[birding] E.E. Wilson roundup: Swamp Sparrow, River Otter, V-g Swallows etc.

[Joel Geier]

Hi folks,

On a lunchtime walk around the west-central part of E.E. Wilson Wildlife
Area today, I saw one (possibly two) of the SWAMP SPARROWS that have
been along the canal since Doug Robinson found two there in
mid-December. The location is next to the "handicapped hunters" blind,
one street west of headquarters, just north of the canal. The bird (or
birds) wasn't vocalizing today, but was sneaking around low in a big
bush without leaves that's standing in the water across the road to the
NE of the blind.

On my way there I saw a RIVER OTTER chasing frogs(?) underwater in the
shallows on the south side of the canal, along the road straight north
of HQ, just west of where the canal flows into the Canal Pond. The otter
stuck its face up once to look at me where I was standing on the road,
about 15-20 feet away, then resumed swimming around underwater. Cute
little critter.

Don Boucher's prediction that VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS would be widespread
soon is certainly true here today, with a pair at E.E. Wilson HQ and
another pair checking out cavities at our place earlier this morning.

One GREAT EGRET is still around but many other wintering birds seem to
be getting harder to find. I looked for but couldn't find any of the
following birds that caused varying degrees of excitement this winter:
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (HQ area), Chipping & Clay-colored Sparrows
(gamebird display pens area), Northern Shrike (checked for the adult
that was regular in south end, didn't check on the immature bird that
was in the north end), or Red-shouldered Hawks (didn't see either of the
two that wintered in the area close to HQ).

Happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis