BASKETT FULL OF BIRDS

Four of us survivors of our family Thanksgiving gathering made our way to Baskett Slough NWR this morning.  We decided on some birds and fresh air, escaping from the leftovers, the empty wine bottles now confined to the recycle bin and the comfy sofa.  En route we found dozens of Green-winged Teal on tiny Amity Pond.  Red-tails and Kestrel were on the roadside utility poles and wires.  One pair of Ravens passed us, seeking forgotten leftovers no doubt. At Baskett the sky was clear, the air chilled, the wind unforgiving.   Most of the waterfowl were on the north edge of the lakes and ponds, facing into the bright sun, heads tucked under wings…just waiting it out.

CACKLING GALLERY. 

As we stood facing one marsh-bordered pond we saw flocks of hundreds of geese in the air to the north of us.  That means the sun was at our backs.  A few dozen of them turned out to be Cacklers headed to our little pond: The numbers were big.  Pick a number between one thousand and infinity.  

BEST OF THE REST

One field contained at least 200 Killdeer along with some distant Horned Larks. This male Kestrel was displaying his mouse-brunch. Pipits feeding along the ice puddles. The Horned Larks were too far away to photograph but looked handsome through the scope.

Baskett Slough NWR, Polk, Oregon, US
Nov 27, 2015 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
Comments:     cold wind, ice on ponds but some open water
27 species

Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)  2000
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  X
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)  40
American Wigeon (Anas americana)  20
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  1000
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)  200
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)  1500
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  500
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  3
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  3
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  50
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  5
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  6
American Coot (Fulica americana)  X
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  200
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  10
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  3
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)  2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  X

American Pipit 20, Horned Lark 10
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  X
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  X
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)  X
Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)  X