Island Rd. A SNOW GOOSE was> with a flock of about 15 CACKLING GEESE in the area as well. A SOLITARY> SANDPIPER was at a pond along Highway 47 near Pittsburg. About 6 BANK> SWALLOWS were near Warren flying around over Scappoose Bay. Jay Withgott> will post additional details.> > Sincerely,> Tim Janzen> Portland> > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 21> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 06:48:37 -0700 (PDT)> From: Tim Rodenkirk <garbledmodwit at yahoo.com>> Subject: [obol] Coos Birds 5/12/07> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <529817.50733.qm at web43131.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1> > N. Spit of Coos Bay, 4-5 PM, cloudy, 50F, wind-10:> > 1- male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD> 4- BLACK SWIFTS (feeding overhead with swallow swarm)> 14+ RED-NECKED PHALAROPES> 35+ GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE> > Also saw 4 BLUE-WINGED TEAL there on 5/11.> > Merry migration!> Tim R> Coos Bay> > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's > Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when. > http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/222> > > ------------------------------> > Message: 22> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 14:22:16 GMT> From: pjh at centurytel.net> Subject: [obol] Census Count: Linn County, Oregon on May 12, 2007> To: obol at lists.orst.edu> Message-ID: <200705131422.l4DEMGuZ022526 at rottweiler.furfly.com>> > This report was mailed for Jeff Harding by http://birdnotes.net> > Date: May 12, 2007> Location: Linn County, Oregon> > > In conjuction with the Linn County NAMC I birded from my house to the> crest of the Cascades. The best birds were the three Forster's Terns> in Lebanon on the way home. Also notable was a Myrtle Warbler at Fish> Lake. It was interesting to hear a Sooty Grouse hooting in the burned> forest north of Santiam Pass.> > Birds seen (in taxonomic order):> > Canada Goose 100> Cackling Goose 1 [1] > Wood Duck 3> Mallard 15> Harlequin Duck 2 [2] > Barrow's Goldeneye 40 [3] > Hooded Merganser 1 [4] > Common Merganser 12> Ring-necked Pheasant 4> Blue Grouse 2 [5] > Wild Turkey 5> Mountain Quail 1 [6] > Turkey Vulture 1> Osprey 11> Bald Eagle 4> Cooper's Hawk 1> Red-tailed Hawk 2> Killdeer 6> Spotted Sandpiper 12> Common Snipe 1 [7] > Rock Dove 5> Band-tailed Pigeon 1> Mourning Dove 22> Great Horned Owl 3> Vaux's Swift 23> Rufous Hummingbird 3> Belted Kingfisher 1> Red-breasted Sapsucker 3> Downy Woodpecker 1> Hairy Woodpecker 4> Northern Flicker 2> Pileated Woodpecker 1> Olive-sided Flycatcher 2> Western Wood-Pewee 4> Hammond's Flycatcher 16> Pacific-slope Flycatcher 2> Warbling Vireo 4> Steller's Jay 32> Western Scrub-Jay 11> American Crow 8> Common Raven 17> Tree Swallow 230> Violet-green Swallow 140> Northern Rough-winged Swallow 14> Cliff Swallow 80> Barn Swallow 40> Black-capped Chickadee 11> Mountain Chickadee 3> Chestnut-backed Chickadee 18> Red-breasted Nuthatch 20> Bewick's Wren 3> Winter Wren 15> American Dipper 1> Golden-crowned Kinglet 12> Mountain Bluebird 3> Swainson's Thrush 18> American Robin 34> Varied Thrush 12> European Starling 47> Orange-crowned Warbler 5> Yellow-rumped Warbler 32> Black-throated Gray Warbler 14> Hermit Warbler 43> MacGillivray's Warbler 19> Common Yellowthroat 13> Wilson's Warbler 22> Yellow-breasted Chat 4> Western Tanager 7> Spotted Towhee 34> Song Sparrow 17> White-crowned Sparrow 6> Dark-eyed Junco 29> Black-headed Grosbeak 8> Red-winged Blackbird 37> Brewer's Blackbird 26> Brown-headed Cowbird 32> Purple Finch 7> American Goldfinch 4> House Sparrow 25> > Footnotes:> > [1] One was at Foster Reservoir with a group of Canada Geese.> [2] A pair was in the Santiam River at the bridge to Fernview> Campground.> [3] The numbers were probably higher, as visibility was not good in> the late afternoon at Fish Lake and Clear Lake.> [4] One was at Lost lake.> [5] One was hooting in the burned woods at Santiam Pass, another was> hooting at Lava Lake.> [6] One called in early morning near Lacomb.> [7] Winnowing near Rose's Pond.