Swoc Talk

Contents V O L U M E 3 , N O . 3 M A Y - J U N E 1 9 7 7

69 Editor's Note 71 Listers Corner: American Redstart 75 Field Report: Southeastern Oregon 80 Bluejay; Shorebirds info sought 81 Details: Common Grackle 83 Northern Watertbrush 85 Details: Horned Puffin

Insert: Membership Roster 86 Birds of Hart Mtn, Steens Mtn. 92 Wilderness and Birds 96 Quarterly Report: Lane Field Notes 98 Bluebird Endoparasite Alert 99 Season Highlights: Spring 100 News and Notes

E.G. White-Swift L.B. McQueen C D . Littlefield

Steve Summers Sayre Greenfield Craig Roberts

David Fix Mark Egger Steve Gordon Elsie Eltzroth

S W O C T A L K : An Oregon Bird Review Is publ ished s ix t imes per year at the University of Oregon. E . G . White-Shvft, editor. Cover design by Steve Sandst rom. Membership subscr ipt ions are five dol lars per year. A l imited number of single copies of this I ssue are available for $1 .50 .

Printed Ju ly 1. 1977 .

Drawings on pages 74, sW, 89 by Joe Evan i ch .

Editor 's Note

SWOC TALK has been slowly evolving over the past few months. The goals I set were t o f i n d a clean, read­able format, introduce r e g u l a r f e a t u r e s , provide 20-40 pages each issue and e s t a b l i s h a p u b l i s h i n g t i m e t a b l e — — t o provide an o r n i t h o l o g i c a l exchange.

Readers should expect t o continue r e c e i v i n g a green-covered magazine on Oregon B i r d s , 20-40 pages (2 stamps worth) of i n f o r m a t i o n at two-month i n t e r v a l s . What are the r e g u l a r i n g r e d i e n t s ? To date, they have been Taxo-nomic notes, S i t e Guides, L i s t e r ' s Corner, Contents and Christmas B i r d Count r e s u l t s and advance i n f o r m a t i o n . These w i l l continue, and alone would be a bargain at $5.00 per year.

We are i n t r o d u c i n g new r e g u l a r i n g r e d i e n t s i n t h i s issue ( r e g u l a r implying about three times a year ) .

F i e l d Reports, D e t a i l s o f unusual s i g h t i n g s , Season H i g h l i g h t s . CD. L i t t l e f i e l d has agreed t o c o n t r i b u t e a reg u l a r r e p o r t from Southeastern Oregon; We are seek­i n g volunteers t o do s i m i l a r r e p o r t s from other parts o f the state> South Coast, North Coast, Willamette V a l l e y , C e n t r a l Oregon, Southern Oregon, the Northeast. I f you're i n t e r e s t e d , w r i t e f o r d e t a i l s .

No one knows when they w i l l f i n d a r a r e b i r d . I n the past, these s i g h t i n g s and d e t a i l s passed through r a r e b i r d a l e r t s but o f t e n never reached p r i n t . I f you f i n d t h a t r a r e b i r d , please f o l l o w the e x c e l l e n t o u t l i n e s w r i t t e n f o r t h i s issue so Oregon b i r d e r s w i l l have a record t o draw on. Season H i g h l i g h t s w i l l be h i t & miss f o r a wh i l e , but again unless you w r i t e us only a few w i l l b e n e f i t from your s i g h t i n g .

Other r e g u l a r features are planned. The next issue w i l l contain the f i r s t p r o f i l e of a c o n t r i b u t o r to Oregon o r n i t h o l o g y the i n i t i a l p r o f i l e w i l l be of Harry Nehls. Also planned i s a re g u l a r f e a t u r e on banding, F i e l d Marks those impossible clues t h a t everyone seems t o know but me and whatever else mem­bers want and w i l l w r i t e . A r t i c l e s t h a t are coming include Northern Spotted Owl, o i l s p i l l s and Oregon b i r d s , Trumpeter Swans, primary-secondary c a v i t y nest-er r e l a t i o n s h i p s , l o c a l b i r d groups, nest i d e n t i f i c a ­t i o n , c o l l e c t i n g and n o t i n g , b i r d taxidermy, c a r i n g f o r i n j u r e d or abandoned b i r d s these and many more.

The key, o f course, i s member p a r t i c i p a t i o n . I am not paid t o do t h i s , n e i t h e r are any of tho w r i t e r s J

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the money goes i n t o paper, i n k and stamps. A r t i c l e ; : , i f you f e e l comfortable and reasonably knowledgeable, should be submitted. Ideas f o r a r t i c l e s , request;; I or i n f o r m a t i o n ; b i r d books and equipment f o r sale or want­ed t o buy, unusual s i g h t i n g s . The n e w s l e t t e r goes out across the s t a t e ; we hope there i s something u s e f u l f o r everyone i n each issue, and t h a t a t r u e exchange of i n ­forma t i o n w i l l occur.

Enough propaganda. There is_ one l i t t l e d e t a i l , though; t h a t i s the p u b l i c a t i o n ' s name. I believe t h a t SWOC TALK, as a name f o r the e n t i r e issue, needs t o be r e t i r e d . I t could be r e t a i n e d as a p a r t of the p u b l i c a t i o n t h a t deals w i t h S.W.O.C. business, but i t does not r e a l l y i d e n t i f y the contents of the magazine. Most members I've t a l k e d t o agree. What should the name be ? Oregon B i r d Review, Notes on Oregon B i r d s , Oregon B i r d J o u r n a l , Reports on Oregon Bird s , B i r d i n g Oregon, j u s t p l a i n Oregon Bi r d s ; a l l are names t h a t have been f l o a t e d . Do you p r e f e r one of these, do you favor SWOC TALK or do you have a good name. Let me know.

E.G. White-Swift

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SWOC TALK: An Oregon B i r d Review P.O. Box 3082, Eugene, Oregon 97403

P u b l i s h e d f o r t h e 70 members of t h e S o u t h e r n W i l l a m e t t e O r n i t h o l o g i c a l C l u b . 1977 S t a f f : E d i t o r : E.G. W h i t e - S w i f t

S t a f f : A l a n C o n t r e r a , Jean Dent, P h y l i s L a r s o n Sue M o t s i n g e r

P r i n t e d a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Oregon P r e s s P r o d u c t i o n s p a ce & h e a d l i n e s c o u r t e s y o f t h e Oregon D a i l y E m e r a l d . A d d i t i o n a l s u p p o r t p r o v i d e d by t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Oregon B i o l o g y D e p a r t m e n t and t h e UO S u r v i v a l C e n t e r .

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Listers Corner: American Redstart L . B . M C Q U E E N

SO Y O U W A N T TO F I N D THE REDSTART AT DAVIS LAKE? N o t h i n g to i t . O f course, you r chances are much improved i f you know how t h e i r song d i f fers from the songs o f Y e l l o w Warblers w h i c h abound in the same areas , as the redstart is almost a lways l o c a t e d by t rac ing its song. O t h e r w i s e , be prepared to spend hours s e a r c h ­ing p ine and w i l l o w th icket s in m o s q u i t o - f i l l e d swamps.

It's not a l w a y s that b a d . This yea r the seasons p rov ided no swamps and v i r t u a l l y no mosquitoes (at least , not y e t ) , so take you r chances w h i l e the g o i n g ' s g o o d . A n d the going ' s g o o d . A b r i g h t , s ing ing male has a l r e a d y been found June 4 , on t e r r i t o r y a long O d e l l C r .

HERE'S H O W Y O U GET TO DAVIS LAKE. The most d i rect w a y from Eugene is v ia H ighway 5 8 , the W i l l a m e t t e Pass. About 2 . 5 m i . beyond Crescent Lake ( c o m m u n i t y ) , at Cafe 5 8 , the sign: to Davis Lake points to the l e f t . This is also a c u t - o f f to the t o w n of Crescent on H i g h w a y 97 . A t aboul 3 m i . down this road is a n ­other Davis Lake sign p o i n t i n g l e f t . I l i is road takes you d i r e c t l y to Davis Lake , but not before you f ind yet a th i rd sign p o i n t i n g l e f t to the c a m p i n g areas. Your des t inat ion is last Davis C a m p , s i tuatec at the mouth o f O d e l l C r . Fo l low the signs and park in the f i r s t stal l on the l e f t i f i t is a v a i l a b l e . Here, at the creek is a stand o f bare snags, a lways a c t i v e w i t h a va r ie ty of b i rd species, b a t h i n g , f e e d i n g , n e s t i n g , and just p e r c h i n g . Take the path up st ream. (There are t w o paths , but the easiest one is on the d i ke w h i c h runs I a long the i n t e r f a c e o f the p i n e woods and the w i l l o w t h i c k e t . The other path is for f i shermen.) A t o n l y about 50 yds , af ter s tepping across a break in the d i k e , you may be hear ing the redstart 's song. The bird(s) c a n o f ten be found around the snags near the c r e e k . I f a redstart is not s i n g i n g , perhaps a taped song w i l l br ing a response. The song can be compared w i t h that o f a Y e l l o w Warb le r ' s , but the redstart 's is th inne r in q u a l i t y and higher in p i t c h . Any u n f a m i l i a r warb le r song should be i n v e s t i g a t e d .

M a l e warb le r s on te r r i to ry a re pers istent singers and redstarts a re no e x c e p t i o n . A redstart was t i m e d to sing eve ry f i v e seconds d u r i n g a morn ing a t th i s s i te ! You may d i scover t h a t not every s ing ing

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redstart looks l i ke a m a l e . The ma le redstart is un ique among warblers for r e t a i n i n g a p lumage much l i ke the female ' s th rough its f i r s t breedinc season. If you f i nd a s ing ing " f e m a l e " , i t w i l l be a f i r s t - y e a r m a l e .

Redstarts have been observed in the O d e l l Cr . area as late as ' 7 A u g . A nes t , 20 Ju ly 1974, and f requent immatures , are e v i d e n c e o f fhe i r b reed ing at this s i te . Three males , two females , and several i m m a ­tures have been c o u n t e d a long the creek in this area in J u l y , 1975. The a c t u a l b reeding p o p u l a t i o n may be surpr i s ingly h i g h e r .

The species was f i rst d i scovered in the Davis Lake area (and f o r that m a t t e r , in the Cascades) , o f f West Davis Camp (see map) 24 June 7 2 , by Larry M c Q u e e n and Randy F l o y d . Then a male was found a t O d e l l Cr . by Dan G l e a s o n , 8 Ju ly 7 2 . In 1973, Herb Wisner and his o r n i ­t h o l o g y class l o c a t e d a nest at the West Davis s i te , w h i c h c o n t a i n e d eggs , one o f w h i c h was a C o w b i r d ' s . O n 29 June 7 4 , a nest w i t h four young was found in the same area by Ch ip J o b a n e k , A a r o n Sk i rv in and Larry M c Q u e e n . The birds have not been found a t this s i t e in 1976, nor so fa r , this y e a r . The West Davis site is a l o n g a d i s c o n ­t i nued road c o n n e c t i n g West Davis to Ranger C reek . I n c i d e n t a l l y , this road makes an e x c e l l e n t b i rd w a l k , in spite o f marshy areffs d u r i n g w e t years . The redstart nest ing area is w i t h i n the f i rst stand of dense young p ine to the r ight o f the road ( lake s ide) .

A t h i r d l o c a t i o n for redstarts is a t the Crescent Creek crossing on Crescent Read, o n l y a b o u t h a l f - m i l e beyond the Davis Lake t u r n - o f f . Here is e x c e l l e n t r i p p a r i a n growth for warb le r s . Redstarts w e r e found here in 1976. C o l l e e n Sweeny located a Bay-breasted W a r b l e r here 13 A u g 7 6 , con f i rmed by Dan Gleason 22 A u g . Two N o r t h e r n W a t e r -thrushes were w e l l s tud ied from the br idge 4 June 7 7 , by Say re G r e e n ­f i e l d , M a r k Egger, and A l a n Contreras. P r a c t i c a l l y every spec ies o f w a r b l e r breeding in the state has been seen a t this s i te in A u g u s t , many in great a b u n d a n c e . A n o rn i tho log ica l - e x p e d i t i o n a l o n g the t o t a l length of Crescent Creek (and the Deschutes River) w o u l d be most reward ing .

H O W PREVALENT IS THE A M E R I C A N REDSTART I N CENTRAL O R E G O N ? The o n l y known records in the Cascades are those from the Davis Lake - Crescent Creek a r e a . A nest had also been f o u n d near M e d f o r d , 2 J u l y 70 . Invest igat ion o f w e t , brushy areas m a y revea l a p o p u l a t i o n much more w idespread, a t least on the e a s t e r n

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slopes o f the Cascades, and a p p a r e n t absence o f the species in m i g r a t i o n in Western O r e g o n w o u l d seem to i n d i c a t e lack o f breeding on the west s ides, but the poss ib i l i ty o f b reed ing ought not be t o t a l l y d i s r e g a r d e d .

PLEASE SEND Y O U R OBSERVATIONS T O LARRY M C Q U E E N . He w o u l d be most g r a t e f u l to r e c e i v e a n y in fo rmat ion a t a l l that has to do w i t h the b i rd l i f e o f the Cascade Lakes a r e a , no matter how t r i v i a l i t may appear to b e . His address: 2175 Agare St., E u g e n e , O r . 97403.

3 Q O D LUCK O N YOUR QUEST FOR REDSTARTS.

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A D D E N D U M . S ince this a r t i c l e was w r i t t e n , a d d i t i o n a l tr ips in to the area revea led some changes. The forest serv ice is mak ing " i m ­p rovement s " on the path by O d e l l C r e e k , and aside from being o v e r -zea lous w i t h a c h a i n saw, they f i l l e d the breaks in the d i k e path a n d a d d e d a br idge over the c r e e k , w h i c h so far leads n o w h e r e . A male redstart has cons i s tent ly been found in the area o f this new b r i d g e .

As for the Crescent Creek s i te , a p a i r o f redstarts had been found a t the b r i d g e , and a t least another p a i r plus another m a l e , far ther d o w n the c r e e k . A road th rough the forest para l le l s the c reek for some d i s t a n c e , w h i c h prov ides pe r fect access to the meadows and w i l l o w t h i c k e t s a l o n g the c r e e k . It starts f rom the main Crescent road just beyond (east of) the Crescent b r i d g e . M o r e redstarts can be found w i t h c a r e f u l s e a r c h i n g , and who knows what e l se ! Goshawks are seen in th is area and are p robab ly nest ing in the woods.

E lsewhere this season, redstarts have also been found in the Coast Range (Mark Egger) , and a t Ind ian Ford (Dan G l e a s o n ) .

The N o r t h e r n Waterthrushes seem to have taken up res idence at t h e Crescent Br idge, h a v i n g been seen there by numerous observers. O n the w e e k e n d of June 18, I found a s ing ing male there a t every v i s i t . I found another s ing ing waterthrush on the L i t t l e Deschutes River just north o f G i l c h r i s t . This s ite can be approached by t u r n i n g west f rom h i g h w a y 97 , a t m i l e post 180, onto a road w h i c h crosses the r i ve r . Extens ive w i l l o w t h i c k e t s can be met a t the b r i d g e , and there is l i t t l e c h a n c e in f i n d i n g the waterthrush uniess i t is s ing ing - t h e n , i t is l i a b l e to be in the o p e n . They can also be a t t r a c t e d by tape at this t ime o f year . This is e x c e l l e n t h a b i t a t that is f u l l o f surprises!

Field Report: Southeastern Oregon C D . L I T T L E F I E L D

Drought conditions p e r s i s t e d i n southeast Oregon during s p r i n g m i g r a t i o n . By the end o f May many areas t h a t normally have water were completely dry. This was e s p e c i a l l y t r u e i n the n a t i v e meadows south and east o f Burns. Malheur Lake had dropped from 45,000 acres i n l a t e March t o 30,000 acres by the end o f May. Although the B l i t z e n V a l l e y was i n b e t t e r shape than the other regions i n the Malheur-Harney Lakes Basin, considerable p o r t i o n s of the v a l l e y remained dry. The Double 0 area of Malheur NWR had s u b s t a n t i a l water from the numerous springs t h e r e , but the portions t h a t were dependent on S i l v e r Creek f o r water remained dry. S i l v e r Creek had no f l o w from 5 mi. northwest of R i l e y , southwart t o the refuge. Moon Reservoir was nearly dry and Chickahominy Reser­v o i r i s expected to be dry by mid-July.

P r e c i p i t a t i o n was above normal i n May, but had l i t t l e i n f l u e n c e on stream flows except t o reduce evaporation.

Dry c o n d i t i o n s had a d r a s t i c i n f l u e n c e on the peak numbers o f waterfowl t h a t used the basin. Normally migrants l i n g e r f o r about 2 wks., but i n 1977 they con­tinued northward w i t h l i t t l e delay. Representative waterfowl species and t h e i r peak numbers i n 1975, 1976, and 1977 are presented i n Table 1.

TABLE 1 SPECIES 1975 1976 1977 W h i s t l i n g Swan 22 ,160 12, 825 11,118 Snow Goose 58 , 340 54,245 18,440 P i n t a i l 193 ,165 248,490 79,230 Green-winged Teal 5 ,705 22,825 3,570 American Wigeon 20 ,465 30,000 5,705 Northern Shoveler 9 ,620 16,785 3,890 Canvasback 3 ,365 4,460 1,445 Ruddy Duck 33 ,510 21,525 19,050 American Coot 86 ,345 54,290 43,125

Canada Goose nesting p a i r s were down 31.2% o f f the re fuge and 17% on the refuge. Off the refuge duck p a i r s were down from 9060 p a i r s t o 1752 p a i r s i n 1977, an 80%

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r e d u c t i o n . Duck p a i r data from Malheur NWR was not a v a i l a b l e at r e p o r t i n g time.

Noteworthy among waterfowl was a Black Duck seen on 5 May. This was the f i r s t record f o r the refuge since 14 Nov. 1930. B i o l o g i s t s Dick Sjostrom and Caryn Talbot observed the b i r d w i t h i n 20 f t . at Benson Boat Landing, I mi. NE of headquarters, before i t flew n o r t h toward Malheur Lake.

Although many species of waterfowl were reduced i n numbers from previous years, Blue-winged Teal have increased s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n 1977 on the refuge; however, t o t a l p a i r numbers w i l l not be a v a i l a b l e u n t i l mid-June.

Like w a t e r f o w l , some nesting shorebirds and marsh-b i r d s are being a f f e c t e d by the dry c o n d i t i o n s . Long-b i l l e d Curlews dropped from 1180 i n 1976 t o 770 i n 1977. W i l l e t s remained the same: 1631 (1976) and 1655 (1977). Wilson's Phalaropes had not reached t h e i r peak at the close of the p e r i o d , but f o r a comparable period (11-22 May) i n 1976 and 1977 t h e i r numbers were 2780 and 1585 r e s p e c t i v e l y . American Avocets were down from 3965 to 1220. One species t h a t has shown an increase i n numbers on Malheur NWR t h i s year i s the Black-necked S t i l t . About 105 were on the refuge 13 May compared w i t h 15 i n 1976. Their p r i n c i p l e nesting area i n the basin i s the f l o o d p l a i n south and east of Burns, which has remained dry. In a d d i t i o n , r e p o r t s from S t i l l w a t e r NWR near F a l l o n , Nevada i n d i c a t e t h a t the drought i s more severe there and some Nevada b i r d s could be moving north t o nest at Maiheur. One nest co n t a i n i n g 4 eggs was located at Double 0 on 27 May.

