[obol] Howard Prairie Lake, June 16, 21

[Kumaran Arul]

Hi Oregon birders,

Here's a (much) belated report from Howard Prairie Lake on two days,  
June 16, and 21.  On the 16th we were on the west side of the lake at  
the resort campground, took a boat over to the north end and walked  
the woods up towards the marsh.  Birds seen included BLUE WINGED TEAL  
pair, a Wood duck, (3) BONAPARTE'S GULLS (all first year), (5)  
Caspian Terns, (1) California Gull, (4) Bald Eagles (2 adults, 2  
subadult-- the nest site near the resort didn't seem to be active).   
Also I had what appeared to be (6) Hammond's Flycatchers in the woods  
areas (although, I'm not totally confident separating Dusky from  
Hammond's).

Then on the 21st an early morning walk yielded a singing WILLOW  
FLYCATCHER (in the north side marsh area willows), a SANDHILL CRANE  
(two sightings from two different fields---could be two birds), a  
male and female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (feeding from the posts at the  
intersection of Hyatt Prairie and Dead Indian.), an AMERICAN WIGEON  
(male), (4) Wood Ducks, a Lark Sparrow, Vesper Sparrows, Lincoln's  
Sparrow, Green-tailed Towhee and the fields had displaying/singing  
Snipe (a treat).

Also no luck this year, but last year at this spot, we had a flock of  
about (6) C.Nighthawks foraging over the lake at sundown.  Didn't do  
any owling unfortunately.  Overall, just a gorgeous area and great  
birds for this coastal California birder!  Rest of the list from this  
location is below.

Kumaran Arul
(usually in Santa Cruz, CA on our annual week stay in Ashland, OR)

Other birds:  White Pelican, Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Merganser  
(with chicks riding on her back), Double Crested Cormorant (flocks up  
to 26), Western and Clarke's Grebes (about 12, Western, 6 Clarkes),  
Ring Billed Gull, Red-tailed Hawk, Osprey, Kestrel, Turkey Vulture,  
Spotted Sandpipers (many singing along shoreline and in irrigation  
ditches), Killdeer, Band-tailed Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Tree, Violet  
Green, Cliff, Barn, Rough-winged Swallows, Pileated, Downy, Hairy,  
Acorn Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, N.Flicker, W.Wood Peewee,  
Olive Sided Flycatcher, Raven, Stellar's, Scrub, Gray Jay, Cassin's,  
Hutton's and Warbling Vireo, Mountain and Chestnut-backed (I believe  
on voice) Chickadee, Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Hermit Thrush, Starling,  
Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Hermit Warblers, Spotted Towhee, Golden- 
crowned Kinglet, Chipping, Savanah, Song, Sparrows, Junco, Bl.H  
Grosbeak, W. Tanagers, Lazuli Bunting, Western Bluebird, Robin, Red- 
winged, Brewer's Blackbirds, W.Meadowlark, Br.H. Cowbird, Purple  
Finch, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch