We are currently on a streak of early morning bird walks, bursting out the door around 7:00AM, which has provided amazing results in the number of birds we get to hear, see, and identify. It is also possible that it is an effort on our part to divert our attention from my upcoming shoulder replacement surgery this Tuesday the 28th. Saturday, our early morning destination of choice was Fairview Wetlands in Salem. We have birded here for over 30 years. Our first trip was only a walk from our home on Reed Court to keep in shape for hiking. The wetlands had not even been developed yet. A road had been built for the development of the Fairview Industrial Park. In a wet marshy area, we saw some medium sized birds with long legs and long bills. They caught our attention, but we had no idea what they were. Hours later, looking through bird guides I came to the conclusion they were Greater Yellowlegs. Our first, and we were hooked. We started making paper lists. We have returned many times now, in fact over one hundred and twenty checklists have been turned into eBird, identifying 115 different species. Our appreciation for the cycle of life continues to deepen as we become aware of seasons and migrating patterns of these beautiful creatures we seek out. Here is the link to our
checklist of the day. If you decide to go here to look for birds, overlook the noisy airport next door, and the massive industrial complex that encircles this oasis. It can be just you and the birds.
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