Alan Contreras Birds

Harney County highlights May-June 2011

2011-06-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

Top to bottom: Malheur Refuge HQ, Magnolia Warbler at Fields Oasis, female YB Sapsucker at HQ, female Bay-breasted Warbler at HQ (photo Christopher Hinkle), Hooded Warbler at P Ranch (photo Don Sutherland), female YB Sapsucker at HQ (photo Adrian Hinkle).

Fun with Empidonax

2011-06-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken at Fields, Oregon on June 8, 2011. In the field I thought both birds (the one down low in greenery in the ditch, 3 pics, and the one out in the open in the town, 6 pics) were the same species. Now I think they are not the same. What do you think they are? Send me your thoughts at acontrer56@gmail.com, or comment here.

Dark-backed Gull Benton Co Oregon 12Nov2010

2010-11-13T10:57:00.000-08:00

These photos by Nanette Armstrong are posted here for comment.

Blackburnian at Malheur

2010-09-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

Here is my one poor pic of the Blackburnian Warbler at Malheur HQ on Thursday, Sep. 16, 2010. Trent Bray has better pics.

Tracking Whimbrels to Oregon, August 2010

2010-08-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

L1 (male) captured on the Colville River, AK, on 1 July and fitted with a solar transmitter. He staged on the YK Delta for 3 weeks before migrating on August 2nd (~0800 h), making landfall on the Oregon coast on 4 August (~1100 h; see attached). He was one of 16 Whimbrels fitted with satellite transmitters. Nine have completed their migration from Alaska (6 remain on the AK staging grounds). There is another bird (L0, also a male and also with a solar transmitter) near Garibaldi, OR. He departed Alaska ~1000 h on 5 August and made landfall ~2300 h on 8 August. All other birds are south of the Salton Sea (as last year's crop) so we will be following the Oregon birds closely.

Robert Gill

Black and White at Fields

2010-06-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

This female Black-and-White Warbler at Fields on 7 June 2010 is one of at least six found in Harney Co. this spring.

Willow Flycatcher

2010-06-06T15:19:00.002-07:00

This Willow Flycatcher was at Malheur HQ on 5 June 2010. It seemed more colorful than other Willows present, and also to have more of an eyering. Q: is this variation within the norm for a western Willow? Other photos are available.

Hooded Warbler

2010-06-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

This male Hooded Warbler has been at Fields oasis, Harney Co. Oregon June 5-6.

Cassin's Vireo

2010-06-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

A nice study of a Cassin's Vireo that was a window-thumper at Malheur HQ. It survived.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

2010-06-03T18:17:00.001-07:00

A peak year for Rose-breasted included this one at Fields in early June, 2010.

Redstart at Fields

2010-06-03T18:15:00.001-07:00

This very active redstart has graced Fields oasis in early June, 2010.

Blackpoll at Malheur

2010-05-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

This female Blackpoll was first found by a group of Portland birders foraging in marsh grass ! (the bird, not the birders, was in the marsh grass). It later went into the trees. A rather rare spring bird, more regular in fall.

Burrowing Flammulated

2010-05-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

This bird was found at Malheur HQ on 27 May 2010 by Mary Anne Sohlstrom. It later flew into a pine tree where it belonged.

Australia tour concludes

2009-12-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

I'm done birding and looking forward to lunch tomorrow with Colin Brumby, one of the world's greatest living composers, with whom I have corresponded. I return to Oregon on Deember 12. My bird list follows. Enjoy the new photos !

Australian Brush-turkey
Magpie Goose
Plumed Whistling-Duck
Musk Duck
Freckled Duck
Black Swan
Australian Wood Duck
Pink-eared Duck
Grey Teal
Chestnut Teal
Blue-billed Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Hardhead
Australasian Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Rock Dove*
Spotted Dove*
Brown Cuckoo-Dove
Emerald Dove
Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
Peaceful Dove
Bar-shouldered Dove
Wompoo Fruit-Dove
Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove
Tawny Frogmouth
White-throated Needletail
Fork-tailed Swift
Asutralasian Darter
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorant
Australian Pelican
White-necked Heron
Eastern Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Cattle Egret
Striated Heron
White-faced Heron
Little Egret
Glossy Ibis
Australian White Ibis
Straw-necked Ibis
Royal Spoonbill
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Black-shouldered Kite
Pacific Baza
Whistling Kite
Brahminy Kite
Black Kite
Brown Goshawk
Collared Sparrowhawk
Grey Goshawk
Spotted Harrier
Brown Falcon
Purple Swamphen
Buff-banded Rail
Dusky Moorhen
Eurasian Coot
Bush Stone-curlew
Australian Pied Oystercatcher
Black-winged Stilt
Red-necked Avocet
Pacific Golden Plover
Red-capped Plover
Black-fronted Dotterel
Red-kneed Dotterel
Banded Lapwing
Masked Lapwing
Comb-crested Jacana
Latham's Snipe
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Eastern Curlew
Terek Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper
Common Greenshank
Great Knot
Red-necked Stint
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Painted Button-quail
Little Tern
Caspian Tern
Whiskered Tern
Silver Gull
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo
Galah
Long-billed Corella
Little Corella
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Cockatiel
Rainbow Lorikeet
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Little Lorikeet
Australian King-Parrot
Crimson Rosella
Eastern Rosella
Pale-headed Rosella
Red-rumped Parrot
Turquoise Parrot
Pheasant Coucal
Eastern Koel
Channel-billed Cuckoo
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo
Pallid Cuckoo
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Brush Cuckoo
Southern Boobook
Azure Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
Sacred Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Rainbow Bee-eater
Dollarbird
White-throated Treecreeper
Red-browed Treecreeper
Brown Treecreeper
Green Catbird
Regent Bowerbird
Satin Bowerbird
Superb Fairy-wren
Red-backed Fairy-wren
White-winged Fairy-wren
Variegated Fairy-wren
Yellow-throated Scrubwren
White-browed Scrubwren
Large-billed Scrubwren
Weebill
Brown Gerygone
Mangrove Gerygone
Western Gerygone
White-throated Gerygone
Striated Thornbill
Yellow Thornbill
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Brown Thornbill
Spotted Pardalote
Eastern Spinebill
Lewin's Honeyeater
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Mangrove Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
Fuscous Honeyeater
White-plumed Honeyeater
Bell Miner
Noisy Miner
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Red Wattlebird
Brown Honeyeater
Brown-headed Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Little Friarbird
Striped Honeyeater
Grey-crowned Babbler
Australian Logrunner
Eastern Whipbird
Varied Sittella
Ground Cuckoo-shrike
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Cicadabird
White-winged Triller
Golden Whistler
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Australasian Figbird
Olive-backed Oriole
White-breasted Woodswallow
Dusky Woodswallow
Grey Butcherbird
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Spangled Drongo
Rufous Fantail
Grey Fantail
Willie Wagtail
Australian Raven
Torresian Crow
Leaden Flycatcher
Black-faced Monarch
Magpie-lark
White-winged Chough
Apostlebird
Paradise Riflebird
Jacky Winter
Rose Robin
Hooded Robin
Pale-yellow Robin
Eastern Yellow Robin
Golden-headed Cisticola
Australian Reed-Warbler
Tawny Grassbird
Little Grassbird
Rufous Songlark
Silvereye
Welcome Swallow
Fairy Martin
Tree Martin
*Common Starling
Common Myna*
Mistletoebird
Zebra Finch
Double-barred Finch
Plum-headed Finch
Red-browed Finch
Diamond Firetail
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
House Sparrow*
Australasian Pipit

Azure Kingfisher

2009-12-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

Freckled Duck and Little Black Corms

2009-12-09T15:15:00.002-08:00

Plum-headed Finch

2009-12-09T15:15:00.001-08:00

Grey-crowned Babbler

2009-12-09T15:14:00.001-08:00

female Satin Bowerbird

2009-12-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

Where do I sign up?

2009-12-09T15:12:00.002-08:00

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

2009-12-09T15:12:00.001-08:00

Galah

2009-12-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

Australia: even bigger than I thought

2009-12-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

Eastern Grey Kangaroo with large joey

2009-12-09T15:09:00.002-08:00

Common Bronzewing

2009-12-09T15:09:00.001-08:00

Striated Thornbill

2009-12-09T15:08:00.000-08:00

Hyacinth Orchid

2009-12-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

male Superb Fairy Wren

2009-12-09T15:04:00.000-08:00

Barbara Holland and guide Barry Davies at Girraween NP

2009-12-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

Rufous Songlark

2009-12-09T15:02:00.002-08:00

Fringed Lily

2009-12-09T15:02:00.001-08:00

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

2009-12-09T15:01:00.000-08:00

The Queensland Face-fly, nosewalker subspecies

2009-12-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

Spangled Drongo

2009-12-09T14:55:00.001-08:00

Blue-billed Duck

2009-12-09T14:54:00.000-08:00

King Parrot

2009-12-09T00:49:00.000-08:00

Lewin's Honeyeater

2009-12-09T00:48:00.000-08:00

Flying Fox

2009-12-09T00:47:00.000-08:00

Long-billed Corellas

2009-12-09T00:45:00.000-08:00

Collared Kingfisher

2009-12-09T00:44:00.000-08:00

Pied Butcherbird comes to lunch

2009-12-09T00:42:00.001-08:00

Noisy Miners (yes, they are)

2009-12-03T23:19:00.000-08:00

Noisy Friarbird

2009-12-03T23:18:00.001-08:00

Local talent at Noosa Heads NP

2009-12-03T23:17:00.000-08:00

Eastern Robin

2009-12-03T23:16:00.001-08:00

Buff-banded Rail

2009-12-02T11:11:00.001-08:00

Red-backed Fairy Wren

2009-12-02T11:02:00.001-08:00

Bush Stone-Curlews

2009-12-02T10:46:00.001-08:00

Superb Fairy Wren

2009-12-01T22:30:00.001-08:00

Black-winged Stilt, Red-kneed Dotterel and Plumed Whistling-Duck

2009-12-01T22:24:00.000-08:00

Crested Pigeon

2009-12-01T22:19:00.001-08:00

Variegated Fairy Wren

2009-12-01T22:15:00.001-08:00

Laughing Kookaburra

2009-12-01T22:08:00.001-08:00

Birds from Australia

2009-12-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

December 2, Brisbane

An extraordinary day of birding with Mat Gilfedder around Brisbane and the nearby interior on my first full day in Australia found me 96 species, of which all but a few were entirely new. We did particularly well in large waders, fairy wrens and waterfowl, and I impressed myself by finding our only Marsh Sandpiper, a species that I recognized from years of fantasizing about it as an Asian vagrant to Oregon. Some of the less common species that we found were Buff-banded Rail, Blue-billed Duck, Banded Lapwing, Marsh Sandpiper, Ground Cuckoo-shrike, Little Grassbird and Striped Honeyeater.

We started the day at several parks in Brisbane and had several hours of very pleasant morning weather (cooler than it has been), followed by intermittent rain, sometimes heavy, as we birded a loop in the Lockyer valley west of the city. Some of the birds we found were cooperative during my attempts at photography, and a few are shown here.

I have a day of professional meetings on Dec 3, but should have more photos posted the night of Dec 4. My five-day birding tour does not start until Dec 5. I am not sure whether I’ll have internet access during the tour, but if not I will post again the night of Dec 9 (Brisbane time).

Ross's Geese or Not Quite?

2009-11-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

These white geese appeared at Floras Lake, Oregon on 22-23 Nov 2009. What are they? This photo by Knute Andersson. Additional photos are at: http://www.loismiller.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/white%20geese.

Oregon Song Sparrows

2009-10-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a very orange Song Sparrow at Florence, Oregon. We normally get darkish morphna there, plus some paler-faced Alaska-BC subspecies in winter. So is the bird I saw today a Rocky Mtn/interior basins bird (montana/fisherella) or a northeastern bird? Two poor photos below. The original photos are distinctly more orange than these show. Cap was bright orange-red.

American Golden-Plover

2009-09-27T14:32:00.001-07:00

This American Golden-Plover was with Black-bellies at Florence, Lane Co. Oregon on 26 Sep 2009.

N. Wheatear at Sandlake, Oregon, Sep 17-18 2009

2009-09-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

Malheur Blackpoll 15 Sep 2009

2009-09-15T18:36:00.001-07:00

Philadelphia (?) Vireo at Malheur

2009-09-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here are the five usable photos I obtained of the possible Philadelphia Vireo at Malheur HQ 5 Sep 09. This was a difficult bird to see well in the field. Some observers think this is an unusually colorful, well-marked Warbling Vireo.

2009-08-31T19:37:00.001-07:00

Lois Miller's photo of a White-winged Dove at Port Orford, Oregon, August 31, 2009.

