Vol. 8, No. 2 - 1982

nrtn .oN HIHDS i t p u b l i s h e d q u a r t e r l y f o r a n d d i s t r i b u t e d t o t h e of OREGON F I E L D O R N I T H O L O G I S T S ( O F O ) .

I i i i i a . p o n d e n c e f o r OREGON B I R D S , OREGON F IELD i i H N l I H O I O G I S T S , or t h e OREGON B I R D RECORDS COMMITTEE • h m i l . l be t e n t t o : P.O. 10373, EUGENE, OR 97440.

Mtmberihlp c lasses and a n n u a l d u e s f o r OFO a r e : I n d i v i d u a l -• / IK), f a m i l y - $11 .00 , a n d S u s t a i n i n g - $15 .00 . M e m b e r s h i p in

V 1 l » M I n c l u d e s a one y e a r s u b s c r i p t i o n t o OREGON B I R D S . M a i t i l i a i >hip i s on a ca lendar y e a r b a s i s .

n t t n . O N B I R D S is p r i n t e d a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f O r e g o n P ress . A i l i . I«% a p p e a r i n g in OREGON B I R D S may be r e p r i n t e d w i t h t h e Mrmllllon of t h e a u t h o r o r t h e e d i t o r , a n d m u s t i n d i c a t e t h e •••una •• OREGON B I R D S .

t i l H o r ; J i m C a r l s o n

* U H S teve G o r d o n , J u d y C a r l s o n , Denn is R o g e r s , S teve H e i n l

Off l i e n a n d B o a r d of D i r e c t o r s

Pi • • M a i l t - R i c h a r d Palmer, Salem (1983) t e i r e t a r y O t i s S w i s h e r , M e d f o r d (1983) t i a a t u r e r - A l l i s o n M i c k e l , E u g e n e (1983)

I M i a i l i i r * - T e r r y M o r g a n , P o r t l a n d (1981 - 1983) A l i c e P a r k e r , R o s e b u r g (1981 - 1983) J a n K r a b b e , C o r v a l l i s (1982 - 1984) M a r t h a S a w y e r , R o s e b u r g (1982 - 1984)

l ) t a y . m I t l r d Records Commit tee

Inrttary - C l a r i c e Watson, E u g e n e

Member . - A l a n C o n t r e r a s , E u g e n e (1980 - 1982) Thomas C r a b t r e e , B e n d (1980 - 1982) J e f f G i l l i g a n , P o r t l a n d (1981 - 1983) D a v i d F i x , Eugene (1981 - 1983) D a v i d I r o n s , P o r t l a n d (1981 - 1983) H a r r y N e h l s , P o r t l a n d (1982 - 1984) E leanor P u g h , Wolf C r e e k (1982 - 1984) Owen S c h m i d t , P o r t l a n d (1982 - 1984) S teve Summers , K lamath Fal ls (1980 - 1982)

M i M i n i ' M p t i o f a r t i c l e s f o r p u b l i c a t i o n in OREGON B I R D S s h o u l d We t y p a i l , d o u b l e - s p a c e d , w i t h o n e - i n c h m a r g i n s . P h o t o g r a p h s • I m i i i i l l ie e i t h e r b l a c k a n d w h i t e p r i n t s o r c o l o r p r i n t s w i t h h i g h • M l l l l « • <

I N v a i I l l u s t r a t i o n : W H I T E - H E A D E D WOODPECKER S t e v e Summers

u i l i a i l l l u t t i a t l o n t : Joe E v a n i c h , S teve G o r d o n , W. E. H o f f m a n , M e v a lummert P l i H l . i t f t a p l i i S teve Gordon

Con ten ts Vol . 8, No. 2 - 1 9 8 2

P r e s i d e n t ' s Message • R i c h a r d Palmer 4 9

H i g h l i g h t s f r o m t h e F i e l d N o t e s : S p r i n g 1982 Joe E v a n i c h

OFO T h i r d A n n u a l M e e t i n g O t i s S w i s h e r

K l a m a t h C o u n t y C h e c k l i s t S teve Summers 6 0

B i g D a y s : K l a m a t h C o u n t y S teve G o r d o n 7 0

L i s t e r ' s C o r n e r : L E A S T B I T T E R N Steve Summers

S i t e G u i d e : M i l l e r I s l a n d S . W . M . A . S t e v e S u m m e r s . ™

L i s t e r ' s C o r n e r : 1981 L i s t s compi led b y S t e v e Summers 8 2

S h o r t Notes A M E R I C A N R E D S T A R T

D a r r e l F a x o n 8 7

W H I T E - T H R O A T E D SWIFT W. E. H o f f m a n

B L U E - G R A Y G N A T C A T C H E R M a r t h a S a w y e r 8 9

90 Pelagic T r i p s

OFO Bookcas<

E d i t o r ' s Note 9 2

OFO Bookcase 9 1

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President's Message Richard Palmer

Many d i f f e r e n t s u b j e c t s r u n t h r o u g h m y m i n d as I t r y t o o r g a n i z e my t h o u g h t s f o r t h i s i ssue 's message. L e t ' s s t a r t w i t h C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s to t h e p a s t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .

T h e c o n v e n t i o n a t Bend May 7 - 9 is now p a s t h i s t o r y b u t f o r t h o s e of y o u w h o missed a t t e n d i n g , i t was one of t h e b e s t e v e r . I t w i l l be a t l eas t s e v e r a l y e a r s b e f o r e I f o r g e t t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e o r n i t h o l o g i s t B e n d i r e i n t h e M a l h e u r a r e a , as t o l d b y t h e k e y n o t e s p e a k e r D r . S t e v e H e r m a n . T h e o t h e r p r o g r a m s r a t e d h i g h as w e l l . I t w i l l t a k e a l o t of h a r d w o r k t o t o p t h i s c o n v e n t i o n .

E n v i r o n m e n t a l Prob lems

A r e q u e s t has b e e n s u b m i t t e d t o t h e Sta te D e p a r t m e n t o f F ish a n d W i l d l i f e t o s p r a y 155 acres w i t h Sev in t o k i l l t h e m u d s h r i m p . T h e s h r i m p h a v e a d e t r i m e n t a l e f f e c t on t h e o y s t e r beds i n T i l l amook B a y , e v e n t u a l l y s m o t h e r i n g t h e o y s t e r s i n t h e m u d .

What s t a n d s h o u l d we as a g r o u p take? Wil l t h e S e v i n k i l l a l l o f t h e f o o d r e q u i r e d b y t h e t h o u s a n d s o f r e t u r n i n g s h o r e b i r d s , soon t o a r r i v e f r o m t h e n o r t h , w h i c h u t i l i z e T i l l amook Bay? I w i s h I k n e w .

Do we h a v e a n y q u a l i f i e d b i o l o g i s t s w h o w o u l d w o r k w i t h t h e b o a r d t o d e v e l o p a p o l i c y i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e b i r d s o f T i l l amook Bay? I n f o r m a t i o n w i l l be r e q u i r e d as t o t h e e x a c t s p r a y a r e a . We need t h e t i m e a n d p lace o f t h e p u b l i c m e e t i n g s a n d q u a l i f i e d members t o a t t e n d these m e e t i n g s , i f we as a g r o u p a r e t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h i s p e r p l e x i n g p r o b l e m . Let me k n o w i f y o u w i s h t o h e l p . (

B i r d i n g N u i s a n c e

T h e f i n d i n g o f major r a r i t i e s w i l l c e r t a i n l y be less t h i s y e a r w i t h t h e c l o s u r e o f t h e b e s t area a t t h e Sou th J e t t y o f t h e Co lumbia R i v e r b y t h e A r m y C o r p s o f E n g i n e e r s w h i l e t h e y r e p a i r t h e j e t t y . Does a n y o n e k n o w how l o n g t h i s p r o j e c t w i l l last?

Membersh ip D r i v e

B e g i n n i n g t h i s y e a r a d e d i c a t e d e f f o r t t o i n c r e a s e m e m b e r s h i p w i l l be headed u p b y A l i c e P a r k e r o f R o s e b u r g . I i n t e n d t o p r o v i d e al l t h e h e l p I c a n and w a n t t o c h a l l e n g e each member t o s i g n up a t least one more member .

I nc reased m e m b e r s h i p p r o v i d e s more f u n d s f o r b e t t e r p u b l i c a t i o n s and b e s t o f a l l p r o v i d e s a d d i t i o n a l peop le t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e

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o r g a n i z a t i o n so t h a t i t may g r o w a n d p r o s p e r o v e r t h e y e a r s t o come.

We w i l l keep y o u i n f o r m e d on o u r p r o g r e s s .

I n T h i s Issue

I n t h i s issue y o u w i l l f i n d s e v e r a l a r t i c l e s on t h e K l a m a t h Fal ls a r e a . I hope y o u e n j o y t h e m a n d w i l l p l a n t o v i s i t one of t h e b e t t e r b i r d i n g s p o t s i n O r e g o n . Y o u m i g h t even f i n d a G R E A T G R A Y OWL on t h e v e r y f i r s t t r i p as I d i d a f e w y e a r s a g o . ( A f e w peop le have v a g u e l y m e n t i o n e d i t ' s n o t a lways t h i s e a s y . )

OFO M e m b e r s a t T u m a l o S t a t e P a r k . N o t e o u r n e w " l e a d e r " c h a r t i n g n e w d i r e c t i o n s .

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Highlights f rom the Field Notes: Spring 1 9 8 2

Joa Evanich A s u s u a l , y o u c a n ' t comment on O r e g o n ' s s p r i n g w e a t h e r t h i s y e a r w i t h o u t m e n t i o n i n g t h a t o f t h e p a s t w i n t e r - - a t least as f a r as b i r d s a r e c o n c e r n e d ! B y f a r t h e most i m p o r t a n t p h y s i c a l i n f l u e n c e on t h i s s p r i n g ' s m i g r a t i o n was l a s t w i n t e r ' s h e a v y p r e c i p i t a t i o n , espec ia l l y in e a s t e r n O r e g o n . W i th t h e snowmel t t h a t b e g a n in la te F e b r u a r y , M a r c h , A p r i l , a n d May w e r e v e r y w e t . M a l h e u r Re fuge in H a r n e y Co . r e p o r t e d t h e i r h i g h e s t w a t e r leve ls i n more t h a n one h u n d r e d y e a r s ! P r e d i c t a b l y , some good f i n d s r e s u l t e d f r o m t h e e x c e s s w e t l a n d h a b i t a t .

O v e r a l l , m i g r a t i o n seemed " n o r m a l " t h r o u g h o u t t h e s ta te t h i s s p r i n g w i t h most species a r r i v i n g a n d / o r d e p a r t i n g on t i m e . Y e s , even t h e t y p i c a l n u m b e r o f a t y p i c a l v a g r a n t s w e r e r e p o r t e d - -COMMON G A L L I N U L E , O V E N B I R D , LEAST F L Y C A T C H E R , a n d e v e n a B L U E - A N D - W H I T E SWALLOW; look t h a t one up in y o u r d i c t i o n a r y !

EAST OF T H E CASCADES

P r o b a b l y t h e most c o m m e n t e d - o n species a t M a l h e u r N .W.R . t h i s s p r i n g was t h e W H I T E - . P E L I C A N , v e r y c o n s p i c u o u s d u e t o t h e excess s t a n d i n g w a t e r . Up t o 900 w e r e seen a t t h e N a r r o w s in o n e f l o c k ! U n i o n Co. h a d 10 v e r y u n u s u a l W H I T E PEL ICANS on A p r . 15 ( M & J M ) , a n d a s u r p r i s i n g D O U B L E - C R E S T E D C O R M O R A N T on A p r i l 24 ( J E , e t a l ) - - a l l in La G r a n d e . A d e f i n i t e s p r i n g o v e r s h o o t f r o m more s o u t h e r l y n e s t i n g g r o u n d s was a SNOWY EGRET a t t h e Wallowa F ish H a t c h e r y near E n t e r p r i s e , Wallowa C o . , on A p r . 15 -22 ; i t was n o r t h e a s t O r e g o n ' s second r e c o r d ( F C , R A ) . A t l eas t t h r e e LEAST B I T T E R N S w e r e f o u n d a t t h e B e n s o n boat l a n d i n g r o a d of M a l h e u r N . W . R . d u r i n g late May ; m a n y peop le h e a r d t h e m , b u t o n l y a l u c k y f e w saw t h e m ( S C , A M c , e t a l ) .

ROSS' GEESE p e a k e d a t 1 0 , 0 0 0 - 1 2 , 0 0 0 b i r d s in t h e M i l l e r I s l a n d -L o w e r K l a m a t h a rea , K lamath C o . , d u r i n g la te M a r c h a n d e a r l y A p r i l ( f i d e S S ) . T w o " B L U E " GEESE w e r e f o u n d w i t h t h e masses o f w h i t e geese d u r i n g t h a t p e r i o d in t h e same v i c i n i t y ; one " B L U E " on M a r . 20 a t M i l l e r I s l a n d a p p e a r e d t o be a SNOW X ROSS' h y b r i d ( S S ) . A B L U E - W I N G E D X C I N N A M O N T E A L h y b r i d was r e p o r t e d f r o m A l k a l i L a k e , Klamath C o . , on A p r . 28 , a n d t h r e e E U R A S I A N WIGEON w e r e f o u n d Mar . 6 a t Lower K lamath N . W . R . i n O r e g o n ( S S ) . Most e n c o u r a g i n g was a p a i r o f H A R L E Q U I N D U C K S seen a l o n g t h e G r a n d e Ronde R i v e r near La G r a n d e f o r t h e f i r s t U n i o n C o . r e c o r d on May 8 ( M & J M ) . I t is q u e s t i o n a b l e w h e t h e r o r n o t t h i s i n c o n s p i c u o u s d u c k b r e e d s on t h i s s i d e o f t h e Cascades , b u t b i r d e r s s h o u l d look f o r t h e m a n y w a y .

A s u s u a l , FERRUGINOUS HAWKS w e r e b a c k a n d b u i l d i n g nes ts in n . B a k e r a n d Wallowa C o u n t i e s b y t h e f i r s t w e e k o f M a r c h . A

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g r a y - p h a s e d G Y R F A L C O N seen n e a r B e n d on Mar . 8 - 7 ( T C ) adds t o t h e i n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r o f O r e g o n r e c o r d s o f t h i s a r c t i c w a n d e r e r . T w o WILD T U R K E Y S w e r e a s u r p r i s e on A p r . 5 in L a d d Canyon n e a r L a - G r a n d e ( D M o ) ; T U R K E Y S f o u n d i n t h i s c o r n e r of O r e g o n a re p r o b a b l y t h e o l d e s t w i l d p o p u l a t i o n in t h e s t a t e . T h e SAGE GROUSE lek a t V i r t u e F l a t s , B a k e r C o . , p e a k e d a t 70* b i r d s t h i s s p r i n g in m i d - A p r i l ( J E ) .

M a l h e u r N . W . R . ' s f i r s t " b i g g i e " t h i s s p r i n g was a COMMON G A L L I N U L E seen a t t h e Benson b o a t l a n d i n g f r o m May 9 - 1 2 ( S C , r e f u g e p e r s o n n e l ) ; u n f o r t u n a t e l y , i t h a d d i s a p p e a r e d b y t h e t ime b i r d e r s d e s c e n d e d in d r o v e s u p o n t h e r e f u g e ! So f a r t h i s y e a r , 2 - 3 UPLAND SANDPIPERS have b e e n r e p o r t e d f r o m t h e i r t y p i c a l B e a r Va l l ey h a u n t s in G r a n t C o . ( R E , SC, m . o b . ) , b u t t h e Logan V a l l e y s i te a p p e a r s t o be e m p t y . S h o r e b i r d m i g r a t i o n was a m a z i n g l y uncommented on t h i s s p r i n g e x c e p t in t h e K lamath B a s i n . T h e f i r s t SNOWY PLOVER r e t u r n e d t o Wh i te L a k e , K lamath Co. ( t h e o n l y k n o w n b r e e d i n g p o p u l a t i o n in t h e K lamath B a s i n ) on A p r . 27 ( S S ) . T w o WHIMBREL A p r . 27 a t Lower K l a m a t h N .W.R . w e r e t y p i c a l , b u t 13 on A p r . 29 w e r e a s u r p r i s e as w e r e t w o S H O R T - B I L L E D DOWITCHERS at Wh i te Lake on A p r . 27 ( S S ) . A l m o s t u n b e l i e v a b l e was t h e f l o c k o f 73 M A R B L E D GODWITS at t h e Joseph sewage p o n d s , Wallowa C o . , on May 15 ( F C ) ! Among t h e more u n u s u a l l a r i d s in e a s t e r n O r e g o n t h i s s p r i n g was an o v e r w i n t e r i n g GLAUCOUS-WINGED G U L L on Lake E w a u n a , K lamath C o . , u n t i l a t l eas t A p r . 20 ( S S ) . A F R A N K L I N ' S G U L L at Joseph on May 15 was Wallowa C o u n t y ' s t h i r d o r f o u r t h r e c o r d ( F C ) . A FORSTER'S T E R N a t L a d d M a r s h , Union C o . , on May 22 ( J E , SC) a n d s ing le B L A C K TERNS a t La Grande sewage ponds May 28 ( J E ) a n d Joseph sewage p o n d s May 15 ( F C ) w e r e q u i t e u n u s u a l . T o t a l l y u n p r e c e d e n t e d was a b r e e d i n g p l u m a g e d COMMON T E R N at T h i e f Va l l ey R e s . , Un ion C o . , on May 13 ( J E ) , c o n s t i t u t i n g a f i r s t r e c o r d f o r n o r t h e a s t O r e g o n .

F i v e species o f h u m m i n g b i r d s w e r e r e p o r t e d f r o m e a s t e r n O r e g o n t h i s s p r i n g , i n c l u d i n g s ing le male B R O A D - T A I L E D HUMMERS at B e n d May 22 ( T C ) a n d La G r a n d e May 1 ( J E ) ; a n d a t e r r i t o r i a l p a i r o f A N N A ' S HUMMERS in B e n d , D e s c h u t e s C o . , d u r i n g e a r l y May ( T C , m . o b . ) . Among t h e m a n y i n t e r e s t i n g b i r d s f o u n d d u r i n g t h e May OFO C o n v e n t i o n in Deschutes Co. t h i s s p r i n g w e r e 5 -10 W H I T E - T H R O A T E D SWIFTS a t Smith Rocks S t . P k . , C r o o k Co. ( m . o b . ) .

B y t h e e n d o f May al l 12 species o f e a s t e r n O r e g o n ' s r e g u l a r l y o c c u r r i n g f l y c a t c h e r s had a r r i v e d . A n e x c e p t i o n a l s u r p r i s e i n c l u d e d a p a i r o f LEAST F L Y C A T C H E R S f i r s t f o u n d May 29 a t C l y d e H o l l i d a y S ta te Wayside near M t . V e r n o n , G r a n t C o . , ( T M , m . o b . ) . These b i r d s r e p r e s e n t o n l y t h e second w e l l - v e r i f i e d r e c o r d f o r O r e g o n ! T h e y w e r e e a s y t o locate b y t h e i r d i s t i n c t s o n g r i g h t up t o J u n e 1 .

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Among t h e v a g r a n t s p r i n g o v e r s h o o t s w e r e t w o NORTHERN M O C K I N G B I R D S : one in La G r a n d e A p r i l 2 2 - 2 9 ( K & C C , JE ) n o r t h e a s t O r e g o n ' s f i r s t r e c o r d ; a n d one in t h e B e n d area May 16-17 ( F & W V H ) . T h e GRAY C A T B I R D b a r e l y made i t i n t o t h e s e f i e l d notes w h e n t h e f i r s t o f t h e y e a r was seen May 31 in La G r a n d e ( J E ) ; t h e y a re e x t r e m e l y la te s p r i n g m i g r a n t s as is t h e VEERY, f i r s t r e p o r t e d May 22 near E l g i n , Un ion Co . ( S C ) .

F i f t e e n spec ies o f w a r b l e r s w e r e f o u n d b y e a s t e r n O r e g o n b i r d e r s t h i s s p r i n g . Ma lheu r ' s h i g h l i g h t s on Memoria l Day w e e k e n d i n c l u d e d ' a B L A C K - A N D - W H I T E W A R B L E R , an O V E N B I R D , a n d t w o o r t h r e e TENNESSEE WARBLERS ( f i d e A M i ) . A s i n g l e male TENNESSEE W A R B L E R * was f o u n d a long t h e D e s c h u t e s R i v e r in B e n d d u r i n g t h e OFO C o n v e n t i o n May 8 ( C C o , L T ) . I n c i d e n t a l l y , has anyone f o u n d t h e NORTHERN W A T E R T H R U S H E S a t C r e s c e n t C r e e k t h i s y e a r ? A p o s s i b l e new O r e g o n species is t h e C O N N E C T I C U T WARBLER f o u n d May 20 i n B e n d ( T C ) ; t h i s species is v e r y s im i la r t o t h e c l o s e l y r e l a t e d M c G I L L I V R A Y ' S a n d MOURNING WARBLERS , a n d a spec imen o r e x c e p t i o n a l p h o t o g r a p h w o u l d p r o b a b l y be t h e o n l y u n d i s p u t e d w a y i t c o u l d be added t o t h e O r e g o n l i s t !

B O B O L I N K S a r e q u i t e common t h i s y e a r near F r e n c h g l e n on Ma lheur N . W . R . , and t h e E n t e r p r i s e c o l o n y is up t o 8 - 1 0 b i r d s t h i s y e a r . A new c o l o n y o f 8 * b i r d s was f o u n d i n m i d - M a y at L a d d Marsh near La G r a n d e (GS, J E ) . A b r i g h t male R O S E - B R E A S T E D GROSBEAK a p p e a r e d a t a M a d r a s f e e d e r on M a r c h 14 -15 f o r o u r e a r l i e s t s p r i n g r e c o r d e v e r ( I H ) ! A la te f l o c k o f 1,500+ G R A Y -CROWNED ROSY FINCHES was f e e d i n g a long Wal lowa Lake on May 12 ( F C ) . A n d f i n a l l y , an a d u l t W H I T E - T H R O A T E D SPARROW was f o u n d a t F r e n c h g l e n c a m p g r o u n d near M a l h e u r N . W . R . o n May 22 ( J E ) .

WEST OF T H E CASCADES

A late Y E L L O W - B I L L E D LOON was d i s c o v e r e d a t N e t a r t s B a y , T i l l amook C o . , on May 2 ( R & J K ) . A R E D - N E C K E D GREBE at A l b a n y , L i n n C o . , on A p r . 17 (SG ) a n d a n o t h e r a t H a g g L a k e , W a s h i n g t o n C o . , on A p r . 3 w e r e u n u s u a l i n l a n d f i n d s .

Desp i te a l ack o f ocean t r i p s , a n u m b e r of i n t e r e s t i n g pe lag ic species w e r e f o u n d . A L A Y S A N A L B A T R O S S was d e s c r i b e d as i t c r u i s e d p a s t J u m p o f f Joe i n L i n c o l n Co. on A p r . 8 ( P L ) . A specia l t r e a t was a b l a c k - v e n t e d (opisthomelas) r a c e o f t h e M A N X SHEARWATER seen March 28 o f f N e w p o r t (MSm, e t a l ) . S i n g l e P I N K - F O O T E D a n d S H O R T - T A I L E D SHEARWATERS w e r e r e p o r t e d o f f Coos B a y , Coos C o . , on A p r . 25 ( D M a ) . N o r m a l l y r e a c h i n g O r e g o n i n e a r l y J u l y , BROWN PELICAN'S a p p e a r t o be m o v i n g n o r t h v e r y e a r l y t h i s y e a r . T h e e a r l i e s t r e p o r t e d was A p r . 14 a t N e w p o r t ( G H ) , a n d t h e r e h a v e been a b o u t t e n r e c o r d s s ince t h e n f r o m N e w p o r t s o u t h .

A m o n g t h e more u n u s u a l h e r o n s i g h t i n g s was a G R E A T EGRET at F i n l e y N . W . R . , B e n t o n C o . , May 14 ( D l ) , a n d t h r e e B L A C K -CROWNED N I G H T HERONS at R o s e b u r g , Douglas C o . , on A p r . 11 ( M S ) . TRUMPTER SWANS c o n t i n u e t o be f o u n d in t h e Wi l lamette V a l l e y i n t o t h e s p r i n g ; t w o w e r e seen n o r t h of H a r r i s b u r g , L i n n C o . , i n e a r l y M a r c h ( S G ) . T h e Veneta sewage p o n d EMPEROR GOOSE was s t i l l p r e s e n t as o f May 8 ( S H ) ; I t h i n k I m u s t be t h e o n l y b i r d e r in O r e g o n w h o h a s n ' t seen i t ! T h r e e handsome EMPERORS a p p e a r e d a t N e w p o r t on March 2 - 1 8 , t h e f i r s t r e p o r t e d f r o m t h a t area in y e a r s ( R O , R B , m . o b . ) . A n o t h e r good goose s i g h t i n g was an a d u l t ROSS' GOOSE f o u n d on Bayocean S p i t , T i l l amook C o . , on May 1 2 - - i t was accompan ied b y a C A C K L I N G C A N A D A GOOSE ( H N ) ! A late r e p o r t nonethe less d e s e r v e s m e n t i o n : on Feb. 14, a b r i g h t male T U F T E D D U C K * was p h o t o g r a p h e d at F i n l e y N . W . R . as i t k e p t c o m p a n y w i t h R I N G - N E C K E D DUCKS ( R & J K , A & D M , T D , FR, L D ) . T h e b i r d , o n l y t h e t h i r d O r e g o n r e c o r d , c o u l d n o t be r e l o c a t e d t h e n e x t d a y .

W H I T E - T A I L E D K I T E S c o n t i n u e t o be r e p o r t e d in good n u m b e r s f r o m s o u t h w e s t O r e g o n . T w o w e r e seen t h r o u g h M a r c h a n d A p r i l near R o s e b u r g , a n d c o p u l a t i o n was n o t e d ( M S ) . A n o t h e r K I T E was seen near S u t h e r l i n , D o u g l a s C o . , on May 2 ( E P ) . T h e A s h l a n d area also had K I T E S d u r i n g A p r i l as d i d Coos Bay and C o r v a l l i s ( m . o b . ) . A s i n g l e RED -SHOULDERED HAWK was f o u n d a t t h e mouth of t h e P isto l R i v e r , C u r r y C o . , on May 1 f o r t h e o n l y r e p o r t t h i s s p r i n g ( J R ) . A la te PEREGRINE FALCON was r e p o r t e d f r o m G l i d e , Doug las C o . , on May 15 ( M S ) . A l t h o u g h a r e l a t i v e l y common O r e g o n s p e c i e s , t h e BLUE GROUSE is none the less a d i f f i c u l t b i r d t o l o c a t e ; t h u s , a b i r d h e a r d d i s p l a y i n g in t h e h i l l s w e s t o f D a l l a s , Polk C o . , on May 15 was e x c i t i n g (RP , e t a l ) .

S h o r e b i r d m i g r a t i o n was r e l a t i v e l y u n e v e n t f u l a n d on t ime t h i s s p r i n g . Some 29 species w e r e r e p o r t e d , and o n l y t h e h i g h l i g h t s a r e c o v e r e d h e r e . T h e most u n u s u a l species f o u n d was p r o b a b l y t h e S O L I T A R Y SANDPIPER; s i n g l e s w e r e r e p o r t e d a t S u t h e r l i n A p r . 14 ( f i d e M S ) , a t A l t o n B a k e r Pk . in E u g e n e , Lane C o . , on A p r . 30 ( D F ) , a t R e e d s p o r t , D o u g l a s C o . , on May 1 (MS, S G ) , a n d a t S t e w a r t p o n d , E u g e n e , on A p r . 24-29 ( S G ) . A LONG-B I L L E D CURLEW appeared a t P o n y S lough on Coos B a y A p r . 21 ( A M c ) . A s u r p r i s i n g A M E R I C A N A V O C E T was f o u n d a t W a l t e r v i l l e , Lane C o . , on A p r . 20 ( D J ) , and a l o s t WILSON'S PHALAROPE was d i s c o v e r e d a t Lane C o m m u n i t y Co l l ege in Eugene o n May 3 ( B B ) . S ix of t h a t spec ies w e r e seen near Y a m h i l l , Yamh i l l C o . , on May 15 ( J & B B e , R P ) .

G L A U C O U S GULLS l i n g e r e d i n O r e g o n w e l l i n t o s p r i n g . I n d i v i d u a l s ( i m m a t u r e s ) w e r e f o u n d in Eugene M a r . 10 (SG) a n d near N e w p o r t M a r c h - A p r i l ( R B , m . o b . ) . A n A N C I E N T MURRELET was r e p o r t e d f r o m Y a q u i n a Head , L i n c o l n C o . , on M a r . 20 ( C M ) , a n d MARBLED M U R R E L E T S and T U F T E D PUFFINS

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w e r e seen near t h e h e a d l a n d s al l a long t h e c o a s t d u r i n g March and A p r i l . T h r e e RHINOCEROS A U K L E T S w e r e r e p o r t e d f r o m Sea L i o n C a v e s , Lane C o . , on May 2 ( J C ) .

T h i s s p r i n g t w o BARRED OWLS w e r e h e a r d in t h e Umpqua N a t ' l . Fo res t n e a r R o s e b u r g on M a r . 13 a n d 21 a n d A p r . 8 (MS , M H ) . T h e s p r e a d of t h i s species i n t o w e s t e r n O r e g o n has been n o t h i n g s h o r t o f p h e n o m e n a l . A lone PYGMY OWL was h e a r d May 15 near Dal las ( R P , e t a l ) . T h e P e o r i a , L i n n C o . , BURROWING OWL was last r e p o r t e d i n March ( f i d e A M i ) .

T h e o n l y B L A C K SWIFT f o u n d t h i s s p r i n g was a t G l i d e on May 15 ( M S ) . S ing le A L L E N ' S HUMMINGBIRDS w e r e r e p o r t e d w e l l o u t o f t h e i r u s u a l r a n g e : one at S u t h e r l i n A p r . 9 ( M J , M S ) , a n d one a t R o s e b u r g A p r . 12 ( M S ) . I t s h o u l d be s t r e s s e d t h a t f i e l d i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f RUFOUS a n d A L L E N ' S HUMMERS o u t o f t h e i r t y p i c a l r a n g e is v i r t u a l l y i m p o s s i b l e e x c e p t p o s s i b l y w h e n d e a l i n g w i t h a d u l t males in f u l l - g o r g e t e d p l u m a g e . A C O S T A ' S HUMMER was r e p o r t e d f r o m a C r e s w e l l , Lane C o . , f e e d e r on M a r . 20 ( J B ) , and a female o f e i t h e r t h i s spec ies o r t h e e q u a l l y r a r e B L A C K -C H I N N E D HUMMER was s t u d i e d a t Y a q u i n a Bay S t . P k . , L i n c o l n C o . , on A p r . 18 ( D F a ) . A t least t w o C A L L I O P E HUMMERS have been o b s e r v e d so f a r a t H e n d r i c k ' s P k . , E u g e n e , t h r o u g h late A p r i l a n d May ( m . o b . ) .

A n A S H - T H R O A T E D F L Y C A T C H E R at R o s e b u r g on May 10 leads t h e l i s t o f s p r i n g p a s s e r i f o r m s ( R W ) . T w o S A Y ' S PHOEBES p o p p e d up a t Lone Ranch B e a c h , C u r r y C o . , on M a r . 2 ( B C ) , one was a t J a c k s o n v i l l e , J a c k s o n C o . , on Mar . 21 (MP , B M ) , and t h r e e w e r e f o u n d a t T o u v e l l e S t . P k . , J a c k s o n C o . , on Mar . 27 ( D H ) . A most u n u s u a l Empidonax r e c o r d was t h e p o s s i b l e DUSKY F L Y C A T C H E R seen A p r . 24 a t R o s e b u r g ( M J ) ; a c c o r d i n g t o w h a t we k n o w a b o u t t h i s h a r d - t o - i d e n t i f y f l y c a t c h e r ' s p r e s e n t r a n g e , i t is se ldom i f e v e r r e p o r t e d w e s t of t h e Cascades !

B y f a r t h e most c o n t r o v e r s i a l s i g h t i n g o f t h e y e a r has t o be t h e p o s s i b l e B L U E - A N D - W H I T E SWALLOW {Pygochelidon cyanoleuca] r e p o r t e d f r o m t h e W a r r e n t o n sewage p o n d s , C l a t s o p C o . , on May 1 ( J G , D A , R S ) . T h i s b i r d d i f f e r s f r o m t h e s i m i l a r TREE SWALLOW b y i t s b l a c k u n d e r t a i l c o v e r t s , d u s k y m a r t i n - l i k e wash across t h e u n d e r p a r t s , a n d i t s v e r y d i s t i n c t i v e v o i c e , a l l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s no ted on t h e W a r r e n t o n b i r d . U n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e b i r d was n e v e r p h o t o g r a p h e d . T h i s w o u l d c o n s t i t u t e n o t o n l y a new O r e g o n r e c o r d , b u t also a new N o r t h A m e r i c a n r e c o r d ; t h e B L U E - A N D - W H I T E SWALLOW is a s o u t h e r n S o u t h A m e r i c a n spec ies , o n l y r a r e l y s t r a y i n g as f a r n o r t h as s . M e x i c o !

A d i s o r i e n t e d SAGE T H R A S H E R at t h e M a r i n e Sc ience C e n t e r , N e w p o r t , was a p leasan t s u r p r i s e on A p r . 3 ( D F a ) . A B L U E -GRAY G N A T C A T C H E R a p p e a r e d a t A g a t e R e s . , J a c k s o n C o . , on Mar . 28 ( M P ) , a n d a p a i r was f o u n d in Doug las C o . on Mar . 29 (MS, M H ) . A r a s h of TENNESSEE WARBLER s i g h t i n g s o c c u r r e d in w e s t e r n O r e g o n t h i s s p r i n g : one a t R o s e b u r g A p r . 24 ( M J ) ; one at H e n d r i c k ' s P k . , Eugene , May 1 ( L M ) ; one a t Lane C o m m u n i t y Co l lege , E u g e n e , May 20 ( S H ) ; one at Sauv ie I s l a n d , Mul tnomah C o . , May 1-6 ( L H ) ; and f i v e in n . w . P o r t l a n d , Mu l tnomah C o . , on May 1 ( C C k ) ! These a p p e a r t o be t h e o n l y u n u s u a l w a r b l e r s i g h t i n g s so f a r t h i s s p r i n g .

With t h e e x c e p t i o n of s p a r r o w s , f r i n g i l l i d movement ( o r lack o f ) was q u i t e u n e v e n t f u l . RED C R O S S B I L L S w e r e p r e s e n t a long t h e n o r t h c o a s t in good n u m b e r s , a n d t h e BROWN TOWHEE was f o u n d a t i t s t y p i c a l h a u n t s in t h e M e d f o r d area t h r o u g h o u t t h e s p r i n g . A n u n u s u a l coastal L A R K SPARROW was a p r i z e a t W incheste r

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B a y , D o u g l a s C o . , on A p r . 26 ( M S ) . T h e f o u r t h r e c o r d of t h e BREWER'S SPARROW f o r w e s t e r n O r e g o n was a b i r d f o u n d a t W h i t e h o r s e Co . P k . , J o s e p h i n e C o . , on May 15 ( S S , J C ) . L i n c o l n Co. h a d i t s f o u r t h TREE SPARROW when one was p h o t o g r a p h e d a t G leneden Beach on A p r . 2 ( J M c ) . A s i d e f r o m t h e t y p i c a l Eugene , C o r v a l l i s , a n d s o u t h w e s t O r e g o n s i g h t i n g s , t h e o n l y W H I T E -T H R O A T E D SPARROWS r e p o r t e d w e r e 2 - 3 b i r d s f r o m Sauv ie I s l a n d a l l t h r o u g h March ( H N , m . o b . ) . In l i ne w i t h las t w i n t e r ' s n u m e r o u s r e p o r t s w e r e t w o o r t h r e e d i f f e r e n t SWAMP SPARROWS* f o u n d on Sauv ie I s land d u r i n g M a r c h and e a r l y A p r i l ( H N , e t a l ) .

J U S T OVER T H E BORDER

SS r e p o r t s t h e f o l l o w i n g e y e - o p e n e r s f r o m t h e K lamath Basin in C a l i f o r n i a — a l l w i t h i n f i v e mi les o f O r e g o n ! A male GARGANEY was f o u n d a t Lower K lamath N . W . R . , C a l . , o n A p r . 29 and an a d u l t L I T T L E BLUE HERON was seen b y a n u m b e r o f b i r d e r s a t T u l e L a k e N . W . R . , C a l . , on May 13 ( r e f u g e p e r s o n n e l ) ; n e i t h e r of t h e s e species has e v e r b e e n f o u n d in O r e g o n ! N o t q u i t e as r a r e b u t s t i l l s u r p r i s i n g was an a d u l t B L A C K - L E G G E D K I T T I W A K E also at T u l e L a k e N .W.R . on A p r . 29 ( r e f u g e p e r s o n n e l ) .

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********************* A n a s t e r i s k ( * ) i n d i c a t e s t h a t r e c o r d has been s u b m i t t e d to t h e O r e g o n B i r d Records Commit tee as o f J u n e 1 , 1982.

F ie ld no tes f r o m issues o f t h e f o l l o w i n g n e w s l e t t e r s w e r e used f o r these H i g h l i g h t s :

A u d u b o n Warb le r ( P o r t l a n d A u d u b o n S o c i e t y ) T h e C h a t (Rogue R i v e r V a l l e y A u d u b o n S o c i e t y ) T h e C h a t ( C o r v a l l i s A u d u b o n S o c i e t y ) T h e D i p p e r ( O a k r i d g e A u d u b o n S o c i e t y ) T h e E a g l e - E y e ( C e n t r a l O r e g o n A u d u b o n S o c i e t y ) O r e g o n Grape lea f (Salem A u d u b o n S o c i e t y )

T h e Ka lmiops is S t o r m - P e t r e l ( C u r r y C o u n t y A u d u b o n S o c i e t y )

T h e Qua i l ( Lane C o u n t y A u d u b o n S o c i e t y ) T h e R a v - o n ( G r a n d e Ronde B i r d C l u b ) T h e S a n d p i p e r ( Y a q u i n a B i r d e r s & N a t u r a l i s t s ) T h e T a t t l e r (Cape A r a g o A u d u b o n S o c i e t y )

In a d d i t i o n , r e p o r t s t o A m e r i c a n B i r d s ( M e r l i n E l t z r o t h ) a n d p e r s o n a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n s (MS , T M , SS) were u s e d .

OBSERVERS:

Dave A n d e r s o n ( D A ) Ralph A n d e r s o n ( R A ) Range B a y e r ( R B ) J e r r y & B a r b B e l l i n ( J & B B e ) Bob B e n d e r ( B B ) Jan B i t t l e ( J B ) J im C a r l s o n ( J C ) K e n t & C i l i a Coe ( K & C C ) B i l l Co l l i s ( B C ) F r a n k C o n l e y ( F C ) C r a i g C o r d e r ( C C ) C h a r C o r k r a n ( C C k ) Tom C r a b t r e e ( T C ) S t u a r t C r o g h a n ( S C ) L y n e t t e D i l l on ( L D ) Tom D u d l e y ( T D ) Roger E d i g e r ( R E ) Joe E v a n i c h ( J E ) D a r r e l Faxon ( D F a ) D a v i d F ix ( D F ) J e f f G i l l i g a n ( J G ) Steve G o r d o n (SG) Steve H e i n l ( S H ) L y n n H e r r i n g ( L H ) G a r y Het tman ( G H ) I v y H i l t y ( I H ) Dave Hofman ( D H ) M a t t H u n t e r ( M H ) Dave I r o n s ( D l ) Dave Jones ( D J ) M e r i d e t h Jones ( M J ) R i c k & Jan K r a b b e ( R & J K )

Pat L i n g s t r o m b u r g ( P L ) J i m Mackie ( J M c ) Ray Maentz ( R M ) Mike & Joann Mahoney (M&JM) C h r i s Marsh ( C M ) A r n i e & D e b b i e M a r t i n ( A & D M ) Dan Mathews (DMa) A l a n McGie ( A M c ) L a r r y McQueen ( L M ) A l l i s o n M icke l ( A M i ) T e r r y M o r g a n ( T M ) B i l l M o r r i s ( B M ) D o u g Moser (DMo) H a r r y Neh ls ( H N ) R o b e r t O lson ( R O ) M ike Paczolt (MP) R i c h a r d Palmer ( R P ) E lva Paulson (EP ) F r e d Ramsey ( F R ) J i m Rogers ( J R ) Georg ia S a n d e r s o n (GS) M a r t h a S a w y e r (MS) M a r k Smith (MSm) R i c h a r d Smith ( R S ) S teve Summers ( S S ) L a r r y T h o r n b u r g h ( L T ) Fay & Walter Van Hise (F&WVH) Roy Woodall (RW)

55

OFO Third Annual Meeting Otis Swisher

T h e T h i r d A n n u a l M e e t i n g o f O r e g o n F ie ld O r n i t h o l o g i s t s was h e l d May 7 - 9 , 1982 a t C e n t r a l O r e g o n C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e , B e n d , O r e g o n .

F ie ld T r i p s , a r r a n g e d b y T o m C r a b t r e e , w e r e h e l d e a r l y a . m . a n d t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y on t h e 8 t h , and aga in e a r l y a . m . on t h e 9 t h . On t h e 8 t h a comp i la t ion o f 129 species was made.

L a r r y McQueen a n d O t i s S w i s h e r s e a r c h i n g f o r PYGMY N U T H A T C H a t T u m a l o S t a t e P a r k .

Paper Sess ions i n c l u d e d on i n t e r e s t i n g s t u d y o f b i r d c e n s u s t e c h n i q u e s and r e s u l t s i n E a s t e r n O r e g o n h a b i t a t s b y A a r o n S k i r v i n , J e f f Cooney o f S u n r i v e r on t h e w o r k done b y t h e r a p t o r r e h a b i l i t a t i o n c e n t e r t h e r e . D r . C h a r l e s H e n n e y s u m m a r i z i n g a s t u d y o f B L A C K - C R O W N E D N I G H T HERONS in W a s h i n g t o n -O r e g o n - N e v a d a a n d t h e e f f e c t s of p e s t i c i d e s on n e s t i n g s u c c e s s e s .

