Willamette rafting trip, 8/13
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Lisa Millbank
Aug 19, 2013, 1:02:14 AM8/19/13
to Mid-valley Nature
On Tuesday (8/13), I walked north
through a jungle of dew-soaked Reed Canarygrass to see if I could
get
to the Luckiamute River from there. While I couldn't seem to get
through the dense vegetation and fallen logs, I saw a large flock of
Steller's Jays scolding a roosting Great Horned Owl. And from
somewhere on the other side of the Luckiamute came the loud cries of
peacocks on someone's property. There were many Pacific Forktails
hunting in the grass (see photo), but not many other dragonflies or
damselflies there.
I came back to the campground to pack up and leave. But before I left, I got distracted by a cute family of Common Yellowthroats (see photo), a fledgling Bewick's Wren (see photo), and a fledgling Song Sparrow, all of them a little nervous yet curious about the squeaking sounds I made to attract them.
On the river again, I passed the mouth of the Luckiamute and continued past Willamette Bluffs. In the conifers on the bluffs, I could hear Chestnut-backed Chickadees and a Hutton's Vireo.
At Buena Vista, I watched some giant Common Carp while I waited for the ferry to cross the river. Heading down the very scenic left channel around Wells Island (see photo), I found a collection of Wapato (see photo) but also some beautiful yellow flowers. Unfortunately, these plants are Ludwigia hexapetala, an invasive plant from South America which could be a serious threat to local wetlands (see photo).
There are more bluffs on the west side of Ankeny NWR, with some unbelievably tenacious Oregon White Oaks, still clinging to the edge despite having most of their root systems suspended over the water far below (see photo). Some of these bluffs are riddled with hundreds of nest holes of Northern Rough-winged Swallows and Belted Kingfishers (see photo).
Later, as I approached Judson Rocks, an island on which I planned to camp, I saw an immature Peregrine Falcon attempting to catch a Cedar Waxwing.
As soon as I landed on the island, a strange call came from the tansy/willow/blackberry thicket a short distance from the beach. It was a whole family of Yellow-breasted Chats! A cute, scruffy-looking fledgling popped up to investigate the squeaky noises I made (see photo). I didn't expect a chat family there, but the island's dense brush and scattered cottonwoods must have made a decent breeding area for them. Black-capped Chickadees (see photo) and Bushtits (see photo) were traveling together in a large flock.
I watched an American Beaver swim up the main channel on the other side of the island, and an adult Bald Eagle called from a snag. At least 3-4 Common Nighthawks began chasing one another, calling and “booming” with their wings. As it got dark and bats emerged, two nighthawks coursed low over the island about 3 feet from my head, and I could hear the sound of their wings beating.
Unfortunately, the farm across the channel was running a very loud diesel engine. I figured they'd eventually turn it off, but it continued all night! I believe this was the sound of a blueberry harvester, going up and down row after row of blueberry bushes (visible on satellite imagery). While I understand the necessity of noisy agricultural machinery, I was still disappointed that the noise drowned out the faint nocturnal sounds I'd come all that way to hear, such as coyotes or owls . . . although the nighthawks, crickets and river helped to moderate the noise somewhat.
Lisa Millbank
www.neighborhood-naturalist.com
I came back to the campground to pack up and leave. But before I left, I got distracted by a cute family of Common Yellowthroats (see photo), a fledgling Bewick's Wren (see photo), and a fledgling Song Sparrow, all of them a little nervous yet curious about the squeaking sounds I made to attract them.
On the river again, I passed the mouth of the Luckiamute and continued past Willamette Bluffs. In the conifers on the bluffs, I could hear Chestnut-backed Chickadees and a Hutton's Vireo.
At Buena Vista, I watched some giant Common Carp while I waited for the ferry to cross the river. Heading down the very scenic left channel around Wells Island (see photo), I found a collection of Wapato (see photo) but also some beautiful yellow flowers. Unfortunately, these plants are Ludwigia hexapetala, an invasive plant from South America which could be a serious threat to local wetlands (see photo).
There are more bluffs on the west side of Ankeny NWR, with some unbelievably tenacious Oregon White Oaks, still clinging to the edge despite having most of their root systems suspended over the water far below (see photo). Some of these bluffs are riddled with hundreds of nest holes of Northern Rough-winged Swallows and Belted Kingfishers (see photo).
Later, as I approached Judson Rocks, an island on which I planned to camp, I saw an immature Peregrine Falcon attempting to catch a Cedar Waxwing.
As soon as I landed on the island, a strange call came from the tansy/willow/blackberry thicket a short distance from the beach. It was a whole family of Yellow-breasted Chats! A cute, scruffy-looking fledgling popped up to investigate the squeaky noises I made (see photo). I didn't expect a chat family there, but the island's dense brush and scattered cottonwoods must have made a decent breeding area for them. Black-capped Chickadees (see photo) and Bushtits (see photo) were traveling together in a large flock.
I watched an American Beaver swim up the main channel on the other side of the island, and an adult Bald Eagle called from a snag. At least 3-4 Common Nighthawks began chasing one another, calling and “booming” with their wings. As it got dark and bats emerged, two nighthawks coursed low over the island about 3 feet from my head, and I could hear the sound of their wings beating.
Unfortunately, the farm across the channel was running a very loud diesel engine. I figured they'd eventually turn it off, but it continued all night! I believe this was the sound of a blueberry harvester, going up and down row after row of blueberry bushes (visible on satellite imagery). While I understand the necessity of noisy agricultural machinery, I was still disappointed that the noise drowned out the faint nocturnal sounds I'd come all that way to hear, such as coyotes or owls . . . although the nighthawks, crickets and river helped to moderate the noise somewhat.
Lisa Millbank
www.neighborhood-naturalist.com
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