Medford Christmas Bird count Area D 12-19-09 . Here’s what our team faced shortly after dawn. Daunting fog in the valley, but we had an area that included Roxy Ann and the foothills of the Cascades so we headed uphill at daybreak. This pictures was taken from about 3000 feet looking eastward over the valley that contains Agate Lake and the Cascades in the background. That perfectly conical mountain covered with snow is Mt. McLaughlan, almost 10,000 feet high. A volcano that is still active, on rare occasions. Like a typical slumbering cat. It was the fog, not the volcano, that made our team team feel Roxy “Annxious.” Our team had five more species than we had the previoys year when we faced snow and a blizzard on top of Roxy Ann. But the nasty fog lingered in the valley and crippled many other CBC teams so the Medford count was 123 for the year, four below the decades-long average. Amazingly we missed Pine Siskin which seems to be absent from the area this year. Here’s one of our two Say’s Phoebe:

SPECIES LIST: 69 Canada Goose; 2 Black Phoebe; 29 Spotted Towhee; 16 Wood Duck; 2 Say’s Phoebe; 2 California Towhee; 14 American Wigeon; 6 Song Sparrow; 234 Mallard; 5 White-crowned Sparrow; 1 Northern Shoveler; 1 Northern Shrike; 165 Golden-crowned Sparrow; 11 Green-winged Teal; 86 Dark-eyed Junco ;3 Hooded Merganser; 50 Savannah Sparrow; 3 Common Merganser; 8 Steller’s Jay; 1 Fox Sparrow; 3 Bufflehead; 45 Western Scrub Jay; 7 American Crow; 11 Common Raven; 83 Red-winged Blackbird; 1 Merlin; 8 Western Meadowlark; 2 White-tailed Kite ; 240 Brewer’s Blackbird; 5 Northern Harrier; 7 Black-capped Chickadee; 5 Brown-headed Cowbird; 5 Cooper’s Hawk; 21 Oak Titmouse; 1 Red-shouldered Hawk; 17 American Kestrel; 73 House Finch; 29 Red-tailed Hawk ;1 Red-breasted Nuthatch; 113 Lesser Goldfinch; 1 Golden Eagle; 10 White-breasted Nuthatch; 6 American ; 3 Purple Finch; 1 California Quail; 2 Bewick’s Wren; 1 Mountain Quail; 1 Winter Wren; 12 House Sparrow; 6 Great Blue Heron; 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet ;2 Great Egret;  297 Western Bluebird 18 American Coot; 449 American Robin; 1 Townsend’s Solitaire; 26 Killdeer; 5 Wilson’s Snipe; 4 Anna’s Hummingbird; 99 Mourning Dove; 6 Cedar Waxwing; 71 Rock Pigeon; 935 European Starling ; 51 Acorn Woodpecker; 1 Red-breasted Sapsucker; 3 Downey Woodpecker; 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler; 22 Northern Flicker.

Total Species 68                                             Total Individuals 3560

Team members: Edith Lindner, Keiko Thurston, Jim Hostick, Steve Runnels, Lynn Kellogg, John and Stephanie Bullock, Harry Fuller. The count was sponsored by Rogue Valley Audubon Society.

At Ashland Pond this morning the first Ring-necked Ducks of the season.  An even half dozen.  And the White-throated Sparrow is still there in the berry brambles.

Location: Ashland Pond Observation date: 12/17/09 Number of species: 16 Wood Duck 1 American Wigeon 8 Mallard 10 Northern Shoveler 2 Ring-necked Duck 6 Downy Woodpecker 1 Black Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 6 Black-capped Chickadee 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 American Robin 4 Spotted Towhee 2 White-throated Sparrow 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow 4 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 8 Lesser Goldfinch 4

I was birding this morning with Linda Kreisman and a half dozen of her relatives.  And the birding gods were kind.  There was a bitter wind across Emigrant Lake, nothing new there.  But the rain waited for us to finish.  The temp climbed toward 50, which is balmy compared to a few days previous.  Best birds of the day:

About sixty Greater White-fronted Geese in field next to the entrance road to the Emigrant Lake Recreation Area.  Not common wintering birds here in Rogue Valley.

The Green Heron on a log at Ashland Pond, another uncommon wintering bird here.   We also saw a pair of Golden Eagles over the end of Corp Ranch Road.  A Bald Eagle was eating something along the eastern shore of Emigrant Lake.  A pair of Ravens dropped by for dessert.  On the path to Ashland Pond we got face-to-face with four Wrentits.  Two Pairs?  A family group?  Also passing over Ashland Pond was a Harrier heading upstream. 

The only ducks we found on Emigrant Lake were Ruddies and Common Mergansers.  Ashland Pond’s once again ice free.  It had Mallards, Wigeon and two female Shoveler.  One Wood Duck flew past.  

Red-breasted Sapsucker, Ashland Pond.

One of the day’s Flickers.

White-crowned Sparrow at feeding station at North Mountain Park.      

Location:     Emigrant Lake
Observation date:     12/16/09
Number of species:     23

Greater White-fronted Goose     60
Canada Goose     300
Common Merganser     40
Ruddy Duck     25
Western Grebe     1
Double-crested Cormorant     1
Bald Eagle     1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Golden Eagle     2
Rock Pigeon     30
Acorn Woodpecker     16
Red-breasted Sapsucker     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     3
Western Scrub-Jay     20
Common Raven     3
Black-capped Chickadee     2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     1
Western Bluebird     30
American Robin     6
European Starling     15
Spotted Towhee     4
Golden-crowned Sparrow     5
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     16

Location:     Ashland Pond                         Number of species:     22

Wood Duck     1
American Wigeon     8
Mallard     12
Northern Shoveler     2
Green Heron     1
Northern Harrier     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     2
Black Phoebe     1
Western Scrub-Jay     8
Common Raven     1
Black-capped Chickadee     2
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     2
American Robin     4
Wrentit     4
Spotted Towhee     1
Golden-crowned Sparrow     3
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     4
Red-winged Blackbird     14
Lesser Goldfinch     4

Location:     North Mountain Park                         Number of species:     16

Mallard     6
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     4
Western Scrub-Jay     8
American Crow     2
Black-capped Chickadee     2
American Robin     2
European Starling     10
Spotted Towhee     2,   California Towhee 1
White-crowned Sparrow     1
Golden-crowned Sparrow     20
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     4
Purple Finch     4
House Finch     2
Lesser Goldfinch     8
American Goldfinch     2

A couple of unusual birds at Ashland Pond recently.  A Green Heron in the tiny unfrozen end of the pond on Friday.  Usually that species heads south for the winter.  This one was eating a fish.  Then today I looked up and…

Turkey Vulture passing over.  Another bird that is usually somewhere south of Mt. Shasta this time of year.

The Black Phoebe and Red-breasted Sapsucker are still at Ashland Pond.  Today’s mild daytime temps, over 40 degrees, have the ice melting and ducks returning.  That includes 3 Wigeon now and 2 female Shoveler.

This Anna’s male was the first I’ve seen there in weeks. 

On the east side of the Medford Airport at mid-day I found two Cooper’s Hawks, two Harrier, one White-tailed Kite and a Red-tail.  Here’s a pic of one of the Coops.

At Denman Wildlife Refuge I found both a White-throated Sparrow and a California Towhee among the more common birds.  The small ponds west of Agate Road were all still largely iced over.  No ducks.

In our garden the Wild Turkeys continue to be regular visitors.

Shoveler on Ashland Pond.

Wigeon on ice…on Ashland Pond.

Late today I saw a Dipper on Asland Creek behind Munchies on the plaza.

Young Bald Eagle above the parking lot at Nisqually Wildlife Refuge on my final stop.  And this Song Sparrow may have been too cold to move:

FURTHER NOTES ON NORTHWEST TRIP

My first day at Nisqually there was a Northern Shrike hunting just ahead of the incoming tide along the estuary.  Also on Nisqually River, at least two harbor seals as well as Common Goldeneye.  My only Brown Creeper of the whole trip was at Nisqually, and my second Pileated.

Among the birds on the sea between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island was a Red-necked Grebe, three Horned Grebes and a slew of Pigeon Guillemot. I’ve already posted pics of the Long-tailed and Harlequin Ducks, Red-breasted Mergansers and Hoodies.  There were almost as many Pelagic Cormorants as there were guillemots.  The only loon I spotted was a Common.  On Whidbey Island the north edge of Penn’s Cove was shorebird heaven but the hour was late so I only quickly picked out the Dunlins.  Turns out you need a special permit to park on that side of the cove.

At Potlatch Park on the Hood Canal there was a Eurasian Wigeon among the locals. 

Washington has a state park named for a 19th naturalist: Dr. William Tolmie who discovered one of our great western warblers, the MacGillivray, Oporornis tolmiei.  Tolmie State Park is near Olympia.

Observation date:     12/10/09 at Nisqually Refuge, WA
Number of species:     10

Canada Goose (Large)     60
Bald Eagle     3
Black-capped Chickadee     2
Bewick’s Wren     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     1
European Starling     16
Spotted Towhee     1
Song Sparrow     6
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     4
Lesser Goldfinch     2

CHECKLISTS FROM EARLY IN THE TRIP:

Location:     Fort Stevens Park
Observation date:     12/8/09
Number of species:     31

Gadwall     2
Mallard     30
Northern Pintail     40
Surf Scoter     12
Bufflehead     40
Great Blue Heron     1
Northern Harrier     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
Black-bellied Plover     1
Snowy Plover     8
Sanderling     25
Western Sandpiper     1
Dunlin     500
Western Gull     8
Glaucous-winged Gull     1
Belted Kingfisher     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     1
Common Raven     4
Chestnut-backed Chickadee     3
Bewick’s Wren     1
Winter Wren     5
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     3
American Robin     6
Yellow-rumped Warbler     1
Spotted Towhee     2
Fox Sparrow     15
Song Sparrow     30,  White-crowned Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     30
Western Meadowlark     2

Location:     Cannon Beach and Ecola Park
Observation date:     12/8/09
Number of species:     25

Harlequin Duck     8
Surf Scoter     35
Pelagic Cormorant     6
Great Blue Heron     1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Killdeer     2
Black Oystercatcher     2
Black Turnstone     2
Mew Gull     1
Western Gull     25
Glaucous-winged Gull     2
Belted Kingfisher     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     1
Steller’s Jay     1
American Crow     45
Common Raven     4
Chestnut-backed Chickadee     1
Winter Wren     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     2
Hermit Thrush     3
American Robin     2
European Starling     16
Song Sparrow     6
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     4
House Sparrow     8

Wren at feeder with snow shower

I work at home now, in what was once my living room. But in all the years I worked a day job and imagined working at home, I had an ideal day in each season that came to mind as I thought of “summer” or “winter”.

You'll have to wait your turn.

Today was that winter day. I love snow, but we don’t get a whole lot of it here in Pittsburgh. But a day of frozen earth and hard snow flurries opening out to bright sun reflecting off bare branches–that is winter.

Everybody at the Feeder

And my back yard filled with bird activity, sparrows, mourning doves, showy cardinals, shrieking blue jays, scolding wrens, cheery chickadees, brilliant woodpeckers, and more–that is winter, too.

Bird bath is not a good idea at 21 degrees.

I have various bird feeders in view from each window. I wait for this day, and as the birds flock and flutter I am transfixed. I also count the birds at my feeders for Cornell University’s Feederwatch program, and have grown to know their populations and appreciate their habitats all the more through this.

Wildlife is great entertainment

Great entertainment, that wildlife!

Yes, here are three Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbor at Keystone where the ferryboat lands on Whidbey Island, Washington State.  Nice ocean-going birds here in the winter.  Oh, that little guy with all the splotches on his face, that’s merely a male Harlequin Duck.  Only the second male I’ve ever seen in the wild.  He gives me one hit.

Yes, that is four Oldsq…Long-tailed Ducks in the middle of the channel between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island.  The ferryboat captain refused to turn around and let me get another, closer shot of them.  That’s two.  And as we pulled near to Whidbey Island at least two male White-winged Scoters scooted across the water.  That’s three.  I missed Black Scoter, giving me 3 for 4 on the day’s difficult sea ducks.  Too far south to expect eider.

Despite driving over 300 miles today, I got in some fierce birding.  Fiercely cold.  The car said it was 8 degrees ouside at one point.  When I got out at Nisqually Wildlife Preserve it was still below 20, though it felt much like 2o below. Most of the ground and still water was covered with ice.  Northern Shrike, Common Goldeneye, Kestrel, Bald Eagle, Green-winged Teal, Pintail and more.   Another Pileated for the trip.  He was also calling loudly, near the Nisqually Visitors Center.

Also at Nisqually:

He was not puffed up with ego, just the cold.

That tiny creature is the Creeper next to the “x.”

On hot days it’s good to have a hot meal.  Today I saw Bewick’s Wren and Song Sparrows and Ruby-crowned Kinglets picking food particles off the ice covering the frozen sloughs at Nisqually.

In two and one-half days of birding and eight hundred miles of driving, I have over 90 species from Portland to Whidbey Island.  One of them: Red-necked Grebe off Port Townsend.  Today’s checklists below, more pictures to come.

Location:     Nisqually NWR
Observation date:     12/9/09
Number of species:     20

Canada Goose     120
Mallard     2
Green-winged Teal (American)     1
Common Goldeneye     2
Great Blue Heron     1
Bald Eagle     1
Northern Harrier     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
American Kestrel     1
Killdeer     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     1
Pileated Woodpecker     1
American/Northwestern Crow     20
Black-capped Chickadee     3
Brown Creeper     1
Bewick’s Wren     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     2
European Starling     50
Spotted Towhee     2
Song Sparrow     6
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     12

Location:     Potlatch State Park
Observation date:     12/9/09
Number of species:     9

American Wigeon     50
Mallard     10
Northern Pintail     6
Bufflehead     12
Common Goldeneye     4
Red-breasted Merganser     3
Double-crested Cormorant     6
Killdeer     10
American/Northwestern Crow     4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     25

Location:     Dosewallips State Park
Observation date:     12/9/09
Number of species:     12

American Wigeon     60
Mallard     15
Northern Pintail     40
Bald Eagle     1
Killdeer     2
Western Gull     5
Glaucous-winged Gull     10
Northwestern Crow     10
American Robin     1
Spotted Towhee (Pacific)     2
Song Sparrow     2
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     20

Location:     Port Townsend
Observation date:     12/9/09
Number of species:     17

Surf Scoter     4
Long-tailed Duck     8
Common Goldeneye     40
Common Loon     1
Horned Grebe     3
Western Grebe     1
Double-crested Cormorant     3
Pelagic Cormorant     15
Great Blue Heron     1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Mew Gull     1
Western Gull     2
Herring Gull     1
Glaucous-winged Gull     6
Common Murre     4
Pigeon Guillemot     40
Northwestern Crow     16

Location:     Whidbey Island
Observation date:     12/9/09
Number of species:     31

Tundra Swan     6
American Wigeon     75
Mallard     2000*
Northern Pintail     50
Green-winged Teal     25
Harlequin Duck     1
Surf Scoter     8
White-winged Scoter     2
Common Goldeneye     120
Hooded Merganser     3
Common Merganser     12
Red-breasted Merganser     6
Horned Grebe     2
Red-necked Grebe     1
Western Grebe     15
Double-crested Cormorant     4
Pelagic Cormorant     16
Great Blue Heron     2
Red-tailed Hawk     2
Killdeer     4
Greater Yellowlegs     8
Dunlin (Pacific)     120
Western Gull     4
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)     2
California Gull     12
Herring Gull     2
Glaucous-winged Gull     20
Common Murre     2,  Pigeon Guillemot     6
Rock Pigeon     30
Belted Kingfisher     1
American/Northwestern Crow     30
Song Sparrow     4                                                                                                                                        *most of the Mallards were settling into a field at dusk, dropping out of the sky like falling leaves, surrounding the six Tundra Swans already settled into the pasture.  How did the Mallards find this place?  Do they fly around at night looking for a safe overnight roosting spot?

