Nov.-Dec. 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.
Normal magic in Lane County
November finally brought us “normal” winter weather, with significant rainfall during the latter part of the month. But, by reading the large number of passerine reports in our Field Notes, one would think it was spring migration. This is partly due to what birders call the “Patagonia Effect”: find one good bird and all the birders that come to see it will most likely find other good birds! Also, the mild weather has helped these birds survive until someone could find them. Still, five warbler species in one flock during December is quite amazing!
Waterbirds & Seabirds
Yellow-billed Loon Dec 24; Florence area; BW
Red-necked Grebe Dec 11; South Jetty; DF,VA
Red-necked Grebe Dec 17; Buck Lake, Florence; DA
Eared Grebe Nov 4; Creswell area; PS
Northern Fulmar (2) Dec 17; Heceta Head; RR
Shearwater Spp. Nov 12; South Jetty; AC
Brown Pelican (200-400) Nov 7; Siuslaw River Mouth; DP
Brown Pelican (2) Dec 17; Florence CBC; m.ob.
Brown Pelican (2) Dec 20; North Jetty; VA,DF
Great Egret (14) Nov 7; Beacon Drive; DA
Great Egret (50) Nov 23; Fern Ridge Reservoir; DD
Green Heron Dec 5; Delta Ponds; DD
Green Heron Dec 17; Alton Baker Park; ER
Black-crowned Night-heron Dec 4; Creswell area; KB
Vultures
Turkey Vulture (3) Nov 14; Cantrell Road; DB
Turkey Vulture (2) Dec 3; Royal Avenue @ FRR; DA
Waterfowl
Ross’s Goose Nov 26; Alvadore; DA
Ross’s Goose Dec 18,31; Cantrell Road; DF
Tundra Swan (3) Nov 11; Deflation Plain; B&ZS
Tundra Swan (9) Nov 15; Alvadore; DB
Wood Duck (8) Nov 23; East Beacon; PG
Brant Nov 12; High Pass Rd&Hwy 99; PS
Eurasian Wigeon Dec 15; Stewart Pond; AP
Ring-necked x Tufted Duck Nov 29; LCC; DI
White-winged Scoter (15,000) Dec 17; Sea Lion Caves; PP
Black Scoter Nov 12; Ocean House Motel; AC
Long-tailed Duck Nov 17; Siuslaw River mouth; B&ZS
Long-tailed Duck Dec 14; Siuslaw River mouth; DP
Common Goldeneye Dec 10; Prairie Rd.&Beacon Dr.; DD
Raptors
Osprey Nov 16; Alton Baker Park; VA,HR
Osprey Dec 22; Alton Baker Park; ER
White-tailed Kite (10) Nov 14; Royal Avenue @ FRR; DA,LM
Northern Harrier (14) Nov 11; Royal Avenue @ FRR; DA,LM
Red-shouldered Hawk Dec 21,23; Florence area; B&ZS
Rough-legged Hawk Nov 14; Cantrell Road; LM,DA
Rough-legged Hawk Dec.; West Eugene; m.ob.
Golden Eagle Dec 26; Greenhill & RR tracks; MP
Merlin (7) Dec.; Eugene–Springfield; m.ob.
Peregrine Falcon Nov.; Eugene–Springfield; m.ob.
Prairie Falcon Nov 13; Mt. Pisgah; DD, RF
Grouse, Rails & Shorebirds
Grouse Spp. Nov 2; Mt. Pisgah; DA
Ruffed Grouse Dec 17; Petzold Road; AP
Virginia Rail (13) Dec 17; Baker Beach Road; DA
American Coot (1600+) Nov 10; Dexter Reservoir; AC
Black-bellied Plover (71) Nov 24; Meadowview&Hwy 99; RF
Greater Yellowlegs (32) Dec 3; Amazon Flats; DI
Lesser Yellowlegs Dec 28; Amazon Flats; NS
Ruddy Turnstone Nov 19; Siuslaw River; PS, DD
Ruddy Turnstone (6) Dec 17; Florence CBC;
Rock Sandpiper Nov 2; North Jetty; B&ZS
Long-billed Dowitcher (81) Dec 3; Amazon Flats; DI
Gulls & Alcids
Bonaparte’s Gull Dec 11; South Jetty; DF,VA
Lesser Black-backed Gull Nov 17; Fern Ridge Reservoir; AC
Lesser Black-backed Gull Nov 23; Fern Ridge Reservoir; DD
Western Gull Nov 17; Fern Ridge Reservoir; AC
Western Gull Dec 17; Lane Memorial Gardens; AP
Glaucous Gull Nov 27; Siuslaw River; B&ZS
Glaucous Gull Dec 6; Waite Farm, Cushman; B&ZS
Glaucous Gull Dec 13; Florence area; B&ZS
Black-legged Kittiwake (3) Dec 11; South Jetty; DF,VA
Ancient Murrelet (2) Nov 6; Crab Dock; SH
Ancient Murrelet (2) Nov 16; Base of North Jetty; PS
Doves, Pigeons & Owls
Band-tailed Pigeon (2) Nov 2; Mt. Pisgah; DD,DA
Band-tailed Pigeon Dec 13; Southwest Eugene; JJ
Barn Owl (2) Dec 10; Prairie Rd.&Beacon Dr.; DD
Snowy Owl Nov 24; Eugene airport; MN
Northern Pygmy-Owl Nov 30; Creswell area; D&HL
Northern Pygmy-Owl Dec 30; Spencer Butte; TM,VA,HR,DF
Short-eared Owl (6) Nov 11; Royal Avenue @ FRR; DD
Passerines
Lewis’s Woodpecker Dec 3; Royal Avenue @ FRR; DA
Lewis’s Woodpecker (4) Dec 7; Royal Avenue @ FRR ; DD
Hairy Woodpecker Dec 21; Alton Baker Park; VA
Three-toed Woodpecker Nov 11; Waldo Lake; DF
Black-backed Woodpecker (2) Nov 11; Waldo Lake; DF
Northern Shrike Nov 12; Fern Ridge Reservoir; NB
Northern Shrike Dec 26; FRR, Fisher Butte; LM,DA
Hutton’s Vireo (5) Nov 9; Skinner Butte; DI
Western Scrub-jay Nov 4; Florence area; B&ZS
Swallow Spp. Dec 17; Fern Ridge Reservoir; AP
Horned Lark Nov 18; Mt. Pisgah; DD
American Dipper (2) Nov 16; Willamette River@I-5; VA,HR
Western Bluebird Nov 12; Florence area; DP
Western Bluebird (15) Dec 19; Mt. Pisgah; ER
Northern Mockingbird Dec 7; Bethel–Danebo; DC
Tennessee Warbler Dec 12; W. 22nd & Madison; DI,et al.
Orange-crowned Warbler (2) Dec 7; W. 22nd & Madison; DI
Orange-crowned Warbler Dec 26; Day Island Park; VA
Nashville Warbler Dec 8; W. 20th & Jefferson; DI
Nashville Warbler Dec 22; Alton Baker Park; KL
Black-throated Green Warbler Dec 7; W.22nd & Madison; DI
Townsend’s Warbler (20+) Nov 9; Skinner Butte; DI
Townsend’s Warbler (30+) Dec 15; W. 22nd & Madison; TM,et al.
Palm Warbler Dec 17; Old Town Florence; D&HL
Palm Warbler Dec 20; Old Town Florence; VA,DF
MacGillivray’s Warbler Dec 29; Amazon Flats; NB,MM
Yellow-breasted Chat Dec 28; Florence; PSh, fide DP
Western Tanager Dec 17; Florence; D&HL
Vesper Sparrow Nov 1; Mt. Pisgah; DD,DA
White-throated Sparrow (4) Nov 4; Creswell area; D&HL
White-throated Sparrow (16) Dec.; Eugene–Springfield; m.ob.
Harris’s Sparrow Nov 16; Florence area; B&ZS
Lapland Longspur Nov 1; Mt. Pisgah; DD,DA
Lapland Longspur (2) Nov 2; Mt. Pisgah; DD,DA
Lapland Longspur (3) Nov 11; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Cassin’s Finch Dec 30; W. 26th & Madison; DI
Red Crossbill (2) Nov 9; Skinner Butte; DI
Evening Grosbeak Nov 19; North Eugene; DH
Evening Grosbeak Dec 24; W. 22nd & Madison; DI
Abbreviations:
Amazon Flats corner of Greenhill and Royal Ave., Crab dock Crab dock at the South Jetty of the Siuslaw River, Deflation plain Deflation plain at the South Jetty of the Siuslaw River, FRR Fern Ridge Reservoir, LCC Lane Community College, m.ob. many observers, North Jetty North Jetty of the Siuslaw River, South Jetty South Jetty of the Siuslaw River.
Thank you, contributors!
DA Dennis Arendt, VA Vjera Arnold, NB Neil Bjorklund, KB Kimberly Borrowdale, DB Dave Brown, DC Dave Clark, AC Alan Contreras, DD Don DeWitt, DF Daniel Farrar, RF Reid Freeman, PG Pat Gallagher, SH Steve Heinl, DH Dan Heyerly, DI Dave Irons, JJ Jan Jernberg, KL Kit Larsen, D&HL Don & Hydie Lown, MM Marta Makarushka, LM Larry McQueen, TM Tom Mickel, MN Mark Nikas, MP Mike Patterson, DP Diane Pettey, PP Phil Pickering, AP Al Prigge, HR Holly Reinhard, RR Rogger Robb, ER Eleanor Ryan, PS Paul Sherrell, PSh Paula Shores, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz, NS Noah Strycker, DW Davey Wendt, BW Barbara Woodhouse.