Western Kingbird in Soap Creek Valley, herons & new eagle "roost" (north Benton County)

[Joel Geier]

This morning I saw a very damp WESTERN KINGBIRD perched on a fence in the Soap Creek Valley. It seemed "early" considering the damp, chilly weather, but this is the typical window of time for Western Kingbirds to show up in the mid-Willamette Valley.

Three GREAT BLUE HERONS were out hunting in the pastures along Soap Creek Road, likely the mates of the birds that are now incubating on at least 8 nests on E.E. Wildlife Area, just across the highway from last year's heronry in poplars on the Coffin Butte Landfill site (which continues to be vacant).

Yesterday I came across 14 BALD EAGLES of various ages, roosting in a line of hybrid poplars near the intersection of Wiles x Robison Rds about half a mile northwest of  Coffin Butte. That's the largest concentration of Bald Eagles that I've ever seen in this neighborhood. There aren't any big sheep flocks around the area this year, but the landfill provides a regular source of offal.

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Joel Geier

Tampico neighborhood north of Corvallis