Subject: [Tweeters] Ridgefield NWR: Something new, even when it is the same
Date: Jun 25 19:28:24 2007
From: Bill Clemons - willclemons at yahoo.com


I birded the River "S" Unit at Ridgefield NWR (~4mi W
of I-5 at Exit 14 in SW Washington;
http://www.fws.gov/ridgefieldrefuges). I was there
from about 6:30a to about 4p. The morning was cool,
but it warmed quickly as it was mostly sunny.

Highlights for the day:

* EARED GREBE: Two are still being seen in open water
and without a "floating" nest. For me, this pair
remained at a distance, no mater what my viewing site
was around Rest Lake.

* BLUE-WINGED TEAL: Only one drake was seen, but it
was only about 100 feet from the road, swimming calmly
near a Cinnamon Teal drake in the E corner of
Canvasback Lake near where the SW corner of Rest Lake
is.

* AMERICAN KESTREL: This Fledgling KESTREL was
something new for me. It was perched in the open on a
small white boundary sign on the E side of Rest Lake
near the gate to the Roth Unit. Its back was to me
and at first it looked like any female Kestrel, until
I got about 50 feet from it and took another look.
WOW! It had cream colored down sticking well out on
both sides (similar to the effect you would see
looking at a pair of "riding pants"). It was kind
enough to oblige me and remain perched there for at
least 30 seconds before it flew to the nearest large
tree just over the fence and into the Roth Unit. What
a Sweet Look!
* VIRGINIA RAIL: I heard several today, but only saw
one near the SE corner of Canvasback Lake.

* HOPLONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, the one legged fellow, was
on Schwartz Lake today. It was actively feeding,
albeit a tad awkwardly due to its constant need to
readjust its balance.

* RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER NEST: This morning the
adults were actively feeding the young at the
previously described nest near the top of the entrance
canyon road. On the way out, I watched the nest hole
from 3:30 to 4p without seeing activity. As the
nestling seemed full size whenever it poked its head
and neck out, I suppose today could have been the
"leap of faith" for the kid.

* DOWNY WOODPECKER NEST: This nest is still active,
and I have yet to see young poke outside of the hole.
As previously described the nest is at the top of a
broken top Oregon Ash in the woodland after you pass
the Kiwa Trail parking lot.

* YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS have for the most part
fledged and dispersed from the cattails in S Quigley
Lake. There are a few babies still there to be heard
and an occasional look at a male or female. With a
bit of patience, they are still somewhat easy to see
foraging on Long Lake.

* BULLOCK'S ORIOLE: The hard working Lady is still at
it building her nest (~75% done) directly over the
road immediately before you drive onto the entrance
bridge that crosses Lake River. Several Males were
also seen moving around in the Cottonwoods there on
both sides of the R/R.

There is usually something new to observe, even when
seeing the same birds in the same place.

Bill Clemons
SW of Portland in Mtn Park
Willclemons AT Yahoo dot com


Complete list of 70 species seen / heard:

Pied-billed Grebe (+ babies)
EARED GREBE
American Bittern (4 seen flying)
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose (+ juveniles)
Wood Duck (+ babies)
Gadwall (+ babies)
American Wigeon
Mallard (+ babies)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL
Cinnamon Teal (+ babies)
Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Osprey
BALD EAGLE
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
VIRGINIA RAIL (heard & seen)
Sora (heard only)
American Coot (+ babies/juveniles)
Killdeer
GREATER YELLOWLEGS
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Vaux's Swift
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER (at nest)
DOWNY WOODPECKER (at nest)
Northern Flicker
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (heard call once, entrance
canyon road)
Western Wood-Pewee (heard & seen +
2 nests)
Willow Flycatcher (heard &
seen)
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2 landed in road ~
40' in front of me)
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch (heard only,
entrance canyon road)
White-breasted Nuthatch (heard & seen +
juvenile)
Brown Creeper (heard & 3
seen, entrance canyon road)
Bewick's Wren (heard only,
entrance canyon road)
House Wren (still
feeding young at many nests)
Winter Wren (heard & 4
seen, entrance canyon road)
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow Warbler (heard & seen)
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler (heard only,
entrance canyon road)
Spotted Towhee (+ juvenile)
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow (+ juvenile)
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
Brown-headed Cowbird
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
House Finch
American Goldfinch



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