[birding] Coffin Butte birds & wildflowers

[Joel Geier]

Hello All,

Some signs of spring on Coffin Butte yesterday included emerging
MENZIE'S LARKSPUR and SNOW QUEEN plants (though no blossoms yet), a
persistently singing HUTTON'S VIREO, and a group of BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEES that were singing and chasing each other around in the early
stages of courtship. 

A big chorus of AMERICAN ROBINS were singing in the rain in the main
part of E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area. I forgot to mention, but the robin
flock that's been feeding in the field just across Hwy 99W from the
Coffin Butte trailhead has an unusual, albinistic bird with white
feathers in an asymmetrical sort of radial pattern across its back
(looks sort of as if a toddler with white paint on their fingertips
tried to grab the bird).

Walking past Toketie Marsh on the loop home, I surprised a VIRGINIA RAIL
along the dike on the east side -- perhaps a spring migrant though I
doubt if anyone has looked very hard for wintering rails in that spot.

Happy spring birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis