March 1-Apr.15, 2002Our "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.
Special edition: Spring migration
Cool wet weather during the middle of March seemed to stop migration for a while, leaving some migrants such as Say's Phoebes lingering here longer than normal. But the sunny warm weather during the last week of March and the first week of April got migration going again, with some species arriving a little earlier than normal, as you can see by the following reports. The later migrants (Bullock's Oriole, Swainson's Thrush, Western Wood-pewee, Common Nighthawk, etc.) should just be arriving as you read this report--be sure to report your sightings!
Waterbirds & Seabirds
Common Loon (5) March 7; Siltcoos Lake; VD
Common Loon April 9; Cottage Grove Res.; BN
Yellow-billed Loon April 5; Florence Oldtown; fide DPe
American Bittern April 3; Deflation Plain; B&ZS
Great Egret (1-2) March 11; Mt. Pisgah area; DD
Green Heron March 3; Amazon Creek; MP
Vultures
Turkey Vulture (2) March 1; E. Springfield; SS
Waterfowl
Tundra Swans March 9; Meadowview Road; SMc
Snow Goose March 6; Meadowview Road; DW
Ross's Goose March 19; Royal Avenue, FRR; DF
Canada Goose (4) March 14; Royal Avenue, FRR; DJ
Eurasian Wigeon March; Stewart Pond; m.ob.
Eurasian Wigeon March 9,11; Kirk Pond; SMc
Blue-winged Teal April 1; Fern Ridge Res.; DA,LM
Cinnamon Teal March 22; Royal Avenue, FRR; HH
Green-winged Teal March 9; Creswell; DF
Lesser Scaup (20) March 6; Island Park; VA
Long-tailed Duck March 14; North Jetty, Siuslaw; DF
Common Goldeneye (9) March 5; Dexter Reservoir; SMc
Raptors
Osprey (3) March 18; Delta Ponds; AC
Osprey (on nest) March 18; West 11th at FRR; TM
White-tailed Kite (2) April 3; Fern Ridge Res.; AP,BH
Cooper's Hawk March 31; Hendricks Park; A&TM
Northern Goshawk March 9; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Red-shouldered Hawk March; Fern Ridge Res. area; m.ob.
Red-tailed Hawk March 18; Lorane Highway; GC
Red-tailed Hawk March 23; Jasper area; SN
Rough-legged Hawk March 12; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Golden Eagle March 2; Jeans Road, FRR; SMc
Merlin March 1; Perkins Peninsula, FRR; JS
Peregrine Falcon March; Eugene area; m.ob.
Prairie Falcon March 12; Willow Creek; DF
Bald Eagle March; Fern Ridge Res.; m.ob.
Grouse, Rails & Shorebirds
Ruffed Grouse April 14; Mt. Pisgah; DD
Virginia Rail March 26; Mt. Pisgah; AP, BH
Sandhill Crane (28) March 7; LCC; DD
Black-bellied Plover (7) April 7; Fern Ridge Res.; TM
Snowy Plover (20) March 4; Siltcoos River area; DB
Sanderling (3000) March 17; Baker Beach; JG
Red Phalarope March 31; Siuslaw River mouth; DPe
Gulls & Alcids
Bonaparte's Gull (200+) April 3; Siulsaw River mouth; B&ZS
Black-legged Kittiwake (5) March 14; North Jetty, Siuslaw R.; DF
Caspian Tern March 27; Siltcoos Lake; VD
Common Murre April 3; Heceta Head; B&ZS
Doves, Pigeons & Owls
Band-tailed Pigeon (3) April 3; Southwest of Eugene; DL
Northern Pygmy-owl March 12; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Northern Pygmy-owl March 26; Mt. Pisgah; AP, BH
Passerines
Vaux's Swift April 6; Skinner Butte; JiC,A&TM
Calliope Hummingbird March 29; Eugene; LB
Rufous Hummingbird March 16; Eugene-Springfield; m.ob.
Lewis's Woodpecker March; Royal Avenue, FRR; m.ob.
Pileated Woodpecker March 14; Island Park; VA, DW
Say's Phoebe March; Eugene-Springfield; m.ob.
Say's Phoebe March 8; North Jetty, Siuslaw R.; DPe
Western Kingbird March 27; Mt. Pisgah; DC
Western Kingbird April 9; Siltcoos; EH
Northern Shrike March 19; Royal Avenue, FRR; DF
Northern Shrike March 22; Alvadore Road; HH
Hammond's Flycatcher April 13; Skinner Butte; A&TM
Cassin's Vireo April 3; Skinner Butte; PS,et al.
Hutton's Vireo March 30; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Horned Lark March 31; Eugene airport; DW
Purple Martin April 2; Heceta Beach; DPe
Purple Martin April 7; Fern Ridge Res.; TM
Tree Swallows March 2; Leaburg; AR
Violet-green Swallow March 23; Eugene; AC
Cliff Swallow March 17; Delta Ponds; JiC
Barn Swallow March 19; Royal Avenue, FRR; DF
House Wren April 13; Skinner Butte; A&TM
Western Bluebird (12) March 7; Mt. Pisgah; DD
Mountain Bluebird March 27; Mt. Pisgah; JT
Townsend's Solitaire March 12; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Townsend's Solitaire April 5; South Eugene; DPa
Townsend's Solitaire April 7; Mt. Pisgah; DD
Northern Mockingbird March; West Eugene; m.ob.
American Pipit March; Fern Ridge Res.; m.ob.
Tennessee Warbler April 12; Skinner Butte; DW
Orange-crowned Warbler (10) March 30; Skinner Butte; DI,AP
Nashville Warbler April 12; Skinner Butte; DW,et al.
Yellow-rumped Warbler March 23; Amazon Creek; AC
Black-throated Gray Warbler April 5; Skinner Butte; AP
Common Yellowthroat March 29; Royal Avenue, FRR; JiC
Chipping Sparrow March 29; Coburg Road area; JuC
Chipping Sparrow (50+) April 4; Perkins Peninsula, FRR; TM
Vesper Sparrow April 2; Royal Avenue, FRR; PS, DW
Sage Sparrow March 26; Edenvale Road; AP, BH
Savannah Sparrow March 29; Amazon Flats; SG
White-throated Sparrow (2) April 9; Perkins Peninsula, FRR; DF
Common Grackle March 1; Jeans Road, FRR; SMc
Brown-headed Cowbird March 22; Bertelsen slough; SG
Evening Grosbeak March 24; Veneta; TM
Abbreviations:
FRR Fern Ridge Reservoir, m.ob. many observers.
Thank you, contributors!
DA Dennis Arendt, VA Vjera Arnold, DB David Bailey, LB Luke Block, JiC Jim Carlson, JuC Judy Carlson, GC George Clark, DC Dick Clark, AC Alan Contreras, VD Vern DePietro, DD Don DeWitt, DF Daniel Farrar, JG Joel Geier, SG Steve Gordon, HH Henrick Herlyn, EH Eric Horvath, BH Bill Hunter, DI Dave Irons, DJ Dave Jones, DL Dick Lamster, SMc Steve McDonald, LM Larry McQueen, A&TM Allison & Tom Mickel, SN Sally Nelson, BN Bruce Newhouse, MP Margie Paris, DPa Dael Parsons, DPe Diane Pettey, AP Al Prigge, AR Alan Reid, SS Steve Seibel, PS Paul Sherrell, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz, JS John Sullivan, JT Jack Turner, DW Davey Wendt.