No appreciable change has been noted among migrant shorebirds. A r r i v a l dates were normal: L o n g - b i l l e d Dowitcher 25 May; Dunlin 30 A p r i l ; Semi pal mated Plover I I May; Least Sandpiper 11 A p r i l ; Western Sandpiper 7 A p r i l ; B l a c k - b e l l i e d Plover 23 A p r i l ; Spotted Sandpiper 5 May; Greater Yellowlegs 17 March; Marbled Godwit 27 A p r i l ; and Northern Phalarope 10 May. '

Herons and egrets have remained stable as the basin carp population continues to f l o u r i s h . Estimates f o r herons and egrets w i l l not be a v a i l a b l e u n t i l l a t e June. C a t t l e Egrets continue to increase since they were f i r s t seen i n the area i n August 1974. One was seen on 30 A p r i l near refuge headquarters and remained i n the same general area u n t i l 7 May. A Least B i t t e r n was seen 3 mi. SW o f headquarters on 29 A p r i l . American B i t t e r n s were

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more common on the refuge t h i s year. Normally many nest i n the n a t i v e meadows south and east o f Burns, but because t h a t area has received l i t t l e water, these birds have moved onto the refuge where ne s t i n g c o n d i t i o n s are more f a v o r ­able. The White-faced I b i s has shown an increase over past years a f t e r t h e i r a r r i v a l on 24 A p r i l . V i s i t o r s t o the refuge have had an o p p o r t u n i t y to see l a r g e numbers near headquarters. Flocks numbering over 90 have been seen r e g u l a r l y throughout May. Dry c o n d i t i o n s a t Nevada nest­ing l o c a t i o n s may be responsible f o r the pronounced i n ­crease. On 5 May two f l o c k s c o n s i s t i n g o f about 60 b i r d s were seen 20 mi. south o f refuge headquarters, f l y i n g r a p i d l y n o r t h . These were probably b i r d s a r r i v i n g from western Nevada where an estimated 6000 have nested i n past years.

About 2100 Eared Grebes were on S t i n k i n g Lake through A p r i l and were on t e r r i t o r y a t scattered l o c a l i t i e s throughout the refuge by mid-May. Horned Grebes were f i r s t seen on 16 May, 3 mi. southwest o f refuge head­quarters. Western Grebes have not b u i l t up t o t h e i r usual numbers. In 1976, 1700 were on Malheur Lake i n mid-May, but i n 1977 only 730 were using the lake. Nest­ing was i n progress by l a t e May at D e r r i c k Lake and a few p a i r s were present on Boca Lake and Krumbo Reservoir.

A new record f o r Malheur NWR was a Herring Gull on 26 March. David Fix, e t . a l . , located the a d u l t b i r d at the Narrows. Caryn Talbot and I obtained photo­graphs on the same day. On 27 March, two adults were a t the same s i t e . F r a n k l i n ' s Gulls were below normal through out the period a f t e r t h e i r a r r i v a l on 20 A p r i l . There were two records f o r the Bonaparte's G u l l . S u r p r i s i n g l y , the C a l i f o r n i a and R i n g - b i l l e d Gull colony, 4 mi. SE o f Burns, was a c t i v e . The colony i s located i n an empty hay c o r r a l t h a t i s normally surrounded by water. This year the area i s completely dry. About 400 p a i r s are p r e s e n t l y nesting, compared w i t h 500 p a i r s i n 1976. About 70% o f these were Caliform'a G u l l s .

Short-eared Owls were i n high numbers, e s p e c i a l l y i n areas where grazing has been el i m i n a t e d on the refuge. Rodent d e n s i t i e s have increased i n the deferred areas, which probably accounts f o r the owls' higher d e n s i t i e s . Late water r u n o f f from the Steens Mountain has r e s u l t e d i n several nests being flooded. A Long-eared Owl nest w i t h 5 young was found i n a grove of western j u n i p e r s , approximately 12 mi. n o r t h of Frenchglen. Three o f the

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young had fledged on 14 May. An increase i n rodents, r e l a t e d to a decrease i n

c a t t l e grazing, has had an i n f l u e n c e on hawks a t Malheur NWR. American Kestrels were nesting i n l a r g e r numbers and Marsh Hawks have not been as abundant f o r a t l e a s t 11 years. In a d d i t i o n , b l a c k - t a i l e d j a c k r a b b i t s were at high d e n s i t i e s . Numbers of j a c k r a b b i t s i n f l u e n c e the number o f a c t i v e Golden Eagle nests. A l l known eagle nests were a c t i v e i n 1977, i n c l u d i n g one reported by the BLM i n a j u n i p e r t r e e west o f Wright's Point. A Ferruginous Hawk p a i r was nesting near Weaver Lake and another NW o f R i l e y . A M e r l i n , being pursued by swallows, was seen near Buena Vi s t a Pond, 21 mi. south of refuge headquarters, on 30 A p r i l .

Three Band-tailed Pigeons were seen on 21 May near Page Springs by Fred Ramsey o f C o r v a l l i s . This species i s i ncreasing as a migrant i n southeast Oregon, co r r e s ­ponding w i t h an increase i n nesting i n northeast Oregon.

On 6 May, b i o l o g i s t Sherry Horton observed a Black S w i f t 4 mi. south o f Burns. The B i r d passed w i t h i n 10 f t . o f the observer and was watched f o r about 1 minute before disappearing eastward. A Vaux's S w i f t was seen a t refuge headquarters on 11 May f o r the f i f t h refuge record.

A p a i r of Black-chinned Hummingbirds has been at head­quarters since 21 May ( C o r v a l l i s Audubon S o c i e t y ) . On 28 May the male was performing a t e r r i t o r i a l f l i g h t over the headquarters lawn. F i r s t seen i n May 1969, the species has been increasing ever since. A male C a l l i o p e Humming­b i r d was on t e r r i t o r y at Call Meadows, 25 mi. NE of Burns, on 2 June.

A Common Nighthawk was seen a t Malheur F i e l d S t a t i o n by Denzel and Nancy Ferguson on 20 May, one day e a r l i e r than previous records i n SE Oregon.

Passeriformes migration was normal, w i t h most species a r r i v i n g on schedule. There were two exceptions: the Green-tailed Townee a r r i v e d on 1 May, 4 days e a r l i e r than ever recorded; and the Bobolink a r r i v e d on 29 A p r i l , 2 weeks e a r l i e r than the previous record of 13 May.

A p r i l was mi 1d and dry and m i g r a t i o n s t a r t e d e a r l y , w h i l e May was wet and c o o l , which delayed the a r r i v a l of many species. The most unusual aspect of s p r i n g migration was the lack of unusual migrants. As of 5 June no eas­t e r n species had been v e r i f i e d , although numerous ob­servers were a f i e l d ; however, there was an unconfirmed r e p o r t of a Hooded Warbler on 20 May. Noteworthy records

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were American Redstarts a t headquarters on 22 May and 3-5 June, and a Red-eyed Vireo at headquarters on 3-5 June. On 1 June a Red C r o s b i l l was found dead a t head­qu a r t e r s , which was the f o u r t h record f o r the refuge; however the species i s common i n the Blue Mts. north o f Burns. A r r i v a l dates f o r common passeriformes are pre­sented i n Table 2.

TABLE 2 SPECIES DATE OF ARRIVAL Sage Sparrow 2-25-77 Sage Thrasher 3-5-77 White-crowned Sparrow 3-13-77 Rough-winged Swallow 3-22-77 Ruby-crowned Ki n g l e t 3-23-77 Yellow-headed Blackbird 3-23-77 Savannah Sparrow 3-24-77 Vesper Sparrow 3-24-77 Varied Thrush 3-26-77 Violet-green Swallow 3-28-77 Water P i p i t 4-1-77 Yellow-rumped Warbler 4-6-77 Fox Sparrow 4-8-77 Barn Swallow 4-9-77 C l i f f Swallow 4-9-77 Y e l l o w - b e l l i e d Sapsucker 4-9-77 Orange-crowned Warbler 4-23-77 Brown-headed Cowbird 4-24-77 Brewer's Sparrow 4-24-77 Yellow Warbler 4-24-77 Nas h v i l l e Warbler 4-24-77 House Wren 4-24-77 Western Kingbird 4-25-77 Red-breasted Nuthatch 4-29-77 Wilson's Warbler 4-30-77 Empidonax Flycatcher 4-30-77 Golden-crowned Sparrow 5-1-77 Hermit Thrush 5-1-77 S o l i t a r y Vireo 5-1-77 Chipping Sparrow 5-1-77 Lincoln's Sparrow 5-1-77 Lesser Goldfinch 5-1-77 Black-headed Grosbeak 5-11-77 Western Wood Peewee 5-14-77 Yellow-breasted Chat 5-14-77 Townsend's Warbler 5-14-77

7 9

TABLE 2 (Cont.) SPECIES DATE OF ARRIVAL Olive-sided Flycatcher 5-25-77 MacGillivray's Warbler 5-22-77 Western Flycatcher 5-25-77 Eastern Kingbird 5-22-77 Warbling Vireo 5-22-77

Bluejay: Shorebirds info sought

At the request of SWOC TALK, Beaverton member David F i x has begun an i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f l i t e r a t u r e , museum c o l l e c t i o n s and i n d i v i d u a l , unpublished s i g h t records o f e x t r a l i m i t a l and r a r e shorebirds i n Oregon. This p r o j ­ect i s expected t o take upwards of three months, and needs the cooperation of a l l members i n p r o v i d i n g i n ­f o r m a t i o n they r e t a i n or are aware o f . This work i s being undertaken t o provide a more thorough and accur­ate body of knowledge about species r a r e i n Oregon, and th e r e f o r e s p e c i f i c d e t a i l s o f records are necessary.

Any members who would be w i l l i n g t o undertake sim­i l a r research w i t h another group or f a m i l y , please con­t a c t the E d i t o r .

Harry Nehls has agreed t o w r i t e an a r t i c l e on the past year's Blue Jay incursions i n t o Oregon. Again, d e t a i l s of a l l s i g h t i n g s , i n c l u d i n g dates, l o c a t i o n s , a c t i v i t i e s and observers are e s s e n t i a l i n order t o present Oregon b i r d e r s w i t h a c l e a r and accurate p i c ­t u r e . Records should be sent t o him soon, f o r the next issue of SWOC TALK.

CD. L i t t l e f i e l d has two requests f o r Oregon b i r d e r s . He i s completing a book on Malheur Refuge and would l i k e t o receive d e t a i l s of any unusual s i g h t i n g s p r i o r t o J u l y , 1977 t h a t you have i n your f i l e s . On f u t u r e t r i p s t o the Malheur area any to-usual s i g h t i n g s should warrant l e a v i n g d e t a i l s f o r L i t t l e f i e l d a t the F i e l d S t a t i o n ( w i t h Denzel Fergus­on or any other s t a f f member). I n f o r m a t i o n l e f t w i t h refuge personnel doesn't always get passed on.

