Polk County Big Year - 2017 Part 2

“Here comes the sun……Here comes the sun, and I say, it’s alright.”   George Harrison.   This is one of my favorite songs, and I played it twice when I started driving around today.  FINALLY!  A warm, mostly sunny day.  The birds were singing as well.  I decided to start a new blog as the one I have been working on seems to be altered such that I cannot keep it from malfunctioning, so thought it would be better to start a fresh sequel.  It is much larger than any I have made, so things are starting to not work quite right.

I originally planned to take my wife’s bike to the bike shop and get fenders on it so I could pedal 6 miles to the Aaron Mercer Reservoir.  The old logging road would be muddy and if I did not have fenders I’d have a brown streak on my front and back sides.  However, when I got to the bike shop in Monmouth the store sign said closed on Thursdays, so now I had to alter my plans.  Since the sewage ponds were a mile away, I went there to stew over where else I might go.

Upon walking up the berm to the first pond I saw an early Cliff Swallow (131) followed by a Bonaparte’s Gull (132), and shortly after an early Rough-winged Swallow (133).  I scrutinized all the ducks for something other than the usual fair, but could not come up with anything out of the ordinary.   I next went over to the refuge and did the same there.  I did find an Acorn Woodpecker there, only the 2nd I have ever seen at the place.  I walked a mile to an overlook of a lake to scan for rare ducks with the  same result.  On the way though, I heard 2 Orange-crowned Warblers (134), which are starting to come into the state.  

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Double-crested Cormorants at the refuge

Immature Red-tailed Hawk at the refuge

After that I brought my wife’s bike back home as there was no need for it to stay in the back of my truck, especially since I was now planning on heading up into the coast range where I’d be on logging roads,  heading to Bald Mountain.  This mountain is one of the higher mountains in the county at about 3,000 feet.  I stopped about 2 miles from where I’d park to hike to the top to listen for Sooty Grouse, but the wind had picked up and it would be difficult to heard their low pitched calls, but a Northern Pygmy Owl (135) was tooting clearly.  This was the 7th owl species now, and the last of the easier ones.  Just Spotted and Long-eared left of the resident owls, and may prove difficult to find.

It is about a mile hike from where you park your vehicle at the gate, to the top.  While walking up the road I could hear a few Mountain Quail calling, as well as a few Song Sparrows and Juncos.  It was quiet at the top where I ate lunch and the took a few pics.  It was partially cloudy so I did not take very many pics.  On a clear day you can see the ocean to the west, the Cascades to the east (Mt Rainier, Adams, St Helens, Hood, Jefferson, Batchelor, the Three Sisters and Thielson).  Shortly after starting back down I found a pair of Gray Jays (136) which were a nice uplift to a nice day. 

An Ant Mass on the top of Bald Mountain

Typical scenery on Bald Mountain

Gray Jay - Bald Mountain

After this I drove to a few places in the coast range and walked here and there, mainly looking for Wrentits and Hermit Thrushes, but came up empty, and eventually made it back home.  Being mid March now, early migrants will be returning soon so I suspect my list will start having more consistent additions until mid May when most will have been seen, and after that the new ones will be rather slow in coming.

                                      A male Mallard in a marsh in the mountains

3/17/17

After my daughter came for a visit from Portland, I went  over to Monmouth to get fenders for my wife's bike.  While in the area I went over to the Sewage Ponds and spied a Barn Swallow (136).  BTW, it rained all morning......

Two male Red-winged Blackbirds.  Just bored and taking pics at my feeder. 

3/23/17

It was looking like another decent day, so now that I had the bike ready, I launched out to the Aaron Mercer Reservoir, which is the water supply for the city of Dallas.  It is 6 miles to the dam and another one to the far end where the river comes in.  To the east of the area is Rickreall Ridge, where I have never been.  The ridge has been off limits since a fire ravaged the area some 30 years ago, but looks like it has potential, and I recently learned that a pair of Peregrine Falcons nested there last year.  So I walked an additional 3 miles to try to get looks at it, but was only partially successful.  All that said, I am really sore from using muscles which have not been used for quite some time, and I slept very well last night.

I also had some high hopes of finding some difficult birds as well as some new ones for the year, but came up short on both.  Oh well, the scenery was great and the weather cooperated until I was almost all the way back. 

A pair of Hooded Mergansers at the reservoir

A shot from the far end of the
reservoir looking toward the dam.

A pair of Common Mergansers on a sandbar at the end of the reservoir

The dam on the left side, looking toward the far end.

