Bird Ramblings - Eagle

 On Sunday, September 27th, while attending the Walk to End Alzheimer's event at the Salem Riverfront Park, Jeanette and I did a bit of birdwatching and got this photo of a Bald Eagle. Actually, we identified 30 different species of birds. You can see our observation list here. I know Bald Eagle are a favorite for most people, and coincidentally this was the best photo of the day. Their large size and distinctive white head and tail make for an easy identification. They are year around birds here in the Willamette Valley and love to hang out along the Willamette River where they can prey on fish and ducks. 

Bird Ramblings - Sapsucker

I finally got a photo of a returning, Red-breasted Sapsucker on September 20th, after getting only a couple of quick glimpses during the previous two weeks. This is a seasonal phenomenon. They vanish from Dallas Retirement Village in late April to find a suitable tree with a cavity for nesting. Then, as expected, they return in September to drill holes in their favorite tree on Tigner Ave. They will spend the winter licking up the sap that oozes out of the holes, and also eating hapless insects that get caught in the sticky sap. Anna's Hummingbirds will also make secret visits for a quick bit of sap. 
 

Bird Ramblings - Sparrows

Last Friday, the 18th of September, Jeanette and I went to check the birds at the Salem Riverfront Park. We were pleased to find 29 different species. Here is our checklist. The bird that posed the best for us was this Golden-crowned Sparrow that popped up out the blackberry bushes. You can tell from the red stains on its bill that it has been eating berries. Golden-crowned Sparrows are basically winter sparrows, and we were reminded that it's the time of year they show up. Last year at Dallas Retirement Village they were first seen in the Fall on September 17th, and then last seen in the Spring on May 3rd. Keep an eye out for them this Winter, they are quite often mixed in with White-crowned Sparrows.
 

Bird Ramblings - Woodpeckers

Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest of our Woodpeckers and also one of the more common. While birding in the Delbert Hunter Arboretum on Sunday Sept 13th, our phone app "Merlin" picked up the Downey's call. We searched for 10 minutes before we finally found her on this snag. We know its's a female because it lacks the red patch on the back of the head that so easily identifies the male. We are so fortunate to have the great birding locations of the Arboretlum and Dallas City Park so close to Dallas Retirement Village.

Bird Ramblings - Goldfinches

It's that time of year when American Goldfinches are filling up on Sunflower seeds from the Community Garden adjacent to the Village Apartments here at Dallas Retirement Village. They are a common species here at DRV especially in early September when they can easily be seen in large number when the Sunflowers mature. This Goldfinch looks a little ragged but is simply molting into its non-breeding plumage.

 

Bird Ramblings - Starlings

 This is a European Starling, one of the most common birds to be seen here at Dallas Retirement Village, virtually seen here every month of the year. This photo was taken last Friday, see Checklist. It shows the uniquely heavy spotting of the non-breeding plumage. We are more used to seeing them in their breeding plumage in which they are almost totally black with a bright yellow beak.  This is not a native bird. They were introduced to the United States in New York's Central Park in the 1890's and are now spread throughout the United States.

Bird Ramblings - Vultures

It's a busy time for Turkey Vultures. Recently we counted over 30 of them in some open fields while driving home to Dallas from Salem. They were busy picking up small rodent carcasses exposed from the field harvesting machinery. Think of the Vultures as the clean-up crew. In fact, they have been working all summer at keeping our roads clear of roadkill. Soon they will take flight and head South for the winter. I really haven't taken a good photo of Turkey Vultures this summer, so I dug into my files and found this photo taken in California some years ago. It shows the bare red skin of the head that is so helpful in digging through larger dead carcasses.