June-July 2001Our "Field Notes" documents significant bird sightings in Lane County for historical and educational purposes. Reports are welcome, and significant sightings will appear, space permitted.
To report a sighting, contact Tom and Allison Mickel, 485-7112 or tamickel (at) rio.com.
The summer breeding season was marked by the drought, which meant lower water levels in area reservoirs, lakes, and streams and a lack of snow pack in the Cascades. The weather throughout the period was somewhat of a mitigating factor with it being cooler and wetter than normal. The most obvious effect of the drought was the Great Basin birds that summered at Fern Ridge Reservoir (FRR) and the large number of shorebirds that are using the shoreline habitat created at FRR by the lower water levels during their migration south.
Waterbirds
Clark’s Grebe (1) June 1; FRR dam; PK
Sooty Shearwater June 23; Siuslaw River; DF,VA
American White Pelican (47) July 27; FRR; DF
Brown Pelican July 13; Siuslaw River mouth; PS
Great Egret June 1; Royal Ave; PK
Green Heron June 21; Jasper Park; DD
Black-crowned Night-heron July 16; Fisher Butte; TR
Black-crowned Hight-heron July 18; Eug Airport, S end; LM
Raptors
Bald Eagle June 14; Coast Range; SM
Northern Goshawk July 19; Box Canyon; BN
Red-shouldered Hawk June 13; Coyote Creek; LM,DAr
Red-shouldered Hawk July 18; Spencer Creek Rd; GC
Golden Eagle (2) June 6; Coburg Hills, Linn Co; A&TM
Gallinaceous & Shorebirds
Ruffed Grouse July 26; Mt. Pisgah; DD
Wild Turkey July 6; Mt. Pisgah; DS
Virginia Rail July 20; Triangle Lake area; SM
Black-bellied Plover July 8; FRR; DF
Semipalmated Plover (12) July 23; FRR; DF
Black-necked Stilt (2) June 5; Royal Ave; DD,RF
Black-necked Stilt June 11; Royal Ave; DB
Black-necked Stilt (2) June 14; KR Nielson Rd; MM
American Avocet June 2; Royal Ave; DI
American Avocet June 5; Royal Ave; DD,RF
Greater Yellowlegs (15) July 1; FRR; DF
Lesser Yellowlegs (3) July 8; FRR; DF
Wandering Tattler (2) July 19; Siuslaw River, N Jetty; DPe
Black Turnstone (3) July 19; Siuslaw River, N Jetty; DPe
Surfbird (3) July 19; Siuslaw River, N Jetty; DPe
Semipalmated Sandpiper July 25; Siuslaw River, N Jetty; DF
Long-billed Dowitcher July 8; FRR; DF
Wilson’s Phalarope (pair) June 2; Royal Ave; DI
Wilson’s Phalarope (female) June 14; Royal Ave; DD
Wilson’s Phalarope (male & juv.) June 29; Royal Ave; DB,DD
Wilson’s Phalarope (juv.) July 16, 22; Royal Ave; DF
Gulls, Terns, & Alcids
Heermann’s Gull June 26; Siuslaw River; PS
Ring-billed Gull (2) July 2; FRR; DF
Caspian Tern June 17; Kirk Pond, FRR; DF
Caspian Tern June 21; Kirk Pond, FRR; DF
Caspian Tern July 19; Alton Baker Park; VA
Caspian Tern (2) July 29; Kirk Pond, FRR; MRu
Black Tern July 29; FRR; DD
Common Murre July 23; Siuslaw River; DD
Marbled Murrelet June 23; Siuslaw River; DF,AV
Rhinoceros Auklet June 23; Siuslaw River; DF,AV
Rhinoceros Auklet (7) July 26; Sea Lion Caves; SM
Doves, Goatsuckers, & Swifts
Ringed-turtle Dove June 2; Santa Clara; MRu
Common Nighthawk June 6; Cantrell Road; DF,PS
Common Nighthawk (2) June 10, 22, 28; Veneta; DF
Common Nighthawk July 1; SE Eugene; A&TM
Black Swift (4) June 1; Salt Creek falls; DAl
Black Swift (6-10) June 21; Salt Creek falls; PS,DF
Passerines
Three-toed Woodpecker June 28; N. Waldo burn; HH,DF,VA
Three-toed Woodpecker (2) July 9; N. Waldo burn; J&TG
Black-backed Woodpecker June 19; N. Waldo burn; AP,BH
Black-backed Woodpecker (4) July 9; N.Waldo burn; J&TG
Ash-throated Flycatcher June 6; Cantrell Road; LM
Ash-throated Flycatcher July 6; Mt. Pisgah; DS
Western Kingbird June 29; Willow Creek; DD
Western Kingbird (4) July 22; Greenhill Road; DF
Red-eyed Vireo June 21; Salmon Creek; PS,DF
Red-eyed Vireo July 15; Elijah Bristow SP; DW
Clark’s Nutcracker June 15; Craig Lake; PS
Clark’s Nutcracker July 24; The Twins; DD
Horned Lark July 11; Amazon Flats; DD
Purple Martin (50) June 1; Royal Ave; PK
Purple Martin July 27; Marcola area; KB
Purple Martin July 27; Cottage Grove area; KB
Varied Thrush June 23; Santa Clara; MRu
Wrentit June 16; Hills Creek; A&TM
Rose-breasted Grosbeak June 2; Florence; B&ZS
Rose-breasted Grosbeak June 7; McLean Blvd, Eug; DPa
Rock Wren June 21; Waldo Lake area; PS,DF
Rock Wren June 25; Hill Creek Reservoir; RG
Nashville Warbler July 24; The Twins; DD
Northern Waterthrush June 16; Mule Prairie, Salt Ck; DF, VA
Brewer’s Sparrow July 6; Fisher Butte, FRR; VA,KF
Vesper Sparrow July 30; Mt. Pisgah; DD
Grasshopper Sparrow July 8; Royal Ave area; DD
Lark Bunting (singing male) June 11; KR Nielson Road; DH
Lark Bunting June 21; Gimpl Hill Road; JB
Lazuli Bunting July 17; Mt. Pisgah; DD
Western Meadowlark July 7; Oakridge area; RG
Cassin’s Finch July 24; The Twins; DD
Thank you, contributors!
DAl Don Albright, DAr Dennis Arendt, VA Vjera Arnold, KB Kelly Bettinger, JB Joan Bray, DB Dave Brown, GC George Clarke, DD Don DeWitt, KF Karl Fairchild, DF Daniel Farrar, RF Reid Freeman, RG Roy Gerig, J&TG Jeanne & Tom Griffith, HH Henrick Herlyn, BH Bill Hunter, DI Dave Irons, PK Philip Kline, MM Marcia Maffei, SM Sylvia Maulding, LM Larry McQueen, A&TM Allison & Tom Mickel, BN Bruce Newhouse, DPa Dael Parsons, DPe Diane Pettey, AP Al Prigge, TR Tim Rodenkirk, MRu Mark Rudolph, PS Paul Sherrell, DS David Smith, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz, DW Davey Wendt.