[obol] Ridgefield: SAY'S PHOEBE, MTN BLUEBIRD, N SHRIKE still around

[Bill Clemons]

I birded the River "S" Unit at Ridgefield NWR (~4mi W of I-5 at Exit 14 in SW Washington; http://www.fws.gov/ridgefieldrefuges/ ).  I was there from 7:15am until about 4:45.  I was participating in a Goose survey until about 10:30a, after which I made two loops.

Highlights:

MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD:  Originally reported by Greg Cocklin, this Pretty Male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD is still present and very active in the grassy area after the loop road leaves the E side of Rest Lake.  It has been seen most often on the drivers side of the car, after the "Three Trees" at the NE side of Rest Lake, and the large turnout with 2 signs on the "home stretch".  Look on short weeds and blackberry starts and such that are between 6 inches and 2 feet or so tall.  Occasionally it has also been seen on the passenger side of the road.

SAY'S PHOEBE:  Same habitat and location as the Mtn Bluebird.

VARIED THRUSH:  This late Female was seen this am about 8am near the R/R tracks and flew from the ground to a tree (where she paused long enough for me to ID) and then she flew into the woodland uphill from the R/R tracks..

OSPREY:  First of the season for me at Ridgefield.  It was perched in a Cottonwood about 100 feet or so S of the bridge over Lake River.  Subsequently it was observed flying N over the bridge and Lake River.  Beautiful, and nice to see them back.  Two others were reported by other birders today.


Bill Clemons
SW of Portland in Mtn Park
Willclemons AT Yahoo dot com


Complete list of 70 species seen / heard:

Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant  (1 seen on Long Lake)
AMERICAN BITTERN  (3 seen on water control canals adjacent to Rest Lake)
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
TUNDRA SWAN  (only 1 seen)
WOOD DUCK  (perhaps a dozen or more)
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
CINNAMON TEAL  (only 1 drake seen today - N Quigley Lake)
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
CANVASBACK  (2 drakes and 1 hen on Rest Lake)
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup  (more than a dozen)
Bufflehead  (at least 50)
HOODED MERGANSER  (only 1 hen seen today)
Ruddy Duck   (perhaps 80 or more)
OSPREY
Bald Eagle   (still plenty of sub-adults ~ 7 today)
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
HARLAN'S RED-TAILED HAWK  (in the "Three Trees" E side of Rest Lake )
American Kestrel
Virginia Rail  (only 1 heard today)
American Coot
SANDHILL CRANE  (two seen/heard today)
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs (1 seen N of The Blind)
Gull (Species)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher   (1 seen in tree, E side of Lake River)
Red-breasted Sapsucker  (2 seen/heard in entrance canyon)
Downy Woodpecker  (1 near R/R tracks)
Northern Flicker
PILEATED WOODPECKER  (1 seen/heard - top of entrance canyon)
SAY'S PHOEBE
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow   (abundant)
Violet-green Swallow  (lots)
Cliff Swallow   (several)
Barn Swallow   (a few)
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch   (seen/heard in entrance canyon)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Winter Wren   (heard in entrance canyon)
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
American Robin
VARIED THRUSH
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
SAVANNAH SPARROW  (heard on E side of Rest Lake)
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Pine Siskin   (seen/heard in entrance canyon)




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