Tualatin Wildlife Refuge update

[BigBear]

I've seen the owl two times in the forest since that evening, but not since the closure of the summer loop. On a third sighting, one of the owls was on a tree at the 1st footbridge (about 10 days ago). I didn't see it until it flew from its perch. No sound, just a sudden dark mass of wing and body on my right that flew north.

I have heard the owl hoot from somewhere toward the Ridgetop trail twice in the past week, but I do not know if he's within view of the path or in the conifer forest just west of that trail.

The first of your three eagle pictures is incredibly clear and detailed. That's the picture that spoke to me in this group.

[markesc]

That's a marten at Steigerwald? Wow - would not have expected it!

Hard to tell, but given the location I think it's a mink. Mink are common at Tualatin NWR. As you inferred, not likely to find a marten out of the deep dark forest.

I'm really not sure, because I think these two are different...both were at Tualatin

Pretty sure this is a mink:

This guy looks different to me than the above (there are two in this photo?! See the right side of him there's another eye):

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/species/mamm ... otters.asp

[markesc]

I've seen the owl two times in the forest since that evening, but not since the closure of the summer loop. On a third sighting, one of the owls was on a tree at the 1st footbridge (about 10 days ago). I didn't see it until it flew from its perch. No sound, just a sudden dark mass of wing and body on my right that flew north.

I have heard the owl hoot from somewhere toward the Ridgetop trail twice in the past week, but I do not know if he's within view of the path or in the conifer forest just west of that trail.

The first of your three eagle pictures is incredibly clear and detailed. That's the picture that spoke to me in this group.

I'll have to head over there again!

The eagles seem to be a lot closer at Steigerwald if you want photos of 'em perched. They were right at the first bridge opposite the osprey nest. Evidently they're more frequent now as the ranger dude indicated they've spotted 'em duck huntin (now if I could luck out and get a photo of that!).

[pcg]

This guy looks different to me than the above...

I agree. It certainly looks martenish, but I think it must be a young mink with his big ears perked up.
I live a few miles west of Tualatin NWR and have been tramping around the woods here for over thirty years and have never seen a marten. In fact, I have never seen a marten in my life. I saw a fisher in Elk Meadows in the early 80s and believe I might have even seen a wolverine crossing 35 in pre-dawn light about five years ago near Little John Snowpark, but never a marten.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has seen a marten anywhere in Oregon. And, of course, it would be really cool if it turned out that that actually is a marten in your photo. Was it in the same area where the mink were, or somewhere else? I usually see the mink playing around the water near that concrete spillway.

[bobcat]

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has seen a marten anywhere in Oregon.

1. One hunting in the meadow near Umbrella Falls near Mt. Hood Meadows - it was doing that kind of coyote springing up and down trying to flush rodents. I watched it for quite a while.

2. On the St. Perpetua Trail at Cape Perpetua. I talked to the rangers about it and one of them had seen it the week before - the first recorded sighting there, he said; mine was the second!

3. Upper (south) end of the Hurricane Creek Trail in the Wallowas.

Those are the ones I remember. I've also seen martens in Washington, British Columbia and Alberta.

Still, if the mustelid photographed was at Tualatin NWR, I just can't imagine a marten existing in that kind of habitat. I thought it was at Steigerwald and could see one (maybe) straggling down from the forested hills nearby. The profile looks very much like a marten, but probably a young mink . . .

[pcg]

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has seen a marten anywhere in Oregon.

1. One hunting in the meadow near Umbrella Falls...
2. On the St. Perpetua Trail at Cape Perpetua...
3. Upper (south) end of the Hurricane Creek Trail in the Wallowas...
Those are the ones I remember. I've also seen martens in Washington, British Columbia and Alberta.
.

Wow. That's impressive! I need to get out more...