[obol] Solitaire, Marion County

[Al Ahlgrim]

I visited Willamette Mission State Park north of Salem this morning and spent about two hours wandering the trails.  A Townsend's Solitaire appeared in a roughly 20' broad-leafed tree, I think a cottonwood, along the row of trees on the south side of the park.  There were a large number of robins in the area.  The bird whistled 2 solitary notes about 10 seconds apart; a clear whistle, and then fell silent.  It was too close for binoculars and we had an eyeball to eyeball look at each other from less than 10'.  It nipped at the leaves and watched me for about 20 seconds and then drifted back into the foliage.  It closely resembled the Sibley drab-winged juvenile drawing. (Page 400 of the east & west book)  Quite a surprise I must say.  I speculate that the solitaire may have been associated with the large robin flock.  For what it is worth, the irrigation sprinklers were watering the field on the other side of the tree line at the time.

 

Directions:  Park at the paved lot to the right just past the toll booth.  Follow the trail down and across the main park road.  After crossing the paved road follow the trail toward the tree line which separates the park and a farm field.  The trail turns nearly 90 degrees to follow the tree line.  From this turn proceed about 20 to 30 yards to some broad-leaf trees and shrubs.  This only a few minutes walk from the parking lot.

 

Al Ahlgrim
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