[birding] Chipping Sparrows & Vaux's Swift Survey

[Joel Geier]

Hi folks,

Today's backyard birding highlight was a pair of CHIPPING SPARROWS
around our garden. Hopefully they'll decide to nest here this year,
though it seems like they usually move on despite our efforts to create
oak savanna habitat. I heard the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT calling, er,
"singing" again this afternoon.

Common camas, rose checkermallow, meadow checkermallow, and bare-stem
lomatium are all blooming now in our prairie restoration, along with my
two favorite grasses, prairie junegrass and Roemer's fescue.

I know some of you are helping with the Vaux's Swift survey on May 2nd.
I was hoping to check the old heating plant chimney east of the ODFW
office in Adair Village but it looks like I won't have time. 

If you'd like to help, please contact Nicole Nielsen-Pincus who is
coordinating the statewide Vaux's Swift count for the East Cascades Bird
Conservancy (her e-mail address is copied on this posting). Adair
Village usually has flocks in springtime, though not as big as the ones
in Corvallis. The big question is whether they are using this chimney or
some other site not yet identified.

Thanks & happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis