Vol. 26, No. 1, Spring 2000 The quarterly journal of Oregon field ornithology

Distribution, Abundance, and Nest Site Characteristics of Putple Martins in 14? - .'Iff' K -H^-'"' Oregon 115 Eric Horvath

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June Sighting of Multiple Glaucous Gulls in * Otegon, with Notes on Identification .... 123 Phillip Pickering

Gray-headed Junco ijunco hyemalis caniceps) found nesting in Oregon Canyon, Malheur County, Oregon 128 Mike Denny

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1 Site guide: Wood River Wetlands, Klamath County 130 Kevin T. Spencer

Lane County Big Day 1999: Did the late migration help or hurt in the chase for a record? 132 Alan Contreras

Announcements: 1999 OFO Awards, Editorial Assistance Sought 136 Mary Anne Sohlstrom, Matt Hunter

Field Notes: Eastern Oregon, Summer 1999 138 Kevin T. Spencer

Field Notes: Western Oregon, Summer 1999 144 Bill Tice

i Purple Martin, female, nesting in snag, Curry County, July 1998. Photo/Eric Horvath Oregon Field Ornithologists Box 10373, Eugene OR 97440 OFO Website: www.oregonbirds.org The mission of Oregon Field Ornithologists is to further the knowledge, education, enjoyment and science of birds and birding in Oregon.

Officers and Board of Directors President Ray Korpi, Portland (2000), 503-289-1676, [email protected] Secretary Mary Anne Sohlstrom, Salem (2000), [email protected] Treasurer Reid Freeman, Eugene (2000), 541-343-7488, [email protected] Directors Vjera Arnold, Springfield (2000), [email protected] Tom Winters, John Day (2000), [email protected] Steve Dowlan, Mehama (2001), [email protected] Dennis Vroman, Grants Pass (2001), [email protected]

Committees of Oregon Field Ornithologists Publications Ray Korpi, [email protected] Archivist Paul T. Sullivan, [email protected] OFO Bookcase Lucy Biggs, [email protected] OFO Birding Weekends Paul T. Sullivan, 4470 SW Murray Blvd #26, Beaverton OR 97005, 503-646-7889 [email protected] Oregon Bird Records Committee 0BRC Secretary Harry B. Nehls, 2736 SE 20th Ave. Portland, OR 97202, (503) 233-3976 [email protected]

Oregon Birds Editor Matt Hunter, 232 NE Azalea Dr., Corvallis OR 97384, 541-745-5199, [email protected] Graphic Design & Production Barbara Gleason

Board of Editors

Steve Dowlan, Terrie Murray, Gary Ivey, Ray Korpi, Dave Irons

Submitting Material to Oregon Birds Send all material to the Editor. Oregon Birds publishes articles and short notes on the following topics as they relate to Oregon's birds: bird status, distribution, occurrence, and life histories; bird identifica• tion and taxonomy; short notes on unusual observations; birding skills and techniques; bird-finding guides for particular species; site guides to birding a particular location; biographies, interviews, history and memoria; field notes; book and media reviews; news briefs; and other similar topics of interest to the readership. Submissions are preferred in electronic form, via e-mail, or sent as four paper copies, double-spaced throughout; send photos via ground mail, or contact the Editor for specifications on scanning images. Be sure all materials are labeled with or accompanied by your name, address, phone number, and e-mail if available. See the OFO web site (url above), or contact the Editor for expanded instructions and tips on preparing material for submission to Oregon Birds. Distribution, Abundance, and Nest Site Characteristics of Purple Martins in Oregon

Eric Horvath, P. O. Box 721, South Beach, OR 97366, 541-867-6791, [email protected]

INTRODUCTION colonies by surveying many areas of ure is arbitrary, but was selected be• suitable habitat. cause male martin dawnsong can of• The Purple Martin (Progne subis) is ten be heard from more than 1 km, classified as Sensitive in the Critical I defined a colony as 1 or more pair martins readily traverse 1 km, nest category by the Oregon Department of Purple Martins nesting more than sites separated by less than 1 km were of Fish and Wildlife (Marshall 1992). 1 km from other martins. In some often in view of each other, and mar• Purple Martin populations have de• areas martin nest sites were scattered tins frequently associated with their along waterways for 2-3 km, with clined in Oregon (Lund 1977, Sharp neighbors from more than 100 m many pairs, and the nearest neighbor 1986, Marshall 1992), yet much ba• away. Also, it was useful to have a less than 1 km away. In these cases sic biological information is lacking. uniform cutoff figure to document the whole collection of nest sites was In this study, I sought to locate and colony distribution. inventory all breeding sites in 1998 considered one colony. The 1 km fig• and gather information on the breed• ing biology of Purple Martins in Or• egon. With this information birders, biologists, and martin fanatics have the opportunity to manage Purple Martin colonies to increase popula• tion levels. METHODS I compiled a list of all current and historical Purple Martin colony lo• cations in Oregon from information provided by the Otegon Natural Heritage Program, Oregon Depart• ment of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. For- est Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Dave Fouts (a private citi• zen who manages many martin colo• nies along the Columbia River), and the approximately 400 membets of Oregon Birders On Line (i.e. the Or• egon birding community).

During June through 10 August 1998 I visited 111 of the 134 re• ported colonies. Of the 23 reported colonies where I made no visit, 6 were sites where other observers recently reported inactivity, and 10 were colo• nies that I judged likely inactive since Figure I. Locations of active (dots) and inactive (stars) martin colonies in Oregon in 1998. Counties, the last observation was before 1979. major rivers, and lakes are shown. The single dot below the map represents a colony at Lava Beds Also, I found 45 previously unknown National Monument, California.

Oregon Birds 26(1): 115, Spring 2000 DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURPLE MARTINS IN OREGON

toried and many suitable areas were surveyed, this study represents the first minimum population estimate of nesting martins in Oregon. While I surveyed all managed colonies and searched most lowland fivers and es• tuaries where old pilings are com• mon, there probably remain martins that escaped my detection. However, most of these were likely nesting in snags in remote uplands, either soli• tarily or in small colonies. Because my sampling of upland snag nesting mar• tins found few pairs relative to the managed colonies, I estimate the 1998 statewide population was likely 784-1000 nesting pairs.

Figure2. Purple Martins nestingin plastic gourds hung on a speciallymaderack. In 1998, l4%ofthe Distribution Oregon population nested in gourds. This site, on Sauvie Island, is managed by Dave Touts. Purple Martins were uncommon and At each colony I counted the num• accessible to a flying martin. local in most of western Oregon in ber of pairs of Purple Martins by For each pair I recorded the nest cav• 1998 (Figure 1). Some counties watching for birds entering nest cavi• ity type, whether single nestbox, lacked Purple Martin colonies (Wash• ties, especially with food or nesting apartment (multi-compartment material. Observations were made ington. Yamhill, Clackamas, Marion, nestbox), gouid, under a cap on a with 10X binoculars and a spotting Josephine, and Jackson Counties). piling, other artificial cavity, piling scope. Most sites were surveyed by Martins wefe locally common along with an old woodpecker hole, piling scanning from land, but a boat was the Columbia River, in some coastal with a natural rot pocket (a crevice used to access some areas. I observed estuaries, and at Fern Ridge Reservoir. remaining after decayed wood has colonies for several hours and on fallen away), snag, or unknown nest Martins once nested more widely in multiple days to ensure an accurate site. I recorded clutch size at colonies Oregon including colonies in the count, ot relied on reports from othet whete I opened nest boxes during the observers to augment the accuracy of Upper Rogue Rivet Basin (Browning survey. For each snag I recorded di• my single visit. At some of the 1975), and in the Klamath Basin ameter at breast height (dbh), height, nestbox colonies, I opened each (Lund 1978, Gabrielson and Jewett cavity height, and height of the cav• nestbox to determine the contents. In 1940). I found no maitins at these ity above the brush and/or young June and early July, I counted pairs former sites. While martins still trees. Heights were measured with a only during the fust 4 hours follow• mettic tape and clinometer. I also re• nested in 1998 at Lava Beds National ing sunrise, since during incubation corded snag tree species, estimated Monument, just south of the Ofegon many maitins forage far from the the amount of decay, and evaluated border (Brian Williams pers. comm.), nest, and large colonies can appear whether the cavity was an abandoned their absence from Lake, Klamath, vacant at midday. Aftet early July I woodpecker hole or a natural rot and Jackson counties represents a censused throughout the day as most pocket. contraction in range since 1940. pairs were feeding young and were active at the nest even during midday. RESULTS AND Population Trends

Colony elevation was estimated from DISCUSSION Gabrielson and Jewett (1940) de• U.S. Geological Survey topographic Abundance scribed the Purple Martin as a "rather maps. Vegetation within 10 m of the uncommon summer resident and nest site was briefly described. I re• I observed 784 pairs of Purple Mar• breeding species of western Oregon, corded distances to the nearest build• tins at 112 colonies in Oregon in most common in coastal counties; ing (or nearest moored boat at busy 1998. Prior to this study, no system• decidedly rare east of the Cascades." docks), to the nearest large canopy atic inventoty existed for martins in Gullion (1951) feported Pufple Mar• tree, and to the nearest open water Oregon (Marshall 1992). Since vir• tins as common in the southern tually all known colonies wete inven• Oregon Birds 26(1): 116, Spring 2000 DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURPLE MARTINS IN OREGON

Willamette Valley in the 1940s. An• tion by Lund and others, norably tins also nested colonially, but 11 % ecdotal reports indicate a drastic Dave Fouts and Oregon Department of the pairs at unmanaged sites nested population decline from the late of Fish and Wildlife. solitarily (Table 1). These data sup• 1940s to the late 1970s (Sharp 1986, port the hypothesis that martin colo• Fours 1988). Colony Size nies form in response to localized abundance of limited nest sites In 1977, Lund (1977) censused 168 In managed colonies (defined as colo• (Brown 1997). pair of Purple Martins in Oregon. nies where 50% or more of the paits From 1976-1978 he found 31 active nested in housing specifically made Nesting Habitat colonies (Lund 1978). This total was for martins, i.e. nestboxes, gourds, Habitat within 10 m of the nest site the result of field checks of historical and apartments), mean colony size varied substantially among all 112 nesting sites ("about a hundred"), and was 11.2 pairs (n=55, S.D.=12.0, colonies, and included open water, was a decline from 60 active sites ten range 1-55 pairs). In contrast, grassy fields, and recent clearcuts and years previously. Unfortunately, in unmanaged colonies (where more butns with btush and young trees. All neither paper did he detail his meth• than half of the paits used snags, pil• colonies were in openings, with mean ods or list the areas surveyed. Never• ings, etc.) were much smaller on av• distance from the nest cavity to large theless, Lund's data likely reflect a erage, with mean colony size of 3.2 canopy trees 145 m (n=75, reasonably thorough attempt at docu• pairs (n=49, S.D.=3.2, range 1-16). S.D.= 179, range 6-500+m). It is sig• menting the known statewide popu• Unmanaged colonies included mar• nificant that martins were not found lation. The increase in Purple Mar• tins nesting in holes in pilings, un• nesting closer than 6 m from the edge tin pairs from 168 in 1977, to 784 der caps on pilings, in snags, and in a of the canopy of large trees; they ap• in 1998, while not directly compa• miscellaneous collection of odd sites parently require exposed locations rable, most likely represents a signifi• including a broken out streetlight, in away from trees. cant increase in the Purple Martin pulleys at the top of a boom of a population. This population rebound ctane, in holes undet a dock made of Martins nested from 0 to 5,000 m is probably due to nestbox installa- old railway cars, in holes under a con• from buildings, and there was no pat• crete highway bridge, in crevices be• tern of nesting close to, oi away from, tween beams on navigational mark• buildings (mean distance 424 m, Table 1. Colony size at 49 ers, and in a horizontal metal pipe. S.D.=636, n=81 colonies). While unmanaged sites (snags, pilings, mis• In Maryland, Morton et al. (1990) martins in the eastern United States cellaneous manmade structures). observed that new colonies began prefer locations 10-40 m from build• Since cavities were usually artificially with at least two nesting paits, and ings (Hill and Chambers 1998), this clumped at managed sites, only data that martins only nested colonially. is not the case in Oregon. from unmanaged sites are included They (ibid.) hypothesized that mar• In general, a wide range of habitats here. tin females avoid non-colonial breed• were accepted. Featutes common to Colony Size Number of ing and constrain male yearlings to all sites included distance greater than (Number of pairs) Colonies join colonies. In Oregon, most mar• 6 m to large live trees, presence of an 1 17 2 12 3 8 Table 2. Distance to water of Purple Martin colonies in Oregon in 1998. 4 1 Where colonies included both nests over water and over land, the colony 5 0 was assigned to the "distance to water " category that had the majority of 6 5 7 2 pairs. 9 colonies where the exact nest site was unknown were excluded. 8 2 Distance to water (m) Number of colonies Number of pairs 9 0 0 (Surrounded by watet) 80 547 10 0 11 0 1-50 9 87 12 0 50-1,000 3 62 13 0 / 14 1 1,000-5,000 7 36 15 0 >5,000 4 16 16 1

Oregon Birds 26(1): 117, Spring 2000 DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURPLE MARTINS IN OREGON

While old woodpecker cavities ac• Table 3. Nest cavity types used by Purple Martins in Oregon. counted for most of the nest sites in Cavity Type Number of pairs Percent of total population snags and pilings, martins also readily Managed Sites: used natural rot pockets as nest sites. Single Nestbox 450 57.4 Snags Apartment 27 3.4 Gourd 107 13.7 Snags were the only natural substrate Unmanaged Sites: where I found martins nesting. Data Under cap on piling 40 5.1 were collected on 35 pairs nesting in Other artificial cavity 25 3.2 snags. Thirty-two pairs used old woodpecker holes, and 3 used natu• Snag 40 5.1 ral rot pockets in the snags. Most fre• Piling: in old woodpecker hole 41 5.2 quently only 1 pair nested per snag Piling: in natural rot pocket 24 3.1 (n=l4), but "natural apartments" of Piling: cavity type unknown 9 1.2 2 pair (n=4), 3 pair (n=3), and 4 pair (n= 1) in a single snag were also found. Nest site unknown 21 2.7 These cases of multiple pairs nesting in one snag (an example is shown in unoccupied cavity, and for sites over be safer from mammalian predators. land, height of more than 5 m above At sites over water, height above wa• the brush and young trees. ter level appeared to be less impor• Most martins nested over water, al• tant than nest height at sites over though a few nested >5,000 m from land, since many occupied nest cavi• the nearest river, lake, or estuary ties were within 2 m of water level. (Table 2). This indicates that martins Nest Cavity Types may prefer sites over water, but this Purple Martins nested in a variety of is not an obligate requirement. I hy• cavity types (Table 3, Figures 2-6). pothesize that nests over water may 74.5% of all martin pairs in Oregon nested in housing specifically put up for martins (e.g. nestboxes, gourds, and apartments). Other nest sites (e.g. snags, pilings, and crevices in manmade structures) accounted for 25.5% of the population. While Brown (1997) characterized western Purple Martins as nesting almost ex• clusively in woodpecker holes or Figure 4. Purple Martins nesting in a natural rot natural cavities, martins in Oregon pocket of an old piling in Reedsport. In 1998, currently nest mostly in artificial cavi• 10% of the Oregon population nested in cavities in old rotted pilings. ties. However, martins are not totally dependent upon artificial nest boxes Figure 7) indicate that high density in Oregon today, as proposed by colonies can form in natural as well Marshall (1992). No martins were as artificial colonies. found using commercial aluminum Mean colony size where nesting was martin apartments of the style com• predominately in snags was 3.6 pairs monly put up in the eastern United (n=ll, S.D.=2.5, range 1-8). Martin States, however only two of these nest snag trees were Douglas-fir Figure 3. Author installing a Purple Martin were found, both close to trees. Mar• (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Cottonwood nestbox in Florence. In 1998, 57% of the Oregontin s did use homemade wooden population nested in single nestboxes of various {Populus trichocarpa), Red Alder apartments at 9 colonies in Oregon. designs. (Alnus rubra), Willow {Salix), and Oregon Birds 26(1): 118, Spring 2000 DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURPLE MARTINS IN OREGON

