Towheeblog

Here’s the Motus data on a tagged Dunlin that passed over Ankeny NWR’s Motus detector yesterday. The bird appeared to have flown overnight. Montna Farms is near Yuba City, CA, north of Sacramento city. Distance in straight line is around 500 miles. My comment on seeing this data: “A dunlin flock can fly 45 to 55 miles per hour…the bird started near Yuba City, north of Sacto, and 36 hours later was near Breckenridge Bluff, WA…that’s not a surprising distance in that much time.”

4/15/23 1:09, 2023-04-15 01:09:14, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 1:11, 2023-04-15 01:11:09, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 2:22, 2023-04-15 02:22:16, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 2:22, 2023-04-15 02:22:47, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 12:59, 2023-04-15 12:59:00, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 13:00, 2023-04-15 13:00:02, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 16:51, 2023-04-15 16:51:04, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 16:53, 2023-04-15 16:53:10, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 17:23, 2023-04-15 17:23:02, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/15/23 17:24, 2023-04-15 17:24:57, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/16/23 3:25, 2023-04-16 03:25:19, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/16/23 3:28, 2023-04-16 03:28:06, Montna Farms,38.94,-121.61
4/16/23 3:39, 2023-04-16 03:39:27, Llano Seco,39.54,-121.93
4/16/23 3:42, 2023-04-16 03:42:29, Sacramento NWR,39.43,-122.18
4/16/23 3:46, 2023-04-16 03:46:03, Sacramento NWR,39.43,-122.18
4/16/23 3:56, 2023-04-16 03:56:22, Sacramento NWR,39.43,-122.18
4/16/23 4:03, 2023-04-16 04:03:23, Bird Haven,39.42,-121.91
4/16/23 4:08, 2023-04-16 04:08:04, Bird Haven,39.42,-121.91
4/16/23 4:18, 2023-04-16 04:18:39, Sacramento NWR,39.43,-122.18
4/16/23 4:20, 2023-04-16 04:20:02, Bird Haven,39.42,-121.91
4/16/23 4:30, 2023-04-16 04:30:11, Llano Seco,39.54,-121.93
4/16/23 4:39, 2023-04-16 04:39:38, Bird Haven,39.42,-121.91
4/16/23 8:25, 2023-04-16 08:25:02, Vesper Meadow-OR,42.26,-122.46
4/16/23 8:30, 2023-04-16 08:30:45, Vesper Meadow-OR,42.26,-122.46
4/16/23 8:49, 2023-04-16 08:49:42, Rogue River Preserve OR,42.54,-122.84
4/16/23 8:51, 2023-04-16 08:51:05, Rogue River Preserve OR,42.54,-122.84
4/16/23 8:51, 2023-04-16 08:51:10, Rogue River Preserve OR,42.54,-122.84
4/16/23 8:53, 2023-04-16 08:53:05, Rogue River Preserve OR,42.54,-122.84
4/16/23 14:14, 2023-04-16 14:14:28, Ankeny Hill Nature Center,44.8,-123.06
4/16/23 14:31, 2023-04-16 14:31:47, Ankeny Hill Nature Center,44.8,-123.06
4/16/23 14:31, 2023-04-16 14:31:53, Ankeny Hill Nature Center,44.8,-123.06
4/16/23 14:37, 2023-04-16 14:37:46, Ankeny Hill Nature Center,44.8,-123.06
4/16/23 19:13, 2023-04-16 19:13:24, 3603 296th Lane Oysterville 98641,46.52,-124.03
4/16/23 19:24, 2023-04-16 19:24:43, 3603 296th Lane Oysterville 98641,46.52,-124.03
4/16/23 19:24, 2023-04-16 19:24:59, 3603 296th Lane Oysterville 98641,46.52,-124.03
4/16/23 19:34, 2023-04-16 19:34:12, 3603 296th Lane Oysterville 98641,46.52,-124.03
4/17/23 4:02, 2023-04-17 04:02:36, Breckenridge Bluff,46.98,-123.97
4/17/23 4:24, 2023-04-17 04:24:41, Breckenridge Bluff,46.98,-123.97

Our first detection at the newly placed Ankeny Motus Tower was another Dunlin last October.

This email from USGS field biologist, Dr. Joan Hager: “This is really cool! Spring migration is known to be much more rapid than fall migration for many species; birds are in a hurry to get to the best breeding spots before their competitors. 

“Does the span of ~23 minutes that the bird was detected at Ankeny mean it stopped there for a few minutes? It seems a long interval for detecting a fast-flying bird unless it interrupted its flight.

“I’m also impressed that it was detected at THREE stations along the I5 corridor in Oregon (out of only 4 in the whole region).

“So thankful for our Ankeny Motus station and it’s sponsors and caretakers!”

Here is email from Rich Hoyer down in Eugene: “The time stamps on these are revealing and mesh with my recent observation well. This past Saturday I did a 45-minute nocturnal flight call count starting at 4:30 a.m. from my front porch in north Eugene, and I heard (and recorded) at least three Dunlin flying over. One Yellow-rumped Warbler as well.”

Rich Hoyer–his eBird record from night of April 15:

Protocol: Nocturnal Flight Call CountComplete

• Observers: 1
• Duration: 47 min

Observations

1. DunlinNumber observed: 3
2. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Dr. Hager’s explanation of MOTUS technology was what got me interested in getting the ODFW grant that enabled Salem Audubon to put up the first-ever Motus tower in the north end of the Willamette Valley. Thanks, Joan.

Much of the tech work that made this visual explanation possible is provided by brilliant volunteer techie, Rich Schramm.

The long gulp–starfish gone–click here.

A SoCal parking lot is birding hotspot–the birds won’t explain why–click here.

Avian flu–killing California peregrines. Click here.

Polk County Soil & Water Conservation District:

SPRING BIRD WALK AT CORNERSTONE SATURDAY, MAY 6, 9AM-11AM Join us for a free Bird Walk at Cornerstone, our 87-acre property in northcentral Polk County. This leisurely walk will be guided by Harry Fuller, author, and member of the Salem Audubon Society. Cornerstone has a unique combination of habitats, including riparian, seasonal stream, mixed conifer forest and heritage oak savannah and woodland. Cornerstone will be a major anchor of wildlife habitat connected by corridors within the region to foster the recovery of sensitive and threatened species found within this ecoregion. Last year, Harry identified 68 species of birds at Cornerstone! Harry is also the co-founder of The Partnership for International Birding. He is an avid bird blogger and is the author of Freeway Birding, San Francisco to Seattle, and co-author of Great Owls of California, Oregon and Washington. We are grateful to have Harry at Cornerstone to share his knowledge and help participants identify the different bird species there. Registration is required and limited. Please email our Outreach Coordinator, Morgan Neil for more information, accommodations and registration details – morgan.neil@polkswcd.com​