The Silence of the Woods - 6/13/15

Or: This Bird Has Flown...


Amidst the chaos of the cities, a part of you always yearns for the silence of the woods.

-  Ram Mohan

It was the second Bird Walk in as many days and it felt good. Although I wasn't in the best of moods actually being out there in the woods helped to lift my spirits up. I suppose what Hippocrates said is still true, even 2,385 years after his death:  'Walking is man's best medicine.'

Amen, Hippoc, amen.

And so we loaded up the Mini and headed out early again this morning; off to another Birding Adventure with the ASLC (Audubon Society of Lincoln City). This one took us to the Salmon River Estuary just outside the booming Metropolis of Otis.

Hahaha, I kid because I like it out there in Otis. Aside from the Otis Cafe and the Pronto Pup, two of my favorite places to eat, there's the open country and the Panther Creek Community Center. It's got a small town attitude plus it's not too far from the beach. A winning combination.

The walk was along an estuary, a Wetland Restoration Area. It's located in the Siuslaw National Forest along The 101. You can see from this grab off from Google Maps that it isn't all that far from the ocean, or LCO. 

Cool, eh!?!

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And, while we were there for the walk, we learned that the estuary was located right across the street from what was once known as 'Pixieland'.

Fun Facts: Plans for Pixieland were unveiled in 1967 by Jerry Parks, the owner of Pixie Kitchen. He described it as a 57-acre 'Fairytale Story of Oregon.' It had a frontier village, industrial exhibit buildings, canals, a children's zoo, canoe docks, an Indian Village, riverboat, lighthouse, merry-go-round, Ferris Wheel and a log flume thrill ride.

The cost of this park was around $2 million and Parks even hired two former Disneyland employees, the director of music and the director of special promotions to help build and operate the park. The park was located on a parcel of land about three miles north of Lincoln City.

Govenor Tom McCall dedicated Pixieland to all the families of Oregon in June, 1969.

Sounds like a kick!! Unfortunately, Pixieland closed within four years. The rides were sold and the buildings were torn down. The Log Flume Ride was sold in 1974 to Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah where it is still operating today. The Dixieland Steam Train - Little Toot - was sold and moved to Lagoon Park. 

And so ended Pixieland. Few traces of Pixieland remain, the land was returned to wetlands. Trees and brush eventually grew over everything including the RV Park.

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Here's Little Toot. A real operating steam engine.

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The Log Flume Ride. Back in 1969, this was a Big Deal. Not so much today but, c'mon, it was 1969!!

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It's a shame it had to close so quickly but I can understand why having lived here just for a couple months. Regardless, they're working to restore the area where the park once was and have pretty much got it back where it should be.

But we were there for the walk and so let's get back to business, shall we?

After a small miscue, we found our way to the meet-up. Already the crowds were arriving.

With my background I always feel if you ain't early then you're late and, consequently, we wuz early. And while we were waiting for the others, I was wandering around trying to get a good shot. I got these instead. I do like me some Daisies, or Oxeyes. Whatever.

But presently, everyone was there and so we began. There were between 25-30 good souls there today for this outing. I am no longer surprised by the numbers. Every time we go to one of these, we see a lot of familiar faces and a goodly number of new ones, too. It was no different today.

After some introductions and talk, we were ready to go. It was a beautiful place to visit. 

And, true to form, we were off. A loose collection of people with a semi-common goal. And it was fun. There's no time-table, no must-do agenda. Nope, it's great because we meander along sort of together but not really. It's really a kind of enjoy-the-moment excursion and by that I mean that you're chatting with this person and then you both move along and you see something interesting and then you're talking it over with that guy. I like that.

And I like the scenery. 

I think I'm probably the worst person ever to be a Birder. I'm interested but not as much as Carol or the others. And my hearing, especially in the high-range end sucks, big-time,  so I don't always hear the calls the birds are making. Plus, my eyes are getting more than a little shaky about seeing small objects at a distance. Very shaky.

It's a good thing I have me a terrific personality or I'd be in a real fix.

Shooting through a break in the trees towards an open area off the road. There was a lot to see today. A lot!!

And, of course, I always look down and look small. I appreciate the play of light and shadows and saw these leaves lit by a ray of sun that was able to break through the tree canopy. And I appreciate the color contrasts.

Every-so-often we'd get stopped for some interesting sight, i.e. a bird. With no pressure to be there or do that, these little stops can drag out as the conversation becomes lively. 

And there are always the birds. The stars of the show, really. And today there were a total of 28 different birds spotted. All the way from herons to a Red-Tailed Hawk. My only complaint is that the little buggers are so uncooperative when it comes to my taking their picture. I'm such a lazy photographer that if they don't actually pose for a while, I rarely get a picture.

Ok, sue me. I think it is interesting the way the light plays over the leaves.

We strolled up the a ways and then turned onto a dirt road going deeper into the estuary.

And as much as I look up, I look down. To this. 

Hahaha, artists have nothing on Mother Nature. She does some great things with color and design, doesn't she!!

And then, Eureka!! I finally got to see some birds...after they were pointed out to me.

A couple of Cedar Waxwings.

I learned yesterday that these are sociable birds, usually found in small groups so it wasn't a surprise to me that there were two of them hanging together.

Hola, Señor Waxwing. Que tal?

Hahaha, score!! I was determined to get a shot of at least one bird today and I did!!

And then I went back to my flowers.

I'm not sure, is this a Creeping Oregon Grape? I don't think so. Could it be a Low-Hop Clover. Maybe a Bird's Foot Trefoil. Whadya think?

Hahaha, there's too many for me to know and you should all be aware by now of how lazy I am so any real study of them is out of the question. 

Down the dirt road a bit we turned off and walked out onto the estuary. It's a wide open area. We learned that during the winter this area floods with the tides.

But right now it is marshy with some small creeks rolling through it.

It's just a beautiful area. 

And ripe for spotting some birds. And we did.

Meanwhile, I was wandering around. There were a lot of foxgloves around.

And I got up close and personal. 

Hahaha, I didn't know these guys had whiskers in addition to their freckles.

This place was big and wide-open. I'd like to come back sometime. 

If I do maybe I should invest in some waders. 

And then they spotted another bird, a hawk. Honest, it's there. To the right above that clump of trees on the hill. Well, even if you can't see it, we did. 

Hahaha!! Score!!

And the fun didn't stop because as we were there a trio of Great Blue Herons flew across the estuary. Well, they didn't really fly so much as they danced across the sky, really.

The real Birders speculated that one of two things was happening as these great birds swooped and flew at each other. 

Reason Number One: Papa was teaching the kids how to fly and having some fun doing it. Sounds reasonable and sure coulda been.

Reason Number Two: Papa was up there flying with the kids but he was trying to kick their free-loading butts outta the nest. Hahaha, sound familiar? 

Regardless, they were there and we got to watch them and it was fun.

Woo, woo!! I was up to three birds!! Smoking!!

You see, I've been out recently with the Birders and really hadn't gotten any pictures of birds and so, lately, I've made it my especial mission to get a couple every time I go out with the ASLC.

And, POW!! They spotted another. 

It's a Goldfinch.

True to my nature and my irritatingly short attention-span, I was soon off in pursuit of other photogenic gems.

Like this....

And then Carol got this shot of some sap rolling down a tree trunk. Again I am amazed at the clarity and detail these small cell phone cameras can get.

Il est bon, non?

CB

And we kept an eye out for more birds.

We left the estuary and went back to the dirt road when this fine fellow was spotted. He was one fast moving caterpillar. Evidently he is destined to become, someday, a moth.

We crossed the dirt road and entered into an old apple orchard. While we were there, they spotted a Barn Owl. I was near to where they'd seen it but I didn't even know they'd spotted it until Carol told me afterwards.

Ratz.

You can always spot Bird Watchers. 

It's so easy.

And the honeysuckle, along with the sun, was out in force today.

Most of these good folks have binoculars but there's a goodly number of cameras, too. In fact, just listening to some of the conversations I overheard, there are some accomplished photographers in this group.

After we left the estuary we went over to another part of the Wetland Restoration Area.

Well, this is good to know. 

Kidding aside, I hadn't realized there was an area there that we could visit. Good to know for the future.

And while we were there, this guy, a White-Crowned Sparrow, posed for us. Helloooooo.....

I felt I'd done my Birding Duty today!! Nothing great, but I was paying attention.

And it was fun.

But both Carol and I were getting tired and hungry by then. Plus, I needed the necessary. Hahaha, it's tough getting old.

It was another good day here and I really appreciate the opportunity to get out and enjoy it. And see some new country, too.

And a chance to converse with some folks. 

Oh, and see some birds, too.

Hahahahaha, what can I say?

Life is good.

     Hooah!!