3/24/17
Today the weather was supposed to be fairly dry so I planned to drive around to the usual places like the sewage ponds and wildlife refuge.  While sitting at the breakfast table, a male Evening Grosbeak (137) made a visit to the feeder.  He was about a month early, and when they do show up, it is usually en masse, and they are known to wipe out your feeder in short order.  This was the only new bird for the day.  I have been hearing that migration is early this year because California is having an early spring, and hence the birds are launching out as a result, so I at least had high hopes of seeing some of these, but this did not happen. 

Male Evening Grosbeak at the feeder

Two Barn Swallows at the sewage ponds

3/25/17

Looks like the sun is going to shine, so my wife and I are headed to Luckiamute Landing, along the Willamette River, for a nice walk.  But while eating breakfast, the first Band-tailed Pigeon (138) of the year showed at our feeder.  I have been expecting this as I hear they are beginning to show up at feeders in Western Oregon.  This is a huge pigeon, the largest in North America.

Band-tailed Pigeon on our feeder.

We walked around Luckiamute Landing for about an hour and a half.  It was a little chilly and breezy and cloudy, but at least it was dry.  The area is set aside as one of the few remaining Gallery Forests left along the Willamette River.  These were the norm when the settlers came, but they ended up cutting down the cottonwood trees until few such forests remain intact.  We actually did not walk inside that forest, but around a large field before it.  The forest was likely quite wet from recent flooding, and even where we walked it was a bit soggy.  The west side borders the Willamette River while the east side borders the Luckiamute River, which I usually canoe down once each spring. It can be a birdy area, and many were singing this morning. 

I added Wrentit (139), Osprey (140) and a long overdue American Goldfinch (141).  

Hutton's Vireo at Luckiamute Landing

The Willamette River in flood stage

Map of Luckiamute Landing

3/29/17
Yesterday I heard that March is about to set a record for the wettest March on record.  Hmmm, the idea has been sounding rather waterlogged of late.  And, of course, it is raining today, my first day off this week. It is looking like it may let up in the afternoon, so I might just visit the sewage ponds and the refuge. Guess I had better go prepared....

I decided to get out of the house and so headed to the sewage ponds, and then to the refuge.  It turned out to be more windy and rainy than I was hoping, so did not see any new year birds.  There were good numbers of ducks at the sewage ponds which was nice.  After lunch and a nap that was cut short by a phone call, Rosie and I went for a walk across the other side of town on Frost Rd.  We have been walking here for years as it is mostly flat with little traffic.  En route home we chanced upon a flock of Wild Turkeys, a few of the toms had their tail and wing feathers spread out so as to try to impress the females, and here is one pic of two of the males.

Wild Turkeys - Falls City

Right after the turkey adventure, on a whim, I took the short detour to the falls (The town is named after such, "Falls City,") to look for an American Dipper (142) which was there.  This was seemingly long overdue, but since all the rivers have been close to or at flood stage, the birds tend to head way up river where the water is clearer to feed.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a little drier and less windy. 

3/30/17

It WAS a dry day.  It WAS somewhat sunny today.  It WAS brisk.  It WAS very windy!   The last two descriptions really hampered the birding.  But I figured it would be more or less therapeutic for me to get out, get some exercise and breathe some fresh air. My first stop was the refuge where I relocated a Yellow-headed Blackbird (143) which someone reported earlier in the week.  I next went just a few miles to the Farmer Rd Marsh and walked the R&R tracks along the marsh edge and found a Common Yellowthroat (145).  The blackbird was a tad early, but the yellowthroat was right on time.

I next drove around the fields north of the refuge looking for rare raptors.  I did locate a flock of gulls, most of which were first year birds, but a few more mature ones were in the mix.  It may be of interest to know that the larger gulls take 4 years to mature, and they go through various stages of molt which can make for some tricky ID challenges.

I then went to the refuge head quarters and had a nice visit with the manager who I had not met as yet.  One reason for the visit was to ask his permission to walk a certain portion at night looking for Long-eared Owls.  The refuge is off limits after dark, and, due to beauracratic reasons, he was not able to allow me to go in after dark. 

My next stop was the sewage ponds.  There was nothing new for the year, but I noticed a huge increase in the number of Northern Shovelers.  There were also many Yellow-rumped Warblers flycatching along a row of short trees.  Below is my best shot. 

Brewer's Blackbird at the Sewage Ponds.
That bright yellow eye really stands out !

