Washington Ornithological Society • October 1995

A tail to rememberby Robert W. Ramsey

It was not yet daylight when we sidled two cars into southbound 1-5 traffic on

Tuesday, September 12. Our group of five - Georgia and me, Tony Kroha, BettyHeitman, and Sally Hill - was too big to bird well in one car. We rolled throughMontesano, then south to Raymond before side-tripping to Bay Center along the Palixestuary. Although we stopped to bird at several points along Willapa Bay we were stilltoo earl y for the incoming tide at Leadbetter Point. When we coasted down and acrossthe Chinook flats, I suggested we turn left on the U.S. Route 101 cutoff to Astoria. We

hadn't explored the pasture lands of Chinook in the four years since forming ourweekly birding group. Georgia and I used to check the pastures, especially in winterduring high tides and storms when it was a haven for shorebirds.

The sun was shining, the day was calm, and we had a little extra time, so I directedTony onto Chinook Valley Road. "Valley" is as much a misnomer as "River" is whenreferring to the Chinook. "Birding" fitted the same category until we got 4.9 milesdown the line. The river crossing was in view when we noticed a small bird sitting ona cable over the road. A small bird. A small bird with a tail longer than its head andbody. see Flycatcher, page 3

Fork-tailed FlycatcherChinook River, Pacific County

12-13 September 1995Accepted by Washington BRC,

30 September 1995First in Washington

Third in western United States

Photo by Bob Ramsey

Automated hotline helps birders track rarities

Photo by Cascade Photographics

How do today's busy birdersstay abreast of the hottestsightings? These intrepidseekers of avian wonder­ment ,demonstrate anincreasingly popular tech­nique. Michael Carmody(left) waits his tum at thescope after Ruby Egbert(center) has clinched the Ld.of a rarity. Meanwhile, BobMorse (right) enthusiasticallyreports the finding to theBirdBox after dialing 206­454-2662 on his cellularphone.

The idea for the wasBirdBox came from Bob, whobecame familiar with a simi­

lar system while birding inCalifornia. Ruby made theBirdBox possible. Hergenerous donation allowedwas to purchase a 386­based computer with theappropriate software and paythe monthly telephone linecharge forthe next two years.

EDITOR'S REMARKS WOSNews is nearly on track after a summer of change. When Iapproached Fred Bird at the April WOS meeting - my first - and asked if he could usesome help producing the newsletter, he promptly let me know his time as editor wasdrawing to a close. The next WOSNEWS - his last - brought that announcement, aswell as an invitation for members to apply for Fred's vacated position. I leapt at thechance.

I occupied the editor's desk on June I with a promise to remain seated for 3 years.Russell Rogers was eager to assist with layout and design. His expertise with PageMakersoftware has resulted in the appearance that will take your newsletter into '98. We havesome tweaking to do, though, and that's where you come in.

We need help. We need a typist who is also a good copy editor. Accomplished writers,photographers, and illustrators will always be in short supply. Back-up labelers andmailers fill an underappreciated role (David Buckley has been handling distribution, butholds other Society responsibilities, too). Special features attract readers (wouldsomeone like to put together a statewide CBC summary for the February issue?)."Washington Field Notes" will soon be revamped; I need knowledgable east and westsidebirders with strong writing skills to present summaries of past seasons and forecastsfor the upcoming one.

Published pleas for assistance are notoriously ineffective. Surprise me. Committedvolunteers can use the information at right to get in touch (this is a new address andtelephone number).

News ClipsEgbert recognizedwith lifetime membershipOn September 24, the WOS Board ofDirectors conferred upon Ruby Egbert alifetime membership to the Society.

Ruby, a long-time WOS member,has been birding since she was 16. Shehas traveled extensively, including two

or three 'round-the-world trips."Everywhere I went I looked at birds,"she recalled. "I have an unending curiosityabout how things work in nature." RubyEgbert is the first WOS memberrecognized with a lifetime membership.

New bird-finding guidefor Washington publishedDiann MacRae, Gulf Publishing, to bereviewed in a future WOSNews.

Are you missing backissues for 1995?If you joined WOS or renewedmembership prior to October 1, and youhave not received back issues of

WOSNews for this year, please contactDavid Buckley (see address at right).

A limited number of back issuesremain and will be sent to members whoneed them. Please indicate which issues

you require. Note: dues sent in afterOctober 1, 1995 are credited towards

1996 membership.

State issues draft recoveryplan for Ferruginous HawkThe Washington Department ofFish andWildlife has released a draft version of a

state recovery plan for the FerruginousHawk. This is the fourth in a series of

plans for state-listed Threatened andEndangered species.

An average of 54 pairs of hawkshave occupied territories in several easternWashington counties during recent years,an apparent increase over previousestimates. The hawks build nests on

isolated trees, rock outcrops, or cliffs inarid shrubsteppe and grassland areas.Usually they keep their distance fromwater and human activity.

Among threats to Ferruginous Hawksare conversion of their native habitats to

agriculture, encroachment of urbandevelopment, and other humandisturbances.

The recovery plan presentsinformation on the hawk's biology,ecology, and population status. It alsodescribes recovery objectives andstrategies to recover the population so itcan be delisted.

The 90-day public review ends 31January 1996. For a copy of the draftplan, contact the WDFW WildlifeManagement Program at (360) 902-2515.

Th~;S~,,~Society was chartered in 1988 toincrease knowledge of the birds ofWashington and to enhance communicationamong all persons interested in those birds.WOSisa nonprofitorganizationunder501(c)(3)of the InternalRevenue code.

Membership in WOS, including asubscription to WOSNews and the Society'sannual journal, Washington Birds, is availableto individualsat a rate of $20 per year and tofamiliesfor$25 per year. Dues should be sentto:

Washington OrnithologicalSocietyPost OfficeBox 31783

Seattle, Washington 98103-1783

PresidentMichael Carmody (360) 943-2351113 W 5th Ave., Olympia98501

Vice-PresidentSteve Mlodinow (206) 337-666611311 19th Ave. SE, #C317, Everett 98208

SecretaryJan Lewinsohn (206) 523-30896219 43rd Ave. NE,Seattle 98115

TreasurerCharlotte Escott (206) 634-18941011 N 47th St., Seattle 98103

DirectorsDavid Buckley (206) 937-25412712 38th Ave., Seattle 98126-2113Barbara Jensen (360) 569-22702999 Roche HarborRd., FridayHarbor98250Nancy Morningstar (206) 232-83407430 87th PI.SE, Mercer Island, 98040Scott Ray (509) 965-5456209 S 40th Ave., Yakima98908Russell Rogers (206) 935-62804510 Glenn Way SW, Seattle 98116

WOSNews is published bimonthly by theWashington OrnithologicalSociety to informmembers about Society business, currentornithologicalresearch, birdobservations, andthe fun of birding.

WOSNews invites readers to submitarticles, announcements, illustrations,photographs, and otheritemsforconsideration.Contributor guidelines are available from theeditor. Deadline for the December issue isNovember 20.

EditorScott Richardson

4833 Terrace DriveNESeattle, Washington 98105

(206) 526-0544

ProductionRussell Rogers DavidBuckley

Manuscripts for Washington Birds should besent to the journal editor:

Hal OppermanPost OfficeBox286

Medina,Washington 98039

2 WOSNews 39

Steller's Eider at Walla Walla delta

by Mike DennyWhile surveying shorebirds at the

Walla Walla delta on the morning of 9September 1995, Merry Lynn and I noticedan odd-looking duck about 200 yards outon the northern tip of the mud flats. It wasfeeding in the numerous carp wallows thatpockmark the area along he inner delta.

At a glance, the duck appeared to bedark with a black rump and tail, a hint ofwhite in the secondaries, and no head.(The head and neck were under water

most of the time, including my fIrst peekthrough the scope.) After considering thedark body and white in the wings, I thoughtthis bird was likely a White-winged Scoter.But as I watched this "scoter"

circumnavigate a carp wallow, it suddenlyraised its head, and what I saw eliminatedscoter on the spot.

It was then that the bird stood up onthe rim of the wallow and exposed chestnut!rust flanks that had been out of sight belowthe waterline. The color of the flanks was

tan-cream with a light rust wash towardthe upper flank and a deepening rust as itneared the belly. The rust turned very darkat the ventral line. I also noticed the sharptail and black tail, rump, and vent areas.

Flycatcher,from page 1

We stopped both cars in the middle

of the road and left the doors open as webegan to observe and speculate about thebird's identity. I got out the camera andcommenced taking photos, knowing Iwas unsteady and shooting in to a brightsky. The others began working on a criticaldescription. The bird showed no alarmand continued its flycatching activity.After about 10 minutes we were standingin the middle of the road, cars and all,concluding that we had a Fork-tailedFlycatcher. None of us had ever seen one.I tried to walk unobtrusively under andbeyond the bird so I could photographwith the light behind me. For some reason,that was not acceptable to the flycatcher,which flew across the river and out ofview.

A search turned up nothing so wedrove to Fort Canby and Tony calledDennis Paulson who put the basic

October 1995

Photos by Merry Lynn Denny

information on Tweeters. We ate lunchand birded the area for a while. There

were four Great Egrets on grassyGovernment Island and two adult Bald

Eagles in the trees over the Coast Guardstation. Somehow such sightings seemeda bit tame. I suggested we skip Leadbetterand go back to Chinook Crossing.Everyone agreed it was the proper thingto do.

We arrived at 15:00 and found our

prize sitting on a utility pole from whichit performed its aerobatics with insects.For the next half hour, we followed everymove in our binocs and scopes, soakingin the finer points.

We studied the light gray nape andback, the white-edged proximal sectionof the tail, and the gray eye ring. Some ofus concentrated on the spreading andclosing of the tail as the flycatcher chasedinsects. Others noted that it was entirelywhite on the ventral surfaces, with no

3

The bill was a light, slaty blue-gray.After several minutes of observation,

something caused me to consider that we

were looking at an eider. Grabbing theNGS fIeld guide, I opened to the eidersand there, sliding across the bottom ofpage 83, was our bird- a Steller's Eider.

It was evidently a male, in plumageintermediate between eclipse and breeding.I raced to Wallula junction to spread theword while Merry Lynn kept track of theeider and took photographs. When Ireturned, the eider had fed its way muchcloser to where we stood. Gradually, itapproached too closely for the focus onthe scope. Soon after, we had to leave forthe day. Several people saw the eiderduring the afternoon.

Early the next morning, nine of usmet at the delta and were treated to

spectacular looks at this unexpected bird.The Steller's Eider swan right to us fromway out on the delta. It came within 10feet, turned broadside, and slowly passedin review. All of us were very quiet, reallynot believing what we were witnessing.

This article was adapted from adescription of appearance and behaviorsubmitted to the Washington BirdRecordsCommittee. The BRC has not yet takenaction; if accepted, this would be the

second Steller's Eider for Washington andthe first east of the Cascades.

pink as in Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Wenoted a definite demarcation between the

black crown and the gray nape. Weconsidered the gray of the nape and backto be light gray, not a pale gray or a darkgray. We also observed that the gray ofthe neck did not come down on the sides

as shown in the National GeographicSociety field guide, lending theappearance of a white collar when seenfrom the side. The wing feathers wereblack with gray edgings which at firstseemed less dark than the head until we

realized that the gray was diluting theblack. We could not conclude whether

the rump was black or brown, only that itwas dark.

By 15:45 we agreed that birding wasover for the day. Only half-believing whatwe had seen- Washington's first Fork­tailed Flycatcher - we drove back uphighway 101 toward home.

and Dlundane

The photo accompanying Terry Wahl's August WOSNews article about notedWashington ornithologist Zelia Schultz did not reproduce well. Here's a betterreproduction of Zelia studying the characteristics of a Three-toed Woodpecker.Photo courtesy of Thais Bock.

Appreciating theSound's unusual

with these "Puget Mutants".The Clearcut

One morning I made it out to a clearcut near Olympia, where a Clay­colored Sparrow was reported. I never saw him, but I did see a partialalbino Song Sparrow, with a mostly white face and a brown eyestripe. This was a great spot, with lots of warblers (Yellowthroats,MacGillivray's, and Orange-crowned), two Lazuli Buntings, threeadjacent trees with three different flycatchers in each one (Pacific­slope, Willow, and Olive-sided), plus Mourning Dove, Band-tailedPigeon, California Quail, Ring-necked Pheasant, and great looks atlots of singing Chipping Sparrows.

Our family then took a trip to Seattle, visiting three sets offriends, Pike Street market, the zoo, and the Space Needle all in oneday (with a I year old and a4 year old). I don't recommend it. In themidst of all this, I paid the obligatory price for jetting up to Everettto see the nesting Arctic Terns: two hours in traffic and the wrath ofmy family (I know other birders with similar stories). The terns weregood to me, with one flying over my head twice, turning left andright, and then perching nearby. Special thanks to Fred Bird fordirections! These are beautiful birds.

Treasure Island

A few days at a cabin on a small island in far southwest Puget Soundwas very relaxing and enjoyable. The echoing call of Swainson'sThrushes filled the air. Green Herons and Common Nighthawkswere nice additions to the trip list, and the sight of aWarbling Vireo'shanging nest was a first for me. Really cool nest.

Unexpected BirdsNow satiated with two lifers, the final days of my stay werecommitted to forsaking the birdwalks and regaining some socialcapital with the in-laws. Nevertheless, some nice birds showed up:Western Bluebirds visited a birthday party in Spanaway; a firstsummer Bonaparte's Gull and an immature Brandt's Cormorantstopped by the pilings off my in-law's deck; and a second trip to theclearcut yielded a calling Hammond's Flycatcher. I'm not sure howunusual these sightings are, but they were unexpected to me.

rm currently in negotiations with my in-laws for next year'svisit to be a cabin thang at Lake Chelan-within striking distance ofthe Okanagan Valley! Strategy, strategy ...

bird life

by Steve HamptonI could tell I was in for a great birding adventure: 10days with

very sedentary in-law relatives, packed with social obligationsranging from weddings to birthdays, and surrounded by great birdsabout a half-day's drive away. I especially knew I was in forsomething special when, on the drive out of the airport, I gotfantastic views of Rock Doves. I'm only beginning to appreciate theplumage variation of this species. Just after exiting the freeway, aEuropean Starling flew right over my side of the car -stellar views !The others missed it, but they weren't birders anyway. Upon arrivalat my in-laws, a handsome male House Sparrow perched on the olddock pilings next to the house-the guides just don't do these birdsjustice!

Seriously, my in-laws have a great spot in Tacoma, with thepatio deck hanging over south Puget Sound at high tide. Harborseals and river otters swim by often and Bald Eagles cruise overheadat telephone-pole height.

The Deck

Birding from their deck was impressive. Iwas told that Marbled Murrelets would be

hard to find in south Puget Sound, but theyhad no trouble finding me. They oftenobserved me drinking beer or playing withmykid in the sand fromjust 20yards offshore.They got great looks at me nearly every day.A young one saw me as well.

I was surprised to see some Californiachapparal friends in the neighborhood.Bewick's Wrens and Bushtits contrasted

nicely with the Black-capped and Chestnut­backed Chickadees, numerous Violet-greenSwallows, and Pine Siskins.

Most of the gulls appeared to be pureGlaucous-winged, though there were a fewsecond-year birds with tailbands muchdarkerthan primaries, and at least one bird withblack primary tips above and below. I'm toldthat after eight trips to a drive-throughespresso bar, one can conclusively identifythe exact lineage and degree of hybridization

4 WOSNews39

NO]~ ll]Hl]E]~N M\OC1KllNG1Blll~IDS

N1ESllllN C01LUlM\IBllA lBASllN

President's Message

by Andy StepniewskiI suppose three breeding season

records are too few to establish a clear

pattern of Northern Mockingbird habitatpreference and status in the ColumbiaBasin of Washington, but a pattern issuggested from the followingobservations.

I received a call from Tony Greagoron 11July 1995. He reported his discoveryof two adult and one recently-fledgedjuvenile Northern Mockingbird alongHighway 243 in the extreme southwesternportion of Saddle Mountain NationalWildlife Refuge in south Grant County. Ivisited the area early in the morning ofthe 13th and found an adult mockingbirdsinging from the steel high tension utilitypoles adjacent to the highway 2 mileswest of the Vernita Bridge. Scott Rayvisited the site on the morning of the 13thand observed one juvenile. I believesufficient evidence was obtained here to

state mockingbirds bred in this locale in1995.

The sandy substrate at this sitesupported shrub steppe habitat with adense cover of Indian rice grass, grayrabbitbrush, and scattered bitterbrush. Themockingbirds seemed to concentrate theirsinging, foraging, and loafing in two dense

by Michael CarmodyOn September 24, the was Board

of Directors adopted the Duties,

Procedures, and Policies of theWashington Ornithological Society.This document, similar to an

organizational chart with jobdescriptions, fosters efficient operatingby the elected and appointed leadershipof the Society. It also serves as aguidepost for accountability.

A small, local club can function

October 1995

patches of introduced black locust.This is the third Northern

Mockingbird locale in the southernColumbia Basin thatI have visited duringthe breeding season.

15 July 1990: When Bob Sundstromphoned me regarding a probable pair ofnesting mockingbirds amidst the drydesert scrub at the Potholes, I was

astonished. Not only was their choice ofhabitat atypical, but the birds wereconsiderably north of the normal range. IfI hadn't heard this report from BobSundstrom and Dennis Paulson, I would

have been nearly certain the allegedmockingbird was, in fact, a LoggerheadShrike.

I went to the described spot (2.5miles south of 1-90 on D.5NE, which is2.5 miles west of exit 174 in Moses Lake)and played a mockingbird tape. A birdflew to a high power pole right above me.This was no Loggerhead Shrike: it hadstriking wing patches, no facial mask ofblack, and no thickened, hooked bill. It

sang briefly then lingered for 15 minutesatop the pole. It sang like a mockingbirdand was obviously very agitated at thetaped song of the species.

But the habitat appeared wrong for anesting mockingbird. Gardens and urban

with a loose set of common objectives,but a statewide organization with wellover 500 members needs to be linked

by clearly defined goals. The presentleadership has stated duties and thenecessary authority within theorganization to do their jobs. Look forcontinued good things to come to themembership by means of the ongoingdedication of those in leadershippositions.

5

plantings, low desert thick with cactus, orbrushy chaparral are what I considertypical mockingbird habitat. At this site,sparse sagebrush, rabbitbrush, andbitterbrush were growing, with very littlegrass cover. Bizarre choice for amockingbird. In 25 years of birding, Ibelieve this is my most outlandishobservation. Mostrare birds or "vagrants"actually fit some pattern that explainstheir presence-stellar misorientation,late lingering, storm-blown waifs,migration overshots, and so on. Themockingbirds here were amazing in boththeir choice of habitat and extension of

range.I wondered if these birds might have

some Sage Thrasher blood!19 June 1994: I observed a singing

mockingbird in mature sagebrush by apower pole marked "12/6" in Township13 North, Range 28 East, Section 18, thespot where Ron Friesz (WashingtonDepartment of Fish and Wildlife) andDan Landeen (Westinghouse Hanford)had seen a Northern Mockingbird on 27July 1993.

Tony Greagor also observed amockingbird at the Hanford Townsiteduring the summer of 1994.

All these sightings have been inhabitat characterized by sandy soils witha sparse to dense cover of native grasses.All have had some bitterbrush as at least

a minor component of the landscape.And all have been adjacent to orunderneath tall utility poles!

This leads me to believe that Northern

Mockingbirds in Washington may prefersandy substrates to loams. Along withnative grasses, sagebrush may be present,and other shrubs such as bitterbrush and

rabbitbrush are also expected. Cheatgrasswill usually not be a prominent part of thelandscape on such soils.

I won't speculate on the apparentcoincidence of tall utility poles that seemto be favored as singing perches at allthree sites!

Golden Eagle, watercolor painted in 1833-1834 by John James Audubon. The figure crossing a treacherous chasm isthought to be a self-portraint. Photo courtesy of Seattle Art Museum

6 WOSNews39

Portrait of John James Audubon done in oil on canvas about 1840 by J.Woodhouse Audubon (1812-1862). Photo courtesy of Seattle Art Museum

that no man living knows better than / do the habits of our birds;no man living has studied them as much as / have. "

In 1826, shunned by the scientific establishment and unableto find a publisher for his work in the United States, Audubonsailed for Great Britain. There he discovered not only thewidespread artistic and scientific acclaim he craved, enlistingamong his patrons King George IV, but also the skilled engraverRobert Havell, Jr., launching an auspicious collaboration thatwould ultimately establish his fame.

Seattle gets reacquainted ~ith AudubonA Brief Biography

Born in Santo Domingo (now Haiti) and raised in France,John James Audubon came to the United States in 1803.

Already an avid bird watcher, his pastime preoccupied himdiring several business failures before he fmally resolved in1820 to document every species in North America, a monumental

enterprise that would engross him for the next 20 years.Essentially a self-taught artist, Audubon journeyed widelythroughout his career - from Maine to Key West and as farwest as Texas - embracing the American wilderness withromantic imagination and classical discipline.

Audubon's earliest images are static depictions of birds inprofile, rendered in pastel in the traditional manner of the 18th­century naturalists. He later began to experiment with a varietyof media - pencil, ink, gouache, even oil- exploiting each toachieve the lifelike tones and textures he desired. Graphitestrokes on wings lent iridescence and definition, for example,and blended pastel suggested the soft texture of featheredbodies. Watercolor proved ideal for the vivid details andbrilliant colors of his subjects; it soon became favorite mediumfor all his paintings. In his mature works, Audubon wOl.ld oftencombine the full range of techniques and media to r~nder asingle bird, sometimes reworking a composition by affixingwhole or parts of images in an inventive collage.

Working with increasing confidence and agility, by 1821Audubon had surpassed his principal rival, the naturalistAlexander Wilson, and began to replace virtually all of hisexisting drawings - some 200 species - with new works.Birds of all sizes were now shown in action, feeding, flying, orfighting. Male and female of a species were usually depictedtogether and from various views to reveal as many traits aspossible. With characteristic bravado, he wrote ".../ am aware

The ExhibitThe first major traveling exhibition

of the original watercolors for The Birds ofAmerica by the legendary American artistand naturalistJohnJames Audubon (1785­1851) is on view at Seattle Art Museum

from October 12 through January 7.Audubon's masterwork is treasured

worldwide, yet the original watercolorsfor these popular prints are rarely seen.The exhibitaffmns Audubon's exceptionalartistic skill and passion for his subject.

More than 150 years after theircreation, Audubon's watercolors retain a

remarkable vitality and graphic energy.This exhibition features 90 of the large­scale, original watercolors selected fromthe complete set of 431 in the collection ofThe New- York Historical Society. This isthe first time this body of work has beenexhibited outside the Society since it was

October 1995

acquired from Audubon's widow in 1863.Seattle Art Museum associate curator

of modern art Vicki Halper has organizedthe galleries in the exhibition by bird habitator behavior. "For the Audubon exhibition

we have paid attention to ornithology aswell as artistry," said Harper. "In additionto the bird groupings - waterbirds in one

area, birds of prey in another, for example- our labels will include symbolsidentifying local and imperiled species aswell as quotations from Audubon'sOrnithological Biography, the volumesof text he wrote to accompany The Birdsof America. A portrait of the artist by hisson and a group of personal artifacts arealso displayed.

The exhibition was organized by TheNew- York Historical Society from itspermanent collection. Local support has

7

been generously provided by a major grantfrom BOEING with additional supportfrom PONCHO. Other funds for Seattle

Art Museum exhibitions and programs isprovided by contributors to the AnnualFund.