A f t e r n o o n sess ions i n c l u d e d Owen S c h m i d t ' s s h o w i n g of s l ides w h i c h h a d a l r e a d y been c o n t r i b u t e d f o r use i n t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e u p d a t e o f B i r d s of O r e g o n ; Dave Pu l len a n d S t e v e Thompson s p o k e a b o u t a dozen spec ies management p r a c t i c e s u n d e r t a k e n a t M a l h e u r NWR a long w i t h management p r a c t i c e s o f w e t l a n d s , i r r i g a t i o n , f a r m i n g , a n d p e o p l e management on t h e r e f u g e ; a n d G r e g R o b a r t t o l d a b o u t some n o n - g a m e p r o j e c t s w h i c h are b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d a n d imp lemented b y O r e g o n D e p a r t m e n t o f F ish a n d W i l d l i f e w i t h non -game t a x c h e c k - o f f f u n d s .

56

S u n r i v e r ' s J e f f C o o n e y a n d " H o o t e r "

D r . E r i c Fo rsman summar ized t h e s t a t u s o f l a r g e o w l s f o u n d east o f t h e C a s c a d e s .

D r . E r i c F o r s m a n p r o v i d e d i n s i g h t s on S P O T T E D OWLS.

Business Meeting was called to order by President Elzy Eltzroth at 4:00 p.m. on May 8. Election of officers took place after candidates were introduced.

President Richard Palmer Salem Secretary Otis Swisher Medford Teasurer Allison Mickel Eugene

Board members elected (2) : Jan Krabbe and Martha Sawyer.

BYLAWS CHANGES were approved after an interpretation of proposed bylaws was made. An ex-president will remain as a member of the board until the present president's term of office expires, at which time the change will be made.

COMMITTEE REPORTS were made:

1. Richard Palmer asked that people keep earliest arrival and latest departure dates for species throughout the state and send them to him at 1990 Engel Court, NW, Salem, Oregon 97304.

2. Treasurer, Jim Carlson, reported OFO is in the black, has funds for foreseeable publishing efforts, and that OFO is now a tax exempt organization. Contributions are tax deductible.

3. New editor of Oregon Birds, Jim Carlson, reported on the need for contributions of all lengths to be used in OB 's . Special mention was made of short notes such as mini site guides, maps, behavior studies, and descriptions of rare and unusual birds. Send to: Oregon Birds, Box 10373, Eugene, Oregon 97440.

4. Ex-editor, Steve Gordon, expressed his thanks to all who helped him as editor of OB's , and to special contributors Jim Carlson, Joe Evanich for his artwork, and Clarice Watson for her work on Bird Records Committee and the monumental work on the Index to Oregon Bird Reports, 1947-1981.

5. Elsie Eltzroth appealed for member contributions of letters on behalf of a commemorative stamp that uses a WESTERN BLUEBIRD image.

6. Records Committee secretary, Clarice Watson, reported that the Birds Records Committee had met twice this year, had over 100 records reviewed, and the committee is now reviewing journals. Introduction of committee members and alternates were made.

58

The Banquet in the evening of May 8 was followed by slides and Dr. Steven G. Herman's delightful talk which included Eastern Oregon's early ornithologist Charles Bendire. Bendire was at Fort Harney (east of Burns) from 1874-78 and at Fort Klamath 1882-83 and was described as the most important ornithologist of the last quarter of the 19th Century and into the early 1900's. His two Volume Life History of North American Birds (1892, 1895) set a pattern which found full expression in Bent's Life History series.

Dr. Herman, from his extensive travels in Harney County, also spoke from first-hand experience about Malheur NWR and the high desert, Steens' Mountain and the Pueblo Mountains to the south of Steens', about SAGE GROUSE strutting grounds, WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS, the nearly 2,000 SNOWY PLOVER recorded in 1980 in Southeast Oregon and Northwest Nevada, of Turn Turn Lake of the Pueblo Mountains, 00 Station and Harney Lake, shorebirds of Stinking Lake, and the work done by Dr. L. R. Mewaldt on Hart Mountain.

Dr. Steven C . Herman spoke about Charles Bendire, an early Oregon field ornithologist.

It was a delightful presentation.

May 9th field trips were taken in early a.m. thanks to Tom Crabtree and those whom he got to lead them.

59

Klamath County Checklist Steve Summers

To compile a checklist of birds solely for Klamath county, Oregon would be incomplete without including the whole of the Klamath Basin. The Klamath Basin is the most important area avifaunally of this region of the state and it doesn't make sense to exclude the best half for migrating waterbirds because the state line cuts through the middle of it. Therefore, to keep the integrity of the region intact, the following portions of the basin, in Siskiyou and Modoc counties of California, are included in this checklist: Butte Valley, Lower Klamath N.W.R., Tulelake N.W.R. and Lava Beds National Monument. This list should also be valid for the mountains surrounding the southern and southwestern portions of the basin in California ( e .g . Medicine Lake Highlands and Goosenest Mtns.) and adjacent Modoc Plateau areas to the east (e .g . Clear Lake Reservoir N.W.R. ) .

Klamath county is one of Oregon's most diverse inland counties. It is a meeting ground between western and eastern Oregon birdlife with a hint of California and a character of its own. The whole western boundary of the county is encompassed by the Cascade mountains with habitat and birdlife typical of that mountain range. In the southwest corner of the county the Klamath River has cut a canyon through the Cascades allowing a small extension of oak-chaparral habitat, more typical of California, to creep into the county. This area is a little remote, so thus far, it has been little studied.

East of the Cascades the northern two-thirds of the county is relatively flat with isolated mountains. This portion of the county is covered primarily with large unrelieved tracts of lodgepole and ponderosa pine forests with more diverse coniferous forests occurring at higher elevations.

The southwestern part of the county takes on a more arid aspect and includes the northern part of the Klamath Basin. Here, juniper, sagebrush, and agricultural areas mix with marsh and alkaline flats to create a birdlife more typical of the Great Basin areas of southeastern Oregon.

The spectacular waterfowl migrations through the basin have always been well documented. The pure flocks of thousands of ROSS' GEESE that gather each spring in the basin is an ornithological sight found nowhere else in Oregon and very few places in North America. The basin is probably also one of the better places in North America to find EURASIAN WIGEON, where up to eleven birds in a day have been seen during spring passage. Shorebirding can be interesting and impressive too but this aspect of the basin has only recently been studied.

A few other Klamath Basin highlights include: the only known nesting areas for RED-NECKED GREBE in Oregon, the presence of LEAST BITTERN on Upper Klamath Lake, the largest wintering concentration of BALD EAGLES in the United States outside Alaska, Oregon's largest breeding population of BALD EAGLE, and the presence of Southern Oregon speciality species (e g PLAIN TITMOUSE, TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD, and BROWN TOWHEE). Klamath county is also one of the very few areas in North America where all three species of North American Strix owls have been recorded.

The following checklist contains 295 species recorded in Klamath county plus 17 additional species recorded only from the California side of the basin. Several of these additional species have almost certainly occurred on the Klamath county side of the state line but there are no definite records.

61

Codes and Abbreviations

Status

R resident - present all year, breeds in the area. S summer resident - present only during spring through fall, breeds in

area. SV summer visitor - occurs during summer but not known to breed. W winter visitor - present only fall through spring. T transient - present only as a migrant passing through the area. H historical - no acceptable records in last 50 years but known

to have occurred prior to that time.

Abundance

c common - nearly always found fc fairly common - should find u uncommon - may find r rare - hard to find ca casual - hard to very hard to find and not recorded every year x extremely rare - out of normal range, less than five records for

checklist area or season indicated

Miscellaneous

loc local - limited in range, not all areas of suitable habitat occupied e erratic - numbers and/or range fluctuate from year to year I introduced - a species not native to the area, here only because of man n? nesting suspected or attempted (but failed) nf known to have formerly nested in the area but not now known to do so Ore recorded only in Oregon portions of the checklist area Cal recorded only in California portions of the checklist area

Months of Occurrence

Ja Fe Mr Ap My Jn

January February March April May June

Jl Au Se Oc No De

July August September October November December

62

COMMON IOON " T ( M r - M y , S e - N o ) ; XSV ( A l l ) A R C T I C LOON X ( C a I )

R E D - N E C K E D G R E B E u S ( M r - S e ) , l o c ; ( c a a w a y f r o m U p p e r K l a m a t h L a k e ) HORNED G R E B E f c T ( M r - M y , S e - N o ) ; c a S V n ? ( L o w e r K l a m a t h N . W . R . ) EARED G R E B E C S ( M r - N o ) ; caW WESTERN G R E B E c S ( M r - N o ) ; rW P I E D - B I L L E D G R E B E c R

WHITE P E L I C A N c S ( M r - O c ) ; r ( F e . N o )

D O U B L E - C R E S T E D CORMORANT c S ( M r - N o ) ; rW

GREAT B L U E HERON c R GREEN HERON r S ( A p - O c ) ; X ( O e ) L I T T L E B L U E HERON X ( C a I ) C A 1 F L E E G R E 1 c a T ( M y - J n , A l l - S e ) GREAT E G R E T c S ( A p - N o ) ; UW SNOWY E G R E T f c S ( A p - O c ) ( s o u t h c o . o n l y ) BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON f c R L E A S T B I T T F R N r S ( A p - A u ) AMERICAN B I T I E R N f c S ( M r - O c ) ; caW

W H I T E - F A C E D I B I S c a T ( M y - J n ) ; n f

W H I S K I N G SWAN cW ( O c - A p ) ; c a S V B E W I C K ' S SWAN x

T R U M P E I E R SWAN X ( C a I ) CANADA GOOSE

GIAN I CANADA GOOSE c R L E S S E R CANADA G 0 0 S F cW ( O c - A p ) C A C K L I N G CANADA GOOSE cW ( O c - A P ) „ _ . . „ , ,

BRANT c a T ( O c - D e ) ( " B L A C K " BRANT o n l y r a c e r e c o r d e d ) EMPEROR GOOSE c a T ( M r - A p , S e - N o ) W H I T E - F R O N T ED GOOSE cW ( S e - M y ) ; c a S V SNOW GOOSE

L E S S E R SNOW GOOSE c T ( F e - M y , O c - D e ) ; UW; c a S V B L U E GOOSE rW ( N o - A p )

R O S S ' GOOSE c T ( F e - M r , O c - D e ) ; rW; c a S V MALLARD c R GADWAl I. c R P I N I A I I cW ( O c - M y ) ; r S C R E E N - W I N G E O T E A L »

AMERICAN G R E E N - W I N G E D T E A L c T ( M r - M y , S e - D e ) ; UW; r S E U R A S I A N G R E E N - W I N G E D TEAL x

B L U E - W I N G E D 1 E A L f c S ( M y - A u ) CINNAMON T E A L c S ( M r - S e ) : U ( O c - N o ) GARGANEY X ( C a I ) E U R A S I A N WIGEON uT ( F e - A p , N o - D e ) ; rW; x ( M y ) AMERICAN WIGEON c T ( F e - M y , O c - D e ) ; f cW; US NORTHERN S H O V E L E R cW ( A u - M y ) ; US WOOD DUCK UR, l o c REDHEAD OS ( M r - N o ) ; UW R I N G - N E C K F D DUCK f c T ( r e - M y , O c - N o ) ; uW; r S V , n ? CANVASBACK c T ( M r - M y , S e - D e ) ; f cW; u S G R E A T E R SCAUP rf ( O c - M y ) L E S S E R SCAUP cW ( S e - M y ) ; US COMMON G O L D E N E Y E cW ( O c - M y ) ; c a S V BARROW'S G O L D E N E Y E uW ( O c - M y ) ; r S , l o c B U F F L E H E A D cW ( S e - M y ) ; r S , l o c OLDSQUAW c a T ( N o - F e ) ; x S V HARl EQUIN DUCK x ( O r e ) W H I T E - W I N G E D S C O T E R r T ( O c - D e , M r - M y ) SURF S C O T E R c a T ( O c - N o ) RUDDY DUCK c R HOODED MERGANSER fcW ( O c - M y ) ; r S , l o c COMMON MERGANSER cW ( S e - M y ) ; u S , l o c R E D - B R E A S T E D MERGANSER c a T ( O c - M y ) ; x S V

T U R K E Y V U L T U R E f c S ( M r - O c )

W H I T E - T A I L E D K I T E caW ( N o - F e ) GOSHAWK uR S H A R P - S H I N N E D HAWK f c R C O O P E R ' S HAWK uR R E D - T A I L E D HAWK c R RED-SHOUL D E R E D HAWK X S W A I N S O N ' S HAWK u S ( A p - S e ) R O U G H - L E G G E D HAWK cW ( O c - A p ) F E R R U G I N O U S HAWK r T ( M r - M y , S e - N o ) ; caW GOLDEN E A G L E f c R BALD E A G L E u S ; cW NORTHERN H A R R I E R c R

63

O S P R E Y

G Y R F A L C O N P R A I R I E F A L C O N P E R E G R I N E FALCON M E R L I N AMERICAN K E S T R E L

B L U E G R O U S E R U F F E D G R O U S E S H A R P - T A I L E D GROUSE SAGE G R O U S E

C A L I F O R N I A Q U A I L MOUNTAIN Q U A I L R I N G - N E C K E D PHEASANT CHUKAR

S A N D H I L L CRANE

V I R G I N I A R A I L SORA COMMON G A L L I N U L E AMERICAN COOT

S E M I P A L M A T E D P L O V E R SNOWY P L O V E R K I L L D E E R MOUNTAIN P L O V E R AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER B L A C K - B E L L I E D PLOVER RUDDY TURNSTONE

COMMON S N 1 P E L O N G - B I L L E D CURLEW WHIMBREL UPLAND S A N D P I P E R S P O T T E D S A N D P I P E R S O L I T A R Y S A N D P I P E R WANDERING T A T T L E R W I L L E T G R E A T E R Y E L L O W L E G S L E S S E R Y E L L O W L E G S RED KNOT P E C T O R A L S A N D P I P E R B A I R D ' S S A N D P I P E R L E A S T S A N D P I P E R DUNLIN S H O R T - B I L L E D DOWITCHER L O N G - B I L L E D DOWITCHER S T I L T S A N D P I P E R S E M I P A L M A T E D S A N D P I P E R WESTERN S A N D P I P E R MARBLED GODWIT S A N D E R L I N G R U F F