      These photo subjects were co-operative.  Then again, maybe they were frozen! lol.

  I had my snow day today, but only cuz I took it off.   There was actually a delay this morning to work, 2 hours. 

 But by then, school was closed, so I ended up taking all of today off with both girlz, despite the fact that they are not babies.  I’m glad that I did too.

  at 9 a.m. little A could be found wet up to her butt, in blue jeans from playing outside in the snow with her little friend. 

 She’d go out another 3 times in the snow to play by days end.  At one point, I was wishing I had gone to work because I had 4 extra squirrely kids , that didn’t belong to me, in my house.  gah!! 

 Not another parent in sight, they had gone to work. 

I their friends stay for awhile, making them hot chocolate, pigs in a blanket, and banishing them upstairs to play.  It wasn’t bad. 

 I kicked them all out around 2-ish and napped with Sugar on the couch.  When i got up, it was time to make a nice turkey breast dinner, with rice, stuffing, green bean casserole and gravy. 

  We are all cozy now, watching, waiting for more snow to fall, (as we speak)

  Work is already delayed 2 hours, so I won’t have to go in until 9 a.m tommorrow morning.  (Yay)   Today was nice, but anytime the girlz are off too and housebound with me, things can get outta control.

  Big A has a new name for her sister.  It is “fat-tard” 

 *ahem*  well,  I nipped that one in the butt.  I’m kinda looking forward to work tommorrow now…

Please enjoy these winter creatures who were feverishly gathering and eating food before more windy and lower temp conditions come through here tonight.

Some of the Sandhill Cranes wintering on Sauvie’s Island.  This is the largest winteting flock this far north.  Sauvie’s Island is west of Portland where the Willamette meets the Columbia River.  I got a good look at one of those scarce male Northern Harriers.  He was soaring right along the highway.  Here’s a picture of the same male, clipping along the top of the grass.

Another hawk that swooped into a nearby tree, freaking out the Robins feeding nearby…was this young male Cooper’s Hawk:

There were thousands of Canada Geese flocking across the island.  A few hundred Cackling as well.  and I happened across one small group of Greater White-fronted, resting quietly right next to the road, far from the nearest hunters.

I had gotten out of my car to follow the speedy flight of a Merlin exiting the scene.  A short blast of sharp screams came from the woods and a Pileated flew into a large tree next to the road:

This bird was very busy and didn’t care about my presence, but he left when the Coop showed up and frightened the local Robin flock.

Can we hum a few bars of “Red tail in the sunset…”

One of the island’s Fox Sparrows.

Location:     Lower Sauvie’s Island
Observation date:     12/7/09
Notes:     Multnomah County
Number of species:     26

Cackling Goose     200
Canada Goose     1500
Tundra Swan     6
Mallard     5
Common Merganser     4
Osprey     1
Northern Harrier     1
Red-tailed Hawk     4
American Kestrel     2
Sandhill Crane     150
Killdeer     25
Western Gull     1
Belted Kingfisher     1
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Western Scrub-Jay     4
Common Raven     2
Black-capped Chickadee     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     2
American Robin     43
European Starling     160
Song Sparrow     6
Lincoln’s Sparrow     1
White-crowned Sparrow     5
Golden-crowned Sparrow     4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     9
Red-winged Blackbird     200

Location:     Upper Sauvie’s Island
Observation date:     12/7/09
Notes:     Columbia County
Number of species:     31

Greater White-fronted Goose     7
Canada Goose     400
Tundra Swan     6
Green-winged Teal     50
Lesser Scaup     1
Bufflehead     3
Common Merganser     6
Great Blue Heron     2
Great Egret     2
Northern Harrier     1
Sharp-shinned Hawk     1
Cooper’s Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
Merlin     1
Sandhill Crane     10
Western Gull     3
Glaucous-winged Gull     1
Mourning Dove     3
Belted Kingfisher     1
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Western Scrub-Jay     4
American Crow     2
Common Raven     4
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
American Robin     60
European Starling     56
Spotted Towhee     2
Fox Sparrow     5,                    Song Sparrow     23
Golden-crowned Sparrow     6
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     10

The ground and the sky continue to be white with splinters of fog.  It’s starting to accumulate in shaded areas like a light snowfall. If this continues we might get miniature drifts of frost.

