Subject: Columbia Estuary Report - 11/29/96
Date: Nov 29 15:52:15 1996
From: Mike Patterson - mpatters at orednet.org




Columbia River Estuary Report - 11/29/96

"North Coast" report wasn't creating the right sense of bioregional
inclusiveness, so I've opted for a longer name.

The wind and rain have done little to enhance the birding
potential here on the Lower Columbia, except perhaps to create
plenty of HOODED MERGANSER habitat and the little scamps are
taking fine advantage thereof.

A YELLOW WARBLER was amid the sparrow flocks at the end of Heron
Avenue in Warrenton. As you all know, this would be a species
requiring a written description on Christmas Bird counts of the
area and in the spirit of being a good role model for bird count
participants, I have included the details at the end of this
report.

12 TRUMPETER SWANS were on Black Lake in Ilwaco today. This is
a traditional wintering site. 2 more were in the flooded fields
on Chinook Dike Road along with a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and a
NORTHERN SHRIKE.

6 WESTERN GREBES, very much alive, were in the drift line of the
North Jetty Beach at Ft Canby only one seemed concerned enough
about my presence to make a "run" for it back into the ocean. A
CLARK'S GREBE was in the channel at the Ft Canby Boat Ramp.


Yellow Warbler (_Dendroica petechia) Hatching Year Male
November 28, 1996, appx 1000hrs
Heron Av, Warrenton, Clatsop Co. OR
Sky mostly cloudy
Viewed for 5mins with 8x40 Bushnell Binoculars
Habitat: Mixed blackberries on edge of grass/sedge wetland in
association with Fox, Song and Lincoln's Sparrows.
Description:
Size: Larger than a kinglet, smaller than a Lincoln's Sparrow
Overall:Yellow/green above, yellow below
Head: mostly yellow/green in face and crown. Distinct yellow
eye-ring. Chin and throat, pale yellow. Bill dark
colored
Back and wings: Yellow/green. Primaries tending darker.
Breast, belly and undertail coverts: pale yellow to yellow,
brightest at pectoral region.
Tail: Brownish with yellow webbing on the feathers. The
amount of yellow suggests a HY male, rather than female.
Voice: A often repeated, emphatic "tseek"
Behavior: It was gleening insect (presumably) from branches of
blackberries, spending most of its time in the denser regions.
Similar species: The combination of yellow, greenish-yellow, with
yellow eye-ring, no wingbars and yellow webbing in the tail
feathers, effectively eliminates all other species in this size
class.


--
*********************************** I was of three minds
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * like a tree
* mpatters at orednet.org * in which there are three blackbirds.
*http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters* -Wallace Stevens