AMERICAN A V O C E T B L A C K - N E C K E D S T I L T

RED P H A L A R O P E W I L S O N ' S PHALAROPE NORTHERN PHALAROPE

PARAS I T I C J A E G E R L O N G - T A I L E D J A E G E R

G L A U C O U S - W I N G E D G U L L H E R R I N G G U L L T H A Y E R ' S G U L L C A L I F O R N I A G U L L R I N G - B I L L E D G U L L MEW G U L L F R A N K L I N ' S G U L L B O N A P A R T E ' S G U L L B L A C K - L E G G E D K I T T IWAKE F O R S T E R ' S T E R N COMMON T E R N C A S P I A N T E R N B L A C K T E R N

T c S ( A p - S e ) , l o c

x ( C a I ) f c R r T ; c a S / W uW ( S e - A p ) c R

f c R u R , l o c H ( f o r m e r l y f a i r l y common b u t now e x t i r p a t e d ) r R , l o c ( f o r m e r l y more common)

c R uR c R , I u R . I

f c S ( M r - O c ) ; r ( r e , N o )

c S ( M r - N o ) ; caW c S ( M r - N o ) ; caW x ( C a I ) c R

f c T ( A p - M y , A u - S e ) ; r ( J n - J I ) r S ( M y - S e ) c S ( F e - N o ) ; uW x ( C a I ) c a T ( J l - S e ) f c T ( A p - M y , A u - O c ) ; r ( M r , J n - J I ) c a T ( M y , J l - S e )

f c S ( M r - N o ) ; uW f c S ( A p - S e ) , l o c r T ( A p - M y , A u - S e ) H , n r r c S ( A p - O c ) ; uT ( M r , N o ) ; caW r T ( A p - M y , J l - S e ) x ( O r e ) c S ( A p - O c ) ; r ( M r , No | c T ( M r - M y , A u - N o ) ; r S V ; caW uT ( A p - M y ) ; f c T ( J l - S e ) ; c a T ( O c - N o ) c a T ( A p - M y ) x T ( A p ) ; uT ( S e - N o ) c a T ( M r - M y ) ; uT ( J l - S e ) c T ( M r - M y , J I - N o ) ; u ( J n ) ; caW c T ( M r - M y , O c - D e ) ; r ( J n ) ; caW c a T ( A p - S e ) c T ( M r - N o ) ; caW x ( O r e ) x c T ( A p - M y , J I - O c ) ; u ( J n , N o ) uT ( A p - M y , S e - N o ) ; c a ( J n - A u ) c a T ( M y - J n , S e ) x ( C a I )

c S ( M r - N o ) ; c a ( D e ) c S ( M r - S e ) ; u ( O c )

x ( C a I ) c S ( M y - A u ) ; u ( A p , S e - O c ) f c T ( M y , A u - O c ) ; r ( J n - J I )

x ( C a I )

caW ( N o - M r ) fcW ( O c - M r ) caW ( N o - M r ) c R c R caW ( N o - M r ) c a T ( M y - J n , S e - N o ) f c T ( A p - M y , S e - N o ) ; r S V ; caW ( D e ) x ( C a I ) c S ( A p - O c ) ; c a ( N o ) x u S ( A p - S e ) c S ( M y - S e )

64

B A N D - T A I L E D P I G E O N ROCK DOVE MOURNING DOVE

Y E L L O W - B I L L E D CUCKOO

BARN OWL

S C R E E C H OWL GREAT HORNED OWL PYGMY OWL BURROWING OWL BARRED OWL S P O T T E D OWL GREAT GRAY OWL L O N G - E A R E D OWL S H O R T - E A R E D OWL B O R E A L OWL SAW-WHET OWL

P O O R - W I L L COMMON N IGIITHAWK

BLACK S W I F T V A U X ' S S W I F T W H I T E - T H R O A T E D S W I F T

c a S V ( J n - S e ) c R , I c S ( A p - O c ) ; rW

x ( O r e )

f c R

uR c R f c R r S ( M y - S e ) x ( O r e ) uR rR ( O r e ) , l o c rR u R , e x l l ( O r e ) f c R

f c S ( M y - S e ) c S ( J u - S e )

x ( C a I ) f c S ( M y - S e ) , l o c x ( O r e )

•'1 wV TM

B L A C K - C H I N N E D HUMMINGBIRD c a S V ( M y - A u ) ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD u S V ( A p - S e ) , I O C , n? B R O A D - T A I L E D HUMMINGBIRD x ( O r e ) RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD f c S ( A p - S e ) C A L L I O P E HUMMINGBIRD f c S ( A p - S c )

B E L T E D K I N G F I S H E R f c R

COMMON F L I C K E R Y E L L O W - S H A F T E D F L I C K E R rW ( S e - M y ) R E D - S H A F T E D F L I C K E R c R

P I L E A T E D WOODPECKER uR ACORN WOODPECKER f c R , l o c ( K l a m a t h R i v e r C a n y o n ) L E W I S ' WOODPECKER u S ( M r - O c ) ; c a W ; l o c Y E L L O W - B E L L I E D S A P S U C K E R

R E D - N A I ' E D S A P S U C K E R u S ( M r - O c ) ; rW R E D - B R E A S T E D S A P S U C K E R f c S ( M r - N o ) ; uW

W I L L I A M S O N ' S S A P S U C K E R f c S ( M r - O c ) ; rW H A I R Y WOODPECKER c R DOWNY WOODPECKER f c R W H I T E - H E A D E D WOODPECKER f c R B L A C K - B A C K E D 3-TOED WOODPECKER uR NORTHERN T H R E E - T O E D WOODPECKER r R ( O r e )

65

E A S T E R N K I N G B I R D c a T ( H y - J u , A u ) W E S T E R N K I N G B I R D c S ( A p - S e ) ; c a ( O c ) S C I S S O R - T A I L E D F L Y C A T C H E R X ( O r e ) A S H - T H R O A T E D F L Y C A T C H E R F c S ( M y - S e ) B L A C K PHOEBE X S A Y ' S PHOEBE f c T ( F e - A p ) ; u S ( M y - O c ) ; caW WILLOW F L Y C A T C H E R f c S ( M y - S e ) HAMMOND'S F L Y C A T C H E R T c S ( A p - S e ) DUSKY F L Y C A T C H E R C S ( A p - S e ) GRAY F L Y C A T C H E R US ( A p - S e ) WESTERN F L Y C A T C H E R r S ( M y - S e ) WESTERN WOOD PEWEE c S ( M y - S e ) O L I V E - S I D E D F L Y C A T C H E R c S ( M y - S e )

HORNED L A R K c R

V I O L E T - G R E E N SWALLOW US ( M r - O c ) , l o c T R E E SWALLOW c S ( M r - S e ) ; u ( O c - N o ) BANK SWALLOW F c S ( A p - S e ) , l o c ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW f c S ( A p - S e ) , l o c BARN SWALLOW c S ( M r - O c ) ; u ( N o ) C L I F F SWALLOW c S ( M r - S e ) P U R P L E MARTIN US ( A p - A u )

GRAY J A Y F c R S T E L L E R ' S J A Y c R SCRUB J A Y CR B L A C K - B I L L E D MAGPIE CR COMMON RAVEN F c R COMMON CROW UR, ' o c PINON J A Y U R , l o c C L A R K ' S NUTCRACKER c S ; UW

B L A C K - C A P P E D C H I C K A D E E r R MOUNTAIN C H I C K A D E E c R C H E S T N U T - B A C K E D C H I C K A D E E uR ( C a s c a d e s o n l y ) P L A I N T I T M O U S E F c R COMMON B U S H T I T C R

66

W H I T E - B R E A S T E D NUTHATCH R E D - B R E A S T E D NUTHATCH PYGMY NUTHATCH

BROWN C R E E P E R

WRENTIT

D I P P E R

HOUSE WREN WINTER WREN B E W I C K ' S WREN L O N G - B I L L E D MARSH WREN CANON WREN ROCK WREN

MOCKINGBIRD GRAY C A T B I R D BROWN THRASHER SAGE THRASHER

AMERICAN R O B I N V A R I E D THRUSH HERMIT THRUSH S W A I N S O N ' S THRUSH WESTERN B L U E B I R D MOUNTAIN B L U E B I R D TOWNSEND'S S O L I T A I R E

B L U E - G R A Y GNATCATCHER GOLDEN-CROWNED K I N G L E T RUBY-CROWNED K I N G L E T

WATER P I P I T

BOHEMIAN WAXWING CEDAR WAXWING

NORTHERN S H R I K E LOGGERHEAD S H R I K E

S T A R L I N G

F c R CR

CR

F c R

r R , l o c , n ?

uR c S ( A p - S e ) r S ( M y - A u ) ; c R c S ( M r - N o ) ; F c R c S ( A p - N o ) ;

uW

FcW

uW

c a S V ( M y - A u ) , n ? ; x ( O r e ) x f c S ( M r - O c ) ; caW

c R F c T ( M r - A p , S e - N o ) ; F c S ( A p - N o ) ; caW US ( M y - S e ) UR F c R U S ; cW

XW; ( O r e )

u S ( M y - A u ) CR c T ( M r - M y , S e - N o )

l o c ( L a v a B e d s N.W. ) ; x S V i n K l a m a t h c o .

u S / W

f c T ( M r - M y , S e - N o ) ; rW

e ( c a n b e n u m e r o u s i n i n v a s i o n y e a r s ) caW f c R

FcW ( O c - M r ) F c S ( M r - N o ) ;

67

Uireo

B E L L ' S V I R E O X ( C a I ) H U T T O N ' S V I R E O x ( O r e ) S O L I T A R Y V I R E O f c S ( A p - S e ) R E D - E Y E D V I R E O x S V ( J n - J I ) , ( O r e ) WARBLING V I R E O f c S ( A p - S e )

B L A C K - A N D - W H I T E WARBLER X ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER f c S ( A p - S e ) ; XW N A S H V I L L E WARBLER f c S ( A p - S e ) V I R G I N I A ' S WARBLER X ( O r e ) NORTHERN PARULA WARBLER x ( O r e ) Y E L L O W WARBLER C S ( M y - S e ) Y E L L O W - R U M P E D WARBLER

M Y R T L E WARBLER uT ( M r - M y , S e - N o ) ; caW A U D U B O N ' S WARBLER C S ( M r - O c ) ; caW

B L A C K - T H R O A T E D GRAY WARBLER r S ( M y - O c ) TOWNSEND'S WARBLER UT ( A p - M y , S e - O c ) ; c a S V HERMIT WARBLER f c S ( M y - S e ) B A Y - B R E A S T E D WARBLER X ( O r e ) NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH r S ( M y - A u ) , I ( n o r t h e r n K l a m a t h c o . o n l y ) M A C G I L L I V R A Y ' S WARBLER f c S ( M y - S e ) COMMON YELLOWTHROAT f c S ( A p - O c ) Y E L L O W - B R E A S T E D CHAT r T ( M y - J n ) W I L S O N ' S WARBLER f c S ( M y - S e ) A M E R I C A N R E D S T A R T r S ( J n - A u ) , I ( n o r t h e r n K l a m a t h c o . o n l y )

HOUSE SPARROW C R , I

B O B O L I N K X ( C a I ) W E S T E R N MEADOWLARK CR Y E L L O W - H E A D E D B L A C K B I R D c S ( M r - O c ) ; rW R E D - W I N G E D B L A C K B I R D CR T R I C O L O R E D B L A C K B I R D f c S ( F e - N o ) ; uW NORTHERN O R I O L E

B U L L O C K ' S O R I O L E F c S ( M y - S e ) B R E W E R ' S B L A C K B I R D c R BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD c S ( A p - S e ) ; UW

W E S T E R N TANAGER C S ( M y - S e )

68

R O S E - B R E A S T E D G R O S B E A K B L A C K - H E A D E D G R O S B E A K L A Z U L I BUNTING E V E N I N G G R O S B E A K P U R P L E F I N C H C A S S I N ' S F I N C H HOUSE F I N C H P I N E GROSBEAK GRAY-CROWNED R O S Y F I N C H COMMON R E D P O L L P I N E S I S K I N AMERICAN G O L D F I N C H L E S S E R G O L D F I N C H RED C R O S S B I L L W H I T E - W I N C E D C R O S S B I L L G R E E N - T A I L E D TOWHEE R U F O U S - S I O E D TOWHEE BROWN TOWHEE SAVANNAH SPARROW V E S P E R SPARROW LARK SPARROW B L A C K - T H R O A T E D SPARROW SAGE SPARROW D A R K - E Y E D JUNCO

S L A T E - C O L O R E D JUNCO OREGON JUNCO

T R E E SPARROW C H I P P I N G SPARROW B R E W E R ' S SPARROW B L A C K - C H I N N E D SPARROW H A R R I S ' SPARROW WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW W H I T E - T H R O A T E D SPARROW TOX SPARROW L I N C O L N ' S SPARROW SONG SPARROW MCGOWN'S LONGSPUR LAPLAND LONGSPUR C H E S T N U T - C O L L A R E D SNOW BUNTING

X ( C a I ) C S ( A p - S e ) F c S ( M y - S e ) F c R , e US ( A p - S e ) ; rW; l o c c S ( A p - O c ) ; uW c R c a S V / W US ( M r - N o ) ( O r e ) xH ( O r e ) F c R , e UR F c R F c R , e x ( O r e ) f c S ( M y - S e ) c S ( M r - O c ) ; uW u R , l o c c S ( M r - N o ) ; caW F c S ( A p - O c ) US ( A p - O c ) c a S V ( M y - A u ) , n ? r S ( M r - S e )

uW ( O c - A p ) c R rW ( N o - M r ) c S ( A p - O c ) c S ( A p - S e ) x ( C a l ) caW ( N o - F e ) c T ( M r - A p , S e - N o ) ; f c W ; r S F c T ( M r - A p , S e - N o ) ; uW caW ( N o - M r ) c S ( A p - S e ) ; c a W ; ( o n e r e c o r d F o r " E A S T E R N " r a c e - C a I ) F c S ( A p - O c ) ; caW c R

uW ( N o - M r ) LONGSPUR x

caW ( C a I )

Big Days: Klamath County Steve Gordon

Previous articles in OREGON BIRDS have recounted the results of Big Days conducted in Klamath County in 1977 and 1978 (5/1, p.25) and 1979 (5/4, p.5) . This article provides summaries of those earlier efforts and details Klamath County Big Days in 1980 and 1981.

