[mou] orchard orioles, Bell's vireos, Grey Cloud Dunes SNA

[linda]

Public thanks to Tom and Kathy Bell for leading a productive hike on a 
glorious day in a gem of a place. I've long loved this area, but it's 
value is enhanced by touring with people so familiar with both its birds 
and its plants.

While I was happy to encounter some old favorites--red-tail hawk, brown 
thrasher, yellow warbler, c. yellowthroat, goldfinches, indigo bunting, 
bluebird, rose-breasted grosbeak, kingbirds; song, field, grasshopper 
sparrow, among others--the real highlights of the day were the orchard 
orioles and the pair of Bell's vireos.

The SNA is in Cottage Grove; Mapquest gives good directions.

The orioles were in a line of trees and some shrubs/bushes at the top of 
the ridge in the NE section of the SNA. The Bell's vireos were in some 
shrubs just east of the path that passes a small pond at the bottom of 
the dunes, on the east side of the train tracks.

This is a fragile environment, so it's heartening to see that people are 
  apparently sticking to the walking paths, and no longer doing the ATV 
thing!

Linda Whyte