[obol] Oct. Lincoln Co. Bird Notes Received Through 10/29
Range Bayer
rbayer at orednet.org
Tue Nov 6 18:32:08 PST 2007
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BIRD FIELD NOTES from the October 2007 Sandpiper 28(8)
for Observations Received Through 10/29 by Range Bayer
The Sandpiper is a publication of Yaquina Birders and 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, BOILER BAY: State
Wayside about 0.5 mi north of Depoe Bay, 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, SALLY'S BEND: large Yaquina Bay
embayment east of the LNG tank, THORNTON CREEK: about midway between Toledo
and Eddyville along HWY 20, YBSJ: Yaquina Bay South Jetty.
WATERFOWL
Many observers saw or heard GR. WHITE-FRONTED, CANADA, or CACKLING
GEESE passing during October. The furthest inland reports were 13 miles
east of Big Creek near Yachats on 10/15 (PR) and at Thornton Creek (DF).
In past years, we have had reports of geese flying east up the Yaquina,
Siletz, or Alsea Valleys during fall migration (RB, RL, and DF. 1995.
Spring and fall migration of geese across the Coast Range of Lincoln Co.,
Oregon. Oregon Birds 21[1]:10-12). This month the only report of geese
flying east was by RL on 10/15, when 100 CACKLING GEESE flew east past the
HMSC.
A lone White-fronted had evidently fallen out of migration and
wandered the YBSJ on 10/13 (CA). 2-5 Cackling/Canada Geese dropped out and
were among the gulls at Yachats State Park during the week of 10/21, and 3
remained to 10/29 (BB).
Eckman Lake continues to be a fall haven for ducks with NORTHERN
SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, MALLARD, GADWALL, AMERICAN
WIGEON, and SCAUP sp. on 10/14 (SaL & JW).
PP found our first fall LONG-TAILED DUCK at Boiler Bay on 10/14. 2
BUFFLEHEADS at Boiler Bay on 10/10 (PP) are on schedule for our first fall
migrants.
COMMON/RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS
Distinguishing RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS from COMMON MERGANSERS in
summer and early fall can be problematic. Common Mergansers nest here, but
Red-breasteds do not (Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas). Female and immature
Commons in summer can look very similar to female Red-breasteds and can
only be safely told apart then by bill and head shape and nostril position
(Kaufman 1990 Am. Birds 44:1203-1205 and in his "A Field Guide to Advanced
Birding"). Sibley's Guide to Birds (p. 102) also indicates that female
Commons during July-October lack the sharply contrasting white on the neck
that easily distinguishes them from female Red-breasteds in winter.
There is also a seasonal habitat shift for Commons--in late summer
and early fall, rafts of them often appear in lower Yaquina, Siletz, and
Alsea Bays. From late fall through spring, only Red-breasteds are found
low in the estuaries.
So during July-October, it is important to distinguish
females/immatures of these two by other characteristics than habitat or
assuming that all summer birds are Commons (we have had some summer records
of female Red-breasteds based on bill and head shape and nostril position).
If the contrasting white is present on the neck, then it is a Common; if
not during July-October, it may be either a Common or a Red-breasted.
On 10/10, JL saw 28 Commons or Red-breasteds at Idaho Flats. On
10/19 & on the 10/20 Yaquina Birders & Naturalists Field Trip, BO found 6
Common Mergansers showing necks with contrasting white at the Log Pond
between the HMSC and Oregon Coast Aquarium. On 10/29, PP & DT saw a Red-
breasted during a Boiler Bay seawatch.
TUBENOSES
The 2 NORTHERN FULMARS found beached in Sept. along 4.6 miles of
beach north of Ona Beach is just above average (B&SLo, L&VO). During the
10/6 Bird Guide Pelagic Trip out of Newport, about 700 fulmars and over 100
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES were noted.
At Boiler Bay during his Oct. seawatches, PP first saw numbers of
fulmars on 10/10 (300), three days after gusts of up to 33 mph were
recorded at the HMSC. But his biggest numbers of 2,000+ were during his
10/17-10/21 seawatches; gusts of 34 mph were on 10/15, and of 39-49 mph
occurred each day during 10/18-20, so his high counts of fulmars were after
or during days with high winds, which is expected.
Fulmars have color phases. PP observed that about 20% of the 800+
fulmars on 10/17 and 25% of the 400+ on 10/19 were light-phase. Most are
usually not light-phase here.
At Boiler Bay, PP detected a MANX-like SHEARWATER on 10/17, and PP &
DT spotted a probable FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER on 10/29.
