February in the 5MR
Winter is still here. Because of that and the recent snow and ice storms we have spent more time in Vancouver than LC this month, mostly birding in or near the 5MR. The first week of the month was pleasant weather-wise, deceptively spring-like. Cedar Waxwing, Columbia Springs Jacob and I had a ridiculously birdy afternoon walk at Columbia Springs, our 5MR fish hatchery, with FOY Cedar Waxwings, a calling Hutton's Vireo, and singing Dark-eyed Juncos. Not my style but it happened: Pied-billed Grebe, Columbia Springs Red-backed salamander, Columbia Springs Another day I went out to my "walmart" patch, a stretch of road along Burnt Bridge Creek that hosts a large marsh and a row of white oaks. It was sunny and hard to believe spring had not yet arrived. Fox Sparrow American Kestrel I wanted to keep birding so I decided to check out Hockinson Meadows, a park that was brought to the attention of local birders when someone reported an interesting sapsucker on January 1st.