predation. Compass direc• In one former (inactive) colony, mar• tion that the nest faced was tins had reportedly been nesting in a recorded for 27 cavities in live green tree. This tree, however, had snags used by martins. Cav• an emergent dead top which function• ity entrances faced in many ally resembled a snag. directions; no pattern was The snags used by martins were of• found. ten far from water, with mean dis• Martins used snags in a wide tance 2,500 m to open water (n=13, range of decay, from rela• S.D.=2,119, range 0-5,000 m). Also, tively young (10 years since the nesting colonies in snags tended burned) snags with bark and to be at higher elevations than the fine twigs still present to old general population, with mean eleva• snags with no limbs or bark tion 364 m (n=13 colonies, and red cuboidal rot invad• S.D.=220, range 5-732 m). These ing the center of the tree. locations were often remote areas in Martins most often occu• forested uplands that lacked Euro• pied snags with substantial pean Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Star• decay. These snags fre• lings appear to occupy most suitable quently had many old cavities in lowland snags, competi• woodpecker holes (an ex• tively excluding martins from many ample is shown in Figure 7). potential and former areas. In colo• Figure 5. In 1998, 5% of the Oregon martin population nies where European Starlings were nested under metal caps on pilings such as this at TenmileMea n distance from the snags not controlled in Texas, Brown Lake, Coos County. to tall, live canopy trees was (1981) found that Purple Martin 195 m (n=19, S.D.=140, populations were significantly re• Oregon White Oak {Quercus range 10-500 m). Martins selected duced. Purple Martins would likely garryanna). Douglas-fir snags were snags which were isolated and/ or apart have a much wider use of snags in most commonly used, and mean dbh from live canopy trees. This is likely an Oregon without European Starling of these snags was 1.2 m (n=17, important factor in nest site selection. S.D.=0.39, range 0.51-2.27 m). competition. Among all martin nest snags, mean height was 19 m (n=22, S.D.=9.9, Table 4. Elevation of Purple Martin nest sites in Oregon. range 6-44 m). Mean cavity height Elevation (ft) Elevation (m) Number of pairs Percent of Total was 15 m (n=35, S.D.=8.4, range 5- 0-200 0-61 604 77.0 44 m). Mean cavity height above the 200-400 61-122 88 11.2 brush and young trees was 12.7 m 400-600 122-183 0 0.0 (n=35, S.D.=7.4, range 5-38 m). This 600-800 183-244 31 4.0 last measurement may be an impor• 800-1000 244-305 5 0.6 tant variable in nest site selection by martins. The effective height of cavi• 1000-1200 305-366 7 0.9 ties in snags surrounded by brush and 1200-1400 366-427 27 3.4 young trees is not the distance to the 1400-1600 427-488 4 0.5 ground, but instead the distance 1600-1800 488-549 12 1.5 above the brush. Martins chase off 1800-2000 549-610 0 0.0 small mammalian predators by div• 2000-2200 610-671 0 0.0 ing at them (pers. obs.), and are only 2200-2400 671-732 2 0.3 able to defend cavities that are well 2400-2600 732-792 3 0.4 above the brush. Hence martins may 2600-2800 792-853 1 0.1 be selecting higher cavities to avoid Oregon Birds 26(1): 119, Spring 2000 DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURPLE MARTINS IN OREGON

Hood River mattins formerly nested often in County snags (Lund 1978, Gabrielson and ( n = 4 1 ) ; Jewett 1940). Now snags are limited Silbernagel and only 5% of the statewide popu• Farm, house, lation nests in snags (Table 3). Linn County (n=l); Fern Nest site competition by the intro• Ridge Reser• duced European Starling has been a voir, Amazon big factor in reducing nest site avail• Dike, Lane ability for martins in Oregon. For County (n=5); example, in Coos Bay where large Fern Ridge areas of foraging habitat for starlings Res ervo i r, exists, starlings are now common, Bang's Cove, nesting in the many old pilings Lane County around the bay. However, in the (n=4); Fern 1960s and 1970s, starlings were Ridge Reser• scarcer than they are today, since they voir, Coyote only began nesting in western Or• Creek, Lane egon during the 1960s (Jobanek County 1993). During this time, records in (n=36); Fern the Oregon Natural Heritage Pro• Ridge Reser• gram database indicate that there voir, Long Tom were several martin colonies at Coos Colony, Lane Bay. In 1998 only 1 mattin colony County of 2 pair, in starling resistant (n=19); Fern nestboxes, could be found on Coos Ridge Reser• Bay. In conttast, nearby Tenmile Lake voir, Signal Is• land, Lane County (n=5); and Cottage Figure 6. Purple Martin carrying a dragonfly to feed nestlings in an old woodpecker hole in a Douglas-fir snag in Curry County. In 1998, 5% of the Gtove Reset- Oregon population nested in snags. voir, Lane County (n=2). Mean clutch size was 4.6 eggs (n=126, Elevation S.D.= 1.04, range 1-7). This value Most active colonies were at less than closely matches the clutch sizes de• 60 m elevation (Table 4), and 88% scribed fot the eastern subspecies of of the statewide population nested purple martin, 7? 5. subis (Brown 1997). below 125 m. Although the highest Few othet records of clutch size exist elevation at which I recorded nesting fot the western race R s. arboricola, al• martins was 800 m, Lund (1978) re• though in British Columbia clutch size ported martins nesting at 2,100 m in also averaged 4.6 eggs (n=7, Fraser et the Klamath Basin. al. 1997).

Clutch Size Conservation

I recorded clutch size at 9 colonies The Purple Martin population of during colony counts in July 1998. Oregon is limited by lack of available The colonies were: Government nesting cavities (Lund 1978). Histori• Figure 7. Large old snags riddled with woodpecker Cove, Hood River County (n=13 cally, snags were more abundant in holes can support several pairs of Purple martins. Three pairs used this snag in 1998 at Gardner clutches measured); Ruthton Point, the landscape and reports indicate Ridge, Curry County. Oregon Birds 26(1): 120, Spring 2000 DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURPLE MARTINS IN OREGON

Floor 6" X 18"; top and sides Put on metal roof which protects Number boxes on front and 7.5" X 14"; roof of aluminum top and upper half of sides. align all openings in one direc• or galvanized sheet metal 14" tion so the colony can be eas• Paint exterior white to reflect X 18". ily censused from one location. summer heat and to ptotect The front is hinged on the two wood. Install more than 30 feet from nails shown. live green trees, ideally at an Roughen floor at entrance for existing active martin colony, Use 3/4" plywood to avoid nail traction. on creosoted pilings over wa• splits. It holds together better This design is for attaching a box ter. when shot by vandals. to a piling. Drive 8" galvanized At locations subject to House Starling resistant opening (ex• spikes or lag screws through the Sparrow competition, installa• actly 1 1/4" X 2 3/4") keeps pre-drilled holes in the 2" X 4" tion of boxes far from shore is out most starlings. 3/4" thick• hanger. best. 50 yards or more of open ness adds to the difficulty for Tilt box slightly to allow rain to water deters House Sparrows, them also. run out of the entrance. and the martins readily accept boxes far out over water.

Oregon Birds 26(1): 121, Spring 2000 DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF PURPLE MARTINS IN OREGON has very little starling foraging habi• pott 99-1-01) which includes appen• 70. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, tat because it is surrounded by for• dices on colony locations, snag data, Washington. ested uplands, and lacks mudflats. I and areas surveyed. Many people pro• Fouts, D. 1988. The Plight of the detected few European Starlings there vided information on martin colony Purple Martin in die Pacific Northwest. during my 1998 surveys. Purple Mar• locations. Without theit help this Putple Martin Update 1(3): 8-10. tins, however, remain common on project would not have been possible. Frasei, D.F., C. Siddle, D. Copley, and Tenmile Lake, with 40 pairs in 12 I thank: Paul Adamus, David Bailey, E. Walters. 1997. The status of the colonies. Bruce Campbell, Range Bayer, Kat Purple Martin in British Columbia. Beal, John Beck, Al Clark, Eric Cole, The best long tetm strategy to in• Wildl. Branch Wotking Rep., Min. Barbara Combs, Alan Contreras, crease the Oregon martin population Environ. Lands Patks, Victoria, BC. Doug Cottam, Colin Dillingham, will be to manage for long-term Jim England, Jim Ericson, Terry Gabrielson, I. N., and S. G. Jewett. maintenance of snags across the for• Farrell, Dave Fouts, Don Gay, Walter 1940. Bitds of Oregon. Oteg. State ested landscape. These should be Gayner, Roy Gerig, Greg Gillson, Coll., Corvallis. large dbh (greater than 1 m), tall Rebecca Goggans, James Hannan, Gullion, G.W 1951. Birds of the (greater than 20 m), and standing Dick Haward, Steve Holt, Jake southern Willamette Valley, Oregon. mote than 10 m away from large live Jakabosky, Keith Kimmerle, Tony Condor 53:129-149. tiees. In addition, old pilings which Koch, Ray Korpi, Margaret LaFaive, currently account fot 5% of the nest Hill, J.R. Ill, and L. Chambers. Richard Larson, Dave Lauten, Ron sites in Otegon should be retained. 1998. The PMCA's Best Martin Maertz, David Marshall, Alan Management Tips. Purple Martin In the short term, martins can be McGie, Tom Mickel, Ed Miller, Don Update 8(1): 10-11. managed by putting up nestboxes to Munson, Mark Nebeker, Ralph Opp, Horvath, E. 1999. Distribution, inctease abundance at existing colo• Mike Patteison, Joe Pesek, Chuck abundance, and nest site charactei- nies and expand distribution to new Philo, May Price, Tim Rodenkirk, istics of Putple Martins in Oregon. colonies. For example, in 1993 when Jim Rogers, Ginny Rosenberg, Gor• ODFW Tech. Rept. 99-1-01. I began putting up nestboxes at Yaquina don Sahnow, Floyd Schrock, Jamie Bay, there were <10 pairs nesting. In Simmons, Claire Smith, Karen Jobanek, G.A. 1993. The European 1999 the population had grown to 50 Sparkman, Elmer Specht, Mark Starling in Oregon. Oregon Birds pairs. There is, however, a concern that Stern, Paul Sullivan, Bill Tice, Dan 19(4): 93-96. region-wide nestbox programs could Van Dyke, Terry Wahl, Brian Will• Lund, T. 1977. Purple Martins in result in complete convetsion of the iams, and Katherine Wilson. western Oregon. Part 1: status and population to nestboxes. This has oc• conservation. Oregon Birds 3: 5-10. curred in the eastern United States LITERATURE CITED Lund, T. 1978. The Purple Martin where martins now nest virtually ex• Brown, C.R. 1981. The impact of in the Western United States. Part clusively in man made structures. Con- Statlings on Putple Martin popula• Two: It's a question of holes. Oregon sequendy, we should try to tetain our tions in unmanaged colonies. Amer. Birds 4(2): 1-9. natural snag nesting martins by install• Birds 35 (3): 266-268. Marshall, D. 1992. Purple Martin. ing nestboxes only in areas overrun with Brown, C.R. 1997. Purple Martin. In Sensitive Vertebrates of Oregon. starlings (i.e. most lowland estuaries, (Progne subis). TrcThe Birds of North Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. rivers and reservoirs) and avoid putting America, No. 287 (A. Poole and F. nestboxes up in forested uplands where Gill, eds.) The Academy of Natural Morton, E.S. L. Forman, and M. starlings are few. A nestbox construc- Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The Braun. 1990. Extrapair fertilizations tion diagram is shown in Figure 8. American Ornithologists' Union, and the evolution of colonial breeding in Purple Martins. Auk 107:275-283. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Washington, D.C. Browning, M.R. 1975. The distribu• Shatp, B. 1986. Guidelines for the Financial support was provided by tion and occurrence of the birds of management of the Putple Martin, Pa• of the Oregon Department Fish and Jackson County, Oregon and sur• cific Coast Population. Sialia 8:9-13. Wildlife. A version of this report is rounding areas. N. Am. Fauna, No. on file with ODFW (Technical Re- Oregon Birds 26(1): 122, Spring 2000 June Sighting of Multiple Glaucous Gulls in Oregon, with Notes on Identification Phillip Pickering, 925 SE31st, Lincoln City, OR 97367, [email protected]

rom 28 May through 3 June particularly during this season. This appeared to be in the eatly stages of 1999 I observed as many as article provides details of my obser• fading. The gonydeal angle of the bill F three individual Glaucous vations and discusses methods and was noticeable, but much less so than Gulls {Lams hyperboreus) among the pitfalls of identification of Glaucous on nearby Western and Glaucous- normal gathering of Western Gulls Gulls during this season. winged Gulls. The iris was medium (L. occidentalis), Glaucous-winged yellow-brown, not as dark as the iris Gulls (L. glaucescens), and California of a typical Glaucous-winged. Gulls (L. californicus) at the mouth Though also appearing worn, the of the D River in Lincoln City, Or• other immature showed faint gray- egon. On the morning of 3 June, all brown spots on the edges of a few three individuals were present. Two wing and body feathers. As with the were worn first-spring birds (i.e. first immature, the overall appearance about one year old) and one was an of its plumage was almost pute white. older, possibly fourth-spring indi• vidual that appeared to be in nearly full adult plumage. During my ob• Figure 2. Worn lst-summer Glaucous Gull, 3 servation I was able to photograph June 1999, D River Wayside, Lincoln City, OR Photo/Phil Pickering the fourth-year (+) bind and one of the first-year birds. I was unable to Observation relocate any of them during subse• The immature birds stood out imme• quent checks of the area. To my diately in the gull flock, as both were knowledge this is only the second strikingly white. Both birds appeared documented late spring or summer to be roughly similar in size to the Figure 3. Worn 4th-summer or adult Glaucous record for Oregon, the other being Gull, 3 June 1999, D River Wayside, Lincoln largest nearby Glaucous-winged and of a single bird photogtaphed at City, OR Photo/Phil Pickering Western Gulls. Both appeared rela• Tillamook 20 June 1982 (Gilligan et tively wide-bodied, barrel-chested, I was also able to closely approach the al. 1994). Late spring and summer and thick-necked, giving them a thitd, older gull (Fig. 3 and 4). It was records of Glaucous Gulls are quite heavy-set appearance. Both birds had larger, appearing bulkier and tallei rare in Oregon, and worn, pale, im• medium pink legs and feet. Both also than nearby Western Gulls. It also mature Glaucous-winged Gulls are had relatively straight and noticeably had a thick-necked, barrel-chested sometimes mistaken for Glaucous, pink bills, appealing only a shade or appearance. Its head, underparts, and two lighter than the color of theit legs. wingtips, including the outer prima• The bills of both birds showed cleanly ries, all looked unmarked white. Its demarcated black tips, which imparted mantle was mostly light gray, remi• a 'dipped in ink appearance. niscent of the mantle shade of an adult Ring-billed Gull (L. One of the two (Fig. 1 and 2) looked delawarensis). Many of the wing quite worn, and from a distance ap• feathers appealed somewhat worn, pealed completely white on the head, and the covetts showed uneven white body, and wings, showing only a hint patches. Howevei, the white on the of gtay matbling in a few wing and wingtips did not appear to be caused body feathers. On close approach I by wear, showing no hint of gray, and could see that the extreme tip of the extending from the tips far up onto bill was pink, creating a thin, pale Figure 1. Worn lst-summer Glaucous Gull, 3 the outer primaries. The iris was yel• June 1999, D River Wayside, Lincoln City, OR. edge around the black. The black Photo/Phil Pickering low, appearing paler than shown by

