Fishermens Bend

A report of an Osprey sighting at Fishermens Bend on the North Santiam River got us out of the apartment yesterday morning to go in search.  It was an unusual sighting for this time of year in that Ospreys general leave in the fall for warmer locations like Mexico for the winter.

Arriving at the park was a bit of a shock combined with a flood of memories.  We had not been back to the park since the devastating fires of a few years ago that swept through the Santiam Canyon. It was hard to recognize places we parked, or camped, or hiked.  

We first visited this park to bird and camp in May of 2016.  I didn't post a blog, but here is our eBird list. Today's birding was quite different. Gone were all the trees and shrubs that provided such wonderful habitat for birds. But still we found some birds and that filled our day with some joy.  A large female American Kestel perched busy preening was the first bird we spotted almost instantly as we drove in. A flight of Mallard duck surprised us as we explored further into the park. A Northern Flicker rushed to move out of sight. A Song Sparrow sang out from a hidden spot. Dark-eyed Juncos exploded from some shrubs in a series of appearing and disappearing acts. Here is our eBird list.

We did not find an Osprey, but we did see an empty probable nest site. Despite the gloomy weather and the cold and rain we left with an eagerness to return as the habitat improves.