BOGS (Birds of Oregon and General Science)

Two more slideshows from recent Spring 2022 bird walks have just been uploaded to this web site. Click on the link further down to see them) NEWEST:

1. May 13, Booth-Kelly Millrace Trailhead
2. April 29, Heron Park

Previous upload:

1. Sept 9, Delta Ponds; Led by Priscilla and Dan Gleason
2. Sept 23, Thurston Hills, Quartz Park, led by Betsy and Donna
3. Sept 30, Dorris Ranch; led by Betsy and Donna
4. April 8, Fern Ridge
5. April 22, Skinner Butte

(This will jump farther down this page to the listing of slideshows/reports added to this website).

SUMMER BIRDING 2022:
Summer Bird Walks are on THURSDAYS this year; June, July, and August.

BIRD WALK: Thursday, June 30, 8-11
DESTINATION: Perkins Peninsula
We’ll meet at 8am. (SUMMER STARTING TIME) at the Perkins Peninsula gate inside their front parking lot. Leader: Janet
Janet will lead a bird walk at Perkins Peninsula, followed by a brief visit to South Marsh. This is a good time to see adult Western grebes at Perkins and Yellow-headed blackbirds at South Marsh. The water level is up in Fern Ridge Reservoir. If time permits, we might also check some sites along Cantrell and Nielsen Rds.

For those with walking challenges, this site offers a paved road which loops through the top plateau area where Acorn Woodpeckers are always found along with Nuthatches, other woodpeckers and other common open woodland birds. From the road one can look east over the boat dock and out into the reservoir marshes, where Herons, Egrets and sometimes Bald Eagles and Ospreys are seen. At the west side the road goes to a small beach area from which we often see Western and/or Clark's Grebes, sometimes quite close. It is possible we might be able to glimpse Yellow-headed Blackbirds from the beach but that is even more likely at the roadside pullout Janet mentions below at the "South Marsh or South Slough" (sometimes also called "Warren Slough") . Those who are able and interested will probably also go down to the shoreline trail which winds around the north side of the park, unless water levels are too high.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
Go West on W. 11th Ave., past part of Fern Ridge Reservoir (visible on the right), turn right (N) at the sign for Perkins P. It is right across from Central Rd. which goes S from W. 11th. A gravel parking lot is on the right immediately after the turn off 11th, with room for 9 or 10 cars without passes. It is just before a gate. To park INSIDE the gate, one needs to pay a fee or have a LANE COUNTY PARKS PASS. At their main parking lot inside the gate, there is a pay station. If it is like the Mt. Pisgah one, there is a five-dollar parking fee (pay by credit card only...no cash) No fee is required if you have an active Lane Co. Parks Pass window sticker. The annual parks pass is half price ($20 at Bi-Mart Sporting Goods Dept) if you're 62 or older.

We’ll walk first to the boat ramp on the right, then through the central area, then probably N along the shoreline until we get to the W side. The central area is flat. The shoreline path is mostly flat gravel, with a short mild scramble at a couple of places, not good for wheelchairs.

After Perkins Peninsula, we’ll drive to South Marsh a bit further W on W. 11th/126, to park (not walk) on the right side (north) and look for Yellow-headed blackbirds and Red-winged blackbirds. This is one of the most reliable places in our area for seeing Yellow-headed Blackbirds. If time permits, we might check some sites along Cantrell and Nielsen Rds.

BOGS in JULY: JULY 7, 14: There will be a bird walk on Thursday July 7, and possibly one on July 14.
Details will be provided here and by email before those dates.

JULY 21: Greg Hyde has graciously volunteered to work with Holly McRae of McKenzie Land Trust (MLT), to set up a BOGS tour of the Willamette Confluence Preserve, (WCP), exploring some of the land near the Middle Fork Willamette river, on the north side of Mt Pisgah. This land has been in the hands of Gravel Companies for many decades but is managed by The Nature Conservancy. Other than the gravel ponds in the river itself, and the road used by gravel trucks, the habitat is otherwise fairly pristine and wildlife is not accustomed to people walking about. Work has already been done to reconnect the ponds to the river to allow natural events to resume.

All the details will be provided by email next week (July 2)

Special Summer Opportunities
JULY: Fledgelings of many species abound in the mid-summer months and offer some interesting identification challenges. Many places are good for this kind of birding challenge, so we have lots of choices. We had a particularly good time at Fern Ridge Royal Ave. one year, going off-trail, south from the parking through the tall grasses and low shrubs to the next dike.

