Happy birders, several photographers, dozens of ducks and dowitchers–water in the pond at Coville Road narrows in Baskett Slough NWR. Four inches of rain this month and the refuge is starting to look like what we hope for. It certainly had the approval of lots of dabblers and cacklers, and a whole cooterie, plus all the shorebirds we saw besides the snipe.
Additional flying in to join others at narrows pond:
I eenjoy getting action shots: egret in flight along Smithfield Road…male kestrel along roadside–now I see why he didn’t fly–he didn’t want to drop his vole…meadiowlark giving full-throated approval to a bit of morning sun (I agree).
Best bird was the Prairie Falcon near the south end of Livermore Road–pestered by the local falcon, a kestrel. Along Coville–two first-year Bald Eagles, one adult. Harriers, but no adult males seen. We were greeted by singing meadowlarks along Coville Road. Amazing what a bit of sunshine brings out in those birds.
This was the third and final field trip for the Fall Birding Class sponsored by McMinnville Park & Rec. Next class in March.
Baskett Slough NWR, Polk, Oregon, US
Nov 14, 2021
27 species
Cackling Goose 4000
Canada Goose X
Northern Shoveler X
Gadwall X
American Wigeon X
Mallard X
Northern Pintail X
Green-winged Teal X
Ring-necked Duck 2
Bufflehead X
Ruddy Duck X
American Coot X
Long-billed Dowitcher 50
Greater Yellowlegs X
Ring-billed Gull X
Great Egret 4
Northern Harrier X
Bald Eagle 3
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 4
Black Phoebe 1 at the narrows pond on Coville Road
California Scrub-Jay X
American Crow 2
European Starling X
Western Meadowlark X singing
Red-winged Blackbird X
Brewer’s Blackbird X
Livermore Rd., Polk, Oregon, US
Nov 14, 2021
15 species
Cackling Goose X
Canada Goose X
Northern Shoveler X
Wilson’s Snipe 2
Ring-billed Gull X
Great Blue Heron 1
Northern Harrier X
Red-tailed Hawk X
Northern Flicker 1
American Kestrel 2
Prairie Falcon 1 southernmost mile of Livermore Road–chased by kestrel
California Scrub-Jay X
Black-capped Chickadee X
American Robin X
Red-winged Blackbird X
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