[birding] Vesper Sparrow location, SE Polk Co.

[Joel Geier]

Hi folks,

The right turn off Wells Landing Road which Cheryl describes is Wigrich
Rd., see DeLorme p. 53, B7. I don't know the name of the smaller gravel
road that goes off to the left. There are a couple such roads but from
the description and some dim recollections of having been out there in
daylight years ago, I think it's the longer one labelled as Haener Rd.

If you go too far on Wigrich Rd., you'll be testing the amphibious
capabilities of whatever vehicle you're operating. As of 8 PM last
evening (when I was out there in the dark again, unsuccessfully trying
to reach a reliable spot for Western Screech-Owl), the east end of
Wigrich Rd. was under flood waters.

Happy birding,
Joel

P.S. The hazelnut orchards in this area have been a good spot for
wintering Chipping Sparrows in years past. I've never found them myself,
but according to Roy Gerig, Don Albright et al. they are normally found
with junco flocks in the older orchards.

On Sun, 2009-01-04 at 11:29 -0800, Cheryl Whelchel wrote:
> I don't know the name of the road it was on but if you are going north
> on Wells Landing RD and turn right where it dead ends into Hopville,
> then turn left on the unpaved road that has hops growing to the left
> of it.  At the end of the hops the road turns right and there is a
> blackberry thicket in the corner.  The bird responded quickly to
> pishing.
>  
> Cheryl Whelchel


--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis