Subject: o1 Feb 2oo4: Obol Digest, Vol 4, Issue 2
Date: Feb 3 06:46:28 2004
From: John Allinger - nhojregnilla at hotmail.com


>Today's (o1 Feb's) Topics:
>
> 1. Yamhill Co. Barn Swallows (Don Albright)
> 2. Curry County 1/31/2004 (Tim Rodenkirk)
> 3. Coos County owl & falcon 2/1/2004 (Tim Rodenkirk)
> 4. Columbia Estuary Report - 2/1/2004 (Mike Patterson)
> 5. "Harlan's" Red-tailed Hawk: Laurelhurst area - Portland.
> (Jeff Gilligan)
> 6. Golden Eagle, Yamhill Co. (Floyd Schrock)
> 7. Jo Co Golden (Dennis P. Vroman)
> 8. to Lane Co birders (Alan Contreras)
> 9. Cascadia Hummingbird Report - Feb 2, 2004 (Mike Patterson)
> 10. Slaty-backed Gull at Renton (Ruth Sullivan)
> 11. Portland Birders Night February 3rd (Owen Schmidt)
> 12. Jackson County finds (ndbarret)
> 13. Central OR Raptors and Longspurs (Charles R. Gates)
> 14. Bewick's Wren question (DAVID IRONS)
> 15. Raptor Route (Oropendolas at aol.com)
> 16. Re: [[obol] Bewick's Wren question] (Terrie Murray)
> 17. Re: Bewick's Wren question (Gerard.Lillie)
> 18. re: Bewick's Wrens, Anna's Hummers, others (Wink Gross)
> 19. Re: Bewick's Wren question (Darrel Faxon)
> 20. Re: Bewick's Wren (Pamela Johnston)
> 21. Re: Bewick's Wren question (Mike Patterson)
> 22. Snow/Ice effects on birds (Wayne C. Weber)
> 23. Ice storm effects (Joel Geier)
> 24. Re: Ice storm effects (Joel Geier)
> 25. coast birds (bob bender)
> 26. Mystery Bird - Warbler? (Fruitbat the Unflappable)
> 27. Re: Mystery Bird - Warbler? (Mike Patterson)
> 28. Silver Falls Birdwalks (Steve Shunk)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 13:17:47 -0800
>From: "Don Albright" <donalbri at teleport.com>
>Subject: [obol] Yamhill Co. Barn Swallows
>To: "OBOL" <obol at lists.orst.edu>, <YamhillBirders at yahoogroups.com>
>
>At about noon today my family and I saw at least four BARN SWALLOWS at the
>seasonal ponds along North Valley Road, between Newberg and Gaston, Yamhill
>County. We watched them circling low over the water for a couple minutes
>before they disappeared.
>
>An adult BALD EAGLE was standing in shallow water at the north end of the
>northernmost pond, and a GREAT EGRET was nearby. No sign of the Redheads
>that were there about 10 days ago.
>
>Don Albright
>Newberg, Oregon
>donalbri at teleport.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 2
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 13:33:58 -0800 (PST)
>From: Tim Rodenkirk <garbledmodwit at yahoo.com>
>Subject: [obol] Curry County 1/31/2004
>To: obol at lists.orst.edu
>
>Barb Griffin called to tell me that after 5 hours of
>patient searching, she finally saw the CLAY-COLORED
>SPARROW at the Sevey feeder south of Gold Beach. She
>also saw a TURKEY VULTURE fly over.
>
>I birded in Coos yesterday with Mike & MeriLynn Denny.
> They told me they saw an aggressive male RUFOUS
>HUMMER in Harbor at the feeder where the Orchard
>Oriole was a couple winters ago. They saw it on 1/30.
>
>Happy Birding,
>Tim R
>Coos Bay
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 3
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 13:42:41 -0800 (PST)
>From: Tim Rodenkirk <garbledmodwit at yahoo.com>
>Subject: [obol] Coos County owl & falcon 2/1/2004
>To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu
>
>I went out to the end of the North Spit around 11AM to
>check the open sand and grass hoping for a Horned Lark
>or perhaps a Tufted Duck. Instead I found a BURROWING
>OWL which quickly disappeared. On the way back out,
>in the very SW corner of the large Weyerhaeuser "lake"
>(where the Sedge Wren first showed) I saw the elusive
>GYRFALCON (gray phase) that's been around since
>mid-December but has only been seen three times.
>
>On 1/31, while checking the old Weyerhaeuser aeration
>pond out on the North Spit with the Denny's, we
>counted 30 BARN SWALLOWS (the highest total out there
>yet since they arrived in late December). I didn't
>see any there today.
>
>February is here and the plum trees have started
>flowering around town. I noticed the first manzanitas
>flowering at New River on about 1/11, now there are
>many flowering on the North Spit- Spring is here on
>the coast! Only 4 or 5 months of rain and summer will
>arrive :>)
>
>Happy Springtime,
>Tim R
>Coos Bay
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 4
>Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 13:48:47 -0800
>From: Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com>
>Subject: [obol] Columbia Estuary Report - 2/1/2004
>To: Obol <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>Columbia Estuary Report - 2/1/2004
>
>The BULLOCK'S ORIOLE continues to be seen in Astoria.
>I talked to the person who owns the feeder and while she
>first saw it at her feeder on Jan 25th it was apparently
>noticed at a feeder up the block on the 18th or 19th.
>
>Todd Thornton also found a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE there
>this afternoon (which moved on shortly before my arrival).
>
>My daylist for about 20 minutes work (in taxonomic order):
>
>Western Gull
>Glaucous-winged Gull
>Western Scrub-Jay 3
>Common Raven 5
>Black-capped Chickadee 4
>Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
>Winter Wren 1
>Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
>American Robin 2
>European Starling
>Fox Sparrow 1
>Song Sparrow 3
>Dark-eyed Junco 8
>Bullock's Oriole 1
>House Finch 2
>Pine Siskin 10
>House Sparrow 2
>
>--
>Mike Patterson
>Astoria, OR
>celata at pacifier.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 5
>Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 13:53:09 -0800
>From: Jeff Gilligan <jeffgill at teleport.com>
>Subject: [obol] "Harlan's" Red-tailed Hawk: Laurelhurst area -
> Portland.
>To: OBOL <OBOL at lists.orst.edu>
>
>I saw an immature Harlan's Red-talied Hawk low over my Portland
>neightborhood while on a dog walk Sunday. It was being mobbed by crows.
>The identification was aided by the solidly dark outter-primaries.
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 6
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 14:02:05 -0800
>From: "Floyd Schrock" <fschrock at macnet.com>
>Subject: [obol] Golden Eagle, Yamhill Co.
>To: "Oregon Birders" <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>,
> <YamhillBirders at yahoogroups.com>
>
>At about 1 p.m. this afternoon (Feb. 1, '04) there was an adult GOLDEN
>EAGLE
>about 2 miles southwest of McMinnville along Hwy. 18. I was studying gulls
>in a field on the west side of the highway when they all took off, along
>with every other bird in the area. Suspecting that an eagle might be
>coming, I wasn't surprised to see it, but I was surprised to see a Golden,
>only my second in the county. It cruised on further southwest along the
>highway, so I followed it and caught up with it circling (perhaps on a
>thermal) above the Riverbend Landfill about three miles from town. I
>watched it for several minutes through my scope, and then it turned south
>and was soon out of sight. I could not relocate it, and it might be in
>Polk
>Co. by now. Baskett Slough birders... heads up.
>
>When I returned to the gull flock which had settled again in the same field
>about a half hour later, I was pleased to see a 1st winter GLAUCOUS GULL
>there. It stands out to the naked eye both by size and very uniform
>off-white coloration.
>
>=====================
>Floyd Schrock
>McMinnville, Oregon USA
>fschrock at macnet.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 7
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 14:07:51 -0800
>From: "Dennis P. Vroman" <dpvroman at budget.net>
>Subject: [obol] Jo Co Golden
>To: <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>This afternoon (02-01-04) at about 3:15 pm watched a GOLDEN EAGLE perched
>atop a pear tree near the pond at the end of Nelson Way (a few miles east
>of
>I-5 exit 61 (Merlin exit) for some time.
>
>This is my 2nd sighting for this species in my home area (and for the yr).
>
>Ken Goldwater observed a GOLDEN EAGLE near Myrtle Creek (south of Roseburg)
>on 01-31-04).
>
>Dennis (north of Grants Pass)
>...with the sw Oregon Golden Eagle report
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 8
>Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:41:44 -0800
>From: Alan Contreras <acontrer at mindspring.com>
>Subject: [obol] to Lane Co birders
>To: OBOL <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>, Tim Lee <tim2lee at yahoo.com>
>
>SWOC will be back at the usual site on Wed Feb 4 at 7:00 p.m.
>
>Willamette Valley Cancer Center
>520 Country Club Road
>Eugene
>
>Enter front door and turn right, walking past all the temporary computer
>terminals.
>
>If front door is locked, walk to the right around to the side door of the
>building, which is adjacent to the room we have been using.
>
> --
>Alan Contreras
>Eugene, Oregon
><acontrer at mindspring.com>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 9
>Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 18:04:35 -0800
>From: Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com>
>Subject: [obol] Cascadia Hummingbird Report - Feb 2, 2004
>To: Obol <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>, >
>Cascadia Hummingbird Report - Feb 2, 2004
>
>Yes, it's that time of year, again.
>
>There have actually been 3 Rufous Hummingbird reports
>in the last week or so. Of these, reports from Eugene
>and Astoria may not represent real long distance migrants.
>They, instead, fit the pattern of winter hold-outs shifting
>around as the weather changes (arguably the same pattern
>seen in recent winters in Barn Swallows).
>
>A male reported at Harbor, OR is more likely part of the
>early migrant front, though I reserve the right to change
>my mind if other reports are not forthcoming from Northern
>California and Southern Oregon.
>
>Astoria, OR (1) 01/24/2004 46.1876 123.8362
>Glenwood, OR 01/26/2004 43.9995 123.0046
>Harbor, OR 01/30/2004 42.0391 124.2547
>
>For moare information on tracking Rufous Hummingbirds see:
>http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/humm/count.html
>
>--
>Mike Patterson
>Astoria, OR
>celata at pacifier.com
>
>Half-a-bee, philosophically must ipso-facto half not-be.
>But half the bee, has got to bee Vis-a-vis its entity...
> d'you see?
>But can a bee be said to be or not to be an entire bee
>When half the bee is not a bee due to some ancient injury?
> -Monty Python
>
>http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 10
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 18:22:53 -0800
>From: "Ruth Sullivan" <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
>Subject: [obol] Slaty-backed Gull at Renton
>To: "OBOL" <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>Message-ID: <003901c3e933$77515a50$84e3480c at S0028818846>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>Hello Obolers,
>
>This afternoon at 3:20pm the elusive adult Slaty-backed Gull was observed
>bathing and briefly preening along the floating logboom line at Gene Coulon
>Park at Renton,King Co. for those birders abroad keeping a tract on both
>the Slaty-backed and Great Black-backed Gull. The bird was located after
>extensive scoping made at this location and within 5 minutes lifted alone
>off the water and flew to the south up and over the large Boeing building
>showing the distinctive "string of pearls",as well as a very wide tertial
>pattern,which was also observed as the bird preened and bathed on the
>water.The bird as observed in the water showed a very dark "slate-gray"
>mantle,being much different than any nearby Western Gull,as well as showing
>the finely streaked head and dark smudge around the clear eye that was
>noted at fairly close range in good lighting. The straight bill was not as
>straw-colored as we have noted in other Slaty-backed Gulls,but more of a
>plain yellow. We observed the bird
> along with Matt Bartels after many other birders left,but it is uncertain
>where the bird flew in from and is no doubt elusive.
>
>We arrived at Cedar River Park at the mouth of the Cedar River at
>11am,where we joined several other birders in search of either the Great
>Black-backed Gull or the Slaty-backed Gull with NO luck,as weather
>conditions were very good,but an obvious brisk to the air. Gull numbers
>seemed to increase at times from this location,but were most noted and
>consistent as we scoped east in the direction of Gene Coulon Park,where the
>largest concentrations of gulls were noted during our entire
>visit,especially in the mid to late afternoon. It is also seemed that plane
>and boast activity was highest today than in other visits we have made at
>either location,which may have had the gulls dispersed more. Notable
>species observed from Cedar River Park during our visit included a single
>Clark's Grebe located by Marv Breece during his early morning visit,then
>relocated by him later in the same vicinity,as we and other birders got
>good scoping views of it with several nearby Western Grebes for co
> mparison. The orange-yellow bill and grayer sides and flanks were obvious
>in good lighting contrasting to a darker gray back and white extending up
>along the neck with the eye showing within a slight dusky area. An apparent
>Western/Clark's intergrade was also observed amongst a separate Western
>Grebe flock from Cedar River Park that showed an obvious orange-yellow
>bill,but the remaining plumage of the bird was of a Western Grebe. A single
>1st winter Glaucous Gull was also noted from this location,where it was
>observed primarily at Gene Coulon Park before 2:30pm. Other notable species
>noted from both parks included the following:
>
>1 Red-necked Grebe
>600+ Western Grebes
>18 Greater White-fronted Geese
>2 Ring-necked Ducks
>1 Dunlin
>
>After viewing the Slaty-backed Gull at Gene Coulon Park we drove back over
>to Cedar River Park and checked the limited gull flocks,but were unable to
>relocate the Slaty-backed Gull and to our knowledge the Great Black-backed
>Gull was not seen during the entire day.
>
>
>A few additional species we observed to and from destinations included the
>following:
>
>1 Cooper's hawk along I-5 west of Fife,Pierce Co.
>1 Merlin along I-5 south of Southcenter Mall,King Co.
>
>
>
>Good gull watching,
>
>Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
>Tacoma,WA
>godwit at worldnet.att.net
>
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>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 11
>Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:08:13 -0800
>From: Owen Schmidt <oschmidt at att.net>
>Subject: [obol] Portland Birders Night February 3rd
>To: OBOL <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>Message-ID: <BC42FF1D.248B%oschmidt at att.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
>
>
>OBOL --
>
>Video of Lucy's Warbler, other recent records, and a Zonotrichia grand
>slam.
>Bird quiz by Diantha Knott. Potpourri. 7:30 pm, Portland Audubon House,
>first Tuesday of every month (except months when the parking lot is full of
>snow and ice). All are welcome.