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Detai ls : Common Grackle

S T E V E S U M M E R S

SPECIES: Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula LOCALITY: Malheur National W i l d l i f e Refuge (Hdqtrs.)

Harney,County, Oregon DATE: 28 May 1977 TIME: 1200-1215 OBSERVERS: Steve Summers, P r i s c i l l a Summers OPTICAL EQUIPMENT: Binoculars - 8.5 x 44, 8 x 40 OBSERVATION DISTANCE: 30 f e e t HABITAT: lawns around refuge b u i l d i n g s and residences LIGHTING CONDITIONS: sky c l e a r , sunny, l i g h t i n g very good

DESCRIPTION: General appearance - A l a r g e b l a c k b i r d w i t h a n o t i c e a b l y long wedge-shaped t a i l . Noticeably l a r g e r than Brewer's or Red-winged Blac k b i r d . Head - E n t i r e head was an i r i d i s c e n t blue-green. Back - a deep, shiny bronze sharply marked from the iridescence of the head. Underparts - appeared d a r k i s h , no i r i d e s ­cence or c o l o r noted. We d i d n ' t pay much a t t e n t i o n to underparts. Wings - dark. Eye - l i g h t y e l l o w , not i c e a b l y standing out from head. B i l l - s i m i l a r t o Brewer's Blackbird but n o t i c e a b l y longer i n p r o p o r t i o n to head than t h a t o f Brewer's. Also more massive appearing than Brewer's. Color s i l v e r y black. T a i l -long and wedge-shaped. The f o l d i n g upward from the center was e a s i l y seen i n f l i g h t . I t was one of the most notable aspects o f the b i r d . No sounds were heard from the b i r d .

DETAILS OF OBSERVATION: I stepped out of the main museum door when I noticed a b i r d t h a t had j u s t taken f l i g h t from the lawn across the road from the museum. P r i s c i l l a was r i g h t behind and also saw the b i r d . My f i r s t r e a c t i o n was t h a t the b i r d was a Grackle as I followed i t w i t h my binoculars and watched i t land on the lawn o f one of the refuge residences. We then walked down t o where i t had landed and watched i t as i t fed on the lawn, working i t s way t o the back o f the

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house. We were w i t h i n 30 f e e t o f i t and had e x c e l l e n t viewing f o r about 5 minutes. I t then flew i n t o the marsh behind the observation pond where we l o s t s i g h t of i t . We could not r e l o c a t e i t .

EXPERIENCE & CONCLUSIONS: I have seen Common Grackles i n Colorado, Texas, and one i n C a l i f o r n i a . P r i s c i l l a has only seen one previous t o t h i s i n C a l i f o r n i a . We have both had much contact w i t h G r e a t - t a i l e d Grackles. At no time d i d we doubt our i n i t i a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of the Common Grackle. I t was obviously too large t o be any of the r e g u l a r Blackbirds (Brewer's, Red-winged) and too i r i d e s c e n t , bronzy and small t o be a G r e a t - t a i l e d Grackle.

REMARKS: According to f i e l d guides and other sources, the female Common Grackle i s a l i t t l e smaller and d u l l e r than the male. This b i r d was not d u l l a t a l l so i t was probably a male.

The Common Grackle breeds t o northern B r i t i s h Columbia down the east side o f the Rockies t o NE New Mexico.

There are casual or accidental records now f o r Washing­t o n , Idaho, Utah, Nevada and C a l i f o r n i a . In Utah i t i s considered a "rare t r a n s i e n t i n northern Utah" (Behle, Perry, Utah B i r d s ) . Therefore, I t h i n k t h i s species could have been predi c t e d to show up i n Oregon and I expect more records i n the f u t u r e . As f a r as I know, t h i s c o n s t i t u t e s the f i r s t State record f o r Oregon.

P u b l i c a t i o n S c h e d u l e No. Cover d a t e Mss. D e a d l i n e Pub. Date

V o l . 3, No. 4 J u l y / A u g u s t Aug. 1 Aug. 15 V o l . 3, No. 5 S e p t . / O c t . Oct. 1 Oct. 15 V o l . 3, No. 6 Nov./Dec. Nov. 25 Dec. 10

SWOC MEETINGS SCHEDULE J u l y Aug. Sept. Oct . Nov. Dec.

11 1 12

3 7 5

A l l m e e t i n g s b e g i n a t 7:30 p.m. i n t h e t h i r d f l o o r c o n f e r e n c e room o f S c i e n c e I I I on t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Oregon campus i n Eugene.

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Northern Waterthrush S A Y R E G R E E N F I E L D

On June 4 t h , Mark Egger, Alan C o n t r e r a s , and Sayre G r e e n f i e l d observed two Northern Waterthrushes a t C r e s c e n t Creek Campground, south of Davis Lake, on the e a s t s i d e of the Cascades. To reach the campground, as you come from the west on route 58, continue on route 58 three m i l e s p a s t the t u r n - o f f to C r e s c e n t Lake, and t u r n l e f t on the road to Cresce n t and Davis Lake. Proceed on t h i s road u n t i l you have gone a couple of hundred yards p a s t the road t h a t goes north to Davis Lake. The campground i s on the r i g h t s i d e of the road. I f you c r o s s the bridge over C r e s c e n t Creek you have gone too f a r .

The a r e a r i g h t around the campground supports a num­ber of i n t e r e s t i n g s p e c i e s of b i r d s during the summer: Pygmy Owl, Dipper, Ruby-crowned K i n g l e t , and Yellow-breasted Chat, as w e l l as the more ubiquitous Red-breasted Nuthatch, Warbling V i r e o , Yellow Warbler, and Northern Y e l l o w t h r o a t . The v i c i n i t y a l s o seems to a t t r a c t vagrant e a s t e r n w a r b l e r s . L a s t summer an American R e d s t a r t and a Bay-breasted Warbler were seen t h e r e .

The Northern Waterthrush, another vagrant w a r b l e r , migrates throughout the e a s t e r n h a l f of the con t i n e n t , and breeds, g e n e r a l l y i n swampy woods and on the swampy edges of streams, a c r o s s the northern t h i r d of North America, from New England to A l a s k a . I n the west, i t breeds as f a r south as Montana and southern B r i t i s h Columbia. R e c e n t l y , a n e s t i n g colony was d i s c o v e r e d i n n o r t h - e a s t e r n Washing­ton (Western B i r d s , v o l . 7, no. 1, p. 17). I n Oregon, there are few records of t h i s s p e c i e s , though what r e c o r d s there a r e , a r e s c a t t e r d throughout the s t a t e , from T i l l a ­mook on the c o a s t to Malheur i n the e a s t .

The two b i r d s observed on t h i s o c c a s i o n were i n dead wi l l o w s along the edge of the stream, between the camp­ground and the bridge over the creek. They came out of the r a t h e r dense brush on the other s i d e of the creek i n response to an i m i t a t i o n of a Pygmy Owl's hooting, prob­ably s e a r c h i n g for the owl to s c o l d , as the Audubon's and Orange-crowned Warblers and S t e l l e r ' s J a y s were

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doing. We observed the waterthrushes from 30 f e e t away, through seven- and eight-power b i n o c u l a r s f o r about a minute. We noted the s i z e — s l i g h t l y l a r g e r than a War­b l i n g V i r e o , the t h i n b i l l , and the f l e s h - c o l o r e d l e g s . The back, wings, crown, and t a i l were s o l i d brown. Both b i r d s bobbed t h e i r t a i l s as they s a t . They had a dark s t r i p e through the eye, with a y e l l o w i s h - w h i t e s t r i p e above the eye. The underparts were a l s o y e l l o w i s h -white, though p a l e r than the e y e s t r i p e . The b i r d s were streaked w i t h brown underneath, though on one, the s t r e a k i n g was more confined to the upper b r e a s t and s i d e s , w h i l e the oth e r ' s s t r e a k i n g was on the s i d e s , b r e a s t , and b e l l y . I n both b i r d s the s t r e a k i n g extended up onto the t h r o a t , though the s t r e a k s were f i n e r t h e r e . T h i s l a s t mark, along w i t h the yellow t i n g e underneath, separates the Northern from the L o u i s i a n a Waterthrush.

The y e l l o w n e s s , though, c r e a t e s one problem. Of the two su b s p e c i e s of the Northern Waterthrush, the western s u b s p e c i e s , S e i u r u s noveboracensis n o t a b i l i s ( G r i n e l l ' s Waterthrush), which breeds from P e n n s y l v a n i a to western Canada, has "underparts u s u a l l y white w i t h l i t t l e i f any yellow t i n g e " ( l r a G a b r i e l s o n and S t a n l e y Jewett, B i r d s of the P a c i f i c Northwest [ B i r d s of Oregon], New York: Dover P u b l i c a t i o n s , I n c . , 1970, p. 508). Both of the waterthrushes a t C r e s c e n t Creek d e f i n a t e l y had a yellow t i n g e , which i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the e a s t e r n -subspecies, S_. n. noveboracensis, which breeds only as f a r west as On t a r i o , New York s t a t e , and West V i r g i n i a . The two b i r d s here were as yellow, i f not yellower than the Northern Waterthrushes I have seen i n migration i n Upper New York s t a t e and P h i l a d e l p h i a . The l i g h t i n g , while we watched the C r e s c e n t Creek waterthrushes, was e x c e l l e n t , and the y e l l o w i s h c o l o r was c e r t a i n l y no t r i c k of the l i g h t . Though as f a r as the range i s concerned, i t would be q u i t e u n l i k e l y , on looks alone the b i r d s would seemed to be of the y e l l o w e r e a s t e r n r a c e .

Several members have i n q u i r e d a f t e r copies of Richard Pough's Audubon Western B i r d Guide. I f you know where copies of t h i s book are a v a i l a b l e , l e t us know. I f you see a copy, grab i t and we w i l l put you i n touch w i t h those who want i t .

*V /V ">V *V *V /V V» «.*- Ju J L JL. ju

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ue ia i i s : nornea r u m n A Horned P u f f i n ( F r a t e r c u l a C o r n i c u l a t a ) was found May

14, 1977 o f f Cape Lookout, Tillamook County, Oregon. I t has been seen subsequently a t l e a s t once, i n mid-June by J e f f G i l l i g a n j i n i t i a l observer Craig Roberts sends t h i s account of f i n d i n g the b i r d : ( e d i t e d f o r SWOC TALK)

"On the way back from the end of the cape, about f i v e members of the George Fox College o r n i t h o l o g y class s t o p ­ped at a p a r t i c u l a r l y panoramic viewpoint about \e from the end. Good views were afforded of Guillemots and P u f f i n s f l y i n g i n t o the c l i f f s below. Steve Duke, a f t e r comparing some swimming P u f f i n s t o i l l u s t r a t i o n s i n 'Peterson', an­nounced t h a t he saw a Horned P u f f i n .

" I n s tudying the b i r d through my 7X binoculars I could see thats

A) I t was s l i g h t l y smaller than the two Tufteds i t was w i t h .

B) The head and breast were e x t e n s i v e l y white, separ­ated by a black band.

C) The back was dark. D) The f e e t were r e d d i s h . ( E d i t o r i a l note: t h i s i s

a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c common t o other North American P u f f i n s , but not shared by such sea ducks as Oldsquaw, a male o f which i n non-breeding plumage was seen at the same spot i n mid-June by Mark Egger)

E) The sides were w h i t e . No b i l l c o l o r was v i s i b l e through the 7X b i n o c u l a r s ,

and c o l o r on b i l l s of the two nearby Tufted P u f f i n s was only f a i n t l y v i s i b l e .

"Steve noted a s l i g h t orange c o l o r on the b i l l and a dark s t r i p e down the crown, using 14X zoom bin o c u l a r s . The birds were i n s i g h t f o r about twenty minutes u n t i l they d r i f t e d out of s i g h t , concealed by the overhang of the c l i f f . The next most s i m i l a r species t o consider, a r b i t r a r i l y e l i m i n a t i n g Common P u f f i n , a species of the n o r t h A t l a n t i c , would be Buffiehead, which could be e l i m ­inated f o r several reasons. "

Craig Roberts 3658 Old M i l i t a r y Rd. Central P o i n t , Ore. 97502

( E d i t o r i a l notes Oldsquaw i s a species worth considering i n t h i s circumstance a l s o , but can be s a f e l y e l i m i n a t e d , though the species' p r o p e n s i t y f o r odd plumages and un­w i l l i n g n e s s t o conform t o seasonal plumage data i n the f i e l d guides i s phenomenal—A.C. )

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Birds of Hart Mtn, Steens Mtn. D A V I D F I X

I n r e c e n t y e a r s , the mountains of SE Oregon have become i n c r e a s i n g l y popular w i t h b i r d e r s d u r i n g the summer months. They o f f e r l u s h green sanctuary to b i r d s and those who would seek and study them. However, l i t t l e has been s a i d about the what-and-where of t h e i r b i r d s . Since some of us are now planning t r i p s to i n c l u d e Hart Mountain or the Steens country, i t might be w e l l to o u t l i n e , i n a simple way, something of the g e n e r a l d i s t r i ­b u t i o n of summer b i r d s t h e r e .

The n o r t h e r n G r e a t B a s i n ranges possess an a v i f a u n a t h a t i s r a t h e r d i s t i n c t from those elsewhere i n Oregon's mountains. Not only i s s p e c i e s composition s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t , but the b i r d s are found i n d i f f e r e n t h a b i t a t s . A s o u t h e r n - i n t e r i o r s i t u a t i o n i s l a r g e l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h i s . R a i n f a l l tends to be low and i n f r e q u e n t , and consequently any ex­t e n s i v e growth of c o n i f e r o u s timber i s i n ­h i b i t e d . C u r i o u s l y , d e s p i t e the l a c k of northwoods, some of the b i r d s o r d i n a r i l y p r e f e r r i n g a s p r u c e - f i r h a b i t a t a r e f a i r l y common on both Steens Mountain and Hart Moun­t a i n i n s t r a i g h t aspen stands.

Throughout the two major d e s e r t ranges mentioned above ( h e r e a f t e r SM and HM), the ground cover, so v i t a l to many ground- or shrub-nesting b i r d s , i s sagebrush, u s u a l l y l e s s than t h r e e f e e t i n h e i g h t . A simple sagebrush-dominated shrub l a y e r , which today may be the c l i m a x form over much of both mountains, co v e r s almost a l l of the lower s l o p e s . When i n c r e a s e d e l e v a t i o n and pre­c i p i t a t i o n a l l o w , a more complex a s s o c i ­a t i o n of t a l l and s h o r t sagebrush, p l u s C a s t e l l i j a , Lupinus, Balsamorhiza, A c h i l l e a , v a r i o u s Eriogonums and r e l a t e d f o r b s c r e a t e a k i n d of a r i d Canadian "upland c h a p a r r a l " .

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The i n c r e a s e d d i v e r s i t y and abundance of food and n e s t i n g cover i s apparent when Green-t a i l e d Towhees are found on these exposed h i l l s i d e s , f a r from the n e a r e s t t r e e s .

1 J u n i p e r woodland, c o n s i s t i n g of more-or-less r e g u l a r l y - s p a c e d j u n i p e r s i n a f o r e s t forma­t i o n , i s an important h a b i t a t on the west s i d e of SM between f o u r and seven thousand f e e t e l e v a t i o n , and l o c a l l y on HM above about s i x thousand f e e t . I t c o n t a i n s many b e r r y -and s e e d - e a t i n g b i r d s ; Am. Robins, House

F i n c h e s , Mountain B l u e b i r d s , and Com. Gold­f i n c h e s a r e often numerous. Where the j u n i ­p e r s descend the s l o p e s to the s t r e a m s i d e s , Northern O r i o l e s , Black-headed Grosbeaks, House Wrens, Western Wood Pewees, L e s s e r G o l d f i n c h e s , G r e e n - t a i l e d Towhees, and even Dippers may be found. Other r o u t i n e b i r d s of the j u n i p e r woodlands are Dusky, and l o ­c a l l y , Gray F l y c a t c h e r s ; B l a c k - t h r o a t e d Gray Warblers, Chipping Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings, Com. F l i c k e r s , and, i n the higher r e a c h e s , Western Tanagers. B u s h t i t s , r a t h e r s u r p r i ­s i n g l y , can be encountered f a r out i n t o the sagebrush f l a t s below the j u n i p e r b e l t i f s u i t a b l e n e s t t r e e s are w i t h i n t h e i r wide fo r a g i n g range. B l a c k - b i l l e d Magpies n e s t commonly a t the edges of j u n i p e r groves, a l ­though they can be q u i t e inconspicuous when feeding on the ground. B i r d s t h a t sometimes attempt to pioneer t h i s woodland and which may o c c a s i o n a l l y breed l o c a l l y on SM and HM i n c l u d e S o l i t a r y V i r e o , Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Y e l l o w Warbler, P l a i n Titmouse, Dark-eyed Junco, and Rufous Hunmingbird. Some of the above occur r e g u l a r l y j u s t outside the a r e a where more p r e f e r r e d h a b i t a t i s l o c a t e d .

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Quaking aspen i s the other f o r e s t - t y p e t r e e found on the s l o p e s of the d e s e r t ranges. I t covers a c o n s i d e r a b l e a r e a over much of the west f l a n k of SM, and i s found i n canyon-head v a l l e y s and the moister draws high on EH. I t a l s o grows to g r e a t s i z e along most of the major wa t e r c o u r s e s , and w i t h the w i l l o w s and woody shrubs c r e a t e s f e r t i l e r i p a r i a n t h i c k e t s . These t h i c k e t s a r e most we11-developed i n the medium e l e v a t i o n s where they l i n e slow-moving streams, between f i v e thousand f i v e hundred f e e t and seven thousand f i v e hundred f e e t , but o c c a s i o n a l l y h i g h e r on the west s i d e of SM. V a r i a t i o n i n height and d e n s i t y of the v e g e t a t i o n , combined w i t h a r i c h and w e l l -balanced i n s e c t and seed supply and many n e s t ­i n g p l a c e s make t h i s r i p a r i a n h a b i t a t v e r y important to most of the s p e c i e s occuring on SM and HM, e i t h e r f o r breeding or during m i g r a t i o n and post-breeding d i s p e r s a l . Y e l ­low, M a c G i l l i v r a y ' s , and l o c a l l y , Orange-crowned Warblers use t h i s a r e a i n summer, as do House Wrens, Warbling V i r e o s , B l a c k -headed Grosbeaks, Willow F l y c a t c h e r s , L a z u l i Buntings, Downy Woodpeckers, and many o t h e r s . A few L i n c o l n ' s Sparrow appear here, where f a l s e h e l l e b o r e spreads i n t o l a r g e bogs near water. The Sparrows are dependent only upon the shrubs and so can be found away from the aspens i n some p l a c e s .

Up higher, above s i x thousand f i v e hundred f e e t on HM and above about seven thousand f e e t on SM the aspens form a c t u a l f o r e s t s wherever s m a l l v a l l e y s and s h e l t e r e d pockets on the g e n t l e s l o p e s o f f e r p r o t e c t i o n from w i n t e r winds. These h i g h f o r e s t s a r e cloned groups of aspens surrounded by t h i n c o r r i d o r s and c l e a r i n g s f i l l e d w i t h w i n d f a l l and deadwood. They have a d e c i d e d l y b o r e a l f l a v o r , and many more t y p i c a l l y Cascadian or B lue Mountain b i r d s can be found here, b i r d s which i n the mountain systems to the n o r t h and west might be more numerous i n a mixed c o n i f e r f o r e s t .

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I n the more undisturbed stands t h e r e are b i r d s such a s Goshawks, s m a l l A c c i p i t e r s , Swainson's and Hermit Thrushes, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Mountain B l u e b i r d s i n f a i r numbers, and more L i n c o l n ' s Sparrows than are found below i n the r i p a r i a n b e l t s . Found abundantly are "mountain" White-crowned Sparrows, Dusky F l y ­c a t c h e r s , Fox Sparrows, and i n the g r a s s y openings, p r e d i c t a b l e Red-winged B l a c k b i r d s .

