3rd Saturday Birding 2/21/26

Our 3rd Saturday Bird Walk in February was at Fern Ridge and was led by John Sullivan. The weather was cool and cloudy.  Our group of 20 made its way to the observation platform on pond 6. On the way we saw numerous Bald Eagles, hawks and sparrows. A Bittern flew nearby and Marsh Wrens were chattering in the reeds. One of our younger attendees spotted a quick flying Merlin. The Merlin perched in the distance, and we each got to look at it with John’s scope. John adjusted the scope height so our younger attendees could view the various birds throughout the morning. We headed west down the Royal path in search of the Snowy Egret. We got to see it fly along with a Great Egret, and we also saw them in the grass and reeds. The highlight of the morning, though there were several to choose from, may have been when John spotted a Short-eared Owl fly near us! I think we all got to see it as it flew past. We had a lovely morning. Thank you to John Sullivan for sharing his scope and expertise on this walk. A complete bird list follows.

Fern Ridge WMA–Royal Ave. area (general), Lane, Oregon, US
Feb 21, 2026 7:54 AM – 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling 1.146 mile(s)
Coast to Cascades Bird Alliance Third Saturday Bird Walk

20 participants
46 species (+1 other taxa)

Cackling Goose  500
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  40
Canada Goose (occidentalis/fulva)  30
Northern Shoveler  15
Gadwall  30
Mallard  15
Northern Pintail  20
Ring-necked Duck  25
Lesser Scaup  1
Bufflehead  15
Hooded Merganser  2
Ruddy Duck  12
Eurasian Collared-Dove  1
Virginia Rail  1
American Coot  50
Killdeer  4
Least Sandpiper  20
Ring-billed Gull  12
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Double-crested Cormorant  3
American Bittern  1
Snowy Egret  1     Continuing, small white egret with dark bill seen with much larger Great Egret.
Great Egret  2
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  2
American White Pelican  15
Northern Harrier  6
Bald Eagle  7     4A, 3S
Red-shouldered Hawk (elegans)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis)  3
Short-eared Owl  1
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
American Kestrel  1
Merlin  1
Black Phoebe  1
Common Raven  2
Tree Swallow  30
Marsh Wren  6
Bewick’s Wren  1
European Starling  2
American Robin  1
American Pipit  15
Golden-crowned Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  6
Lincoln’s Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  15
Brewer’s Blackbird  12