Towheeblog

The white world was bright, compelling attention and marvel. Zillions of tiny flakes, piled up to three inches deep. Nandina limbs bent to the ground with weight of wet. But nothing could approach the visual power of this male warbler:

House Finch and one of two myrtle warblers:

Safe housing for South African Penguins–click here.

Update on Flaco the owl, freed from zoo–click here.

How sea otters stay warm–click here.

American flood control programs and their failures–click here.

One study projects which US cities most vulnerable to climate change–click here.

954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Feb 23, 2023
22 species

Canada Goose  2     fly over
Mourning Dove  20
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  3
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Bushtit  20
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Bewick’s Wren  1
European Starling  2
Varied Thrush  2
American Robin  1
House Finch  1
Lesser Goldfinch  X
American Goldfinch  X
Dark-eyed Junco  30
Golden-crowned Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  3     1 Audubon’s, 2 myrtle
Townsend’s Warbler  1

MALHEUR BIRDING TRIP IN MAY
I am leading a fund-raising bird trip sponsored by, and based at, the Malheur Field Station. It is May 15-20. We will see Ferruginous and Swainson’s Hawks, Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagles, White Pelicans, Short-eared and Great Horned and Burrowing Owls, Loggerhead Shrike, Sage Thrasher, Sandhill Cranes, Black Terns, Franklin’s Gulls, White-faced Ibis, Rock & Canyon Wren, Sagebrush and Brewer’s Sparrow, Cinnamon Teal, snipe, Wilson’s Phalarope, possible bittern. There are likely to be usual (Lewis’s Woodpecker, Evening Grosbeak) and unusual (any bird that migrates to northern Canada) migrants at the hotspots. We will bird the basin and foothills of Steens Mountain.
Interested? Call 541-493-2629.

PHOTO TRIP: this trip is already filled.  It’s May 31-June 4

SEPTEMBER

I am leading a fund-raising bird trip sponsored by, and based at, the Malheur Field Station. It is Sept. 8-13.   We will see Ferruginous and Swainson’s Hawks, Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagles, White Pelicans, Short-eared and Great Horned and Burrowing Owls, Sandhill Cranes, Black Terns, Franklin’s Gulls, Loggerhead Shrike, Sage Thrasher White-faced Ibis, Rock & Canyon Wren, Horned Lark, Cinnamon Teal, snipe, Wilson’s Phalarope, possible bittern. There are likely to be usual (Lewis’s Woodpecker, Evening Grosbeak) and unusual (any bird that migrates to northern Canada) migrants at the hotspots. We will bird the basin and the entire Steens Mountain Loop.
Interested? Call 541-493-2629.