Oregon Birds The Journal of Oregon Birding and Field Ornithology Volume 45 Number 1, 2019 Oregon Birds The Journal of Oregon Birding and Field Ornithology Oregon Birds is a publication of the Oregon Birding Association, an Oregon not-for-proft corporation. Two issues are produced each year, a full-color Year-in-Review issue in the spring, and an issue in the fall with various articles about birds and birding. Article deadline for the fall issue of Oregon Birds is August 1, 2019. Please send articles and/or article ideas to Linda Burftt at [email protected]. Spring Editor: Selena Deckelmann Fall Editor: Linda Burftt Photo Editor, Layout: Diana Byrne Maps: Alan Woods Contents of Oregon Birds Volume 45 (1) - 2019 2018 in Review, Selena Deckelmann, Diana Byrne ............ 1 OBA Annual Meeting, Kathy Krall ............ 17 5-Mile-Radius Birding, Jen Sanford ............ 21 Western Snowy Plovers, Eleanor P. Gaines ............ 28 Oregon Bird Records Committee, Treesa Hertzel ............ 32 2018 Listing Results Summary, Paul T. Sullivan ............ 35 Regional Field Notes, various authors ............ starting on page 2 Cover Photos OBA Membership Front cover: This Eastern Bluebird is one of two that Membership in OBA is open to everyone. Dues support events, were found at the Dharma Rain Zen Center in Portland publications, and special projects. Members receive issues on Nov 25, 2018 by Eric Carlson. These are the frst ever of Oregon Birds in the mail twice a year. Field trips for OBA reported in Oregon. Photo by Noah Strycker. members, led by expert birders, are offered at locations through- out Oregon. OBA annual meetings are held at some of Oregon’s Back cover: This Sedge Wren is one of two that were top birding sites with birding trips led by local experts. Annual found near Florence at the Waite Ranch, in the McKenzie membership fees: River Trust. The frst was found on Dec 13, 2018 by Rog- 21 and under..................$21 er Robb, and a second one was found on Dec 21 by Individual.....................$30 Adrian Hinkle. Photo by Noah Strycker. Family..........................$35 Sustaining....................$50 All photographs appearing in Oregon Birds are held in copyright by the photographer, and are reproduced in Join, renew, change your address, or make a tax-deductible Oregon Birds with the permission of the photographer. donation online at https://oregonbirding.org or you may send your information to our mailing address below. Oregon Birding Association PO Box 675 Lincoln City OR 97367-0675 ISSN 0890-2313 2018 In Review by Selena Deckelmann and Diana Byrne Steller’s Eider, Jack WIlliamson elcome to the 2018 spring issue of Oregon Birds! This Eastern Bluebird: Two male Eastern Bluebirds (photo front issue is devoted to regional reports, which include cover), a frst record for the west coast of the United States, were Wrarities as well as notable or unusual sightings of birds discovered by Eric Carlson on Nov 25, 2018 at the Dharma Rain across Oregon. We wish to thank our 15 regional editors for Zen Center (DRZC) in Portland, Multnoham County, where their detailed reports of 2018 bird sightings covering most of the they stayed into March 2019. The lengthy presence of the two counties in Oregon. We need additional regional feld notes ed- bluebirds drew hundreds of birders to the14-acre site, generating itors for 2019 to cover Morrow, Umatilla, Harney, and Malheur more than 180 eBird reports. Counties. Please contact us if you are interested in sharing your local birding knowledge as a regional editor. “DRZC folks are careful caretakers and stewards of the land, a brownfeld that is being restored to a natural, native landscape,” The many sightings and locations mentioned in the regional re- wrote Oregon birder and member of the center, Mary Garrard, on ports highlight the diversity of Oregon’s habitats and the exper- OBOL. She contacted the DRZC to make sure the infux of bird- tise of Oregon’s birders. We hope this issue will inspire you to ers was not having a negative impact, and they replied that they explore new places and see interesting birds in Oregon in 2019. enjoyed exchanging greetings and watching birders enjoy the land, and they appreciated the respectful behavior of the birders. The Bird of the Year award for 2018 goes to the rarest bird that stayed the longest and was seen by the most birders. The winner Sedge Wren: Roger Robb reported a Sedge Wren (photo back is a three-way tie among three species, Steller’s Eider, Eastern cover) on Dec 13, 2018 at Waite Ranch, Lane County, the third Bluebird, and Sedge Wren. Oregon record. Then on Dec 21, Adrian Hinkle determined that there was a second Sedge Wren. Immediately