OUT OF SEASON SURPRISE

A Green Heron was fishing along the edge of Ashland Pond this morning. This species generally migrates out of Oregon in the fall. However, a few years back there was a heron at Ashland Pond on Christmas Eve. This fall has been much warmer than average so maybe this bird just hasn’t been compelled to leave…yet.
Can the Green Heron feel envy? This female Hooded Merganser is cruising past with a nice fish lunch. The mergansers continue to catch many of these elongated three-inch fish at the pond.

Mark Brazelton of Medford points out that one Green Heron has been seen in each of the last three Medford Christmas Bird Counts.
Male Kingfisher.
It was a good morning for finches around the pond: Purple, House, Lesser and American Goldfinch all present. Got a brief glimpse of one of the White-throated Sparrows there as well. Let sleeping ducks lie, or in this case, sit on their log. Two female Hooded Mergansers, perhaps resting while all the little fish they’ve swallowed are digested. No sign of otters at pond since Petrer Thiemann saw them on Friday.

Young Oak Titmouse, hanging around with his cousin, the Black-capped Chickadee. this bird was in an oak, naturally.

Ashland Pond, Jackson, US-OR
Nov 20, 2013 11:45 AM. 30 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 6
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 5 catching many small fish
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 1 fly over
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 1 fly over
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 male
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) 2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 2
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 11
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 7
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus) 1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 4
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 1
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 1
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) 3
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 4
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 15
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 45
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 2
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) 2
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) 2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 8