Yellow-rumped Warbler - Audubon's Form with yellow throat - at the Sewage Ponds 3-30-17

  I spent the rest of the day driving around, eventually ending up on the top of Bald Mountain.  This is the time of year when Mountain Bluebirds are migrating, and are occasionally seen west of the Cascades, so I figured my chances were best to look at that location.  Plus, one never knows what might be migrating through.  It was quite birdless, like it usually is this time of year, but it was a nice walk. 

It is said that March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb.  Well, it appears more like the lion is still roaring with this weather. Tomorrow I need to take our Honda Fit to the dealer for the usual oil change.  Last week when I arranged this, I chose Friday because Thursday looked to be the better day for weather.  A week later, of course, the weather now looks great for tomorrow......

4/1/17
I did get out birding some yesterday and today, some of that time with my wife, but there were no new birds for the year.  It is still a little early for the bulk of migrants to reach here, although I read of a number of common birds getting seen for the first time this year, so the big numbers are not far behind.  I am much more concerned with finding rare birds, as there has been a drought of such since the Glaucous Gull back in February.  I need to be at about 195 by early June to have a shot at the record, so we shall see how things go. 

4/5/17

Finally a day off and it did not rain, too much.  The leaves on various trees are starting to leaf out, the birds are singing, and the air is a little warmer on average of late. Included are some shots of common birds of late.  

I made the usual circuit, starting in the southern part of the county and working my way north, ending at the refuge.  I had to do some chores in the morning, and then had to wait out the rain, and finally got out of the house about 3 pm.  The 2 new birds I saw today were Cinnamon Teal (146) and Black-necked Stilt (147), both being about on time.  However, when  I was driving from one part of the refuge to another, a bobcat ran across the road, right out through an open field.  Luckily he stopped just before slinking off into the briars for a few shots.

Bobcat

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Cinnamon Teal

Yellow-headed Blackbird

California Quail

4/6/17
As we were finishing up breakfast, this Chipping Sparrow (148) came to our feeding station.  He is also right on time.  My weather ap indicates the rain will start letting up in an hour or two, so I plan to head out on my usual jaunt. 

Chipping Sparrow 4-6-17

The weather was decent - sunny and warm, and the rain stopped soon after I left home.  I drove around to the usual places, walked for a few miles in total, ran into some birding friends, and had a great day……except that I did not add anything to my year list.  I did take a few pics and here are the better ones.

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler - Myrtle Form with white throat

Even a Starling can look prim and proper

Morgan Lake at Baskett Slough NWR

4/7/17

The weatherman predicted high winds and heavy rain, starting last night, and he was right.  My wife was awakened in the middle of the night because of such.  But sometimes this can be an advantage for birding as it can force birds inland from the coast as well as stop land migrants from going farther.  And since I needed to run an errand in town, I extended my trip to include the refuge.  It was wet and wild, and I needed to set up my scope under the kiosk roof and then bird from the car window on the lee side of the wind and rain.  Nada!  Nothing out of the ordinary so I headed back home.

Just before lunch I got email which indicated a rare bird was to the county south, and I decided after lunch to head there to hopefully add it to that county list.  En route there I learned of another bird at the same place which I also needed for that county as well.  Luckily the weather stayed bad and kept them from heading on their northward migration.  And so Sabine’s Gull and Bonaparte’s Gull were added to my all time Benton County list, bringing it up to 218.  Also present was a small flock of Red-necked Phalaropes, small shorebirds which float/rest on the water surface, undoubtedly blown inland from the coast.

With that kind of success, I thought I would return north to “my” county and again see if the storm blew something my way.  I first stopped at the Lucky 99 farm pond, which had nothing on it.  Next stop was the sewage ponds where there were 2 Red-necked Phalaropes (149), first of the year.  Next stop was the refuge.  As I was getting close, I could see a huge rainbow ending there, which I took to be a good omen of good birds awaiting me, but in the end, the rainbow is what I’d have to settle for, as I could not find anything rare or new for the year.  Such is life.

Sabine's Gull at the Philomath Sewage Ponds, Benton County
This is an ocean going gull and quite beautiful when flying.

