[birding] (no owls) but lots of wigeon

[Mary Garrard]

Rich forgot to report that as we were leaving the prairie overlook, huge numbers of wigeon flew calling overhead to the northeast, wave after wave. It was an impressive visual and aural treat.

We also saw 43 head (at one count) of the elk herd.

 _____________________________________________________________________________
"I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven."
-Emily Dickinson




________________________________
From: rich armstrong <richarmstrong at comcast.net>
To: corvbird <list at midvalleybirding.org>
Sent: Wed, January 13, 2010 9:29:26 PM
Subject: [birding] no  owls

 
1. 8 of us decided to try for owls.
2. we began at the finley prairie overlook at 445 hoping 
for short-eared owl. we watched about 30 NORTHERN HARRIERS working a single 
area. it really seemed we would have a good chance for short-eared, but when the 
harriers disappeared about 520 nothing appeared at all.
3. then we drove to wlilamette park. we walked from the 
south end to the boat ramp playing screech owl and saw-whet owl tapes all along 
the way. we heard only a very distant sound that may have been a saw-whet, but 
could have been a dog. we never heard or saw anything else.
4. we thank don & lisa for finding and reporting 
owls.
5. we would like to request that anyone who knows where a 
great-horned owl nest is, or a screech owl in a next box is, or a field where 
short-eared owls are, or a barn that has barn owls, or anywhere anyone knows of 
an owl, please email me or post it on the midvalley listserve - at least 8 of us 
will be grateful.
Rich Armstrong
541-753-1978
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Lisa Millbank <lisaaves at peak.org>
To: midvalleybirding <list at midvalleybirding.org>; Mid-valley Nature <mid-valley-nature at googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sun, 
January 10, 2010 9:12:50 PM
Subject: [birding] Willamette Park 
owls

  
Don & I went out for another owl search 
tonight, this time at Willamette Park.  In the past couple of weeks, we 
have tried listening and calling at Bald Hill, Marys River Natural Park, 
Avery Park, Sunset & Starker Arts Parks, and Oak Lawn cemetery, with Great 
Horned Owls being the only ones calling at some of the spots we visited.  
It's still early in owl breeding season.
 
We locked up the bikes at the boat ramp area and 
walked down the river path as it was getting dark.  It was bedtime for 
most of the little birds, but that didn't stop a female WRENTIT from 
singing her song for a bit.  It sounded like she had no mate, as we didn't 
hear the male's "bouncing ball" song.  I enjoyed the 
little soft sounds of FOX SPARROW, BEWICK'S WREN, SPOTTED TOWHEE, and 
other common birds getting ready to sleep.  About 3/4 of the 
way to the south end of the park/soccer field area, we heard a pair of GREAT 
HORNED OWLS singing together.  A WOOD DUCK and WILSON'S SNIPE 
called as it got darker.  We heard a brief "toot" from 
a tall Douglas-fir, and then another.  Not knowing what it 
was, Don called for Western Screech-Owl, and then tried Northern 
Pygmy-Owl, just in case.  The mystery "toot" began 
again, this time in a long, quick series.  A NORTHERN SAW-WHET 
OWL!  What a nice surprise!  The tiny little guy flew 
out from the riverside forest toward the Ponderosa Pine restoration 
area and continued to call.
 
We walked out to the soccer fields and sat on 
a bench by the river.  A BARN OWL flew by, screaming.  After that, we 
wandered toward the water treatment facility and then back up through the 
disc golf course/Kendall Natural Area, calling for Western Screech-Owl most of 
the time.  Some disc golfers were playing night golf with 
headlamps and lighted discs, but other than that, it was pretty quiet.  We 
had just about given up on screech-owls when I heard a little trill.  
Pretty soon, we had a pair of WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS making their wonderful 
call.
 
On the way back down the riverside path, two BARN 
OWLS screamed pretty excitedly together as they flew over the park.  We 
stopped to try calling for other pairs of screech-owls when we heard a 
gnawing sound.  It was a beaver, tail-slapping and splashing 
around in the flooded forest.  A good night with 4 species of 
owls in town.
 
Lisa
www.neighborhood-naturalist.com   


      
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