Nest Box Surge and More!

It has been a busy few weeks for SWIFTY, as we had several big projects to complete before nesting activity takes place later this month.  

We installed 7 Tree Swallow nest boxes on property that is being rehabilitated by the Midcoast Watershed Council.  This location is on North Beaver Creek.

On the same property is a small lake where we installed one of the 5 duck boxes I constructed.

Looking back across the lake you can dee the duck box in the center of the picture.

From left to right are Jim, Carrie from Midcoast Watershed Council, and Marty.

On the same day, we drove over to another Midcoast Watershed property at South Beaver Creek and installed another Wood Duck nest box.  Notice the big herd of elk in the background.

We also installed 6 Tree Swallow nest boxes on this property.

Marty and I installed a 3rd Wood Duck nest box the next day at Beaver Creek State Natural Area.  I nearly got swallowed up by the mud!  

You can see the box at center-left.

SWIFTY members also installed many other swallow boxes at South Beach State Park, Siletz Natural Area, Hatfield Marine Center, The City of Waldport, and other locations.  

This morning, SWIFTY installed these nifty Purple Martin nest boxes that Wally made.  The location is on Yaquina Bay in Newport at the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Center.  A few days ago, a group of 5 orcas swam by here and up the river, supposedly looking for seal pups.

Wally used a unique design pioneered by a group up in Washington.  Those birds on top are decoys. Marty worked with the Hatfield staff to erect the post, which can be swiveled down for box cleaning and removal.  

Last week, Gail and I had a relaxing day driving up the coast.  We had a wonderful lunch at a Thai restaurant in Depoe Bay.  After lunch, we walked a trail along a stream leading from a nearby park.

Depoe Bay is labeled "The World's Smallest Harbor", and was made famous in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

We continued north past Lincoln City to an open house at Sitka Art and Ecology Center.  Here, I'm adding my contribution to an interactive traveling art exhibit on how water is important to the participants.  The artist in residence, on the chair, is from the Boston area.
 

Sarah Has A Visitor

On March 27, my sister Sarah, who lives in Anchorage, sent me these pictures of this moose who was chomping on her shrubs.  Sarah nonchalantly sipped her morning coffee, and spoke soothingly to her visitor through her open backdoor.  She figured it was a bull moose due to the 2 scars on his head where he had recently shed his antlers.

Great shots, Sarah!  You are the "Moose Whisperer"!

Steelhead Return From The Sea

 Yesterday, I spotted my first steelhead trout of spring in the shallows just below our swimming hole.  I marvel how they find their way back from the ocean, up the 8 miles of our little river where we live, past numerous people fishing.  Fortunately for the steelhead and salmon, no fishing is allowed in their spawning areas above the 7 mile point.

The view from my perch.

Looks like spawning behavior to me!

Tree Swallow Nest Box Installation At Lint Slough

 Today, Jim, Wally and I installed 7 Tree Swallow nest boxes at Lint Slough in Waldport.  I was the lead on this project, getting approval from the city manager, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.  It happened to be the one nice day we will have for awhile, weather wise.  The coast didn't have a speck of snow, but here at the house, we are still slogging through about 5 inches of the stuff.

Wally fastens on the predator guard.

This is a peaceful location popular with bird watchers, hikers, and dog walkers.

Jim and Wally at work.  People walking by gave us happy approvals for our work.

It will be a exciting to see how the swallows take to our boxes in another month or two.  They will be migrating from as far south as the Amazon Basin in South America.

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Big Snow Event

 Eight days ago, last Tuesday, it started to snow. By Thursday afternoon we had 10 inches of snow on the ground, with temperatures dipping down to 24 degrees at night and hovering around 32 during the day. Those first couple days and nights, tree limbs and whole trees were snapping and coming down.  Every minute or so it sounded like a gunshot going off.  Fortunately, our power never went out, thanks in part to underground utilities on Yachats River Road.  It was beautiful, at times spooky, and occasionally fun.  It was also sad to see our beloved big leaf maple tree we see from our living room lose it's biggest remaining trunk.

The following pictures don't need much explanation, so I'll post most of them without captions.  The storms continue today with a wintry mix of snow, sleet, rain, and hail.  Last week we were congratulating ourselves for cleaning up the trails, removing fallen wood and leaning branches.  Now there is a huge amount of tree debris to clean up.  It will be a busy spring.

Wednesday morning, Feb. 27.

Our big leaf maple lost its biggest trunk.  Daisy, Yummy, and I heard it come down Wednesday evening.

The river is loaded with downed trees, and bent over branches.  That should be good for fish habitat.

There's only one big trunk left on the maple.

Good thing I shoveled the driveway on Thursday.  The snow froze solid after a little thawing soon after.  We still have yet to drive out of our driveway.  

Time to dust off the snowshoes...

...and head up the 5300.

Snow shoeing up the 5300 had its obstacles.

We also took Daisy up Bear Scratch.

We took a walk a couple miles down the road on Saturday.

A herd of elk was looking for food.  The bull has just one antler left.

I unscrewed a yardwaste container lid, which made a pretty good sled.

The final run.

We had a little drama this morning.  The school bus normally turns around in the fire dept. parking lot across the street from us, but the driver couldn't make it up the unplowed driveway and accidentally backed off the road onto our property. Cars were blocked in both directions.  There were three kids on board.

Here I am offering no advice.

The fire department emergency vehicle and volunteer from town came to the rescue, hooked his winch up to the bus, and pulled it out.  

I know this weather is commonplace to much of the country, but for coastal Oregon, this was more like a ten year event.  

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New Refrig and Cabinets

 It took about four months, but we finally have our new refrigerator in, and the cabinets redone to accommodate it.

Before

We needed a refrigerator in the kitchen, a novel concept.  This is the only place it could go, which meant some serious cabinet reworking.  Our go-to handyman, Jim R., helped me remove those center two banks of shelves and cabinets without damaging them.  A friend of his, Scot, used the old cabinets to make new cabinets, shelves, etc., that would surround the new refrigerator.  In this way, all the wood would match.  One of the banks of three drawers was relocated to the under counter spot where the mini-fridge used to be.  It was scary messing with these cabinets, and fearing that we would ruin the whole look and utility of things.

After

These three drawers are where the mini-fridge used to be.  Scot is a magician!

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Marine Debris Cleanup

 On Friday the 17th, Gail and I participated in a beach cleanup south of Reedsport near the mouth of Tenmile Creek.  Gail had signed us up, thinking that this would be at Ten Mile Creek, about a 20 minute drive from our house.  We later learned that it was a 1 1/2 hour drive.  We decided to go anyway.  It turned out to be a beautiful day, in the midst of a long rainy spell.

The event was organized by Jesse Jones, CoastWatch Program Manager, and Elizabeth Roberts, a marine debris artist with exhibits at the Washed Ashore Project in Bandon.  All the debris harvested would be trucked to Bandon, washed, and used in art/education displays.  This was a three day event.  The area to be cleaned is a Snowy Plover nesting area in dunes surrounding the Tenmile Creek Estuary.  Also enlisted were two US Forest Service biology technicians who would drive us the several miles through the immense dunes, and down the beach.  We were joined by about six other volunteers.

Jesse Jones on the right, and Elizabeth Roberts, center.  We're getting our safety briefing.

Our Forest Service driver did a good job of blasting us through the dunes.

Down the beach we went...

...until the beach narrowed.  We waited for the tide to drop a little more.

However, we quickly got stuck, but with some shoveling, use of traction mats, and letting some air out of the tires, we were on our way again.  Not wasting time, Gail hauled up a plastic culvert that was beached.

There were about 6-8 poles in our area that were for Purple Martin nest boxes.  It was noticed that Purple Martins mob Northern Harriers, a large hawk that predates on the threatened Snowy Plovers.  At the top of each pole, a Tree Swallow nest box is placed to attract the Purple Martins, who follow the Tree Swallows in their arrival to the area.

Getting ready for lunch break.  Lunch was provided by Jesse.

The dunes, the estuary, and another nest box pole.

We were so lucky to have such a pleasant day.

Happy debris collectors.

A drop in the bucket, but if everyone did a little, that would go a long way.  We were just 12 folks.

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