[obol] Harney County Report

[Wayne & Patty Bowers]

I sent this message earlier in the week, but have been wrestling a little
with the new system so it didn't go through to the OBOL listserve. I did add
one additional day to the report as a result. Hope it makes it through this
time.

 

--------------------------------------------

Hello from Harney County:

 

We returned home to a merry-go-round of fun and exciting bird sightings over
the past couple weeks.

 

Besides the usual birds (such as Northern Flicker, California Quail,
Cassin's Finch, House Finch, Common Raven, Mourning Dove, Mountain
Chickadee, Turkey Vulture, American Robin, Mountain Bluebird, Western
Meadowlark, Black-billed Magpie, Great-horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawk) here's
what's been happening around our place (listed in order of observation on
any given day):

 

4/28 (warm, about 70* F, first lizards out enjoying the warm sun)

 

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Unidentified Hummingbird

White-crowned Sparrow (numerous, but nearly gone as of today)

Northern Flicker (male intergrade with red nape and red malar stripe,
red-shafted feathers)

 

4/29 (cold, breezy, about 45* F)

 

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Orange-crowned Warbler

Common Poorwill

Lesser Goldfinch (2 birds)

 

4/30 (cold, windy)

 

Chipping Sparrow

Sharp-shinned Hawk

 

5/3

 

American Goldfinch

Yellow Warbler

Mystery Hummingbird (remained for three days, probably a hybrid -pictures to
follow soon)

 

5/4 (incredible day, bird movement almost constant)

 

Brewer's Sparrow

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Rock Wren

Tree Swallow

Rough-winged Swallow

Lazuli Bunting

Vesper Sparrow

American Kestrel

Rufous Hummingbird (multiple birds - mature adult males, first year males,
females)

 

5/5 (the show continues)

 

Black-headed Grosbeak

Green-tailed Towhee

Bushtit

Bullock's Oriole

House Wren (3 birds over a couple days - usually see one if we are lucky)

Western Kingbird

Pine Siskin

Black-chinned Hummingbird (multiple birds - males and females)

Franklin's Gull

 

5/6

 

Yellow Warbler

Warbling Vireo

Nashville Warbler

 

5/7

 

Ferruginous Hawk

 

5/8

 

Calliope Hummingbird

 

5/10

 

Western Tanager

 

5/11

 

Gray Flycatcher

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Swainson's Hawk

 

5/12

 

Chipping Sparrows (large group flying and feeding through the bunchgrass
outside the yard and bathing enmass in the pond)

Townsend's Warbler

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Winter Wren

 

5/13

 

Western Tanagers (lots)

Chipping Sparrows (still lots)

 

Some species may have arrived earlier than our notation, but we weren't here
to see them. The leaves and blossoms on the deciduous trees and shrubs are
BARELY peeking out from their buds, but if the warmer temperatures predicted
toward the latter part of the week come to pass, we may get spring yet.

 

We've been recording our bird sightings at this location for nearly 15
years. One especially interesting thing about the sightings this past week
is the number of hummingbirds has been MANY times greater than what we've
seen in May in years past. Not only have the numbers been greater, the
hummers are here more than a week (on average) earlier than what we normally
see. In the past a single bird might show up now and then from mid to late
May, stay a few moments to refuel, then zoom on. This year, multiple birds
of different species have been here at the same time and a few individual
birds have stayed for several days.

 

The number of black-headed grosbeaks is increasing and they are staying
around for longer periods as are the orioles. The tanagers have just
arrived. It is a pretty magical sight to see three orioles, a male
black-headed grosbeak, and a male western tanager feeding on the oranges in
a single snag on our front deck.

 

We've also seen or heard Canada geese, sandhill cranes, and unidentified
gulls flying over or calling from nearby fields.

 

We just confirmed a new nesting species for the property, as last night I
found the raven nest we suspected was present. It is within a few yards of
last year's Swainson's Hawk and Long-eared Owl nests.

 

The sparrows seem to coordinate their bath time in the pond. More than once
I've observed a small flock of chipping sparrows, several vespers, and a
couple Brewer's sparrows all bathing at the same time. The water droplets
really fly when there are a dozen or more birds engaged in bathing. The lark
sparrows are conspicuously absent from these activities this year, although
we have seen and heard a couple individuals.

 

And, it's always a great way to start the day with several Brewer's sparrows
buzzing away outside the fence on their new territories with a few Vespers
chiming in and the western meadowlark singing solo, sometimes with his wolf
whistle call. At night, the tree frogs add their voices to the chorus. It's
no wonder we love where we live and the amenities spring migration brings.

 

Happy Birding

 

Wayne & Patty

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://oregonbirdwatch.org/pipermail/obol/attachments/20080513/5b21c8d4/attachment.html