Bird Walks

The Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council and the Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah are collaborating to perform the 3rd annual bird count at Turtle Flats! Turtle Flats is our 63-acre property where we are doing extensive floodplain restoration. This site, where the Coast Fork and Middle Fork of the Willamette River come together, is host to a diversity of species. Birders will survey a portion of the area, including some of the old gravel ponds. The survey will contribute valuable bird data over time as restoration takes place at the site.

Dick Lamster, 541.343.8664, maeveanddick@q.com

This year marks the 77th Eugene Christmas Bird Count (ECBC) and the 119th National Audubon Society (NAS) Christmas Bird Count. The ECBC this year will be on Sunday, December 30. Our 15-mile diameter count circle is centered in the Danebo area of Eugene and is divided into 27 areas. Each has a Team Leader who organizes and leads the group during the count day, and then submits the results to the ECBC Steering Committee.

Count Coordinator

Count Coordinator Dick Lamster will work with NAS on the administrative tasks of the count. He will also coordinate with the Team Leaders, handle publicity, co-write the post-count narrative, and assign new participants to teams. If you want to participate this year or change teams, call or email Dick. Otherwise, call your Team Leader from last year (although he or she might be calling you soon).

Our October walk leader is Dave Bontrager. The location of the walk will be Kirk Pond below the Fern Ridge Dam. We'll meet in the parking lot across the highway from the Fern Ridge Dam spillway.
Directions to Kirk Pond.   There are many good ways to get there and here is one suggestion.  Take 11th west out of Eugene.  When you get to Greenhill turn right (north) onto Greenhill.  Take Greenhill approx. 3.5 mi. to Clear Lake Rd.  Turn left (west) onto Clear Lake Rd.  Clear Lake does some "jogging" around but eventually you will come to Orchard Point County Park.  On the left you will see a large wooden sign saying Orchard Point >> keep going on Clear Lake Road, past Orchard Rd and continue along with Kirk Pond on your right. Look for the small parking lot near the road just below the spillway, turn right and park in the lot.

Friday, September 7, Sunset 

LCAS will have its annual Fall Swift Event outside Agate Hall on Friday, 9/7/18, at sunset. The Vaux’s Swifts use the chimney to roost for the night, as they gather prior to migration. We may see thousands of birds entering the chimney, but there is no guarantee! It is fun to observe the swifts before they fly off to Central and South America for the winter.

Lane Audubon will have handouts with information about the Vaux’s Swifts. Look for the LCAS banner at 17th and Agate Street. Stop by and enjoy this annual natural phenomenon. It is free, and Prince Puckler’s is just around the corner. Call 541.343.8664 for more information.

Another good location to check out is the Smith Family Bookstore chimney (5th and Willamette, downtown Eugene) where several thousand birds have also been observed.

FMI: see the Vaux’s Swift page on the LCAS website, listed under resources. (laneaudubon.org/docs/vauxs-swift)

September's 3rd Saturday Bird Walk (9/15/18) will be led by Stephan Nance! They will be leading us around Skinner's Butte, which is an excellent place to bird during Fall Migration. In addition to being a birder, they are a singer/songwriter. Throughout their songs, you can find references to at least 30 birds. Here is a favorite of their work on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBojRGIcPVY FMI: Rebecca Waterman at 541.653.3354 or Rebecca.waterman@gmail.com

John Sullivan will be leading this month's walk at the Royal Ave entrance to Fern Ridge. John has been seeing great shorebirds such as Baird's and Pectoral Sandpipers! All ages and skill levels are welcome. Bring binoculars, if you have them.

Join the 13th annual Marbled Murrelet Community Science Survey on a spectacular stretch of Oregon’s coast near Yachats, Oregon. Training will be provided, so no prior experience is needed. This year, we are offering two separate training sessions; join us for one or both, if you’d like.