>
>oschmidt at att.net
>Sunday, February 01, 2004
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 12
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 21:16:21 -0800
>From: "ndbarret" <ndbarret at medford.net>
>Subject: [obol] Jackson County finds
>To: "OBOL" <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>Message-ID: <007801c3e94b$bd39b2c0$b4381c40 at default>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
>
>I birded the White City/Central Point area this morning and had a few good
>finds. On the Bear Creek bike path south of the Pilot Gas Station there is
>a stunning WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and I saw 2 seperate ORANGE-CROWNED
>WARBLERS. The warblers are quite unusual for this time of year as they are
>seldom seen in the winter here for some reason. A lot of other birds
>expected for this time of year.
>
>TouVille Rd. off of Agate had a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL in the same box it has
>wintered in for three years now. Also a GOLDEN EAGLE flyover with a raven
>dive bombing it.
>
>The Kirtland Sewage Ponds had close to 200 ducks but they all paniced and
>flew off before I could get much off the highway. Survivors of a hunting
>season! 11 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were an unexpected high number for winter.
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 13
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 21:20:34 -0800
>From: "Charles R. Gates" <cgates at empnet.com>
>Subject: [obol] Central OR Raptors and Longspurs
>To: "obol" <obol at lists.orst.edu>,
>
>I ran a raptor survey in Powell Butte east of Redmond today. The following
>birds were seen
>10 Harriers
>39 Redtails
>12 Rough-legs
>5 Kestrels
>1 Prairie Falcon
>
>I also came across about 100 HORNED LARKS in a flock on Williams Rd. There
>were 2 LAPLAND LONGSPURS in this flock and viewing was great as the birds
>were feeding in a nearly bare field.
>
>Chuck Gates
>Powell Butte
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 14
>Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 21:55:24 -0800
>From: DAVID IRONS <llsdirons at msn.com>
>Subject: [obol] Bewick's Wren question
>To: OBOL OBOL <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>Hi All,
>
>I was wondering if any westside observers had noticed the disappearance or
>reduced numbers of local Bewicks Wrens since the ice storms of a couple
>weeks ago? While living in the Midwest, it came to my attention that local
>populations of Carolina Wrens fared quite poorly during extended periods of
>snow/ice cover and frozen ground. Here in Eugene we only had two days when
>everything was iced over, but I know that the Portland area had at least 4
>days of ice. I pose this question in hopes of getting some idea how the
>ice event affected local birds and comparing our notes with what happened
>in
>Washington for the seasonal report for NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
>
>If you have any observations of ice affecting birds (dead or dying birds,
>unusual feeder birds etc.) please pass them along. In my own case, I had a
>couple Fox Sparrows visiting my feeder daily during the snow and ice. I
>have not seen them since the return of more mild weather.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Dave Irons
>Eugene, OR
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 15
>Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 01:04:30 EST
>From: Oropendolas at aol.com
>Subject: [obol] Raptor Route
>To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu
>
>Hello All,
>
>Despite the weather conditions today I drove the Lane County route #2 of
>the
>Willamette Valley raptor census project covering 87.2 miles in 5 hrs. This
>route covers the northeast corner of the county from Eugene north, east of
>Green
>Hill Road and north of Hwy. 36, east of Territorial Hwy. I'm blaming the
>lower
>than expected Red-tail numbers on the rain and poor visibility but I was
>having a good time so I just kept going. There was an amazing number of
>KESTRELS
>visible on this rainy day which gave a big boost to the total for the day.
>Also
>added three new species to the route list today. First was the PRAIRIE
>FALCON
>that has been hanging out at the Green Hill / Aubrey Road intersection.
>Today
>it was perched on a utility pole just west and south of there. Next, after
>checking this spot a dozen or more times, today a BARN OWL was in the nest
>box
>on the barn on Meadow View Road. And finally at my last stop of the day, a
>GREAT HORNED OWL was calling from the woods at Marshall Island Park.
>
>The MERLIN a very dark (black) Suckleyi, showing no superciliary stripe,
>was
>seen on a pole along Hwy. 36 near the Long Tom River.
>
>A few other interesting sightings for the day were 2 NORTHERN SHRIKES, and
>after the completing the route, 3 more ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were seen along
>Alvadore Road between Meadow View and hwy. 36. There were also 3
>SHORT-EARED OWLS
>seen along this same stretch of Alvadore road.
>
>I stopped to watch one of these Short-eared Owls flying near Meadow View
>Road, I had it in the scope when it dropped to the ground. It came back up
>with
>what looked like a Vole in it's talons and a Rough-legged Hawk on it's
>tail. The
>Rough-leg chased the Owl for several minutes as the Owl flew in circles,
>climbing higher and higher, staying above the Rough-leg and keowping the
>whole
>time until the rough-leg finally gave up the chase.
>
>Finally 3 more SHORT-EARED OWLS, 1 BITTERN and a VIRGINIA RAIL were seen
>in
>the Fern Ridge Fisher Unit from Royal Avenue.
>
>Below are the last three results of this route.
>
>
>John Sullivan
>Springfield, OR
>
> 12-14-03 1-02-04
>2-01-04
>
>Red-tails 24 32
>29
>Kestrels 26 28
>45
>Northern Harrier 3 10
>6
>Bald Eagle 2 adults 7 4 adult, 3 imm. 2
>Adults
>Rough-leg 0 1
> 1
>Merlin 1 1
> 1
>Peregrine 0 1
> 0
>Sharp-shin 0 0
> 0
>Cooper's Hawk 1 1
>1
>Accip. sp. 0 1
> 0
>White-tailed Kite 6 12
>7
>Burrowing Owl 0 1
>0
>Prairie Falcon 0 0
> 1
>Barn Owl 0 0
> 1
>Great Horned Owl 0 0 1
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>total 63 95
> 95
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 16
>Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 22:12:28 -0800
>From: Terrie Murray <aviella at usa.net>
>Subject: Re: [[obol] Bewick's Wren question]
>To: OBOL <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>Just the opposite at my feeders, Dave. Before the ice storm I had one
>Bewick's
>wren which came regularly to the suet feeder and the bird bath. Now there
>are
>two. The single wren kept feeding all through the ice storm, coming to the
>suet feeder every half hour or so. It was only a few days after the worst
>of
>the storm that the second wren began appearing, and now the two come as a
>pair.
>
>-- Terrie Murray
>Portland, OR
>
>DAVID IRONS <llsdirons at msn.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I was wondering if any westside observers had noticed the disappearance
>or
> > reduced numbers of local Bewicks Wrens since the ice storms of a couple
> > weeks ago?
>
>Terrie Murray
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 17
>Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 22:52:28 -0800
>From: "Gerard.Lillie" <gerard.lillie at comcast.net>
>Subject: Re: [obol] Bewick's Wren question
>To: "DAVID IRONS" <llsdirons at msn.com>, "OBOL OBOL"
> <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>Bewick's Wren questionInteresting question. I haven't noticed a decline in
>my area of Mt. Tabor in Portland, although I have not specifically been
>looking at wren numbers. I have noticed that in the past several days
>Bewick's Wrens have begun to sing more robustly and frequently, however.
>Which leads me to think there has not been a reduction in numbers in my
>neighborhood. Incidentally, my neighborhood was slammed pretty good by the
>weather. The east wind hits our area of Tabor quite hard- our house looks
>out at the Gorge. We had 6-8 inches of snow, it was difficult to tell
>exactly how much with so much blowing and drifting. On top of that came 1+
>inches of ice and ice pellets. It seems that numbers of birds in general
>have been about the same as before the storm. Pamela Johnston lives on the
>east side of Tabor, also. Have you noticed a difference Pamela?
>Gerard
>
>Gerard Lillie
>Portland, OR USA
>gerard.lillie at comcast.net
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: DAVID IRONS
> To: OBOL OBOL
> Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2004 9:55 PM
> Subject: [obol] Bewick's Wren question
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I was wondering if any westside observers had noticed the disappearance
>or reduced numbers of local Bewick's Wrens since the ice storms of a couple
>weeks ago? While living in the Midwest, it came to my attention that local
>populations of Carolina Wrens fared quite poorly during extended periods of
>snow/ice cover and frozen ground. Here in Eugene we only had two days when
>everything was iced over, but I know that the Portland area had at least 4
>days of ice. I pose this question in hopes of getting some idea how the
>ice event affected local birds and comparing our notes with what happened
>in Washington for the seasonal report for NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
>
> If you have any observations of ice affecting birds (dead or dying
>birds, unusual feeder birds etc.) please pass them along. In my own case,
>I had a couple Fox Sparrows visiting my feeder daily during the snow and
>ice. I have not seen them since the return of more mild weather.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave Irons
> Eugene, OR
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 18
>Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 06:52:11 -0800
>From: Wink Gross <winkg at hevanet.com>
>Subject: [obol] re: Bewick's Wrens, Anna's Hummers, others
>To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu
>
>Although I didn't find any Bewick's Wrens on my Pittock dogwalks
>during the first week of January (i.e., during The Big Snow),
>they seem to be occurring with the same frequency now as they
>did during December. Around here they are sporadic in the winter,
>anyway, so it is hard to detect trends.
>
>I have been pleasantly surprised to see that Anna's Hummingbirds
>have pulled through the bad weather without much loss. When
>the power went out at my home and I gave up trying to warm up
>the hummingbird feeders, I figured the birds were hosed. (One
>bird sat on the frozen feeder waiting for it to magically thaw as
>it got dark one evening. It was pathetic and sad.) But the birds
>came back with the return of warm weather. The four territorial
>males that are regular on my dogwalk are still around. (I think it
>is unlikely that these are "replacements" from lower elevations.)
>I estimate that, at most, the Anna's population here suffered 25%
>mortality.
>
>Another amazing survivor has been our neighborhood's resident peacock.
>I never saw a more miserable, bedraggled sight than the peacock sitting
>in his roost tree (a small crabapple) in the freezing rain. He looked
>as though he would be frozen in place, but he survived.
>
>Wink Gross
>Portland
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 19
>Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 07:11:17 -0800
>From: "Darrel Faxon" <5hats at peak.org>
>Subject: Re: [obol] Bewick's Wren question
>To: "DAVID IRONS" <llsdirons at msn.com>, "OBOL OBOL"
> <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>Bewick's Wren questionDavid,
> Here on the coast (actually I'm about ten miles inland) I don;t think
>the ice and snow were severe enough to make much difference with the birds.
> During that period I noticed a reduction of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, but
>nothing else. As for Bewick's Wrens, I have tracked their populaton
>fluctuations through my daily tallies of birds here at Thornton Creek for
>many years, and have found these swings to be very wide from one year to
>the next, without any seeming cause for either reduction or increase.
>These fluctuations seem to run in cycles of about three to four years
>between peaks. I am not much inclined to think, at least in this area,
>that they are weather related.
>
>Darrel
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 20
>Date: 2 Feb 2004 08:10:35 -0800
>From: "Pamela Johnston" <pamelaj at spiritone.com>
>Subject: [obol] Re: Bewick's Wren
>To: "obol" <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>Bewick's are a little spotty around my yard, sometimes being here daily,
>then disappearing for months, so I have no good recent information.
>Saturday
>Bill Evans and I went to Steigerwald Lk NWR in the Gorge and came across 2
>singing as we walked along the dike. (Also saw a light-morph Rough-legged
>Hawk.)
>
>Pamela Johnston
>Mt Tabor
>Portland
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 21
>Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 08:09:20 -0800
>From: Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com>
>Subject: [obol] Re: Bewick's Wren question
>To: Darrel Faxon <5hats at peak.org>, DAVID IRONS <llsdirons at msn.com>,
> OBOL OBOL <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
>
>Definitely a drop in Ruby-crown numbers here as well. Also a
>Fox Sparrow shift (more at feeders fewer in kacks). Fox
>Sparrows typically start thinning out at the end of January
>at many north coast concentration points anyway, but there's
>been a spike at the feeder.
>
>The Astoria oriole appeared very shortly after the freeze as
>did both anamolous early hummingbird reports, though it's hard
>to say whether these were coincidental or freeze related.
>
> > Darrel Faxon wrote:
> >
> > David,
> > Here on the coast (actually I'm about ten miles inland) I don;t
> > think the ice and snow were severe enough to make much difference with
> > the birds. During that period I noticed a reduction of Ruby-crowned
> > Kinglets, but nothing else. As for Bewick's Wrens, I have tracked
> > their populaton fluctuations through my daily tallies of birds here at
> > Thornton Creek for many years, and have found these swings to be very
> > wide from one year to the next, without any seeming cause for either
> > reduction or increase. These fluctuations seem to run in cycles of
> > about three to four years between peaks. I am not much inclined to
> > think, at least in this area, that they are weather related.
> >
> > Darrel
> >
>
>--
>Mike Patterson
>Astoria, OR
>celata at pacifier.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 22
>Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 09:21:33 -0800
>From: "Wayne C. Weber" <contopus at telus.net>
>Subject: [obol] Snow/Ice effects on birds
>To: "OBOL" <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>Cc: WINK GROSS <winkg at hevanet.com>, DAVE IRONS <llsdirons at msn.com>
>
>Oregon Birders,
>
>Dave Irons' question about the effects of severe winter weather on
>birds is a good one. From the perspective of an observer in Vancouver,
>BC, I have never noticed obvious declines in BEWICK'S WRENS during
>past episodes of cold and snowy winter weather. However, as a
>ground-feeding, non-migratory bird, they are one of the species that
>could be affected by such weather.
>
>In past winter cold snaps in the Vancouver area, species which have
>suffered obvious mortality include BARN OWL, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, MARSH
>WREN, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.
>
>This winter, the early January cold and snow (temperatures down to 11
>degrees F in Vancouver, up to 8 inches of snow on the ground for
>several days) seems to have caused some mortality of RUBY-CROWNED
>KINGLETS and MARSH WRENS in the Vancouver area and adjacent
>Washington. I have seen only one RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET since the
>freeze, and that was near Olympia, WA! On January 29, while birding
>at Brunswick Point near the mouth of the Fraser River, I observed no
>MARSH WRENS, in an area where I would expect to see 5 or 6 on a winter
>visit. However, in a recent visit to the nearby Reifel Bird Sanctuary,
>I saw and heard near-normal numbers of MARSH WRENS, so this species
>may have been hit only in certain areas.
>
>I suspect there was also some mortality of ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS, but I
>would have to do a poll of local hummingbird watchers to confirm this.
>
>Getting back to BEWICK'S WRENS-- I believe that Bewick's are a bit
>tougher than CAROLINA WRENS, which suffer heavy losses every time
>there is a severe winter in the East (probably including this winter),
>but Bewick's may have suffered to some degree.
>
>Regular counts like the ones that Wink Gross is doing would really
>help to determine whether severe winter weather has affected the
>numbers of small birds. Keep up the good work, Wink!
>
>Wayne C. Weber
>Delta, BC, Canada
>contopus at telus.net
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 23
>Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 09:52:57 -0800
>From: Joel Geier <jgeier at attglobal.net>
>Subject: [obol] Ice storm effects
>To: Oregon Birders OnLine <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>
>Hello birders,
>
>The most ice-affected birds in our area seemed to be the
>open-country birds, especially Savannah Sparrows, Western
>Meadowlarks, and Killdeer.
>
>Prior to the snow, I was able to locate several small flocks
>of SAVANNAH SPARROWS quite reliably in a perennial grass
>field by our place. The snow limited their feeding
>possibilities but didn't cover everything. However, the ice
>storm left a quarter- to half-inch crust over everything,
>and I would not be surprised if it directly killed some
>birds by entombment, if they chose the wrong spot to shelter
>for the night.
>
>Since the ice storm I have not been able to relocate the
>Savannah Sparrows that were using the more open areas of the
>fields here. My high count so far (from specifically looking
>for them, with more intensive coverage than I would
>ordinarily do on my runs) is 4 birds, compared to perhaps 20
>that were in these fields in December. Also, in one attempt
>since the snow melted back, I was unable to relocate a flock
>of about a dozen that were at Luckiamute Landing on 4 Jan.
>
>It's possible these Savannah Sparrows moved elsewhere, but I
>count that as unlikely since they have used the same areas
>of these fields so regularly over the years, and did seem to
>be trying to stick it out after the first snowfall. I have
>not found any in the adjoining areas of E.E. Wilson, which
>would be the most likely spot if they sought out a brushy
>refugium.
>
>Two flocks of WESTERN MEADOWLARKS (one here and one at
>Luckiamute Landing) have also gone AWOL since 4 Jan. Since
>the ice storm I have only seen one meadowlark in these
>areas, that being a rather lonely/disoriented-acting bird by
>the ponds in the adjoining part of E.E. Wilson, a location
>they do not normally use.
>
>Prior to the snow, a flock of 500 to 600 KILLDEER was
>regular in a tilled field just south of here. Since the
>first snowfall, my high count in that field is 41 birds. I
>did recently see a flock of around 100 about a half-mile
>north of here near Suver/Airlie Rd, though it would be
>expected to have another large flock in that area.
>
>I never got around to saying what the most abundant birds
>were on the Santiam Pass CBC on 2 Jan. You guessed it, they
>were Killdeer. A flock of about 50 were hunkered down in
>two feet of fresh powder in the parking lot of the Hoodoo
>ski area, when I pulled in there at the end of pre-dawn
>owling. I would have been more surprised, except I'd heard
>some were found in a similar situation on the Hood River
>count too.
>
>After Hoodoo staff started plowing out the parking lot, we
>saw & heard small groups flying around throughout the
>morning, including a few calling birds flying over
>snow-covered Big Lake when I snowshoed back in there. Steve
>Shunk and Madeleine Landis counted over a hundred on the
>snow & ice at Suttle Lake lower down, later in the day.
>Steve said a big flock had also been reported near Sisters.
>
>On the other hand, some of the more hardy open-country birds
>(HORNED LARKS and AMERICAN PIPITS) seemed to do OK. The
>local Horned Lark flock may have lost some. My high count
>since the ice storm is down by about 20% but it's always a
>question of whether you have the whole flock, since they do
>sometimes split up into smaller groups. Maybe Randy Moore
>has some numbers to compare from the flocks he's been
>studying. The pipits looked right at home, strutting over
>snow patches between wet spots, pretty much like they do on
>their breeding grounds.
>
>Regarding BEWICK'S WRENS, here in SE Polk/NE Benton County
>(where we got dumped on more than some other valley
>locations) there was a seemingly complete disappearance of
>all wren species for a few days after the first snowfall,
>but Bewick's as well as Winter & Marsh Wrens became more
>visible within a few days.
>
>It's hard for me to say if the numbers have changed or not,
>since my daily wren counts vary so much even in normal
>circumstances. I figure visual detections of wrens are
>always just a small sample of what is there, and random
>variation in the sample is large relative to the absolute
>numbers observed. As the season wears on the wrens have
>started singing more -- so increased vocalization could
>offset an actual drop in numbers, if we rely on aural
>detections.
>
>So on this one I'd mistrust anecdotals or even simple
>statistics from daily casual-observation logs (e.g.
>before-and-after party-hour averages from birdnotes), unless
>some accounting is made for the seasonal change in vocal
>activity (e.g. by looking at typical winter trends over
>several years' worth of data). I don't have time to do this
>analysis myself, but could point others to the tools if they
>are interested.
>
>Good birding,
>Joel
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 24
>Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 10:01:43 -0800
>From: Joel Geier <jgeier at attglobal.net>
>Subject: [obol] Re: Ice storm effects
>To: Oregon Birders OnLine <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>
>P.S. Sorry, I accidentally deleted a line that gave the
>location for the observations in my preceding post. The
>locations I mentioned (E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area, Luckiamute
>Landing, and fields around our place) are all in NE Benton
>or SE Polk Co, within a mile of the Polk/Benton county line
>and within 3 miles west of the Willamette River.
