Towheeblog

This afternoon I first heard the calls, then looked up to see the waves of approaching Cackling Geese. The dog and I were walking the perimeter of Fairview Wetlands. The geese came in, circled as they coasted downward, lowered their landing gear and then plopped down onto the lawn of the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife just across the street from the marsh.

I now see nutria every time we visit the marsh. Two days I saw four individuals–some seem wary but at least one is blase about humans and does not seem to register that a dog should be a danger. Partly that is because they don’t see well and their main sensory input is auditory and perhaps a dog walking doesn’t sound much different from a person.

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Yesterday there was a flock of flickers in the wetland section east of Fairview Industrial Drive…that is mostly brush with no apparent standing water.

Fairview Wetlands, Marion, Oregon, US
Nov 19, 2020
Checklist Comments:     nearly tame nutria on the lawn
15 species

Canada Goose  14
Northern Shoveler  10
Gadwall  4
American Wigeon  6
Mallard  X
Northern Pintail  6
Green-winged Teal  40
Bufflehead  7
American Coot  8
Cooper’s Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Crow  7
American Goldfinch  3
Song Sparrow  1
Red-winged Blackbird  X

Fairview Wetlands, Marion, Oregon, US
Nov 20, 2020
22 species

Canada Goose  X
Northern Shoveler  X
Gadwall  X
American Wigeon  X
Mallard  X
Northern Pintail  X
Green-winged Teal  X
Ring-necked Duck  1
Bufflehead  X
American Coot  X
Northern Harrier  1
Cooper’s Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Northern Flicker  2
American Crow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Bewick’s Wren  1
White-crowned Sparrow  2
Golden-crowned Sparrow  4
Song Sparrow  2
Spotted Towhee  2
Red-winged Blackbird  20

Fairview Wetlands, Marion, Oregon, US
Nov 21, 2020
22 species

Cackling Goose  50     fly overs
Canada Goose  30     only three in the marsh
Northern Shoveler  X
Gadwall  X
American Wigeon  X
Mallard  X
Northern Pintail  X
Green-winged Teal  30
Bufflehead  6
Mourning Dove  1
American Coot  9
Wilson’s Snipe  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Northern Flicker  8     most were in flock on portion of wetlands east of Fairview Industrial Drive
American Crow  2
Bushtit  22
Bewick’s Wren  1
White-crowned Sparrow  2
Golden-crowned Sparrow  20
Song Sparrow  9
Lincoln’s Sparrow  1
Red-winged Blackbird  30

Fairview Wetlands, Marion, Oregon, US
Nov 22, 2020
18 species

Cackling Goose  500
Canada Goose  23     only three in the marsh, the rest fly bys
Northern Shoveler  20
Gadwall  4
American Wigeon  6
Mallard  30
Northern Pintail  2
Green-winged Teal  30
Bufflehead  5
American Coot  3
Wilson’s Snipe  1
American Crow  2
Bushtit  22
Golden-crowned Sparrow  10
Savannah Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  2
Spotted Towhee  2
Red-winged Blackbird  50