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A few hardy Warbling V i r e o s p e r s i s t through the aspen communities to " t i m b e r l i n e " , but not commonly. Fr e q u e n t l y seen i n the aspen woods are other b i r d s as w e l l , i n c l u d i n g H a i r y Woodpecker, Wilson's Warblers, Common Nighthawks, S t a r l i n g s ( a t f o r e s t ' s edge), Chipping Sparrows, Cowbirds, and Long- eared Owl. An i n f r e q u e n t vagrant Warbler sometimes appears, not always of the " e a s t e r n " type; however, Chestnut-sided, Tennessee, Protho-n o t a r y , and p o s s i b l y others have shown up. American K e s t r e l s hunt u n c e a s i n g l y about the margins of the aspen stands i n the v a l l e y s , and R e d - t a i l e d Hawks n e s t v e r y commonly i n each of the major wooded a r e a s on both SM and HM. I n mid-summer, small bands of Sage Grouse r e g u l a r l y use the h i g h e r aspen woods, oc c u r i n g w e l l w i t h i n the f o r e s t i t s e l f , t a k­i n g the niche i n p a r t of the absent Ruffed Grouse. Once i n awhile one wanders to the summit of SM or HM to take i n the s i g h t s .

At the upper margin of the h i g h e s t aspens, where the krummholz, sprawling shrubs and abundant flo w e r s form a marked t i m b e r l i n e e f ­f e c t , the b i r d s show a s l i g h t , d e f i n i t e d i f ­f e r e n c e from those s t i c k i n g to the f o r e s t s . Here a t the lower edge of the subalpine p l a ­t e a u there are many more Mountain B l u e b i r d s , Vesper Sparrows, and small numbers of Y e l -low-rumped Warblers, Willow F l y c a t c h e r s , Am. Robins, and House Wrens. Very conspicuous and omnipresent above the upper l i m i t of t r e e s a re the Horned L a r k s , which are obvious through t h e i r c o n s t a n t t r i c k of s i t t i n g on l a r g e boulders. F o r many y e a r s , b i r d e r s ex­p l o r i n g the high meadows have glimpsed weird hummingbirds on both HM and SM. Most often t h e s e can be d i s m i s s e d as young C a l l i o p e or Rufous Hummingbirds, but once i n awhile a bona f i d e B l a c k c h i n or B r o a d t a i l pops up to d e l i g h t the c a r e f u l , s t a l k i n g observer.

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S e v e r a l s p e c i e s of r a p t o r s move up-mountain t o hunt over the s e r e a l p i n e k n o l l s of both SM and HM a f t e r t h e i r n e s t i n g i s completed. The most f r e q u e n t l y noted are R e d - t a i l e d Hawks, P r a i r i e F a l c o n s , Turkey V u l t u r e s , Marsh Hawks and Com. Ravens. Many of these b i r d s are young-of-the-year and are tame. The great a l t i t u d e seems not t o bother them. I once watched- a female P r a i r i e F a l c o n s p i r a l upward over the top of SM s t e a d i l y f o r more than ten minutes, u n t i l i t dwindled to an i n f i n i t e s i m a l mote, and then disappeared, i n powerful b i n o c u l a r s . Thus i t may have gone as h i g h as f i f t e e n thousand f e e t , and was s t i l l c limbing as i t l e f t my view.

As the summit s c a r p of SM or HM i s approached, V i o l e t - g r e e n Swallows become numerous. They a p p a r e n t l y w i l l n e s t as high a s they can f i n d snug n i c h e s i n the rocky w a l l s of the peaks, t o e i g h t thousand f e e t on HM and to nine thousand seven hundred f e e t on SM. Water P i ­p i t s may ofte n be heard f l y i n g about the rims although i t i s d i f f i c u l t to a c t u a l l y see them. They may not be pre s e n t through the breeding season i n every y e a r . A sharp-eyed b i r d e r w i l l have a f i n e chance a t s e e i n g or hear i n g a t l e a s t a few of the obscure White-throated S w i f t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y on top of SM o f f the summit scarp . I t i s now known t h a t a l l of the major gorges on the e a s t s i d e of SM have c o l o n i e s of these S w i f t s , which d i s p e r s e i n mid-summer. They q u i t e probably n e s t as w e l l on the west s i d e of HM on the g r e a t f a c e s . SM p l a y s host to Oregon's only population of ph e n o t y p i c a l l y pure "Black" Rosy F i n c h e s . These r a r e b i r d s may, with p a t i e n c e and l u c k be spotted as they feed along the lower edge of the hanging s n o w f i e l d s near the summit* No Sparrows r e a c h the tops of the mountains except Vesper Sparrows, which breed i n s h o r t sage n e a r l y to the summit of HM.

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Wilderness and Birds STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF S.W.O.C. BY MARK EGGER IN SUPPORT OF THE ENDANGERED AMERICAN WILDERNESS BILL

Gentlemen: In opening my remarks i n support o f the Endangered American Wilderness B i l l , I would l i k e to express my g r a t i t u d e to you f o r making i t possible f o r Oregonians, the people most d i r e c t l y a f f e c t e d by t h i s b i l l , t o express personally t o you t h e i r opinions con­cerning the c r u c i a l issue o f p r o t e c t i o n f o r the remain­ing wilderness lands i n Oregon.

I am here before you today to t e s t i f y on behalf o f the Southern Willamette O r n i t h o l o g i c a l Club (S.W.O.C.), an o r g a n i z a t i o n o f over 60 a c t i v e b i r d e r s and students of w i l d l i f e ecology from a l l parts o f Oregon, w i t h roughly h a l f i t s membership r e s i d i n g i n the Lane County area. I am also t e s t i f y i n g f o r myself, as a f o r e s t worker, having planted t r e e s , cleaned streams, and con­st r u c t e d f i r e t r a i l s i n the Oregon woods f o r the l a s t f i v e years. I have gained therewith a f i r s t hand know­ledge of many of the issues involved i n the dynamics between the need f o r lumber and the need t o preserve wilderness.

In t e s t i f y i n g f o r S.W.O.C., I would l i k e to b r i n g up three main p o i n t s , the f i r s t being our strong con­cern f o r preservation of a reasonable remnant of the old growth f o r e s t ecosystems i n Oregon, as c r i t i c a l r eproductive and feeding h a b i t a t f o r e n t i r e communities of w i l d p l a n t s and animals. The already e x i s t i n g Wilderness Areas are l a r g e l y of an a l p i n e or sub-alp i n e nature, and t h i s may wel l be the l a s t oppor­t u n i t y t o preserve any l a r g e t r a c t s o f lower eleva­t i o n f o r e s t s i n a v i r g i n c o n d i t i o n . Such areas as French Pete and the Middle Santiam are prime examples of j u s t such f o r e s t s .

In expressing concern f o r preservation of these h a b i t a t s , i t i s p e r t i n e n t t o r e f e r t o several pub!ica-t i o n s by various o f f i c e s o f the U.S. Forest Service. The Siuslaw National Forest t h i s year published a docu­ment e n t i t l e d , " M u l t i p l e Use Plan Resource Base" i n which i t was projected t h a t 30 species o f w i l d l i f e , i n c l u d i n g the bald eagle, the osprey, and the spotted owl, would be completely eliminated from the f o r e s t , along w i t h heavy reductions i n the populations of 55 other species i f c u r r e n t f o r e s t p r a c t i c e s are continued

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through the year 2050. I t also o u t l i n e s the various prac- I t i c e s and m o d i f i c a t i o n of the e x i s t i n g f o r e s t s , and states t h a t "These changes i n e v i t a b l y r e s u l t i n s i m p l i f y i n g the f o r e s t ecosystem. This s i m p l i f i c a t i o n decreases the quanti and q u a l i t y of natureal w i l d l i f e h a b i t a t s present."

Again, the Willamette National Forest i n i t s recent, massive p u b l i c a t i o n e n t i t l e d , "Final Environmental State­ment," l i s t s 82 w i l d l i f e species, i n c l u d i n g 54 b i r d s and 18 mammals, t h a t i t says w i l l experience "adverse" e f f e c t s by implementation o f the Forest's land-use p o l i c i e s . I t states t h a t , "An 'adverse' c l a s s i f i c a t i o n f o r any species i s an i n d i c a t i o n t h a t m i t i g a t i n g measures are necessary f o r those species a f f e c t e d by a c t i v i t y plans which w i l l change the n a t u r a l h a b i t a t . " Yet nowhere does the r e p o r t s t a t e wha those " m i t i g a t i n g measures" w i l l be.

Yet another book published by the Region 6 o f f i c e s o f the U.S.F.S. e n t i t l e d , "23 Selected Forest B i r d Species" delineates the serious t h r e a t t h a t c l e a r c u t t i n g poses to a number of p a r t i c u l a r species and t h e i r h a b i t a t s . For exampl "Management of spotted owls involves the maintenance of d i ­v e r s i t y i n stand age and structure...Undisturbed, mature stands are t y p i f i e d by varied species composition and d i ­v e r s i t y i n stand s t r u c t u r e . The maintenance of d i v e r s i t y appears t o be the key f a c t o r i n p r o v i d i n g acceptable h a b i t a t This i s contrary to short term r o t a t i o n , monoculture manage­ment c u r r e n t l y i n p r a c t i c e . "

In considering these statements and e v a l u a t i n g the urgency of the need t o p r o t e c t the remaining l a r g e lower ele v a t i o n f o r e s t s , i t i s c r u c i a l to keep i n mind t h a t once thes] f o r e s t s have been logged, the ecosystems and the d e l i c a t e we of i n t e r a c t i o n between species w i l l have been upset forever. As b i o l o g i s t Eric Foresman has w r i t t e n i n his "Preliminary Study o f the Northern Spotted Owl," "Projections i n d i c a t e t h a t by the year 2000, 80-90% of the timber on f e d e r a l lands i n Oregon w i l l be converted to f o r e s t s less than 200 years o l d . Where old growth has already been g r e a t l y reduced, such as i n the Coast Range, conversion w i l l undoubtedly be completed before 2000. Most p r i v a t e holdings have already been converted t o second growth. A f t e r conversion, average r o t a t i o n ages (age a t which f o r e s t s w i l l be p e r i o d i c a l l y harvested) w i l l be about 56-77 years on p r i v a t e lands and 75-80 years on f e d e r a l lands. These f o r e s t management prac­t i c e s make few allowances f o r species such as the spotted owl, which r e q u i r e l a r g e c a v i t i e s or diseased t r e e s f o r

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n e s t i n g , and which appear t o have a strong preference f o r m u l t i l a y e r e d f o r e s t s . I t appears, t h e r e f o r e , t h a t some m o d i f i c a t i o n of c u r r e n t f o r e s t management p r a c t i c e s i s d esireable i f v i a b l e populations of these species are to be preserved."