The tour debuted at the National

Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in thefall of 1993. Similar selections ofwatercolors have since been exhibited in

major museums in Boston, Chicago,Detroit, Houston, and Memphis. After itspresentation in Seattle, the exhibition willtravel to The Fine Arts Museums of SanFrancisco.

A variety of special events andeducational programs have been scheduledto coincide with the Audubon exhibit.

Call SAM for information (206-654- 3l 00).

WASHINGTON FIELD NOTES

Compiled byRussell Rogers

"Washington Field Notes" are distilled fromreports made to birdinghotlines, Audubonnewsletters, the Tweeters listserver, anddirect to the compiler. For corrections orinformation, contact the compiler.

1 March to May 31 1995

Pacific Loon High spring count of286 atBainbridge Island, Kitsap, on 3/26 (GG);also 125 at Swantown, Island, on 5/20(SM). Uncommom in e WA, 2 at PriestRapids, Yakima, on 4/30 (AS).Red-necked Grebe Locally uncommonin se WA, 1 at Swallows Park, Clarkston,Asotin, 5/8 (LLV);1 at Richland, Benton,on 5/15-22 (BW).Eared Grebe Locally uncommon in thelower Columbia Basin; 2 at McNary NWR.Walla Walla. on 4/9 (MD&MlD) and 1there on 4/18 (NFr).Clark's Grebe Late sightings forwWA: 1at Bainbridge Island, Kitsap, on 3/4 andon3/26 (GG); I at Edmonds, Snohomish,on 4/3 GT and 1 there on 5/14 (SM).Sightings away from traditional nestingareas: 1 at Richland, Benton, on 5/5(BW), and 1 there on 5/27 (NFr); 1 atScooteney Reservoir, Adams, 5/7 (RJ); 1at Sprague Lake, Uncoln, on 5/ 10 (JA).American White Pelican Arrived earlyApril. with no evidence of breeding, toSprague Lake, Lincoln, on 4/ 1 (JA);northof their normal range,13 at Brooks(Stratford) Lake, Grant, on 4/ 14 (SR); 1 atthe Okanogan RD, Okanogan, on 5/21(KK).Great Egret Locally uncommon, I atRock Lake, Whitman, on 4/15 (JR).Uncommon in w WA outside lowerColumbia River and southern coastalareas, 2 at Bothell, Snohomish, on 5/29(CP).

Black-crowned Night-Heron Locallyuncommon, 3 at Sprague Lake, Lincoln,on 5/10 (JA).Mute Swan 1 that spent the winter atMcNary NWR Walla Walla, was lastreported on 4/19 (MD&MlD).Trumpeter Swan Last reports from wWA:8 (6 adults and 2 imm) near Sequim,Clallam, on 3/4 (DSm); 1 at DuckabushRD, Jefferson, on 5/5 (CC); 1 SpencerIsland, Everett, Snohomish, on 5/7 (SM);in e WA, 6 at Spangle, Spokane, on 3/9(CW).

Tundra Swan High count for e WA: 30 atMcNary NWR. Walla Walla, on 3/2 (BW).Greater White-fronted Goose High countfor w WA, 220 at Ridgefield NWR. Clark,on 3/31 (JE). with the last sighting of 4

thereon5/24 (JE). LastsightlngforwWAwas I, Green Lake, Seattle, King, on4/26(GT). In e WA, at McNary NWR. WallaWalla. from 3/3 to 4/9 with high count of2700n4/9, (m. obs.). Other late sightingsfrom eWA: 2 at Reardan, Uncoln, on 4/ 13(JA); 1 at Brooks (Stratford) Lake, Grant,on 4/14 (SR).Snow Goose Locally uncommon, I,Novelty, King, on 4/ 19, and 1000+ flyinghigh above there on4/20 (BP).Last reportsin e WA: 1 at Mondovi, Uncoln, 4/14-17(JA); 1 at Priest Rapids, Yakima, on 4/30(JA).Ross's Goose First county record, 1 atRichland, Benton, on 5/1 (BW)until atleast 5/9 (SR). Second at McNary NWR.Walla Walla. 5/5 (BW).Brant I reported in last "Field Notes"near Woodland, Clark, last reported on4/12 (EA).Eurasian Wigeon Uncommon in e WA;2,a male and a female, Saltese Flats, s ofSpokane, Spokane, on 3/4 (JWi) and 4there on 3/7 (JWi); 1 near Spangle,Spokane, on 3/8 (LM); 1 at RidgefieldNWR. Clark, on 3/23 (EA);1 at Richland,Benton, on4/ll (BW);2 atWitcomlsland,Benton, on 4/26 (MD&MlD)."Eurasian" Green-winged Teal 6 malesand 4 females. Skagit WMA,Skagit, on 4/2 (fide BK): 1near mouth of Sam ish River,Skagit, on 4/5 (fide BK); 1 at the KentSTP, King, on 4/24 (RR)."Eurasian"x" American" Green-wingedTeal I showing both a vertical and ahorizontal stripe on flanks at AberdeenSTP, Grays Harbor, on 4/30 (DV).Blue-winged Teal First reports for thespring; 1 at Skagit WMA, Skagit, on 4/30(fide BK); 1 at Everett STP, Snohomish, on5/3 (NE);2 at Damon Point, GraysHarbor,on 5/8; 1 at RidgefieldNWR, Clark, on 5/l5(NE).lneWA: 1at McNaryNWR. WallaWalla. on 4/30 (MD&MlD).Cinnamon Teal 1. early for e WA, atMcNaryNWR. Walla Walla. on3/25 (BW).Redhead UncommoninwWA; 6 at BeaverLake, Skagit, on 3/7 (BR&GRet. al.); 1 atthe Hoquiam STP, GraysHarbor, on4/ 16(RS); 1 at the Montlake Fill, Seattle, King,on 5/13 (SMa) and 5/14 (TM).Tufted Duck Rare in WA; I, a possiblehybrid, at Quartermaster Harbor, VashonIsland, King, on 3/ 12 (IE); 1 near Omak,Okanogan, on 4/2 (SJ).Harlequin Duck Locally uncommon inGrays Harbor area; 1 at Ocean Shores,GraysHarbor, on4/4; 2 males at WestportJetty, Grays Harbor, on4/l5 (BR&GRet.al.) and 3 males there 4/21 (SRi).Oldsquaw Locally uncommon in lowerPuget Sound; 3 on Eld Inlet, Thurston, 2/11-4/14 (BS). Rare in e WA;4 at MedicalLake, Spokane, on 3/28 (KSt) through atleast 4/23 (JA).

