hi all ... Gene and I went to Whitaker Ponds (just east of Portland
and south of PDX) on both friday and yesterday ... no luck either day
on the Black Phoebe ... however, there was plenty to see and watch ...

lots of variety on the ponds --- Am WIgeons, Hooded Mergansers,
Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, Green-winged Teal, and lots of
Mallards ... surprisingly (to me at least) we saw no Buffleheads ...
it seems like we're seeing Buffleheads EVERYWHERE ... but not here ...

we also had Red-tails, Harrier, and a Cooper's Hawk, Great Blue
Herons, and LOTS of Crows !!!!!!! ...

little-bird-wise the main variety seemed to be Cedar Waxwings and
Yellow-rumps ... both types of Yellow-rumps ... also had Townsends,
Creepers, Bewick's, Chicadees, Juncos, and some others ... and LOTS
of Anna's Hummingbirds !!! ... "Momma Anna" was still on her nest ...
no little ones seen yet ...

our big enjoyment were the THREE BABY GREAT HORNED OWLS from
yesterday !!!!!!!!!! (yes Greg, we found another one after you had
left) ... and we got to find out how baby owls get back into the nest
(grin) ... one landed on the nest tree below the nest and then
proceeded to claw and wing his way up the tree until he reached the
nest hole ...

here's one image ... baby owl had already gotten himself partway to
the nest when this pix was taken ... initially he had landed about a
foot further down ...
http://columbiariverimages.com/Birds/Images12Mar/whitaker_ponds_baby_owl_back_to_nest_03-25-12.jpg

enjoy,
Lyn
Vancouver, Washington




Lyn Topinka
http://EnglishRiverWebsite.com
http://ColumbiaRiverImages.com
http://RidgefieldBirds.com