after the initial Steller’s Eider: The early contender for the award was the report, birders were asked to “chill for a couple of days” while Steller’s Eider (photo above) spotted on Jan13, 2018 at Seaside local birders with experience surveying this area for the trust Cove, Clatsop County, by Adrian Hinkle and Mary Lynn “Em” worked on a plan for access. Alan Contreras led coordination for Scattaregia. They detected the fatter head shape of the Steller’s visits by 67 people in December. And in the new year, Daniel Eider among scores of scoters foating offshore. The fourth re- Farrar picked up visit coordination duties, as the birds continued cord for the state, it remained until at least Apr 26 and was seen into March of 2019. by more than 300 people, based on eBird reports. The two Sedge Wrens observed at Waite Ranch highlighted The female Steller’s Eider appeared right in the middle of a the local birding community’s involvement with conservation popular surfng location. “Several sufers have paddled by pretty efforts. Like the bluebirds, the wrens were on private land that is close to the eider. It did not seem to bother her at all,” reported being restored. This area is owned by the Mackenzie River Trust Jeff Dillon on eBird. Mike Patterson provided local knowledge and is a tidal estuary of the Siuslaw River. The restoration will to help minimize the impact of so many birders visiting the site, result in 211 acres of marsh, a 10-mile channel, and great habitat writing on OBOL, “The surfng community has a high sense for birds and salmon. of ownership at Seaside Cove…They are having a good time sharing the eider with bird-folk…but it’s important that we don’t Enjoy the 2018 regional reports, and good birding in 2019! wear out our welcome with inconsiderate behaviors.” Oregon Birds Volume 45 (1) - 2019 1 North Coast Field Notes Clatsop and Tillamook Counties by Wink Gross s sometimes happens, a strong candidate for “Bird of Individuals were reported from Fort Stevens, Gearhart, Bay- the Year” occurred almost right at the start: the female ocean, and Sitka Sedge State Natural Area. Latest was a single ASTELLER’S EIDER found by Adrian Hinkle at Seaside bird at Nehalem Bay State Park on Sep 11 (Robert Martinez). Cove on Jan 13. The fourth record for the state, it remained at Three Solitary Sandpipers were at least two more than we least until Apr 26. usually get: at Anderson Lane, Brownsmead, on Apr 28 (MP); at Nehalem Sewage Treatment Plant on May 1 (Beverly Hallberg); A Sandhill Crane was at Idaville, Tillamook County, from Jun and at Netarts Spit on May 16 (Glen and Malinda Chapman). 21 to 24. Mike Patterson found a Black-necked Stilt at Browns- mead on Apr 7. Peter Barnes found an American Golden-Plover Janet Phillips reported a single Parakeet Auklet from a Princess at Necanicum Estuary on Aug 24. Snowy Plovers continued their Cruise 65 miles off Rockaway on Apr 30. The 63 Tufted Puffns recovery on the North Coast with 17 at Sitka Sedge State Natural on Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Aug 11, were the most Tim Area on Oct 21 (Wink Gross); 19 at Nehalem Bay State Park on Halloran has seen in several years. He reported 26 active bur- Nov 19 (Beverly Hallberg); and 15 during the Columbia Estuary rows. CBC on Dec 16 (fde Mike Patterson). Elegant Terns peaked at 30 at the Hammond Boat Basin on Sep An adult Hudsonian Godwit was at Bayocean, Tillamook 14. Otherwise they went unreported in the region. County, on Aug 11 (WG), and a juvenile bird found by Evan Cain hung out near Fort Stevens parking lot D from Sep 14 until A Yellow-billed Loon was at Wheeler on Nov 20 (photo next at least Sep 20. Two Rock Sandpipers were at Barview Jetty on page, upper right) (Beverly Hallberg). Jan 1 (David Mandell, Jay Withgott). Baird’s Sandpipers were widely reported, the high count being 30 at Necanicum Estuary During the annual OBA meeting, an Oregon Pelagic Tours boat on Aug 24 (Peter Barnes). David Bailey found a WHITE- trip out of Garibaldi found a Flesh-footed Shearwater on Sep 29. RUMPED SANDPIPER at Little Beach, Gearhart, on May 22 A Manx Shearwater was off Tierra del Mar on Oct 1 (WG). (photo below). It lingered a couple of days. It was a banner year Beverly Hallberg spotted a “dark, nighthawk-like” Leach’s for Buff-breasted Sandpipers, which is to say there were some. Storm-Petrel at Nehalem Bay State Park on Aug 10. Steve Warner found three at Necanicum Estuary, on Aug 31. Two were at Nehalem Bay State Park on Sep 4 (Ken Chamberlain). David Bailey noted “a bright white booby with a large bright orange-yellow bill and black wedge-shaped tail and black border to the white wings” fying high over Gearhart on Oct 9.