JULY is also a good month at ZUMWALT COUNTY PARK, to look for young Western and Clark's Grebes being fed by their parents or riding on their parents' backs.

AUGUST: In years past, mid-July through August have been great for south-migrating shorebirds at Fern Ridge Reservoir, when the ponds are drying up leaving large expanses of mud-flats where shorebirds feed. Last year the ponds dried up so early that there were no wet mud-flats left by the time shorebirds started migrating through. We'll keep track of how things are developing this Summer and watch for an opportunity to work on our shorebird identification skills.

AUGUST and SEPTEMBER: The Jasper Millrace path has proven to be very good for some less common, early Fall feeding birds like Warbling Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, fledgeling Wrentits, Lesser and American Goldfinches, and Black-throated Gray Warblers. Check out the slideshow from our trip there on August 31, 2017;
MILLRACE SLIDESHOW 8-31-17

PHOTO-BLOG: PHOTOS BY MEMBERS:
Recent additions: The most recent have already been announced. Nothing new has been submitted, so anyone wishing to have some of their photos added can send them to me! Most recenty added were:
Donna A. sent in Calliope Hummingbird photos and Neena H. tells an interesting story of vultures feeding on her property. Ginny McVickar and Carolyn Nielsen sent in photos of Osprey, Wood Ducks, Band-tailed Pigeons, and C. Geese chicks. Previously upoaded were two photos of newly arrived Evening Grosbeaks taken by BOGS member Ginny McVickar of Pleasant Hill to the photo-blog page, and Photos by Carolyn N, of Osprey, Wood Duck, Band-tailed Pigeon and C. Geese with chicks.
(Click on photo-blog link below)

(In the future you can get to the photo-blog by going to the top of this page to the black menu bar and clicking on "Blog(new)" at the right right end of the menu bar.

Send photos to priscilla@blog.priscillanhk.com or use my usual email address and I will upload them to the Photo-Blog page.
Members Photo-Blog

"WhatsApp" App Birding Groups

These groups in our area (all over Oregon) originated in Spring 2021. Prior to the formation of these groups, the two main means of communicating bird sightings were OBOL (Oregon Birdrs Online- which is an email listserve) and eBird.org. Neither of those methods are as instantaneous as the WhatsApp App.

This App allows real-time messaging to a group of people all at once. The advantage is that there is virtually no delay from sending a message to the others getting it. In contrast posts to eBird.org may be delayed several hours in some cases especially if an uncommon bird is reported. The WhatsApp app is free. Download it from the "google playstore" for android, or where-ever iPhone people get Apps. Once the app is downloaded, one has to click an active link to join any of the WhatsApp groups. If you want the link, write to me and I'll tell you who to write to. They change the link for joining now and then to avoid spammers getting in and posting.

The most interesting group for our area is the "Lane County RBA" group. (RBA means Rare Bird Alert). There are no special requirements for joining. Each group has guidelines mostly pertaining to inclusivity and no hate speech. The RBA type groups ask members to limit their posts to information specific to a rare bird being seen; i.e.; the location, time and any tips for finding the bird. There are "OPEN" bird chat groups as well (such as "Lane County OPEN Birdchat" for Lane County), and in those groups any kind of discussion pertaining to birds can be posted freely.

There are also WhatsApp groups for the "MidValley" area, (both "Open" and "RBA"). These are a group of counties to our north.
Another "OPEN" group serves the entire state. There are several groups also for the Oregon coast, Central Oregon and a few for the Portland area.
If you want the link for any of these groups, write to me and I'll find out who you will need to contact to join.

SLIDESHOWS FOR 2021 Spring/Summer BIRD WALKS
For convenience, I have always posted links to recent slideshows added to the website further down on (this) home page. There is a much more complete listing of BOGS bird walk slideshows and trip reports on this website, going back to 2013. I am putting a link to that immediately below, but it can also be accessed directly from the black menu bar at the top of this page. Simply click on the "BOGS-LINKS" item in that black menu bar. The listings on that page are chronological with most recent at the top. (The link below takes you to that same page)

The further back in time you go on this website, the more pages you will find which need repair. On some pages the entire slideshow is missing. On other pages all the formatting is gone - font types, sizes and colors are wrong as well as text boxes and background colors. It took me a very very long time to figure out why these things were happening. I'm happy to say, I have finally found the sources of ALL these types of problems and will be restoring the pages - a few at a time. My repair work will be directed at the most recent material first. I think all of 2021, 2020 and 2019 are already repaired but some work needs to be done yet on pages from 2018 and even more so for the years preceding 2018. UPDATE: Dec.2021: I recently fixed most of July-Dec of 2018.

BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT BOGS - (during NORMAL TIMES)

Below I have included a list compiled by both Doris and myself, of all the places Steve Barron has taken us, as well as a few additional places we have gone only during previous Summers.

Here is a list of places BOGS has gone birding in the past

1. Delta Ponds at the Valley River Center Bike Bridge
2. North Delta Ponds area - with parking on Goodpasture Island Road.
3. Fern Ridge Reservoir at the end of Royal Ave. (park on road unless you have a permit from Fish and Wildlife),
4. Perkins Peninsula off West 11th, with the Cantrell Rd. addition
5. Kirk Pond, at the base of Fern Ridge Dam and nearby park area.
6. Mt. Pisgah arboretum, note parking permits very important here, day passes can be purchased at the parking area.
7. Golden Gardens, take Barger Dr. off 99, then right at Golden Gardens St., (just past Beltline) to end of road.
8. EWEB Wetlands, west side of EWEB building off Roosevelt, between Beltline and Bertelson.
9. Millrace bicycle path in Springfield.
10. Dorris Ranch
11. Clearwater Landing
12. Alton Baker Park - walking from Campbell Center.
13. East Alton Baker Park, access by walking south on utility road east of Auzen Stadium and east of BMX track
14. Skinner’s Butte - walking from Campbell Center.
15. Heron Park, at Aspen and D street in Springfield
16. Checkermallow Access to Meadowlark Prairie: (on Royal Ave, east of Greenhill Rd).
17. Halsey Raptor run, a car tour through areas northeast of Eugene.
18. Stewart Pond, off Bertelson on Stewart Rd.
19. Hileman County Park, 2.5 miles north of Beltline turn right on E Beacon. At junction turn left on Hileman Ln
20. Elijah Bristow State Park, off Hywy 58, between Trent and Dexter
21. Zumwalt County Park, Vista Dr., Veneta
22. Riverbend Hospital. The south end of the building has trails in a shady, very nice area for hot weather.

ONLINE TUTORIALS

BOGS Booth-Kelly Millrace Trailhead May 13, 2022 Common Yellowthroat; photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Heron Park April 29, 2022 Wilson's Warbler; photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Skinner Butte April 22, 2022 Bald Eagle in Nest; photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Fern Ridge Royal April 8, 2022 Lincoln's Sparrow; photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Dorris Ranch Sept. 30, 2021 Acorn Woodpecker: photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Thurston Hills Old Weyerhauser Rd Sept. 23, 2021 Landscape View; photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Delta Ponds Sept. 9, 2021 Mink running; photo by Priscilla

TRIP REPORT: BOGS Riverbend Trails Aug 26, 2021 Cedar Waxwing photo by Priscilla Sokolowski

Raptor Run #2, Winter, 2021-22 Dec. 16, 2021 Rough-legged Hawk-photo by Steve Kilpatrick

Raptor Run #1, Winter, 2021-22 Nov. 6, 2021 Photo: American Bald Eagle by Don Delaufer

Kirk Pond July 22, 2021 Northern Flicker - photo by Priscilla

Perkins Peninsula July 8, 2021 Cedar Waxwing - photo by Don Laufer

Delta Ponds (north) June 24, 2021 Kingfisher - photo by Don Laufer

Heron Park (east Alton Baker) June 10, 2021 Great Blue Heron - photo by Priscilla

Clearwater Landing May 27, 2021 Cedar Waxwings in nest - photo by Chris Kilpatrick

Mt Pisgah Arboretum May 13, 2021 Western Tanager - photo by Priscilla

Jasper Millrace Path April 29, 2021 Green Heron - photo by Priscilla

Fern Ridge Royal April 22, 2021 Marsh Wren- photo by Don Laufer

Great Horned Owl fledglings! Mar.26, 2021 Young GHO Fledgling-photo by Priscilla

NON-BOGS: SIX Winter Raptor Trips Nov. 2020 - Mar. 2021 Burrowing Owl & Rough-legged Hawk Linn County-photos by Priscilla Birding trips were done from separate cars using two-way-radio communcations

BOGS Raptor Run #4 Feb. 27, 2020 Burrowing Owl - photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Checkermallow Jan 23, 2020 BOGS Group - photo by Priscilla

BOGS Raptor Run #3 Jan. 16, 2020 Say's Phobe - photo by Priscilla

Non-bogs Williamson's Sapsucker in Eugene Jan 9, 2020 Williamson's Sapsucker - photo by Priscilla