With more than 6,150 square miles, Klamath is Oregon's fourth largest county, and it contains a rich variety of habitats. While the county is too large to cover in a single day, a wide variety of habitats can be covered in the southern portion of the county and in a circuit around Upper Klamath Lake. Even this route is so long that it is impossible to be in every habitat at the most desirable time, early in the morning (a problem common to many Big Days). Another problem encountered on several Klamath County Big Days has been late afternoon and evening winds which have reduced bird activity and hampered birding. Our route has been refined over five years to balance habitat coverage and time of day and to provide flexibility to adjust to weather conditions.

The 1977 Big Day is not really comparable with the other four. It was an experiment to record more than 100 species under official American Birding Association (ABA) rules. It was conducted earlier in the spring and included a trip to Crater Lake National Park; a good Klamath County spot omitted from subsequent itineraries because of the long travel time involved to drive to the rim.

SUMMARY OF 1977, 1978 AND 1979 BIG DAYS

The numbers assigned to the Big Days follow chronological order and correspond to the numbered column headings on the accompanying list of birds.

1. April 16, 1977; 109 species; 181 miles; 12.5 hours; Dale Cross and Steve Gordon. This first attempt at a Klamath County Big Day included trips to Crater Lake National Park and Klamath Forest N.W.R. While Crater Lake N.P. netted GRAY JAY and CLARK'S NUTCRACKER, the trip took too long for results produced, and while conducting the count earlier in the spring resulted in observations of wintering species, such as WHISTLING SWAN, HOODED MERGANSER, and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, many arriving migrants were missed. A BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE (uncommon in the Klamath Basin) was the highlight.

2. May 13, 1978; 140 species; 182 miles; 15 hours; Jim and Judy Carlson, Kathy and Tad Finnell, Steve Gordon, Priscilla and Steve Summers. Highlights included WHITE-WINGED S C O T E R , SWAINSON'S HAWK, NORTHERN PHALAROPE, GREAT GRAY OWL, and ACORN WOODPECKER. This Big Day included a trip to

70

Klamath Forest N.W.R. which netted GOSHAWK, SANDHILL CRANE, BURROWING OWL, and YELLOWTHROAT, but required about 80 extra miles of driving. Based on analysis of these results, future Klamath County Big Days eliminated this leg. The 1978 Klamath County Big Day established an Oregon single county Big Day record.

3. May 12, 1979; 147 species; (146 species in Klamath County--WESTERN SANDPIPER was observed on the California side of Stateline Road, Highway 161); 170 miles; 16.5 hours; Jim and Judy Carlson, Mark Egger, Steve Gordon, Priscilla and Steve Summers. The highlight was a WESTERN FLYCATCHER at Miller Island. This effort set the standard for future Big Days and resulted in a fine-tuning of an efficient route. Good Klamath County birds observed included ROSS' GOOSE, PRAIRIE FALCON, BLUE and RUFFED GROUSE, SNOWY PLOVER, BARN OWL, PYGMY OWL, three species of HUMMINGBIRDS (ANNA'S, RUFOUS and CALLIOPE) , P ILEATED and LEWIS' WOODPECKERS, BANK SWALLOW, PURPLE MARTIN, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, TRI -COLORED BLACKBIRD, and BREWER'S SPARROW.

1980 AND 1981 KLAMATH COUNTY BIG DAYS

Detailed accounts of the past two efforts are included below. Again, the number assigned each Big Day corresponds to the column heading in the list of bird species.

4. May 10, 1980; 156 species (155 species in Klamath County--WHISTLING SWAN was observed on the California side of Stateline Road); 157 miles; 15.5 hours; Jim and Judy Carlson, Tad Finnell, Steve Gordon, Priscilla and Steve Summers.

Plans to begin the 1980 Big Day early in the morning owling in the eastern Cascades southwest of Klamath Falls were impaired by a snow storm. The Big Day began relatively late (5:00 a.m.) with one to two inches of snow on the ground as we headed toward Spring Lake. While the weather remained less than ideal throughout the day, birding was good. SNOWY PLOVER was observed at White Lake and WHISTLING SWAN was seen on the California side of Highway 161. For the second consecutive year, we saw one species on the California side that was not seen in Klamath County later in the day (try as hard as we might, we couldn't ignore a giant, white SWAN).

Driving from White Lake back toward Klamath Falls via Lower Klamath Lake Road, we observed BANK SWALLOWS at a nesting colony and saw one V IOLET-GREEN SWALLOW. Miller Island State Wildlife Management Area was very productive. There we found WHITE-FRONTED, SNOW and ROSS' G E E S E , SOLITARY SANDPIPER, a breeding plumaged RED KNOT, and LINCOLN'S SPARROW. At the Link River/Lake Ewauna stop we found

71

BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (late). GREATER SCAUP was observed on Upper Klamath Lake. After birding Moore Park, we travelled along the west side of Upper Klamath Lake. In the afternoon, we took refuge at Rocky Point Lodge during a downpour to drink hot refreshments and sample berry pie. While drying out, we watched RED-NECKED GREBES exhibiting courtship behavior. At Sevenmile Creek we found DIPPER under a bridge.

After finding a GREAT GRAY OWL, we began a bizarre hunt for another elusive species, the COMMON SNIPE. We spent about 30 minutes driving the roads around Fort Klamath searching for a SNIPE. The longer the search lasted, the more committed we became. The tiredness which comes from 10 hours of intensive birding began to take its toll, and we became a little silly as we pursued a fencepost-sitting bird. This ordeal became the theme for the Big Day--"The Great Snipe Hunt". We found a SNIPE, . . . eventually.

In the "old Chiloquin burn" we found LEWIS' WOODPECKER and singing VESPER SPARROW. A PURPLE MARTIN was found in the town of Chiloquin. At Algoma we observed CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD in the same bush for the third consecutive year (for the third consecutive year we also had three species of HUMMINGBIRDS--ANNA'S, RUFOUS, and CALL IOPE) .

The day ended with 155 Klamath County species, a new Oregon single county Big Day record--a record which included that lone Fort Klamath COMMON SNIPE.

The following day we returned to Miller Island hoping to photograph the RED KNOT. There we found a "EURASIAN" GREEN-WINGED T E A L .

5. May 9, 1981; 169 species; 276 miles; 20.5 h r s . ; Jim Carlson, Tad Finnell, Steve Gordon, Steve Summers.

New family members in the Carlson, Finnell, and Summers families reduced our team to four members. None of us were prepared for the birding experience which took place on May 9. Upon arriving in Klamath Falls the evening of May 8, we were excited to learn of C A T T L E EGRETS in the Basin and Steve and Priscilla had seen the BARRED OWL which was discovered by Forest Service biologists doing research on SPOTTED OWLS.

With about two hours of sleep, we headed out before midnight to Miller Island. Our attempts to call LEAST BITTERN after midnight were unsuccessful, but we did get AMERICAN BITTERN to respond. In the forests southwest of Klamath Falls, we called BARRED OWL successfully and heard many SAW-WHET OWLS.

After breakfast we birded Lake Ewauna and the Link River trail. GREATER SCAUP, WHITE-WINGED S C O T E R , and RED-BREASTED

72

MERGANSER (all rare in the Basin) were added. After birding Moore Park (MOUNTAIN QUAIL) , we worked our way north along the west side of Upper Klamath Lake (RED-NECKED GREBE at Rocky Point). At Pelican Bay we had VAUX'S SWIFT flying so closely overhead we heard their wingfeathers snap in the air as they rapidly changed flight direction. We heard BLUE GROUSE at Crystal Spring, again found LEWIS' WOODPECKER near Chiloquin, and saw a COMMON LOON on Upper Klamath Lake as we headed south toward Klamath Falls.

For the fourth consecutive year we found CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD in a canyon above Hagelstein Park. (Also the fourth year in a row for three HUMMINGBIRD species.)

After we birded Miller Island, we traveled to White Lake where we saw SNOWY PLOVER and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER. Our next stop along Stateline Road south of Merrill was extremely exciting. We found three CATTLE E G R E T S , a large flock of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, six LONG-BILLED CURLEWS and two WHIMBRELS in wet pastures on the Oregon side of Highway 161.

Along and near Tingley Lane we observed SWAINSON'S HAWK, SHORT-EARED OWL and WHISTLING SWAN. By then our species total stood at 167. A short digression is in order. Under the Amercian Birding Association's Big Day rules, members must make an honest attempt for each member to identify each species encountered. To enforce this concept, ABA requires 95% of the species to be counted by all participants. The 1978 Oregon Big Day record of 171 established by Paul Donahue, Mark Egger, and Tad Finnell (a Malheur N.W.R. to the coast marathon) had 160 species seen by all; thus reducing the 171 species to 168 under the 95% rule.

Our team was within one species of tying the State Big Day record. We went over our list and decided to travel back toward the Klamath Hills hoping to find GOLDEN EAGLE, CHUKAR, SAGE THRASHER, or SAY'S PHOEBE. Without success as skies darkened, we headed north again. With windows rolled half down, Jim Carlson ordered a halt. We backed up and tied the record with #168, HORNED LARKS in a plowed field. We then stopped at Spring Lake. Through the cacophony of marsh bird sounds I heard #169. Straining, all four members soon had the record-setting bird, a COMMON YELLOW THROAT. After 20-1/2 hours of birding, we debated trying for #170. Since families were waiting, we decided to head for the warmth of the Summers' home.

We had established a new Oregon Big Day record (under ABA's 95% rule) and a new single-county Oregon Big Day record. Birds missed by one or more members included WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER, DUSKY F L Y C A T C H E R , HERMIT THRUSH, and BARN OWL. Our total of 165 species counted by all members

represented 97.6% under ABA's rules. Yes , a common bird missed by all members in 1981 was COMMON SNIPE.

POSTSCRIPT:

A short drive the next morning along Lower Klamath Lake Road (CHUKAR, GOLDEN EAGLE, COMMON SNIPE) and a quick stop at Lake Ewauna (BONAPARTE'S GULL) were rewarding; those four species were found easily, but missed on the Big Day.

The five combined lists contain a total of 201 species with 196 recorded on the four May Big Days. The 1981 Big Day was almost 100 miles and four hours longer than any of our previous Klamath County attempts, but the 169 total included so many good birds (12 species not seen on any of the previous efforts) that topping that 169 mark will be extremely difficult.

However, with additional planning, knowledge, skill, and a little more luck and energy, 175 species might be possible on a Klamath County Big Day. The unique relationship of key Oregon habitats in such close proximity makes such an effort so rewarding in Klamath County. Matching that record would be extremely difficult in any other Oregon county.

Aside from the friendship shared, the Klamath County Big Day efforts helped us sharpen our bird identification skills and our knowledge about Klamath County bird and habitat distribution and spring phenology. We birded in beautiful settings. The green pasturelands around Fort Klamath surrounded by forested mountainsides are an attractive landscape under any circumstances; add a GREAT GRAY OWL or a "rare" COMMON SNIPE and the scenery becomes spectacular. While a Big Day does require moving quickly to achieve the objective of maximizing the total number of species recorded, we were able to study and enjoy many of the individual birds on the following list of 201 species.

74

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COMMON LOON X

R E D - N E C K E D G R E B E X X X X HORNED G R E B E X X EARED G R E B E X X X X X WESTERN G R E B E X X X X X P I E D - B I L L E D G R E B E X X X X X

WHITE P E L I C A N X X X X X

D O U B L E - C R E S T E D CORMORANT X X X X X

GREAT B L U E HERON X X X X X C A T T L E E G R E T X GREAT E G R E T X X X X X BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON X X X X X AMERICAN B I T T E R N X X X

W H I S T L I N G SWAN X 0 X CANADA GOOSE X X X X X W H I T E - F R O N T E D GOOSE X X X X X SNOW GOOSE X X R O S S ' GOOSE X X X X X MALLARD X X X X X GADWALL X X X X X P I N T A I L X X X X X G R E E N - W I N G E D T E A L X X X B L U E - W I N G E D T E A L X X X CINNAMON T E A L X X X X X AMERICAN WIGEON X X X NORTHERN S H O V E L E R X X X X X WOOD DUCK X X X X REDHEAD X X X X X R I N G - N E C K E D DUCK X X X X CANVASBACK X X X X X G R E A T E R S C A U P X X L E S S E R S C A U P X X X X X COMMON G O L D E N E Y E X X X X X BARROW'S G O L D E N E Y E X B U F F L E H E A D X X X X X W H I T E - W I N G E D S C O T E R X X RUDDY DUCK X X X X X HOODED MERGANSER X COMMON MERGANSER X X X X X R E D - B R E A S T E D MERGANSER X

T U R K E Y V U L T U R E X X X X X

GOSHAWK X S H A R P - S H I N N E D HAWK X X X a c c l p i t e r , s p X X R E D - T A I L E D HAWK X X X X X S W A I N S O N ' S HAWK X X R O U G H - L E G G E D HAWK X GOLDEN E A G L E X X X BALD E A G L E X X X X X NORTHERN H A R R I E R X X X X X

O S P R E Y X X X

P R A I R I E F A L C O N X X AMERICAN K E S T R E L X X X X X

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B L U E GROUSE X X X R U F F E D G R O U S E X X

C A L I F O R N I A Q U A I L X X X X X MOUNTAIN Q U A I L X X R I N G - N E C K E D PHEASANT X X X X CHUKAR X

S A N D H I L L C R A N E X X X X X

V I R G I N I A R A I L X X X X SORA X X X X AMERICAN COOT X X X X X

S E M I P A L M A T E D P L O V E R X X X X SNOWY P L O V E R X X X K I L L D E E R X X X X X B L A C K - B E L L I E D P L O V E R X

COMMON S N I P E X X X X L O N G - B I L L E D CURLEW X WHIMBREL X S P O T T E D SANDP1 PF.R X X X X S O L I T A R Y S A N D P I P E R X W I L L E T X X X X G R E A T E R Y E L L O W L E G S X X RED KNOT X L E A S T S A N D P I P E R X X X X DUNLIN X X X S H O R T - B I L L E D DOWITCHER X L O N G - B I L L E D DOWITCHER X X X X WESTERN S A N D P I P E R X o X X