Bonaparte's Gull at the Philomath Sewage Ponds, Benton County

Red-necked Phalaropes at the Philomath Sewage Ponds, Benton County

Rainbow at Baskett Slough NWR

4/8/17
After hanging out with my mother-in-law while my father-in-law went to church, my wife and I ate lunch and then headed out for a walk.  It was quite blustery with occasional rain squalls, and we even were hit with a little hail once while in the car.  After a 3+ miles walk, we headed to the refuge where we saw the first of the year Black-bellied Plovers (150).  They were just too far away to get good pictures, but they are a beautiful shorebird when fully in breeding plumage.  These were not quite there yet, but hopefully I can get some pics in a few weeks of one who is.  While at the refuge another rainbow graced the landscape.

Another rainbow at the refuge.

4/10/17
At work today I received a notice of a rare Calliope Hummingbird at Luckiamute Landing, so went to refind it on the way home.  I was not successful, but did encounter a very early Pacific Slope Flycatcher (151), the earliest I have ever seen one.

4/12/17
Looks like another windy and rainy day.  This is getting old.  And to top that off, good birds are being found in nearby counties where there is more birding coverage, so it seems I am at a little bit of a disadvantage.  Today Rosie and I headed toward our accountant's office some 45 miles east, in another county.  We stopped at the refuge where it was sooo windy.  While there I got a message of a rare bird to the south, a Long-billed Curlew near the Philomath Sewage Ponds, so, as we were not in any hurry we headed there.  Along the way we stopped at the Lucky 99 farm ponds where there was a Horned Grebe (152) in breeding plumage.  He was too far out to obtain good pictures, so hopefully I will get some later on to share.  We refound the Long-billed Curlew, and enjoyed some comradery with some other local birders, and, it was  another nice addition to that county list.  

After finalizing the paperwork for our tax returns, we ate and then headed toward home.  In Salem some American White Pelicans were circling overhead, about 200 yards from the Willamette River, on the other side of course is Polk County, so they could not be counted.  It is pretty reasonable that they will show there eventually as the warmer weather progresses. We stopped at the refuge but the wind was still blowing around 20 mph, so our visit was short lived. Tomorrow looks to be a little better, so we shall see. 

4/13/17

About 0600 this morning I awoke to heavy rain on the metal roof, so turned over and went back to sleep.  The weatherman was once again not my friend, predicting foul weather, so I knew birding would be hampered today.  However, 2 days ago a rare gull was found on the coast, although because of similarity to another gull, it was passed off as the other until yesterday when someone was looking over the photos and determined it to be the rarer of the two.  It was reported to still be there quite early, so I asked my wife if she’d be interested in going to the coast, so we were off not long after breakfast. 

The gull was just over at Newport, almost a straight shot west, and after we arrived at the South Coast County Park parking lot, we headed south on the beach, eventually reaching a small stream which the gull patronized, and he was there in all his glory - a Laughing Gull.  This is only the 4th state record, so t’was a great addition to my state and Lincoln County list.  We also got in over 3 miles of walking, so that was good as well.  It did not even rain while we were doing so!  Afterward we ate and came back home.  The weather looks a “little” better for tomorrow, so hopefully something good will be found. 

Laughing Gull 4/13/17  Newport, Or

Laughing Gull 4/13/17  Newport, Or

4/14/17
True to form, the weatherman was good on his promise for a wet night.  It really came down at times, and by morning things were really soggy.  But often when there is rain, there is a rainbow.  Even while it was pouring down, out the back window I spied my first of the year Black-throated Gray Warbler (153). Maybe it is a good omen for the day?  The sun is peeking through the gloomy gray clouds as I write. More later. 

So I went out about 0900, first to the sewage ponds where I spooked 3 Green Herons (154) near the entrance.  By then the day was looking a little iffy with the wind picking up. I headed south to Helmick Park which is a nice little place along the Luckiamute River where I found a Wilson's Warbler (155).  By then I could see that anymore birding for small, land birds was pretty much at an end due to the wind which was getting worse by the minute.  So I drove around looking for raptors and shorebirds.  I found my first Sora (156) at the Farmer Road Marsh, but by then the wind was starting to bring some rain squalls, so after visiting a few more places, I called it a day. When close to home I ran into hail and could also see snow in the coast range hills.  I guess there is always tomorrow.

4/15/17
It was a beautiful day, just a wonderful change from the rain of late.  My wife and I went for a long walk at Luckiamute Landing hoping for some interesting land birds.  We did not see anything new or unusual, but tacked up about 3 miles of walking.  After lunch I took my father-in-law to the refuge while my wife stayed with her mom.  I saw a pair of Blue-winged Teal (157), my first of the year.  Tis back to work tomorrow, so little if any birding for the next 3 days.

