As you probably know, I used to live in La Grande, so not only is this festival a chance to go birding in one of my favorite places, I also get to visit with lots and lots of friends I don't see often. I stopped off in Pendleton and had lunch with friends there, and then proceeded to La Grande, and got Waddles settled in at the Hot Lake Resort RV park. I met up with another friend for dinner, and then attended the kick-off event for the Ladd Marsh Bird Festival. I got back to Waddles at about 8pm and had new neighbors on both sides. It was a bit close for me, but I knew the people on one side, so it wasn't too bad.
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Waddles in a Puddle
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I had intended to get up before dawn and get onto the marsh for the 'Dawn Chorus', but woke to the sound of pretty heavy rain on Waddles' roof, so went back to sleep for a few hours, deciding that starting my day soaking wet was not the best plan. The Festival sets up birding stations, staffed by competent birders, who are ready by 6am. This year they set up canopies to keep themselves, and the birders, out of the rain. I managed to make it through the day without getting very wet, and the birding was good.
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The Marsh
I spent the day mostly at two of the stations, seeing lots of water birds, and a thicket full of many different warblers (which are difficult to photograph so I have none). In the afternoon, after the festival stations closed, a friend and I drove around the valley looking for more birds. It was delightful, even though there were some heavy downpours: the kind where the windshield wipers, on full, can't keep the windshield clear. |
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| Egret on the Marsh |
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| Kestrel |
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| Red-Tailed Hawk |
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| Western Kingbird |
Crawled into Waddles early because I was signed up for a Birds and Botany of the Pine Forest field trip at 6:30am.
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| The full moon was spectacular! |
We met up in town and then drove out to the area around Spring Creek and parked the cars. It was a lovely, mostly dry day, though the ground was saturated. We walked in rather than attempting to drive through the swimming pool sized puddles in the muddy road.
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| It was a bit muddy |
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| But no rain, and lots of birds |
We saw lots and lots of birds and wildflowers, and managed to find the Great Grey Owl nest box, with the mama peeking her head up.
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| Glacier Lily |
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| Grass Widow |
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| Old Mans Beard |
We continued on through a lovely, very wet, meadow and someone spotted the male Great Grey flying low through the trees. He landed on a branch and we were able to watch him for quite a while. They are such amazing birds, and it is a rare treat to seem them.
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| Watching a Great Grey Owl |
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| Great Grey Owl |
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| Moss, Lichen & Flowers Oh My! |
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| Lovely Meadow |
After the field trip we picked up some lunch and went out to visit another friend. We sat on her porch with a spectacular view. There we saw a Lewis's Woodpecker, Western Tanagers and Lazuli Buntings. It was a perfect day. That night was the full lunar eclipse. It was mostly clear sky, so I was able to watch it.
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| Full Lunar Eclipse, just past totality |
I spent one more night in Waddles and got up early to drive home. Waddles is happy to be on the road again, and we will be doing more as the weather warms.
This weekend I am going drift boating & flyfishing on the Deschutes River, but Waddles will be staying home.
