October 19, 2018
Late this morning the dog and I checked out Yamhill Sewer Ponds. We spotted a dark morph Red-tailed Hawk, distinct from the local pair I see around there often. One of the locals drove the bird from its perch and then the Brewer’s Blackbirds mobbed it during its retreat beyond the northern horizon.
Season firsts for the location: a flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows and a trio of Bufflehead. Both species should be regulars at the sewer ponds until next spring.
Here are the two loners, and then the honking Canadas who always announce their landings with their natural public address system. Finally, one of the kestrels (click on image to enlarge it):
There was also a single Myrtle Warbler along the creek, another migrant. One raven flew over. I rarely see them at this spot though they are regular at roadkills along Hwy 47 nearby.
Alert: there are small tornadoes of mosquitoes swirling around the ponds and the creek. Gone are the swallows, and I saw nary a single dragonfly. Mossie miasma.
At our home this morning a waxwing flock was present again, a second straight breakfast of dogwood and rowan fruit. The junco population is now up to at least 7 in our garden.
Yamhill Sewage Ponds (restricted access), Yamhill, Oregon, US
Oct 19, 2018. 23 species
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) 1
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) 1
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 40
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 15
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 3
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 2
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 3
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) X
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 8
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 4 including one dark morph
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [cafer Group]) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2
California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 10
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 2
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 15
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 4
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 1
Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 30
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) (Setophaga coronata coronata) 1
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