E x i s t i n g federal land-use plans f o r the remaining lowland de f a c t o wilderness areas are p a i n f u l l y inade­quate. French Pete and Middle Santiam are good examples. The "Final Environmental Statement" plan of the Willamette National Forest gives only "undeveloped roadless area" status t o the French Pete Creek d r a i n ­age, a designation l a c k i n g the longterm, legal pro­t e c t i o n o f a Wilderness Area, and p r o j e c t s the l o g ­ging of the Walker Creek and Rebel Creek drainages contiguous w i t h French Pete, e f f e c t i v e l y lopping o f f both i t s arms. The Middle Santiam area i s given v i r t u a l l y no p r o t e c t i o n a t a l l , w i t h 23,000 acres out of 24,500 being proposed f o r general timber harvest. With the i n c r e d i b l y vast acreages of p u b l i c land a l ­ready devoted e n t i r e l y t o management f o r timber har­vest, i t seems cle a r t o us t h a t the p r i n c i p l e of mul­t i p l e use mandates the preservation o f the comparativeTy t i n y areas such as French Pete and the Middle Santiam, both f o r human enjoyment and f o r the continued e x i s ­tence of o l d growth f o r e s t communities.

Another important j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r adding t o our Wilderness Area system i s the r a p i d l y growing p u b l i c i n t e r e s t i n and use of the e x i s t i n g Wilderness Areas f o r r e c r e a t i o n , study and a e s t h e t i c enjoyment. Much has been w r i t t e n of the need i n humans f o r the ex­perience of wilderness and untrampled n a t u r a l f o r c e s , and and more and more people each year f i n d a need f o r t h i s r e t r e a t from the l i f e of the c i t y . In a d d i t i o n , i n t e r e s t i n non-game w i l d l i f e has increased exponen­t i a l l y i n recent years, as evidenced by the f a c t t h a t b i r d study i s the f a s t e s t growing hobby i n the n a t i o n . Many have also become a c t i v e amateur b o t a n i s t s , and the experiences of such people have added s i g n i f i c a n t l y to the s t o r e of s c i e n t i f i c knowledge o f the natural h i s t o r y o f the continent. A l l these a c t i v i t i e s have caused heavy user-pressure to be put on the wilderness areas, and signs p o i n t t o an increase i n t h i s pros'.mv. I t , thus, behooves the government t o respond to i t ' , c i t i z e n s ' i n t e r e s t s by e s t a b l i s h i n g a d d i t i o n a l , IIM|.IIIv

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protected wilderness areas f o r the use o f f u t u r e generations. The l a s t p o i n t we would put forward i s an e t h i c a l one.

As Aldo Leopold, the f a t h e r of modern w i l d l i f e management, has w r i t t e n , "The p r a c t i c e of conservation must s p r i n g from a c o n v i c t i o n of what i s e t h i c a l l y and a e s t h e t i c a l l y r i g h t , as well as what i s economically expedient. I t i s r i g h t only when i t tends t o preserve the i n t e g r i t y , s t a b i l i t y , and beauty of the community, and the community includes the s o i l , waters, fauna, and f l o r a , as we l l as people. I t cannot be r i g h t f o r someone t o dr a i n the l a s t marsh, graze the l a s t woods, or slash the l a s t grove i n h i s community, because i n so doing he i s e v i c t i n g a fauna, a f l o r a , and a landscape whose membership i n the community i s ol d e r than h i s own, and i s equally e n t i t l e d to respect. I f we grant the premise t h a t an ecological conscience i s possible and needed, then i t s f i r s t tenet must be t h i s : economic provocation i s no longer a s a t i s f a c t o r y excuse f o r e c o l o g i c a l a t r o c i t i e s . "

Indeed, we human beings, as stewards and t r u s t e e s of the magnificent and vulnerable planet on which we l i v e , have an o b l i g a t i o n to p r o t e c t and preserve the many l i f e forms t h a t share t h i s world w i t h us. This o b l i g a t i o n extends t o preserving and defending the homes, the ha b i t a t s o f these creatures from careless d e s t r u c t i o n . Too of t e n man, i n his b r i e f time as manipulator of the e a r t h , has chosen greed and immediate monetary gain above his r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s to the environment. Those w i t h power, i n f l u e n c e , and money w i l l clamor to cut a l l the t r e e s , w i t h o u t ever considering the n a t u r a l systems they are d e s t r o y i n g . A cedar grove or a bald eagle cannot lobby f o r t h e i r l i v e s to be spared, but we can act to see t h a t at l e a s t a remnant of the o l d eco­systems w i l l s u r v i v e .

In conclusion, we, the membership of S.W.O.C, urge you to press s t r o n g l y f o r passage of the Endangered American Wilderness B i l l , and t o include i n i t the complete French Pete and Middle Santiam Proposed Wilderness Areas before these areas can be l o s t t o us as havens of r e c r e a t i o n , study and a p p r e c i a t i o n .

9 5

Quarterly Report: Lane Fie ld Notes S T E V E G O R D O N

This i s the f i r s t q u a r t e r l y r e p o r t on the r e s u l t s of the S.W.O.C. f i e l d notes f o r the Willamette Valley p o r t i o n o f Lane County. The period covered was January, February, and March of 1977.

Figure No. 1 i l l u s t r a t e s the r e l a t i o n s h i p between the s i x c e l l r e p o r t i n g form and the s i x subareas w i t h i n the r e p o r t i n g area. A map showing these s i x subareas i s attached to the r e p o r t i n g form.

Fig. 1 Junction C i t y Fern Ridge A i r p o r t Coburg

Mohawk Camp Creek Waltervi11e

Coast Range Noti Coyote Creek Spencer Creek

Metropolitan Eugene/ S p r i n g f i e l d

Cottage Grove Mosby Creek Big River

Jasper Lowel1 Creswel1

Figure No. 2 i l l u s t r a t e s the t o t a l number of species observed from the various subareas f o r each month and the commulative t o t a l f o r the f i r s t q uarter.

Fig. 2 Cummulative 78 Jan. Feb. Mar. 1st Quarter

78 31 66 32 69 36 109 39 2 93 5 90 50 92 , 53 108 0 0 6 29 29 60 30 70

To t a l : 104 105 114 131

Figure No. 3 shows the number of observer hours spent i n each of the s i x subareas f o r each month and the cummulative t o t a l f o r the f i r s t q u a r t e r .

96

Jan. 41

(11) 0

8 125

0

Fig 3 Feb.

27 ( l i ) 1ML

8 109

3

Mar. 22 8 11 172 1 12

Cummulative 1st Quarter 91 24 11 408 1 15

Total Hrs 175 147 228 550

Comments: I t i s obvious t h a t the s i x subareas wo not receive the

same amount of coverage by the twelve b i r d e r s who p a r t i c i ­pated during the f i r s t quarter o f 1977. Other b i r d e r s who frequent those f o u r subareas are encouraged t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n the S.W.O.C. f i e l d notes program. The best coverage was given t o the Fern Ridge and Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan subareas; 91 hours (16% of the t o t a l ) and 408 hours (74% of the t o t a l ) r e s p e c t i v e l y . The t o t a l number of species r e ­ported f o r those two subareas r e f l e c t s , i n p a r t , the amount of coverage devoted t o those subareas.

I t i s most i n t e r e s t i n g to note t h a t twelve i n d i v i d u a l s submitted t h e i r f i e l d note forms t o the compiler. Only ten people provided i n f o r m a t i o n on time spent i n the f i e l d . Those ten persons spent 550 hours b i r d i n g i n the r e p o r t area

Reports of Trumpeter Swans, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Ha r r i s ' Sparrow h i g h l i g h t e d the 131 species reported f o r the peiod.

The e a r l i e s t reported dates f o r some selected migrants f o r 1977 were as f o l l o w s : Cinnamon Teal - March (no d a t e ) , Turkey Vulture - March 1, Osprey - March 22, S a n d h i l l Crane March 25, Rufous Hummingbird - March 7, Violet-green Swallow February 28, Tree Swallow - February 20, and Rough-winged Swallow - March 12.

Anyone wishing t o learn more about S.W.O.C. f i e l d notes or wishing to p a r t i c i p a t e should contact the compiler, Steve Gordon, 1140 W. 27th Ave., Eugene, 97405.

T U K T E D T I T M O U S E ,

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Bluebird Endoparasite Alert E L S I E E L T Z R O T H

This i s an urgent appeal f o r i n f o r m a t i o n from o r n i t h o l o ­g i s t s working i n the f i e l d o f avian p a r a s i t o l o g y w i t h regard to Western Blu e b i r d i n f e s t a t i o n by Acanthocephalans. During the past three weeks the Oregon State U n i v e r s i t y Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has performed necropsies on two a d u l t females, three a d u l t males and nine n e s t l i n g s . Two males and one female (each from d i f f e r e n t boxes located several miles apar t ) had l a r g e i n t e s t i n e i n f e s t a t i o n s , severe enough t o be the primary cause of death. One male had c o c c i d i o s i s , the suspected cause of death, and u l c e r a t i v e e n t e r i t i s ; one female was i n f e c t e d w i t h tapeworm. One male and one female were never found; one female was s t i l l a l i v e when l a s t seen. A l l n e s t l i n g s examined were f r e e of i n t e r n a l parasites and died of s t a r v a t i o n or hypothermia.

We are e s p e c i a l l y i n t e r e s t e d i n knowing more about t h i s p a r a s i t e r e l a t i v e to the thrush f a m i l y , where i t has been found, what the intermediate host i s and how to reduce or elim i n a t e i t .

