Melvina Elfring, May 14
I have noticed a bird with a white head in my yard a few times. It is always with House Finchs. Is this an odd colored male or female?

• Don Laufer:
  Looks like it could be a leucistic house finch
• Melvina Elfring
  Don Laufer Thank you. That is interesting. I looked up leucistic house finch and the examples looked very similar to this one.

Linda Openheimer's Bullock's Oriole:

• Linda Oppenheimer:
  All the boys are out in their breeding colors. A great surprise for me Thursday night to see the Bullock's Oriole! Pleasant Hill, Oregon
• Priscilla Sokolowski:
  Nice! Skulking bird
  
• Betsy Huffsmith:
  Pisgah by the pavilion is a hot spot!

Great Blue Heron chicks
Priscilla Sokolowski

• I took some photos of Great Blue Heron chicks today (May 18), using my cell phone through a spotting scope. These were taken from my balcony. The nest is all the way across the ponds, far south of me.

Acorn Woodpeckers

• Priscilla Sokolowski:
  Nearly everyone loves these Acorn Woodpeckers. Not many colonies of these this far north in Oregon.
  
• Betsy Huffsmith:
  Dorris Ranch has one. Amazing!
• Jennifer Rowan-Henry:
  (Also one at) Royal avenue near Fernridge reservoir.
• Judith A Moman:
  Thank you Jennifer, where???
• Priscilla:
  Judith - you don't know about the one on Royal? Before you get to Fern Ridge Reservoir, there is a blinking yellow light (at Fisher Rd I think the name is). Right AFTER that light, still on Royal, there is a large grove of Oak trees on the right side. There is a substantial colony of Acorn Woodpeckers living there. If you roll down your window and listen and watch for movements of birds flitting short distances (typically) from one tree to the next - sometimes in the roadside trees and often further away. In less than 15 minutes you will hear them and see them. You can get out of your car too, but the land is private property. While waiting for bird activity, scan the area nearby for dead branches and trunks. They are pockmarked with holes, all containing ACORNS!

Don's American Bittern Photo:

• Priscilla:
  Great photo! You really must have been ready when this bird jumped up into the sky very near to you. I can never grab a focus quickly enough to get such a good close-up.
• Don Laufer
  Priscilla Sokolowski you're right, I just happened to be ready when it appeared in my peripheral vision!
• Nancy Clogston:
  Wow, great shot!
• Linda Oppenheimer:
  Unusual to catch this one (species) -- just great!
  

Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Eugene!

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are not native to Western Oregon. However, their breediing range extends from the midwest up into northwestern British Columbia. Every year a few of them straggle through Western Oregon during their migrations.
We had one in North Eugene for one day on May 15, and BOGS member Nancy Clogston went out and saw it. She also got a recording of the bird singing!

• The link below takes you to the eBird checklist Nancy submitted for a bird walk she took. Near the bottom of the checklist is her link to the recording she made of the bird singing.
• eBIRD CHECKLIST WITH RECORDING