The dog and I made a trip to northern Jackson County yesterday, where we rarely bird. I missed some of the uncommon birds that have been reported, but did find Eurasian Wigeon, Tundra Swan, Barrow’s Goldeneye, both eagles and a flock of American Pipits. No loons, no pinenuts (a loving moniker for the Pygmy Nuthatch). Here are the swans along the north arm of Brophy Road, east of Eagle Point.
The lake was on its best behavior: strong light, light wind, no waves, and sun warming the damp mudflats. There were small whirlwinds of stream rising from the solar drying process:
These steam tornados rose as high as forty feet though most stayed shorter, only a few feet from mud to peak of the little misty whirlwind. Much more reserved than the diust devils I remember from my Midwest childhood when the little twisters would pick up dust, pebbles and leaves.
The two pictures above show the male Eurasian Eigeon along with several Yanks. In the top image the Eurasian in upper right, in the second he is upper left. Both taken on the Rogue River. Later this bird–I suspect–which had flown upstream appeared on the reservoir mudflats at the end of Medco A Road. Here’s a close-up: 
Male Common Goldeneye.
Female Barrow’s Goldeneye, note the smallish, yellow beak.
This is an adult Bald Eagle on a carcass, likely a newborn calf. This was at the eastern end of Brophy Road, and across the road in a weedier field was the flock of Pipits.
Small flotilla of Lesser Scaup in Rogue River, section known as “Holy Waters.” The Wigeon in the river would fly upstream, float down, fly up, float down.
Male Commong Goldeneye.
Common Merganser flock at rest. Therer were also a few Hooded Merganser scattered along the river. I saw none in the reservoir itself.
HERE IS SECOND POST WITH CHECKLISTS FROM NORTHERN JACKSON COUNTY.
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