We began our b l u e b i r d p r o j e c t l a s t year and had no ac­t i v e nest, but the incidence of nest f a i l u r e has been too high to ignore t h i s year. We have l o s t 4 out of 4 nests! Two broods were l o s t completely; we managed t o save f o u r 16-day-old b i r d s which have been banded and released, and, we are r a i s i n g three others.

Based on the s i m i l a r i t y of events leading up to these nest f a i l u r e s , we wonder i f the diminished b l u e b i r d popu­l a t i o n , which began many years ago i n the Willamette V a l l e y , may be d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o t h i s d e b i l i t a t i n g p a r a s i t e dur­ing the s t r e s s of brooding and feeding n e s t l i n g s . Rainy, cool weather t y p i c a l of our springtime would have c o n t r i ­buted to the stress since insects have been scarce. The s t a r l i n g and house sparrow problem o f nest competition i s a more recent occurence.

We areasking Bluebird T r a i l Groups and other people t o save any dead western b l u e b i r d s they f i n d . I f you should f i n d one, seal the dead b i r d i n a p l a s t i c bag, attach a card g i v i n g the d e t a i l s causing death i f known, date, place, your name, address and phone number, and r e f r i g e r a t e (don't f r e e z e ) . C a l l me or send i t t o Lloyda Cowley, O.S.U. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, C o r v a l l i s , OR 97331, f o r necroos^. ^|J|je7|JtJggJh» 3 5 9 5 N - w - Roosevelt Dr., C o r v a l l i s

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Season Highlights: Spring

* A Common Grackle, the f i r s t we know of from Oregon, was found by Steve and P r i s c i l l a Summers at Malheur HQ on Memorial Day weekend. D e t a i l s elsewhere i n t h i s issue.

* A Painted Redstart, also presumably Oregon's f i r s t , was found near Gateway on the Deschutes River i n e a r l y June by Greg Roberts; d e t a i l s are a v a i l a b l e from SWOC.

* An imm. male Painted Bunting, Oregon's second on record , was lo c a t e d i n e a r l y June at Malheur HQ by Harry Nehls and Mark Koninendyke.

* An "eastern" form Brant (Branta b e r n i c l a h r o t a ) was found at the mouth of the Salmon River near L i n c ­o l n C i t y by David Fix and Joe Evanich June 12.

* A Horned P u f f i n has been seen at l e a s t twice from Cape Lookout i n May and June; f i r s t found by Craig Roberts and Steve Duke from the George Fox College o r n i t h o l o g y class May 14. D e t a i l s i n t h i s issue.

* American Redstarts have r e t u r n e d f o r the s i x t h consecutive year t o nesting areas at Davis Lake i n the Cascades.

* Black &_ White Warblers were found Mem. Day weekend at Malheur by Rogue Valley Audubon Society members, and at Hart Mtn. i n June by L.R. Mewaldt.

* A Bla c k p o l l Warbler was also caught at the Hart Mtn. banding s i t e , as were 11 Flammulated Owls.

* Two Northern Waterthrush were found June 4 at Cres­cent Creek campground near Davis Lake, and both were s t i l l present June 24. D e t a i l s i n t h i s i s s u e .

* Up t o ten Upland Sandpipers were on the Izee Rd. j u s t west of Seneca i n C e n t r a l Oregon i n e a r l y June; the b i r d s were out i n the f i e l d s , nests were found. (Nehls, Koninendyke)

The Oregon Fish & W i l d l i f e Commission w i l l be con­s i d e r i n g r e g u l a t i o n s concerning f a l c o n r y at i t s next meeting, J u l y 28. They have asked f o r comments from SWOC members. I f you have ideas or concerns, e i t h e r f o r or against a l l o w i n g f a l c o n r y , they w i l l accept both w r i t t e n and o r a l comments.

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News and Notes

STATE RECORDS COMMITTEE

We have had a number of responses from members regarding the makeup and operation o f an Oregon Records Committee, and hope to present a d e f i n i t e and care­f u l l y considered proposal to the st a t e ' s b i r d e r s by the end o f the summer. A l l comments, ideas and ques­t i o n s are welcome, and should be sent to the SWOC mailbox soon.

STATE BIRD ORGANIZATION

Response from throughout the s t a t e i n recent weeks has been so f a r i n favor of SWOC assuming, o f f i c i a l l y , the r o l e o f Oregon's s t a t e b i r d o r g a n i z a t i o n , w i t h attendant sponsorship o f the records committee and , other a c t i v i t i e s o f i n t e r e s t to the state's b i r d e r s .

I f you have comments, e i t h e r f o r or against such a p r o p o s i t i o n , please communicate w i t h SWOC soon.

SECOND COAST BIRDING WEEKEND A l l Oregon observers are encouraged to spend the

weekend of August 27-28 on the coast as part o f the annual Coast B i r d i n g Weekend. This year, c o n t r a r y t o l a s t , observers are requested t o count or estimate i n d i v i d u a l s as w i t h a Christmas Count. Information gathered i n t h i s manner i s much more valuable than s t r a i g h t species l i s t s , and a l l r e s u l t s of the week­end w i l l be made a v a i l a b l e to the Oregon Dept. o f Fish & W i l d l i f e , as wel l as being summarized i n SWOC Talk. Copies o f the summary issue o f SWOC Talk may be purchased f o r $1 by non-members.

A l l l i s t s , small or l a r g e , species or i n d i v i d u a l , from Augustv27 and/or 28 on the coast w i l l be accepted and should be sent t o the SWOC CBW Compiler at the r e g u l a r m a i l i n g address.

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S.W.O.C. FIELD TRIP TO THE KLAMATH BASIN

On A p r i l 30th and May 1st, 1977 the f i r s t organ­ised ( i n a manner of speaking ) S.W.O.C. f i e l d t r i p took place i n the Klamath Basin. Twenty people, i n ­cluding eight S.W.O.C. members, participated with many of the group camping Friday night a t Hagelstein County Park and Saturday night at the Lava Beds National Mon­ument, A t o t a l of 160 species were recorded i n the Basin for the t r i p . On Saturday, 132 species were re­corded with 128 of those having been observed i n Klamath county. Areas v i s i t e d during the t r i p includedJ Klam­ath Forest NWR, Hagelstein Park/Algoma, Link River, Moore Park, Miller I s l a n d State Game Management Area, Upper Klamath NWR, the Fort Klamath v i c i n i t y , Lower Klamath NWR, Tule Lake NWR, and the Lava Beds NM. Birding high­l i g h t s of the t r i p included the following: Red-necked Grebe, Green Heron, Ross1 Goose ( a t Miller ISland ) , Bald Eagles on the nest, P r a i r i e Falcons, Ruffed Grouse, Black-bellied Plover ( 196 i n breeding plumage counted i n one f i e l d ) , S o l i t a r y Sandpiper, Marbled Godwitj large numbers of Semipalmated Plover, Dunlin, Long-billed Dowitcher, American Avocet, Blaok-necked S t i l t , and Wilson's Phalaropej Northern Phalarope, Great Horned Owl (11), Barn Owl ( 6 ) , Calliope and Anna's Humming­birds i n Oregon, White-headed Woodpecker, Bank Swallow, Tricolored Blackbird i n Oregon, Green-tailed Townee, Lark, Brewer's, and Vesper Sparrows at Lava Beds NM, and Lincoln's Sparrow.

Steve <ac«rdon i s preparing a bird finding guide to the Klamath Basin and would welcome information or inqu i r i e s about the birds of the area.

S.G.

C O M M O N H O U S E - W R E N .

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UPCOMING PELAGIC TRIPS C o r v a l l i s Audubon Society w i l l r u n t h e i r annual boat

t r i p out of Depoe Bay Saturday, August 27. A $5.00 r e s e r ­v a t i o n deposit must be i n by August 1 , p r e f e r a b l y sooner. The t o t a l cost of t h i s t r i p has been about $12 , depending somewhat on the number of people a t t e n d i n g , and the b i r d i n g i s q u i t e e x c i t i n g , i f you have any i n t e r e s t i n such things as Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Jaegers, A l c i d s and other such mundane migrants....

Reservations should be sent t o Rocky Tucker, C o r v a l l i s Audubon Society, P.O. Box 148, C o r v a l l i s , Ore. 97330.

Cape Arago Audubon Society has i n v i t e d members of SWOC t o attend a pelag i c t r i p t o leave at 12:00 noon on Saturday, September 10 from the Ocean Fis h e r i e s Charter dock i n the Empire d i s t r i c t of Coos Bay ( where the h i g h ­way from Coos Bay - North Bend turns south along the bay toward Charleston ) . The t r i p w i l l be made i n a 50-fooJ; boat and w i l l go out t o sea about 25 miles t o the shrimp fish i n p , boats, where thousands of seabirds congregate.

The t o t a l cost w i l l be $10 and must be paid by August 15. Checks should be made out t o Lyn Topits and sent to her at 311 S. Wasson, Coos Bay, Ore. 97420. The ship's Captain has taken U. of 0. I n s t i t u t e of Marine Biology s t a f f out on previous occasions, and once, i n a d d i t i o n to shearwaters, albatrosses and the l i k e , a Magnificent F r i g a t e b i r d was seen !

Although we can't promise another accidental F r i g a t e -b i r d , t h i s t r i p , which i s l i m i t e d at t h i s time t o mem­bers of C.A.A.S. and S.W.O.C, w i l l provide an ou t ­standing o p p o r t u n i t y t o view many seabirds r a r e l y seen from l a n d . The ship's g a l l e y w i l l be operating f o r those who would l i k e a side order of "a hamburger t o go wi t h the main course of shearwaters. Pelagic t r i p s are very popular and u s u a l l y f i l l q u i c k l y , so send your r e s e r v a t i o n check soon.

Eugene area members take note: Canadian imported Stoned Wheat Thins, recommended as one of the best things t o keep s t u f f i n g i n your mouth t o ward o f f the unmentionable, are a v a i l a b l e from Porter's Foods Un­l i m i t e d downtown.

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SWOC TALK P.O. Box 3082 Eugene, OR 97403

N I G H T - H A W K ,

SWOC TALK A Publication on Oregon Birds By the Southern Willamette Ornithological Club

FIRST CLASS MAIL