8

Red-breasted Merganser Uncommon ine WA; 10 on Banks Lake, Grant, on 4/1(JA); I female on Sprague Lake, Adams,on 5/10 (JA); 2, male and female, WaittsLake, near Valley, Stevens, on5/31 (WH).Turkey Vulture High count for OlympicPeninsula, 20 at the Olympic Game Farm,Clallam, on 3/29 (DSm). First arrivaldate for e WA was 1 at Wenas Creek,Yakima, on 3/17 (NF); Uncommon inlower Columbia Basin; 1 at College Place,Walla Walla, on 3/30 (JFl); 1 on theHanford Site, Benton, on 4/29 (PB); 1 atCanyon Terrace, Benton, on 5/29 (NFr).Osprey First w WA was 1 at CarnationMarsh, King, on 3/ 14 (fide EH); first e WAwas 1 at Clarkston, Asotin, on 3/8 (LLV).Black-shouldered Kite Several reportsaway from traditional range in sw WA; 1at Ocean Shores Game Range, GraysHarbor, on 4/26 (CA); 1 at MagnusonPark, Seattle, King, on 5/8 (MS); 1 atKent, King, on 5/22 (DBu).Red-shouldered Hawk 1 at RidgefieldNWR. Clark, 3/4 (BF)through at least 3/17 (BL).Swainson's Hawk First reports: 1 nearRichland, Benton, on 4/13 (fide TG); 2near Richland, Benton, on 4/15 (BW); 2along Dodson Road, Grant, on 4/18(BR&GR et. al.).Ferruginous Hawk First reports: 1 atWebber Canyon, Benton, on 3/7 (BW); 1at College Place, Walla Walla. on 3/1 I(MD&MlD).Rough-legged Hawk Latest w WA; 2 immat Westport, Grays Harbor, on 3/3 (BN);1 imm at Ridgefield NWR. Clark, on 3/16(JE). Latest e WA: 1 near Walla Walla,Walla Walla, on 4/19 (SMu); 1 at Finley,Benton, on 4/23 (DR); 7 along route 14,Benton, on 4/26 (MD&MlD).Merlin Rare in e WA in spring; 1 atCollege Place, Walla Walla, on 3/11(MD&MlD); 1 at Wenatchee, Chelan, on3/12 (KK);1 atWapato, Yakima, on3/17(RR&DB).Gyrfalcon Reports from e WA, allgray-phase: 1 at Moxee, Yakima, on 3/4(AS);1on the Colville Plateau, Okanogan,on 3/ 15 (SR); 1 along Dodson Rd, Grant,on 3/18 (LCo); 1 near Leahy, Douglas, on3/18 (KK&SR).Prairie Falcon A first county record; 1 atPoint-No-Point, Kitsap, on 5/1 (VN).Northern Bobwhite Reported widely inKing and Snohomish this spring (fide RR).Sandhill Crane In w WA at traditionalwintering grounds along the Columbia Rlast large flock this spring was 150 atRidgefield NWR. Clark, on 3/26 (JE);500+ from Vancouver, Clark, on 4/11(BR&GRet. a1.).In migration 80-90 aboveAberdeen, Grays Harbor, on 4/11 (CE);uncommon in the Puget Sound; 4 overSkagit Flats, Skagit, on 3/24 (fide BK); 1

WOSNews 39

at Tapps Lake. Pierce. on 5/8 (VB). In eWA. high count of 800 at ScootenayReservoir. Walla Walla. on 3/16(MD&MlD);77 over Richland. Benton, on3/17 (DR); 300 over Webber Canyon.Benton, on 3/19 (RF); 24 in a field nearWest Richland. Benton, on 3/23 (PB);150 at Colville Plateau. Okanogan, on 4/2 (GG); 60-70. over s Richland. Benton,on 4/3 (RF); 400 at Waukon. Lincoln. on4/6 with 500+ there on 4/9 (JA); 100+over Kennewick. Benton, on 4/22 (JH); 1at Royal Slough. Columbia NWR Grant,on 5/7 (AS);48 at Richland. Benton, on5/20 (RF); 1 near Leavenworth. Chelan,on 5/22 (RP).Sora First w WA; 2 heard at RidgefieldNWR Clark, on 5/8 (JE). High count fore WA was 12 at Toppenish NWR Yakima.on 5/14 (AS).Black Oystercatcher 2 at Oyhut GameRange on4/29 (DW);2 at Westport. GraysHarbor. on 4/21 (SRi). 3 there on 4/24(MR).Black-bellied Plover Rare in spring in eWA;3 at Columbia NWR Adams. on5/25(AS);2 on the Waterville Plateau. Douglas.on 6/4 (AS).Semipalmated Plover A high count inWA; 2000+ at Bowerman Basin. GraysHarbor. on 5/5 (SMa).Snowy Plover 7 at Leadbetter Point.Pacij1c. on 3/30 (SRi); rare on n OlympicPeninsula; 1 on the end of the DungenessSpit. Clallam. on 5/8 (DSt).Common Snipe High countforwWA was75 at Ridgefield NWR Clark, on 3/31(JE); High count for e WA; 24 at theYakima RD. Benton, on 4/10 (BW).Marbled Godwit High count for the period:120 at Willapa Bay. Pacij1c. on 3/2 (BN).Whlmbrel High count was 400+ on theSkagit Flats. Skagit, on 4/25. through atleast 5/4 (fide BK).Seldom reported fromthese counties: 3 at the Kent SfP. King.on 4/26 (RR); 12 at Everett. Snohomish.on 5/21 (SM).Long-bllled Curlew Seldom reported fromIsland; 1 at Deer Lagoon. Island., on 5/20(SM). First from e WA: 1 near RicWand.Benton, on 3/10 (ML&ML).Lesser Yellowlegs Very early individualin e WA at Dodson Road and FrenchmanHills. Grant, on 3/18 (GG et al.).Ruddy Turnstone 1 at Everett.Snohomish. on 5/7. with 5 there on 5/ 15(SM).Red Knot First 6 at Tokeland. Pacij1c. on4/15 (BL);a (low)high count of 300-400Bowerman Basin. Grays Harbor. on4/25(SMa). Rare in e WA; 1 in alt. pI. atTurnbull NWR Spokane. on 5/20 (MS).Semipalmated Sandpiper Rare in spring;1 at Crockett Lake. Island.. on 5/16 (SM).Least Sandpiper High count for WA was250 at Nahcotta. Pacijlc. on 3/14 (DP).Pectoral Sandpiper Uncommon in WAinspring; 3 at Crockett Lake. Island.. on 5/

October 1995

WASHINGTON FIELD NOTES

20 (SM);1at Ocean Shores. Grays Harbor.on 5/22 (BR&GR et al.).Rock Sandpiper Only reports: 1 at EdizHook. Clallam. on 3/7 (BN); 1 at NorthJetty. Ft. CanbySP. Pacij1c. on3/ 14 (DP);1 on Blakely Rock off Bainbridge Island.Kitsap. on 3/26 (GG).Dun1ln Uncommon and local in e WA:numerous reports from Walla Walla RD.WaLla Walla, from 3/3 to 4/30 (m. ob.)with high counts of 45 on 3/28 (SR). 49on 3/31 (PB).and 67 on 4/30 (DL).OthereWAreports; 8 at Yakima RD. Benton, on4/1-3 (BW);5 at Royal Slough. ColumbiaNWR Grant, on 5/7 (AS).Wllson'sPhalarope UncommoninwWA;1 at Spencer Island. Snohomish. on 5/ 14(SM); 1 at Montlake Fill. Seattle. King. on5/14 (fide RR); 1 at the Oak Harbor SfP.Island., on 5/16 (SM).Red-necked Phalarope High count forPuget Sound: 215 at Swantown. Island.,on 5/20 (SM).High count for e WA: 53 atColumbia NWR Adams. on 5/25 (AS).Black-neckedStUtFirstwas 1at DodsonRoad. Grant, on 4/7 (SR);seldom reportedfrom Whitman. 1 at Crooked Knee Lakeon 4/15 (fide KD).Parasitic Jaeger 1 at the Ocean Shoresjetty, Grays Harbor. on 5/22 (BR&GR etal.); rare in Puget Sound in spring; 1 offthe Mukilteo-Clinton Ferry. Snohomish.on 5/23 (GT).Heermann's Gull Uncommon in s PugetSound; 1 at Tacoma. Pierce. on3/2 (BN).Mew Gull Rare in e WA; 1 at Kennewick.Benton, on 3/24 (NFr).Glaucous-winged Gull Uncommon in eWA; high count of 12 at Walla Walla RD.Walla Walla, on 3/11 (MD&MlD); 1 atBridgeport, Douglas, on 3/18 (KK).Western Gull Rare in e WA; 1 on theColumbia R at Priest Rapids. Yakima. on4/30 (AS).Glaucous Gull In w WA; 1 at MountVemon, Skagit, on 3/4 (KK);6 first winterat Woodland. Cowlitz, on 3/13 (DP); 1first winter, at Woodland. Cowlitz. on 3/17 (BL); 1 first winter. near Raymond,Pacijlc. on3/21 (BR&GRetal.); 1at BuddInlet. Thurston, on 4/2 (BT); 1 at Monroe.Snohomish. on 4/27 (KK). In e WA; 1 atWallula. Walla Walla, on 3/25 (BW);2 atMcNary NWR. Walla Walla. on 4/9(MD&MlD).Thayer's Gull Uncommon in e WA; 1 onthe Colville Plateau. Okanogan, on 4/2(AS).Herring Gull Late report of 1 at Clinton.Island.. on 5/20 (SM).Common Black-headed Gull Rare inWA; 1 at Point-No-Point. Kitsap. on 3/9and 3/20 (VN).Bonaparte's Gull High spring count of50 at Sprague Lake. lincoln. on 5/10(JA).Franklin's Gull Rare in w WA in spring;1. immature. at Cresent Lake WMA,