BROWN PELICAN
Many observers reported lots of BROWN PELICANS during Oct. During
PP's 3 seawatches at Boiler Bay during 10/14-17, he noted 500-1,500+
heading north; on 10/21, he noted 1,200+ heading south, their expected
migration direction now. But some may continue to fly north to feed before
they head south, as PP & DT saw 800+ feeding and flying in both directions
at Boiler Bay on 10/29. We typically have Brown Pelicans through
November, with stragglers remaining even into December and January (SemiL).
Some wondered if pelicans are more abundant this month than usual or
if they are being affected by ocean conditions. It is hard telling if they
were more abundant because they are so mobile that they are hard to monitor
each year. And this is their migration time. So far, I have not heard
reports of dying or starving pelicans, so ocean and feeding conditions are
presumably satisfactory.
The greatest count of perched pelicans was 250 at the second finger
west of Yaquina Bay Bridge on 10/19 and during the 10/20 YBNFT (BO) and at
Siletz Bay on 10/29 (PP).
HERONS AND EGRETS
[Image Not Included: Kitty Brigham's May 13 photo of a Great Blue Heron
stepping out at Lint Slough, Alsea Bay.]
RB's Oct. 10 census showed a continuing decline in Yaquina herons
(see graph below). The 44% decrease from August 31 was before the first
series of windstorms during 10/18-20 and before the first frosts. So the
decline occurred before one would expect the decline to be from mortality.
Will the decline continue?
GREAT EGRETS also continued to decline at the Yaquina--their Oct. 10
count of 32 is 62% down from their peak census on Aug. 31. During 10/14 &
20, the Lincoln City Audubon and Yaquina Birders & Naturalists field trips
found 15 at the Log Pond between the HMSC and Oregon Coast Aquarium.
RB's Censuses of Great Blue Herons (X) and Great Egrets (e)
Within 1 Hour of Predicted Low Tides Less Than +0.8 ft
at Yaquina Bay Embayments (Idaho Flats, Sally's Bend, and
mudflats south of Sally's Bend)
160- X
150-
140- X X
130- X
120-
110- X
100- X
90- X
80- e
70- XX e
60- X e
50- e
40- e
30-X X XXX XXX e
20-
10-
1-4- e ee e
0-e e eee ee e
'|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|
Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov
Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
On 10/6 at Thornton Creek, DF saw a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK playing tag
with six Steller's Jays in an alder. DF writes: "These contests always
appear to be just a game, as nothing ever comes of them other than a half-
hearted pursuit by the hawks."
CA wrote on 10/6 that a Sharpie had been around the Yaquina Head fee
booth at Yaquina Head. When it flew west along the headland, it was mobbed
by crows and sometimes also by gulls.
On 10/17 in a clearcut, SK saw a Sharpie in a tree about two hundred
yards away. "It came straight at me on a low descent dive with wings set
until it flared about twenty feet away and flew past. That was different!"
On 10/24, CP picked up a stunned Sharpie after it had evidently flown
into something in a Newport breezeway while chasing a MOUNTAIN QUAIL. CP
has seen Sharpies eating Mountain Quail before.
OTHER RAPTORS-SHOREBIRDS
DF reported our latest TURKEY VULTURE at Thornton Creek on 10/12.
TW has our latest OSPREY report, with one being harassed by 3
American Crows at Idaho Flats on 10/10.
A juvenile WHITE-TAILED KITE perched on the dead alder along the HMSC
Nature Trail on 10/10 (JL), and an adult was at Nute Slough (freshwater
slough at about mile 9.3 along north Yaquina Bay Road) on 10/15 (CP).
A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was viewed in the Ona Beach/Makai area on 3
days during 10/6-12 (CP; BB; RL).
On 10/29, DS found an all-white adult GYRFALCON at South Siletz Bay.
This is our 13th record--our last report of a Gyrfalcon was in 1997 (FN,
SemiL).
1 MERLIN was at Yachats on 10/3 (SaL), and another was near the pond
south of the HMSC on 10/25 (BO).
SaL and JW had our only AMERICAN COOTS with about 100 at Eckman Lake
on 10/14.
On Sept. 2, AF located a SNOWY PLOVER at Yachats; he carefully
studied it to be sure that it was not a Sanderling. In fall and winter,
Sanderlings in nonbreeding plumage have sometimes been misidentified as
Snowy Plovers. Snowy Plovers have become scarce in Lincoln County with WH
having our previous record of a banded one on 6/28/2001 (FN).
SaL found 5 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS at Yachats on 10/6, which is the
largest concentration of them so far this season. 10 or more have often
been found in past winters at high tide.
[Image Not Included: Dick Demarest's Oct. 13 digiscoped photo of a Long-
billed Dowitcher eyeing Dick and others during the Lincoln City Audubon
field trip to Yaquina Bay. By tucking its bill under its wing, it reduces
heat loss through its bill, similarly to humans putting hands in their
pocket on a cold day.]
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-ALCIDS
At least one SOUTH POLAR SKUA was seen during the 10/6 Bird Guide
Pelagic Trip out of Newport, and PP saw another about a half mile from
Boiler Bay during his 10/17 seawatch.
During 10 seawatches through 10/28 at Boiler Bay, PP saw POMARINE
JAEGERS during 6 watches with a maximum count of 19 and jaeger sp. during 2
of these 6 watches. On 10/21, WH saw a PARASITIC JAEGER at Boiler Bay.
10/22 was unseasonably warm (69 F at the HMSC), and CS saw lots of
gulls swooping in the air like swallows over her South Beach home. That
evening, RB found many flying reddish-orange bodied ants at the HMSC, so
the warm weather must have triggered a late flight of ants that the gulls
tried to catch! The next day was even warmer (77 F at HMSC).
PP counted 1-3 SABINE'S GULLS during 6 and 2-20 BLACK-LEGGED
KITTIWAKES during 7 of his 10 Oct. Boiler Bay seawatches through 10/28.
PP spotted our latest terns at Boiler Bay: a CASPIAN TERN on 10/9 and
a juvenile ARCTIC TERN on 10/20.
12 adult and 8 juvenile COMMON MURRES were beached in Sept. along 4.6
miles of beach north of Ona Beach (B&SLo, L&VO). The number of adults is
tied for the 4th highest year since BLo started these beach surveys in
1978. The number of juveniles is much less than average.
3-60 MARBLED MURRELETS were counted during PP's 8 Boiler Bay
seawatches during 10/14-28; they were absent during his 2 earlier Oct.
seawatches. PP surveyed 1-6 ANCIENT MURRELETS during 4 of his 9 Oct.
seawatches through 10/27, but PP & DT found 80+ there on 10/28.
PP saw many RHINOCEROS AUKLETS during his October Boiler Bay
seawatches, but only 1 CASSIN'S AUKLET on 10/20.
OWLS-DARK-EYED JUNCO
On 10/5, DF noted a probable LONG-EARED OWL at his Thornton Creek
home. This is our first record since 1992 (FN). Prior to that, we had 6
records, all except one during August-early November (SemiL). On 10/17, a
BARRED OWL also showed up there, and DF had a total of 6 species of owls in
October as he also found GREAT HORNED OWL, WESTERN SCREECH OWL, NORTHERN
PYGMY OWL, and NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL.
[Image Not Included: Roy Lowe's photo of a perched TROPICAL KINGBIRD along
the HMSC Nature Trail in Oct. 2005. Note the notch in the tail that
separates it from a Western Kingbird.]
J&LM had our only TROPICAL KINGBIRD, with one perched on wire near
their home just east of Sally's Bend on 10/20. Since 2000, 1-2 have been
reported each fall, except in 2005.
DF noted that WESTERN BLUEBIRDS passing his Thornton Creek farm on
10/6 were typical for the season. They are rarely reported along the
coastline unless there is freezing weather. Through at least 10/12 at his
farm, DF also continued to hear SWAINSON'S THRUSHES calling during their
nocturnal migration.
An AMERICAN PIPIT was at Boiler Bay on 10/9 (PP) and 10/28 (PP & DT).
Our first DARK-EYED (Oregon) JUNCOS of the fall arrived at BB's
Yachats feeders on 10/10. No reports yet of Slate-colored Dark-eyed
Juncos.
OBSERVERS/SOURCES: Cindy Ashy, Betty Bahn, Range Bayer, Dick
Demarest, Darrel Faxon (see
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#thornton_creek), Andy
Frank, Bird Guide Pelagic Trip (BGPT; info about pelagic trips,
http://thebirdguide.com), Wayne Hoffman, Steve Kupillas, Janet Lamberson,
Lincoln City Audubon Field Trip (LCAFT led by DD), Sally Lockyear (SaL),
Bob Loeffel (BLo) & Shirley Loeffel (SLo), Roy Lowe, John & Linda MacKown,
Field Notes (FN, use "Search" link at top of
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm [all lower case letters] to
search for Lincoln County records from the Sandpiper since 1992), 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, Phil Pickering, Paul Reed, SemiL (semimonthly
Lincoln Co. bird records through 1992 at
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#semimonthly [all lower case
letters]), Claire Smith, Don Stein, Dave Tracy, Tom Wainwright, Jean
Weakland, Yaquina Birders & Naturalists Field Trip (YBNFT led by BO).
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