Towheeblog

Our McMinnville birding class had its final spring field trip this morning. One highlight–the first Barn swallows I’ve seen this year were mixed in with legions of swooping Tree and Violet-green. Gulping down mosquitoes. Welcome back, Barney. Here’s a row of my skeeter-lovin’ buddies. They don’t do Zoom meetings, thedy do zoom meals:

Snow Geese stopping traffic, then settled among Cacklers after landing:

Far right non island, one of the stilts we saw. Far right tail-in-air belongs to a pintail:

Eagles: adult on the pole, junior aloft:

We saw almost forty bird species in just over two hours. Stilts were in lake southeast of Covill parking lot and also in pond north of the road, at thr narrows. Two Cinnamonm Teal were in that same pond. The Snow Goose quartet was among a zillion Cacklers between Hwy 99 and west edge of the refuge along Covill Road. The one yellowthroat male we saw gave us a good show in bright sunlight. No singing, just fressing.

Singers this morning: meadowlark, red-wing, Savannah Sparrow. Here’s a Savannah perched prfetty high for such a grounded critter:

Baskett Slough NWR, Polk, Oregon, US
Apr 2, 2022. 39species

Snow Goose 4
Cackling Goose  4000
Canada Goose  3
Cinnamon Teal  2
Northern Shoveler  X
Gadwall  X
American Wigeon  X
Mallard  X
Northern Pintail  X
Green-winged Teal  X
Ring-necked Duck  X
Lesser Scaup  X
Bufflehead  X
Ruddy Duck  X
American Coot  500
Black-necked Stilt  5
Killdeer  3
Greater Yellowlegs  10
Great Blue Heron  2
Turkey Vulture  2
Northern Harrier  1
Bald Eagle  3
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Northern Flicker  1
American Kestrel  1
American Crow  X
Tree Swallow  X
Violet-green Swallow  X
Barn Swallow  X     first I’ve seen this year
European Starling  X
American Robin  X
Golden-crowned Sparrow  X
Savannah Sparrow  10
Song Sparrow  X
Spotted Towhee  2
Western Meadowlark  X
Red-winged Blackbird  X
Brewer’s Blackbird  X