Oregon Birds 26(1): 123, Spring 2000 JUNE SIGHTING OF MULTIPLE GLAUCOUS GULLS IN OREGON, WITH NOTES ON IDENTIFICATION the lightest-eyed Western Gulls in the fading some Glau- vicinity. The bill appeared relatively cous-wingeds may straight, with a less pronounced even show all-white gonydeal angle than shown by nearby primary tips (Fig. 6), Westerns. The bill was yellow, with a which has often been normal, adult-sized mandible spot cited as a distinguish• that was part red, part black. ing mark for Glau• cous. The occasional pale individual Glau• cous-winged Gull may also show a bill Mi.. . # . - • - — pattern (Fig.6) that approaches the typical Figure 6. Extremely worn lst-summer Glaucous-winged Gull, early pale-based, black- July 1999, D River Wayside, Lincoln City, OR Photo/Phil Pickering tipped bill of an im• mature Glaucous (Fig. 7 and 8). Re• to describe the nominate form of grettably, this potential problem is Glaucous. not dealt with in the most commonly Figure 4. Worn 4tb-summer or adult Glaucous If the gulls I observed were in fact Gull, 3 June 1999, D River Wayside, Lincoln Cityuse d field guides, perpetuating con• OR Photo/Phil Pickering the Alaskan nesting form, then their fusion among birders unfamiliar with late occurrence could well be tied to the complexities of gull plumages. Discussion other unusual occurrences of Alaskan Also, although a large male Glaucous nesting species on the west coast in Glaucous Gulls generally occur in Gull may be obvious for its size and Oregon in small numbers during the 1999. During the spring and sum• bulk, females average smaller than mer of 1999 many normal patterns winter months, with most birds typi• males, and there exists some overlap cally arriving in late fall or early win• of bird migration appeared to be dis• in size with gulls of other species rupted, with numbers of mountain ter and departing by March, with (Harrison 1983). nesting species lingering in the low• occasional reports as late as May lands, and unusually high numbers (Gilligan et al. 1994). However, the The little-known, small form of of Black-legged Kittiwakes and Fork- status of Glaucous Gull during late Glaucous Gull breeding in northern tailed Storm-Petrels near shore. Alas• spring and summer remains some• Alaska (L. h. barrovianus), can create kan nesting species unexpectedly re• what unclear, due to the occurrence even more confusion. This form is ported from the state of Washington of worn, pale, immature Glaucous- mentioned only in passing in the during the spring of 1999 included winged Gulls. Some individual Glau• standard field guides or is not dis• Whiskered Auklet, Red-faced Cor• cous-winged Gulls may appear con• cussed at all. Although I have no prior morant, and Red-legged Kittiwake. fusingly similar to Glaucous, espe• experience with them, other observ• During the summer of 1999 there cially when viewed in flight (Fig. 5) ers have commented that the birds I were multiple reports of rarely seen or from a distance. Due to wear and photographed show traits that are Horned Puffins, and several consistent with this form. These are: unseasonal reports of Ancient average size closer to that of the North Murrelets, species which nest much American subspecies of Herring Gull farther north (all fide Oregon Birders (L. argentatus smithsonianus); a more On Line reports). Also during the rounded head shape; smaller bill; and spring of 1999, other Glaucous Gulls greater extension of primary tips be• were noted later than expected else• yond the tail than is generally appar• where on the Oregon Coast. Indi• ent on the larger, nominate subspe• viduals were seen on 1 May at New• cies of Glaucous Gull (L. h. port, Lincoln County, and as late as hyperboreus, Grant 1982). Although 5 May in Coos County (fide Oregon relatively large, the birds I observed Birders On Line reports). In addition, Figure 5. Worn and molting, approximately 2nd-lacked the flat-headed, large-billed, year Glaucous-winged Gull or Glaucous-winged a Glaucous Gull was reported on the XGlaucous Gull hybrid, 20July 1974, south jetty'fierce ' appearance that is often used northern California coast on 30 May Columbia River, OR Photo/Harry Nehls Oregon Birds 26(1): 124, Spring 2000 JUNE SIGHTING OF MULTIPLE GLAUCOUS GULLS IN OREGON, WITH NOTES ON IDENTIFICATION

gonydeal angle. Normally the bill is quite heavy, appearing prominent when in flight, but there is substantial variation in bill size. Although there is also some variation in individual bill color, the bill of a Glau• cous Gull in its first year is typically quite pink. The bill is usually bright and clean Figure 7. lst-winter Glaucous Gull, 7 January 1995, Ketchikan, AK. Photo/Steve Heinl looking, and is always pale with a fairly square-cut black (fide Areata Birdbox). The spring and tip (Fig. 7 and 8) (Grant 1982). The early summer of 1999 were charac• black portion of the bill is quite re• terized by unusually cold and win• stricted, extending inward no more ter-like weather conditions. The late than a slight distance beyond the occurrence of Glaucous Gulls in Or• ir»ir CI -! /~#a t rrr\rr\ orirrl/a At- r\ - n ~h/=• egon may be linked to unusual con• inner edge of the black should appear ditions such as these. to be perpendicular to the long di• Figure 8. lst-winter Glaucous Gull, March 1998, Separation of Immature Glaucous mension of the bill. A close view may Salem, OR Photo/Steve Dowlan and Glaucous-winged Gulls show the black to extend proximally a bit further along the lower man• cous (Grant 1982). As a Glaucous- winged Gull ages, the bill will gradu• Although Glaucous-winged Gulls dible, and it may also extend slightly ally fade and become pale (Fig. 10), breed only sparingly in Oregon in along the cutting edge (Hampton but this fading is very irregular and (Gilligan et al. 1994), immatures are 1999). The edge of the black should commonly encountered throughout there is much individual variation. By be sharp and well-defined, showing its first summer a Glaucous-winged the year. First-year Glaucous-winged a marked contrast with the pale por• Gull may have a bill with a pale base Gulls in unworn plumage should be tion of the bill (Grant 1982). and black tip, but the black usually easily distinguished from Glaucous An unworn first-winter Glaucous- appears smudgy and covers a greater by their much darker, overall grayer portion of the bill than shown by appearance and dark bill (Fig. 9). winged Gull will have an all-dark or mostly dark bill (Fig. 9), which is Glaucous. The black extends well past However, as the gray exposed feather never shown by an immature Glau- the gonydeal angle and lacks the surfaces age and wear they become much whiter. As feather wear and bleaching increase through time, a gull's overall appearance may become much paler and washed-out. Very worn and faded individual Glaucous- winged Gulls may appear mostly white throughout their plumage (Fig. 6). Whitish individual Glaucous- wingeds such as these are most fre• quently encountered during late spring and summer in Oregon. On a large, pale, immature gull with white wingtips, a good view of the bill is usually diagnostic. The bill of an immature Glaucous Gull is com• paratively straight and usually appears to be of nearly uniform thickness Figure 9. lst-winter Glaucous-. I Gull 25 January 2000, D River Wayside, Lincoln City, OR. throughout, with only a slight Photo/Phil Pickering Oregon Birds 26(1): 125, Spring 2000 JUNE SIGHTING OF MULTIPLE GLAUCOUS GULLS IN OREGON, WITH NOTES ON IDENTIFICATION

Gull ages and wears it tends to main• tain an evenly colored, clean look throughout its plumage, usually ap• pearing only a bit datket on the belly. In contt ast, the feathers of an unworn first-year Glaucous-winged Gull are mostly gray-brown, especially on the underparts. The folded primaries typically appear similar in color to, or darker than the rest of the wing (Hampton 1999), although they may appear slightly paler on some indi• viduals (Fig. 9 and 10). The coverts and scapulars have a variable amount of pale subtetminal marks and pale fringing which may impart a marbled or checkered look, however the dark areas are usually more extensive than shown by Glaucous. On close inspec• tion, the appearance of a first-winter figwri? 70. 2nd-winter Glaucous-winged Gull December 1999, D River Wayside, Lincoln City, OR Glaucous-winged in fresh plumage is Photo/Phil Pickering of a gray-brown bird with pale mark• sharp delineation between the dark (Fig. 7 and 8), giving it a pale brown• ings, while a Glaucous in similar and pale portions that is shown by ish or gray-brownish overall appear• plumage appears as a pale bird with Glaucous. On many individual Glau- ance. The coloration of the plumage dark matkings (David Fix pers. cous-wingeds the black on the top is usually relatively uniform overall comm.). The tertials of a first-win tet and bottom of the bill at the base will (Grant 1982). The brown feather Glaucous-winged in fresh plumage tend to fade fust, leaving a long dark markings may impart a finely hatred are mostly solid gray-brown, with extension from the black tip in along or checkered look to a variable extent pale markings only near the tips the cutting edge. The pale portion of on the coverts, scapulars, and tertials (Hampton 1999), unlike the pale, the bill can range from dull yellow to (Fig. 7 and 8). On most individuals finely marked tertials of an immature pink, but is typically faded and less a white, broken eye-ring that con• Glaucous. The uppertail coverts and colorful looking, showing less con- trasts with the datker color of the face undertail coverts of both species ate ttast between dark and pale portions is apparent (Hampton 1999). An solidlv barred. However, the tail of a than Glaucous. The bill of a Glau• unworn Glaucous Gull also may first-winter Glaucous-winged in fresh cous-winged is usually large and thick show small dark circular spots or 'shot plumage is usually completely solid (Fig. 9 and 10), and with a pro• marks' near the end of the primary gray-brown, sometimes with a small nounced gonydeal angle, which tips (David Fix pers. comm.). The amount of barring only on the outet causes the tip to appeat noticeably primaries may be all whitish or may webs of the outetmost recttices. This wider than the base, unlike the have pale gray-brown intetiots with is quite unlike the much paler, finely sttaighter bill of a typical Glaucous white edges, and typically appeat marked tail of a Glaucous. As the (Grant 1982). However, since bill size paler than the test of the wing. The plumage of an immature Glaucous- and shape can vary for both species, tail is usually quite pale and finely winged Gull wears and becomes these characteristics should only be barred or marbled (Hampton 1999). paler, it will tend to have an uneven, considered supportive of an identifi• These fearures become less obvious as mottled or blotchy look, lacking any cation, and not distinctive (e.g. see the plumage wears, but can be distin• clean barring or speckling (Grant the rather small bill on the Glaucous- guishing marks fot a fitst-yeat Glau• 1982). Due to uneven wear oi molt, winged Gull in Fig. 6). cous Gull in fall and winter. As the a whitish individual Glaucous- feathers age and wear and become winged Gull may show solid patches An unworn first-yeat Glaucous Gull paler, the brown on the tips becomes of gray in the wings or body. A very will have white or cream-colored less extensive, and late spring and worn and faded first-year individual wing and body feathers with exten• summer birds often fade to neatly pute with completely white primaries and sive brown tips or subterminal marks white (Gtant 1982). As a Glaucous upperparts similar to Glaucous, will still Oregon Birds 26(1): 126, Spring 2000 JUNE SIGHTING OF MULTIPLE GLAUCOUS GULLS IN OREGON, WITH NOTES ON IDENTIFICATION typically show a noticeably contrasting (Dave Fix pers. comm.), most retain a ish bill with a strongly contrasting darker area on the underparts (Fig. 6), dark iris throughout life. It should be and cleanly delineated black tip, shal• often looking much darker gray-brown noted that Western x Glaucous-winged low gonydeal angle, clean-looking, or 'dirty' white on the belly than is typi• hybrids frequendy show light irises, so evenly pale plumage, often with a cally shown by Glaucous. eye color is merely a supporting point, variable amount of dark barring or not distinctive in itself. speckling is distinctive for an imma• Some second-year Glaucous-winged ture Glaucous Gull. A worn, whitish Gulls may have a bill pattern resem• Generally speaking, a Glaucous Gull immature Glaucous-winged Gull is bling that of a first-yeat Glaucous will appear heavy-set in body shape, usually easily distinguished from more closely, showing a clean, pale bill with more of a 'barrel chest', a thicker Glaucous by the combination of a with a sharply-delineated black tip. neck, and a flatter head that is larger more extensive, poorly delineated, However, the black is still more ex• in proportion to the body than shown and less contrasting daik area on the tensive than shown by Glaucous at any by a Glaucous-winged. Howevei, bill, strong gonydeal angle, uneven, age (Grant 1982). While feather wear these qualities are subjective, and can often ditty-white look to the plum• and bleaching continue to occur be• vary extensively with the sex and sub• age, particularly on the underparts, tween molts, Glaucous-winged Gulls species, as well as with the posture of and lack of dark barring or speckling. of this age are less likely than in their an individual (Grant 1982). first summer to become completely Because of their scarcity during late Although not discussed in this article, whitish (Giant 1982), usually show• spring and summer in Oregon, and hybrid Glaucous X Glaucous-winged ing a blotchy, giayish overall look. the numerous pitfalls in identifica• Gulls have been reported from the During theit second summet, some tion, any Glaucous Gulls encoun• Oregon coast, and may show charac• Glaucous-wingeds may show whitish tered during this season should be ters intermediate between both spe• worn and faded primaries, but often thoroughly documented to help cies. Similarly, extremely rare birds retain at least a small amount of dingy, clarify their status at this time of year thought to be leucistic Heiring Gulls giayish coloration to the primaries and in Oregon. have also been repotted from the tail. Glaucous Gulls of this age may Oregon coast. These have displayed I would like to extend my thanks to show a variable amount of pale giay- white plumage and a sharply demar• David Fix for his helpful review of, brown marbling oi ittegulai blotches cated bill strikingly similar to first- and suggestions for this aiticle. on the body and wings, but usually winter Glaucous Gull. These birds appeal quite whitish overall (Hamp• Sources Cited were thought to be Herring Gulls ton 1999), with the black tip of the because of their smaller size and more Fix, David. Experienced in gull stud• bill showing a variable amount of fad• slender body and bill. However, the ies. Areata, CA ing. In addition, gulls of this age be• true identity of these birds may never gin to show a solid oi blotchy area of Gilligan, Smith, Rogeis, and be known, as identification of sus• the mantle shade they will wear as Contietas, 1994. Birds of Oregon: pected hybrids oi leucistic individu• adults both on the back and scapu• Status and Distribution. als is often quite speculative. Efforts lars, with the shade of Glaucous- McMinnville, OR: Cinclus Publica• to photograph and publish such ob• winged typically being a shade or two tion. servations are encouraged. darker than Glaucous (Grant 1982). Giant, P.J. 1982. Gulls, an Identifi• Summary First-yeat Glaucous Gulls have a dark cation Guide. London, England: brown iris that gradually changes to Although a worn, immature Glau• Haicourt Brace and Co. cous-winged Gull may approach the light yellow as they age. By their first Hampton, Steve, 1999. Gull Identi• pale appeaiance of an immature summer, Glaucous Gulls may show fication Mainpage. http:// Glaucous, they are usually easily dis• an iris that is somewhat palei brown www.west.net/^dj/gulls.htm. than is typically shown by Glaucous- tinguished when well seen. While Harrison, Peter, 1983. Seabirds, an winged Gulls of any age, and by theii there may be some variation in cer• Identification Guide. Boston, MA: second wintet the iris will often ap• tain characteristics among individu• Houghton Mifflin Co. peal quite pale yellow, as in adult als, a combination of features, with plumage (Hampton 1999). Although emphasis on the pattern of light and a small minority of adult Glaucous- dark on the bill, is usually diagnos• winged Gulls have rathet pale eyes tic. The combination of a pale pink•

Oregon Birds 26(1): 127, Spring 2000 Gray-headed Junco (Junco hyemalis caniceps) found nesting in Oregon Canyon, Malheur County, Oregon Mike Denny, 323 Scenic View Drive, College Place, WA 99324, 509-529-0080

The Gray-headed Junco is a very rare We listened and watched as we slowly forces you to push and pull your way form of the Dark-eyed Junco com• worked our way downstream from through in order to get downslope plex in the state of Otegon. This bird the head of the west fork of Oregon and undet the canopy of the larger was given full species status by the Canyon Creek. We were in this stun• trees. We had no sooner entered the A.O.U. until 1982 when it was ningly beautiful canyon to confitm main stand of aspen than a junco lumped with five other junco races as many breeding species as our abil• sprang up out of the low growing that now form the Dark-eyed Junco ity would allow. Moving from one currant and snowberries. With loud complex (Ryser 1985). There are only stand of aspen to anothet brought dif• chips and trills this bitd circled our three previously published records of ferent species to light as we kept up location — flashing its white outer rec- the Gray-headed trices. It then lit on a Junco in Oregon. dead aspen branch The first record is of a and continued to single bird at Benson alett the rest of cre• Boat Landing, ation of our arrival. Malheur National What I saw of this Wildlife Refuge, junco set off alarm Harney Co., 22 May bells. This bird was 1976 (Littlefield larger than the "Ot• 1981). The second egon" fotms of junco published record is I was used to. It was from Cottonwood a light sallow gray Creek, Pueblo Moun• from throat to lower tains, Harney Co. on belly. The head had a 14 November 1987 slightly darker hood (Gilliganetal. 1994). that sunk to just be• The third state low the vety dark record is ftom Sketch of adult Gray-headedJunco, Oregon Canyon Illustration by Mike Denny eyes and black lores. Sutherlin, Douglas There was a very light Co., present from 15-26 November beak lightly washed with a flesh tone. out search. Oregon Canyon is car• 1990 (Nehls 1997). Then there was the mantle of rust- peted with a patchwork of aspen for• red and the darker wings and tail with est and blanketed with mahogany So it was that this fotm of the Dark- white outer rectrices. WOW! We had groves that spread out over low fiat eyed Junco never entered our minds a territorial, adult Gray-headed Junco benches and steep canyon walls. Just as we reached the west folk of Or• in Oregon! Quietly sitting down at a little after noon, MerryLynn and I egon Canyon Creek in the Oregon the base of a cool-skinned aspen we entered the upslope edge of a west- Canyon Mountains of southern watched this bird as it calmed down facing aspen grove. The aspen grow• Malheur Co. on the clear crisp morn• and slowly retutned to more peace• ing at the leading upslope edge of ing of 22 June 1999 (Latitude 42.1, ful behavior. Soon there were two these stands are spindly and gnarled Longitude 117.7). MetryLynn and I adults foraging on the ground around and the last trees in the gtove to en• had been awarded a "travel giant" by us, their rust-red backs catching the ter the growing season due to pro• the Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas dappled sunlight. Now if only we longed snow covet. These trees are sel• Project to venture into seldom birded could confirm the breeding of this dom more than ten feet high and areas to look for rare breeding spe• "near species" in Oregon. Watching form a dense latticework of thin cies in this last year of the project. every move of this pail of j uncos, we ttunks and masses of foliage that

Oregon Birds 26(1): 128, Spring 2000 GRAY-HEADED JUNCO ...FOUND NESTING IN OREGON...