Malheur Lesser Nighthawk

2009-08-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Here is the first available photo of the female Lesser Nighthawk reported at the Malheur Field Station 27 Aug 2009, photo by Duncan Evered.

Female Western Sandpiper bills

2009-07-31T19:09:00.001-07:00

There has been discussion in Oregon about how large the bill on a female Western Sandpiper can become. This photo is of a female Western banded at Tillamook Bay in the 1970s.

El Presidente on territory at Malheur HQ June 11, 2009

2009-06-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

White-eyed Vireo, 9 June 2009, Fields Oregon

2009-06-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Oregon's first record of White-eyed Vireo was photographed by Graham Floyd.

Young California Quail 4June09 Benson Pond Malheur

2009-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

White-winged Dove 31 May 09 Frenchglen OR

2009-05-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

Common Grackle, Malheur HQ, 26 May 2009

2009-05-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

Palm Warbler, Benson Pond, Malheur 25 May 09

2009-05-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

White-faced Ibis, 23 May 2009, Malheur NWR

2009-05-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Great-tailed Grackle at Ladd Marsh

2009-05-12T08:53:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo by Cathy Nowak of the Great-tailed Grackle found near LaGrande on May 9, 2009.

Great-tailed Grackle at Fern Ridge Reservoir

2009-05-11T16:50:00.000-07:00

This male Great-tailed Grackle was found by Rich Hoyer, Graham Floyd and me at Fern Ridge Reservoir west of Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, May 9, 2009.

Malheur space

2009-05-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

Photos from spring 2009 at Malheur will appear here beginning late May.

Bandon Ruff

2008-11-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

Knute Andersson found a Ruff in a flock of rockpipers at Bandon on 14 November 2008. His photo published with permission.

Subadult Gull, Florence OR

2008-11-15T17:57:00.001-08:00

Subadult gull, Florence, Oregon, Nov 15 2008. I eventually concluded that this is a 3rd-cycle Western that has an unusually straight-edged bill and looks long-winged because the secondaries are not fully grown in. Other views are welcome.

Late House Wren

2008-10-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

Cold, windy and wet at Malheur the last 24 hours. Migrants are few. This House Wren at Malheur HQ the morning of October 4 is late.

Fun with Flickers

2008-10-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

There were nine flickers in three adjacent shrubs at Benson Pond, Malheur NWR today. Here are five that came out for the view.

Malheur news

2008-10-02T14:37:00.001-07:00

Malheur update: not much new in recent days. Here is one of the local Eurasian Collared-Doves at Benson Pond.

Magnolia Warbler

2008-09-30T17:21:00.001-07:00

This female was at Sodhouse Historic Ranch on 30 Sep 2008. No better photo is available yet.

Black-throated Blue at Frenchglen

2008-09-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of the imm. male Black-throated Blue Warbler at Frenchglen on 27 Sep 2008. This is a different male than the black-throated male that was at the same location on 25 Sep.

American Redstart

2008-09-25T14:16:00.003-07:00

This female was at Sodhouse Historic Ranch, Malheur NWR on Sep 25, 2008.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

2008-09-25T14:11:00.001-07:00

This bird was at Malheur NWR headquarters on Sep 25, 2008.

Eastern Towhee, Malheur NWR

2008-06-02T20:59:00.001-07:00

Jim Carlson's photos of an Eastern Towhee at Malheur NWR, June 1, 2008. Second Oregon record?

Malheur Hooded Warbler

2008-05-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

Here is my one bad photo of the Hooded Warbler on the ground at Malheur HQ on May 23, 2008. It has been here a few days.

Added: Steve Gordon's better photo of the bird face-on perched on a wire fence.

2008-05-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

Lawrence's Goldfinch, Eugene, Oregon, April 24, 2008. Fewer than ten Oregon records. Photo courtesy Janet Lewis-Case. Multiple photos available.

2008-05-05T18:38:00.000-07:00

Northern Parula found at the bridge, Baker Beach Rd. north of Florence, Lane Co. Oregon on May 4, 2008. Photos by James D. Little, published with permission.

Early Calliope Hummer

2008-03-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

This Calliope Hummingbird was photographed March 20, 2008 in the Rogue Valley, Oregon. It is five to six weeks earlier than usual.

2007-12-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

How good was 1994 prediction?

2007-11-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

Bill Tice reminded me that he had done a "next Oregon bird" survey in 1994, so I thought I'd see how close our predictions were. Only eight people voted that year compared to 24 this year (the power of OBOL). Of the eight, Greg Gillson picked five correctly. The other voters (who all picked at least one correctly) were John Lundsten, Owen Schmidt, Jim Johnson, Darrel Faxon, Mike Denny, Bill and me.

Of our top ten in 1994, seven have been seen. Of the 23 birds named, 13 have been seen. Five have been more than once (accepted by OBRC), marked with a + sign.

Bill Tice's next bird survey, 1994 (published early 1996 in OB 22(2):55). Votes were not weighted, but each person got five.

4 RT Pipit* +
4 Eur Dotterel*
3 Cook's Petrel*
3 YC Nightheron
3 Connecticut Warbler*
3 Yellow Wagtail* +
3 RB Tropicbird
2 Yellow-throated Vireo* +
2 Fork-tailed Flycatcher
1 White-rumped Sandpiper*
1 GC Flycatcher
1 BF Booby*
1 Arctic Loon*
1 Red-headed Woodpecker*
1 Gray-tailed Tattler
1 Sharp-tailed Sparrow
1 Painted Redstart
1 BB Cuckoo
1 Blackvent Shearwater* +
1 Mississippi Kite
1 Reddish Egret
1 Manx Shear* +
1 Lesser BB Gull*

23 chosen by eight respondents
*13 have been seen

My predictions for the Oregon list

2007-11-11T14:08:00.000-08:00

The most likely next Oregon bird: my Top Ten:

1. Black-tailed Gull (we are going into gull season)
2. Great BB Gull (likewise)
3. Bean Goose (Has reached WA and it is winter)
4. Field Sparrow
5. White-eyed Vireo (regular in California)
6. Lesser Nighthawk (there have been probables)
7. Yellow-bellied Fly
8. Black Skimmer (has reached nor. Cal.)
9. Chimney Swift
10. N Sharptail Sparrow (regular in winter in Cal.)
11. Gray-tailed Tattler
12. BB Cuckoo
13. YC Nightheron

Plus a seabird or two about which we know little.

The Next Oregon Bird

2007-11-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

24 birders cast 5 weighted votes each in early November, 2007 for their top five birds most likely to be added to the Oregon list.

The top 10, with cumulated vote totals (left) and number of first-place votes (in parentheses right), are:

30 Black Vulture (3)
26 Siberian Accentor (1)
26 White-eyed Vireo (3)
25 Black Skimmer (2)
20 Greater Shearwater (2)
18 Cave Swallow (2)
17 Lesser Nighthawk (1)
13 Common Greenshank (2)
13 Black-tailed Gull (2)
12 Gray-tailed Tattler

Others receiving at least five points or votes from at least two people, with their totals (and first-place votes), are:

11 Fork-tailed Flycatcher
11 YC Nightheron (1)
10 Temminck's Stint
9 N Sharptail Sparrow (1)
8 BB Cuckoo
8 Craveri's Murrelet
8 Wood Stork (1)
7 Yg Vireo (1)
6 Bean Goose (1)
6 Mississippi Kite
5 Chimney Swift (1)
5 Great BB Gull
4 Great-cr Fly
4 Cassin's Sparrow
4 Eurasian Kestrel
4 Cerulean Warbler
2 Field Sparrow
2 Dusky Warbler

The remaining species receiving votes are:

4 Brown Shrike
3 Sulphur-b Flycatch
3 Parkinson's Petrel
2 Far Eastern Curlew
2 Sky Lark
2 Northern Hobby
2 YB Magpie
2 Great-winged Petrel
2 Am Oystercatcher
1 Yellow-bellied Fly
1 Dusky Thrush
1 Xantus's Hummer
1 Lesser Frigatebird
1 Least Storm-Petrel
1 Red-faced Warbler
1 Henslow's Sparrow
1 Ivory Gull

Species that I put on my original list of possibles but which received no votes for top 5 are:

Common Pochard
Common Crane
Arctic Warbler
Eyebrowed Thrush
Bronzed Cowbird
Baird's Sparrow

Records currently in circulation in the OBRC (most will probably be accepted) and which I therefore disqualified are:

Magnificent Hummer
Ashy Storm-petrel
BB Whistling-Duck
Alder Flycatcher
Black Rail