9

Snohomish. on 3/3 (JO).Little Gull Rare in WA; 1 at AmericanLake. Pierce. from 3/1 to 4/15 (PS); 2 atPoint-No-Point. Kitsap. on 4/15. 3/1.and 4/15 (VN).Caspian Tern Early arrival date for e WA;1 at Yakima RD. Benton, on 3/28 (BW).Common Tern High count 200 at OceanShores Game Range. Grays Harbor. on5/18 (BM).Arctic Tern Very early arrival date; 1 atJetty Island. Everett. Snohomish. on 3/7(JF). As many as 3 pairs nested at Everett.Snohomish. on 5/30 (FB).Forster's Tern Firstfor eWA; 1at YakimaRD. Benton, on 4/5 (BW).Black Tern Rare in w WA. especially inspring; 1 at the Kent SfP. King. on 5/23(HJ).Marbled Murrelet 700 were counted atPoint-No-Point. Kitsap. from 2/28 to 3/2.with 400 on 3/2 (VN).Band-tailed Pigeon Rare in e WA; 1 atWapato. Yakima. on 3/18 (SP).Mourning Dove High count for spring inw WA; 35 at Conway. Skagit, on 3/7(BR&GR et al.).Long-eared Owl Seldom reported fromOlympic Peninsula; 1 in Olympic NF.(FSR 2190. TION. R24E). Jefferson. on4/24 (BS).Short-eared Owl Seldom reported fromOlympic Peninsula and sw WA; 1 atRidgefield NWR Clark. on 4/23 (EA); 1onDungeness Spit. Sequim. Clallam.between 5/8 and 5/14 (fide DSm).CommonPoorwlll First report; 1atALES.Benton, on 4/29 (TG).Black Swift Early for e WA; 3 at Asotin.Asotin, on 5/6 (LLV).Vauz's Swift First reports; 1 at RidgefieldNWR Clark, on 4/18 (JE); 1 at Tenino.Thurston, on 4/23 (PH).White-throated Swift First report: dozensat Frenchman's Coulee. Grant, on 3/17(RR&DB).Anna's Hummingbird Uncommon onOlympicPeninsula; 1atWestDungeness,Clallam. on 3/27 (SS); 1 at Crecent Lake.Clallam, on 5/22 (BB).Calliope Hummingbird Very early for eWA; 1 at South Hill. Spokane. Spokane.4/3 (JA).UncommoninwWA; 1at Seattle.King, on 5/18.5/21 (DP).Broad-talled Hummingbird 1. a male.Dishman Hills. Spokane. Spokane. on 5/12 (fide TR).Lewis' Woodpecker Scarce in w WA; 1 atMount Vemon. Skagit, on 5/8 (fide BK).Red-breasted Sapsucker Rare e of theCascades; 1 near Leavenworth. Chelan.on 3/15 (fide DS).Wllllamson's Sapsucker Early reportsfor e WA: 2 near Chesaw. Okanogan. on3/ 11 (KK):1 at Field Spring SP. Asotin, on3/26 (RJ).White-headed Woodpecker Very rare inw WA. and the first report for the San

Juans; 1 at Orcas Island, San Juan, on4/15 (fide B11.Olive-sided Flycatcher First reports; 1on Bainbridge Island, Kitsap, on 5/6 (IP);1 at Ft. Steilacoom Park, Pierce, on 5/15(BR&GR et a1.); 1 at Ridgefield NWR,Clark, on 5/23 (EA).Western Wood-Pewee First reports; 1 atFt. Steilacoom Park, Pierce, on 5/19(BR&GR et al.); 1 at Ridgefield NWR,Clark, on 5/25 (NE).

Willow Flycatcher First report; 1 atTenino, Thurston, on 5/13 (PH).Hammond's Flycatcher First report; 1at Seattle, King, on 4/13 (DB).Gray Flycatcher Possible frrst countyrecord: 1 at RicWand, Benton, on 4/30(PB). E of their normal range; nestingbirds at Riverside SP, Spokane, (JA) andat Hole-in-the-Ground, Whitman (B11.Dusky Flycatcher First for e WA; 1 atRichland, Benton, on 4/27 (TG); 1 atWenatchee, Chelan, on 4/28 (KK);uncommon in w WA; 7 near Skykomish,King, on 5/25 (BBo).Cordilleran Flycatcher Early report; 1singing near Uniontown, Whitman, on 4130 (JHi).Say's Phoebe Uncommon in w WA; 1near Conway, Skagit, on 3/20 (fide BK).High count for e WA: 50-60 at WebberCanyon, Benton, on 3/6 (NFr).Western Kingbird Uncommon in w WA;1at Burlington, Skagit, on4/26 (JW&KW);4 at Point-No-Point, Kitsap, on 5/1, with6 there 5/3 (VN); 1 at Marblemount,Skagit, on 5/5 (fide BK);1 at Oak Harbor,Island, on 5/20 (SM). Early report for eWA;2 at Joseph Creek and Grande RondeRiver, Asotin, on 3/26 (LP).Purple Martin Very early report of 2 nearKelso, CowUtz, on 3/3 (MM).Other firstreports; 4 at e Olympia, Thurston, on 4/12 (LC);1 at Ridgefield NWR, Clark, on4112 (JE); 1 male at Tacoma, Pierce, on 4115 (BL);4 at Johnson's Marsh, Ft. Lewis,Pierce, on 4/23 (BR&GR et al.).Bank Swallow Very early and uncommonin w WA; 1 near Monroe, Snohomish, on3/3 (KK).First for e WA; 1 at RicWand,Benton, on 411 (TG).Cllff Swallow Early reports; 2-3 atBellingham, Whatcom, on 3/24 (CB); 1Seattle, King, on 4/3 (OW).Blue Jay Uncommon, but increasing in eWA; 4, one carrying nesting material, atClarkston Heights, Asotin, on 4/3, lastseen 4/13 (fide MK); 2 at Wallula, WallaWalla, on 4/9 (MD&MlD).Scrub Jay 1 at North Tacoma, Pierce, on3/6 (WP) and 4/6 (SG); 1 at Fort Lewis,Pierce, on 4/3 (fide EH).Common Bushtlt UncommoninKUckitat,rare e WA; 12 along Rock Creek, Klickitat,on 3/29 (KK);6 at Klickitat RD on 5/1(BR&GRet al.); 6 along Rock Creek on 5120 (BW).Rock Wren Uncommon in w WA; 1

WASHINGTON FIELD NOTES I

Yellow-breasted Chat at Kent Ponds, 21 June

1995. Photo by Ruth Sullivan

wintering at Deception Pass, Skagit, lastobserved on 4/4 (fide BK).Bewlck's Wren Uncommon and local ine WA; 1 at Lewis and Clark Trail SP,Colwnbia, on 5/15 (RJ).HouseWrenEarlyforwWA; 1Bellingham,Whatcom, on 3/24 (CB); 1 at Ft.Steilacoom, Pierce, on 4/26 (BR&GR etal.).Northern Mockingbird Uncommon in eWA; 1 in Millwood area of Spokane,Spokane, 3/7 through mid April (JA).Sage Thrasher First report; 1 atQuilomene WRA, Kittitas, on 3/17(RR&DB).Western Bluebird Uncommon and localbreeder in w WA; 3 at Ridgefield NWR,Clark, on 3/23 (BA);nest onWeyerhaeuserlands in e King, on 5/28 (HO).Mountain Bluebird Uncommon and localinwWA; 1 at Marymoor Park, King, on3119 (LL); 1 at Magnuson Park, Seattle,King, on 4/10 (HC); 1 male at OceanShores, Grays Harbor, on 4/27 (BW); 1Weyerhaeuser lands in e King, on 5/28(HO).Townsend's Solitaire Seldom reportedfrom Island; 2 at Double BluffSP, Island,on 4/8 (MP).

