Winter may actually come to Central Oregon in the next couple of weeks, but at the moment it feels more like spring (false spring to be honest).
With a break in the weather, we decided to take a drive over to the wildlife refuge at Summer Lake. There’s no anticipation of great birding,
It’s between migrations. However, the sun was out, the roads were dry, and we really needed a road trip.
Summer Lake, even in the winter, has some avian population. After all, there are year-round residents, just not many. The draw this time of year, well anytime of year, is the quiet solitude.
You hear wind in the reeds, water bubbling between canals and the occasional bird song. Most of the time there are no other humans around.
Hunting season is over so the loop gate is open allowing access to the eastern dike road. This narrow track, literally the width of the dike, runs between two ponds that always have at least a thin layer of water.
This is also a stretch that on most days would have a variety of shore birds; Stilts, Avocets, Dippers and the like . . . not this day.
We got the scope on a couple of hawks, Red Tails, we think. They were a distant challenge, even for the spotting scope.
There was a bevy of swans, paired up, but still too early for cygnets. There were plenty of ducks and a couple gaggles of geese.
Wildlife was keeping a distance from humans and cars. That’s fine . . . we were there to take in the day.