Towheeblog

The Long-eared Owlery at Ankeny continues to draw birders. One woman had flown in with her mega-camera from Atlanta, another couple had driven over the Cascades from Bend. Somebody wondered if we could label it a “Hearing of Long-ears.”
Maybe, a “Sound of Long-ears” or even a “Listening” would be more apt. They miss no sound, I’m sure. Still, they are very quiet in daytime. Some LEOs today were busy with feather preening. I saw five, my highest count so far. But the “ordinary” birds were gong about their business.

The woodpeckers are in drumming mode these days. The Hairy was at the north end of the Rail Trail and nearby by was the Red-breasted Sapsucker. Later in my hoe garden there was a drumming Downy. The bumpersticker was in the LEO parking lot.

The big bulk in the bare tree is a young Bald Eagle. One of his cousins must have sent the nervous Cacklers into the sky.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there were these owls and all their admirers (the latter were these elongated hominids hanging along tghe boardwalk, no images):

One of the LEOs was carefully preening his frontal feathers. Photography light is best in early morning and later afternoon.
In yesterday’s blog I took a look at what records we have, or lack, on previous visitations by these owls. Click here.
After today you must admit, the ears have it!

Ankeny NWR, Marion, Oregon, US
Mar 1, 2021
28 species

Cackling Goose  1200
Canada Goose  X
Tundra Swan  30
Northern Shoveler  X
American Wigeon  X
Mallard  X
Green-winged Teal  X
Ring-necked Duck  X
Lesser Scaup  X
Bufflehead  X
Ruddy Duck  X
American Coot  X
Great Blue Heron  2
Great Egret  17
Bald Eagle  4
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Long-eared Owl  4
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2
Northern Flicker  X
American Kestrel  4
Black Phoebe  1
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
European Starling  X
American Robin  X
Song Sparrow  X
Spotted Towhee  X
Brewer’s Blackbird  X

Ankeny NWR, Marion, Oregon, US
Mar 2, 2021
31 species

Cackling Goose  1500
Canada Goose  X
Tundra Swan  98
Northern Shoveler  X
Mallard  X
Green-winged Teal  X
Ring-necked Duck  X
Lesser Scaup  X
Bufflehead  X
Hooded Merganser  3
Ruddy Duck  200
American Coot  X
Great Egret  X
Bald Eagle  5
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Long-eared Owl  5
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  3
American Kestrel  2
Black Phoebe  1
California Scrub-Jay  2
American Crow  X
Tree Swallow  3
Bewick’s Wren  2
European Starling  X
American Robin  40
Dark-eyed Junco  10
Song Sparrow  12
Spotted Towhee  4
Red-winged Blackbird  X