Towheeblog

There were about a hundred Turkey Vultures roosted in the bare cottonwoods along Bear Creek.  That was just north of Exit 21 along I-5 (Talent exit) this morning.  At Ashland Pond this afternoon there were more gnats than raindrops, and the raindrops were larger than the gnats.  Thus the many swallows and a dozen or more Yellow-rumped Warblers were enjoying fine dining.  Among those swallows was a lone Northern Rough-winged.  His dusky brown feathers were a sharp contrast to the glossy blue-black of the Tree Swallows all around him.  Just outside our house a Hutton’s Vireo was calling in mid-afternoon. It is doubtful he’ll stay around to breed here.  Look carefully; he’s the little guy on the drooping limb.

Singers at Ashland Pond were the House and Purple Finches, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds.  The ducks were gathered around a lone log.  The Hooded Mergansers, a single Wigeon, a handful of Ring-necked Ducks–all will be migrating out in the coming weeks. There was one mammal swimming across the pond, a muskrat.                 243 Granite Street, Ashland, Jackson, US-OR
Mar 20, 2012 7:45 AM. 9 species. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo huttoni) 1 singing around 4PM
Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) 10
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 25
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) 4.  Photos below: Sharp-shinned Hawk watching the pond. Bright male Yellow-rumped Warbler.            Ashland Pond, Jackson, US-OR Mar 20, 2012 4:45 PM. 23 species.  Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  2 American Wigeon (Anas americana)  1 Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  18 Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  8 Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  4 Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)  1 Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)  1 Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)  1 Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)  6 Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  1 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  40 American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2 European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  4 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  10 Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)  4 Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2 Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)  1 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  4 Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  2 Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)  15 Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)  1 House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)  5 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  10.                 Interstate 5–Asland to Medford, Jackson, US-OR Mar 20, 2012 9:30 AM.  10 species.  Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  X Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  X Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  X Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  100 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  X Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  X Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  X Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)  X American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  X Common Raven (Corvus corax)  X.