LIST OF SUMMER 2017 BIRDING TRIPS; 2nd, 4th & 5th Thursdays

1. June 8: Zumwalt
2. June 22: Finley woodpecker loop
3. June 29: Carolyn Nielsen's house
4. July 13: Clearwater
5. July 27: Fern Ridge Royal
6. Aug 10: Elijah Bristow Park
7. Aug 24: Hileman County Park
8. Aug 31: Millrace Path

Aug 31: Millrace Path (Springfield, 32nd Street)

Spotted Towhee posing every which way

Immature Cedar Waxwing; incomplete eye-mask (plus no white border around it) Rudimentary beginnings of crest growing in.

Wrentit adult; my first sighting (while knowing what bird it was)

Wrentit Fledgling; Millrace 8/31/2017

American Goldfinch

One view from the Millrace path ...

HILEMAN COUNTY PARK; Aug 24, 2017

There was a lot of constant activity in some low bushes next to a pond near the entrance to Hileman Park. We spent about 20 minutes there as folks tried to identify what we were seeing. Some of the birds were more conclusively identified after a round of email exchanges with the photos sent to everyone who was on that walk. It took a while before the dust settled.

Juvenile Spotted Towhee, Hileman County Park, 8-24-2017

After considerable discussion, Donna came up with female Common Yellowthroat for this bird.

This might be a Pacific Slope Flycatcher, or it might be a Willow Flycatcher. If Pac Slope, it was my first time seeing one. (I didn't see the one at the Oregon Country Fair site back on May 25)

This bird was the most challening and bewildering for our group because it was so light colored and just basically unfamiliar to us. When I looked at my pictures I saw that it resembled the juvenile Towhee it was near to. But the wing feathers looked very different. Then looking further through my photos I saw it was not only hanging out with its "sibling," but the mother Spotted Towhee came by to feed it. Once I saw that, I realized it was likely a juvenile Cowbird. Donna and others confirmed my guess.
Photo by Chris Kilpatrick

Momma came by and fed the Cowbird baby.

I was surprised to find THREE of the birds all in one photo.

I think this is a juvenile Robin losing its spots and molting into the robin-red-breast plumage.

ELIJAH BRISTOW PARK; Aug 10, 2017
This is a favorite destination among many of the Summer BOGS birders. Steve came with us this year and enjoyed the walk with us.

We came across a Willow Flycatcher SINGING. We could see it singing. The bird was not close to us and it was backlit brightly so photos did not come out well. None-the-less, this was the first Willow Flycatcher which I have identified in the field conclusively. (width 1050 )

Red-breasted Sapsucker adult. A juvenile was nearby.

We heard some California Quail calling very close to us in the brush on the side of the trail. This one popped out onto the trail ahead of us and I took a short video of it. This is one frame from that video. It is either a female or juvenile

Don photographed this adult California Quail somehow

There is a state-funded project to monitor and assist the Northwestern Pond Turtles at Elijah Bristow Park. They lay their eggs along the banks of the spring-fed stream the trail follows. I did not see any of the invasive Red-eared Pond Sliders so common in town at places like Delta Ponds. (I also have not seen the Pond Sliders at the newly opened Millrace trail in Springfield)

Lots of Evening Grosbeaks were seen on our walk at Bristow Park. Most were high up and flying hither and thither, but we came across them feeding on Cascara berries. Every year we find a variety of birds feeding on these in late July and August both here at Bristow Park and also at Zumwalt Park.

TOTAL ECLIPSE: Aug 21, 2017

VIDEO (normal speed) Approach to Totality.

VIDEO (normal speed) The Sun's CORONA: End of Totality.

FERN RIDGE, SOUTH FROM ROYAL AVE PARKING LOT; July 27, 2017
(The path we took south from the parking lot, through the tall grass, is only accessible during the driest months - late July and August. We found an amazing number of species and birds in the scrubby brush / trees in that area as we walked south to get to the dike trails.

There were many juvenile birds of various species and we were all going through all kinds of mental gymnastics trying to identify them. One species we are fairly sure about was the Common Yellowthroat, mostly because I saw an adult of that species very near to this one and they flew to another bush together.

American Robin Juvenile still a little clumsy! Fern-Ridge 7-27-2017

View of the Fall appearance of the dike we came to after walking south from Royal. These dikes extend south to the Red-head and Barn Ponds; as well as also extending West towards the observation platform.

As we walked across the dried up ponds, Jennifer's mother Dale thought the patterns in the cracks in the mud resembled Batik patterns. I photographed them and sent her the files.

Black-necked-Stilt Fern Ridge 7-27-2017

Black-necked-Stilt Fern Ridge 7-27-2017

Greater Yellowlegs; Fern Ridge, 7-27-2017

CLEARWATER LANDING; July 13, 2017

We only had brief glimpses of Yellow-breasted Chats on the Clearwater Landing trail. I saw one but didn't get any photos. Don managed to get this photo.

It's not all birds. General Science too! Mossy bark in a very 3-D structure

Red-tailed Hawk; Clearwater Landing 7-13-2017

WOODPECKER LOOP TRAIL, FINLEY REFUGE; JUN 22, 2017

Wilson Warbler; Finley Woodpecker Loop 6-22-2017

Betsy came up with the best photos of a Yellow-breasted Chat, including one of it singing.

BOGS member surveys a small pond at the topmost section of the trail

The Meadow at the top of the trail

A Rabbit was on the trail ahead of us.

Lazuli Buntings greeted us right near the start of the trail

ZUMWALT COUNTY PARK; June 8; 2017

Western Grebe

Pileated Woodpecker

Don's VIDEO in slow motion of a Pileated Woodpecker.

VIDEO (normal speed) - Pileated Woodpecker - by Don Laufer.

It was a gloomy day with spells of wind and rain.

OREGON COUNTRY FAIR SITE; MAY 25, 2017

Don got this prize of a photo of a Pacific Slope Flycatcher. Oregon County Fair site.

PERKINS PENINSULA; APRIL 27, 2017

Orange-crowned Warbler; photo by Sat Nam Singh

Our group scanning the reservoir. Pelicans had been seen flying in the distance

Western Tanagers were migrating through the area that morning

Golden-crowned Sparrow; photo by Sat Nam Singh

ALTON BAKER; APRIL 13, 2017

American Wigeon

American Kestrel

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown Creeper

SKINNER BUTTE; MARCH 30; 2017

Northern Flicker

FINLEY WILDLIFE REFUGE; March 23, 2017

Immature Bald Eagle

Rufous Hummingbirds

Western Meadowlark; photo by Gail Sandgathe

STEWART POND; March 2, 2017

Red-tailed Hawk

Green-winged Teal

These birds were far off and we struggled at trying to identify them. Sat Nam Singh sneaked up closer to them and got this photo, while the group did other things;
Dunlin; photo by Sat Nam Singh

Northwestern Garter Snake.
These were out and about at this time of year. I found another one a day or two later at EWEB Wetlands

EASTGATE (Heron Park); Feb 23, 2017

Generally if you want to know what is happening next at BOGS, or want to see the latest photos/reports,
you can find these on the HOME page:
http://priscillanhk.com/index.html
Enjoy!
Priscilla