Another Morning of OFO Field Trips South of Pendleton, Oregon

We saw the Grasshopper Sparrows again this morning N of Pilot Rock (a little more work than yesterday, given the wind), added a Brewer's Sparrow, and enjoyed this American Kestrel.

OFO Membership Meeting

After a great day of field trips, Russ Namitz delivers the succinct President's report during the Oregon Field Ornithologists meeting in Pendleton. Best bird reported from the day's field trips: third county record of Harlequin Duck.

Barn Owls on the OFO Field Trip

The weather deteriorated quickly after this morning's Grasshopper Sparrow, but we toughed it out in the high elevations, seeing Williamson's Sapsucker, "Western" Flycatcher (voice seemed intermediate to us, more later), and hearing singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet. We descended back to near Pilot Rock and made a stop for lunch at a big pullout which was a stakeout for Barn Owls.

Grasshopper Sparrow on the OFO Meeting

> For my first posting by email using my iPhone, here's a very cooperative Grasshopper Sparrow. I found it on the field trip I'm helping lead with local birders June and Duane Whitten for the Oregon Field Ornithologists meeting in Pendleton, and we were near the town of Pilot Rock south of Pendleton.
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Anchorage Wildlife

After cooking in Gambell, Alaska for the WINGS tour, then helping lead the Nome extension, I'm enjoying a couple days off here in Anchorage.

Yesterday afternoon I went on a short hike in Arctic Valley with my friend Dave Sonneborn. We went to the top of one of the knolls where we saw two Townsend's Solitaires and a Say's Phoebe.

The early wildflowers were nice, such as this Mountain Avens, Dryas octopetala, in the rose family.

And how about the wildlife? On the way up a North American Porcupine and on the way down a Moose, the latter taken with my iPhone, both from the car window.

A Hybrid Wood-Warbler

While leading a tour in southern Grant County, Oregon today I found this bird which appears to be a MacGillivray's Warbler x Common Yellowthroat hybrid. Its call notes were a bit harsher than MacGillivray's Warbler, but its song was typical for that species. Since songs are learned, this isn't surprising.

The location was along Jack Creek Road east of Bear Valley. This road is the continuation of Scotty Creek Road, not long before it joins up with the paved Izee Highway.

A New Mammal for the Yard List – Arizona Cotton Rat

This cute little rodent was just outside the window I look out from my computer desk the other day. I was home for just 3 days, trying to prepare for the next 6 1/2 weeks of leading tours to Arizona, Oregon, and Alaska, so I certainly didn't expect to get a new mammal for my North-Central Tucson yard list. It's an Arizona Cotton Rat, familiar to many who bird Sweetwater Wetlands. Not very closely related the disdained, mostly nocturnal introduced rats from Eurasia, these natives are mostly diurnal.