Archived Bird Notes

Late Spring/Early Summer 2009

May 15 – Terry Wahl found a Northern Mockingbird on the family ranch in the Elk River estuary.

May 28 – Lois Miller and Knute Anderson found a Northern Mockingbird on the Marsh Ranch up Elk River a few miles above the Wahl Ranch. I’m still not aware of this California species breeding in Curry County, but it seems it’s only a matter of time. They have nested in the Rogue Valley and a few locations in Eastern Oregon.

May 29 – An Upland Sandpiper was reported by Rick McKenzie on his ranch near Langlois. There is a very small population of this “shorebird” of the prairies that winters in the pampas of South America and breeds in Eastern Oregon. It is very rarely seen on the coast.

May 29 – A Great-tailed Grackle was located by Terry Wahl on the Wahl Ranch and another Great-tailed Grackle was found by Lois and Knute in Port Orford. This common bird of the American southwest and Mexico has been found nesting in Malheur NWR and it is occasionally found in Eastern Oregon, and only once on the coast. Will they expand into Oregon? Stay tuned.

May 29 – Terry Wahl spotted the third Yellow-headed Blackbird of the spring on his ranch.

June 6 – Carol Hinman photographed a beautiful male Indigo Bunting at her feeder on Thimbleberry Road south of Gold Beach. This eastern species occasionally summers along the West Coast, and occasionally breeds with Indigo Buntings.

June 8 – Carol Hinman photographed another great bird at her feeder, a male Rose-breasted grosbeak – another eastern species occasionally found on the West Coast. Could they have travelled to the West Coast together?

June 17 – Horst and Alice Pfand had a Sage Thrasher in Port Orford.

June 22 – Horst and Alice Pfand reported a Common Grackle in their yard in Port Orford. It stayed through the 3rd of July.

June 28 – Knute had two Great-tailed Grackles at his house north of the Cape Blanco Airport. Are they following him around?