If if v. *

Aspen stand at the mouth of the east fork of Oregon Creek, Oregon Canyon Mountains, Malheur County, 22 June 1999, where the Gray-headed Juncos breed. Photo/Mike Denny

finally determined that they must be bottom of the canyon, two on an east Literature Cited feeding young nearby. After about facing slope and one on a notth fac• Alcorn, J. R.. 1988. Binds of Nevada. thirty minutes of observation, we ing slope. This junco was located in Fairview West Publishing, Fallon, Ne• moved across the slope towatd the west-facing groves with a low currant- vada. nor thern per iphery of the grove when snowberry-chokecherry component. Gilligan, Jeff, Mark Smith, Dennis out jumped a dark, heavily streaked, Both of these inhabited groves had Rogers, and Alan Contreras. 1994. Birds demanding juvenile junco. Sure about a ninety percent closed canopy. enough — both of the Gtay-headed of Oregon. Cinclus Publications, Othet records of interest concerning McMinnville, Otegon. adults began to pitch insect after in• Gray-headed Juncos near the Oregon sect into this bottomless pit known Littlefield, CD. 1981. First Otegon state line are from Sheldon NWR, as their offspring. We had it! A con• tecotd of Gray-headed Junco. Western Nevada, where this species form is firmed, very recently fledged Gray- Birds 12:53. found year round and thought to nest headed Junco chick. With additional on the refuge (Alcorn 1988). In his Marshall, D. B. 1987. Comparative bird searching we located a total of three paper on the region David Marshall observations from Steens, Pueblo, Trout pairs of adults and one chick in this notes that he only located a single Creek, and Oregon Canyon Mountains. west-facing grove of beautiful big as• "junco" of unknown face in the Ot- Oregon Birds 13(2):193-209. pen. Another two pair were detected egon Canyon Mountains (Marshall in a similar west-facing aspen grove Nehls, Harry 1997. The records of the 1987). This race of the Datk-eyed 120 m to the north fot a total of five Otegon Bird Records Committee, Junco should be looked for in drain• pair and one chick. 1996-1997. Otegon Birds 23 (3):93. ages with west-facing aspen stands Ryser, Fred A, Jr. 1985. Birds of the Gray-headed Juncos were looked for throughout the Trout Creek and Or• Great Basin, Univetsity of Nevada Press, egon Canyon Mountains. in five other aspen stands with no Reno. ^ luck. Two of these groves wete in the

Oregon Birds 26(1): 129, Spring 2000 Site guide: Wbod River Wedands, Klamath County Kevin T. Spencer, P.O. Box353, Tulehike, CA 96134

hile Klamath County has through a wedand by de-channelizing Grebe are typically found here. South an abundance of riparian it before it reaches Agency Lake. Most of the riparian (area 3) is open water habitat along lake shores, of the work required to accomplish but also has some wocus vegetation, Wriver and stream edges, and many this has taken place in the last few generally closer to shore. Clark's and springs, many of the bettet patches years and should be completed by the Western Grebes and diving ducks are of riparian are inaccessible or have year 2000. common here. Both of these areas, 2 & 3, can be seen and heard well from limited bird activity. Howevet, Wood The most interesting part of the the entrance road. Scopes are useful River Wetland, fotmerly under pri• property, the riparian habitat, is to scan the marsh and open water vate ownership and inaccessible, is a found near its entrance. The road through occasional breaks in the ri• unique riparian area now open for that enters the property (area 1) is parian foliage. non-motorized entry, and has numer• lined for 1/3 of a mile with a Cot• ous other adjacent habitats that add tonwood overstory and a willow At the end of the riparian area is a to the atea's bird diversity. I have understory. This riparian habitat bridge that crosses Wood River where found it an exciting and fun place to seems irresistible to migranrs as they many times I have recorded most of the bird, and I make it a point to go there travel north along the eastern shores typical swallow species. Just past the several times a yeat. I definitely in• of Upper Klamath and Agency bridge is a fork, where one road fol• clude this stop on my itinerary any• Lakes. Willow Flycatcher, Common lows Wood River to the north and an• time I go to the Fort Klamath area or Nighthawk, and Bullock's Oriole other road takes you west along the to northern Klamath County. Most are easily seen here in early June. north shore of Agency Lake. of my visits have been in late spring Black-capped Chickadee and Green The road to the north overlooks vari• and early summer when bird activity Heron, while uncommon in the ous types of wetlands to the west (area is at its peak, and I have found un• county, are regular here with some 4), including sedge/grass and some common or even rare species for Kla• effort. Yellow-breasted Chat, rare for deeper ponds. The deciduous riparian math County on most visits. Wintet Klamath County, occasionally has of Wood River at this stretch is just a visits have been few, so much remains been seen here. North of the parking strip of willow on both sides of the river to be discovered about the atea. In area is a bulrush/cattail/wocus marsh where it is contained by dikes, and the this article I present a short history (area 2). Yellow-headed Blackbird, area is quite marshy between the dikes. of the area; describe where to bird, American Bittern, and Pied-billed and what habitats and birds are often encoun• tered; and provide de• tailed directions to the site.

Wood River Wetland is located at the north end of Agency Lake, Kla• math County, where the Wood River emp• < ties into Agency Lake. It is a roughly 1300-acre parcel that was acquired by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) about 6 years ago in a V, move to help improve Upper Klamath Lake's water quality and fish habitat. Prior to the owneiship change this fTYYTT Parking area and c property was used fot Suggested route AGENCY LAKE glazing. The current Open water {highly variable)

plan is to allow Wood [P| Pump River to spread out

Oregon Birds 26(1): 130, Spring 2000 SITE GUIDE: WOOD RIVER WETLANDS, KLAMATH COUNTY

wetland property (area near the entrance would be well worth 5), that can at times be the time and would take about an hour. good for shorebirds; For a longer walk, turn north after cross• I've seen Peregrine Fal• ing the bridge. One could also be adven• con preying upon turous enough to try a roughly six mile shorebirds here numer• bike ride around the perimeter of the ous times. At the south• area. A trip around the perimeter, includ• west corner, and before ing all the stopping to watch birds, would crossing another probably take at least 2-3 hours. Taking bridge, turn north drinking water is advised. Hunters use along the east side of this area in the fall, but their access is lim• the Seven-mile Canal ited to foot also, so hunter use has been (area 6). The vegetation relatively low so far. A canoe can be put Figure 2. Entrance road riparian woods and adjacent marsh, fall here is dominated by in near the parking lot at the entrance to 1999. Photo/Patty Buettner, Klamath Falls BLM sedge/grass and bird the property, or at nearby Petric County Park. From either location you can Sora, Virginia Rail, and Common species diversity is the lowest for the paddle along the shores of Agency Lake, Snipe are frequently detected along this Wood River Wetlands, but still has around the Wood River marsh, or up section. Farther north along the road proven to be a worthwhile area to visit. Wood River, and be treated to extensive are some areas of shallow water wet• Common Loon in breeding plumage views of Pelican Butte and other portions lands with taller grasses and sedges. and Grasshopper Sparrow have been of the Cascades to the west as they rise This area often reminds me of other seen here in the past. It is also one of above Upper Klamath Lake. There is a Oregon locations where I have seen the better locations on the property to put-in at Loosely Rd., further up Wood Bobolink and Eastern Kingbird, and I view nesting Sandhill Cranes, while River. A canoe trip down Wood River to wouldn't be surprised if someday those Horned Lark and Savannah Sparrow the wedand area's parking lot would be species are found or even attempt nest• are abundant. Willows planted along about a 3 hour trip. ing here. Water depths in this area, near the Seven-mile Canal may someday the pump site, and in view of a nearby reach a size that will add to the variety Getting There old house and equipment barn (the of birds on this side of the property. To reach this area from Klamath Falls, property's only structures) have been Access onto this wetland area is limited take Hwy 97 north to Modoc Point suitable for Yellow Rail, which have to foot and bicycle traffic, except for BLM Road. Stay on Modoc Point Road, un• been heard on several daytime visits. personnel. For those interested in a short til you reach the north end of Agency Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, stop in May, June, or early July, a walk Bonaparte's Gull, Caspian Tern, Black along the 1/3 mile section of riparian area Continues on page 135 Tern, Wood Duck, and Wilson's Phalarope have also been found here. At BIRD LIST the confluence of the List of all bird species detected on the Wood River Wetlands property during the spring and summer ofl995. Wood River and Crooked Creek is a large Pied-billed Grebe Lesser Scaup Bonaparte's Gull Black-capped Chickadee Horned Grebe Ring-billed Gull House Wren stand of willow covering Bufflehead Eared Grebe Common Merganser California Gull Marsh Wren several acres. It was here Western Grebe Ruddy Duck Caspian Tern American Robin that a large colony of Tri- American White Pelican Osprey Forster's Tern European Starling colored Blackbirds nested Double-crested Cormorant Bald Eagle Black Tern Cedar Waxwing for at least two seasons in American Bittern Northern Harrier Mourning Dove Yellow Warbler the mid-1990s. Usually I Great Blue Heron Red-tailed hawk Great horned Owl Yellow-rumped Warbler see males traveling up Great Egret Peregrine Falcon Common Nighthawk MacGillivray's Warbler and down the river on Snowy Egret Virginia Rail Belted Kingfisher Common Yellowthroat Black-crowned Night-Heron Sora Northern Flicker Wilson's Warbler foraging trips, so there are Canada Goose American Coot Western Wood-Pewee Savannah Sparrow probably other nesting Wood Duck Sandhill Crane Killdeer Willow Flycatcher Song Sparrow colonies nearby. Gadwall Black-necked Stilt Western Kingbird Black-headed Grosbeak American Wigeon Cassin's Vireo Taking the southern road American Avocet Yellow-headed Blackbird Mallard Greater Yellowlegs Warbling Vireo Red-winged Blackbird from the bridge will take Blue-winged Teal Western Sandpiper Common Raven Tricolored Blackbird you west and along the Cinnamon Teal Least Sandpiper Black-billed Magpie Western Meadowlark north end of Agency Lake Northern Shoveler Long-billed Dowitcher Horned Lark Brewer's Blackbird with its open water. Green-winged Teal Common Snipe Tree Swallow Brown-headed Blackbird North of the road you can Canvasback Spotted Sandpiper Bank Swallow Bullock's Oriole view the south end of the Redhead Wilson's Phalarope Cliff Swallow American Goldfinch Ring-necked Duck Barn Swallow Pine Siskin

Oregon Birds 26(1): 131, Spring 2000 Lane County Big Day 1999: Did the late migration help or hurt in the chase for a record? Alan Contreras, 2345 Patterson St. No. 4, Eugene OR 97405, (541) 342-5750, [email protected]

3:00 a.m., Saturday, May 15, 1999. gene airport and come up empty. the hillsides and onto the mudflats, After an abortive prowl around where some early clammers have his is a heck of a time to be Ah/adore on our way west, we park at taken the space we hoped would be awake on a perfectly good the summit of Cougar Pass between burdened with shorebirds. Some care• day for sleeping in. But this T Noti and Walton in the middle of the ful scoping yields a good bounty is when I get to Jeff's driveway and Coast Range. Owling involves listen• though, both species of yellowlegs, find him standing in the dark in his ing to various night noises (distant some Shott-billed Dowitchets and a birding gear like The Mummy of the dogs, creeks babbling over rocks, Spotted Sandpipet are lining the South Hills, ready to engage in his Sasquatch belching) and convincing shores of a far island. A Band-tailed first west coast Big Day. He's done yourself that these muffled hooting of Pigeon tears along over the hillside. many in the northeastern U.S., so he hissing noises are actually several spe• As we leave we remark on the absence can't say he doesn't know what he's cies of owls for the day's tally. We also of kingfishers along the rivet all the getting into. His fiancee may already imitate owls in order to lure them into way from Mapleton. be awake—but then, she's still in New responding; the conventional wisdom York 7:00 As daylight gets serious we suggests that their responses consist of are the fiist people to waddle out the We're trying to break the Lane the avian equivalent of laughtet at our dike into the deflation plain of the County Big Day Record (153, set in efforts. Eventually we get one distant Siuslaw, pursuing American Bittern 1983) and we would not mind break• Notthern Pygmy-Owl to respond, but and other warerbirds. At the end we'll ing the western Oregon record of by now robins are singing and we see watei fowl and shorebirds if we are 160, though it involved more than know dawn is not far off. lucky. The Bittern, Virginia Rail and one county. And the meter is tick• 5:45 We are on the Clay Creek Sora cooperate magnificently, and our ing: for each species we find, the Uni• access road in the central Coast only Bufflehead (rather late) are sail• versity of Oregon Museum of Natu• Range. The forest and the open area ing along in the flooded basin. Savan• ral History will receive about $16.00 is starting to emit bird sounds as nah Sparrows zip away into the grass. in pledges. And we get to spend an Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Spot• entire day avoiding our chores. 8:00 The south jetty of the ted Towhees and MacGillivray's War• Siuslaw is our first crack at seabitds 3:30 Dave is waiting at Shari's blers come to life in the predawn dim• and "rockpipers," whose preferred Restautant on River Road, pumping ness. This is our first shot at some habitat is coastal rocks and jetties. But coffee into his arteries and wonder• woodland birds before we spend most it is a late migrant land bird that first ing whether this is all a joke and we of the morning on the outer coast. We gets our attention: As we walk towatd won't pick him up at all. As a mem• hope to get some unpredictable spe• the jetty, a dry call drifts to our ears. ber of Oregon's all-time record Big cies: grouse or Mountain Quail. We Dave stops: "isn't that a longspur?" I Day team that found 212 species on don't. However, a pygmy-owl comes hear it, too, and a quick search re• a coast-to-Malheur run in the early in and looks at us and then, with a veals at least two Lapland Longsputs 1980s, we wouldn't set him up, would squeal of discord, two pygmy-owls in the glass. One hops up onto a log, we? Nah. If we don't get to sleep in, pounce on each other in the road right showing partial breeding colors. This neithet does he. As we open the car by us! Now that's territorial.... is a "bonus bird" that will help make door to let him in, he grins and points 6:30 We can see well enough now up for the poor owl showing. We dash upward: Swainson's Thrushes are that as we arrive at the patking area out the jetty and tun up a setious list migrating—our first biid of the day by the confluence of the Notth Fork of seabitds, calling out to each othet: is checked off. of the Siuslaw River, we see birds over "Marbled Murrelets ... Red-throated 4:30 We try known and unknown the mudflats and estuary. Western Loon ... Wandering Tattler," and also sites for Barn Owl north of the Eu• Gulls cruise along and crows pour off find another semi-bonus: a Herring

Oregon Birds 26(1): 132, Spring 2000 UO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BIRDATHON 1999

Gull that might easily have been in catcher, or have we lost it fot the day? change of drivers (I have been behind Canada by now. However, we miss None. the wheel since 2:45 a.m.) we slide both Black Turnstone and Surfbird, into the parking area on Hwy 126 10:45 Sea Lion Caves is right next which we can only get hete or at othei by Fern Ridge Reservoir. Are the Yel• door as we peet down the cliff into rocky spots. A few ought to still be low-headed Blackbirds willing to ap• the colonies of Brandt's Cotmotants hete this late in May. A memorable pear? Instantly. As are coots. and hundreds of single pairs of Pi• sight: Ten Ospreys kettling over the geon Guillemots. On the water be• 1:30 Peikins Peninsula Park, usu• Siuslaw jetties, whete one would have low is the real prize of this unassum• ally a gold mine in spring migration, been noteworthy when I started ing overlook: Rhinos! Well, not the does not disappoint. Here we find our birding in the late 1960s. What a big ones. These are less than a foot first Chipping Sparrows and a Clark's comeback. long Rhinoceros Auklets, which Grebe, which breeds only here in all 9:30 The norrh fork of the bteed inside the caves and very few of western Oregon. The real bonus Siuslaw is a delightfully swampy othet places in Oregon. We hope for comes as we scope the far reedbeds place. Here we come to search for Black Swift, a semi-predictable mi• northeast of Perkins: Black Terns, an quackers—various freshwater dab• grant that comes through in small uncommon local breeder, flap lazily bling ducks such as teal and wigeon numbers and often moves fight along by, two Bald Eagles soar overhead and that ate mostly gone north by now. coastal cliffs. None, but Dave spots finally Dave latches onto 15 Redhead, Mostly. It's the tag ends of "mostly" (at a distance of about eight miles) a all paired up on the water as if to that we're after in these mucky pas• circling Sharp-shinned Hawk over breed. Except that they don't breed tures. We manage to extract some the coastal bluffs and we all peer in western Oregon. Until perhaps Northern Shovelers and, at the boat through the scope at it. It will prove now. A great and unexpected find. ramp, Golden-ciowned Kinglers. our only one of the day. Below— 3:45 South of Fein Ridge the stfaight down, in fact—on the rocks 9:30 A quick stop to peer into countryside is faitly open in spots, are a few Black Oystercatchers. Sutton Lake, where we find nothing and we look along Nielson and at all. This is a good spot in winter, 11:30 At the North Jetty of the Cantrell Rds. for Western Kingbird. but on a nice morning in May there Siuslaw, the mudflats are mostly un- We find one almost instantly, along are boaters, not floaters. derwatet now and we make one more with out fitst American Kestrel of the pass for shorebirds missed in the day. Close to the Coyote Creek area 9:45 We are running behind so morning. Where are those pesky we hope for Red-shouldered Hawks skip the Baker Beach road swamp. A turnstones? Elsewhere, today. We but find none. However, a Vesper tactical decision that probably does never find them, though a semi-bo• Sparrow sings just up the hill and a no haim. We did not have time to nus appears in the form of a single Bullock's Oriole goes "chack!" from walk out fot Snowy Plovets anyway, Ruddy Turnstone that appears at the the trees. and we already have rails. tip of the south jetty. We scope it in 4:15 We make a quick check of 10:00 We are at one of our crucial the hope that it brought cousins. the oak groves and nearby grassy ar• stops: Devil's Elbow State Park. Here None. A Ring-billed Gull is a good eas at the western end of Royal Av• are Tufted Puffins barely visible on consolation prize, too: we will finish enue, gatheiing up Acorn Wood• the offshore rock, as well as hypo• the day with six gull species, by no pecker and Western Meadowlark. thetical Dippers up Cape Cieek. We means assured in mid-May. find the puffins, not the Dippers. We 4:30 Stewart Pond is a complex of 12:15 It's time to start inland, also see a large brown bird burst from gooey areas and actual open water in where an entirely different set of birds low foliage and crash into the shrub- west Eugene. It could be out make- awaits. Our tally as we leave the coast bery up Cape Creek— a grouse?! No, or-break stop, as far as getting to the is 110. We've missed some but picked an extremely out-of-place Red-tailed record is concerned. It is a solid stop: up others, so we are confident of Hawk. Gtanted, our first of the day, our first Green Heron, American making the high 130s, but doubtful but what was it doing lurching Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, House about the county record: 153. through the bushes a foot off the Wren and Ring-necked Pheasant. ground like a demented Goshawk? 1:15 After zooming through the 5:00 Skinnet's Butte: an unlikely Chasing aplodontia? Back to the coast range with a btief unsuccessful piece of good habitat smack in the rocks: can we find a Black Oystet- side jaunt (still no Dipper) and a centet of Eugene, but here we need

Oregon Birds 26(1): 133, Spring 2000 UO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BIRDATHON 1999 to find Anna's Hummingbird and of brushy hillsides, but otherwise we'd songs. I name a beautiful, sprightly, Lesser Goldfinch. Also, rhe butte is a had a great day. We were at 147 spe• uplifting, distant song to be that of a migrant magnet sticking up from cies, with bettet than two hours of glotious Lazuli Bunting (150), but as downtown, and anything could be light left. But our missing birds were we draw closer it is clearly the insipid there. We know that this hill has been separated all over the county (except uncoordinated directionless babble of sucking in migrants for days; we also for the ubiquitous yet absent—can a scuzzy already-listed American know that to get close to 150 we need such a phrase be used?— Belted Goldfinch. However, I redeem my• to find all of them—there is no room Kingfisher). There was no one place self by detecting, as we walk out to for error. Half an hour latei we have to go for more than perhaps two of the car, a clear whistled song from had a remarkable run of luck gener• them. We settle on a huge circle that across the road. I pronounce the ated in large part by the recent expe• will allow us to be back at Royal Av• name slowly as the others perk up: rience of Dave and Jeff birding the enue at dusk in the hope of Gteat Ca-li-for-nia Quail. A real 150. Horned Owl and even conceivably butte. We add to the list Hermit 7:15 We are now clearly within Barn or Short-eared Owl. Thrush, Hutton's Vireo, Cassin's range of the record but it is very late Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, 6:00 We dash down the freeway in the day. We decide to continue Hammond's Flycatcher, Pacific-slope to Creswell, rhen dash back north to with our circle and make a quick pass Flycatcher, Anna's hummer, Lesser be able to pull over next to a lovely out Van Duyn Rd. and a side road in Goldfinch and the most remarkable slime pit along the northbound lanes the hope of bunting, Western Blue• find of all, a male Calliope Hum• of the highway neat Short Mountain bird and maybe Wild Turkey. We find mingbird, a rare west-side migrant Landfill. Dave had seen shorebirds more American Goldfinches, a per• that we did not expect at all. Jeff, who there in previous days and we hoped fectly gorgeous bird which I now find has never seen one in his life, being a to pick up Dunlin or perhaps Black- deeply unattractive, and some Lesser recent transplant from New York, bellied Plover. As we drove up, at least Goldfinches, but nothing new. spots it hovering almost overhead and two sizes of birds were present, in• we identify it with amazement. It is 7:45 The desperate dash west• cluding two we aheady had, Killdeer the first Calliope Dave has ever seen ward from Coburg to Fern Ridge and Least Sandpiper, plus a few in western Otegon. Nine new birds Dam (a last chance fot the absurdly Green-winged Teal, which we also at one whack moves us into the 140s wayward kingfisher) involves a lot of had. But the two Wilson's Phalaropes and we realize that there is just a looking out windows fot Cedat Wax- were a real bonus—they are not com• chance that we can not only reach wing (another missed bird) and a dis• mon migrants in western Oregon. 150 but break the record, 153. We consolate glower at the McKenzie and 148. I tried to convert a female teal have been birding for 14 hours. Willamette Rivers where kingfishers to a Long-billed Dowitcher (it was could zoom by but do not. We are already a long day) but it did not re• 5:45 Ah, the Lane Community alert as we drive up to Kirk Pond at main discreetly hidden in the grass College sewage ponds, none so fair. the dam. What is that on the wire? A and I did not succumb to the Dark There have been Ruddy Ducks here, fishing bobber. What is in the pond, Side of The Force. and these ponds are well-known as a late migrant scaup? A nice grebe? drop-in sites for all manner of mi• 6:30 The east side roads and An unexpected Canvasback? Noth• grant waterbirds. We hope to pick up lower trail at Mt. Pisgah could theo• ing at all. As we drive towatd the dam a stray or two. As we zip down the retically produce Western Bluebird, we know that we have to have at least off-ramp, a hawk dtifts over the Nashville Warbler, Lazuli Bunting one good break here in the warm nearby woods and flaps and a few othei things we were miss• evening to tie, let alone break, the unenthusiastically to the west. "An- ing. As we drive down the twisting record. I am driving and Dave and othet sharp-shin. NO! It's a Cooper's road, Dave spots a small wire-sitter Jeff watching the pond with care Hawk!" We all get good views. The that proves to be a Western Wood- when a bird suddenly zooms by near Ruddy Ducks are there. Pewee, which we had hoped for but the car: "Black Swift!" Dave hollers LCC was the end of the fotmal route which had been held up a little in and I swerve off the highway to the that I had planned to take advantage migration. 149. A quick prowl along shoulder (mostly) and see the hefty of the county's habitats. That sched• the roads revealed no bluebirds, but dark swifts (there were at least two) ule allowed some hunting time for as we walked out the trail we started swoosh by over the edge of the pond. missing birds. We were short on birds seeing lots of spatrows and hearing An amazing break, a bind that we had

Oregon Birds 26(1): 134, Spring 2000 UO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BIRDATHON 1999 only a slight chance at. 151. But there Thete is an impetative to get that one We did better on gulls than we might are no kingfishers over the Long Tom more species. We have been birding have, and coastal shorebirds were not and no miraculous flocks of, say, fla• for 19 hours. We staggei to one pos• bad for the mediocre Siuslaw estu• mingos coming off the lake. sible site fot Western Scieech-Owl. ary. The cool spring may have held Nothing. We agiee to try one more back enough Golden-crowned Spar• 8:30 Back to Royal Avenue for the spot that Dave thinks might be good. rows and Lincoln's Sparrows to keep dusk walk that might, conceivably, It is the boat landing at the bottom us from missing them. Getting "just offet enough owl action to get us to of River Loop 2 off north River Road. enough" of coastal birds such as alcids the tecofd. As we drive down Fir We get theie at 10:10 p.m. We open kept us alive. Likewise, one Downy Butte Rd. we gaze at the wires in the the doots. Jeff says "we're done" al• Woodpecker, one Wrenrit (a good 20 gathering dimness, hoping for a wax- most befote the sound registers. With• miles inland) and one Red-breasted wing. Dave suddenly points to a wire. out any imitations, fake mouse noises Nuthatch suggest that we were pretty Two birds. One is a Western King• or other attempts to lure one in, a close to the edge. bird (already seen), one is... a West• Western Screech-Owl is calmly hoot• ern Bluebird! We are suddenly at 152, Today as I write this account, I see ing away fight by the parking lot: Go which means that it only takes one that we mistakenly marked Cedar ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho home. 154. (owl, or anything else) to tie and two Waxwing on the list even though to beat the record. Those are not bad The late migration and cold weathef my blurry mind does not recall that odds in western Oregon in, say, late this spring hurt us by keeping some we ever found one. So in fact we March ot early April, when owls are species back from their usual migra- tied the record after all, and we'll still territorial and responsive to hoot• tion times. Species that should have have to break it next year. It's a good ing. In mid-May? Much harder when been faitly easy to find in an entire incentive. we've already checked our hypotheti• day in the field were not found: Nash• Thank you fot your support. cal Bain Owl site and had no owls. ville Warbler, Hermit Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, and Olive-sided Flycatcher The 1999Museum of Natural History So at dusk we walk out Royal Avenue were all missed. Some othets Birdathon team: Alan Contreras, Dave as tails call and ducks zoom ovethead. (Hammond's Flycatcher, Pacific- Irons, Jeff Marx. fW Canada Geese are sailing in for rhe slope Flycatchet, Warbling Vireo, evening and all manner of mammals Cassin's Vireo, Black-headed Gros• Continued from page 131 are slithering through the watei. At beak and Swainson's Thrush) were in the end of Royal an American SITE GUIDE: WOOD RIVER Wigeon suddenly calls. If we'd missed numbers much lower than the date WETLANDS, KLAMATH COUNTY that and had, say, Gadwall at Stewart would suggest. Lake. The entrance to the wetland is on Pond we'd be dancing now. As it is, Some small birds were missed for no the west side of the road and 1/4 mile the wigeon's two-note whine seems particulai reason: we never found a before reaching Petric Park. Angle park• to say "next time, next time..." as Kingfisher, our worst miss. We ttied ing is available before reaching the daikness settles. several places fot Dipper: zilch. gate. From Medford take Hwy 140 We walk back to the cai having seen Pileated Woodpecker was not found, east to Rocky Point, take Westside nor were Gray Jay or Townsend's no owls ovet the maishes. We hope Road north, which turns east onto Warbler, all of which were expected. that the drier eastern fringe of the Seven-mile Road, east onto Loosley marsh will offer more chance of suc• Among water birds and other larger Road, and then to Hwy 62 (Ctater cess. As we approach the car at 9:10 species missed, Hooded Merganser, Lake Hwy). Go south on Hwy 62 to p.m., contemplating coming up with Red-shouldered Hawk, Peregrine Fal• Modoc Point Road, then one quarter 152 when the record is 153, two dim con, both grouse, Mountain Quail, mile south of Petric Park. From Bend, forms sail over in close succession. Black Turnstone and Surfbird, Dunlin, take Hwy 97 south to the Chiloquin The Night Masters: Great Horned Long-billed Dowitcher, snipe, Red• exit. Go west to Modoc Point Road, Owls! We have tied the record at 153. necked Phalarope and Barn Owl are not then south to 1/4 mile south of Petric 10:00 Tying a record is far differ• rare (some breed) and we should do Park. ~ ent than coming up short by one. better on them in the future.

Oregon Birds 26(1): 135, Spring 2000 Announcements

1999 OFO Awards Mary Anne Sohlstrom, OFO Secretary, for the Board of Directors

Paul Sullivan Honored Quail Run Golf Course OFO members honored Paul is the OFO Birding Weekends. Paul OFO created a second award this year Sullivan with a standing ovation conceived the idea of having week• to recognize businesses that encour• when he was presented with the OFO end-long field trips to every corner age birding. Our first annual busi• Outstanding Achievement award at of Oregon that would give birders an ness award was presented to the Quail our annual meeting in Lakeview in opportunity to visit new places and Run Golf Course in LaPine, Oregon, June. This award is presented each to meet new friends - both trip lead• for their friendly cooperation and year to recognize special service to ers and participants. Paul has been in• willingness to allow birders to view OFO and to our Oregon Birding strumental in organizing dozens of the Great Gray Owls that have nested community. field trips, recruiting local talent to near the course for the past several lead them and filling in to lead trips years. Course Superintendent Jim aul's generous contributions himself when all else fails. This pro• Peterson has taken special care to as• to OFO include serving on gram introduces new people to OFO sure that the owls are not disturbed the Board of Directors for P and has resulted in adding many new and has been very helpful to visiting four years, compiling the spring and members to our organization. birders in helping them locate the fall Eastern Oregon Field Notes for owls. Our thanks to Quail Run and Oregon Birds, and coordinating the It is because of members like Paul that Jim for their interest and help. information for the Oregon Christ• OFO continues to succeed. We are mas Bird Counts. But, most of all, proud to recognize Paul's ongoing Paul's greatest contribution to OFO contribution to OFO.

Editorial assistance sought for Oregon Birds Matt Hunter, Editor

The Editor is looking for editing of Editors. The Editor is also eas of expertise (e.g. birds in assistance with Oregon Birds. If compiling a list of volunteer re• southwest Oregon, biology of you have experience editing, or viewers for articles submitted to woodpeckers, field identification working with authors to produce Oregon Birds. If you would like of shorebirds, natural history quality material, please contact to serve as a reviewer, please send writing) to the Editor. Thank the Editor for more information your name, postal and e-mail ad• you! about participating on the Board dresses, phone number, and ar•

Oregon Birds 26(1): 136, Spring 2000 Oregon Birds Regional Editors Western Oregon Jeff Gilligan 26 N.E. 32nd Avenue -Fall 503-231-0971 Portland, OR 97232

Western Oregon Gerard Lillie 329 S.E. Gilham •Spring 503-257-9344 Portland, OR 97215 Oregon B/rds and North American S/rds*have synchronized reporting areas, Western Oregon Bill Tice 750 Wood Street periods, and deadlines. Field reports for eastern and western Oregon are due Falls City, OR 97344 to the OB Regional Editor and NAB Regional Editor at the same time. • Winter/Summer 503-787-3436 Season Months to Editor To OB Spring March—May 10 June 20 October Eastern Oregon Paul T. Sullivan 4470 S.W. Murray Blvd. #26 Summer June—July 10 August 20 January • Fall/Spring 503-646-7889 Beaverton, OR 97005 Fall August—November 10 December 20 April Winter December—February 10 March 20 July Eastern Oregon Ray Korpi 9112 N.Tyler • Winter 503-289-1676 Portland, OR 97203

Eastern Oregon Kevin Spencer P.O. Box 353 • Summer 916-667-4644 Tulelake, CA 96134

North American Birds Regional Editor All of Oregon Bill Tweit P.O. Box 1271 206-754-7098 Olympia, WA 98507

North American Birds Sub-Regional Editors Western Oregon Harry Nehls 2736 S.E. 20th 233-3976 Portland, OR 97202

Rogue Valley Howard Sands 10655 Agate Road 826-5246 Eagle Point, OR 97524

* NOTE: The American Birding Association changed the name of Audubon Field Notes to North American Birds effective with Volume 53. O regon Field Ornithologists members bird all over the tors whenever birding in or near the Oregon locations state, and often find birds that are of interest to local birders. listed below. If you would like to add a local newsletter or OFO supports publication of local field notes and encourages OFO revise any of the information below, please contact the members to contact local newsletter publishers or field notes edi- Editor, Oregon Birds, Box 10373, Eugene OR 97440.

Area Publication Publisher Address Field Notes Editij r Phone

Central Oregon PO Box 565 Craig Miller Bend Eagle Eye 541-389-9115 Audubon Society Bend OR 97709 [email protected] Cape Arago Audubon PO Box 381 Inactive Coos Bay The Tattler Audubon Society Bend OR 97459 541-267-7208

Corvallis The Chat Audubon Society POBox 148 Lorn Fitts 541-753-6077 of Corvallis Corvallis OR 97339 [email protected]

Eugene The Quail Lane County Audubon PO Box 5086 Allison Mickel 541-485-7112 Society Eugene OR 97405

Florence Florence Bird Club

Grants Pass The Siskin Siskiyou Audubon Society PO Box 2223 Eleanor Pugh 541-866-2665 Grants Pass OR 97526

Hood River Columbia Gorge Audubon POBox 512 Society Hood River OR 97031

John Day The Upland Sandpiper Grant County Bird Club PO Box 111 Tom Winters 541-542-2006 (h) Canyon City OR 97820 541-575-2570 (w)

Klamath Falls The Grebe Klamath Basin PO Box 354 Kevin Spencer 916-667-4644 (h) Audubon Society Klamath Falls OR 97601

La Grande The Rav-on Grande Ronde Bird Club PO Box 29 Bill & Chris Dowdy 541-963-4768 La Grande OR 97850

Medford The Chat Rogue Valley Audubon 6045 Foley Lane RicThowless 541-535-3280 Central Point OR 97520

Portland Audubon Warbler Audubon Society 5151 NW Cornell Road Harry Nehls 503-233-3976 of Portland Portland OR 97210 [email protected]

Port Orford The Storm Petrel Kalmiopsis Audubon PO Box 1265 Colin Dillingham 541-247-4752 (h) Society Port Orford OR 97465 541-247-3644 (w) Roseburg Wing-Tips Umpqua Valley Box 381 Audubon Society Roseburg OR 97470

Salem The Kestrel Salem Audubon Society 189 Liberty St. NE 209A John Lundsten 503-585-9442 Salem OR 97301 [email protected]

Oregon Birds 26(1): 137, Spring 2000 FIELD NOTES: Eastern Oregon Summer 1999

Kevin T. Spencer, PO Box 353, Tulelake, CA 96134

THE SEASON duced a Summer Tanager among nu• Abbreviations: Below average temperatures lasted into merous Western Tanagers; this, along CG— campground the final week of June. Light precipita• with a Black-throated Green Warbler, Ck. — Creek tion in the form of snow showers was made for an exciting June day. Atten• GCBC - Grant County Bird Club widespread in the first two weeks of tion to vireos saw no less than 4 reports HQ — Headquarters June. The above average snowpack in of Plumbeous Vireo. Single Great-tailed Lk. — Lake mountain areas was substantiated by Grackles made appearances in 3 differ• MNWR - Malheur NWR, Harney Co. reports of Mount Bachelor having 173 ent counties, while a single Virginias Mm. - Mountain inches at mid-mountain in early June, Warbler was the only one detected af• NWR - National Wildlife Refuge "lots of snow" reported at Benson Snow ter last year's reports of several pairs. A OFO — Oregon Field Ornithologists Park during the second week of June, Northern Parula, Tricolored Heron, Res. - Reservoir and significant snow present above Pomarine Jaeger, 2 Yellow-billed Riv. - River 6500 ft on northerly slopes in mid-July Cuckoo, a Black and White Warbler, a WMA - Wildlife Management Area at Sky Lakes Wilderness. Average tem• Black-chinned Sparrow, several Ameri• Bird Names in Italics — Records of in• peratures were reported during July can Redstarts, a Chestnut-sided War• terest in region and/or county with one warm week. Peak numbers bler, a Pacific Loon, 2 Cattle Egret, a Bird Names in ALL CAPS - OBRC of migrants were described as delayed Sabine's Gull, several Rose-breasted Review species into early June with speculation that Grosbeaks, and an Ovenbird were also mountain snowpack and low tempera• of interest. An Eurasian Collared Dove made a brief one day stop at Fields and tures caused a greater use of lower el• Pacific Loon is eastern Oregon's first record of this evations on the east side. 1 basic-plumaged bird at Antelope Res., rapidly expanding introduced species. 24 June, was the second or third record REPORTERS AND REPORTS for Malheur Co. (M&MLD). Observations were received directly Field trips during the OFO annual from 9 observers. Other reports were meeting at Lakeview, 18-20 June, pro• Common Loon gleaned from Pordand's Rare Bird Alert duced numerous reports of both Pa• 1 & 2, Ochoco Res., Crook, 6 June & (via Harry Nehls), Oregon Birders On cific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers; 10 July (JS, RR); 1, Antelope Res., Line (OBOL), and The Upland Sand• both were arguably heard by several Malheur, 24 June (M&MLD); 1, piper (Grant Co. Bird Club). OFO members at Crane Creek, south breeding plumage, Malheur Res., of Lakeview. The trips also yielded 2 Malheur, 26 June (M&MLD); 1, Notable nesting observations included Bobolink and an Eastern Kingbird, Phillips Res., July (TH ,fide GCBC). Gray-headed form of Dark-eyed Junco both very rare for Lake County. Pied-billed Grebe (several pairs and a nest with a chick) detected in Malheur 1 pair, Groundhog Res., County; this is the first Malheur, 21 June (FZ). breeding record for Oregon. Red-necked Grebe A brood of Greater Scaup in 1 pair, Malheur Res., Lake County was highly un• Harney, 6 June (RLR). usual as the species rarely Eared Grebe nests south of Canada. 1, Wallowa Lk., Wallowa, 5 Other notable sightings in• June (M&MLD); "a few cluded a well documented pairs", Bully Ck. Res., record of Northern Mock• Malheur, 22-24 June (FZ); ingbird in Malheur County. 50 pairs were unexpected at A pair of Yellow-breasted Difficulty Res., Malheur, 23 Chat were present June and June (MH, LF). July in Klamath County Western Grebe where rare. Persistence in 10+ pairs, Bully Ck. Res., scrutinizing female tanagers Four inches of snow, 4 July 1999, at atlasing camp along Lightning Creek, Malheur, 22-24 June (FZ); at Malheur NWR HQ pro• north of Hat Point, Wallowa Co., Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas hexagon 24391. Photo/Mike Denny. 18 + , Antelope Res., Oregon Birds 26(1): 138, Spring 2000 EASTERN OREGON FIELD NOTES Malheur, 24 June (M&MLD); 20, (RK); 1, Zumwalt Prairie, Wallowa, 5 JW); 1, Fort Rock, Lake, 27 July (DT). Ochoco Res., Crook, 10 July (RR). June (M&MLD); 1 pair, Bully Ck. Golden Eagle Clark's Grebe Res., Malheur, 23 June (FZ); 1, Sum• Nestling at nest, Willow Spring, 1, John Day Dam, Sherman, 9 June mer Lk. WMA, Lake, 4 July (DT); 1, Malheur, 10 June; a fledgling was us• (RK); 1 pair, Bully Ck Res., Malheur Warner Wedands, Lake, 4 July (DT). ing nest 22 June (FZ). ,22 June (FZ); 3 at a known breeding Northern Pintail Gray Partridge location, Antelope Res., Malheur, 24 Distraction display by hen, Blowout 1 pair, Zumwalt Prairie, Wallowa, 5 June (M&MLD); 1, Columbia Riv., Res., Malheur, 20 June (FZ); 2 pairs, June (M&MLD); 1 pair, Mahogany near Hood River, 8 June (David Roll); Bully Ck. Res., Malheur, 23 June (FZ). Mtn., Malheur, 22 June (FZ); pair with 1, Ochoco Res., Crook, 10-11 July Green-winged Teal 8+ young, se of Little Valley, Malheur, (RR, ChG). 1 pair, Schnable Ck. wetlands north of 23 June (FZ); pair, Imnaha, Wallowa, American Bittern Upper Cow Lk, Malheur, 20 June (FZ); 1 July (M&MLD). 1, Scotty Ck. Rd., Grant, 17 June 1 hen and 7 ducklings, Fields, Harney, WUd Turkey (M&MLD). 18 June (M&MLD). 5 adults, 21 poults, s of Milton- Snowy Egret Ring-necked Duck Freewater, Umatilla, 24 July 1 pair, north of Valley Falls, Lake, 20 1 pair, Ukiah Sewage Ponds, Umatilla, (M&MLD). June (FI, OFO). 2 June (M&MLD); 1, Olive Lk., Mountain Quail TRICOLORED HERON Grant, 17 June (M&MLD); 12, 1, near Fossil, Wheeler, 4-5 June (PS); A single bird was reported at Eagle HosmerLk., Deschutes, 10 July (RR). 3 family groups, near Ashwood, Point, Upper Klamath Lk., Klamath, Greater Scaup Jefferson, 25 July (ML). 2 June, but no details were submitted 1 pair, Hines, Harney, 1 June (JG); a re• Yellow Rail (MaryTeasdale). port of a female with a brood found at 9+, Klamath Marsh NWR, Klamath, Cattle Egret Dog Lk., Lake, 25 July, was accompanied 23 June (KS). by supporting details—this is a highly 2, near Adel, Lake, 18 June (CM, Sora MM). unusual record as the species breeds rarely south of Canada (CM, MM). 2, Hosmer Lk., Deschutes, 10 July Green Heron (RR). Lesser Scaup l,MNWR,4June(MAS); l.Prineville Sandhill Crane Sew. Ponds, Crook, 12 June (LR); 2, 1 pair, Bully Ck. Res., Malheur, 1 July (FZ). 1 pair, Antelope Res., Malheur, 24 June Klamath Riv. Canyon, Klamath, 17 (M&MLD). July(FM). Bufflehead Snowy Plover White-faced Ibis 4, Malheur Res., Malheur, 26 June (M&MLD); female with chicks, 1, Alkali Lk., s of Riley, Harney, 25 June 4, Antelope Res., Malheur, 24 June (JH). (M&MLD); 200, Warner Wetlands, Hatfield Lk., Deschutes, 4 July QM). Lake, 4 July (DT). Barrow's Goldeneye Greater Yellowlegs 1 female with a brood of 12, Santiam 13, Miller Island WMA, Klamath, 6 Snow Goose 6 18 July (FM). 1, south of Burns, Harney, 17 June Lk., Deschutes, 12 July (CR). (M&MLD). Hooded Merganser Lesser Yellowlegs 2 females and 10 juveniles were found 1, Miller Island WMA, Klamath, 18 Trumpeter Swan July (FM). 1, Gutierrez Ranch, Crook, 13 June at a previously unknown breeding lo• (ChG). cation, Unity Res., Baker, 13 July Solitary Sandpiper (M&MLD). 1, Miller Island WMA, Klamath, 19 Tundra Swan Northern Goshawk July (FM); 1, Hatfield Res., Deschutes, 1, Ochoco Res., Crook, 1 June (JS). 1, Blue Sky, Hart Mtn. NWR, Lake, 30 July (JM). Wood Duck 20 June (PS, OFO); 1, near upper Willet 3 males and 1 female, Zumwalt Prai• Malheur Riv., Malheur, 25 June (PA); 25+, Scotty Ck. Rd., Grant, 17 June rie, Wallowa, 5 June (M&MLD); 1 fe• 1, N. Fork, John Day Riv., Malheur, (M&MLD). male, Jet. Forest Service Rds. 54 & 27 June (PA); 2, Indian Ford Ck., Wandering Tattler 5448, Morrow, 16 June (M&MLD); Deschutes, 9 July (RR); nest, ne of Big 1, Cow Lakes, Harney, 22 June (RM). 1 pair, Owyhee Riv. Bridge near Adrian, Summit, Ochoco Mtns., Crook, 17 Malheur, 24 June (M&MLD); 1, near July (ChG). Upland Sandpiper Austin, Malheur, 26 June (PA). Several reports for Bear Valley and Lo• Red-shouldered Hawk Blue-winged Teal gan areas, Grant. 1, Paulina, Deschutes, 10 July (DT, 1 male, Ladd Marsh, Union, 5 June Oregon Birds 26(1): 139, Spring 2000 EASTERN OREGON FIELD NOTES Whimbrel June (FM, CM, MM, KS); 2, Hatfield Ck., Steens Mm., Harney, 18 July (TW). 1 at the mouth of the Hood River, 5 Lk., Deschutes, 5 July (DH, JM). Burrowing Owl June (DR, RK). EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE 1 adult, 1 nestling, 7 mi. w of Vale, Long-billed Curlew 1, Fields, Harney, 19 June (M)-start of Malheur, 22 June (FZ). 10+, Scotty Ck. Rd., 17 June Grant more to come? Barred Owl (M&MLD)-fledglings were at this lo• YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 2, Upper Crazyman Ck., Wallowa, 29- cation on 10 July (OFO); 2+ pairs, 1, MNWR, 31 May to 4 June (PS, 30 June (M&MLD); 1, Hat Point Rd., Lower McCain Springs, Malheur, 20- MAS); 1 photographed at Cow Ck. se of Imnaha, Wallowa, 2 July 22 June (FZ); 15, over Willow Spring, willow grove, Malheur, 26-27 June (M&MLD); 2, Richland, Baker, 11 Malheur, 22 June (FZ); 20, including (M&MLD). July(SL). fledglings, Sand Hollow Ck., se of Little Valley, Long-eared Owl Malheur, 23 June (FZ); 1 1 adult, 6 juveniles, near pair, Chevally Res., Diamond, Harney, 2 June Malheur, 24 June (MAS). (M&MLD). Short-eared Owl l,Sodhouse,MNWR, 17 Marbled Godwit June (M&MLD). 1 at the mouth of the Hood River, 5 June (PS); Northern Saw-whet Owl 1 -3, Summer Lake WMA, 1, Oxbow Ranch, Grant, Lake, 20 June (RK et al., 14 June (M&MLD). CC); 2+, se of Paisley, Common Poorwill Lake, 20 June (CC); 36, 1, between Redmond & Downs, Lk., Harney, 11 Powell Butte, Deschutes, July(SD). 10 July (RR). The Cow Creek willow stand along Bonita R., Malheur Co., between Ironside Baird's Sandpiper andBrogan offHwy. 26, where Mike and Merry Lynn Denny found an adult Black Swift 1, Downs Lk., Harney, 11 Yellow-billed Cuckoo on 26and27 June 1999. For scale, Merry Lynn is standing 1, Crooked Riv. Canyon at July (SD); 1, Prineville, just right of center under the "browse line" of the lower canopy. Photo/Mike Hwy. 97, Deschutes, 3 Denny. Crook, 15 July (ChG). June (DF). Short-billed Dowitcher Barn Owl White-throated Swift 15, Summer Lake WMA, Lake, 17 July 1, Dry Ck., Umatilla, 16 June 2 pair, Pillars of Rome, Malheur, 25 (HN). (M&MLD); 1, Hoodoo Ck, Malheur, June (M&MLD); 3 pair, Burnt Riv. Long-billed Dowitcher 23 June (FZ); 1 heard, Bully Ck. Res. Canyon, Baker, 14 July (M&MLD). 205, Miller Island WMA, Klamath, 18 CG, Malheur, 23 June (FZ); 1 imma• Black-chinned Hummingbird July (FM). ture, Pillars of Rome, Malheur, 25 June 1 female, Fields Oasis, Harney, 6 June (M&MLD); 1, east of Heppner, Mor• Wilson's Phalarope (AC); 1, Bend, Deschutes, 15 June row, 11 July; 1 pair, east of Durkee, 5, Zumwalt Prairie, Wallowa, 5 June (DH, LR); 1 female at nest, Clyde Baker, 15 July (M&MLD). (M&MLD); 10,000, Lake Abert, Lake, Holliday St. Pk., Grant, 17 June 4 July (DT); 2, Prineville Sew. Ponds, Flammulated Owl (MLD); 2, Lonerock, Gilliam, 17 June Crook, 9 July (RR). 1, FS Rds. 40 & 4240, Deschutes, 26 (CC); 1, near Austin, Malheur, 26 June June(DHetal.); 1, Saddle CG, Wallowa, (PA); 2, s of Ironside Mtn., Malheur, Pomarine Jaeger 30 June (M&MLD); 4, FS Rd. 46, 23 July (GG). A sick bird was found near Halfway, Wallowa-Whitman NF, Wallowa, 5 July COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD Baker, 28 June, and later died (Mike (M&MLD); 1, 10 miles south of Can• 1 male, Bend, Deschutes, 18 July (DT). Hammar). yon City, Grant, 10 July (OFO). Broad-tailed Hummingbird Herring Gull Western Screech-Owl 1 male, 3 females, near Flora, Wallowa A very unusual summer observation was 3 adults, 1 juv., Cottonwood Ck., 1 at Ochoco Res., Crook, 12 June (LR). , 19 June (AC); 2, Ore. CanyonMtns., Pueblo Mtns., Harney, 20 June Malheur, 1 July (LF); 1 female, Baker, Sabine's Gull (M&MLD); 1, near Birch Ck. Historic Richland, 11 July (SL); 1 female, Bend, 1, Brownlee Res., Baker, 19 June (TB, Ranch, Malheur, 21 June (FZ); 2, N. Deschutes, 18 July (DT); 1, Sisters, MR). Fork Owyhee Riv., Malheur, 23 June Deschutes, 25 July (LR). Black Tern (MH, LF); 1 pair, Deer Ck., se of Imnaha, Wallowa, 2 July (M&MLD); Lewis's Woodpecker 4, Camas and Bull Prairies, Lake, 18-20 1, Summer Lk., Lake, 4 July (DT); 1, Pike 1, Emigrant Hill, Umatilla, 5 June (RK).

Oregon Birds 26(1): 140, Spring 2000 EASTERN OREGON FIELD NOTES Red-naped Sapsucker Willow flycatcher Bank Swallow 1, Indian Ford Ck., Deschutes, 13 June 1, Cottonwood Ck., s of Fossil, "Large" colony, Bully Ck, w of Vale, (SSh); 2 pair & 3 males, Ore. Canyon, Wheeler, 13 June (BL) Malheur, 23 June (FZ). Malheur, 22 June (M&MLD). LEAST FLYCATCHER Black-capped Chickadee Red-breasted Sapsucker 1, Thornhollow, e of Pendleton, 1 seen and heard in willow bottom, 1, Indian Ford Ck, Deschutes, 12 June Umatilla, summer '99 (HN, SRet al.); Dent Creek, Lake, 18 June (RK, BW, (SSh). 1, Litde Butter Ck, se of Boardman, Vjera Arnold); 4, Wood Riv. Wetlands, Red-breasted and Red-naped Sap• Morrow, 3 July (PS). Klamath, 23 July (FM). sucker pair Gray Flycatcher Juniper Titmouse Nesting, Dent Ck., Lake, 20 June (PS). Bird on nest, Scotty Ck. Rd., Bear Val• 5, Deep Ck Canyon, Lake, 19 June Red-napedX Red-breasted Sapsucker ley, Grant, 10 July (OFO). (M&MLD). 1 adult feeding young, Cabot Ck., Ash-throated Flycatcher Bushtit about 15 mi. nw of Camp Sherman, 2, Six-mile Canyon, e of Condon, A dense population of 42, Cottonwood Jefferson, 30 June (SSh). Gilliam, 3 June (DF); 1, w of Ck, Harney, Pueblo Mtns., 20 June White-headed Woodpecker McDermitt, Malheur, 21 June (M&MLD); 1 pair, Ore. Canyon, 1 pair nested in a large wooden couch (M&MLD); 1, Prineville Res. St. Pk, Malheur, 22 June (M&MLD); 1 pair at Idlewild CG, Harney, early-mid June Crook, 10 July (RR). at Burnt Riv. Canyon, 14 July, was a (MAS); 1, near Bull Prairie, Lake, 20 Eastern Kingbird rare find for Baker (M&MLD)-a fam• June (FM, KS); 1 pair, nesting, Indian 39, CPR, MNWR, 9 June (PP); 1, n ily group was seen at this location in Ford CG, Deschutes, 13-15July (CR). of Valley Falls, Lake, 20 June (FI, 1998, so it should be checked for those interested in Baker County (RK). Three-toed Woodpecker OFO). 1 male, nest, Elk Lk, Deschutes, 27 Loggerhead Shrike Blue-gray Gnatcatcher June (HH);1 adult, 2 juvenile, near 5 pairs, Mahogany Mtn. area, Malheur, 1, Stukel Mm., Klamath, 19 June (SK Forest Service Rd. 6413, Wallowa, 5 20-22 June (FZ). et al.); 1 pair, Battle Mm., Malheur, 20 July (M&MLD). June (MH, LF); 6 pair, Mahogany PLUMBEOUS VIREO Mtns., Malheur, 30 June (LF). 1, Fields, Harney, 6 June (SR, GL et al.); 1, Stukel Mtn., Klamath, 19 June Townsend's Solitaire (SK, PM et al.); 1, Trout Ck Mtns., A nest with 4 chicks, Promise Rd., Harney, 20 June (ED); 1, s of Ironside, Wallowa, 17 July (M&MLD). Malheur, 5 July (JGa). Veery Warbling Vireo 1, Benson Pond, MNWR, 9 June (PP); 15, MNWR HQ, 4 June, and 80 at 1, Fields, 9 June Harney (PP); 10+, Fields, Harney, 6 June, were late for Minam Riv., Wallowa, June-July (Lee mmm SIS such numbers (AC). Kellogg; M&MLD); 6 pair, Imnaha Riv., Wallowa, 1 July (M&MLD); 2, #|1ff Red-eyed Vireo Ochoco Ranger Station, Crook, 10 July 4, mouth of Grouse Ck, Wallowa, 4 (RR). June (M&MLD); 1, MNWR HQ, 5 &10 June (AC, PP); 1, Enterprise Fish Swainson's Thrush Hatchery, Wallowa, 6 June (RK); 1, 2, Ore. Canyon, Malheur, 22 June DeMoss Pk, near Moro, Sherman, 18 (M&MLD); 4, Saddle CG, Wallowa, June (DB); 1, Cayuse Rd., e of 1 July (M&MLD). Pendleton, Umatilla, 11 July (SL). Hermit Thrush Western Scrub-Jay 1, Ore. Canyon, Malheur, 22 June IMS 7, Deep Ck. Canyon, Lake, 19 June (M&MLD); several, Juniper Mtn., Merry Lynn Denny looking at tree sculpted by (M&MLD). Lake, 25 June (Jeff Harding). PileatedWoodpecker along Hells Canyon Rim Rd., Varied Thrush Wallowa Co., 30 June 1999, Oregon Breeding Black-billed Magpie Bird Atlas hexagon 24391. Look at that pile of 2 adults with fledglings, Willow Spring, 2, upper Lightning Ck, Wallowa, 3 shavings! Photo/ Mike Denny. Malheur, 10 June (FZ). July (M&MLD); 1, Litde Strawberry Lk, Grant, 18 July (CK). Northern Rough-winged Swallow Pileated Woodpecker 1 pair, Willow Spring, Malheur, 10 June Gray Catbird 2, Gearhart Mm., 12 June, for an un• (FZ). 2, Grande Ronde Riv., Wallowa, 5 June common Lake County record (FM). (M&MLD); several at Rhinehart Can-

Oregon Birds 26(1): 141, Spring 2000 EASTERN OREGON FIELD NOTES yon, Union, 5 June (RK); 1, Benson nually on a BBS route (KB). Pond, MNWR HQ, 6 June (AC); 1, BLACK-THROATED GREEN Fields, 11 June, Harney (M); 1 pair, WARBLER Gov. Mtn. Rd., Umatilla, 6 July Photos were obtained of a female at (M&MLD); 10+pair, 1 nest, Philburg MNWR HQ, 6 June (AC, HN, DH, Rd., Union, 15 July (M&MLD); l,so. P&GC). Morrow Co., 24 July, was possibly die first county record (PS). Black-and-white Warbler 1, Benson Pond, MNWR, 9 June (PP). Northern Mockingbird 1 adult at nest, Cottonwood Ck., up• American Redstart 1 male, Fields Oasis, Harney, 6 June stream from Bully Ck. Res. CG, Adult Sage Sparrow Oreana Canyon, Harney Co., (AC); 1 male, MNWR HQ, 7 & 10 June Malheur, 23 June; 4 eggs, adults were 24 July 1999. Photo/Steve Dowlan (AC & PP); 1, MNWR Field Sta., 17 where the species is highly uncommon at this location on 1 July; and 1 half- June (RS); 1, near Madras, Jefferson, 12 (MLD). grown nesding & eggs in nest, 21 July June (PS); 1, Indian Ford Ck, Deschutes, (FZ). Other sightings: 1, Lonerock, Chipping Sparrow 23 June & 9 July (SSh; CM, MM). Gilliam, 17 June (CC, JS), and 1, Jack• 3, Van Horn Basin, Pueblo Mtns., son Ck., se Malheur, 22 June (MH, Ovenbird Harney, 20 June, where they are un• LF). 1, Fields, Harney, 11 & 17 June (M, RS). common in junipers (M&MLD). American Pipit Northern Waterthrush BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW 1, n of Upper Cow Lk., Malheur, 21 Several reports from Little Deschutes 1 male, Blitzen Crossing, Steens Mtn., June (FZ). Riv./Hwy. 58 location, Klamath. Harney, 28 June (SN). Orange-crowned Warbler Wilson's Warbler Black-throated Sparrow 1, Van Horn Basin, Pueblo Mtns., 1 pair, Tiger Canyon, Umatilla, 8 July 2 pair+1, Deep Ck Canyon, Lake, 19 Harney, 20 June (M&MLD). (M&MLD). June (M&MLD); 1, Stukel Mtn., Kla• math, 19 June (SK, Bend Bird Club); Nashville Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat 2, Antelope Res., Malheur, 24 June 7 adults, Troy, Wallowa, 5 June 1 male located on territory in Ore. Can• (M&MLD). yon, Malheur, 22 June; possibly the first (M&MLD); 1, Wood Riv. Wedand, suggestion of potential nesting activity Agency Lake, 5 June (FM, KS) and 1 Sage Sparrow at this location (M&MLD). pair, Klamath Riv. Canyon, June & 1, near Sisters, Deschutes, 5 June (SSh). early July were VIRGINIA'S WARBLER rare for Kla• 1 male was up Rose Ck. Rd., south of math (fide KS); Ironside, Malheur, 5 July (JGa). 1, near NORTHERN PARULA Crowley, 1, Fields, Harney, 7 June (Ken Aldrich); Malheur, 20 1 male, Arock, 25 June, was a first June (PA); 1, Malheur Co. record (M&MLD). near Harper, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER Malheur, 22 1, Benson Pond, MNWR, 5 June June (PA); 1 (David Herr); 1, Fields Oasis, Harney, pair, upstream 6 June (AC, SR et al.); 1, Indian Ford from Bully Ck Ck., Deschutes, 2 July (SSh). Res., Malheur, lJuly(FZ). Yellow-rumped "Myrde" Warbler 1 female was present with 3 pair of SUMMER Audubon's, MNWR HQ, 17 June TANAGER (M&MLD); 1 female, Oregon Can• 1 female, Hatch year Sage Sparrow, Oreana Canyon, Harney Co., 24July 1999. Photo/ yon, Malheur, 22 June (M&MLD). MNWR HQ, Steve Dowlan Grasshopper Sparrow Black-throated Gray Warbler 6 June (AC, HN, PGC). 3-4 males at 3600 ft., Low. McCain 2 males, Cottonwood Ck., Pueblo Green-tailed Towhee Springs, Malheur, 20-22 June (FZ); 1, Mtns., Harney, 20 June (M&MLD); 10+ pairs, Oregon Canyon Mtns., Willow Spring, Malheur, 22 June (FZ); several, Owyhee Riv. area, Malheur, 22 Malheur, 22 June (M&MLD); 2 males, 3, along Gov. Mtn. Rd., Umatilla, 6 June (MH, LF); 1, near Cabin Lk. Gd. Tiger Canyon, Umatilla, 8 July, a nest• July (M&MLD). Sta., Lake, 27 June, where found an• ing area 2 miles from Washington state,

Oregon Birds 26(1): 142, Spring 2000 EASTERN OREGON FIELD NOTES

Fox Sparrow Gray-crowned Rosy Finch 3, Cottonwood Ck., 15 at the summit of Pueblo Mtns., Harney, 20 McKenzie Pass, 17 July June (M&MLD); 8 pair, 2 (RSJ). nests with 3 and 4 eggs re• Lesser Goldfinch spectively, Ore. Canyon, 1+, Spray, Grant, 13 July Malheur, 22 June (PS). (M&MLD); several pairs OBSERVERS and video of nest with PA-Paul Adamus, DB- young, Mid. Fork, Owyhee David Bailey, KB-Kelly Riv., Malheur 23 June Bettinger, TB-Trent Bray, (MH, LF). AC-Alan Contreras, CC- Lincoln's Sparrow Craig Corder, PGC- 1, Promise Rd., 5 June Priscilla & Grant Wallowa (M&MLD); 1 at Christenson, M&MLD- Benson Pond, MNWR, 6 Mike and Merry Lynn Male Bobolink, 1 among 15+ pairs at Grouse Cr., Malheur Co., June 1999. June may have been the lat• Photo/Merry Lynn Denny Denny, SD-Stephen est date at MNWR (Sheran Dowlan, DF-Darrel Faxon, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK Wright, AC); 1, Deep Ck., w of Adel, ED-Elisa Dale, LF- Leroy Fish, JGa- 1 male, banded, Rocky Point, Up. Kla• Lake, 21 June (HN); 4 pair, Lightning John Gatchet, ChG-Chuck Gates, math Lk., Klamath, 7 June (DV); 2, Ck., Wallowa, 3 July (M&MLD); 1, GG-Greg Gillson, JG-Jeff Gilligan, Tent Ck., se Malheur, 20 June (MH, Izee, Grant, 3 July (PSS, TW); 1 pair, DH-Dean Hale, HH-Howard LF); 1, MNWR HQ, 21 June (BW, n of Jubilee Lk., Wallowa, 6 July Horvath, JH-Jeff Harding, TH-Tom PP); 1 male that did a fast fly-by, Can• (M&MLD). Hunt, MH-Matt Hunter, FI-Frank yon Ck., s of John Day, Grant, 10 July, Isaacs SK-Steve Kornfeld, CK-Cindy could not be re-located by Kranich , RK-Ray Korpi, BL-Bob OFO weekend group (RK); Lockett, GL-Gerard Lillie, ML-Marga- 1 male was photographed, ret LaFaive, SL-Stephen Lindsay, M- Indian Ford CG, Deschutes, Maitreya, FM-Frank Mayer, LM-Larry 13 July (CR). McQueen, MM-Marilyn Mason, PM- Bobolink Patty Meehan, JM-Judy Meredith, 1, Ladd Marsh, Union, 5 CM-Craig Miller, RM-Russ June (RK); 2, Paisley, 20 June, Manwaring, HN-Harry Nehls, SN- was the third Lake record in Steve Nemetz, PP-Phil Pickering, CR- last 15 yrs. (CM, OFO); 1, Craig Roberts, DR-Dave Roll, LR-Lew Adult Mountain White-crowned Sparrow (oriantha) Steens Dinwitty Rd., 24 June Rems, MR-Mariah Rose, RR-Roger Mtn. Harney Co., 09 July 1999. Photo/Steve Dowlan Malheur (M&MLD); 12-15 Robb, SR-Skip Russell, JS-Jamie White-crowned Sparrow pair, Grouse Ck. meadow, Malheur, 26 Simmons, MAS-Mary Anne June (M&MLD); birds found at two 9 pair, 1 nest, Ore. Canyon Mtns., Sohlstrom, KS-Kevin Spencer, PS-Paul different Grant County sites, Silvies and Malheur, 22 June (M&MLD); 6 pair Sullivan, PSS-Pat & Sharon Sweeney, east of Prairie City, 10-11 July (OFO). above 7000 feet along upper Lightning SSh-Steve Shunk, DT-Dave Tracy, DV- Ck., Wallowa, 3 July (M&MLD). Tricolored Blackbird Dennis Vroman, TW-Tom Winters, BW-Bing Wong, FZ-Fred Zeillemaker. DARK-EYED "GRAY-HEADED" 1, Barnes Butte, Crook, 1 June (JS). JUNCO GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE 5 pairs and 1 chick, Ore. Canyon, 1, MNWR HQ, 4-6 June (AC); 1, Malheur, 22 June, represents the first south of Ontario, Malheur, 6 June known breeding in Oregon (RLR); 1, Sycan Marsh, Lake, 16 June (M&MLD). (Mark Stern, fideMH) .

Oregon Birds 26(1): 143, Spring 2000 HELD NOTES: Western Oregon Summer 1999

Bill Tice, 750 Wood St., Falls City, OR 97344

The summer season was rather wet Fork-tailed Storm Petrel 26 June (Jeff Gilligan, Gerard Lillie); a until the middle of July when the sum• 1 was on Coos Bay, Coos, 6 June (Dave pair were at the north spit of Coos Bay, mer finally arrived and there were more Lauten). 33 were at the SJCR on 5 Coos, 28 June (Tim Rodenkirk). than a few days of sunshine. There were June, and 1 was found dead on nearby Redhead a few nice surprises in rare birds as well Sunset Beach the next day (Jeff Gilligan; A pair on 5 July and 2 pairs on 18 July as a pair of Black Terns that probably Mike Patterson). The 11 June ODFW were seen at FRR (Dave Irons). Breed• nested at Baskett Slough NWR. survey turned up 8 dead birds near ing has been suspected at FRR for the Abbreviations Newport, Lincoln (fide Harry Nehls). past few years. Leach's Storm Petrel FRR - Fern Ridge Reservoir, Lane Co. Ring-necked Duck An ODFW survey found 1 dead on a For the second year a pair nested on NWR - National Wildlife Refuge beach near Newport, Lincoln, 11 June the effluent pond near the north spit SJCR - South Jetty of the Columbia (fide Harry Nehls). of Coos Bay, Coos, as a female and one River, Clatsop Co. American White Pelican chick were seen on 20 and 25 July (Tim Bird Names in Italics — Records of The bird that was reported at Baskett Rodenkirk). interest in region and/or county Slough NWR, Polk, in the spring was Red-breasted Merganser Bird Names in ALL CAPS - OBRC last seen 10 June (Roy Gerig). 1 was on A late female was at New River, Coos, Review species the Columbia River near Portland, 11 June (Tim Rodenkirk). Multnomah, 18 June (John Cowan); White-tailed Kite it or another was on Sturgeon Lake on A pair nested for the second consecu• Pacific Loon Sauvie Island 25 July and remained into tive year at Nestucca Bay NWR, 1 in breeding plumage was on Lemolo August (fide Don Baccus, Ray Korpi). Lake, Douglas, 15 July (Ron Maertz). Tillamook (Floyd Schrock). One was Great Egret seen much of the period at Millacoma Common Loon The colonies around Coos Bay, Coos, Marsh, Coos, and breeding was sus• 1 was on Cougar Reservoir, Lane, 3 July continue. Oregon birders should be pected (Tim Rodenkirk). The first (Dave Irons); 1 was on Marion Lake, aware that a pair of Great Egrets nested Curry County nesting pair, found 4 Marion, in the Cascades 8 July (Frank at Ridgefield NWR, WA, across the miles up the Rogue River, had young Isaacs). Columbia River from Sauvie Island, in ready to fledge at the end of the period Western Grebe 1998; thus, birders need to be aware of (Colin Dillingham). 1 summered at Baskett Slough NWR, possible breeding anywhere in the re• Northern Goshawk Polk, where the recent habitat changes gion north of Coos Bay. An immature bird seen near Alsea, may be extensive enough to support Black-crowned Night Heron Benton, 23 June was a rare Coast Range breeding birds (Ron Day, Carol Karlin, 1 was seen flying over Bandon Marsh, fledgling (Tom Snetsinger). Nesting Bill Tice, Roy Gerig). Coos, 6 June (Tim Rodenkirk); an has taken place as far north as Lane Pelagic Trips: immature bird was in Eugene, Lane, 9 County in previous years. On 17 July, the following were seen off July (Barb Combs); 1 was at Baskett Red-shouldered Hawk of Depoe Bay, Lincoln: Slough NWR, Polk, 16 July (Bill Tice, An adult was a few miles south of Black-footed Albatross 9 Roy Gerig). Brownsville, Linn, 17 July (Roy Gerig, Northern Fulmar 1 Ross's Goose Bill Tice); 1 was in Philomath, Benton, Pink-footed Shearwater 1 An injured bird was found on Bandon 19 July (Tom Snetsinger). Sooty Shearwater 11 Marsh, Coos, for a first county record Merlin Short-tailed Shearwater on 28 June; it stayed through the pe• A late bird was seen at Minto Brown An ODFW survey found 1 dead on a riod (Roy Lowe). Park, Marion, 11 June (Roy Gerig, beach near Newport, Lincoln, 11 June American Wigeon Laurie Ashworth). (fide Harry Nehls). 3 were on Tillamook Bay, Tillamook,

Oregon Birds 26(1): 144, Spring 2000 WESTERN OREGON FIELD NOTES

Sandhill Crane mouth of the Colum• 3 were at Elk River bia River, Clatsop (fide Bottoms, Curry, 3 Harry Nehls). June (Terry Wahl). Glaucous Gull Snowy Plover A late adult bird was at 52 were counted on the the mouth of the D annual survey. This River, Lincoln, 1 June. number is down as This bird plus 2 first compared to recent summer birds were years. A banded bird there on 3 June (Phil was found on Sunset Pickering). Beach, Clatsop, 30 July Black-legged Kitti- (Todd Thornton). wake Solitary Sandpiper 40 were at the SJCR on 5 June for a rather 1 was at Fernhill Wet• unusual summer lands, Washington, 25 record (Jeff Gilligan). July (Doug Robertson). Hatch year Cassin's Vireo, Mike's Meadow, Clackamas Co., 27 July 1999. This Caspian Tern Wdlet species had not been seen nor captured during the previous 2 years of banding At the mouth of the 4 were at Bandon, operations at the site. Photo/Steve Dowlan Columbia River, 8500 Coos, 18 June (Dave pairs nested on Rice Lauten). July, for a first probable breeding record for the county (Jeff Harding, Roy Island and 1400 on East Sand Island Long-billed Curlew Gerig, Bill Tice). One was at Yaquina (see OB 25:3 for additional informa• 5 were seen along Fenk Road near Bay, Lincoln, 12 June, an unusual time tion). Away from the Columbia River, Bayocean Spit, Tillamook, 23 July (M. and location (Roger Robb) 3 were at Baskett Slough NWR, Polk, Tweelinkcx) 6 and 22 June, and 1 on 5 July (Carol Red Phalarope BAR-TAILED GODWIT Karlin); 6 were at FRR in July (Dave 1 was seen at Boiler Bay, Lincoln, 17 1 in basic plumage was found at Irons). July (Phil Pickering). Bayocean Spit, Tillamook, 26 June-9 Arctic Tern July (Jeff Gilligan, Gerard Lillie, Steve LAUGHING GULL 3 were at the SJCR on 5 June (Jeff Jaggers). A sub-adult was well reported from the Gilligan). SJCR, Clatsop, 31 July (Mike Sanderling Black Tern Patterson). This would be the third 1 was at Baskett Slough NWR, Polk, state record if accepted by the OBRC. Up to 5 birds were seen at Baskett 16 July (Roy Gerig, Bill Tice). Slough NWR, Polk, during the period. Franklins Gull On 5 July, an adult was seen feeding an Semipalmated Sandpiper A first-summer bird was just south of 2 at Bayocean Spit, Tillamook, 3 July, immature bird, so breeding seems Del Ray Beach, Clatsop, 8 July (Mike highly probable (Carol Karlin, Bill Tice, were the first reported fall migrants (Jeff Patterson). Gilligan, Gerard Lillie). Roy Gerig, Erik Knight). LITTLE GULL Common Murre Western Sandpiper A second-summer bird was at the north Encouraging reports from breeding 1 was at Coos City, Coos, 21 June, for the spit of Coos Bay, Coos, 7 July (Dave colonies were the first this decade (Roy first probable fall migrant (Dave Lauten). Lauten). Lowe et al.). RED-NECKED STINT Heermann's Gull Black Swift An adult beginning to molt was at the The first bird reported was at Coos Bay, 6 were at their suspected nesting loca• effluent pond of the north spit of Coos Coos, 20 June (Dave Lauten). tion at Salt Creek Falls, Lane, 10 June Bay, Coos, 15 July (Tom Rodenkirk). Mew Gull (Roy Gerig). Other sightings included This would be the seventh record if 2 sub-adult birds were at Bayocean Spit, 1 in Beaverton, Washington, 5 July accepted by the OBRC. Tillamook, 26 June (Jeff Gilligan, (David Heath). Wilsons Phalarope Gerard Lillie). Rufous Hummingbird A juvenile bird was found on the rice Ring-billed Gull Most unusual was a male seen 7 miles ponds along Gap Road, Linn, 16-17 250 nested on Miller Island in the offshore on a pelagic trip out of Depoe Oregon Birds 26(1): 145, Spring 2000 WESTERN OREGON FIELD NOTES Bay, Lincoln, on 17 July (Matt Hunter) record (fide Greg Gillson) and may be Brewer's Sparrow Lewis's Woodpecker the farthest north on the west slope of A singing bird was near Astoria, 9 June, 1 was in Gresham, Multnomah, 6 July the Cascades yet. for a first Clatsop record (Mike (Dave Bailey, Dave Helzer). Northern Mockingbird Patterson). 2 were found at Trailbridge Reservoir, eastern Linn, 14 June (Roy Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 was along the road to the South Jetty Gerig); 2 were found 3 miles north of 1 was at the Sandy River Delta, of Yaquina Bay, Lincoln, 12 June Central Point, Jackson, where they have Multnomah, 26 June (Bob Altman). (Roger Robb). 1 was at the north spit of Coos Bay, Coos, 27 June (Dave been seen in past summers. 1 with a Eastern Kingbird Lauten). 2 were 3 miles north of Cen• brood patch was captured and banded 1 was on Cape Blanco, Curry, 1 and tral Point, Jackson, 3 July (Dennis 18 miles west of Grants Pass and is one 22 June (Terry Wahl). A pair returned Vroman). of a few records for Josephine County to the Sandy River Delta, (Dennis Vroman). Multnomah, for the sev• Grasshopper Sparrow enth consecutive year. An• 1 was found at an unusual other was on Mt. Pisgah, location, Trailbridge Res• Lane, 1, 3, and 22 June ervoir, eastern Linn, 14 (Don DeWitt). June, but could not be re• Red-eyed Vireo located (Roy Gerig). 1 was back at the Golden-crowned Sparrow Luckiamute Landing, A breeding plumaged bird Polk, where they were was seen and heard well in found last year (Karen Gearhart, Clatsop, on 20 Sparkman). No others July for a very rare sum• were reported from new mer record. (Todd locations in the Willamette Thornton). Valley. Birds were found at Virginia Lake, Sauvie Is• Lapland Longspur Female Black-headed Grosbeak, Mike's Meadow, Clackamas Co., 18June 1999. A breeding plumaged male land; Smith and Bybee This species had not been detected during the breeding season at the site, and was Lakes; and Government Is• probably a late transient. Snow remained around the meadow well into June. was near 10 Miles Beach, Photo/Steve Dowlan land, all Multnomah, dur• Lincoln, 1 June (Range ing the period (Ray Korpi; Bayer); another was at Northern Waterthrush Dan van den Broek; Bob Altman) Yaquina Bay, Lincoln, 3 June (Dave 1 was in Lincoln City, Lincoln, 12 June Copeland). Bank Swallow (Phil Pickering); 1 was at Salt Creek ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK The colony found last year at Nesika Falls, Lane, 4 July, where they are regu• Photos were taken of a pair in south• Beach, Curry, had at least 118 burrows lar (Roger Robb). and 80 birds (Nate Wander, Colin east Portland, Multnomah, 7 July (Pat BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW Dillingham). 1 was at New River, Blair). 1 found singing in a clear-cut 3 miles Coos, 21 July (Dave Lauten). COMMON GRACKLE east of Markam, Clackamas, 12 June, 1 was in Port Orford, Curry, 16-19 June Rock Wren was seen well and recorded (Skip (Nate Wander). Polk County's third record was found Russell, Darlene Philpott,Tim Janzen). in a clear-cut 2 miles south of Laurel Red Crossbill Clay-colored Sparrow Mountain 11 July (Paul Adamus) Numerous flocks were reported from 1 was singing at the north spit of Coos the Coast Range, less so from the Cas• Wrentit Bay, Coos, 9-11 June (Dave Lauten). 1 was found on a BBS route east of cades. Lebanon, Linn, 22 June (Kelly % Bettinger). This was the second county

Oregon Birds 26(1): 146, Spring 2000 Oregon Field Ornithologists Binding Weekends 2000

OFO Birding Weekends for 2000 will be coordinated and prin• ticipants are sent a packet in advance of each weekend, sug• cipally guided by Paul Sullivan. They normally begin at dawn gesting lodging, meeting place, and other details.

Saturday and end early Sunday afternoon, with Friday and Sat• Local trip leaders provide recommendations on lodging and urday nights based in the same city. Costs of lodging, trans• guidance to the birding sites and bird species of the area.The portation (car pooling), and food are up to the individual par• $ 15 fee is split between OFO and the trip leaders: $5 for OFO, ticipants. Most of our travel is by private cars on public roads, and $ 10 for the leader, who bears the costs of advance prepa• with some walks on trails.We usually eat supper together on rations, as well as his/her own expenses on the trip. Saturday night and have a "countdown" of species seen. Events marked with asterisks (such as the spring and fall North Registration is $15 per person (membership in OFO not re• American Migration Count, Christmas Bird Counts) are not quired) per weekend (K- 2 Student price $IO),and is required 1 OFO Birding Weekends and require separate registration. To

by the Tuesday before the weekend you plan to attend. Par• participate, contact your local county coordinator.

25-26 March Klamath Basin 16 September Fall N. American Migration Count * Check out the northbound waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors in the Kla• 23-24 September Malheur NWR math Basin.a prime place to see large numbers of Snow Geese, Ross' Geese, Come enjoy the crisp air at Malheur NWR and look for fall migrants. and the first American Avocets of the season. Base: Klamath Falls. This is a prime time of year for unusual vagrants. Leader for this trip will be Tim Janzen. Base: Malheur Field Station. 29-30 April Curry County Escape the cold of winter and look for the first spring migrants, as 14-15 October Central Cascades well as coastal species.Trip leader: Don Munson. Base: Gold Beach. We will search for the "most wanted" Boreal Owl, for Black-backed andThree-toed woodpeckers,as well as fall waterfowl at Crane Prai• 13 May Spring North American Migration Count *rie , Wickiup Reservoir, and other lakes. Base: Bend 20-21 May Malheur NWR 11-12 November Columbia River Look for spring migrants at this well-known hotspot in eastern Or• Check out the fall migrants on the Columbia River from above the egon. Base: Malheur Field Station. John Day dam to Hood River.This is the time of year to hope for Last week of June Churchill, Manitoba unusual loons, scoters, etc. Base:Arlington. We are discussing a week-long trip to this well-known birding destination. 9-10 December Wallowa County Details will be announced on the OFO Web site. We plan to search for winter species: Bohemian Waxwings, Snow Bun• 22-23 July Crook County tings, etc, and Gray Partridge, various raptors, and waterfowl, and enjoy the beauty of the Wailowas. Base: Enterprise. Visit Crook County reservoirs to look for migrant shorebirds, marsh birds, and waterfowl. Visit the forests forVeerys, Pygmy Nuthatches, December Christmas Bird Counts * woodpeckers, and warblers.Trip leader will be Chuck Gates. Base: Don't miss out on this special annual birding event. Prineville. 26-27 August Mouth of the Columbia River Send registrations to: Paul T. Sullivan, The south jetty of the Columbia River.Astoria, and Seaside all offer pos• 4470 SW Murray Blvd. #26, Beaverton OR 97005 sible interesting shorebirds, seabirds,and migrant passerines. BaseAstoria. Questions? Call (503) 646-7889

Please make a separate copy of this form for each weekend you plan to attend.

NAME

ADDRESS CITY, STATE. ZIP

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AMOUNT ENCLOSED ($15 PER PARTICIPANT) $ Make checks payable to Oregon Field Ornithologists. One of many extraordinary views had by Mike and Merry Lynn Denny during summer of1999, the last of5 summers'efforts on the Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas. Looking southwest from SugarloafMtn., Baker Co., 28 June 1999. This is the first forested mountain northwest of Idaho's Treasure Valley and the Snake River flood plain. This mountain is covered with western larch, huge Douglas-fir, aspen, and juniper; no ponderosa pine; truly a unique and interesting place. Photo/Mike Denny.

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Dennis P. Vroman 26C2) 269 Shetland Sr. Srants Pass OS 97 526