Apr. 16-May 31, 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.
It seemed that this year’s spring migration produced high numbers of birds and in good variety, with April 27 and May 5 being especially good days for warblers on Skinner Butte. Now that summer is upon us, it’s time to search out our breeding birds and add to our knowledge of their occurrence and distribution. And, of course, before you know it, the arctic breeders will be headed back through on their way to wintering grounds in Central and South America.
Waterbirds & Seabirds
Sooty Shearwater May 8; North Jetty; DP
American White Pelican (4) April 25; FRR; DD
American White Pelican (5) May 25; FRR; PS
American White Pelican (14) May 28; FRR; NS
Brown Pelican (8) May 4; North Jetty; DP
Double-crested Cormorant May 15; Alton Baker Park; VA
Great Egret May 28; Royal Avenue, FRR; NS
Waterfowl
Greater White-fronted Goose (250) April 21; South Eugene; SG
Greater White-fronted Goose (175) April 22; Cottage Grove; DHe
Snow Goose April 27; Royal Avenue, FRR; HL
Brant (4) May 4–11; North Jetty; DP
Tundra Swan May 19; Royal Avenue, FRR; JE
Blue-winged Teal (pair) May 14; Fisher Butte, FRR; NS
Redhead (4 pairs) May 6; Fisher Butte, FRR; DD
Ring-necked Duck (5) May 6; Fisher Butte, FRR; DD
Common Merganser May 25; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Raptors
White-tailed Kite April 20; FRR; DA
Red-shouldered Hawk April 20; Delta Ponds; SG
Red-shouldered Hawk April 24; Spencer Creek Road; TM
Golden Eagle (2) May 3; FRR; DA
American Kestrel May 11; Agate Hall; PG
Merlin May 3; Royal Avenue, FRR; A&TM
Peregrine Falcon May 29; Mosby Creek; LF
Peregrine Falcon (2) May 30; Mt. Pisgah; LG
Grouse, Rails & Shorebirds
Blue Grouse April 25; Crow area; TM
Mountain Quail (2) May 1; Siltcoos River mouth; TB
California Quail May 6; UO; DI
Sora (6) April 20; Royal Avenue, FRR; DA
American Golden-plover May 13; South Jetty; B&ZS
Semipalmated Plover (2) May 8; Amazon Flats; NS
Black-necked Stilt (2) April 25; Royal Avenue, FRR; DA,LM
Black-necked Stilt (4) April 28; Royal Avenue, FRR; MAS,PB,WY
Solitary Sandpiper May 6; Amazon Flats; DD
Solitary Sandpiper May 9; Fiddle Creek; B&ZS
Solitary Sandpiper (2) May 10; Amazon Flats; PS
Solitary Sandpiper May 10–13; Royal Avenue, FRR; m.ob.
Wandering Tattler (2) May 4; South Jetty; JiC
Whimbrel May 18; Royal Avenue, FRR; D&LD
Marbled Godwit (5) May 4; South Jetty; JiC
Ruddy Turnstone (4) May 4; Siltcoos River mouth; JiC
Ruddy Turnstone (18) May 8; North Jetty; DP
Pectoral Sandpiper April 22; Fisher Butte, FRR; DB
Pectoral Sandpiper (2) May 10; Stewart Pond; PS
Pectoral Sandpiper May 14; Stewart Pond; NS
Wilson’s Phalarope (2) May 14; Royal Avenue, FRR; NS
Wilson’s Phalarope (2) May 14; Amazon Flats; DD,PS
Turns, Alcids, Goatsuckers, & Owls
Common Tern (120) May 11; North Jetty; DP
Forster’s Tern May 27; Royal Avenue, FRR; SJ
Black Tern May 13; Fisher Butte, FRR; BH
Rhinoceros Auklet (7) May 8; North Jetty; DP
Cassin’s Auklet (2) May 8; North Jetty; DP
Common Nighthawk May 28; Creswell; NS
Northern Pygmy-owl April 21; Mt. Pisgah; A&TM,J&JC
Passerines
Vaux’s Swift May 11; Agate Hall, UO; PG
Black Swift (2) May 30; Salt Creek Falls; DD,DA,PS
Calliope Hummingbird April 18–28; Skinner Butte; DA,AP,et al.
Calliope Hummingbird April 20,24; Creswell area; D&HL
Calliope Hummingbird May 12; Creswell area; D&HL
Lewis’s Woodpecker May 11; Royal Avenue, FRR; SMc
Lewis’s Woodpecker May 20; Lynx Hollow Road; HL
Acorn Woodpecker May 10; Skinner Butte; DA
Red-breasted Sapsucker May 8; near UO; BN
Olive-sided Flycatcher May 1; Siltcoos River mouth; TB
Western Wood-pewee May 6; River Road area; JW
Willow Flycatcher May 11; Mt. Pisgah; DD,et al.
Gray Flycatcher May 7; LCC; AP,BH
Dusky Flycatcher April 24; Creswell area; HL
Dusky Flycatcher April 27; Skinner Butte; A&TM
Pacific-sloped Flycatcher April 22; UO; DI
Ash-throated Flycatcher May 19; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Ash-throated Flycatcher (2) May 20; Mt. Pisgah; SMc
Ash-throated Flycatcher May 24; Cantrell Road area; AP,BH
Western Kingbird April 23; Mt. Pisgah; DD
Western Kingbird May 9; Heceta Beach; DP
Warbling Vireo April 21; South Eugene; DI
Steller’s Jay (16) May 11; Creswell; SN
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (40) April 26; UO; DI
Ruby-crowned Kinglet May 11; Mt. Pisgah; DD,et al.
Townsend’s Solitaire April 16; South Eugene; DHo
Townsend’s Solitaire April 21; South Eugene; LB
Swainson’s Thrush May 6; South Eugene; DI
Hermit Warbler April 23; Beecher Creek; TM
Yellow-rumped Warbler (pair) May 23; Creswell; SN
Northern Waterthrush May 30; Salt Creek; DD,et al.
MacGillivray’s Warbler April 20; Skinner Butte; JH
Wilson’s Warbler April 21; South Eugene; DI
Yellow-breasted Chat April 29; Creswell area; DL
Western Tanager April 22; Skinner Butte; AR
Western Tanager (80+) May 6; UO; DI
Brewer’s Sparrow April 29; LCC; AP,BH
Fox Sparrow May 11; Mt. Pisgah; DD et al.
Lincoln’s Sparrow April 21; South Eugene; DI
White-throated Sparrow April 21; South Eugene; DI
White-throated Sparrow May 4; Florence; DP
Harris’s Sparrow May 1; Fisher Road, FRR; JH,DHo
Golden-crowned Sparrow May 11; Mt. Pisgah; DD et al.
Dark-eyed Junco May 29; Coburg Road area; HR
Black-headed Grosbeak April 23; Skinner Butte; SG
Lazuli Bunting May 5; Skinner Butte; DHe,AE
Western Meadowlark May 20; Alton Baker Park; VA
Yellow-headed Blackbird April 20; Royal Avenue, FRR; DA
Bullock’s Oriole April 25; River Road area; JW
Abbreviations:
FRR Fern Ridge Reservoir, 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, PB Patty Bernardi, TB Tanya Bray, DB David Brown, LB Luke Block, Ji&JC Jim & Judy Carlson, D&LD Don & Linda DeWitt, JE John Emerson, AE Anne Esche, LF Linda Franklin, PG Phyllis Gaebel, LG Linda Gilbert, SG Steve Gordon, DHe Dan Heyerly, DHo Diane Horgan, JH Jill Hubbard, BH Bill Hunter, DI Dave Irons, SJ Scott Johnson, D&HL Don & Hydie Lown, SMc Steve McDonald, LM Larry McQueen, A&TM Allison & Tom Mickel, SN Sally Nelson, BN Bruce Newhouse, DP Diane Pettey, AP Al Prigge, AR Alan Reid, HR Holly Reinhard PS Paul Sherrell, MAS Mary Anne Sohlstorm, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz, NS Noah Strycker, JW John Wahlund, DW Davey Wendt, WY Walt Yungan.