February 2010
Winter brings many birds to our area that we see only briefly. In the case of the Brant Goose seen in the accompanying picture , this goose settled in Cedar Mill on Saturday Jan 23 for about a one hour rest period before resuming flight back to breeding grounds in Alaska. The Brant is rarely seen in the Willamette Valley and in the 25 plus years I have been bird watching in Cedar Mill I have certainly never seen one. In fact I have never seen one anywhere, despite reports they are occasionally seen at the coast. See the photo in the website gallary.
Over the past few weeks I have heard migrating Tundra Swans overhead and ran out to see them. Often they are low enough one can see the details of neck length and beak color! Other times winter birds come closer as in the swarms of Juncos mobbing my bird feeder in my yard or the Yellow Rumped Warblers flitting around the suet—they almost hover as if they were hummingbirds, but their large size gives them away as warblers. Soon they too will leave our area to go north to breed and feast on the millions of hatching insects in the Alaskan summers.
The key to seeing these fleeting migrants is to listen for new sounds and then look out! If you are lucky enough to be by a window or be outside that is a special treat for those who are observant. Soon in our area the summer birds will be back, making nests, singing for territory and eating all they can to get fat to make eggs and sit on them for a while! Spring really is coming from the chives bursting through my garden soil to the just appearing young dandelions in the grass to the migrating geese and swans!