Towheeblog

The Medford CBC yesterday was plagued by freezing fog and low visibility below 24oo’ elevation…that made for a weaker than usual count total–120 species. The Team I led was doing east Medford and much of our count area was above the fog line:Acorn Woodpecker.

California Towhee, common in Medford’s brushy outskirts.

Waxwings!

Note the fog-gray sky behind the waxwing.

Golden-crowned Sparrow, vied with Junco as most abundant sparrow species of the day.

One half of a pair of Golden Eagles, later the two birds perched on adjacent limbs in a tall ponderosa across the valley from where we were.

Lark Sparrow…we found a flock of five. They are an uncommon wintering species this far north.

Somewhere down below that leaden soup lay the city of Medford and all its shivering birders out looking for birds.
All the hard-frozen lakes and ponds reduced the number of waterfowl and waterbird species. Also: no Siskins for which we have no explanation.
Our team was pleased to contribute a Peregrine, a Red-breasted Sapsucker, 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows, Greater White-fronted Geese and 3 Barn Owls to the count totals. Above the fog line the Robins were in the thousands while Western Bluebirds and Waxwings appeared in the many dozens.