[birding] Effort to preserve oak habitat near Corvallis; EE Wilson roundup

[Joel Geier]

Hello folks,

In case preservation of habitat for oak woodland birds is something that
you'd be interested in, please check out this website by Friends of
Witham Oaks:

www.withamoaks.org/Witham_Oaks/Welcome.html

They have formed a nonprofit to raise funds to purchase a 94.6 acre
property on the west end of Corvallis, which is due to come up for
auction on January 29th, following recent bankruptcy of a developer who,
at one time, threatened to cut down the site's mature oaks if Corvallis
voters did not approve an annexation proposal (which then narrowly
passed, after being voted down in several previous incarnations).

The property borders Harrison Blvd. opposite the open fields around the
OSU dairy farm, and the bike path along Oak Creek. The lower parts
bordering Harrison Blvd. contain some wetland, wet prairie and ash
forest, as well as invasive hawthorns etc. This been a good site for
Red-shouldered Hawk over the past decade. I haven't explored the upper
parts of the site, but according to the assessment by the Greenbelt Land
Trust which you can read here:

www.greenbeltlandtrust.org/documents/LandsCom_WithamHillEvaluation.pdf

the upper third has "good quality oak woodland habitat with numerous
open crowned oak trees." Thus it seems to offer another block of habitat
for oak woodland species such as White-breasted Nuthatch, in close
proximity to the Acorn Woodpecker colony by the Benton County
Fairgrounds, and more extensive oak woods in Bald Hill Park.

I'm not personally involved in the Friends of Witham Oaks group but know
some of the people involved to be sincere conservationists. Their plan,
if they succeed in purchasing the property at auction, is to donate the
land to the city of Corvallis as public open space. If they do not
succeed, donations are to be refunded.

Closer to home, I haven't seen the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at E.E.
Wilson Wildlife Area since last Tuesday. I'm not aware of any definite
sightings, but a few people have mentioned hearing and/or seeing an
unidentified sapsucker flying in the area just south of headquarters,
which is very likely the same bird up to the same tricks. 

The Red-shouldered Hawk continues to be seen daily. Two Swamp Sparrows
present since mid-December are continuing on the north side of the canal
(about 1/4 mile NNW of HQ, near the "handicapped hunters" blind). One or
two more Swamp Sparrows are farther north in the wildlife area, along
with a White-tailed Kite and a Northern Shrike.

Also of interest in the headquarters area, a first-winter Spizella
sparrow tentatively identified as a Chipping Sparrow was found by Paula
Vanderheul during an Audubon Society of Corvallis field trip on
Saturday, alongside the pond on the east side of the headquarters
building. Paula is leaving the door open for the alternative possibility
of a Clay-colored Sparrow. Either is a good species for this time of
year, so birders waiting out the sapsucker might consider this as a
diversion.

Several birders from outside the area have remarked on finding
White-throated Sparrows, Purple Finches, and Lincoln's Sparrows while
looking for the sapsucker. E.E. Wilson is consistently a good place for
all of these in winter. At least three White-throated Sparrows are in
the nearby woods on the south side of the skeet range (which the
sapsucker may use at times), and another half-dozen (at least!) are
scattered around the outlying parts of the wildlife area, usually along
the edges of damp woods. Purple Finches are all around the area,
including one small flock that's been consistently just south of the
first parking area west of headquarters. Lincoln's Sparrows are mostly
in grassy wetland areas with relatively sparse blackberries, willow
shrubs, or rose thickets that they will sometimes perch in for views.

Happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis