Prairie Falcon still along De Armond Rd in s. Polk County and other snowy observations

[Joel Geier]

Becky and I had to make a grocery run for our daughter in Monmouth today. Interesting "snow" birds along the way there and back included several AMERICAN PIPITS calling in flight over the Roth's supermarket parking lot, WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and a few HORNED LARKS bunched up on the edge of Airlie Rd., then a BALD EAGLE and a PRAIRIE FALCON along De Armond Rd.

Lake Filbert (pond along Hwy 99W just south of the Luckiamute River crossing) had hundreds of what looked like mostly Ring-necked Ducks and Green-winged Teal in a brief stop.

We measured 10+ inches of snow accumulation at our place over the past 48 hours. It seemed like accumulations were less in Monmouth/Independence (around 6 inches). Hwy 99W has been plowed and is in good shape though wet so it could freeze to ice this evening. Side roads -- even including major routes like Airlie Rd. -- were mostly packed snow and likely to be difficult driving for the next few days as the temperatures drop down.

Yesterday while brushing snow off a vehicle, I found one bug (what I used to call "Box-elder Bug" but per info posted by Don Boucher a few months ago, that's incorrect) crawling very slowly on the snowy hood. I put him/her in our greenhouse attachment to be with more of his/her kin. The European Paper Wasps on the nest just inside the greenhouse door were also barely moving on their nest. 

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Joel Geier

Camp Adair area north of Corvallis

[csh...@bywordofmind.com]

I enjoy trying to figure out the stories landscape can tell about forming microclimates.  We're a bit less than 2 miles SE of Adair Village and, according to the USGS topo app, almost the same elevation of 300', with Logsdon Ridge between. The Ridge tops out at 540'+ directly above us.  As of yesterday afternoon, we've had about 12"-13" of snow.  Makes me wonder if that extra 200'+ is enough elevation, with the winds ('Windy' is another really fun app) generally pushing the weather from the SW, to make our side get just a bit more precip.  However, the corridor that 99W follows  might also act as a funnel between the ridge and the Arboretum hills, pushing more air over Adair.  We almost always have a little more precip than reported for the Corvallis area.  I found (online) two local weather stations; the Corvallis Airport which is about 10 miles SSW and the Hyslop Field station which is about 1.1 mile SSE.  I'm not sure which one gets used to report the regional weather totals.

We've been following Lisa's suggestions for cold weather, extra rations, warm water, putting 3:1 sugar mixture out for the hummers about 1/2 hour before dawn.  Seems like they're already waiting. 

The photo is of one chilly White-breasted Nuthatch.  Lots more birds are roosting as near the house as they can get.  And they're much bolder about coming in immediately after food is distributed.  We'll have to do some extra clean up work when the cold spell is over.

Carma Henry

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