Towheeblog

A bird photographer and I spent three hours at Baskett Slough this morning. We saw a lone White Pelican. Another birder told us 1 to 3 had been present in recent weeks. I saw a flock (yes, together) of four Western Kingbirds, feeding. Newly arrived, as they had not yet set up territories. They were west of the main Coville Road parking lot and trailhead. We had calling Sora along Livermore Road and an execerable Great Horned Owl nest further north with one endangered little owlet in the flimsy stick mash-up. The Yellow-headed Blackbird was heard but not seen along a pond east of Livermore Road. Marsh Wrens there were both visible and vocal. Overhead one Vaux’s Swift among the many swallows.

THE RIDGE TOP KINGBIRDS–HUNTING INTO THE WIND
Click on any image for full screen. Not all the kingbird flock was kingbirdy–a yellow-rump! We saw some in almost every tree or bush we were near.

MARSH WRENS IN CATTAILS
The ponds along the east side of Livermore had a calling Sora. More musical were singing Marsh Wrens. The little tykes gave us various wrenditions of their anthem, and perhaps they were saying “
You guys are uglier than a red-winged blackbird…not even a sora would be seen in public with you.” The wrens were right–we heard a Sora, unseen. Ditto the Yellow-headed Blckbird at the far end of the wren pond.

OWL BAD CAN IT GET? PRETTY BAD WHEN YOU CAN NEITHER BUILD, NOR REPAIR A NEST…|
The “nest” was loose sticks atop broken trunks. The owlet was less than a month old (still white feathers) so this may be a second nesting attempt as these inexperienced or deprived adults may have lost entirely the first eggs or brood. The nest was too low–below twenty off the ground–and that indicates despration for a nest. Can’t find a nest, late in the season, biological imperative kicks in.

MORE POLK COUNTY IMAGES
The little bump on the hillside is a full-sized coyote. Roadside sandpiper. KIngbirds suspended in wind. Yellow fields of tomorrow’s canola oil.

Baskett Slough NWR, Polk, Oregon, US
Apr 29, 2022
36 species

Cackling Goose  1000
Canada Goose  X
Cinnamon Teal  X
Northern Shoveler  X
Gadwall  X
Mallard  X
Northern Pintail  X
Green-winged Teal  X
Ring-necked Duck  X
Lesser Scaup  X
Bufflehead  X
Ruddy Duck  X
Pied-billed Grebe  X
American Coot  X
American White Pelican  1
Great Blue Heron  1
Turkey Vulture  5
Northern Harrier  2
Bald Eagle  3
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Northern Flicker  1
California Scrub-Jay  2
American Crow  6
Tree Swallow  X
Barn Swallow  X
Cliff Swallow  300
European Starling  X
American Robin  X
Golden-crowned Sparrow  2
Savannah Sparrow  X
Song Sparrow  X
Spotted Towhee  X
Western Meadowlark  X
Red-winged Blackbird  X
Common Yellowthroat  X
Yellow-rumped Warbler  X

Livermore Rd., Polk, Oregon, US
Apr 29, 2022
28 species

Cackling Goose  X
Canada Goose  4
Northern Shoveler  X
Gadwall  X
Mallard  X
Green-winged Teal  X
Ring-necked Duck  X
Pied-billed Grebe  X
Vaux’s Swift  1
Sora 1 –calling
American Coot  X
Least Sandpiper  1
Turkey Vulture  6
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Great Horned Owl  2
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
Tree Swallow  X
Barn Swallow  X
Cliff Swallow  X
Bewick’s Wren  X
Marsh Wren 2–singing
European Starling  X
American Robin  X
Yellow-headed Blackbird  X
Western Meadowlark  X
Red-winged Blackbird  X
Yellow-rumped Warbler  X