Good raptor walk, E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area

[Joel Geier]

Hi all,

Jeff Fleischer came up with the idea of "raptor runs" years ago. He used to give narrative summaries of his "runs" here on OBOL, but nowadays he's too busy coordinating what's become a multi-state endeavor, with many dozens (hundreds?) of routes across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and even a bit of Nevada, sponsored by East Cascades Audubon Society.

I'll be doing my own raptor run in the coming months, following the North Benton route that Jeff pioneered himself. The route is entirely within 8 miles of our house, but it ends up being 50 miles of driving, with many stops to check out all the "nooks and crannies."  But today I did a more low-key "raptor walk." I just went across the highway into E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area, for about a 2-mile figure-eight kind of loop on foot.

No sooner was I across the highway than I noticed that a bird perched where I usually expect a Red-tailed Hawk, in a line of cottonwoods, didn't quite look like a Red-tailed Hawk. It turned out to be an adult PEREGRINE FALCON, with full "helmet."

A little farther along I found a young SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, pretending to be a robin. Then an AMERICAN KESTREL, and an adult (probably male based on size) COOPER'S HAWK as I started to loop back, south of the Angling Pond. 

As I came back past the headquarters, a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was loudly proclaiming its affinity for the Kia brand. And there were RED-TAILED HAWKS all along the route.

Not too bad for a short walk off of my front porch. It definitely feels like winter raptor season, here in the mid-Willamette Valley.

Joel

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Joel Geier

Tampico Ridge north of Corvallis