Swalnson's Thrush Early report for wWA; 1 at Ridgef1l.edNWR, Clark, on 4/9(RW).

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Late for Pugetlowlands; 1on Spencer Island, Snohomish,on 5/21 (SM).Bohemian Waxwing Last reports in eWA; 1at RicWand, Benton,on3/13 (BW);I at Walla Walla, Walla Walla, on 4/1(JAd).Loggerhead Shrike Rare in w WA; 1 atMarymoor Park, King, on 3/12 (AC);1 atMagnuson Park, King, on 4/2 (MS);2 atJetty Island, Everett, Snohomish, on 4122 (JF).Northern Shrike Last for w WA: 1 atVancouver lowlands, Clark, on3/20 (EA).

10

Last for e WA: I at Hole-in-the-Ground,Whitman, on 4/8 (MD&MlD).Solitary Vireo Early w WA: 1 at Seattle,King, on 3/30 (DB); I at Olympia,Thurston, on 4/12 (BL).NashvlUeWarblerEarlyeWA: I at CollegePlace, Walla Walla, on 4/9 (MD&MlD); Iat Richland, Benton, on 4/10 (DL).Uncommon in w WA; I at Tenino,Thurston, on 4/24 (PH); 1 at Pony Island,Skagit, on 5/13 (fide BK).Black-throated Blue WarblerAccidentalin WA. Remarkably, three sightings forwWA. I wintering at Mercer Island, King,last seen 4/5 (MH); I adult malephotographed in Olympia, Thurston, on3/6 (LS);single person sighting of 1 nearJoy Lake, King, on 5/21 (EH).Black-throated Gray Warbler Firstreports; 1 near Seattle, King, on 4/16(KS); several near Seattle, King, on 4/21(DB).Palm Warbler Rare in WA; 1 at RidgefieldNWR, Clark, on 3/4 (PC); I atPoint-No-Point, Kitsap, on 4/20 (VN).MacGlllivray's Warbler Firstfor w WA: 1near Burlington, Skagit, on5/5(JW&KW);1 at Hart's Lake Loop Rd, Pierce, on 5/9(BR&GR et a1.); first for e WA: 1 atRichland, Benton, on 4/26 (RF).Common Yellowthroat Early e WA: 1 atBridgeport, Douglas, on31 11 (KK);firstwWA: 1 at Nisqually NWR, Thurston, on 412 (BT); 1 at Ridgefield NWR, Clark, on 4/9 (NE).WlIson'sWarblerFirstwWA: I at Seattle,King, on 4/26 (MS). First e WA: I atWapato, Yakima, on 4/25 (AS).Yellow-breasted Chat Rare in wWA; 1 atKent STP, King, on 5/20 through 5/29(DBe).Western Tanager First for w WA; I atFederal Way, King, on 4/28 (Me).Black-headed Grosbeak Early reportsfor w WA; 1 at Graham, Pierce, on 4/30(SH); 1 at Ridgefield NWR, Clark, on 5/5(NE). Early reports for eWA; 1 at MeadowSprings, Benton, on 4/5 (TG); 1 atRicWand, Benton, on 5/8 (BW).Lazuli Bunting Uncommon and local inw WA; 1 at Graham, Pierce, on 5/8 (SH);1 at Kent Ponds, King, on 5/22 (PS).Dickcissel Accidental in WA; 1photographed at a feeder at Edison,Skagit, on 5/24 (GJ).American Tree Sparrow Latest were 3 atTumbull NWR, Spokane, on 3/12 (JWi).Clay-colored Sparrow 2 retumed to 1994breeding site along the Centennial Trail,in Spokane, Spokane, on 5/16 (JA).Brewer's Sparrow Rare in w WA, twosingle person reports; 1 at the MontlakeFill, Seattle, King, on 4/27 (CH); 1 atSeattle, King, on 5/3 (DBe).Vesper Sparrow High count for w WA;about 30 near Longview, Cowlitz, on 4117 (HF). First for e WA: 1 at QuilomeneWRA, Kittitas, on 3/17 (RR&DB).

WOSNews39

Calendar of EventsThrough December 31, Seattle

Exhibit of Martin Johnson Heade paintings at Seattle Art Museum.October 29-November 22, Seattle

Eagles. Owls. and Ravens: MythicalThunderbirds and more, a show andsale of contemporary NativeAmerican bird masks. will be at the BurkeMuseum.

November 6, 7:30 pm, SeattleMonthly WOSmeeting at the Center for Urban Horticulture. Jim Rosso willpresent a slide show on deserts of the southwestern United States.

November 8-12, Victoria, B,C,The PacificSeabird Group and the ColonialWaterbird Society. Contact: RobButler. PacificWildlifeResearch Centre. Canadian WildlifeService. P.O.Box340. Delta, British Columbia V4K3Y3 Canada.

December 4, 7:30 pm, SeatteMonthlyWOSmeeting at the Center forUrban Horticulture. DaveNysewanderwill give a presentation on the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program.

December 16 thourgh January 1Christmas Bird Counts. Look for specific dates in December WOSNews

February 2-3,1996, Vancouver, WashingtonWest Coast WoodDuck Workshop. Sponsored by the Washington Chapter ofThe WildlifeSociety.Speakers include woodduck researchers and managersfrom Washington. Oregon, California. and Nevada. Special guest speakerFrank Bellrose. To coordinate information exchange about the biology andmanagement ofwood ducks along the west coast and to increase awarenessofthe potential forwoodduck management. Information fromPaul C.Fielder.The WildlifeSociety. Chelan CountyP.U.D., P.O.Box 1231.Wenatchee. WA98801. Phone 509-663-8121 ext 4299. Fax 509-664-2898.

September 27-29,1996, Ocean ShoresWOSAnnual Meeting.

Lincoln's Sparrow Late for the lowerColumbia Basin; 1 at ALES, Benton. on5/6 (TG).Swamp Sparrow 1 at Ridgefield NWR,Clark, on 4/26 (MR).White-throated Sparrow Latest w WA: 1at UWArboretum, King. on 3/5 (CH); I atWoodland, Cowlitz, on 3/17 (BL); 2 atCathlamet. Wahkiakum. on 3/30 (KK);1at Skagit WMA.Skagit, 4/2 (fide BK); 1 atOcean Shores. Grays Harbor. on 4/29.(TS);latesteWA: I atMcNaryNWR. WallaWalla, on 3/25 (BW); 1 at Richland,Benton. on 5/10 (RF).Golden-crowned Sparrow UncommonineWA; 10 at McNaryNWR. Walla Walla,on 3/18 (TG); 4 at ALES, Benton, on 4/29. and 1 there on 5/20 (TG); 1 atDavenport. Lincoln, on 5/9 (JA); 1 atRichland, Benton. on 5/10 (RF); 1 atDavenport, Uncoln, on 5/19 (JA); 1 atPalmer Lake, Okanogan. on 5/21 (KK).Harris'sSparrowLatestwWA: 1 at Kent.King. on3/ 1 (BN);1at Burlington, Skagit,3/29-4/29 (JW&KW); 1 at Edmonds,Snohomish, on 4/24 (TP). Latest e WA: 1at Clarkston, Asotin. 3/17 until at least4/25 (LLY); 1 near Walla Walla, WallaWalla, on 4/2 (LMc); 1 near Richland.Benton. on 5/7 (TG).Lapland Longspur Uncommon in WA.10. Mansfield. Douglas, on 3/10 (DS); 10

October 1995

WASHINGTON FIELD NOTES

on the Colville Plateau. Okanogan, on 3/17 (SR).Chestnut-collared Longs pur Singleperson sighting of 1 on Soap Lake Road,Okanogan. on 5/27 (GR).Snow Bunting Latest e WA: 3 on theColville Plateau, Okanogan. on 4/2 (AS).Yellow-headed Blackbird Uncommonand local in w WA. Numerous reports thisspring; 1 atArlington. Snohomish, on 4/16 (JO); 1male at Monroe, Snohomish, on4/27, 2 males on 5/9. and I male and 3females on 5/12 (KK); 1. Crockett Lake,Island, on4/29 (JS); 3 at Point-No-Point.Kitsap. on 5/1. first week of May (VN);asmany as 5 at Montlake Fill. Seattle, King.5/4 throughatleast5/3I (m. obs.); Ionthe Skagit Flats. Skagit, on 5/7 (SA);onSpencer Island. Everett, Snohomish, 1 on5/14. and 4 on 5/21 (SM); 2-5 at DeerLagoon, Island, 5/16-20 (SM); 3 at KentSTP. King. on 5/24 (MS).Purple Finch Rare in e WA; 2 at CentralFerry. Whitman. on 5/10 (MY).Evening Grosbeak High count for w WA;200 at Point-No-Point. Kitsap, on 5/22(VN).

Observers: SA Scott Atkinson, JAJim Acton, JAd Jeff Adams, BA BrianAllen, CA Cleo Anderson. EA EricAnderson, BB Bobby Baldwin. PB PhilBartley, DBe Dave Beaudette, VB Vicki

11

Biltz. FB Fred Bird, CB Clark Blake, BBoBill Boyes, LBLawrence Bradley, DBDavid Buckley, DBu Debbie Burris. LCLanny Carpenter. CC Chris Chappell. ACAnna Coles. LCo Lang Cook. MC MaryJane Cooper. PC Paul Cozens. HC HerbCurl. MD&MID Mike Denny and MerryLynn Denny, KD Kas Dumroese, CECharles Easterburg. IE Ike Eisenhardt,NE Nancy Ellifrit. JE Joseph Engler, BFBen Feltner, HF Howard Ferguson, NFNeil Ferguson. RF Ruth Fischer. JF JohnFlavin, JFIJon Flowers. SGSteve Garrett.GG George Gerdts, TG Tony Greagor, WHWarren Hall. JH Jack Hampton, MHMerrilyn Hathaway, PH Paul Hicks. CHChris Hill. SH Sally Hill. JHi John Hirth.EH Eugene Hunn, GJ Gretchen Johanson,HJ Hugh Jennings, RJ Richard Johnson,SJ Stuart Johnston. KKKen Knittle. MKMerlene Koliner, BKBob Kuntz, BLBruceLaBar. NFr Nancy LaFramboise. LLLindaLarson. LLVLouise LaVoie. ML&MLMikeLilga & Mike Lilga, DL Dale Litzenburger,SMa Stuart MacKay, LM Larry Marsh.LMc Larry McCloskey, TM TeresaMichaelson. SM Steve Mlodinow. BM BobMorse. MM Martin Muller, SMu ShirleyMuse, VNVie Nelson. IN Jim Nestler, BNBob Norton, JO John O'Connell, HO HalOpperman. MP Mike Patrick, DP DennisPaulson, IP Ian Paulsen, RP Roger Peffer.BP Bob Pepper, TP Ted Peterson, WPWilma Peterson, LP Lou Potter, CP CathyPurdy, SP Steve Pink, BR&GRBob Ramseyand Georgia Ramsey, SR Scott Ray. GRGene Revelas, SRi Scott Richardson, JRJohn Roberson. DR Dennis Rockwell, MRMarcus Roening. RR Russell Rogers, TRTom Rogers, KS Kirk Scarbrough. TSTom Schooley, BS Bill Shelmerdine, JSJohn Sidles, DSm Dory Smith. LS LolaSmith, MS Mike Smith, SS Stan Smith,AS Andy Stepniewski. DS Dan Stephens,KSt Kristin Stewart. DSt Dick Stuhr. PSPatrick Sullivan, RS Ruth Sullivan. GTGreg Toffic. BT Bill Tweit, MV MauriceVial. DV Dick Veit. RW Russell Wahlund,JW&KW Jan Wiggers & Keith Wiggers,CW Clare Wiser, JWi Jeff Wisman, BWBob Woodley, DW David Wright.

Other Abbreviations: alt. pI.alternate plumage. ALES Arid LandsEcology Site. imm. immature, m.ob. manyobservers, NWRNational Wildlife Refuge,R River, RD River Delta, SP State Park.STP Sewage Treatment Plant, WMAWildlife Management Area, WRAWildlifeRecreation Area.

Report Your FindingsWillets and Marbled Godwits have been marked in Alberta. Adults have

white flag over light- and dark-green striped band on one leg and two plaincolorbands on other leg. Willets also have yellow dye on wings and/or rump.Report to Cheri Gratto-Trevor, Canadian Wildlife Service, 115 Perimeter Rd,Saskatoon SK S7N OX4Canada. Phone 306-982-4643. Fax 306-975-4089.

Peregrine Falcons are being banded and color-marked along coastalWashington from the Long Beach Peninsula to Point Grenville. Most of the effortis focused on the Long Beach Peninsula and on the beach between Ocean Shoresand Moclips. The color markers are a blue and black combination band placedon the left leg. They are coded with two numbers or one number and one letterthat may be read from a distance using a spotting scope. Please report sightings(the code, date, and location) to: Daniel Varland, Rayonier, P.O. Box 200,Hoquiam WA 98550. E-mail: daniel_varland@raynr.ccmail.compuserve.com

Fifty-four nestling Cooper's Hawks from the greater Victoria area werebanded on the right leg (metal bands only). Some are expected to move towardWashington across the Strait of Juan de Fuca during September or October.Report to Bryan Gates at (604) 592-3381; e-mail bgates@assessment.env.gov.bc.caor to Andy Stewart, Wildlife Branch, Parliament Buildings, Victoria BCV8V 1X4Canada.

Mute Swans invading our shores, as escapees from captivity or migrantsfrom Vancouver Island and other areas, are classifled as "deleterious wildlife"under Washington law. Report sightings to Martha Jordan, Washington StateSwan Working Group at 206-787-0258.REQUESTS LISTED IN PREVIOUS ISSUES OF WOSNewsWestern and Semipalmated Sandpipers, color-banded, see WOSNews 38: 12.Turkey Vultures, migration routes, see WOSNews 38: 12. Dunlin, color marked,see WOSNews 38: 12. Ring-billed Gulls, wing tagged, see WOSNews 37:8.Western Snowy Plovers, color banded, see WOSNews 37:8. Double-crestedCormorants, color-banded, see WOSNews 35:12.

RARE BIRD ALERTS

WOS BirdBox (206) 454-2662Seattle (206) 933-1831SE WashJN Idaho (208) 882-6195South Idaho (208) 236-3337Oregon (503) 292-0661Vancouver, B.C. (604) 737-3074Victoria, B.C •...................... (604) 592-3381

Audubon Field Notes &Washington Field Notes

FALL DEADLINE: DECEMBER 15(August-November sightings)

Send bird sightings to:Russell Rogers

4510 Glenn Way SWSeattle, WA 98116

Please submit detailed descriptions andphotographs, if possible, of unusual birds.

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AUD ljd"The Watercolors

WASHINGTON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETYPOST OFFICE Box 31783

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98103-1783

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Seattle Art Museum. The museum will accept aphotocopy of the coupon if you do not wish to cutWOSNews. Museum hours are Tuesday throughSunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday 10 a.m.to 9 p.m. SAM is closed on Mondays. Themuseumis also closed Thanksgiving, Christmas,and New Year's Day. Free Tuesday hours are 10a.m. to 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month.Suggested admission is $6 for adults and $4 forseniors (62 and over) and students. SAM membersand children 12 and under with an adult are

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