Towheeblog

Salem Audubon has resumed in-person field trips so we zoomed (not Zoomed) out to Baskett Slough this morning. Nearly three dozen species in two hours. On the way out of Salem I passed a Peregrine on a light pole next to the Hwy 22 westbound bridge over the Willamette. I’ve seen that falcon, or his cousin, there before.

EBird was most excited by our sighting of six Blue-winged Teal…three clearly mated pairs. We saw no baby ducks of any species. The marsh pools are quite shallow so only dabblers were present.

We did get to see a Great Blue Heron swallow a large-headed fish, head first as always. Later one of the singing Marsh Wrens rose up onto the catttails where he could be seen.

Other notes of note: pair of Horned Larks in desiccated field…swift among the many swallows…male harrier…phalarope still present–could they possibly try to nest since it seems so desert-like right there right now?

Stilt. Blue-winged Teal male. Two male Cinnamon Teal.

Congress of shiny green beetles on a trailside weed. Crow who came to check out the large mammals on the roadside.

Baskett Slough NWR, Polk, Oregon, US
Jun 8, 2021 8:55 AM – 10:55 AM
35 species

Blue-winged Teal  6     three mated pairs
Cinnamon Teal  20
Northern Shoveler  6
Gadwall  25
Mallard  X
Northern Pintail  2
California Quail  X
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Eurasian Collared-Dove  1
Vaux’s Swift  X
Sora  X     heard, unseen
American Coot  1
Black-necked Stilt  8
Killdeer  15
Wilson’s Phalarope  10
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  1
Great Blue Heron  2
Turkey Vulture  8
Northern Harrier  2
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Northern Flicker  1
American Crow  X
Horned Lark  2
Tree Swallow  X
Violet-green Swallow  X
Barn Swallow  X
Cliff Swallow  X
Marsh Wren  X     several singing males
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  1
Song Sparrow  X
Western Meadowlark  X     several singing
Red-winged Blackbird  X
Brown-headed Cowbird  1