BOGS Raptor Run #2
Dec 19, 2019

Bird list for BOGS raptor run #2
Dec 19, 2019
Weather: Temp. 46-52 degrees, mostly light rain and heavy rain with a few breaks, with wind 10-12mph, all day.
-compiled by Janet Naylor

HIGHLIGHTS:

• A Great Egret eating a frog, along I-5.
• 3 Rough-legged hawks, all along various parts of Smith Rd.
• Seeing a mixed flock of Killdeer and Snipe.
• Seeing Pipits, instead of just hearing them.
• Seeing a sheep-sized carcass along Blueberry Rd., with 1 Bald eagle, 1 raven and 6 crows near it in the morning, 6 Bald eagles near it in the afternoon.
• Seeing an American Kestrel harassing 2 killdeer.
• Seeing 3 Bald eagles in the Tangent eagle roost trees.
• Flock of about 600 Starlings doing synchronized flying.
• Hot spots today, for interesting birds:
  Smith Rd.: Kestrels, Rough-legged Hawks, N. Harriers, Savannah Sparrow.
  Linn Co. Rd.: Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, American Pipits, Savannah Sparrow.
  Blueberry Rd.: Bald eagles, Ravens, Crows (all near a sheep-sized carcass).
  Davis Rd.: Ravens, Killder, Kestrels, Dark-eyed Juncos.
  
• Of interest:
  *Car-to-car communication: The walkie talkies worked well, connecting the cars.
  * Most common birds today: European starling (approx. 2,789),
  followed by Killdeer (73) and American pipits (45), Rock pigeons (21)and Bald eagles (16). We saw 3 Rough-legged hawks, and that's a LOT for this species!

We had 7 brave intrepid birders in two cars, ready and willing to endure even worse weather than had been predicted for the first raptor run a week earlier. And while we did have more steady rain and gusty wind on this trip, we were still entertained by a variety of birds, including 7 Bald Eagles in one field sharing or should I say fighting over a sheep carcass which did not even appear to have any meat left on its ribs.

Rough-legged Hawks were seen one after another on Smith Rd, same as the previous week. We all did have a very enjoyable trip.
ATTENDEES: Priscilla, Jennifer, Janet, Judith, Jean, Mary and Joe

Some of went to "Sweet Red Bistro" for lunch this time and it was another upscale place with good food and good service. When we looked in on this place last week it was absolutely packed with young adults. But that was right at Noon, whereas this time we arrived after the lunch crowd had departed.

THERE IS A VIDEO OF A NOTHERN HARRIER FLYING - SCROLL DOWN BELOW THE SLIDESHOW!!!