At Enigrant Lake, over 2300 feet, we were above the fog and visibility was perfect.  Especially good views of adult Bald Eagle soaring over our heads and the reservoir.  The Golden Eagle was in trees along Hwy 66 just west of Songer Wayside.

There was a variety of waterfowl including Cackling Geese, looking like junior high students next to a college basketball team as they followed the local Canada’s across the mud.  GW Teal, a trio of female Common Goldeneyes (dark beaks), a few Lesser Scaup, and a small cluster of Ring-billed Gulls.  The one cormorant was on the boat dock near the cement spillway.

The Western Bluebirds were in the mistletoe near the waterslide.  The Red-breasted Sapsucker was in that vicinity as well.  Nobody was using the waterslide today.  Temp around 30, Fahrenheit.

Two images of the Red-shouldered Hawk along Hwy 66 southwest of the lake.

Location:     Emigrant Lake
Observation date:     12/5/09
Number of species:     36

Cackling Goose     12
Canada Goose     200
Mallard     10
Green-winged Teal     7
Lesser Scaup     5
Bufflehead     6
Common Goldeneye     3
Common Merganser     25
Western Grebe     3
Double-crested Cormorant     1
Great Blue Heron     1
Bald Eagle     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Golden Eagle     1
American Kestrel     1
Ring-billed Gull     10
Rock Pigeon     40
Mourning Dove     1
Lewis’s Woodpecker     1
Acorn Woodpecker     30
Red-breasted Sapsucker     1
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     10
Western Scrub-Jay     15
Common Raven     6
Oak Titmouse     1,  White-breasted Nuthatch     2
Western Bluebird     20
American Robin     10
European Starling     8
Spotted Towhee     6
White-crowned Sparrow     2
Golden-crowned Sparrow     40
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     25
Lesser Goldfinch     6

Photo of the day:

Click on image to order prints or note cards on Redbubble.

Sparrows

House sparrows (Passer domesticus) were introduced to New Zealand between 1866 and 1871, with the hope that they would help control crop-eating insects. Soon after their introduction, the population became so large that they soon became a pest. But they are still here today where they still delight us from time to time.

Image by Ian Dunster under Creative Commons 3.0

A couple of days ago I noticed a little sparrow holding nesting material in his beak perching in my balcony rail. So I started watching him closely, because I was curious about where the sparrow was taking the nesting material. I soon found out that he had found his way into my clothes dryer exhaust. You can see that on my outside wall, the exhaust from my clothes dryer is covered with a small panel that has flaps to let the air out when the dryer is operating.

The clever little bird had figured out that if it holds on to the edge of the panel, he can squeeze in between the flaps. When I am out of the balcony, he looks at me with suspicion, nesting material on beak, and flies away so as to not give away his nesting site (or so I think may be the reason). If I stay there long enough he gives up and flies into his “new nest” anyway.

Today, I saw him bring a female with him.

Please share other curious bird stories with us here.

You can read more about introduced bird species and their impact on the New Zealand ecosystem at the Te Ara website where I got some of the information posted on this blog.

After a frigid overnight, with temperatures hovering around 0° F (-17° C), the first day of a two-day respite from the deep freeze.

Sparrows come out from their nesting quarters in the juniper tree for some bird seed.

With moderating temperatures in the greenhouse, Miss Egypt basks in the sun.

This air conditioners have become the real urban flock groups, like pigeons and sparrows

Dawn along Bear Creek, North Mountain Park.  Temp: <30 degrees F.

White-crowned Sparrow.

Golden-crowned Sparrow.

The sparrow family member most abundant in this season: Junco.  They are the grays and white of the world around them.  On frosted mornings Juncos are appropriately dressed.  The dark grays and black of the male’s head: the color of tree bark on leafless oaks.  The soft grays and tail feather white: dried weed stalks and miniature fingers of frost clinging to lead edges.

Ornithologists love Juncos.  Why?  As BNA reports, the Junco is an ideal study subject: “The additional attributes of ease of capture and tolerance of experimental manipulation have made the bird a model species in physiological, behavioral, and neurological research. Most notably, Rowan’s (1925, 1927, 1928) pioneer studies, begun in 1924, of the role of day length in gonadal recrudescence and migratory behavior focused on the gonadal responses of juncos that were simultaneously exposed to Canadian winter weather and spring (artificially prolonged) photoperiods. This work initiated many decades of research that has contributed greatly to our understanding of the avian annual cycle. Other areas of fruitful experimental study have been neurobiology of song, social structure and dominance, anti-predation behavior, brain and associated functions, migration and winter distribution, fitness effects of hormonal manipulation, winter physiology, and population biology.”

A very complex set of body and chemical changes take place among Juncos as season shift.  Feather mass increase as temps drop.  More seeds are eaten and less insects but the blood contains more fatty acids.  The Junco even seems to eat more and flock size reduced predation danger in winter when feeding takes more time and daylight is more limited. Up to 90% of their winter food is seeds.  On such cold, dry days as we’re having  right now: they can harvets tiny ice crystals and will eat snow when it’s available.  Tough, hearty and hardy little birds, the Junco.  They don’t use torpor as some wintering birds do.

And the Golden-crowned Kinglets are now about the valley as well.  Even in winter they are eating tiny invertebrates and egg cases, very little plant matter.  The flocks have come down from the mountains and down from the treetops.  I watched some less than ten feet off the ground today in leafless willows.  You don’t get those views in warm  months.  Unlike the cantankerous Ruby-crowned, these kinglets are highly social, moving in small flocks, and moving always.   Kinglets may use torpor in severe cold.  Thgey are known to gather in leafy squirrels nest on cold nights or roost in tightly-packed rows on limbs where they’re partially protected by foliage.    I rarely see them very far from the nearest evergreens.

At North Mountain Park the small ponds are frozen each morning but Ahsland Pond with its flow-through current is open water.  One young otter was there, too swift for my camera.  And three female Shovelers in addition to the usual Wigeons.

Left to right: Shoveler  X 2; PB Grebe; Black Phoebe hunting in sub-freezing fog!  These cold mornings are nearly silent.  A Flicker will occasionally give the all “kleer” sound, and Scrub-Jays can’t help bickering and complaining.  The smaller birds are saving their calories for defense agains the frigid day.

Location: Ashland Pond Observation date: 12/3/09 Number of species: 18 American Wigeon 20 Mallard 1 Northern Shoveler 3 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2 Black Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 6 Black-capped Chickadee 4 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Bewick’s Wren 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 Spotted Towhee 1 Song Sparrow 4 Golden-crowned Sparrow 5 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 30 Purple Finch 1 Lesser Goldfinch 8

A Cooper’s Hawk sped from some elevated perch down into the birch tree in our neighbor’s garden.  It’s where many of our Mourning Doves loaf between meals on the grain on the ground.   This time the Coop missed but she sure scared all the smaller birds out of our garden for half an hour.  Except the Bushtits who seem to operate in their own parallel universe.  Sixteen or more come and go, twittering amongst themselves, ignoring all other birds.  They favor only the suet feeder.  There have been eleven turkeys in the flock that has gleaned our garden this week.  A mix of large males, some females and some immatures that are still but half-sized.

Their rich plumage shows what you can do with a palette of browns: cream to dun to tan to chocolate to bronze to brown-black.

Herit Thrush in brush near Ashland Pond.

Spotted Towhe being difficult to spot.  Peeking over the leaves.

Wrentit in motion.

Location:     243 Granite Street, Ashland
Observation date:     11/24/09
Number of species:     15

Wild Turkey     11
Cooper’s Hawk     1
Mourning Dove     18
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     1
Steller’s Jay     8
Western Scrub-Jay     2
Black-capped Chickadee     4
Mountain Chickadee     1
Bushtit     16
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
American Robin     1
Spotted Towhee     1
Song Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     8
Lesser Goldfinch     3

Location:     Ashland Pond
Observation date:     11/24/09
Number of species:     28

Canada Goose     2
American Wigeon     10
Mallard     8
Pied-billed Grebe     2
Northern Harrier     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
Mourning Dove     2
Acorn Woodpecker     4
Red-breasted Sapsucker     1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     2
Western Scrub-Jay     8
American Crow     8
Common Raven     3
Black-capped Chickadee     1
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     2
Hermit Thrush     3
American Robin     35
Wrentit     2
European Starling     2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s)     6
Spotted Towhee     14
Song Sparrow     5
White-throated Sparrow     1
Golden-crowned Sparrow     16,        Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     8
Lesser Goldfinch     2

It was a mild afternoon, almost 50 degrees with some weak sunshine.  Down at Ashland Pond the birds–large and small–were active.  White-throated Sparrow among the Golden-crowns.  A Harrier passed over en route to the Billings Rnahc pastures.  Red-breasted sapsucker on the dead tree trunks.  No sap, good chance for insects.  And Robins, coming home to roost for the evening.

Male Lesser Goldfinch in bright new plumage.

Red-breasted Sapsucker with limbalmost obscuring his white moustache.

Black-capped Chickadee, notorious people watcher.  If I’m a birder, is he a peopler?

There were few ducks to be seen and those on the pond were very skitterish.

A block away on Glendower was this tree-topping American Kestrel.

John Bullock had seen a Townsend’s Warbler at the pond but I found only the Yellow-rumps when I was there.

Ashland Pond Observation date: 11/23/09 Number of species:  26.  Canada Goose 17 American Wigeon 10 Mallard 8 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Northern Harrier 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Mourning Dove 2 Acorn Woodpecker 4 Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Western Scrub-Jay 14 American Crow 8 Common Raven 3 Black-capped Chickadee 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 American Robin 40 European Starling 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s) 6 Spotted Towhee 18 Song Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow 30 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 8 Lesser Goldfinch 2

Steve Runnels is hosting a birder visiting from the far north.  Well, not too far, but Portland is about 3o0 miles away.  The birder was hoping to see some of the species that are found here in southwestern Oregon but not much further north.  And we dd pretty well with the list.

California Towhee at North Mountain Park.  Oak Titmouse in the oaks at Emigrant Lake.  Wrentit was coaxed out of the berry brambles along the Greenway near the Sue Snmith Bridge over Bear Creek.  We also got a good look at two soaring Golden Eagles near Emigrant Lake.  Three Hooded Mergansers on the lake itself.  And a White-tailed Kite hunting at the south end.

We were zero for three on attempts at finding a Screech-Owl.  Missed the Dipper, though I later encountered one along Ahsland Creek in ithia Park.

Here’s the Dipper launching itself from a rock.

And here’s that same Dipper dipping his head underwater to look for food. 

There was a covey of California Quail near the bird feeders at North Mountain Park.

American Goldfinch, North Mtn. Park.

Two Western Bluebirds in oaks overlooking Emigrant Lake.

One of two male Wood Ducks we saw in Ashland Creek near the bandstand.

Emigrant Lake showing the snow level in Cascades down below 4000′ after overnight storm.                                                                                                                     Location:     North Mountain Park
Observation date:     11/21/09
Number of species:     14

Canada Goose     40
Mallard     8
California Quail     6
Acorn Woodpecker     4
Western Scrub-Jay     6
Spotted Towhee     1
California Towhee     1
Fox Sparrow     1
White-crowned Sparrow     6
Golden-crowned Sparrow     18
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     10
House Finch     2
Lesser Goldfinch     6
American Goldfinch     2

Location:     Emigrant Lake
Observation date:     11/21/09
Number of species:     18

Canada Goose     70
Bufflehead     2
Hooded Merganser     3
Western Grebe     4
Great Blue Heron     3
White-tailed Kite     1
Golden Eagle     2
American Coot     4
Rock Pigeon     10
Acorn Woodpecker     16
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     1
Western Scrub-Jay     10
Oak Titmouse     1
Western Bluebird     25
American Robin     4
Golden-crowned Sparrow     4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     6
Lesser Goldfinch     4