[birding] Benton Co. Central Raptor Run Results

[Marcia F. Cutler]

A somewhat belated report.

On Monday, January 18, 2010, Jan Landau, Wanda Parrott and I conducted this month's raptor run for central Benton Co., which roughly encompasses the area south of Corvallis to the main road running through Finley NWR and east of Bellfountain Rd. 

Nothing particularly unusual was seen.  Compared to last month when we conducted the run at the end of the cold snap the raptors were more widespread.  However overall numbers were fairly similar except for Northern Harriers which increased from 3 to 16.  And even this is probably an undercount.  I've been doing the raptor runs in the mornings to early afternoon.  About a week ago, I joined a group of people at dusk at the Finley Prairie Overlook to look for Short-eared Owls.  Although the owls never put on an appearance, we counted 30 Northern Harriers which would circle around and then drop down into the grasses, presumably to roost for the night.  There's also been a Short-eared Owl that's been seen in the latter part of the afternoon along Llewellyn Rd. just west of the railroad tracks.  Again, morning raptor runs are more apt to miss this species.

Here are the results:

Red-tailed Hawk: 33
American Kestrel: 24
Northern Harrier: 16
Bald Eagle: 4 adults, 5 immature
Rough-legged Hawk: 5
Red-shouldered Hawk: 1
White-tailed Kite: 1

Total miles: 63, time: 5 hrs.

In addition to the raptors, Western Bluebirds and Western Meadowlarks were seen and enjoyed in various places.  We also found a White-throated Sparrow on Kiger Island.

Marcia F. Cutler
Corvallis