BOGS Stewart Pond Jan 9, 2020 Western Meadowlark - photo by Priscilla

Non-bogs Oakridge Christmas Bird Count Jan 9, 2020 Great Gray Owl - photo by Don Laufer

Raptor Run #2 Dec 19, 2019 - Linn County Bald Eagle - photo by Priscilla

Faptor Run #1, Dec 12, 2019 - Linn County American Kestrel - photo by Priscilla

Three November Birding Trip SLIDESHOWS Nov 7 (Finley); Nov 14 (Delta Ponds); Nov 21 (Hileman County Park); Swan (Don Laufer); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Priscilla Sokolowski); Red-breasted Sapsucker (Priscilla Sokolowski)

Five OCTOBER BOGS bird walk slide shows Oct 3; 10; 17; 24; 31, 2019 Western Bluebirds, (Don Laufer); Green Island Ferry remnants, (Priscilla Sokolowski); Fox Sparrow, (Don Laufer); Anna's Hummingbird, (Greg Hyde); Townsend's Warbler, (Don Laufer)

Four SEPTEMBER BOGS bird walk slide shows Sept 5, 12, 19, 26, 2019 Yellow Warbler (Don Laufer); Western Tanager (Steve Barron); Flower (Don Laufer); Chorus Frog (Priscilla Sokolowski)

Five AUGUST BOGS bird walk slide shows August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2019 Western Kingbird; Greater Yellowlegs; California Quail; Western Wood Pewee; Black-headed Grosbeak - photos by Priscilla and Don

Green Heron eating Lamprey larvae (ammocoetes) July 2, 2019; 9am Lamprey Larvae - photo by Priscilla Sokolowski

Summer Annual Birding at Finley Wildlife Refuge July 25, 2019 Acorn Woodpecker Photo by Priscilla

BOGS Summer Birding Whilamut Area (east Alton Baker) July 18, 2019 American Goldfinch Photo by Don Laufer

Rasor Park and Riverbend Trails July 4 & July 11, 2019 Lesser Goldfinch photo by Don Laufer

Summer Birding: Fern Ridge Reservoir - Royal Ave June 27, 2019 Western Bluebird photo by Don Laufer

BOG 32nd St. Millrace First SUMMER BIRD WALK June 13, 2019 Green Heron photo by Priscilla_

Delta Ponds along River - led by Steve Barron May 30, 2019 Osprey photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Mt. Pisgah Arboretum May 23, 2019 Very young Robin photo by Priscilla

Birds of Eugene area; Swallow Pond; Fisher Unit & Skinner Butte May 4-7, 2019 Raven with stolen egg Photo by Priscilla

BOBS Fern Ridge Royal, led by Floyd Weitzel May 9, 2019 Marsh Wren Singing photo by Priscilla

BOGS Dorris Ranch w/ arborist Alby Thoumsin May 2, 2019 Heritage Big Leaf Maple Tree

Fisher Unit, Perkins Peninsula, Warren Slough, Fern Ridge Royal Spring Migration, April 27 & 28, 2019 Red-winged Blackbird & Yellow-headed Blackbird - photos by Priscilla

BOGS Golden Gardens Bird Walk led by Donna Albino April 25, 2019 Warbling Vireo photo by Priscilla

Skinner Butte Warbler Migration April 15 and April 19, 2019 Cassin's Vireo photo by Priscilla

BOGS Checkermallow (Meadowlark Prairie) April 11, 2019 Barn Swallow photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Skinner Butte, Mar. 28, 2019 Red-breasted Nuthatch photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Finley Wildlife Refuge, Mar. 14, 2019 Western Bluebird photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Alton Baker Park Feb. 14, 2019 Great Blue Heron on nest photo by Don Laufer

Raptor Run #2 Jan. 31, 2019 Sub-adult Bald Eagle, 3rd year, 2nd basic plumage_

BOGS Heron Park along millrace Jan. 24, 2019 Red-winged Blackbird Photo by Priscilla

BOGS Delta Ponds along bike path Jan 10, 2019_ Downy Woodpecker Photo by Priscilla

BOGS Meadowlark Prairie (Checkermallow) TRIP REPORT, Nov 8, 2018 Nov. 8, 2018_ Rough-legged Hawk photo by Priscilla

BOGS Meadowlark Prairie (Checkermallow) SLIDESHOW, Date: Nov 8, 2018 Belted Kingfisher photo by Don Laufer

