Date: 1/6/26 3:12 pm From: Kent Patrick-Riley <kentpr675...> Subject: [RV Birds] Re: Huge numbers of robins on the Medford CBC, with a request
Some were fairly low (<100 feet) that I could see were taking off from the
trees and gaining altitude. But lots were 150-200+ feet high and looked
like they were coming from far off and "headed for Dodge". And they were
all flying upstream East/Southeast, not downstream to the west. I saw the
spot on the opposite side of the road (its also evident in the photograph)
but at 7:25 am the traffic was heavy both behind me at and towards me I
didn't want to stop to make a left and hold up traffic while waiting for
opposing traffic to clear. I think that your spot, however, would be better
- I was tempted to go down a ways and turn around and come back to it.
On Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 3:01:15 PM UTC-8 Pepper Trail wrote:
> Thanks, Kent. So it sounds like the birds you saw were mostly leaving
> from the trees along the river and heading away from you downriver - not
> flying overhead, but away to the west or northwest. Is that right? If so,
> that suggests that the dawn birds we saw passing overhead at Gold Ray were
> most likely from the same roost as the evening birds. That's great
> information.
>
> By the way, the spot we parked is a small (but safe) paved pullout on the
> left just after the Bear Creek bridge (coming from I-5). Very close to
> your ODFW spot (which is on the right), but perhaps offering a more open
> view of the sky.
>
> Thanks again,
> Pepper
>
> On Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 9:12:16 AM UTC-8 Kent Patrick-Riley wrote:
>
>> Here is the satellite image as it was too big for the other email.
>>
>> On Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 9:10:21 AM UTC-8 Kent Patrick-Riley wrote:
>>
>>> I just returned from going to the spot on Bear Creek and Kirtland Road
>>> suggested by Pepper. I arrived later than I wanted -- about 7:25 AM - as
>>> the traffic was heavy on Kirtland & I had trouble finding the pull-out. I
>>> sat in my car for a few minutes looking around and only saw a few robins in
>>> the nearby trees and flying low. But when I got out and looked up, I saw a
>>> wide river of robins flying "downstream" about 100 feet above and 1/4 mile
>>> wide. There were too many robins to count. From 7:30-7:40 it was a
>>> continuous robin stream. Then the numbers started to dwindle and the
>>> robins began flying higher - around 200-300 feet. Small flocks began
>>> landing, resting, and then taking off, some flying within 25 feet. By 8:00
>>> the flight was pretty much over. But while it lasted, it was as impressive
>>> as Pepper suggested - definitely worth seeing. Here's some directions to
>>> visit the spot where I was - coming north on I-5, take the Blackwell road
>>> exit and turn right and follow it for about 1.5 miles as it becomes
>>> Kirtland Road. You will pass a big industrial area on the left about 1/8
>>> mile before the bridge over Bear Creek. Just after crossing the bridge,
>>> there is a quick turnout on the right -- an access parking point to Denham
>>> Wildlife area. I attached a general map and a satellite image to help
>>> locate it. I'm unsure if its the same spot as Pepper recommended, but it
>>> works.
>>>
>>>
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