Towheeblog

The dog and I birded the Yamhill Sewer Ponds for the first time in weeks.  Nesting season is well along now.  One family of Canada Geese with six gangling youngsters in mature plumage but with the svelte outline of youth.  Over a dozen young Mallards, all looking like the females.  One young Violet-green Swallow, already showing the iridescent back and the white slash on the butt, but still sporting the fluffy, soft head feathers.  Yet when the bird took off it flew like a real swallow, speed, pointy wings, arcs and sudden reversal of direction.   After those head feathers molt off, presto: full violet-green effects.

There are about two dozen nest boxes along the pond fence.  As best I could tell: at least six used by House Sparrows, two by violet-green, one by Tree Swallows.

I saw a single Spotted Sandpiper, probably a nest on one of the berms.  A pair of kestrel, that pair likely is the one that was around all winter and spring.  The lone swift was cruising low and dipping into the water.

TREE SWALLOW

“I’ve been itching to get at those old feathers all morning.”

I NO LONGER TAKE BEES FOR GRANTED

Bee in clover:

Yamhill Sewage Ponds (restricted access), Yamhill, Oregon, US
Jun 29, 2020
20 species

Canada Goose  8
Mallard  20
Eurasian Collared-Dove  2
Vaux’s Swift  1
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Northern Flicker  1
American Kestrel  2
Willow Flycatcher  1
California Scrub-Jay  X
Tree Swallow  4
Violet-green Swallow  10
Barn Swallow  5
American Robin  8
House Sparrow  X
Purple Finch  1
Song Sparrow  2
Spotted Towhee  3
Brewer’s Blackbird  2
Black-headed Grosbeak  X