Wet Woods Week of April 19th

[rickeckley]

It's been a cold, windy, and lonely week of birding so far.  Few birds and even fewer birders out at the Spit.  I soldiered, on despite the elements and found a few treats.  Sunday revealed a Field Sparrow and a Swainson's Thrush (probably the same one I saw on Saturday),  Tuesday a Swamp Sparrow and a possible juvenile Bald Eagle (I didn't get a good enough look to make a positive ID, but what I saw matched the appropriate markings and I tried to rule out other possibilities - can any one tell me if this is even possible at this time in this location), and Thursday two Gnatcatchers in the bowl and a Lincoln's Sparrow on the path heading north toward the bowl (plus Leon saw a Palm on the west side of the woods).  Otherwise, it was the expectable suspects in pretty small numbers (except for Flickers which remain in full force and more Fox Sparrows than I am used to seeing - there were Ruby-Crowned, but no Golden-Crowned).  Warner days are reported for the weekend, so let's hope more jewels fall from the skies.

Rick

[mr.sharp-photo]

any chance you could have mistaken the raven for a bald eagle?
i mean, it's possible that a juvie bald eagle was passing through the spit (i once saw a juvie in the winter years ago), but just thinking what else it could be

[rickeckley]

Thanks for the suggestion and help.  I don't think this was a Raven - completely wrong markings and HUGE.  Yes, the head was dark and the tail pretty dark (but with some white markings), but the body was a dark-ish brown with white patches/markings.  Couldn't get a look at the bill to see how hooked.  But again, it was the absolute size of this bird that caught my attention.  I didn't get a good look, but it was close and low to the woods, which probably made it seem even bigger.  I considered a Turkey Vulture and a Red-Tailed - both much more likely, but I don't think so.  A mystery, perhaps.  I'll take other ideas.

Rick

[thouc]

From your description I would say it is an imm. Bald Eagle. Nothing else really with that kind of mottled brown/lighter colour.

[rickeckley]

Thanks for the potential confirmation thuoc.  I'm still open to other ideas, but I have really tried to rule out other possibilities.

Rick

[Rotarran]

Did it have a massive beak?  If so, that's what it was.  It's not uncommon to see Bald Eagles.  I've seen a couple at the spit.

[rickeckley]

I couldn't  get a look at the beak,  I tried to look for the size and hook shape to see if it was an eagle, but just couldn't get an eye on it.

More thanks for everyone's input.

Rick

[rickeckley]

Saturday and it was very birdy, very beautiful and very fun in the woods. Rusty Blackbirds ruled the day with their creaking call loud and clear in numerous spots.  I had 32 species in all.  Highlights included:


Harrier
Kestrel
Rusty
Thrasher
Winter Wren
Lincolns Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
White Throated Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Gnatcatcher
Hermit Thrush
R.C. Kinglet
Junco
Flicker
Sapsucker

I heard reports of a Clay Coloured Sparrow.

Rick

[rickeckley]

Sunday:

Quieter than Saturday, but adding to yesterday's haul, I saw a Clay-Colored Sparrow on the SW outside edge of the bowl, Yellow-Rumps in the tall trees of the main path, a Coopers Hawk hunting to the West of the main path, and a possible Warbling Vireo NE of the tall trees of the main path  (it was at a distance and high in the trees (as were many Juncos today), so hard to be sure.  Rusty's were still creaking and White Throats in full voice.

Rick

[rickeckley]

Monday and I had an hour in the early afternoon

House Wren
Flicker
Creeper
Hermit Thrush
Thrasher
R. C. Kinglet
Yellow Rump
Sparrows:
Towhee
Chipping
Field
Tree
Song
Swamp
White Throated
Fox
Junco

Leon had close to 50 species over a long day.

Rick

[mr.sharp-photo]

it was dead there this AM. dead.
mockingbirds, 1 thrasher, 1 warbler, raven, 1 flicker. that's it.

i'm assuming things will go nuts at the start of next week. south winds blowing.

[rickeckley]

Yes, dead in the morning, but things started picking up around 1:30, which made the day feel slow and steady overall with 41 species I was able to find.  A big day of Raptors, as between all the birders I spoke to, we had 6 (Coopers, Peregrine (with a glorious hunting dive), Turkey Vulture, Kestrel, Osprey, and Red-Tailed (getting chased by our beloved resident Ravens)).  Juncos were the main bird I saw.  The Rusty's were either silent or gone.  Highlights for me included:

Peregrine
Pine
Yellow-Rump
Catbird
House Wren
Winter Wren
Gnatcatcher
Sapsucker
Chippy
Field
Fox
Swamp

I will be interested to hear what developed in the meeting tonight about new trails in the baselands.

Rick

[mr.sharp-photo]

I will be interested to hear what developed in the meeting tonight about new trails in the baselands.

Rick

i updated that thread

[nana]

The Hermit Thrush influx happened in the Baselands as well - I counted 13 this afternoon ......they were almost as common as the Ruby-crowned kinglets that were dripping from the trees and in full song everywhere. 3 Northern Harriers flew by - 2, and about an hour later a single one. A Coopers hawk, 4 Fox sparrows, one singing their 'sweet whistled song'. Towhee, Caspian Tern squawking overhead, Winter Wren, Sapsuckers. The best of sightings tho' were 6 bright blue Spring Azure butterflies and a Red Admiral - both new arrivals - and a Mourning Cloak. Garter snakes basking in the sunshine. It truly is a unique piece of untouched wilderness.

Well not quite untouched - there are plastic bits, old balloons, coffee lids and other garbage alongside the trails (and I don't mean the big awful piles dumped up in the far corner). I carried out a bunch of stuff when I left. Perhaps if we each removed one or two pieces the human footprint would be lighter. Just a thought..........

[mr.sharp-photo]

Well not quite untouched - there are plastic bits, old balloons, coffee lids and other garbage alongside the trails (and I don't mean the big awful piles dumped up in the far corner). I carried out a bunch of stuff when I left. Perhaps if we each removed one or two pieces the human footprint would be lighter. Just a thought..........

it would help if there was a trash bin near the entrance or near unwin road. we could dump stuff there instead of walking around with crap that has who-knows-what all over it