A few days back I saw my first deep in some creekside willows. Spring warbler #1. This afternoon an orange-crowned was working through our garden. Other birders have reported waves of returning warblers in our area. This mone obliged by coming to visit.
OCW GALLERY
Other springy signs–a pair of crows cuddling on a high branch, allopreening and being a pair. Oregon grape is bold gold, pollen dripping from the flower clusters. Saw my first beetle under a piece of wood in our garden. Most outlandish, a couple blocks from our home my wife watched a tom turkey stop and then attack a car in the street. The hen was nearby, she watched, she’d quickly seen enough, lowered her head and walked away. Finally macho tom realized his audience was gone, and he ran after her. Out at Mill Creek Wetlands the feral plums were blooming, scattered across the unkempt landscape, foamy white
eye-magnets in the greenery and brownery.
I will be giving a talk and then a walk at some preserved land in Polk County. It is managed by Polk Water & Soil Conservation District. Talk in April, walk in May. Click here to see details. The events are focused on Cornerstone, a piece of Wrentit-rich habitat west of Baskett Slough a few miles. Old oaks, year-round creek, abandoned apple orchard, youngish grove of Doug-fir on the hilltop–rich and varied habitat. Not open to the public. You must register for talk and/or walk. Both are free.
OLD FORESTS, AND NEW
Click here for inspiring story of work to restore ancient oak forests.
954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Mar 28, 2022
25 species
Canada Goose 2
Wild Turkey 1
Eurasian Collared-Dove 1
Mourning Dove 4
Anna’s Hummingbird 1
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1
Northern Flicker 1
California Scrub-Jay X
American Crow X
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
European Starling X
American Robin X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin X
Lesser Goldfinch X
American Goldfinch X
Fox Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 20
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Golden-crowned Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1–first of year
Towheeblog 
Leave a Reply