[birding] Ft Rock area birds

[Steve Seibel]

After a recent trip to Lakeview, I swung by the Ft Rock area on the way home
for an eyeful of Prairie Falcons, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Swainson's
Hawks, Ferruginous Hawks, Kestrels, Red-tailed Hawks, and more.  I love Fort
Rock -- if you take the time to hike to the right spot you can always see
Prairie Falcons playing on the wind and see (and hear) White-Throated Swifts
slicing through the air with their characteristic incredible speed and
maneuverability.  The newly-mown irrigated fields were full of ravens,
Turkey Vultures, and Golden and Bald Eagles feasting on chopped-up ground
squirrels etc, and soaring in the late-morning thermals in clouds of dozens
and dozens of birds.  A great place to practice ID of distant soaring Bald
vs Golden eagles as they are often flying together.  I've never seen so many
Bald Eagles in summer in the central Oregon sagebrush country before. What a
treat. (The view from 17,000' from my hang glider east of Lakeview wasn't
bad either!)

PS about 15 White Pelicans still at Cabell marsh at Finley Refuge last week
Steve Seibel, Corvallis
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