[birding] Linn/Benton Common Loon, other Peoria birds

[M & R Campbell]

Tuesday (11/03), we had a COMMON LOON in the slough across the river from our house (and therefore in Benton County).  I spotted it not long before sundown, when I stepped through our front door.  It stayed about twenty minutes, and when it flew it conveniently crossed into Linn County and onto my county list for this year. This isn't the first Common Loon we've had here in Peoria.  Dec. 7, 2007, a Common Loon drifted right by in the middle of the river, apparently taking a rest. 

Some other recent birds from the Peoria area:

EARED GREBE at Halsey sewage ponds, 11/01.
Peregrine Falcon at Snag Boat Bend, 11/01.
Peregrine Falcon across the river, 11/02.
WHITE-TAILED KITE over our house, 11/07. (This is a first for our yard, and a first for me in Linn County, despite the fact that we live less than 5 miles from Finley.)

Farther afield--but still in the greater Peoria area--there were eight Barrow's Goldeneyes below the dam at Foster Res. on 11/3, and one EARED GREBE and one HORNED GREBE on the lake.


Today I completed a survey of the river between Snag Boat Bend and Willamette Park, including a circumnavigation of Kiger Island--a 10+ mile stretch of river, paddled both up and down.  I found:

Three Bald Eagles, all adults.
Two Rough-legged Hawks.
Two Spotted Sandpipers.
Six Kingfishers.
At least four Black Phoebes--one in our back yard, one on the west side of SBB and one across the river to the east, and one behind Kiger Island.
Three BARN SWALLOWS.
Many Double-crested Cormorants.
Very few ducks--only Mallards (12), Wood Ducks(9?), and one Common Merganser.  (In fact, I think I may have seen more duck hunters than ducks.  Not a good ratio.)


Randy Campbell

Peoria


No machines were used, or abused, in the finding of these birds.











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