[obol] Lunch With The Birds

[Cliff & Joanne Weber]

OBOL, hello!

Seeing conditions were really good today; just barely a hint of wavy air at
distance; so powers as high as 60x were practical.

Lots of Swallow species flitting about like little feathered bullets. We
figured they're probably migrants moving through our area from locations
farther north than Portland.

We observed the funniest thing today. Several flocks of Cackling Geese
winged in during the lunch hour and whenever each flock in turn would get
over a certain area of the lake at the north end, several individuals in
each group would do sudden barrel rolls and crazy wing flops as if they were
dodging an invisible obstacle in the air. Until they reached that certain
area, the geese glided along in their usual manner of grace in flight.

A kettle of three Red Tail Hawks spiraled way up in the stratosphere. Still
lots of Gold Finches; a few Double crested Cormorants are beginning to
arrive; but no Bald Eagles in sight yet; at least not on our watch.

We're having a bit of a problem with visibility at the north end. The
vegetation right out front of the observation shelter has grown so tall that
we can no longer observe the nearest ponds and their shorelines; thus
limiting most of our waterfowl and wading bird viewing to the big lake way
out there about 1/4th mile, and  resulting in roughly a 50% loss of
opportunity. The near ponds used to be really good for Snipes and Green
Herons in the past.

Where? ... City of Hillsboro, at the intersection of SW Wood Street and Hwy
219. Thomas Bros Portland street guide page 593, square B6. Wild In The
City, pages 159-160. Exploring The Tualatin River Basin, pages 19-20.

For those with good legs (I'd prefer a cab) Jackson Bottom's north
observation deck is about a 3/4 to 7/8ths mile stroll from the transit
center in Hillsboro.

Google satellite image: http://tinyurl.com/ypd665

Wheelchair Friendly? ... Yes. Excellent off-street parking, and really easy
wheeler and walker access to a roofed and hand-railed deck. Some bench-style
seating inside the shelter, and more outside along a sidewalk.

Restrooms? ... Good ones available a mile south at Jackson's spiffy
education center. McDonald's is closer, at the corner of Baseline and 1st
Ave.

Gourmet Coffee? ... Nearest Starbucks is at the corner of Main and 1st Ave.
Convenient parking is competitive.

Information about Lunch With The Birds, and additional Jackson Bottom
Wetlands programs, is available online at www.jacksonbottom.org

Cliff & Joanne Weber
Beaverton (Bethany area)