> > Total number of species seen: 79> > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 23> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 08:51:54 -0700> From: "Phil Pickering" <philliplc at charter.net>> Subject: [obol] Boiler Bay> To: <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Message-ID: <000901c79576$a2fb3480$6401a8c0 at phil>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";> reply-type=original> > 6:00-8:00 AM (5/13):> overcast, wind N 5, 3-5 ft swells> > 300+ Red-throated Loons> 9000+ Pacific Loons (8000 in first hour before dropping off quickly)> 40 Common Loons> 5 Sooty Shearwaters> 29 Brown Pelicans> 15 Double-crested Cormorants> 600 Brandt's Cormorants (S)> 50 Pelagic Cormorants> 25 Brant> 300 White-winged Scoters> 1500 Surf Scoters> 1 Harlequin Duck> 3 Red-breasted Mergansers> 20 calidris sp.> 400 Red-necked Phalaropes> 5 California Gulls> 100 Western Gulls> 25 Glaucous-winged Gulls> 8 Caspian Terns> 1200 Common Murres> 20 Pigeon Guillemots> 14 Marbled Murrelets> 500 Rhinoceros Auklets (N, most in first hour)> 1 Tufted Puffin> > Phil> philliplc at charter.net> > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 24> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 09:50:52 -0700> From: "pamela johnston" <pamelaj at spiritone.com>> Subject: [obol] Kingbirds still at Sokol Blosser, Yamhill Co> To: "obol" <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <000501c7957e$df708660$cc6cf204 at yourw5st28y9a3>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > Yesterday as part of my NAMC run, I stopped at Sokol Blosser Winery west of > Dundee and refound the Western Kingbirds reported by Marilyn van Dyk.> > East of Lafayette on Locks Loop Rd I heard my first of the year Western Wood > Pewee.> > Pamela Johnston > > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 25> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 10:04:29 -0700> From: "Jeff Harding" <jeffharding at centurytel.net>> Subject: [obol] Linn County Forsters Terns- not seen this morning> To: "'OBOL'" <obol at lists.orst.edu>> Message-ID: <200705131704.l4DH4OKl023233 at mail109c35.carrierzone.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > The Forster's Terns that were in Lebanon yesterday were not in evidence this> morning when Bill Thackaberry and I checked Cheadle Lake at about 9:00.> Fortunately I have photos from yesterday evening, so I wasn't imagining> them.> > > > Cheers,> > Jeff Harding> > -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070513/e5d36af1/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 26> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 11:01:57 -0700> From: Jay Withgott <withgott at comcast.net>> Subject: [obol] Columbia County Big Day - full account> To: OBOL <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>> Message-ID: <a06002000c26cff6be91a@[192.168.1.2]>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > > On 12 May, Tim Janzen, Shawneen Finnegan, Jim Danzenbaker, and I ran > a big day in Columbia County, ending up with 126 species. We were > very happy with this total, particularly given that we had not done > extensive preparation and that this county is quite "underbirded," > with less knowledge about its avifauna generally available than for > more heavily birded counties in Oregon. To our knowledge, 126 is a > record for Columbia County. We would be interested in hearing if > that is not so, or of any previous efforts here.> > As Tim mentioned in his RBA posting last night, our best bird was a > male Golden Plover that we judged to be an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER > (Pluvialis dominica). This bird was in striking breeding plumage, and > it was a rare treat to see such a bird in spring in the West. > Shawneen and Tim obtained photo and video documentation, and > hopefully the bird will still be there today for others to see.> > Our big day route began in the SW corner of the county with an hour > or so of owling that produced 1 SAW-WHET OWL. We birded the Vernonia > area through mid-morning, where we picked up most of the migrant and > breeding birds of mid-elevations of the Coast Range, such as > BAND-TAILED PIGEON, VARIED THRUSH, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, HAMMOND'S > FLYCATCHER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, HERMIT, and MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, > etc. Highlights included a GREEN-BACKED HERON, 18 COMMON MERGANSERS > and 5 HOODED MERGANSERS, 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 1 drumming RUFFED > GROUSE, 2 WILSON'S SNIPE, 2 PURPLE MARTINS, 25 RED CROSSBILLS, and a > RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD on a nest (good eyes, Jim). OLIVE-SIDED > FLYCATCHERS and WESTERN WOOD PEWEES were in, and a few CEDAR WAXWINGS > made a brief flyover.> > Heading out of Vernonia, we came across a SOLITARY SANDPIPER at a > roadside swamp along Rt 47. Then heading down Apiary Road toward the > town of Rainier, we filled in a few gaps like PILEATED WOODPECKER and > HUTTON'S VIREO, and were elated to come across 3 GRAY JAYS in 2 > locations -- a species we had not counted on seeing.> > The Columbia River at Rainier produced CASPIAN TERNS and 3 gull > species, and a mixed flock of GREATER and LESSER SCAUP lingered off > Prescott County Park. Several BANK SWALLOWS flew overhead at > Prescott, and over the marshes along Rt 30 on the road (Graham Rd) in > to Prescott. These marshes also held 2 VIRGINIA RAILS and the first 2 > of the day's 4 GREAT EGRETS. Given the presence of sandy banks in > this region of Columbia River floodplain, it would be interesting to > determine whether BANK SWALLOWS breed in this area.> > At the (remnants of) the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant, waterbirds were > scarce, but Jim spotted a pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS far up on the > hillside above, giving us species #101 at 1:52 p.m.> > Scappoose Bottoms was our next stop, where remnant old-growth oak > stands produced a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH and our first BULLOCK'S > ORIOLES. These oaks held good numbers of migrants (esp. Pewees and > Warbling Vireos). Most of the oaks formerly here have now been > destroyed by mining operations and other land uses, and it was > striking to witness just how concentrated the passerine activity was > in the small groves that are left. It really showed just how vital > these trees are to migratory birds. Fittingly, it was here that we > ran into Henry Horvath, the county coordinator for the NAMC.> > Although we could not find the American Bittern that Shawneen and Jim > had scouted at Scappoose the previous day, we did turn up 3 LAZULI > BUNTINGS as well as 3 of our 4 GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS of the day, > and 2nd GREEN-BACKED HERON, VIRGINIA RAIL, and WILSON'S SNIPE. Here > and elsewhere, the BALD EAGLES just kept coming; we had a > conservative count of 27 at day's end.> > We then proceeded to the Columbia Co. portions of Sauvie Island. The > wildlife area wetlands along Reeder Road would be our jackpot spot > for waterbirds. These ponds held 12 duck species, 6 of which were new > for the day, including a female COMMON GOLDENEYE. Several SORAS were > vocal, a CACKLING GOOSE accompanied Canadas, and 2 LONG-BILLED > DOWITCHERS and 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS plied the mud.> > Then at Rentenaar Road, our hearts raced to the sight of the AMERICAN > GOLDEN PLOVER amid muddy corn stubble 0.2 mile in from the junction. > Its extensive black underparts and white stripe ending in a wide area > at the wing bend helped indicate it was P. dominica. The sides of the > vent showed a stippling of dull white and black, but any remaining > molt would presumably only make it blacker. The weather had become > extremely cold and it began to rain, as we observed the bird for > about 45 minutes. Tim and Shawneen crept closer along the edge to get > photo documentation, while Jim and I stayed in place to minimize > disturbance to the bird. The bird seemed unperturbed by our presence > and fed successfully on earthworms and other prey. We chose not to > flush it so as not to scare it off for any birders who might want to > see it in following days.> > The plover put us at 121 species, and in the cold drizzle and dark > gray twilight we figured our day's list might end at that. But > fortunately we circled back through Multnomah Co. and took Sauvie > Island Road north along the west side of the island and Sturgeon > Lake. We could not find a Pheasant, but just across the line into > Columbia Co., we stopped at a shallow pond and spied a LESSER > YELLOWLEGS. Then a flock of 15 Cackling Geese flew past, accompanied > by 1 SNOW GOOSE. Then as we celebrated, Shawneen pointed out a > GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE waddling out into the pond. A quick > trifecta, when we had expected nothing!> > As dusk fell, we continued out this road, serenaded by a duetting > pair of GREAT HORNED OWLS (#125), and then called in a WESTERN > SCREECH OWL for #126.> > We decided to return to Scappoose and give the Bittern one more try. > No luck with it, but a WILSON'S SNIPE winnowing in the dark overhead > made for a nice ending for our day.> > Doing a big day in Columbia County had been a goal of mine since last > spring, when I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about this > county that was so close to my home in Portland, and decided to begin > exploring it for birding. To have such a skilled and fun-loving team > join me for a first attempt here was a treat, and to do as well as we > did on short notice was very satisfying. I'd welcome correspondence > from anyone with experience in Columbia County re: their favorite > birding haunts there, and would be glad to share our complete list > with anyone interested.> > Jay Withgott> Portland, OR> -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070513/37e2e279/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > Message: 27> Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 14:43:32 EDT> From: FoxSparrows at aol.com> Subject: [obol] Harney Lane Black-chinned Sparrow is a Brewer's> Sparrow> To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> Message-ID: <d37.90a048f.3378b654 at aol.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > Since I had taken the PAS group to the Harney Lane site to see a Burrowing > Owl, I knew exactly where yesterday's Black-chinned sparrow was reported. > After playing a CD of a B.-c. sparrow song at several places along the road, I > received a strong response that sounded exactly like the recording. I was, of > course, quite excited, and played the CD for another ten minutes. The location > is a sagebrush and greasewood-covered slope... not exactly perfect B.-c. > sparrow habitat, but it was loaded with Brewer's Sparrows (and one Chipping > Sparrow). After following the response around the hilldside for ten minutes, I > finally had clear views of the singer from about 50 feet through 10X > binoculars. It was a BREWER'S SPARROW responding the B.-c. sparrow song PERFECTLY. No > doubt.... I saw it clearly and watched the bird continue to respond for > several minutes. Looks like Spizella songs may be somewhat interchangable.> > This is the second sparrow species that I have watched mimic another sparrow > species' song. At Mike's Meadow in 2000, I watched a Fox Sparrow sing a Song > Sparrow song. Sorry Birdathoners.... this one does not count! If ha not seen > it, I would not have believed it either... > > Steve Dowlan> Hines, Oregon> At the edge of > Great Basin...> Where life is good!> > > > > ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.> -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/private/obol/attachments/20070513/e11aad62/attachment-0001.htm > > ------------------------------> > _______________________________________________> obol mailing list> obol at lists.oregonstate.edu> http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/obol> > To unsubscribe, send a message to:> obol-leave at lists.oregonstate.edu.> > End of obol Digest, Vol 43, Issue 13> ************************************
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