Water levels remained at a high level all week. All lowland trails were submerged as the Tualatin River backed up into the wetlands. Nevertheless, the number of birds found in the upland areas near the Education Center remained steady. Now that the wetland ponds are one big lake, it is easy to scope out all the ducks, geese, and swans. And the raptors are unable to hide.
I should comment that this is normal. It is the annual replenishing of the wetlands. Water levels are not to the 10-year or 100-year flood plain.
The single wintering WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and RED-SHOULDERED HAWK remain. Flocks of CANVASBACK were often visible during the week, along with TUNDRA SWANS. In fact, the 275 Canvasback counted by Joe Blowers on January 18 is a Willamette Valley high count record. Male ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS were heard "singing" during the week, and BEWICK'S WRENS are tuning up. Drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL are head-bobbing toward the females.
An immature BALD EAGLE put in an appearance before being driven off by the resident pair (who still don't appear to be working on their nest yet).
Joe Blowers reported a HUTTON'S VIREO on January 18. There is at least one previous record from the Preserve, but this bird is not expected.
Usually common birds that haven't been reported this week include American Crow and American Kestrel. The woods were flooded all week so we were unable to get out to where the Brown Creepers, Red-breasted Nuthatches, kinglets, and Fox Sparrows hang out. Still, over 50 species were spotted this week.
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Mew Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Hutton's Vireo
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
