Report and Photos by Sam Denney

The 2026 annual Umpqua Valley Audubon walk along the property of Steven Denney in Lookingglass, Oregon took place on Saturday May 23, 2026. Twelve birders in addition to our host spent a few hours walking along the oak-mixed conifer forest and were blessed with a clear sky and warm sunshine. If you have been a part of our annual walk previously you may remember a wetter and not so dry walk.

The group travelled approximately one mile through a combination of forest and wetland habitat with a total of 35 species identified. Throughout the walk Steve educated the group on conservation efforts he and his team have completed to restore white oak, black oak, and ponderosa pine on the property. At the beginning of the walk the group saw an impressive amount of ACORN WOODPECKERS which took advantage of the many tree snags which were left in various sections of property between the oaks. Plentiful acorn caches were identified, and the group even observed an AMERICAN KESTREL squeezing their way into an opening in a snag on her way back to her nest.

As the group continued through the oak-mixed conifer forest, we were greeted with a brief fly over of what was first thought to be a BALD EAGLE but later was identified as everyone’s favorite GREAT BLUE HERON. Through the forest, the group was serenaded with the drunken AMERICAN ROBIN-like song of the BLACK HEADED GROSBEAK in combination with the bass of various woodpeckers looking for their next meal.

As we entered the last section of our walk in the wetland mitigation area, a few members of the group were ecstatic when a LAZULI BUNTING put on their singing cap and decided to take center stage. A lifer for some members of the group, we were able to get a clear look through our binoculars at this migratory beauty in a moment of solace on a nearby telephone line. The beautiful blue head with a stunning orange chest was lit up by the perfect angle of the morning sunshine. My favorite moment and a perfect way to end the day. We hope you can join us next year for the annual walk and see what new vegetation and wildlife move into the restored habitat.

To see all the birds spotted, go to the eBird checklist link: https://ebird.org/checklist/S346583927

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