>
>--
>Joel Geier
>jgeier at attglobal.net
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 25
>Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 11:28:36 -0800 (PST)
>From: bob bender <bobdoc68 at yahoo.com>
>Subject: [obol] coast birds
>To: obol at lists.oregonstate.edu
>
>Saturday 1-31 John Mundall & I made a coast run for winter birds. Bird of
>the day was a long tailed duck at the south Jetty Siuslaw. It was a female
>found between the foot of the jetty and the crab docks. Close looks were
>obtained, it was with a female scoter. We reported this finding to the mob
>of birders scanning Siltcoos Lake for the Tufted Duck. Don't know if anyone
>else tracked it down. Other good birds included large flock of surfbirds &
>black turnstones red necked grebe & horned grebe. At Millacoma marsh we
>observed a black phoebe, northern shrike & amixed flock of wrentit rc
>kinglet winter wren purple finch & assorted sparrows. We also encountered
>Tim Rodenkirk who gave us good tips including how to get to the Weyer
>hauser effluent ponds we missed onour first attempt. Bird on, Bob
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 26
>Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 11:41:19 -0800 (PST)
>From: Fruitbat the Unflappable <fruitbat at marge.cyber-dyne.com>
>Subject: [obol] Mystery Bird - Warbler?
>To: Obol <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>
>This bird was just in my suburban (i.e. not rural ;) Cottage Grove
>(Lane Co, 20 mi south of Eugene) backyard, eating suet that hangs from
>a 12 ft maple. It's the same bird I saw in early December but this
>time she stayed for a few minutes so I could get a good look:
>
>roughly junco size/shape
>bigger/longer than Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (which I thought at first that
>it was when I saw it in Dec)
>overall drab greyish/brownish
>bright yellow rump, fainter yellow armpits
>2 white wingbars
>thin white eyering, white eyebrow with black above
>thin (i.e. not finchy) dark beak, not short
>dark feet/legs, long with long trousers
>breast buffy with black/dark specks/streaks
>faint dark necklace
>belly buffy sides streaked
>white in tail - sort of on sides like junco?
>ate lots of suet
>jumped around but not as much as G-C Kinglet
>didn't see any Kinglet wing-flicking
>
>Perhaps it's a female Yellow-Rumped Warbler? I don't know Warblers at
>all. I didn't see any yellow at the throat, but perhaps that isn't
>present this time of year or whatever. It looks like the Y-R W in both
>Peterson and Stokes.
>
>
>Kimberly Borrowdale fruitbat at cyber-dyne.com Cottage Grove OR
>"It takes courage to grow up and be who you really are."
> -- e.e. cummings
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 27
>Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 11:57:18 -0800
>From: Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com>
>Subject: [obol] Re: Mystery Bird - Warbler?
>To: Fruitbat the Unflappable <fruitbat at marge.cyber-dyne.com>
>Cc: Obol <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>
>This sounds like the other Yellow-rumped Warbler, the
>"Myrtle" type mentioned, but not illustrated in Stokes.
>
>Mike Patterson
>Astoria, OR
>celata at pacifier.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 28
>Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 11:46:05 -0800
>From: Steve Shunk <3sisters at outlawnet.com>
>Subject: [obol] Silver Falls Birdwalks
>To: OBOL <obol at lists.orst.edu>, COBOL <cobol at lists.oregonstate.edu>,
> Paradise Birders <3sisters at outlawnet.com>
>Cc: SAKSEWSKI Sara <Sara.Saksewski at state.or.us>
>
>Greetings birders,
>I'm excited to introduce a new series of monthly birding classes I'm
>leading
>in cooperation with Silver Falls State Park. Our first class of the year
>will be held Sunday, February 22, from 8-11 a.m.
>
>The program is designed to help birders with sight and sound
>identification
>of West Cascades avifauna and to enhance adult education programming
>offered
>by the park, which is a premiere site on the new Oregon Cascades Birding
>Trail.
>
>The class is free (except for the $3 day-use parking fee), but we will only
>take 15 participants per session, so pre-registration is required. Please
>call Sara at 503-873-8681, ext. 25, to sign up for February or any in this
>spring series of classes:
>
>February 22, 2004
>March 14, 2004
>April 25, 2004
>May 9, 2004
>
>Central Oregon birders -- I will have a limited amount of space in my
>vehicle for any early risers who wish to attend; I will leave Sisters by
>5:30 each morning. You would still be responsible for registering yourself.
>
>Please e-mail or call either Sara or me if you have any questions (Sara's
>e-mail address is attached here). I look forward to seeing some you there!
>
>Steve Shunk
>_______________________________________________
>obol mailing list
>obol at lists.oregonstate.edu
>http://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/obol
>
>To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>obol-leave at lists.oregonstate.edu.
>
>End of obol Digest, Vol 4, Issue 2
>**********************************

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