AMERICAN A V O C E T X X X X X B L A C K - N E C K E D S T I L T X X X X

W I L S O N ' S P H A L A R O P E X X X X NORTHERN P H A L A R O P E X

C A L I F O R N I A G U L L X X X X X R I N G - B I L L E D G U L L X X X X X B O N A P A R T E ' S G U L L X X F O R S T E R ' S T E R N X X X X C A S P I A N T E R N X X X BLACK T E R N X X X X

ROCK DOVE X X X X X MOURNING DOVE X X X X X

BARN OWL X X

GREAT HORNED OWL X X X X PYGMY OWL X X BURROWING OWL X BARRED OWL X GREAT GRAY OWL X X S H O R T - E A R E D OWL X SAW-WHET OWL X

V A U X ' S S W I F T X X X X

75

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A N N A ' S HUMMINGBIRD R U F O U S HUMMINGBIRD C A L L I O P E HUMMINGBIRD

B E L T E D K I N G F I S H E R

COMMON F L I C K E R P I L E A T E D WOODPECKER ACORN WOODPECKER L E W I S ' WOODPECKER Y E L L O W - B E L L I E D S A P S U C K E R H A I R Y WOODPECKER DOWNY WOODPECKER W H I 1 E - H E A D E D WOODPECKER

W E S T E R N K I N G B I R D HAMMOND'S F L Y C A T C H E R D U S K Y F L Y C A T C H E R GRAY F L Y C A T C H E R W E S T E R N F L Y C A T C H E R W F S T E R N WOOD PEWEE O L I V E - S I D E D F L Y C A T C H E R

HORNED LARK

V I O L E T - G R E E N SWALLOW T R E E SWALLOW BANK SWALLOW ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW BARN SWALLOW C L I F F SWALLOW P U R P L E MARTIN

GRAY J A Y S T E L L E R ' S J A Y S C R U B J A Y B L A C K - B I L L E D MAGPIE COMMON RAVEN C L A R K ' S NUTCRACKER

B L A C K - C A P P E D C H I C K A D E E MOUNTAIN C H I C K A D E E C H E S T N U T - B A C K E D C H I C K A D E E COMMON B U S H T I T

W H I T E - B R E A S T E D NUTHATCH R E D - B R E A S T E D NUTHATCH PYGMY NUTHATCH

BROWN C R E E P E R

D l P P E R

HOUSE WREN B E W I C K ' S WREN L O N G - B I L L E D HARSH WREN CANON WREN ROCK WREN

A M E R I C A N ROBIN V A R I E D THRUSH H E R M I T THRUSH

X X X X W E S T E R N B L U E B I R D X X X X X X X X X MOUNTAIN B L U E B I R D X X X X X X X X X TOWNSEND'S S O L I T A I R E X X X

X X X X X GOLDEN-CROWNED K I N G L E T X X X X RUBY-CROWNED K I N G L E T X X X

X X X X X X X WATER P I P I T X X

X X X X X C E D A R WAXWING X X X X X

X X X X X X X X X X S T A R L I N G X X X X X X X X X X _

X X X X S O L I T A R Y V I R E O X X X W A R B L I N G V I R E O X X X X

X X X X X x ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER X X X X X X X N A S H V I L L E WARBLER X X X X

X X X X Y E L L O W WARBLER X X X X Y E L L O W - R U M P E D WARBLER X X X X X X X X T O W N S E N D ' S WARBLER X X X T O W N S E N D ' S / H E R M I T WARBLER X

M A C G I L L I V R A Y ' S WARBLER X X X X X X X X X COMMON YELLOWTHROAT X X X

W I L S O N ' S WARBLER ; X X X X

X X X X X X MOUSE SPARROW X X X X X

X X X X X X X X W E S T E R N MEADOWLARK X X X X X X X X X X Y E L L O W - H E A D E D B L A C K B I R D X X X X X X X X X X R E D - W I N G E D B L A C K B I R D X X X X X

X X T R I C O L O R E D B L A C K B I R D X X X NORTHERN O R I O L E X X X X

X B R E W E R ' S B L A C K B I R D X X X X X X X X X X BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X W E S T E R N TANAGER X X X X X X X X X B L A C K - H E A D E D G R O S B E A K X X X X

L A Z U L I BUNTING X - X X X X X E V E N I N G GROSBEAK X X X X X X X X X X P U R P L E F I N C H X X X - X X X X C A S S I N ' S F I N C H X X X X X X X X X HOUSE F I N C H X X X X X

P I N E S I S K I N X X X X X AMERICAN G O L D F I N C H X X X X

X X X X X L E S S E R G O L D F I N C H X X X X X X X X X R E D C R O S S B I L L X

G R E E N - T A I L E D TOWHEE X X X X X X X X R U F O U S - S I D E D TOWHEE X X X X X

SAVANNAH SPARROW X X X X X X X V E S P E R SPARROW X

D A R K - E Y E D JUNCO X X X X X X X X X C H I P P I N G SPARROW X X X X X

X X X X X B R E W E R ' S SPARROW X X x X X X X WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW X X X X X X X X X X GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW X X X X X X X X X FOX SPARROW X X X X

L I N C O L N ' S SPARROW X X X X X X X X SONG SPARROW X X X X X

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Lister's Corner: Least Bittern Steve Summers

The L E A S T BITTERN has a very elusive history in Oregon. Gabrielson and Jewett cite a few records from the late 1800's and early 1900's from Harney and Klamath counties in their book the Birds of Oregon, 1940. Since that time there have been few additional records and the L E A S T BITTERN remains an elusive species to find in Oregon.

Perhaps one of the better places to look for this species in Oregon is in the marshes of Upper Klamath Lake, Klamath County. The northern end of the lake is surrounded by an extensive tule and cattail marsh. Most of this marsh is in the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and is accessible only by boat or canoe. There is a marked canoe trail through the marsh starting and ending at the Rocky Point Public Boat Launch. This BITTERN was seen along this canoe trail in 1975 and 1981 in June and July . May and August would also be worth trying.

The boat launch is maintained by Rocky Point Resort where you can rent canoes if you don't have your own. A 17 foot canoe which holds a maximum of three adults rents for $7.00 per one-half day (5 hours) or $10.00 per day. There is a cafe and restaurant at the resort as well as cabins, RV sites and a few tent sites for rent. There are also large Forest Service campgrounds nearby at Lake of the Woods on Highway 140. The resort has brochures on the Upper Klamath Canoes Trails or one can be obtained by writing to the Klamath Ranger District, 1936 California Avenue, Klamath Fal ls , Oregon 97601.

Although LEAST BITTERNS are here, the probability of seeing one is not known since it has only been attempted a few times. Even if it is missed, the birding in this area makes it a very enjoyable trip. RED-NECKED GREBES nest here and the chances of seeing them are very good. Some other species to be found in the marsh, the surrounding aspen-willow edges and bordering coniferous forest at this time of year include: WHITE PELICAN, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, WOOD DUCK, REDHEAD, HOODED MERGANSER (rare) , BALD E A G L E , OSPREY, BLUE and RUFFED GROUSE, SANDHILL CRANE, VIRGINIA RAIL, FORSTER'S and BLACK TERNS, eight species of WOODPECKERS (including WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER, P ILEATED, WHITE-HEADED and BLACK-BACKED THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS), WILLOW, HAMMOND'S and DUSKY F L Y C A T C H E R S , S T E L L E R ' S J A Y , CHICKADEES, NUTHATCHES, C R E E P E R S , WARBLERS (8 species), YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, WESTERN TANAGER, BLACK-HEADED and EVENING GROSBEAKS, PURPLE (uncommon) and CASSIN'S FINCHES, RED CROSSBILL and FOX SPARROW.

77

Site Guide: Miller Island Steve Summers

Miller Island just south of Klamath Falls is a little known birding area of the Klamath Basin. It is mostly bypassed by visiting birders on their way to the larger refuges (Tule Lake and Lower Klamath) on the California side of the Basin. Although much smaller than the California refuges, it is similar to them, and if you're interested in birding the Oregon side, it is worth a visit.

This area is not actually an island. The Klamath River has changed course in the past and left sloughs and marshes which in some ways create an island effect. Much of the area is owned by the State and is managed as the Klamath Wildlife Area. There are still some private farms and the large marsh which borders the southern portions is a private hunting club. Most of the State land is open to birding, although some roads are closed to vehicles and are signed as such. When visiting the area, please respect the rights of private landowners and obey all road closures.

Miller Island is most noted for its spring (late February - April) ROSS' G E E S E . During this time almost pure flocks of several thousand ROSS' GEESE gather here on their northward migration. They are usually easy to find by just driving around and looking. Occasionally, "BLUE" GEESE are found with them including BLUE-SNOWS, BLUE-hybrid SNOW X ROSS' and BLUE ROSS' . One or two of these types are usually present every year with the BLUE ROSS' the rarest. Many WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and CANADA GEESE will also be present and the rare EMPEROR GOOSE should always be looked for among the other dark geese.

WHISTLING SWANS reach their peak abundance during mid to late February. Hundreds will be present during this month and the Eurasian race, BEWICK'S SWAN, has been recorded here at this time. February through March is also the best time to look for TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS. During this early spring period there will be a wide variety of ducks present. EURASIAN WIGEON are occasionally seen here and Klamath county's only record of EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL came from here.

BLACK-NECKED ST ILTS and AMERICAN AVOCETS breed here and arrive in late March. Other shorebirds start arriving then too but the best shorebirding comes later in April and early May. At least 26 species of shorebirds have been recorded here.

Most of the area is marsh and agricultural land so migrant passerine birding opportunities are few. There are, however, a few old abandoned farm house sites where the houses are gone but the ornamental plantings of trees and shrubs remain. These

79

80

areas are open to birding and can be productive during peak migration periods. They create an oasis effect and sometimes can be jumping with birds but sometimes not.

Fail waterbird migrations through Miller Island are poor after the opening of duck hunting season in October. This area is heavily hunted and most of the waterbird numbers are kept down. There is no hunting during the week though so it is still worth a try during that season.

To reach the Miller Island area, travel south on U .S . Highway 97 from Klamath Falls. After crossing the Klamath River, just out of town, there will be a railroad overcrossing. Immediately after this is Miller Island Road. Turn right and you'll be in the wildlife area. There aren't many roads, so it is easy to find your way around the area. Maps are posted on various bulletin boards.

Lister's Corner: 1981 Lists Steve Summers

This year again there was good response to county listing. Over 40 people reported, an increase of 10 over last year. The following lists represents totals as of December 31, 1981. (Previously submitted lists having at least 300 for Oregon or 150 for a county have been included and marked with an asterisk ( * ) . )

Last year there were no reports from six counties (Gilliam, Hood River, Linn, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler). This year we picked up counts for Hood River and Linn counties, so only four are still left with no reports of 100 species. The remaining counties are far from areas of active birding and birders, but hopefully this year someone will chance to stay long enough in some of these counties to pick up 100. One of the purposes of county listing is to get birders into the least birded areas of the state. It appears now that north-central Oregon is that lonely area. More distributional information is needed for that area and besides it should be easier to become number one in such a county.

So for what is left of this year, get out and bird whatever counties you can. Remember to keep good notes on what you find, not just l ists, including dates and locations. Let's make 1982 an even bigger county listing year.

Oregon (275) North America (ABA area) (500)

390 Jeff Gilligan 640 Jeff Gilligan 364 Tom Crabtree 621 Tom Crabtree 356 Alan Contreras 621 Robert Griswold 356 Richard Smith 583 Marion Corder 354 David Irons 577 Margaret Markley 352* Tad Finnell 567 Richard Smith 350 Jim Carlson 565 Tom Love 346* Mark Egger 560 Jim Carlson 344 Judy Carlson 559 Judy Carlson 342 Steve Gordon 555 Elzy & Elsie Eltzroth 340 Joe Evanich 541 Richard Palmer 339 Terry Morgan 539 Al Prigge 339 Steve Summers 537 Gerald Smith 332 Richard Palmer 536 Steve Summers 331 Craig Corder 532 Clarice Watson 327 Clarice Watson 531 Frank Conley 324 Matthew Hunter 530 Terry Morgan 324 Dennis Rogers 529 Steve Gordon 323 David Hofmann 522 Leonard Paul 323 Leonard Paul 504 Dennis Rogers 317 Steve Heinl 500 Jim Rogers 316* Larry Thornburgh

315 Elzy & Elsie Eltzroth 82

314 Marion Corder 312 Al Prigge 311 Gerald Smith 308 Martha Sawyer 307 Sayre Greenfield 306 Alan McGie 301 John Gatchet 300* Dennis Van Horn 298 Rick & Jan Krabbe 296 Margaret Markley 294 Tom Love 288 Alice Parker 285 Fred Parker 280 Verda Teale

Oregon Year 1981 (250)

344 Jeff Gilligan (New single year record) 334 Richard Smith 316 David Hofmann 315 Craig Corder 313 Terry Morgan 313 Dennis Rogers 311 Richard Palmer 304 Steve Heinl 304 Matthew Hunter 304 Leonard Paul 300 Martha Sawyer 299 Marion Corder 295 David Irons 290 Jim Carlson 284 Jim Rogers 281 Rick & Jan Krabbe 279 Alan Contreras 278 John Gatchet 262 Steve Gordon 258 Clarice Watson 256 Nancy Bock

County Lists (100)

Baker 225* Ann Ward 131 Joe Evanich

Benton 181 Elzy & Elsie Eltzroth 156 Rick & Jan Krabbe 138 Clarice Watson 135 David Irons 123 Joe Evanich 121 Alan Contreras 117 Richard Palmer 116 Jeff Gilligan 115 Steve Gordon 113 Matthew Hunter

Clackamas 155 John Gatchet 108 Jeff Gilligan 101 David Irons

Clatsop 235 Jeff Gilligan 210* David Fix 206 David Irons 200 Joe Evanich 193 Tom Crabtree 155 Terry Morgan 154 Matthew Hunter 142 Alan Contreras 133 David Anderson 131 David Hofmann 120 Steve Heinl 116 Richard Palmer 112 Verda Teale 103 Steve Gordon

Columbia 152 Jeff Gilligan

Coos 251 Alan McGie 240* Ben Fawver 217* Larry Thornburgh 210 Alan Contreras 196* David Fix 193* Tad Finnell 191 David Irons 177 Jeff Gilligan 171 Dennis Rogers 158 Alice Parker 157 Matthew Hunter 157 Fred Parker 155 Steve Heinl 141 Steve Gordon 137 Steve Summers 128 Jim Carlson 120 Clarice Watson

