September 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.
Summer turns to Winter; Falcated Duck wins Grammy
January turned out drier and colder than usual, with snow on both the valley floor and the beach January 11. The most note-worthy sighting during the month was the first Lane County record for Summer Tanager! This is not a species one would normally think of visiting here in winter, but there is a winter record from the Portland area a few years back. February brings the first signs of spring, and one of those is the return of Rufous Hummingbirds. So, get your feeder out, clean the dust out and get it filled up.
| WATERBIRDS & RAPTORS | |||
| Greater White-fronted Goose (43) | Jan. | Alton Baker Park, Eug. | m.ob. |
| Ross's Goose | Jan. 6 | FRR | A&DH |
| Brant | Jan. 5 | KR Neilsen Rd. | DI |
| Tundra Swan | Jan. 2 | 24th & Potter, Eug. | CV |
| FALCATED DUCK | Ja. 16 | Gainsborough Dev. | RH fide AC |
| Eurasian Wigeon (2) | Jan. 4 | Kirk Pond | RR |
| Redhead (22) | Jan. 25 | Alvadore Rd. | DI |
| Red-breasted Merganser | Jan. 25 | FRR, dam | DI |
| Short-tailed Shearwater | Jan. 29 | Siltcoos River | DI, DP |
| American Bittern (2) | Jan. 6 | FRR: Royal Ave. | A&DH |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron (2) | Jan. 20 | West Eugene | WG |
| Osprey | Jan. 12 | Alton Baker Park | PS |
| White-tailed Kite (15) | Jan. 6 | FRR: Royal Ave. | A&DH |
| White-tailed Kite | Jan. 22 | Hayden Bridge area | JS |
| Northern Harrier (25) | Jan. 6 | FRR: Royal Ave. | A&DH |
| Northern Goshawk | Jan. 10 | Alton Baker Park | DD |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Jan. | Willamette Valley | m. ob. |
| Pairie Falcon | Jan. 24 | Greenhill & W. 11th | DB |
| SHOREBIRDS | |||
| Snowy Plover (33) | Jan. 26 | Siltcoos River | B&ZS |
| Lesser Yellowlegs (3) | Jan. 5 | KR Neilsen Rd. | DI |
| Dunlin (10,000) | Jan. 6 | FRR | A&DH |
| JAEGERS, GULLS, TERNS & ALCIDS | |||
| Ring-billed Gull (3500) | Jan. 4 | Franklin Rd. | RR |
| Mew Gull (600) | Jan. 4 | Franklin Rd. | RR |
| Glaucous Gull | Jan. 26 | Alton Baker Park | JS |
| Glaucous Gull (2) | Jan. 29 | Siltcoos River | DI, DP |
| Pigeon Guillemot | Jan. 29 | North Jetty, Florence | DP |
| Marbled Murrelet (3) | Jan. 29 | SNorth Jetty, Florence | DI, DP |
| Ancient Murrelet (2) | Jan. 29 | Siltcoos River | DI, DP |
| Ancient Murrelet | Jan. 31 | Siuslaw River | B&ZS |
| Rhinocerous Auklet (2) | Jan. 29 | North Jetty, Florence | DI, DP |
| OWLS and WOODPECKERS | |||
| Great Horned Owl | Jan. 11 | Deflation Plain | B&ZS |
| Lewis's Woodpecker | Jan. 2 | Millrace, across from UO | RT |
| PASSERINES | |||
| Black Phoebe | Jan. | number of locations | m. ob. |
| Northern Shrike | Jan. | FRR area | m. ob. |
| Horned Lark | Jan. 9 | Eugene Airport area | DI |
| Horned Lark | Jan. 29 | Siltcoos River | DI, DP |
| Tree Swallow | Jan. 10 | KR Neilsen Rd. | A&DH |
| Northern Mockingbird | Jan. | Cal Young area | DS et al |
| Summer Tanager | Jan. 6 | Alvadore | MD fide DB |
| Swamp Sparrow | Jan. | FRR: Royal Ave. | m.ob. |
| Lapland Longspur | Jan. 9 | Eugene Airport area | DI |
| Cassin's Finch | Jan. 18 | Fir Butte Rd. | DI |
Abbreviations:
FRR Fern Ridge Reservoir; m.ob. many observers; North Jetty North Jetty of the Siuslaw River; OBRC Oregon Birds Record Committee; Siltcoos Siltcoos River mouth; South Jetty South Jetty of the Siuslaw River; deflation plain South Jetty of the Siuslaw River deflation plain; Crab Dock South Jetty of the Siuslaw River crab dock/fishing pier.
Thank you, Contributors!
DB Dave Brown, AC Alan Contreras, MD Milton Decker, DD Don DeWitt, WG Wilbur Gregg, A&DH Anne & Dan Heyerly, RH Ray Holmberg, DI Dave Irons, DP Diane Pettey, RR Roger Robb, DS Don Schrouder, PS Paul Sherrell, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz, JS John Sullivan, RT Randall Tyle, CV Cathy Verret