First Osprey!

Jeanette and I have been tracking Osprey arrivals in Polk County for the past ten years. Amazingly they are quite predictable in their arrival date from their winter grounds as far away as South America. I checked the last three years for two of the major sites we check in West Salem, and their arrival dates vary from March 19th to the 22nd.

This morning, we went out to check on a group of nests in the West Salem area.  The Murlark Ave. nest site was empty, as was the Patterson St. nest site, and the Bartel Dr. nest site. When we got to Wallace Marine Park, we struck gold. Here at the ball field nest site, we found a female Osprey on the nest crying her eyes out. We took a few minutes to photograph and add the information in to eBird.org, and then we noticed a 2nd Osprey in flight.  It made a couple of loops around the ball field area and then landed in the nest. The male Osprey! 
 

On our way out of West Salem, we made a stop at the Salem Audubon Nature Reserve to check out their nest site.  Nothing on the nest, but across the street in a conifer tree we spotted what I think was a male Osprey. On the way home we checked a couple of nest sites in Independence, and a site in Dallas.  All were empty. 

We are so excited for our first Ospreys of the season and look forward to keeping track of their development in the upcoming months before they leave us again in September for their winter hangouts.  

Thursday's Bird Watch!

A pair of Western Bluebirds here at Dallas Retirment Village are getting serious about nesting once again.  This nesting box is located at the Pavilion.  They have used this box for several years, and it easy to sit in the comfort of the Pavilion and look out to the north and watch them settling in.  I took this photo on March 13th, and they were very busy playing "catch me if you can."  The drab-colored female is the lower one, and the puffed-up brighter bird above is the male.  In the days ahead they we be bringing in grass to build a nest.  Then she will set on the eggs, and after the chicks have hatched, the busy time begins when they feed the babies.  Be sure and visit the Pavilion in the days and weeks ahead to watch the progression. 
 

Thursday's Bird Watch!

 We have more excitement in the hummingbird world here at Dallas Retirement Village!  This is a male Rufous Hummingbird, photographed by Lodge resident LaVerda Gallager at her third-floor balcony juice feeder on March 6th. This is only the second Rufous Hummingbird to be reported in Polk County this year! In general, Rufous Hummingbirds migrate through the Willamette Valley in the Spring on their way North for nesting, and then again on their way South for the Winter.  Although smaller than our resident Anna's Hummingbirds, thay are fierce competitors, and cause quite a commontion while they are passing through. 

Thursday's Birdwatch!

A NEW NEST!  During lunch at the Red House Bistro with our downstairs neighbors, Roger and Sandy Coburn, they mentioned to us that they had hummingbirds coming and going into their dryer vent.  They wondered if they were nesting in the the dryer vent.  After lunch, Jeanette and I went to investigate.  We concluded that the hummingbirds were probably not nesting in the vent but instead gathering lint to construct a nest in a more suitable location.  We turned our attention to the dogwood trees in the courtyard and almost by accident found the nest with the female in it.  I have now set up a scope in my den where I can observe it, and today as I write this, Friday February 28th, the female is busy working on the nest. 

Chitwood Bridge Check In

Jeanette at Chitwood Bridge

The town of Toledo is perhaps our favorite get-away location, and we were ready for our Toledo "fix". An escape in the van for the day was just what we needed. Our route plan was to take Highway 20 and detour at the Eddyville exit to the "old" highway and on to Chitwood.  We first stopped to check out the Chitwood Bridge last year in May. Here is our bird list.  We were impressed with the birding enough that I suggested it as an eBird Hotspot, which it now is. The sunshine was great, and we had a good variety of birds. Here is our bird list for the day. For more on the Chitwood Bridge check out this blog.  
 

 

Jeanette inside the bridge

We continued on to Toledo and birded the Depot Slough Path, another eBird Hotspot that we have enjoyed many times. Here is the bird list for today.  After enjoying lunch in the sunshine, we traveled on the Yaquina Bay Rd. to Paddle Park, another favorite. Jeanette folded down the bed in the van for me, and I took a nap and rested while she birded. When she came back, she laid down to rest, and I sat at the dinette and worked on bird photos. This is Jeanette's eBird List and photos. We left for home feeling refreshed an energized. The trip was just what we needed for a reset.   

Thursday's Bird Watch

I can't believe that this week I am featuring a bird I dislike, but here it is, - - a European Starling.  I took this photo here in Dallas Retirement Village on January 19th. A non-native, European Starlings were first brought to the United States from England and released into New York's Central Park in 1890 as part of a local Shakespeare Society's plan to introduce all the birds mentioned in Shakespear's works. They quickly spread across North America. Here in DRV they are among the top dozen birds to be seen all year around.  A worry is that they out compete many native cavity nesting birds.  Most annoyingly they mimic a variety of other bird calls and songs, creating confusion. 
 

Possible First Nesting Site of the Year

It's a beautiful morning, the sun is out, all is right with the world.  We took a quick little walk in our Central Courtyard this morning to check the dogwood trees for any possible new Anna's Hummingbird nests. No nests, but we did see a Eurasian Collard-Dove fly in and then disappear. Checking closely in the rafters we discovered the nest site! Sort of like Columbus looking for India and discovering America. Well, we are happy to have our first possible nesting site of the year.  Eurasian Collard-Doves are unique in that they can nest year around. We will be paying close attention to this location in the days and weeks ahead.