Heron Nest Attendance

On Sunday, Sarah, Andie and I birded Fernhill Wetlands then checked on the nesting herons at Dawson Creek Corporate Park. So far, two pairs are beginning to nest in the usual Doug fir. The nest construction seems to have just started because there is not a lot of material in the tree. An adult is standing guard in each nest.


A rough photo, I know. I need to try digiscoping the nest next time I bring a decent scope with me.



I informed the librarians at the adjacent Hillsboro Public Library about their new neighbors. I plan on organizing an event during Portland's Great Blue Heron Days this spring. I expect to lead a birding walk around the park and set up a scope inside the library so patrons can view the nesting behavior from the nonfiction section.
The great horned owl nest is still active and extremely difficult to view, probably a good thing for the parents. A great horned owl nest that is more easily viewed can be found here

Other happenings:

I have agreed to teach a bird biology course at Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus if enough students register. I signed on to teach last year, but the course did not fill. If it does not fill this year, I will remain a strictly apartment-based researcher.

During the next few months, I will likely lead several sanctuary tours at The Audubon Society of Portland. Sarah books many groups there in the spring and I get the call for help when her volunteers fail to sign up for tours. These tours are a lot of fun, but challenging because knowledge of natural history is much less important than ability to manage ten or more grade schoolers that are quite excited to be out of their classrooms.

I am finishing up analyses on hummingbird and dove nest success for my Forest Service research projects based in New Mexico. I should have a rough (very rough) draft of a research paper finished next week!