[birding] Ravens nesting, edge of Willamette Valley near Corvallis

[Joel Geier]

Hi folks,

Yesterday (10 Apr) an unusual visitor tipped us off to RAVEN nesting
activity on Tampico Ridge, to the west of E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area in
northern Benton County. 

Around mid-morning Becky saw a BALD EAGLE (adult) fly in to perch on one
of the tall Douglas-firs on the ridge behind our house. That was a new
experience for us. It stayed there for close to an hour. A flock of five
WILD TURKEYS which have been very conspicuous lately suddenly decided to
be very inconspicuous, and retreated into the forest.

I guessed that the eagle might be keeping an eye on the angling pond at
E.E. Wilson from this perch, perhaps waiting for an Osprey to snag a
fish (the pond is only about half a mile away). But when I got out the
binoculars, the eagle had its head cocked upward. There were two RAVENS
flying over. Surprisingly they paid no attention to the eagle but just
kept flying over the ridge. One of them was carrying a twig/branch that
was just about as long as its wingspan.

Eventually the eagle flew off and interacted with a second adult Bald
Eagle, over the north end of E.E. Wilson. One of them gave our yard a
second close flyby but did not return to perch. Too bad -- it would be
nice to have a pair of eagles nesting on the ridge behind our house,
especially if it helps to keep the turkeys out of our garden!

Happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis