April-May 2006Our "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.
Spring brought a mixed bag as far as the weather goes, with some warm weather followed by cool and wet, then record-breaking heat followed again by cool and wet. The arrival dates of migrating birds seemed to parallel that pattern, with some species arriving early, some late, and others right on time.
WATERBIRDS
Brant (3) April 6; South Jetty; B&ZS
Blue-winged Teal April 28; Fern Ridge Reservoir; B&JC
Tufted Duck April 23; FRR (Royal Ave); A&TM
Harlequin Duck (pair) April 28; Finn Rock; KH
Clark's Grebe April 3; Florence: City Docks; B&ZS
Pacific Loon (5000) April 30; South Jetty; JB,D&LI
Sooty Shearwater (10,000) April 30; South Jetty; JB,D&LI
American White Pelican April 16; Fern Ridge Reservoir; J&CM,BP
American White Pelican (17) April 26; SW of Eugene; DL,MS
Brown Pelican April 10; Siuslaw River mouth; DI,DP
Great Egret (8) May 16; FRR (W. Coyote); TM
White-faced Ibis April 24; FRR (E. Coyote); SM,PS
RAPTORS to GULLS
White-tailed Kite April 4; Santa Clara; MRu
White-tailed Kite (pair) May 13; Veneta; m.ob.
Northern Goshawk April 22,30; Skinner Butte; m.ob.
Northern Goshawk April 24; Fern Ridge Reservoir; BH,AP
Goshawk May 13; Fern Ridge Reservoir; B&DG
Red-shouldered Hawk (calling) May 29; Mt. Pisgah; A&TM
Sandhill Crane April 25; FRR (E Coyote); HR
Snowy Plover (13) April 10; Siltcoos River mouth; DI,DP
Semipalmated Plover (2) April 5; North Jetty; B&ZS
Black-necked Stilt (3) April 8; FRR (Fisher Butte); SG
Solitary Sandpiper April 24; Willow Creek; DA,DD
Solitary Sandpiper May 1; Fiddle Creek; B&ZS
Solitary Sandpiper May 13; FRR (Fisher Butte); AC
Spotted Sandpiper (16) May 11; FRR (W Coyote); DI
Whimbrel April 29; Fern Ridge Reservoir; RK
Long-billed Curlew (3) April 6; Crab Dock; B&ZS
Marbled Godwit April 29; FRR (Royal Ave); MS
Red Knot (6) April 29; South Jetty; NS,MD,KF
Short-billed Dowitcher April 4; South Jetty; B&ZS
Wilson's Phalarope (4) April 29; FRR (Fisher Butte); TR
Bonaparte's Gull May 6; Fern Ridge Reservoir; VA
Glaucous Gull April 9; Alton Baker Park; DH
Glaucous Gull April 10; Siltcoos River mouth; DI,DP
Glaucous Gull April 10; Stonefield Beach; DI,DP
Glaucous Gull April 18; Sutton Beach; DL,KC
Caspian Tern April 18; Fern Ridge Reservoir; SM
Black Tern May 3; FRR (Fisher Butte); DA
Common Murre April 6; Parrot Rock ; B&ZS
Pigeon Guillemot April 3; Siuslaw River mouth; B&ZS
Rhinoceros Auklet April 6; Siuslaw River mouth; B&ZS
Tufted Puffin May 30; Devil's Elbow; RR
OWLS to FINCHES
Barred Owl May 17; SW of Eugene; DL,MS
Great Gray Owl April 6; Jasper area; LC
Vaux's Swift (5-6000) April 22; Agate Hall, UO; DG
Calliope Hummingbird April 19; SW of Eugene; DL,MS
Red-naped Sapsucker April 7; Skinner Butte; DI,PS
Olive-sided Flycatcher April 21; Skinner Butte; SM,PS
Western Wood-Pewee April 27; Skinner Butte; PS
Willow Flycatcher May 14; McGown Creek; DI
Hammond's Flycatcher April 21; Skinner Butte; DI
Gray Flycatcher May 4; Green Island; RR
Dusky Flycatcher May 3; Skinner Butte; DI
Pacific-sloped Flycatcher April 9; Delta Ponds; DG
Black Phoebe (4 pairs) April 12; Fiddle Creek area; B&ZS
Black Phoebe April 22;Alton Baker Park; DI
Black Phoebe May 15; FRR (Coyote Creek); RS
Black Phoebe May 20; Fall Creek dam; DF
Say's Pheobe April 21; Fall Creek dam; DF
Ash-throated Flycatcher (2) May 13; FRR (Fisher Butte); DB
Ash-throated Flycatcher May 25; Mt. Pisgah; DS,PS
Western Kingbird April 20; Crow area; TM
Loggerhead Shrike April 22; FRR (Royal Ave); AMc
Cassin's Vireo April 14; Skinner Butte; RS
Warbling Vireo April 22; Alton Baker Park; DI,PS
Purple Martin April 9; FRR (Fisher Butte); RR
Northern Rough-winged Swallow April 9; FRR (Fisher Butte); A&TM
Cliff Swallow April 5; Alton Baker Park; LM
Barn Swallow April 9; FRR (Fisher Butte); RR
Red-breasted Nuthatch April 29; Siltcoos River mouth; B&ZS
House Wren May 14; McGown Creek; DI
Sedge Wren (2) April 26; Sutton Creek; MM
Townsend's Solitaire April 5; Skinner Butte; NSe
Swainson's Thrush May 6; Skinner Butte; AM
Wrentit April 25; Walterville Pond; BC
Nashville Warbler April 20; SE Eugene; AM
Yellow Warbler April 28; FRR (Royal Ave); B&JC
Black-throated Gray Warbler April 15; Skinner Butte; A&TM
Hermit Warbler April 9; Skinner Butte; DI
McGillivray's Warbler April 28; Skinner Butte; DI
Common Yellowthroat April 10; FRR (Fisher Butte); PS
Common Yellowthroat April 10;Fiddle Creek; B&ZS
Wilson's Warbler April 21; Skinner Butte; DI
Yellow-breasted Chat May 9; FRR (W Coyote); WM
Western Tanager April 22; Skinner Butte; A&TM
Vesper Sparrow April 9; FRR (Fisher Butte); RR
White-throated Sparrow May 14; Florence; B&ZS
Black-headed Grosbeak April 28; Alton Baker Park area; PS
Lazuli Bunting April 29; Mt. Pisgah; NS,MD,KF
Yellow-headed Blackbird (3) April 8; FRR (Fisher Butte); SG
Brown-headed Cowbird April 24; FRR (Royal Ave); BH,AP
Bullock's Oriole April 23; Creswell area; HL
Brambling April 7; Santa Clara; MRu
Abbreviations:
Crab Dock Crab dock at the south jetty of the Siuslaw River; FRR Fern Ridge Reservoir; m.o.b. many observers; North Jetty North Jetty of the Siuslaw River; Parrot Rock Northern most stack at Heceta Head; South Jetty South Jetty of the Siuslaw River.
Thank You, Contributors!
DA Dennis Arendt, VA Vjera Arnold, DB Dave Bontrager, JB Jennifer Brown, B&JC Becky & Jim Carlson, KC Kathy Castelein, LC Les Colburn, BC Barbara Combs, AC Alan Contreras, DD Don DeWitt, MD Michael Dossett, KF Karl Fairchild, DF Daniel Farrar, B&DG Barbara & Dan Gleason, SG Steve Gordon, DH Dan Heyerly, KH Kermit Horn, BH Bill Hunter, DI Dave Irons, LI Lilly Irons, RK Ron Ketchum, DL Dick Lamster, DL Dave Lauten, HL Hydie Lown, MM Mike Mahoney, C&JM Charlotte & Jim Maloney, SM Sylvia Maulding, AMc Arch McCallum, LMc Larry McQueen, A&TM Allison & Tom Mickel, WM Wayne Morrow, DP Diane Pettey, BP Bert Pooth, AP Al Prigge, HR Holly Reinfard, RR Roger Robb, TR Tim Rodenkirk, JR Jennifer Rowan, MRu Mark Rudolph, DS Don Schrouder, NSe Nate Senner, PS Paul Sherrell, MS Margaret Sholaas, RS Randy Sinnott, MS Maeve Sowles, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz, NS Noah Strycker.