Introduction
Sky Watching Notes from "Other Nature Notes"

Introduction

The "Other Nature Notes" column for nonbird field observations began in May 1994; previously, there were occasional articles about animals other than birds. Based on observations shared by observers, Range Bayer compiled this column through 2000, and Kathy Merrifield began writing the column in 2001. If you have any observations to share, email them to her.

Unfortunately, Range has lost his computer files for the Sandpiper prior to September 1994, so earlier notes would have to be scanned and converted to text. Below, Range has re-organized and done some editing of "Other Nature Notes" columns from September 1994 and some columns only about dragonflies. Notes are organized by plant or animal group.

Note that these are incidental observations and were not meant to be comprehensive. Nevertheless, there is so little information available about many of these plants or animals in Lincoln County that these notes provide information that is not otherwise available. Some notes are from Neskowin in Tillamook County or coastal Lane County because the observers were Yaquina Birders & Naturalists members.

Common names may be capitalized or not, although it is preferred to have only one style.

To save bandwidth, this material has been subdivided into four files:

Some Lincoln Co. site locations: Bayshore Beach=ocean beach along north Alsea Bay Spit, Bayview Pasture=field east of junction of Beaver Creek Road and North Alsea Bay Road, Beaver Creek=creek flowing through Ona Beach State Park, Coquille Point=SE Corner of Sally's Bend, Driftwood Beach State Park=park about halfway between Seal Rocks and Waldport, Eckman Lake=lake just east of Waldport along Hwy 34, HMSC=OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center, Idaho Flats=large embayment just east of HMSC, Lost Creek State Park=park about 4.75 mi south of Yaquina Bay Bridge, Mike Miller Park=county park just easy of HWY 101 in South Beach, Ona Beach State Park=park about 6.6 mi south of Yaquina Bay Bridge, Sallys Bend=large embayment east of the LNG tank at Yaquina Bay, Sandpiper Village=residential area west of HWY 101 and north of Waldport, Seawoods=residential area just north of Patterson State Park, Thiel Creek=creek about 3.5 mi south of Yaquina Bay bridge, Tidewater=about 8 mi east of Waldport, Wandemere=about 0.5 mi north of Ona Beach along Hwy 101.

Skywatching

In the afternoon of 10/9/1994, Range Bayer saw a sundog on the northern side of the sun and two goose flocks migrating south. Coincidence or related? Perhaps both because migrating geese were also seen at times when there were no sundogs.

From Range Bayer's Newport apartment in 1995, he saw a sun pillar rising about 3-4 sun diameters above the setting sun on 2/21; several people at the YB&N meeting that night also had seen it. A sun pillar is a vertical shaft of yellow light; they seem rare here.

I (Range Bayer) read that green rims sometimes occurred when the moon or even Venus set, but I haven't looked for them. So I had "beginner's luck" when I saw a green rim during the moonset on 12/6/1995. The moon appeared full, was about 1-2 moon diameters above the horizon, and was bright at 7:05 AM. I used binoculars to watch it and as the top of the moon was "pinched off" as it went below a cloud, a faint green rim appeared just like it would for a setting sun, although the sun's green rims are usually brighter. What all these situations have in common is that a green rim appears as the top of a bright object (e.g., sun) that is very low in the sky is "pinched off" as it passes below another object (e.g., cloud, horizon, roof, or cable).

On 11/3/1999, Terry Morse reported "a really nice true green flash after the sun set."

In their boat off Newport on 9/24/2000, Dave Pitkin and Roy Lowe witnessed a true green flash at sunset.