4/19/17
Yesterday was one of those warm and sunny days when you are trapped inside working and can't do anything about it.  I did hear of a Solitary Sandpiper to the south of where I live, in Benton County which appeared to be staying put, so I headed there on my way home from work, and was able to add another to that county list.  There was a good number of shorebirds at the place, so I figured today would be somewhat respective of shorebird migration.

This morning, after looking at the weather ap again, I could tell the weather curse was once again on my back and it was going to be a wet day.  At least in the morning I was able to bird between showers and was able to find a Semipalmated Plover (158) along Livermore Road, a Vaux Swift (159) and an American Bittern (160) at the Farmer Road marsh, and White-fronted Geese (161) at the refuge.  There were not many shorebirds around: a very few Greater Yellowlegs, a small flock of Long-billed Dowitchers, and an average sized flock of Dunlin.  I had been anticipating the White-fronted Geese to be seen anytime, and they put in quite the show today.  I was at the sewage ponds about 3:30 when I began to see skein after skein of flocks of a few hundred flying north for almost an hour.  This would equal a few thousand birds!  The weather ap is predicting more rain tomorrow, so not sure how things will turn out. Stay tuned.  Here are some recent pictures: 

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Greater Yellowlegs

4/21/17
Finally a very nice warm, sunny, cloudless and almost windless day.  After breakfast I headed out, first to check for Vesper Sparrows at a certain Christmas tree farm, but they were not in yet.  Went next to Luckiamute Landing where I added Warbling Vireo (162) and Lazuli Bunting (163) to the year list.  There were many other birds around, but nothing else new. 

I checked a few flooded farm fields but shorebirds were in very short supply.  I headed to Salem to run an errand, and while there my friend Brandon texted me there he was seeing White Pelicans from his house, and it appeared they were headed for the refuge.  I did not arrive there for about 45 minutes, and they were no where to be found.  I did however see a Sandhill Crane!   A few months back they were my county jinx bird, and now I have seen two in one year.  I did manage a few pictures, but none were really of the quality I'd like to post. There were plenty of ducks and geese at the refuge,  but nothing else new.

So I headed home and had lunch and mowed the lawn, and afterwards Rosie and I went for a walk across town on a logging road, and found my first House Wren (164), so that was very nice.  

4/26/17

Tis Wednesday, the start of my usual 4 days off, and I’ll bet you can’t guess what the weather report is for today and tomorrow?  Yep, of course, rain and wind.  I needed to head south to Albany to get my criminal background check done (again) as my work demands such every two years.  Such a waste of time and money.  So Rosie and I got there at 11:00 and it took a big 5 minutes and cost $12.50.  We did some food shopping and then headed north to Polk County, making short stops here and there as the weather permitted, especially looking over flooded fields for shorebirds, which were in short supply.  At the last wetland area we did spot a Western Kingbird (165) a nice addition to the year list. As we we were nearing the Monmouth-Independence area we stopped at a farm pond to check it over, and a Swainson’s Hawk (166) began circling overhead there.  Finally, a great bird!  Feels like the curse was broken, so to say.  This is the time of year to look for these east of the Cascades raptors, and only the 8th county record, and first since ’05.  I also got some poor quality pics, which were OK to include with the write up on eBird, but not here. 

We ate lunch and then walked around the sewage ponds, no finding anything noteworthy.  We next headed to the refuge where I finally caught up with 7 American White Pelicans (167).  There are a few rare birds being seen both to our north and south, so hopefully I can nail a few down in the next few weeks.  In looking over my lists, there are some 35 easier birds to get, most of which should be gettable by mid June.  

Cliff Swallows at the Sewage Ponds collecting mud for nest building.

4/27/17

I got out birding about 0900, and went to the refuge first.  The 7 pelicans were still there as well as the regular expected species.  I had remembered last night of another field near the refuge that is usually flooded this time of year, and went there.  Bingo!  Finally a good sized flock of shorebirds.  There were at least 100 Least Sandpipers, maybe 15 Western Sandpipers (167) and 10 Dunlin.  I drove here and there looking for more shorebirds in flooded locations and finding the same 3 species.  I returned to the original spot to see if other species had joined them, only to find the flock doubled in size. By then the wind had picked up, making the occasional raining a situation that suggested I go back home.  Tomorrow is supposed to be nice, so will keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. 

All 3 sandpipers: Dunlin with the black belly,
Western with the reddish heads, and the rest are Least Sanpipers

Western Sandpiper

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