[birding] Birding class field trip

[Lisa Millbank]

Today the ASC birding class field trip went out to Finley.  At the prairie, we got great looks at WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, a turquoise male LAZULI BUNTINGS & brown females, WESTERN KINGBIRDS, and the biggest surprise was a group of at least 3 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES (female and 2 males, at least).  One of the kingbirds perched on a dead bush, while glowing neon-orange Mr. Oriole perched on the other side of the bush.  I'm sure the orioles were on their way somewhere else, they were an unusual sight on the prairie.  We also enjoyed all kinds of flowers, with some Death Camas, Peacock Larkspur, Hyacinth Triteleia, Slender Cinquefoil, Oregon Geranium, and Mule's-ears (Wyethia), among many others.  A bee fly (Bombyliidae) was a curious little bug and hovered among us for several minutes while we looked at the flowers.
At the bathroom stop on Finley Rd. we all got to watch RED-TAILED HAWKS courting with the male dangling his legs.
At Cabell Marsh we watched a WILLOW FLYCATCHER sneezing his little song, and a couple of YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS sang in the ashes but wouldn't show themselves.  Everyone got a close-up look at a GREAT BLUE HERON and 3 OSPREYS.  A Common Garter Snake swimming toward us was fun to watch, a really graceful swimmer.  Lots of dragonflies & damselflies, a Lorquin's Admiral, Western Tiger Swallowtails, a sulfur, and, on our bike ride home in Corvallis, we spotted a Clodius Parnassian!
Lisa Millbank
Don Boucher
www.neighborhood-naturalist.com
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