Towheeblog

Watching a Turkey Vulture.

It was the day of our Klamath BIurd Observatory field trip, and we were going around the usual places in Ashland: North Mountain, Ashland Pond, then up to Newbry Park in Talent for the ducks.   While most of us were staring out at the ducks there, Shannon Rio said,  “Hey, Turkey Vulture.”
Sure enough there the bird was heading north, then circling back south.  Wasn’t he supposed to have left town last month?

Two other stragglers had been seen this week not far away in Jackson County.

Other birds of local interest: two Lesser Scaup females, a Western Grebe and Harrier at Emigrant Pond (not big enough now to be a lake)…Pacific Wren at North Mountain Park and White-throated Sparrow at Ashland Pond.

THESE PHOTOS TAKEN ON TRIP TODAY BY KIRK GOODING:

Looking at this guy you can see why a female Brewer’s Blackbird might take a shine to such a handsome male. Here is our Pacific Wren at North Mountain: Scrub-Jay: Flicker: Acorn, uppatree. Maler Hooded Merganser…there was a lone female far away at Emigrant Lake.  This male was alone on Ashland Pond.  With only Pied-billed Grebes and Coot for company. Note white throat on Whigte-throated Sparrow, A-Pond. American Wigeon, Newbry Park. Female Shovelere, Newbry. Harrier at Wigrant Lake, scared the dickens out of the four Killdeer on the desertscape there.