Crook

131 Jeff Gilligan

Curry 247 Jim Rogers 242 Dennis Rogers 208 Steve Summers 175 Alan Contreras 171 David Irons 150 Matthew Hunter 138 Jeff Gilligan 135 Alice Parker 133 Jim Carlson 131 Steve Gordon

83

127 Terry Morgan 124 Fred Parker 118 Steve Heinl

Deschutes 171 Tom Crabtree 137 Matthew Hunter 125 Richard Palmer 119 Steve Gordon 119 Terry Morgan 110 Alan Contreras 109 Jim Carlson 104 Jeff Gilligan

Douglas 221 Matthew Hunter 209 Alice Parker 209 Martha Sawyer 208 Fred Parker 159 Steve Heinl 157 Steve Gordon 113 Steve Summers 105 Alan Contreras 104 Terry Morgan

Gilliam (no reports)

Grant 118 Joe Evanich 117 Steve Gordon

Harney 215* David Fix 215 Jeff Gilligan 201 David Irons 198* Tad Finnell 188 Terry Morgan 182 Steve Summers 181 Jim Carlson 180 Matthew Hunter 176 Alan Contreras 173 Steve Gordon 172 John Gatchet 163 David Hofmann 161 Tom Crabtree 157 Steve Heinl 151 Joe Evanich 144 Craig Corder 142 Nancy Bock 139 Richard Palmer 138 Martha Sawyer 136 Verda Teale 135 Clarice Watson 134 Dennis Rogers 104 Tim Bickler

Hood River 101 David Anderson

Jackson 206 Steve Summers 171 David Hofmann 115 Alan Contreras 113 Steve Gordon

Jefferson 110 Jeff Gilligan

Josephine

191 Steve Summers

Klamath 259 Steve Summers 228 Steve Gordon 225 Jim Carlson 225* Tad Finnell 188 Jerry Pierce 169 Matthew Hunter 165 Jeff Gilligan 160 Richard Palmer 159 Steve Heinl 154 David Irons 151 Alan Contreras 142 Terry Morgan 132 Clarice Watson 123 Martha Sawyer Lake 178 Ken Voget 163 David Irons 154 Steve Summers 126 Richard Palmer 122 Steve Gordon 121 Alan Contreras

Lane 271 Alan Contreras 268 Clarice Watson 248 Steve Gordon 242 Jim Carlson 229* Tad Finnell 224 Steve Heinl 211 Margaret Markley 198 Matthew Hunter 192* Eva Schultz 191* David Fix 190 Dennis Rogers 185 Jeff Gilligan 177 Steve Summers 152 David Irons 148 Martha Sawyer 138 Richard Palmer 110 Alice Parker 107 Fred Parker

Lincoln 221 Joe Evanich 201 David Irons 195* David Fix 192* Tad Finnell 187 Jeff Gilligan 182 Rick fc Jan Krabbe 175 Tom Crabtree 171 Clarice Watson 164 Steve Gordon 164 Matthew Hunter 163 Jim Carlson 159 Dennis Rogers 157 Richard Palmer 155 Alan Contreras 145 David Hofmann 142 Ter ry Morgan 142 Verda Teale 136 Steve Heinl 123 Steve Summers 122 Craig Corder 117 David Anderson 116 Martha Sawyer 110 John Gatchet 105 Nancy Bock

Linn 101 Richard Palmer

Malheur 131 Marion Corder 118 Frank Conley 112 Jeff Gilligan 105 Alan Contreras

Marion 157 Tom Crabtree 125 Richard Palmer 106 Tim Bickler 102 Alan Contreras

Morrow 155 Craig Corder 153 Marion Corder 103 Nancy Bock

Multnomah 238 Jeff Gilligan 194 Tom Crabtree 191* David Fix 191 David Irons 154 Verda Teale 152 Tom Love 147 Joe Evanich

142 Terry Morgan 137 John Gatchet 135 David Hofmann 128 David Anderson 112 Tim Bickler 112 Steve Heinl 100 Craig Corder

Polk 163 Richard Palmer

Sherman (no reports)

Tillamook 256 Jeff Gilligan 237* David Fix 232 David Irons 225 Tom Crabtree 210 Joe Evanich 194 Terry Morgan 189 Richard Palmer 185* Tad Finnell 183 Matthew Hunter 175 David Hofmann 165 Alan Contreras 161 John Gatchet 149 David Anderson 146 Clarice Watson 142 Steve Heinl 131 Verda Teale 127 Craig Corder 127 Steve Gordon 118 Dennis Rogers

Umatilla 231 Marion Corder 229 Craig Corder 165 Nancy Bock 136 Joe Evanich 122 Jeff Gilligan

Union 225 Joe Evanich 218 Frank Conley 204* Dennis Van Horn 196* Georgia Sanderson 130 Dennis Rogers 118 Craig Corder 114 Steve Gordon 114 Matthew Hunter 112 Terry Morgan

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Wallowa 220 Frank Conley 187 Paul Sullivan 157 Joe Evanich 116 Terry Morgan 104 Marion Corder 101 Craig Corder

Wasco (no reports)

Washington 173 Joe Evanich 163* David Fix 157 David Irons 156 John Gatchet 127 Jeff Gilligan 115 Verda Teale

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SHORT NOTES

American Redstart

On June 17, 1977, while birding in Wallowa county, I found a pair of AMERICAN REDSTARTS in a deciduous grove along the Wallowa River. Since the species is sometimes found in that section of the state, the sighting was no great surprise. However, on June 11, 1982, I returned to Wallowa county, and once again found AMERICAN REDSTARTS in the same location, indicating that this normally hard to pin down bird may be found regularly in this spot.

The grove is situated between Oregon Highway 82 and the Wallowa River, beginning 1.1 miles east of the town of Wallowa. There are a number of large cottonwoods, some fir trees, and plenty of shorter willows. These provide good habitat for the REDSTARTS as well as flycatchers, V E E R I E S , and other warblers. Birders passing through Wallowa county would find it worthwhile to spend a few minutes in this spot. The grove is rather narrow, so much of the observation can be done from the highway shoulder, with a minimum of disturbance to the birds.

Darrell Faxon

White-throated Swift Succor Creak flows north through central Malheur County a few miles west of the Idaho line. An unimproved dirt (mostly rock) track parallels its course within Oregon. A sizable state park has been established along the creek where it passes through a narrow rocky canyon. At one point a great rock wall leans far out over the creek, seeming to threaten the road squeezed between the creek and the opposite slope. A few picnic tables sit nearby.

WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS nest in crevices in this wall. I found them on my first trip through in June 1972. I visted them every year through 1975. Gilligan and Smith (Oregon Birds, 6-2) reported the colony in 1978. It should still be viable.

I published an article on it in the Ontario paper in 1973 which elicited a comment that a colony also occupied the honeycombs on Lake Owyhee. I never had an opportunity to check on this.

The SWIFTS are wonderful to watch. An excerpt from my 1973 article may show why. "The WHITE-THROATED SWIFT at f irst appearance seems to be a large SWALLOW but is no relation, it is distinguished from the SWALLOWS by incomparably stronger and swifter flight, by its narrow, sharply pointed, and curved wings, as though its body bisected a flattened crescent moon, and by the sharp shallow strokes these wings take in flight.

As an example of its powers of flight, watch it drop from the sky gathering speed, make a great vertical swoop near the ground, shoot up the face of the cliff, and disappear into its nest crack, seemingly at full speed. A swallow could break its neck trying this. The maneuvers of these winged bullets are beyond adequate description and must be seen to be believed."

W. E. Hoffman 88

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher One frequently uses Interstate Route 5 (1-5) as a means to get from one place to another and not as a place to bird. However, I have found that there are many surprises along the way, especially at the rest stops.

On May 29, while returning from Medford, we stopped at the Manzanita rest stop about one mile north of the Merlin exit in Josephine county. Th is rest stop is on the east side of the freeway going north. On previous trips I had seen PLAIN TITMOUSE along with many other passerines in the picnic area. On this occasion we included a walk along the frontage road immediately behind the truck parking area. There is a considerable amount of ceanothus along the road which is ideal habitat for BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and sure enough we found a pair. They were easy to see because they harrassed any SCRUB J A Y that ventured near what was probably the nest site. Further along this road one can also find BROWN TOWHEES (Parkers ) , so that one can find three of the "Medford" specialities in this one place. If you wish to drive the frontage road exit the freeway at Merlin and continue north on the east side of the freeway. It is a dead end road and you will have to return to the Merlin interchange to get back on 1-5.

The BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS were still there on July 30 (Crabtree, et. a l . ) .

Martha Sawyer 89

Pelagic Trips

Oregon Field Ornithologists will be sponsoring at least two pelagic trips this fall. The trips will be conducted by Charleston Charter Service in the Coos Bay area. The dates are September 18 and October 9. The trips will last at least five hours and possibly eight. The cost is $15 for OFO members and $18 for non-OFO members. There is room for 30 birders on each trip. If these two trips are successful we will be scheduling more throughout the year, possibly from several different ports. This offers a chance to get a few pelagic birds on your year and county lists (possibly even Douglas county). The September trip should offer larger numbers of birds and species but the October trip probably has a higher chance for FULMARS and FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS. Interested persons should send their checks as soon as possible to the OFO treasurer at P.O. Box 10373, Eugene, Or 97440. More complete details of the trip will be sent to participants before the departure date.

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OFO Bookcase Oregon Field Ornithologists is attempting to provide a service to its membership by making publications dealing with the birdlife of Oregon available by mail. To this end, we maintain a "bookcase" of current volumes produced by OFO and by other groups and individuals in Oregon. These publications are available by mail or at the book table at the annual meetings. If you know of other publications which might be of interest to our members please let us know.

Oregon Field Ornithologists

Index to Oregon Bird Reports in AUDUBON FIELD NOTES and AMERICAN BIRDS 1947 - 1981 - - Clarice H. Watson, 79 pages, February 1982. Special Publication #3 $3.00

Field Checklist of the Birds of Oregon - - Steven C . Gordon, 16 pages, April 1981. Special Publication #2 $ .50

Bibliography of Oregon Ornithology: An Updating for the Years 1971-1977 with a Revised Cross-Referenced List of the Birds of Oregon - - Mark Egger, 76 pages, November 1980. Special Publication #3 $3.00

OREGON BIRDS: Volumes 6 & 7, Issues l -4 - -per issue $2.00

OREGON BIRDS/ Volume 5, Issues 1-6 - - per issue $1.00 SWOC TALK Volume 4, Issues 3 and 5 - - per issue . . .$1.00

Volume 3, Issue 2 (without cover) $1.00 Volume 2, Issue 6 $1.00

Audubon Society of Corvallis

Birding Oregon -- Fred Ramsey $4.75 Checklist of the Birds of Oregon--Bertrand & Scott (rev) $1.25 Field Checking Card $ .10

Portland Audubon Society

Birds of Northwest Forests and Fields - - David Marshall.. .$2.50 Birds of Northwest Shores and Waters - - Harry Nehls $2.50 Oaks Bottom Checklist $1.25 Sauvie Island Checklist $1.00

Lane County Audubon Society

Eugene-Springfield Checklist $ .15

Grande Ronde Bird Club

Union-Wallowa County Checklist $ .50

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Editor's Note

Everyone who has seen both RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS and YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS in Oregon can now add one to your Oregon list. Those with both BLACK and GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH will have to subtract one. Also, we can now all go out looking for BLACK-SHOULDERED KITES and GREEN-BACKED HERONS. All of this is to say that the 6th Edition of the AOU checklist has been released as a supplement to the July issue of the Auk. The actual checklist with all of its detail and expanded geographic coverage is at press but the AOU decided to print a simple listing with all the new names, order, lumps and splits.

As editor, I have already had to decide when or if to make the change to the new checklist. My decision right now is to continue using the existing list through the end of this year. My primary reason for doing this is because of the material I already have in hand which would have to be redone. I also think it would be a good idea to allow birders to get used to the changes before fully implementing them. For example, the Oregon Bird Records Committee will have decisions to make on some of the historic records. Just what MANX SHEARWATER or WHITE WAGTAIL has been seen in Oregon? I hope to have someone prepare an article for the next issue of OB which will describe all of the changes which will affect Oregon, including a tentative new state list. So expect to see information on the new list but articles using the old list until 1983.

I hope you enjoy the extensive articles on the Klamath Basin, I certainly want to thank Steve Summers for producing many of them. The next issue is already in production with the OBRC action report as the main article. I have had some response to the request for short notes as you can tell in this issue. I appreciate those who have contributed. We can always use half to full page items and they don't have to be about birds as "good" as those reported this time.

I also wanted to thank those who responded to the listing supplement. The increased participation in this feature of OB certainly warrants our continuation of it.

Finally, I would like to ask for volunteers who might be interested in doing one yearly feature for OB. There are many tasks which are relatively simple, like compiling the list totals or doing an index, but which take time or organization, both of which are in limited supply in our small "staff". If you would be interested in taking on one of these yearly projects please let me know. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and good birding.

"Send Field Notes T o . . . " When afield in Oregon, please share your unusual or exciting finds with others. Cooperative communication with the individuals listed below will help promote a better understanding of Oregon's birds. Many of the twelve reporting areas are represented by Audubon groups or other bird clubs who regularly publish field notes and are interested in observations close to home."

1. Harry Nehls, 2736 S . E . 20th, Portland 97202 2. Richard Palmer, 1990 Engel C t . , NW, Salem 97304 3. M.S. "Elzy" Eltzroth, 3595 N.W. Roosevelt, Corvallis 97330 4. Allison Mickel, 4633 Scottdale, Eugene 97404 5. Fred Parker, 313 W. Hickory, Roseburg 97470 6. Alan McGie, 3603 Edgewood D r . , North Bend 97459 7. Jim Rogers, Star Rt. Box 151-A, Port Orford 97465 8. Vince Zauskey, 945 E . Main, Ashland 97520 9. Steve Summers, 1009 Merryman, Klamath Falls 97601 10. Tom Crabtree, 1667 NW Iowa, Bend 97701 11. Joe Evanich, P .O. Box 1386, LaGrande 97850 12. Steve Thompson, Malheur N.W.R., Box 113, Burns 97720

Oregon Field Ornithologists P.O. Box 10373 Eugene, OR. 97440

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