Jackson-Frazier Wetland and Willamette Park
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Lisa Millbank
May 9, 2013, 12:57:09 AM5/9/13
to Mid-valley Nature
As part of the Natural Areas Celebration Week, we led about 10
people on a tour of the Jackson-Frazier Wetland boardwalk loop. It
was a very nice morning, with all the expected birds. In the
cattail marshes, we got good looks at singing MARSH WRENS, and saw
an occupied nest with the female apparently brooding. YELLOW
WARBLERS are there in fair numbers now. The only water is at the
east end of the boardwalk, where some VIRGINIA RAILS were calling
next to the boardwalk, and some participants saw a pair of HOODED
MERGANSERS (hopefully the mergansers are intending to breed there).
We watched a small flock of AMERICAN CROWS harass a COMMON RAVEN as
it flew by. Plenty of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, some WARBLING VIREOS
moving through the trees, and a GREEN HERON were also nice to see.
There were some interesting native plants in the field west of the parking area. There were lots of BARESTEM LOMATIUM (Lomatium nudicaule) blooming. There were only a few blooming BRADSHAW'S LOMATIUM plants (Lomatium bradshawii), and most were starting to go to seed. There were tiny SLENDER PHLOX (Microsteris gracilis) plants blooming in the dried mud. There was a SILVERY BLUE butterfly.
After the field trip and lunch, we visited Willamette Park. We saw 3 BALD EAGLES, one first-year juvenile with sawtoothed secondaries, and two adults. A BLACK PHOEBE was at the Taylor Water Treatment plant, where they're often seen. We found an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD sitting on her nest near the end of the bike path. We heard a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE singing on our ride back toward the boat ramp/sports fields parking area. Just a couple of SPOTTED SANDPIPERS were visible along the river. We may have heard a Swainson's Thrush and a Western Wood-Pewee, but weren't able to confirm either of them. Where are those Swainson's Thrushes anyway?
Dragonflies and damselflies at Willamette Park today included a mature male COMMON WHITETAIL, unidentified MEADOWHAWK and DARNERS, and TULE BLUETS. RED ADMIRAL butterflies were fairly common. One was visiting a blooming WESTERN CHOKECHERRY for nectar.
Don Boucher & Lisa Millbank
www.neighborhood-naturalist.com
There were some interesting native plants in the field west of the parking area. There were lots of BARESTEM LOMATIUM (Lomatium nudicaule) blooming. There were only a few blooming BRADSHAW'S LOMATIUM plants (Lomatium bradshawii), and most were starting to go to seed. There were tiny SLENDER PHLOX (Microsteris gracilis) plants blooming in the dried mud. There was a SILVERY BLUE butterfly.
After the field trip and lunch, we visited Willamette Park. We saw 3 BALD EAGLES, one first-year juvenile with sawtoothed secondaries, and two adults. A BLACK PHOEBE was at the Taylor Water Treatment plant, where they're often seen. We found an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD sitting on her nest near the end of the bike path. We heard a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE singing on our ride back toward the boat ramp/sports fields parking area. Just a couple of SPOTTED SANDPIPERS were visible along the river. We may have heard a Swainson's Thrush and a Western Wood-Pewee, but weren't able to confirm either of them. Where are those Swainson's Thrushes anyway?
Dragonflies and damselflies at Willamette Park today included a mature male COMMON WHITETAIL, unidentified MEADOWHAWK and DARNERS, and TULE BLUETS. RED ADMIRAL butterflies were fairly common. One was visiting a blooming WESTERN CHOKECHERRY for nectar.
Don Boucher & Lisa Millbank
www.neighborhood-naturalist.com
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