Kirk Pond - led by Floyd Weitzel_ Oct 25, 2018 Great Egret photo by Don Laufer

Clearwater Landing_ Oct 11, 2018 Spotted Towhee photo by Don Laufer

Fern Ridge (Royal) Sept 27, 2018 American Pipit photo by Priscilla

BOGS first Fall bird walk. Delta Ponds along the river Sept 13, 2018 Osprey

ROAD SCHOLAR TRIP TO MAINE: "A Birder's Dream; Birding Down East Maine" Aug 19-24, 2018 This first page is a slideshow to Monday's Machias Seal Island (10 miles out to Sea) where Atlantic Puffins were very approachable Jody took some fantastic photographs there! There are also links to the rest of our trip for Tues-Thurs. but you can access that page separately (see below). Atlantic Puffin photo by Jody Fairchild

ROAD SCHOLAR TRIP TO MAINE: "A Birder's Dream; Birding Down East Maine" - PART 2 Aug 19-24, 2018 This webpage has everything else after the Puffin Boat trip we did on Monday. It ends with another boat trip out to Head Harbor Passage where tides range 16 feet and whales and gulls congregate to feed on shrimp and krill caught up in massive currents and upwelling waters. Minke Whale

ANNUAL SLIDESHOW, Best Photos, Sept 2017 to Sept 2018 Ruby-crowned Kinglet photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Alton Baker Park, Aug 30, 2018 MINK!-photo by Priscilla

BOGS Zumwalt County Park Aug 2, 2018 Western Grebe with babies riding on her back photo by Priscilla

BOGS Fern Ridge Royal July 26, 2018 Juvenile Robin photo by Priscilla

Riverbend Hospital Trails July 12, 2018 Baby Robin calling for food photo by Priscilla

Kirk Park (below Fern Ridge dam) July 5, 2018 Violet Green Swallow - photo by Don Laufer River Otter photo by Priscilla

East Alton Baker Park (Whilamut Natural Area) June 28, 2018 Brown Creeper - photo by Priscilla

Mt Pisgah Arboretum - First Summer 2018 Bird Walk. The action was HOT!! June 14, 2018 Male Bullock's Oriole feeding young. Photo by Don Laufer

LAKEVIEW 3-day Birding Trip May 22-24, 2018 (TWO PHOTO SETS!! One by Priscilla and one by Don Laufer) Black-crowned Night Heron, photo by Priscilla

BOGS Perkins Peninsula May 10, 2018 Acorn Wooddpecker - photo by Priscilla

BOGS Golden Gardens; trip report and photos by Don Laufer April 26, 2018 Killdeer; photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Skinner Butte April 12, 2018 Black-throated Gray Warbler. Photo by Don Laufer

BOGS Walterville Reservoir Mar. 29, 2018 Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Photo by Don Laufer

Red Foxes Slideshow! March 15, 2018 Red Fox

TRIP REPORT: BOGS Delta Ponds along river Mar. 8, 2018 Anna's Hummingbird

MAP: Steve's Hand Drawn Map Route of Raptor Run we drove Jan 25, 2018 Thumbnail view of Map

BOGS Heron Park bird walk Feb 8, 2018 Mallard and Bufflehead

Don Laufer: Ruff Park Fox Sparrow & Pileated Woodpecker Jan 19, 2018 Slideshow ================================= VIDEOS: Fox Sparrow & Pileated Woodpecker Fox Sparrow scratching for grubs Pileated Woodpecker Slow-Motion

Jennifer, Janet, LaRue and I visited D-Hill Owls Feb 9, 2018 Short-eared Owl

Don Laufer's Short-eared Owls at Diamond Hill_ Feb 5, 2018 Short-eared Owl

Exploring locations for Short-eared Owls and revisiting Diamond Hill Wetlands Feb 3, 2018 Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owls at Diamond Hill Jan 27, 2018 Short-eared Owl

Raptors: Belts and Diamond Hill area roads, Jan 26, 2018 Red-tailed Hawk ================================= VIDEO: Dunlin Flock in flight VIDEO: Second video Dunlin Flock in flight

BOGS Raptor Run, Jan 25, 2018 American Bald Eagle Steve's hand drawn Raptor Run Route Map, (coming ...)

Raptor Route Drive-Check with Steve Jan 16, 2018 Juvenile Tundra Swan

Raptor Route Research Trip Jan 16, 2018 Short-eared Owl Raptor Run Computer Drawn Maps

BOGS Finley Refuge Jan 11, 2018 American Kestrel