July Guided Bird Walks

Today’s Guided Bird Walk was on a section of the Williamson River Trail and the Riverside Loop Trail. The day’s group of bird watchers, representing three different countries, is shown in the above photo, and the Bald Eagle that they were looking at is shown in the lower photo.  This was my last Guided Bird Walk for the month of July for Collier Memorial Park.  During July I lead 8 trips, and counted 436 individual birds of 45 different species.  It’s been a great experience for me and I am looking forward to more of the same for August.

Williamson River Trail

Yesterday Jeanette and I hiked the length of the Williamson River Trail from Collier Memorial State Park Campground to the Williamson River Campground in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, and back to Collier.  It was a round trip of 5 miles with the purpose of double checking the route, and making sure of the trail distance and the hiking time. My hope is that I will be adding this to my list of responsibilities for next month and lead a hike on this trail once a week, probably Saturdays. It’s a great connecting trail between these two campgrounds and has some wonderful vistas of the Williamson River.

Paradise Found

I’ve never really understood John Milton’s epic work “Paradise Lost”, but I do know that when I find a bit of paradise, I don’t want to leave.  The flowered banks of crystal clear Spring Creek here at Collier Memorial State Park are such a place.  When I walk these banks in the early morning looking and listening for birds, my soul is touched in such a way I don’t want to leave. All this is my way of explaining why Jeanette and I have decided to accept our ranger’s offer and stay here for another month.

Wood River Wetland Revisited

Two weeks ago we went birding at Wood River Wetland and vowed to return. Today I made good on that promise.  It’s amazing that this outstanding birding site of the Klamath BasinBirding Trail is so close to where we are living and working at Collier Memorial State Park, like 15 minutes! I should be dropping over several times a week.  Jeanette stayed back today to do washing and house work, so without my “spotter” I found fewer birds, but it was good to get in some time birding.

Western Wood-Pewee

White Pelican

Green Heron (juvenile)

Nest of the Day

Since making the proclamation a couple of days ago that “For the most part nesting is over here at Collier Memorial State Park”, we are finding new nest daily.  Always seems to happen to me after I’ve made a big declaration. Go figure! Yesterday we discovered a Robin’s nest in a tree right in our camping site. Today we realized that a Douglas Squirrel is nursing young ones in a bird house literally a few feet away. But the best nesting photo of the day is the above photo of three WesternWood-Pewee chicks all squinty-eyed and fuzzy-headed. The parent was easy to hear and see close by, insect in beak, waiting for us to leave the proximity of the nest. 

  

Merganser Family

One of the things I really like about birding is that every day is different, and often has a surprise.  This morning’s surprise was this female Common Merganser and chicks.  One chick had hopped on the mother’s back and was getting a free ride.  There were actually 8 chicks in all; one chick did not make it in the photo. The mother and chicks were in Spring Creek, a favorite hike of mine that I’ve done many times during this month here at Collier State Park, but today was the first time I have seen this Merganser family.

Nesting Suprise

For the most part nesting is over here at Collier Memorial State Park.  In the last month we have seen Black-backed Woodpecker’s nest empty, the same for the Osprey, Robin’s, Tree Swallows, and Western Bluebirds.  Even the big populations of Cliff and Barn Swallows that nest under the bridge are greatly diminished. So, you might imagine my surprise when I found this NorthernFlicker's nest yesterday afternoon.  When I took the photo I thought I could see only one young bird in the cavity, but if you will look closer, you will notice that there are two bills lined up in order.  This morning I stopped for a long time and watched the male feed the young, and was able to count two male juveniles and one female juvenile, so at least a total of three young ones are inside the nest. My guess would be due to the lateness of the season that this is possible a second brood this year for these flickers.