[obol] RBA: Probable ALDER FLYCATCHER along Aufderheide Dr. in e. Lane County today

Tue Jul 22 21:30:25 PDT 2008

Hi OBOL:
I tried this spot again, 7/21 at dawn and dusk. I found active Willow 
Flys in the same two spots I found them 7/9. It looks like there are 
only two territories in this fine looking area. I guess Dave's 
concentration of birds in June was made up mostly of migrants. I 
heard maybe 4 western flycatchers along Aufderheide.

I heard Western Screech Owl, rather surprisingly, on the nights of 
7/20 and 21 from a c.g. on the shore of Cougar Reservoir. No other 
owls. We searched for rarer, bigger owls, but came up with none.

Still a beautiful location.

Good birding,
Arch McCallum
Eugene

At 11:24 AM 7/10/2008 -0700, Arch McCallum wrote:
>I visited this spot yesterday. The directions are excellent. I 
>didn't get there until 1130 on a warm day, so I didn't expect much, 
>but it seemed from Dave's description like a decent place for an 
>Alder to breed in OR, and I have been wanting to check it out. Just 
>where the alder bushes spread out (see Dave's description below), I 
>found a Willow Flycatcher giving a whit call and foraging actively. 
>I would guess this was a male with a mate on a nest nearby. I got 
>good looks at this bird and it seemed like a typical Oregon wifl: 
>weak wingbars, essential no eyering, and brownish mantle. I think 
>most of us would notice a slight difference (brighter wingbars and 
>eyering, a bit of green in the dorsal coloration) if we got a good 
>look at an Alder in OR.
>
>I went upstream toward the Landis Cabin without hearing many birds. 
>I was able to pish up a Song Sparrow, 2 Lincoln's Sparrows, a Yellow 
>Warbler, and a Warbling Vireo. This may have started a second Willow 
>Flycatcher whitting out in the alders, which were extensive at this location.
>
>At this point I was reminded that Dave's observation, despite being 
>on 18 June, was similar to Randy Moore's last year in late May: a 
>lot of birds in a small area, all vocalizing. I went to Randy's 
>location twice a few days later, and there were no Traill's 
>Flycatchers in evidence at all. That suggests a concentration of 
>migrants. On the other hand, there is enough habitat at Dave's site 
>to accommodate all the birds he saw, in breeding territories, and it 
>is easy to imagine most of them being silent at noon. So, I don't 
>know. I'd like to go back to this lovely spot at dawn or dusk. If 
>anyone is up that way, drop by. For those who have never driven this 
>rd (FS 19 or Aufderheide Drive), it is a wonderful byway. Paved all 
>the way, much smoother than most Eugene streets, under an 
>uninterrupted canopy of tall mixed conifers. There is a slew of 
>Forest Service campgrounds on that road. I think we will try a 
>camping trip up there.
>
>Oh yes, as I returned to my car, a Willow Flycatcher had begun 
>singing from the tops of the tallest conifers, at a fast pace. You 
>never can tell about these guys.
>Also heard: MacWarb and Sw. Thrush.
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Arch McCallum
>Eugene
>
>At 06:56 AM 6/18/2008 +0000, David Irons wrote:
>>Greetings All,
>>
>>Today, while birding along Aufderheide Dr. in e. Lane County, I had 
>>a "Traills" (Willow/Alder) type flycatcher that was giving a sharp 
>>"pip" or "peep" call note that sounded like that of an Alder 
>>Flycatcher.  There was also a Willow Flycatcher at the same site 
>>and a couple more at nearby Box Canyon Station, all of which were 
>>uttering the standard softer "whit" call note of that species. The 
>>call note of the bird in question had sharp quality sort of like a 
>>loud version of a Hammond's Flycatcher call note.  I listened to 
>>the wav. file of the Ingram Island Alder Flycatcher, found last 
>>year by Randy Moore, and the sound file of the call notes of that 
>>bird sound very similar to what I heard today.  There were at least 
>>two "Traill's" Flycatchers at this site, along with a Dusky Flycatcher.
>>
>>To reach the site from the Willamette Valley, take Hwy 126 east 
>>from Springfield about 40 miles until you pass the town of Blue 
>>River.  Continue a few more miles and turn right (south) at the 
>>sign for Cougar Res./Aufderheide Dr.  From there, follow the signs 
>>up Auderheide Dr., which wraps around the west side of Cougar Res. 
>>and follows the south fork of the Willamette
>
>actually, s frk of McKenzie R.
>
>>River for many miles.  You will go about 29 miles on Auderheide Dr. 
>>and then turn left on F.S. Rd. 1958.  If you reach the spot where 
>>snow is still blocking the road, you've gone about 1/2 mile too 
>>far.  There is a sign at this intersection that says "Crossing 
>>Way."  This road immediately opens into a meadow that has a small 
>>boggy creek running through it.  There is a dense low alder thicket 
>>all along the creek.  Park by the creek and walk about 100-150 
>>meters to the south until the boggy area fans out and the 
>>vegetation is a little taller.  Today, all the flycatchers were 
>>feeding, and calling right at the north edge of where the thicket 
>>broadens out.  I took dozens of images of "Traill's" Flycatchers, 
>>and I may have images of the bird that was giving the Alder-like 
>>call note.  Incredibly, neither of these birds ever sang a full 
>>"fitz bew" or "fee-beo" song.  They did chase each other around 
>>some and I heard some agitated chatter, but otherwise only single 
>>call notes were heard.  It was about 3:30-4:00PM when I was there, 
>>so these birds may sing more in the AM.
>>
>>This area is sort of miniature version of the Salt Creek Bog 
>>opposite the Waldo Lake turnoff on Hwy 58 east of Oakridge.  It 
>>extends further to the south, all the way to Box Canyon Station, 
>>which is about 1/2 mile further south on Aufderheide Dr.   My 
>>original intention was to drive all the way through to Hwy 58 at 
>>Westfir, but Aufderheide Dr. is still blocked by snow just a few 
>>hundred yards beyond the parking area for Box Canyon Station (there 
>>is an old cabin here).  I birded all along this boggy area and 
>>found the following species:
>>
>>Willow Flycatcher -- several based on call notes
>>Dusky Flycatcher -- one at F.S. Rd. 1958 and one at Box Canyon Station
>>Yellow Warbler -- both sites
>>Yellow-rumped Warbler (auduboni) -- both sites
>>MacGillivray's Warbler -- one at Box Canyon Station
>>Lincoln's Sparrow -- 2-3 at Box Canyon Station
>>Song Sparrow -- both sites
>>Dark-eyed Junco -- both sites
>>
>>I have to work the next several days and will not have a chance to 
>>get back up there at an earlier hour.  Since both Alders and 
>>Willows are late migrants, and neither of these birds were singing, 
>>it is conceivable they are migrants, but  it looks like good 
>>nesting habitat.  If you have a tape/iPod/CD player, I would take 
>>along Northern Waterthrush recordings and play them.  This spot 
>>looks great for that species as well.
>>
>>Dave Irons
>>Eugene, OR
>>
>>
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