wosnews #165 february-march 2017wos.org/documents/wosnws/wosnews165.pdftreasurer’s report for...

From the Board

2017 Northwest Bird FestsPage 3

Upcoming Field TripsPage 5

Jen McKeirnan’s Washington Big YearPage 6

Treasurer’s Report for 2016Page 9

Patrick Sullivan Young Birders FundPage 10

Northern Flickers: Intergrades?Page 14

Skagit Bay CBC Report Jan. 1, 2017Page 15

New Member’s ColumnPage 18

Washington Field NotesPage 20

February-March 2017 Page 1

We Are Stronger TogetherElaine Chuang

WHAT’S INSIDE WOSNews #165 February-March 2017

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Each year, WOS rotates its nine-member board in part (we serve two-year terms; you can read our current board member biographies in WOSNews 163, 164). This rotation took place in October, when I joined the board - assured that being a good birder was not a pre-req-uisite. I am thus a pretty fresh AHY (after hatch year) trustee, eagerly exploring places to peck around and try to be useful.

Here, early in 2017, our organization numbers somewhere just over

Coming in April: Profiles of PSYBF grant recipients

February-March 2017

The Washington Ornithological Society was chartered in 1988 to increase knowledge of the birds of Washington and to enhance communication among all persons interested in those birds. WOS is a non-

profit educational organization under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code.

WASHINGTON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY12345 Lake City Way NE, #215

Seattle WA [email protected]

www.wos.org

President .......................... Jim Danzenbaker .................................................................................. [email protected] President ................. Cindy McCormack ............................................................................... [email protected] .......................... Barbara Webster .................................................................................... [email protected] .......................... Kintea Bryant ........................................................................................ [email protected]

OFFICERS

Meetings .......................... Blair Bernson ......................................................................................... [email protected] Trips ........................ Jen Kunitsugu ........................................................................................ [email protected] Sullivan Young Birders Fund.....TomMansfield................................................................psybf@wos.orgMembership .................... Mike Clarke ........................................................................................... [email protected] Bird Records ............ Brad Waggoner ..................................................................................... [email protected] Editor ........... Ron Post ................................................................................................. [email protected] ....................... Amy Powell ............................................................................................ [email protected] Ellard..........................................................................................Sales@wos.orgHospitality ....................... April Carson .......................................................................................... [email protected]

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Board Member ................ Rachel Lawson ...................................................................................... [email protected] Member ................ Elaine Chuang ....................................................................................... [email protected] Member ................ Eric Dudley ............................................................................................ [email protected] Member ................ Ed Swan .................................................................................................. [email protected] Member ................ Faye McAdams Hands ........................................................................ [email protected]

BOARD MEMBERS

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The dates shown here are as accurate as possible. More info can be found on the website: http://www.mindfulbirding.org/awards/18-ghost/24-birding-festivals

February-March 2017

Northwest Bird Festivals in 2017

Eagle Watch Festival Feb. 25, Madras

Harney County Migratory Bird FestivalApril 6, Burns

Winter Wings FestivalFeb. 16, 2017Klamath Falls

Port Susan Snow Goose Festival Feb. 25, Stanwood

Wings Over Water FestivalMarch 10, Blaine

Tundra Swan Festival, Usk and Kailispell Lake, March 16

Sandhill Crane FestivalMarch 24, 2017Othello

Dean Hale Woodpecker Festival, Sisters, June

Gray’s HarborShorebird FestivalMay 5, 2017Hoquiam, coastal

Oly Peninsula Bird FestivalApril 7, 2017Sequim, North Peninsula

Puget Sound Bird Fest, Edmonds (Sept. TBA)

Ladd Marsh Bird Festival (TBA)

Birds and BluegrassOctober (TBA)Ridgefield

February-March 2017

Send Sightings: [email protected] WHEN SEND IN BY

March — May ..............................................June 15June — July ..................................................Aug. 15Aug — Nov ...................................................Dec. 15Dec — Feb ....................................................Mar. 15

February-March 2017

Upcoming Field TripsMatt Bartels

Hawkwatch observers

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Wednesday March 8, 2017Vashon Island (King County)Leader: Ed Swan

Join Ed Swan, author of the “The Birds of Vashon Island,” on a half-day trip around Vashon. We’ll bird going across the water on the Fauntleroy-Vashon ferry, hopefully seeing Brant and Rhino Auklets on the way over. All three cormorants, possibly already in breeding plumage, await us at the Vashon dock as well as loons, grebes, sea ducks and Harlequin Duck. We’ll check out Tramp Harbor for four loon species and Eared Grebe with nearby Virginia Rail. We’ll opportunistically look for other birds from there. To sign up, contact Ed Swan at: [email protected] or call: 206.949.3545

Saturday March 25, 2017 – Limit 12Mason County in the springLeader: Matt Bartels Come explore under-birded Mason County. We’ll bird the parks along Hood Canal, the Skokomish River es-tuary, and other corners. Target birds will include an at-

tempt at Mountain Quail, followed by more extensive looks at waterfowl, raptors, gulls and hopefully spring arrivals. Limit of 12 participants. Expect lots of short stops, plan for a whole day, dress warm, bring lunch & carpool money. For details, contact Matt at [email protected]


February-March 2017

Jennifer McKeirnan, right, doc-uments her 2016 Washington Big Year on her website: http://wabirdyear.com/ Jen agreed to a short interview (see next page) and also shared a few of her favorite bird and bird-ing habitat photos from 2016 with WOSNews (below). Thank you, Jennifer!

Jen McKeirnan’s 2016 Washington Big Year

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Sooty Grouse habitat, Mt. Rainier

Frenchman Coulee, 2015 Master Birder class

Q&A: Jen McKeirnan’s 2016 Washington Big Year

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How did you first start birding?

In 2007 I was hanging out with a wildlife biologist who was a birder. She got me curious enough for me to take a class through Seattle Audubon. It was called Birders 101 with Brian Bell. That class got me hooked. What really amazed me the most was discovering how much I was not aware of my surroundings before the class. I will never forget when Brian pointed out a Brown Creeper on a tree trunk. I had never seen this bird in my life. I was also impressed how he could predict its behavior as the bird worked its way looking for insects up the tree and then flew down to the bottom trunk and started all over again. After that day, it seemed like every time I went to a park, I was seeing a Brown Creeper.

Did you hear of any other people doing the same kind of project?

I have heard of a couple of people doing photographs of their Big Years. Blair Bernson set out the previous year to photograph as many birds as he could and did quite well. I am the only one that I know who also takes a panoramic habitat picture. I had just taken the Seattle Audubon Master Birder’s class. So I wanted to do a project that got me out to see many of the birds that we studied. But while I was in the class, I started taking panoramic pictures with my iPhone of some of the beautiful places we explored during the field trips. I wanted to take pictures of birds for my 2016 project, but I also wanted to keep taking panoramic pictures.

Were there any favorite spots?

Absolutely. New to me in 2016 was Okanogan, McNary National Wildlife Refuge, Colville Sewage Ponds, Neah Bay, Blue Mountains and the forests along White Pass.

But my absolute favorite birding location was boating around Protection Island.

Did you have any dramatic experiences while carrying out this project?

I had a lot of exciting moments that I got to share with friends and family. At the end of April, I visited Whiskey Dick, located just east of Ellensburg, with my friend and Master Birder colleague, Renee.

We were surrounded by various birds singing and just taking in the sights and sounds as we were walking back down a rough and uneven trail. The ground gave way under Renee as we were both looking at birds and she fell down. She had injured her ankle and she limped stoically back to the car. It was just the beginning of a three-day birding trip around the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. We both assumed it was a sprained ankle and modified the trip so she could keep her weight off of it as much as possible. Later that week, she went to have X-rays because the ankle wasn’t improving and discovered that she had broken it. I still can’t believe she birded for three days on a broken ankle.

My year birding in Washington state brought me to places and towns I had never seen before. I also saw a great variety of wildlife.

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Virginia Rails

More photos next page

Jen McKeirnan’s Washington Big Year (continued)

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Flycatcher habitat near Lake Balch

February-March 2017

California Scrub JayAsh-throated Flycatchers

Scrub Jay habitat at the state Capitol

Treasurer’s Report for 2016

February-March 2017

Barbara WebsterFinancial Statements For the Year Ended December 31, 2016 Balance Sheet Assets Bank-checking $19,256 Bank-savings $64,250 Patrick Sullivan Young Birder’s Fund (PSYBF) [restricted funds] $19,558 Total Assets $103,064 Liabilities PSYBF [restricted] $19,558 Equity Retained earnings $81,199 Net income $2,307 Total Equity $103,064 Income and Expenses Income Annual Conference $16,365 Donations (General Fund) $1,265

Donations (PSYBF) $1,275 Interest $30 Membership Dues $7,750 Royalties $23 Sales $675 Total Income $27,383 Expenses Administrative $779 Annual Conference Expenses $11,165 Board Meetings $523 Honoraria $500 Insurance $2,249 Monthly Meetings/CUH Facility Rental $3,428 PayPal (Use Fee) $631 Printing $310 PO Box Rental $264 PSYBF Awards $1,438 PSYBF Donations Transferred to Liability $1,290 Postage $338 Publications $1,050 Storage Facility Rental $675 Taxes $239 Website $197 Total Expenses $25,076 Net Income* $2,307 *This does not include $1,290 donated to the PSYBF.. Those dona-tions are reflected in the balance under Assets and Liabilities.

Papageno, the birdcatcher, is one of the main characters in “The Magic Flute,” the famous opera by Mozart. Papageno is seen here at his accustomed trade.

The art work is from an album cover (No. 3 in the LP series) of Funk and Wagnall’s “Family Library of Great Music.” The artist is uncredited.

February-March 2017

You’d think it would be a snap handing a “youthful” birder a unique, expenses-paid, birding experience. Think again! As the Patrick Sullivan Young Birders Fund (“PSYBF”) has come to learn, raising funds for grants isn’t the only challenge – finding grant applicants can also be “Code 5” tough.

Perhaps it’s a chicken-and-egg conundrum in that we need visibility in order to achieve viability. We need to raise the funds to make a grant but fundraising can be difficult if donors are unable to see that their generosity is making a difference for a young birder.

I had a conversation with Andy and Ellen Stepniewski of Wapato, the well-respected couple who conceptualized the young birders fund in 2005.

“Outreach to the WOS membership and Washington birding community to advertise the presence of the fund and reigniting interest, excitement and support for young birders in our state is the greatest challenge faced today by the PSYBF,” according to Andy.

honorariums: Leah Rensel (2010); Fanter Lane, Kyle Leader and Jacob McGinnis (2012); Henry Wegener (2014); and Louis Kreemer (2016).

At this year’s fall WOS Conference at Semiahmoo, we will have two fine honorees (see profiles in the next WOS News).

“It is our hope that honorees continue through their lives as committed advocates of birds and their world, thus exploring the lives of these beautiful creatures and working towards the protection of their habitats, the key to their survival,” Andy added. “A suitable candidate for a PSYBF grant is a young birder residing in Washington who has developed a passion for birds, their biology and environments and is showing a strong leaning towards pursuing a lifelong interest in the World of Birds.”

PSYBF guidelines define a “young birder” as anyone in the age group from pre-teens through early twenties – students and non-students alike – showing a serious interest in birds and birding.

While most of the grants we have made have been to provide American Birding Association (“ABA”) camp scholarships, I asked Andy what other sorts of experience Ellen and he would like to see young birders under-take with fund assistance: “Academic research positions, especially those that entail travel and funding away from the applicant’s home,” he replied. “Also, projects that further conservation of birds and their habitats.”

In addition to camp scholarships, some other grant possibilities include registration fees and expenses for birding conferences and related events; research on specific species or species groups that spend a significant

Patrick Sullivan Young Birders FundTom Mansfield

In 2017, the PSYBF will work harder to be more familiar to the WOS membership and the state birding community at large to achieve our twin goals: Donations and Honorees. We are appre-ciative of all donations received and proud to have granted six honorariums: Leah Rensel (2010); Fanter Lane, Kyle Leader and Jacob McGinnis (2012); Henry Wegener (2014); and Louis Kreemer (2016). At this year’s fall WOS Conference at Semiah-moo, we will have two fine honorees.

In 2017, the PSYBF will work harder to be more familiar to the WOS membership and the state birding community at large to achieve our twin goals: Donations and Honor-ees. We are apprecia-tive of all donations received and proud to have granted six

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February-March 2017

portion of their life cycle in Washington; census work at a park or natural area; bird banding (we’ve had one honoree); Seattle Audubon Society Master Birder tuition (our 2016 honoree); and supplies and related expenses for youth group activities centered on birding.

Best of all, the PSYBF committee is open to any applicant’s imagination for a grant.

The PSYBF came into existence as the Young Birders Fund. After the untimely death of Patrick Sullivan in 2007, the fund’s name was changed to recognize Patrick’s contribution to Washington birding, especially as a young birder. Initially funded with Andy’s share of royalties from “A Birder’s Guide to Washington,” individu-al WOS members joined in and now the membership is the largest source of contributions. Last year, the ABA recognized the efforts of the PSYBF with a special donation of $500.

I asked Andy how Ellen and he hatched the idea of a fund to make grants to encourage fledgling birders. As is Andy’s way, there was an interesting story in response:

“I turned to my article in the April/May 2014 WOS News: ‘The Original ABA Bird-Finding Guide: Who was Jim Lane?’ where I find the answer, and I quote: Jim Lane had much influence on me as a beginning birder and his inspiration led to my commitment in the ABA ‘A Birder’s Guide to Washington’ project. Without that trip in 1970 with Jim to Arizona, I never would have gotten involved in the ABA guide. It was Jim’s very modest booklets that evolved into the ‘Lane Birdfinding Guides.’

“By and by, the ABA took over the series and now many states have an ABA birder’s guide, a much more expansive resource with detailed maps and bar graphs that aid visiting and resident birders alike to a region’s birdlife. By some small measure, I hope the efforts by Ellen and me in Washington State help carry on Jim’s spirit of sharing the ‘World of Birds’ to all who wish to discover and celebrate these beautiful creatures.

“So, about the time the first edition of the ABA guide ‘A Birder’s Guide to Washington’ was published, Ellen and I discussed how best to commemorate and perhaps perpetuate the profound effects Jim’s mentoring left in me. I broached the notion of a ‘Young Birder’s Fund’ to help other aspiring young birders further their interest in birds. Ellen embraced my idea and we approached the WOS board, which was positive, too, and voted to create the fund as part of WOS,” Andy said.

Looking forward, we hope to continue to earn the support – financial and informational – from the WOS board/membership and I encourage any young birder to seek more information about the PSYBF and apply!

Young Birders Fund (continued)

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From the Board (continued from page 1)


February-March 2017

300 members, approximately 40 percent of whom live outside of King County by my estimate. WOS continuously strives for broader inclusion of its members, and one advance toward that goal has been our work to connect us all better through our monthly meetings. As you likely know, our Meetings Chair since December 2012, Blair Ber-nson, applies his magical touch (thank you, Blair, hopefully with little in the way of blood, sweat or tears!) to bring engaging speakers to these well-at-tended meetings at the Center for Urban Horti-culture, the first Monday of each month, October through June.

Recently, we’ve launched into videoconferenc-ing with the primary aim of bringing the featured speaker’s presentation at these monthly meetings to our non-Seattle area members . . . virtually, us-ing “GoToMeeting” (GTM). GTM was chosen to facilitate meetings of our Board because it is one of the easiest conferencing platforms to use, and we, your friendly WOS board guinea pigs, have been successfully using it for that purpose since mid-2016.

One of our first “broadcasts” was at the December 2016 WOS monthly meeting, coinciding with an outstanding presentation by Paul Bannick (“Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls”). Our remote viewers got to enjoy Paul’s spectacular photography, but we were deep on the learning curve and had significant technical issues (primari-ly very poor sound quality). Nevertheless, member online attendance was encouraging and those who were able to do so were grateful to be included. Remote attendees of our next meet-ing, Jan. 2, 2017, “WOS Member Photo Night” had an ‘enhanced’ experience thanks to our having obtained an external microphone and other positive spin-offs from ‘on the job training’ with GoTo-Meeting!

It has been a most enlightening and rewarding effort to date for

all involved. Our guest lecturers have gladly stepped up to working through this extra dimension for their presentations. Each has been eager to help extend our organization’s outreach and has appreciated the state-wide membership’s interest in seeing and hearing the evening’s presentation. And there’s no way we would be able to improve the member experience were it not for feedback from remote attendees. Please keep that coming!

Some nuts and bolts: • Prospective remote participants need to download

and test the GoToMeeting application’s software on the device to be used when joining a monthly meet-ing: http://help.citrix.com/meeting/get-ready This download is a one-time only step and can be done onto your computer, tablet and/or smartphone. Prior to each monthly meeting, instructions are sent by e-mail to our membership, describing this down-load step and also providing the link for that specific meeting (see below the “sample” for our Feb 6, 2017 meeting). To assist members, we will also be includ-ing this information in future issues of WOSNews.

• Our GoToMeeting subscription allows up to 50 participants per meeting: should the need arise, our non-Seattle area WOS members would be given priority for these spots. We encourage those who generally attend monthly meetings in person or live close enough to do so, to come join the live sights and sounds, and the great camaraderie at the Center for Urban Horticulture.

From the Board (continued)

February-March 2017

• That said, please consider joining us via GoToMeet-ing at least once, no matter where you live. Go ahead: download it and give it a go! Particularly, should you find yourself on-the-road at monthly meeting time or otherwise be unable to come in person, remember that remote attendance is yours as a benefit of WOS membership.

Finally, a big thanks to Cindy McCormack who has been so generous with her time and expertise, setting our organization up with GoToMeeting in the first place, and trouble-shooting from Points Distant (Van-couver? Spokane?) at the drop of a hat!

All in all, this new dimension into videoconferencing our monthly meetings dovetails with WOS’ aim as an organization to represent and serve our member-ship widely. We hope that you will take a spin in our new vehicle and thereby enjoy one of the benefits of belonging to WOS (and please be sure to send us feedback after you do!).

Join us in person or online Monday evening, Feb. 6, for Tate Mason’s talk, “The American Kestrel: What’s Causing the Decline of North America’s Most Charming Falcon?” All the best in 2017 from the WOS Board.

Jim Danzenbaker, incoming WOS president, was our monthly meeting speaker in Oct. 2016. With the GoToMeeting subscription, up to 50 remote participants can attend the WOS meetings.

February-March 2017

Northern Flicker: Red-shafted, Yellow-shafted, Intergrades – Which Do You Have?(This article is reprinted with permission from eBirdNW, April 6, 2015, and has been edited for space)

by Ryan MerrillThe Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a common bird in many areas of the Pacific Northwest. They visit yards and feeders and are visually striking. In the wild, flickers can be seen most commonly around standing trees that are dead or dying. Flickers use these ‘snags’ for feeding on tree-dwelling and wood-boring insects and also for excavating nest sites. Additionally, flickers may feed on the ground, searching for ants and beetle larvae.

Northern Flickers have two subspecies: the Red-shafted Flicker (C. a. cafer) of western North America and the Yellow-shafted Flicker (C. a. auratus) of the east and far north. Their ranges are roughly divided by the Rocky Mountains except in the northern boreal forest, where the yellow-shafted range extends west across most of Alaska. There is a wide area of overlap where the two subspecies interbreed extensively. Here in the Pacific Northwest we are fortunate to have both subspecies, as well as intergrades between the two. The Red-shafted Flicker is the most common and expected subspecies, but intergrades can also be common at times, mainly during the fall, winter, and spring. Apparently ‘pure’ Yellow-shafted Flickers are rare but should be looked for and occur annually.

Why should eBirders bother to report flickers by race (i.e., subspecies) or intergrade? There is scientific and conservation value, as we can help monitor the status and movement patterns of the northern populations by tracking intergrades and pure Yellow-shafted flickers. Flickers are fun to observe closely and since they tend to be conspicuous, it is possible to get good looks at this striking bird.

As of Jan. 21, 2015 there were 63 unique, approved reports of Yellow-shafted Flickers entered in eBird in Washington and 119 from Oregon. Most of these are from September through April; one observation was noted in May and one in August. While there aren’t any records of Yellow-shafted Flickers during June or July, there are a few reports of intergrades during these months throughout the northwest.

Check out the current range maps for the three flicker taxa at the following links!

Red-shafted Flickers: http://tinyurl.com/mvdewv7

Intergrade Flickers: http://tinyurl.com/naujgg4

Yellow-shafted Flickers: http://tinyurl.com/nbv68u9

How to report flickers in eBird Many flickers are not seen well enough to determine which category they fall in and thus should be reported simply as “Northern Flicker.” This would include birds that are only heard or seen at a distance, as well as most birds that are seen in flight, even if the color of the underwings is seen.


Skagit Bay CBC Report for Jan. 1, 2017

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It was a dark and stormy morning! As I left the SAS compilation on New Year’s Eve, the forecast was for 1-3 inches of snow overnight. Several people who were participating in the Skagit Bay CBC expressed skepticism about being able to reach the count circle the next morning. I was concerned about what I would do if the road conditions were so bad that no one could get there. When I awakened at 5:30 a.m. there was no snow. As I drove north on I-5, snow began to fall. I received my first text that one of our leaders, who lives in the South Sound couldn’t come due to snarled traffic on the streets and freeways. “Accidents and spin-outs were everywhere.”

Lee Barnes


February-March 2017

Too late, I was committed to completing the count. Driving through the increasing snow, there were numerous spinouts and accidents on the roadside. Approaching Everett, the snow diminished and the roads cleared. Snow was replaced by heavy fog. The remainder of the drive was uneventful. I arrived at our meeting/starting spot dreading more texts or phone calls. Fortunately the remainder of our 35 field observers arrived safely. I also located someone to survey the missing leader’s section.

The count started in a dense fog. As the morning progressed the fog dissipated, the clouds cleared, and beautiful sunshine with minimal wind was the order of the day

Waterfowl led the count with 20,000 Snow Geese, average numbers, and higher than average numbers for Trumpter Swans, almost 4,000; Mallards, 17,000; and Northern Pintail, 16,000, all more than the average count.Scaup, Greater and Lesser, held their average numbers. Scoter numbers were significantly lower in all three species. The mean number of Western Grebe is 660, over 30 years. In 2010 the population crashed and now is single digits in two of the last five years.

\Shorebirds were led by Dunlin, with almost 13,000 individuals counted. Black Turnstones and Surfbirds were spotted in the English Boom sector. And a rare-to-the-count, Spotted Sandpiper was located on Whidbey Island. Eurasian Collared Doves appeared six years ago and continue to increase in numbers. The Mourning Doves seem to be maintaining their numbers in spite of the Eurasian’s invasion. Anna’s Hummingbirds continue to increase since appearing in 2010, with 57 individuals this year.

Three species of loons were counted in small numbers of individuals. Only one species of alcid was spotted, Pigeon Guillemot. Doubled-crested Cormorants reached record numbers at 287 counted. Most species of gulls were represented. The surprise was a first-year Glaucous Gull on a rooftop south of Stanwood.

Great Blue Herons were seen in large numbers, 157, and two American bitterns put in an appearance. The Great Egret still managed to surprise south of Stanwood. A Great Egret has been seen 11 years on the Skagit count beginning in 2005 (but not seen in 2006.) Black-crowned Night Herons were regulars on the Skagit count until


Skagit Bay CBC Report (continued)

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2000 when their day roost was “improved.” They relocated behind a nursing home in Stanwood for a couple of years, but have since migrated to an unknown location.

With the huge numbers of prey species available, raptors continue to flourish, with eagles reaching the amazing level of 220. All except the Sharp-shinned Hawk have strong representation this year. Great Horned Owls were recorded at seven for the count, a record number. Short-eared Owls average eight per count. This year we recorded one! However, three days later 8-10 Short-eared Owls were reported on Eide Road alone! For the second time in three years a Prairie Falcon was recorded. This year’s was located in the north of the North Skagit River.

With all of the attention to the glamour birds, the passerines also made a historic note. For the first time in 30 years a Mountain Bluebird was seen during the CBC. The bird was foraging for food in the NE Conway section, an area with numerous pastures. Not to be outdone, a flock of 50 Bohemian Waxwings made a fly-over of the game range headquarters, letting us know that it was their year for the invasion.

The final species count was 126 species, with an average species count per year of 121. The number of individual birds, 102,826, is slightly less than the average 110,492 calculated over 30 years.

The count was completed. The cold, weary surveyors retreated to the Stanwood library for a chili potluck. As I arrived, a large male Ring-necked Pheasant ran across the parking lot crowing good-bye to the assembling birders. It seemed like a fitting end to a great day.

Skagit Bay CBC Report (continued)

Laurel Parshall photo

Editor’s note: Thanks to Lee Barnes for taking the time to provide an interesting CBC account, and although we were not able to publish everyone’s story, many thanks to all who provided details about their CBC experiences to WOS.

February-March 2017

by Kathy HartmanA couple of years ago, I got my cat Kirby a toy mouse. He played with it on top of his favorite blan-ket, which was passably fun, but when I put it under the blanket and moved it around, it was like I flipped a switch. My sweet, 10-pound housecat morphed into a savage predator, claws unsheathed and fangs flying, and woe to my hand if he mistook it for the mouse. It amused and amazed me — just shifting one small thing completely changed the game for him.

That got me thinking — a lot — about little things that can nudge life in a slightly different direction, somewhere unexpected, or give a new perspective. Sometimes they’re things we choose to do, and sometimes they’re moments that unfold before us, just by chance.

We’ve all had those little moments while birding. Not that bird you called in sick for so you could go on a mad twitch, driving eight hours in one day to tick a lifer. I mean those quiet, unexpected moments we get because we pay such close attention to what’s around us.

I was on Foster Island in the Arboretum one day when I spotted two Ruby-crowned Kinglets, furious-ly dancing around each other on the alder branches, crowns straight up and blazing. Slowly, slowly, their movements became less frantic, and their crowns settled down until there was just a sliver of red. Then poof! The red disappeared like it had never been there. I was spellbound, and it was one of those moments I felt so lucky to be a birder, because most people would never notice it.

Another time I was at Nisqually near the Twin Barns when I saw a Bewick’s Wren with a huge moth in its bill. I was wondering how it would manage to eat such a big, wriggling thing when suddenly it dropped the moth on the boardwalk railing, gave it a few good pecks to subdue it, then downed it in one go. Well, that answers my question, I thought,

grinning ear to ear. I love wrens, and seeing this tiny, delicate bird dispatch what seemed an impossibly large meal filled me with joy.

The effects these moments have on me are cumulative, and they’ve woven together to deepen my love for and wonder of birds and the natural world. Taking in those moments and letting them affect me is easy, but making a change or trying something new can be challenging, as it is for many people. But, like with Kirby and his mouse, I’ve learned that important change doesn’t al-ways take setting a monumental goal. It can happen by changing one small thing.

So my one small change lately? Well, there’ve been a few. I started putting my shoes away when I get home from work, rather than kicking them off into a pile on the living room floor. I decided I don’t have to stop for people who are standing on the corner with their faces glued to their cell phones, unless they step off the curb in front of me (tempting as it is to keep going).

And in December, I joined WOS. Years ago, when I first heard of the Washington Ornithological Society, I thought it sounded very science-y, like a professional organization open only to people with degrees in, you know, science-y stuff. (I was an English major — au-tomatic exclusion.) Then I found out a couple of years


One Small Thing: Notes from a New WOS Member

February-March 2017

One Small Thing (continued)

ago that WOS is for anyone who’s interested in birds and birding, so I kept meaning and meaning and meaning to join, but just didn’t get around to it.

But I’ve been feeling lately that it would be good for me to be around other birders. I’m kind of shy, so going on field trips would make it easy to meet people. It would also give me the opportunity to learn more about birds and bird identifi-cation, for my own personal growth and satisfaction, and so an eBird reviewer doesn’t have to contact me to say the bird I identified as a Red-necked Phalarope in the grainy photo I added to my eBird checklist was actually a Wilson’s. (Ohhh, the hot-faced shame!)

So I joined online, then started read-ing the June/July newsletter, where

Kathy Hartman photo

I saw the position for WOS newsletter editor was open. I’m a writer, and for a while I’ve wanted to try writing about birding and conservation, so this seemed like a great opportunity. It was December, though — I suspected it had already been filled, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to email about it. Ron Post, the new WOSNews editor, re-sponded and said he had taken the position, but I could help out if I was interested. Very cool! Jim Danzenbaker also emailed to welcome me, and said that while the editor position was filled, maybe I could write an article for each newsletter. Well, @#$%!& yes!

So here I am. Joining WOS was that one small thing, and it unexpectedly led to me doing something I’ve really been wanting to do. I’m pretty excited about it.

And now that I put in a newsletter that I joined WOS in part so I could go on field trips, I guess I’m going to have to put my shyness aside and do it. You can hold me to that.

See you out in the field, and may you find your one small thing.

February-March 2017

Snow Geese

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Washington Field Notes, March-May 2016Ryan MerrillBird listings in bold or capital letters represent birds on the state review list which requires documentation to be submitted to the Washington Bird Records Committee. This column strives to present the most unusual and interesting bird records of this reporting period along with a sampling of the more regular but still unusual species. For those looking for the most complete picture of birds reported during this season, one should check the online database eBird (www.eBird.org) in addition to this column.

The spring of 2016 featured a wide variety of migrants that returned to Washington earlier than expected. Only a few of the most notable early arrivals are mentioned in this summary, while more are highlighted in the species listings below.

Unusual hybrid waterfowl this period included a Gadwall x Mallard in Yakima, a Mallard x Northern Pintail in Clark, and a Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye in Thurston. Two Murphy’s Petrels were seen from a cruise ship off Pacific in early May. Western WA again saw a widespread influx of American White Pelicans with flocks as large as 70 reported. White-faced Ibis were reported from 7 locations, all of which were on the eastside.

A White-tailed Kite in King was farther north than the species has ever been found regularly. This spring featured a day with 325 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 616 Red-tailed Hawks tallied at Neah Bay in early April. This location has been recognized as one of the best locations to observe spring raptor migration in western North America for several decades now, though coverage has been sporadic at best in recent years. Northbound Broad-winged Hawks were detected again this year, with at least ten at Neah Bay and a single bird in Kitsap. Swainson’s Hawks are barely detected annually on the westside, so reports from five locations including a dozen or more at Neah Bay was noteworthy.

An American Golden-Plover in Clallam in late April

is a species not found annually in the state during spring. A Snowy Plover in Franklin adds to about half a dozen previous records from the eastside and was the first for the county. In May a Hudsonian Godwit was found in Grays Harbor and an even rarer Bar-tailed Godwit was the first to be recorded in San Juan. Neither species is found annually in the state during spring. At least 11 Semipalmated Sandpipers this spring was much more than are usually found during northbound migration. A White-rumped Sandpiper in Walla Walla was just the 8th record for the state and fits the pattern of most being found on the eastside during late May and June. Pectoral Sandpipers appeared in higher numbers than usual this spring.

A Black-legged Kittiwake in Cowlitz in March was a rare inland find. One of the Snohomish Black-headed Gulls remained through late March. The state’s 8th Laughing Gull showed up in Grays Harbor in late May. A Lesser Black-backed Gull at Neah Bay adds to just a few prior records on the westside. The Pierce Slaty-backed Gull remained through late May.

The states 12th and 13th White-winged Doves were in Clallam and Snohomish respectively in mid and late April. Four Burrowing Owls were found on the westside where barely annual. Two Great Gray Owls in Skagit during March and April marks the first time multiple birds have been found together in western WA. Westside Long-eared Owls were found at three locations during March. The state’s 14th Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was in Seattle in March.

A “Prairie” Merlin was in Clallam in mid April. A tally of 13 migrating Peregrine Falcons at Neah Bay in a single mid April day was notable as it demonstrates the recovery the species has undergone in recent decades. From 1990 to 1997 during organized, daily raptor migration monitoring the highest daily tally of migrating Peregrine Falcons at Neah Bay was just five birds and in half of these years the season total was below 13.

February-March 2017 Continued on next page

Field Notes (continued)

Three Gray Flycatchers were found on the westside where they are less than annual. A Dusky Flycatcher in Clallam in early May was the first to be found in the Olympic Mountains. Pacific-slope Flycatchers returned to King and Pierce in early April, about as early as the species has been detected in the state. Say’s Phoebes were found on the westside in unprecedented numbers, including 7 in a single field in Lewis and 6 at one location in Clark. Five Loggerhead Shrikes in Clark, Lewis, and Skagit made for a good westside showing, while a Northern Shrike in San Juan in mid-May was a month late.

A White-breasted Nuthatch wandered to Franklin in late March. Two migrant Rock Wrens were found in the westside lowlands where not annual. A Brown Thrasher in Franklin was about the 19th for the state. Three westside Sage Thrashers were found in Clallam, Clark, and King.

Nashville Warblers in Chelan and Kittitas in early April were more than a week early. A Hermit Warbler in Lincoln was well east and north of its usual range. A Blackpoll Warbler in Adams added to just a few prior records of spring vagrants. Most Washington Blackpolls occur in September. A MacGillivray’s Warbler in Kitsap in late March established the earliest record for the state and was about three to four weeks earlier than the first returning migrants would normally be expected. The Clallam Hooded Warbler remained into at least early March. Wilson’s Warblers returned in numbers more than a week earlier than the first are usually noted. By April 16th they’d been recorded in half a dozen westside counties and by the 25th, when they would usually start being found, they were abundant at Neah Bay as demonstrated by a count of 143 reported from the area.

A Green-tailed Towhee strayed to Clark on the westside which has fewer than ten total records of the species. Brewer’s Sparrows, barely annual on the westside, showed up in Clark and Whatcom. The Skagit Vesper Sparrow successfully wintered, remaining through at least early March. A “Red”

Fox Sparrow returned for the third consecutive year to its wintering territory in Skagit. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak made a brief appearance in Skagit in late May. An Indigo Bunting in Snohomish for over a month was about the state’s 40th. It is presumed to have wintered in the immediate area and wasn’t noticed until starting to molt into its colorful breeding plumage. The state’s 12th Dickcissel spent a few days in late May at Neah Bay. A Common Grackle in Kittitas in late March was at least the state’s 22nd. Three early Bullock’s Orioles included one at least two weeks early and rare for the location at Neah Bay in mid April. The state’s latest Common Redpoll was found in Pacific in early May, which also provided a rare coastal record.

Ross’s Goose Reports included: 4 at McNary NWR Walla Walla 3/12 (MlD,MD), 4 at Calispell Lake Pend Oreille 4/8 (TLi), 1 at Sprague Lake Adams 4/12 (JoI)Tundra Swan Reports included: 1 at Central Ferry Garfield 4/9 (MFM)Gadwall x Mallard Rare in WA: 1 at Mabton Yakima 5/24 (ErH)Blue-winged Teal Early report: 1 at Bothell Snohomish 3/29 (eBird)Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal Uncommon in WA: 1 at Reardan Lincoln 4/26 (JoI)Mallard X Northern Pintail Uncommon in WA: 1 at Ridgefield Clark 3/11 (RH)Redhead Reports from w WA included: 8 at Deer Lagoon Island 5/1 (GeH), 1 at Midway Beach Pacific 5/7 (RKo), 12 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/13 (BWf), 2 at Lopez Island San Juan 5/17 (eBird)Harlequin Duck Reports from e WA included: 2 at Winthrop Okanogan 3/3 (Roxie Miller), 2 at Harvey Creek Pend Oreille 4/20 (fide Dave Kreft), 2 at Sprague Lincoln 4/30 (JoI)Surf Scoter Uncommon locally: 1 at Lake Terrell Whatcom 4/29 (WW)Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye Rare in WA: 1 at Nisqually NWR Thurston remained to 3/30 (ShT)Red-breasted Merganser Uncommon locally: 1 at Concrete Skagit 5/15 (GB)Yellow-billed Loon Reports included: 1 at Fort Flagler Jefferson 3/11 (eBird), 1 at Port Angeles Clallam 4/9 (eBird) to 5/20 (TLi)Clark’s Grebe Reports from w WA included: 3 at Vancouver Lake Clark 4/19 (eBird)Laysan Albatross Reports included: 1 at Willapa Canyon Pacific 4/23 (GRe,SMi), 1 97km west of Columbia River Mouth Pacific 4/26 (PL)

February-March 2017 Continued on next page


MURPHY’S PETREL Uncommon in WA: 1 93km WSW of Cape Disappointment Pacific 5/4 (Ron Thorn), 1 93km west of Ocean Park Pacific 5/4 (Louis Bevier, PL)Manx Shearwater Reports included: 1 at Westport Pelagic Grays Harbor 5/14 (BS,SMi), 1 at Westport Pelagic Grays Harbor 5/15 (BL,SMi)Leach’s Storm-Petrel Reports included: 2 at Westport Pelagic Grays Harbor 5/15 (BL,SMi)American White Pelican Reports from w WA included: 12 at Bayview Skagit 4/14 with 21 there 4/15 (KKe), 3 at Blaine Whatcom 4/29 (AdW), 1 at Neah Bay Clallam 5/2 (BWg), 14 at Jensen Access Skagit 5/3 (SP) with 11 there 5/8 (GB), 61 at Discovery Park King 5/24 (AK), 70 at Nisqually NWR Thurston 5/25 (ShT), 10 at Marymoor Park King 5/29 (eBird), 1 at Edmonds Snohomish 5/31 (BrM)Brown Pelican Uncommon locally: 1 at Nisqually NWR Thurston 4/29 (KBd), 1 at Seattle King 5/26 (eBird)American Bittern High count: 13 at Toppenish Yakima 5/30 (AS,ErH)White-faced Ibis Reports included: 1 at Toppenish Yakima 5/4 (KvL), 3 at McNary NWR Walla Walla 5/6 (DWg), 1 at Sheep Lake Whitman 5/10 (JoI), 1 at Othello Adams 5/14 (DP), 7 at Walla Walla RD Walla Walla 5/21 (DSu,CLy), 1 at Philleo Lake Spokane 5/22 (JoI), 10 at Spangle Spokane 5/23 (eBird)White-tailed Kite Rare locally: 1 at Vashon Island King 5/14 to 5/15 (eBird)Sharp-shinned Hawk High counts: 325 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM), 149 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/17 (RyM,JDz)Red-shouldered Hawk Reports from expanding range included: 1 at Nisqually NWR Thurston remained to 3/5 (BPe), 1 at Steigerwald Lake NWR Clark 3/23 (RH), 1 at Sequim Clallam 3/28 (BcP), 1 at Julia Butler Hansen NWR Wahkiakum 5/30 (AE)Broad-winged Hawk Uncommon in WA: 1 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/18 (AnN,JDz) with 1 there 4/30 (FL), 4 there 5/1 (FL), 5 there 5/2 (RyM,BWg), and 1 there 5/7 (MtB), 1 at Point No Point Kitsap 4/23 (BWg)Swainson’s Hawk Uncommon in w WA: 5 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM) with 3 there 5/1 (FL) and 7 there 5/2 (RyM,BWg), 1 at Point No Point Kitsap 4/23 (BWg) and 5/13 (KB,GG), 1 at Acme Whatcom 4/30 (NSa), 1 at Marblemount Skagit 5/23 (FL,CMH), 1 at Snohomish Snohomish 5/31 (JAm)Red-tailed Hawk High counts: 616 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM), 189 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/17 (RyM,JDz)Golden Eagle Reports from w WA included: 1 at Julia Butler Hansen NWR Wahkiakum 3/4 (eBird), 5 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM) with 5 there 4/17 (JDz,RyM) and 3 there 5/2 (BWg,JGn)Sandhill Crane Reports included: 1 at Deer Lagoon Island

4/3 (Darwin Wile), 313 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM), 382 at Waatch River Clallam 4/16 (RyM), 1 at Bellingham Whatcom 4/28 (JBow)American Golden-Plover Rare in spring: 1 at Dungeness Clallam 4/28 (BoB)Pacific Golden-Plover Uncommon in spring: 2 at Dungeness Clallam 4/17 (eBird), 1 at Semiahmoo Whatcom 5/7 (NSa), 1 at Bottle Beach Grays Harbor 5/9 (eBird) and 5/29 to 5/30 (KWt)Snowy Plover Rare in e WA: 1 at Scooteney Reservoir Franklin 5/26 (Richard Laubach)Black Oystercatcher Uncommon locally: 4 at Vashon Island King 5/2 (ESw), 2 at Discovery Park King 5/29 (eBird)Black-necked Stilt Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Kent King 4/24 (CWr,LWr), 3 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/5 (KBl)Wandering Tattler Uncommon locally: 1 at Libbey Beach Island 5/30 (SEl)Willet Uncommon locally: 1 at Dungeness Clallam remained to 4/16 (BoB). Rare in e WA: 1 at Philleo Lake Spokane 5/14 (JoI)Whimbrel High count: 550 at Camano Island Island 5/3 (SP)Long-billed Curlew Reports from w WA included: 1 at March Point Skagit 4/7 (eBird), 1 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/2 (RH)Hudsonian Godwit Rare in spring in WA: 1 at Ocean Shores Grays Harbor 5/9 (eBird)Bar-tailed Godwit Rare in spring in WA: 1 at Lopez Island San Juan 5/16 (eBird)Marbled Godwit Uncommon locally: 9 at March Point Skagit 4/3 (RyM), 1 at Walla Walla RD Walla Walla 4/28 (MlD), 1 at Camano Island Island 5/3 (GgT), 3 at Drayton Harbor Whatcom 5/20 (PhW)Ruddy Turnstone Uncommon locally: 2 at Penn Cove Island 3/12 (Emma Ruggiero), 2 at Semiahmoo Whatcom 5/7 (FL), 2 at Leque Island Snohomish 5/8 (SGi), 2 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/15 (JoA)Red Knot Uncommon locally: 1 at Semiahmoo Whatcom 5/4 (JDu) to 5/14 (FL,NSa) with 3 there 5/11 (WW), 13 at Dungeness Clallam 5/15 (JAn), 1 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/17 (John Bishop)Semipalmated Sandpiper Uncommon in spring: 1 at Theler Wetland Mason 4/25 (eBird), 1 at Hobuck Beach Clallam 5/2 (CWr,LWr), 2 at Semiahmoo Whatcom 5/4 (JDu), 1 at Ocean Shores Grays Harbor 5/8 (MkS), 1 at Hoquiam STP Grays Harbor 5/8 (SDo), 1 at Auburn King 5/11 (EvH), 3 at Skagit WMA Skagit 5/12 (RyM), 1 at Deer Lagoon Island 5/14 (GeH)WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER Rare in WA: 1 at Dodd Road Walla Walla 5/21 (DnE)Pectoral Sandpiper Reports included: 33 at Sequim Clallam 5/11 (BoB) with 34 there 5/15 (RyM), 12 at Monroe Snohomish 5/14 (MiH), 1 at Lynden Whatcom 5/14 (FL,NSa), 29 at Auburn King 5/16 (EvH)Rock Sandpiper Uncommon locally: 1 at Penn Cove Island 4/27

February-March 2017



(Jay Adams)Wilson’s Phalarope Reports from w WA included: 1 at Coupeville Island 5/5 (Jay Adams)Black-legged Kittiwake Rare locally: 1 at Kalama Cowlitz 3/1 (RKo)BLACK-HEADED GULL Rare in WA: 1 at Tualco Valley Snohomish remained to 3/22 (JAm)LAUGHING GULL Rare in WA: 1 at Bottle Beach Grays Harbor 5/20 (eBird)Franklin’s Gull Reports included: 1 at Discovery Park King 5/14 (MtD), 1 at Roosevelt Klickitat 5/14 (SJ), 1 at Philleo Lake Spokane 5/22 (JoI)Mew Gull Uncommon locally: 1 at Toppenish Yakima 3/2 (DGr)Lesser Black-backed Gull Rare in w WA: 1 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/22 to 4/25 (HpA)SLATY-BACKED GULL Rare in WA: 1 at Tacoma Pierce 5/21 (Jennifer Standish)Caspian Tern Reports included: 350 at Fort Flagler Jefferson 5/14 (DWg)Common Tern Reports included: 120 at Semiahmoo Whatcom 5/21 (IN)Long-tailed Jaeger Reports included: 12 97-98km west of Columbia River Mouth Pacific 4/26 (PL)Parakeet Auklet Reports included: 10 from 95 km west of Leadbetter Point to 87 km west of Copalis Beach Grays Harbor/Pacific 4/26 (PL)Eurasian Collared-Dove High count: 220 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/16 (RyM)WHITE-WINGED DOVE Rare in WA: 1 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/16 (RyM) to 4/17 (DVHo), 1 at Lynnwood Snohomish 4/29 (Maria Ramberg)Monk Parakeet Introduced species: 5 at Yacolt Clark 3/6 (AxP)Flammulated Owl Early report: 1 at Stevens Creek Spokane 5/3 (JoI) with 2 there 5/10 (TLi)Snowy Owl Late report: 1 at Echo Ridge Chelan 5/9 (eBird)Northern Pygmy-Owl High count: 6 at Green Mountain Kitsap 3/26 (JAc)Burrowing Owl Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Steigerwald Lake NWR Clark remained to 4/1 (eBird), 1 at Marymoor Park King 3/20 (BbS), 1 at Enumclaw King 3/22 (eBird), 1 at PSB Snohomish 4/5 (Jeff Odmunson)Great Gray Owl Rare in w WA: 1 at Sauk Valley Skagit remained through 3/19 with a second bird present 3/16 to 4/1 (RyM). Reports from e WA included: 3 at Jasper Mountain W Walla Walla 4/2 (MD,MlD) with 1 there 4/13 (MiH)Long-eared Owl Reports from w Wa included: 1 at

Discovery Park King 3/5 (JGn,JKg), 1 at Bow Skagit 3/13 (fide Sarvey Wildlife), 1 at Magnuson Park King 3/18 and 3/25 (ScR)Black Swift Early reports: 1 at Woodinville King 5/10 (SAd), 12 at Marblemount Skagit 5/12 (RyM)Vaux’s Swift Early report: 1 at Monroe Snohomish 4/9 (fide LSw)Anna’s Hummingbird Reports from expanding range included: 1 at Spokane Spokane 4/4 (JA), 1 at Spokane Spokane 4/7 (TLi), 2 at Badger Mountain Douglas 5/20 (eBird)Calliope Hummingbird Early reports: 1 at Spokane Spokane 4/4 (JA) with 2 nearby 4/5 (eBird), 1 at Cle Elum Kittitas 4/5 (eBird), 1 at Winthrop Okanogan 4/6 (RVG), 2 at Leavenworth Chelan 4/8 (HMu), 2 near Boyds Ferry 4/9 (eBird). Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Everson Whatcom 4/30 (eBird), 1 at Lyman Skagit 5/13 (GB), 1 at Fauntleroy King 5/16 (eBird), 1 at Kent King 5/26 (MSc)Lewis’s Woodpecker Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Van Horn Skagit 5/5 (RyM), 1 at Juanita Bay King 5/5 (WmB), 1 at Paradise Pierce 5/7 (CzH)Williamson’s Sapsucker Rare locally: 1 at Badger Mountain Douglas 3/19 (JGv)YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER Rare in WA: 1 at Wallingford King 3/25 (KSM)Red-naped Sapsucker Rare locally: 1 at Green Mountain Kitsap 4/10 to 4/11 (HVo), 1 at Lake Crescent Clallam 4/22 to 4/23 (AxP)Hairy Woodpecker Uncommon locally: 2 at Lyons Ferry Franklin 4/9 (MFM)American Three-toed Woodpecker Uncommon locally: 1 at Hurricane Ridge Clallam 5/7 (eBird)“Prairie” Merlin Rare in WA: 1 at Waatch River Clallam 4/16 (RyM)Gyrfalcon Uncommon locally: 1 at Wallula Gap Benton 4/11 (LN)Peregrine Falcon High count: 13 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/17 (RyM,JDz)Olive-sided Flycatcher Early report: 1 at Fort Lewis Pierce 4/26 (NSw,DDe)Western Wood-Pewee Early report: 1 at Magnuson Park King 4/29 (ScR,JB)Least Flycatcher Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Richmond Beach King 5/27 (JSy)Hammond’s Flycatcher Early report: 1 at Tacoma Pierce 4/12 (eBird)Gray Flycatcher Early reports: 1 at Davenport Lincoln 4/9 (CMk), 1 at Lyons Ferry Franklin 4/16 (TLi). Rare in w WA: 1 at Corkindale Skagit 5/5 and 1 at Sauk Valley Skagit 5/12 (RyM), 1 at Barnaby Slough Skagit 5/28 (GB)Dusky Flycatcher Rare locally: 1 at Obstruction Point Road Clallam 5/7 (Mandy Holmgren, Graham Montgomery). Reports from w WA included: 1 at Juanita Bay King 4/26 (RyM), 2 at Lake Whatcom Whatcom 5/5 (FL), 1 at Discovery Park King 5/13 (RyM,EvH), 1 at Mercer Island King 5/16 (JGl), 1 at Mount Baker Whatcom 5/14 (FL,NSa)

February-March 2017



Pacific-slope Flycatcher Early reports: 1 at Vashon Island King 4/8 with 2 there 4/10 (Ezra & Harsi Parker), 1 at Fort Lewis Pierce 4/8 (KaS)Black Phoebe Reports from expanding range included: 1 at La Center Clark 3/6 (ACh), 1 at Brady Loop Road Grays Harbor 3/21 (KBd), 1 at Skagit WMA Skagit 4/27 to 5/12 (RyM), 1 at Stanwood STP Snohomish 5/29+ (SGi)Say’s Phoebe Reports from w WA included: 1 at Point No Point Kitsap 3/2 (eBird), 1 at Willow Grove Cowlitz 3/4 (RKo), 1 at Olympia Thurston 3/4+ (JAn), 4 at Marblemount Skagit 3/5 with 5 there 3/12 (RKn,PhW), 1 at Marymoor Park King 3/5 with 2 there 3/15 to 3/22 (MiH), 1 at Edmonds Snohomish 3/7 (CRi), 1 at Green Lake King 3/17 (David Olsen), 1 at Brady Loop Road Grays Harbor 3/19 (BS), 1 at Waatch River Clallam 3/19 (AAk), 1 at Richmond Beach King 3/20 (eBird), 2 west of Concrete Skagit 3/20 (GB), 1 at Kent King 3/20 (TSl), 1 at Lyman Skagit 3/21 (GB), 1 at Kent Ponds King 3/23 (eBird), 4 at Steigerwald Lake NWR Clark 3/23 (JSn,RH) with 6 there 3/25 (RTa), 1 at Glenoma Lewis 3/25 (RyM,ACt), 1 at Riffe Lake Lewis 3/25 (RyM,ACt), 9 at Randle Lewis 3/25 (RyM,ACt), 1 at Morton Lewis 3/25 (RyM,ACt), 1 at Packwood Lewis 3/25 (DaH), 1 at Discovery Park King 3/26 (MtD), 2 at Morton Lewis 3/27 (MtB), 2 at Sauk Prairie Skagit 3/28 (RyM), 1 at Point Roberts Whatcom 3/30 (fide Melissa Hafting), 1 at Acme Whatcom 5/29 (IN)Western Kingbird Early report: 1 at Ritzville Adams 4/11 (BkL). High counts: 15 at Point No Point Kitsap 5/13 (KB), 7 at Marymoor Park King 5/25 (eBird). Reports from w WA included: 1 at Coupeville Island 4/25 (Joe Sheldon), 5 at Discovery Park King 5/26 (LnS)Loggerhead Shrike Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Steigerwald Lake NWR Clark 3/19 (eBird) to 3/23 (fide RH), 1 at Sauk Prairie Skagit 3/22 (RyM), 1 at Packwood Lewis 3/25 (RyM,ACt), 1 at Riffe Lake Lewis 3/25 (RyM,ACt) to 3/27 (MtB), 1 at Corkindale Skagit 4/2 (RKn)Northern Shrike Late reports: 1 at Dungeness Clallam 4/14 (BcP), 1 at Cattle Point San Juan 5/15 (Jennifer & Kevin Burke)Warbling Vireo Early reports: 1 at Mukilteo Snohomish 4/19 (GeH), 1 at Juanita Bay King 4/19 (eBird) with 2 there 4/21 (ScR), 1 at Bainbridge Island Kitsap 4/20 (BWg)Steller’s Jay High count: 118 at Point No Point Kitsap 5/20 (BWg)California Scrub-Jay Reports from expanding range included: 1 at Sequim Clallam 4/12 (BcP,JGc), 1 at Darrington Snohomish 5/12 (RyM), 1 at Port Townsend Jefferson 5/21 (DWg)Purple Martin Early reports: 4 at Luhr Beach Thurston 3/22 (eBird), 3 at Steigerwald Lake NWR Clark 3/30 (PKl), 2 at Bainbridge Island Kitsap 4/1 (BWg), 2 at Duwamish River King 4/1 (JeR)Bank Swallow Early reports: 2 at Pasco Franklin 4/12 (MiH),

2 at Bennington Lake Walla Walla 4/12 (MlD). Rare locally: 12 at White’s Island Wahkiakum 5/14 (AE), 15 at Skamokawa Wahkiakum 5/28 (GW)Cliff Swallow Early reports: 1 at Toppenish Yakima 3/13 (DGr)3 at Columbia NWR Grant 3/19 (MlD)Mountain Chickadee Reports included: 2 at Windust Franklin 4/12 (MiH)White-breasted Nuthatch Rare locally: 1 at Lyons Ferry Franklin 3/26 (MkC)Rock Wren Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Leque Island Snohomish 5/22 (eBird), 1 at Marymoor Park King 5/27 (HHg)Canyon Wren Uncommon locally: 1 at Underwood Skamania 5/26 (SJ)Western Bluebird Reports included: 2 at Long Beach Pacific 4/22 (JGi)Mountain Bluebird High counts: 31 at Sauk Prairie and 38 at Corkindale Skagit 3/22 (RyM). Reports from w WA included: 1 at Coupeville Island 3/18 (fide SEl), 1 at Mount Baker Whatcom 4/1 (RKn), 2 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM) with 1 there 4/17 (RyM,JDz)Townsend’s Solitaire Reports included: 3 at Neah Bay Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM)Veery Uncommon locally: 3 at Davenport Lincoln 5/14 (DgW), 1 at Ephrata Grant 5/21 (MY)Northern Mockingbird Uncommon in WA: 1 at Yakima Yakima remained to 3/21 (JGan), 1 at Longview Cowlitz remained to 4/6 (RKo), 1 at Southworth Kitsap 5/11 (eBird), 1 at Puget Island Wahkiakum 5/22 (eBird)BROWN THRASHER Rare in WA: 1 at Pasco Franklin 4/10 (Lannie Smith)Sage Thrasher Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Marymoor Park King 4/23 (SAd), 1 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/12 (EKn), 1 at Lake Crescent Clallam 5/14 (AxP). Uncommon locally: 1 at Yakima Yakima 3/14 (SDo)Lapland Longspur Reports included: 1 at Hobuck Beach Clallam 4/7 (CWr,RyM), 1 at Marymoor Park King 5/24 (JoM,MiH)Snow Bunting Reports included: 1 at Everett STP Snohomish 3/11 (Phil Dickinson)Nashville Warbler Early reports: 1 at Entiat River Chelan 4/6 (TmB), 1 at Cle Elum Kittitas 4/9 (DYQ,FM), 1 at Mount Pleasant Skamania 4/12 (WC), 1 at Mill Creek Walla Walla 4/13 (MiH), 1 at Marymoor Park King 4/14 (GO). Uncommon locally: 1 at Sequim Clallam 4/17 (BcP), 1 south of Coupeville Island 5/25 (SrS)Yellow Warbler Early reports: 1 at Mill Canyon Lincoln 4/19 (JoI), 1 at Slavin Ranch Spokane 4/20 (JoI), 4 at Rooks Park Walla Walla 4/21 (MlD,MD)Black-throated Gray Warbler Early reports: 1 at Mount Pleasant Skamania 4/4 (WC), 1 at Dupont Pierce 4/7 (NSw), 2 at Magnuson Park King 4/8 (ScR)Hermit Warbler Rare locally: 1 at Davenport Lincoln 5/9 (JoI).

February-March 2017



Early reports: 1 near Lilliwaup Mason 4/19 (eBird), 3 at Mounts Rd, Dupont Pierce 4/21 (DDe,NSw), 1 at Mount Walker Jefferson 4/23 (DWg)Palm Warbler Rare in spring in WA: 1 at Hobuck Beach Clallam 5/1 (BWg,RyM), 1 at Point No Point Kitsap 5/4 (GO)BLACKPOLL WARBLER Rare in WA: 1 at Washtucna Adams 5/18 (RFl)MacGillivray’s Warbler Early reports: 1 west of Burley Kitsap 3/27 (HVo), 1 at Shelton Mason 4/12 (eBird), 1 at Nisqually NWR Thurston 4/13 (NSw), 1 at Green Mountain Kitsap 4/14 (GG,JAc), 1 at Leavenworth Chelan 4/16 (eBird)HOODED WARBLER Rare in WA: 1 at Neah Bay Clallam remained through 3/8 (DVHo)Wilson’s Warbler Early reports: 1 at Vashon Island King 4/13 (eBird), 1 at Theler Wetland Mason 4/14 (FM,JRi), 5 near Neah Bay Clallam 4/16 (RyM), 1 at Mount Vernon Skagit 4/16 (eBird), 1 at Skamokawa Wahkiakum 4/16 (AE), 1 at Green Mountain Kitsap 4/16 (BWg,GG), 18 near Neah Bay Clallam 4/19 (BcP). High counts: 143 near Neah Bay Clallam 4/25 (SAd), 44 at Juanita Bay King 5/11 (RyM)Yellow-breasted Chat Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/12 (John Bishop, Terry Anderson), 1 at Rockport Skagit 5/28 (GB), 1 at Cooper Point Thurston 5/29 (eBird)Green-tailed Towhee Rare in w WA: 1 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 5/15 (Susan Setterberg) to 5/16 (RFl,RH). Uncommon locally: 1 at Jasper Mountain W Walla Walla 5/28 (SDo)American Tree Sparrow Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Lake Terrell Whatcom 3/2 (eBird), 1 at Rockport Skagit 3/20 (GB) to 3/28 (RyM)Chipping Sparrow Early reports: 1 at Vancouver Clark 3/6 (SeH), 1 at Olympia Thurston 4/2 (TV). High count: 60 at Fort Lewis Pierce 4/28 (BL,NSw)Brewer’s Sparrow Uncommon in w WA: 1 at Vancouver Clark 4/13 to 4/14 and 5/2 (RK), 1 at Semiahmoo Whatcom 5/7 (NSa)Vesper Sparrow Reports from w WA included: 1 at Mount Vernon Skagit remained to 3/2 (RyM), 1 at Point Roberts Whatcom 4/18 (eBird), 1 at Acme Whatcom 5/13 (FL), 1 at Kendall Whatcom 5/14 (FL,NSa)Black-throated Sparrow Reports included: 1 near Hollebeke HMU Walla Walla 5/15 (AnN)Swamp Sparrow Reports included: 1 at Ridgefield NWR Clark 3/24 (eBird)White-throated Sparrow Reports included: 1 at West Seattle King 5/17 (Joan Miller)Harris’s Sparrow Reports included: 1 at Philleo Lake Spokane remained to 3/16 (JoI)“RED” FOX SPARROW Uncommon in WA: 1 at Corkindale Skagit 3/8 to 3/22 (RyM)Western Tanager Early reports: 1 north of Ardenvoir Chelan

4/16 (eBird), 1 at Cashmere Chelan 4/19 (DS)Rose-breasted Grosbeak Uncommon in WA: 1 at Lyman Skagit 5/21 (GB)Lazuli Bunting Uncommon locally: 1 at Theler Wetland Mason 5/13 (eBird) to 5/28 (RTa)INDIGO BUNTING Rare in WA: 1 at Mukilteo Snohomish 3/7 to 4/12 (Brad Bond)DICKCISSEL Rare in WA: 1 at Waatch River Clallam 5/26 (JSo,AAk)Tricolored Blackbird High count: 50 at Othello Adams 5/28 (DSg)Yellow-headed Blackbird High count for w WA: 35 at Monroe Snohomish 5/15 (SGi)Rusty Blackbird Reports included: 2 at Dodd Road Walla Walla 3/12 (MlD,MD)COMMON GRACKLE Rare in WA: 1 at Ellensburg Kittitas 3/29 (DeE)Brown-headed Cowbird High count: 120 at Point No Point Kitsap 4/23 (BWg)Bullock’s Oriole Early reports: 1 at Waatch River Clallam 4/14 (AAk), 1 at Marymoor Park King 4/21 (MiH,GO), 1 at Vancouver Clark 4/22 (RFl)Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Uncommon locally: 1 at Acme Whatcom 4/26 (NSa)Purple Finch Uncommon locally: 2 at Russell Creek Walla Walla 4/3 (MlD,MD)White-winged Crossbill Reports included: 30 at Ellensburg Kittitas 3/3 (WSz) with 6 remaining 3/12 (SGi), 1 at Cheney Spokane 5/30 (CrC)Common Redpoll Late report and rare locally: 1 at Tokeland Pacific 5/3 (eBird). Reports included: 40 at Othello Adams 3/18 (RH,MD), 2 at Potholes Grant 3/18 (MlD), 1 at Marymoor Park King 3/21 (eBird), 1 at Puyallup Pierce 3/26 to 3/27 (MBr)Lesser Goldfinch Reports from expanding range included: 2 at Centralia Lewis 3/28 (DaH), 1 at Cashmere Chelan 4/19 (DS), 1 at Renton King 4/20 (eBird), 6 at Sumner Pierce 4/24 (CWr,LWr), 2 at Hawk’s Prairie Thurston 5/15 to 5/31 (eBird)

AAk Adrianne Akmajian

ACh Alex Chmielebowski

ACt Adam Crutcher

AdW Andrea Warner

AE Andrew Emlen

AK Alan Knue

AnN Ann Nightingale

AS Andy Stepniewski

February-March 2017


Field Notes (continued)AxP Alex Patia

BbS Bob Schmidt

BcP Bruce Paige

BkL Becky Lyle

BL Bruce LaBar

BoB Bob Boekelheide

BPe Brian Pendleton

BrM Brien Meilleur

BS Bill Shelmerdine

BWf Barry Woodruff

BWg Brad Waggoner

CLy Christopher Lindsey

CMH Casey McHugh

CMk Cindy McCormack

CrC Craig Corder

CRi Carol Riddell

CWr Charlie Wright

CzH Chazz Hesselein

DaH Dave Hayden

DDe Denis Desilvis

DeE Deb Essman

DGr Denny Granstrand

DgW Doug Ward

DnE Dean Edwards

DP Dennis Paulson

DS Dan Stephens

DSg Dave Slager

DSu Doug Schurman

DVHo Denny Van Horn

DWg Dan Waggoner

DYQ Diane Yorgason-Quinn

eBird www.eBird.org

EKn Erik Knight

ErH Eric Heisey

ESw Ed Swan

EvH Evan Houston

FL Fanter Lane

FM Faye Hands

GB Gary Bletsch

GeH George Heleker

GG George Gerdts

GgT Gregg Thompson

GO Grace Oliver

GRe Gene Revelas

GW Gary Wiles

HHg Hank Heiberg

HMu Heather Murphy

HpA Hope Anderson

HVo Heather Voboril

IN Isaiah Nugent

JA Jim Acton

JAc Jamie Acker

JAm Josh Adams

JAn Jon Anderson

JB Jan Bragg

JBow John Bower

JDu Jim Duemmel

JDz Jim Danzenbaker

JeR Jeanelle Richardson

JGan Jan Gano

JGc John Gatchet

JGi Jeff Gilligan

JGl Joshua Glant

JGn Jordan Gunn

JGv Jenny Graevell

JKg Jen Kunitsugu

JoA John Allinger

JoI Jon Isacoff

JoM Joyce Meyer

JRi John Riegsecker

JSn Jen Sanford

JSo Jonathan Scordino

JSy Joe Sweeney

KaS Kathy Slettebak

KB Ken Brown

KBd Keith Brady

KBl Kevin Black

KKe Kraig Kemper

KSM Katie Messick

KvL Kevin Lucas

KWt Karen Wosilait

LN Laurie Ness

LnS Lonnie Somer

LSw Larry Schwitters

LWr Linnaea Wright

MBr Michael Brown

MCh Michael Charest

MD Mike Denny

MFM Mary Frances Mathis

MiH Michael Hobbs

MkC Mark Crawford

MkS Mark Stackhouse

MlD MerryLynn Denny

MSc Michael Scuderi

MtB Matt Bartels

MtD Matt Dufort

MY Matt Yawney

NSa Noah Sanday

NSw Nathaniel Swecker

PhW Phil Wegener

PKl Philip Kline

PL Paul Lehman

RFl Robert Flores

RH Randy Hill

RK Raymond Korpi

RKn Randy Knapp

RKo Russell Koppendrayer

RTa Rick Taylor

RVG R Victor Glick

RyA Ryan Abe

RyM Ryan Merrill

SAd Sharon Aagaard

ScR Scott Ramos

SDo Scott Downes

SeH Sherry Hagen

February-March 2017

February-March 2017

The most obvious difference between Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted Flickers is the color of their underwings. However, to report a Northern Flicker subspecies in eBird, it is important to examine the face, malar, nape, and the color of the shafts. To be a verified record, a report of a Yellow-shafted Flicker needs to include documentation that most or all of these characters were seen well in the field. Also, see the images at right illustrating these features. Take special note of Image 3 — this bird was first seen in flight when the yellow underwings were noted. It was suspected of being a Yellow-shafted since the malar looked very dark, but with a better view the observer realized it was dark red so the bird actually identifies as an intergrade.

Resources

Wiebe, Karen L. and William S. Moore. 2008. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu.ezproxy.spl.org:2048/bna/species/166a

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Living with Wildlife: Northern Flickers. http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/woodpeckers.html (this web page has additional references at the bottom of the page).

Northern Flickers (continued)

Male Red-shafted Flicker – gray face, clean gray nape, red shafts, and red malar.

Male Yellow-shafted Flicker showing brown face, red nape crescent, yellow shafts, and black malar.

Male intergrade flicker showing brown face, red nape crescent, and yellow shafts as in Yellow-shafted, but a red malar as in Red-shafted.

Ryan Merrill photos

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February-March 2017

Saturday April 8, 2017Pend Oreille County Leader: Terry Little

Description: Meeting at 7 a.m. at Eloika Lake in north Spokane County, we will travel north and spend most of the morning around Calispell Lake, focusing on water-fowl, particularly swans and geese. The afternoon will be spent on the east side of the Pend Oreille River, on the Kalispell Indian Reservation, again checking out the wa-terfowl. Snow Buntings possible. If time allows, we may go up to Sullivan Lake. You can never tell what’s hanging out up there. To sign up, email Terry at: [email protected]

Sunday April 9, 2017Whatcom County Northern CoastLeader: Joe Meche

Joe Meche will lead a field trip along the shoreline of northern Whatcom County, starting just south of the Cana-dian border.

We will meet at Marine Park in Blaine at 9 a.m. and explore the Blaine harbor/waterfront on foot. We will then carpool to the Semiahmoo Spit, with a few stops along the way. After a lunch break at Semiahmoo, we will take a walking tour of the spit before returning to our starting point in Blaine.

Species numbers can be very high with a possibility of four species of loons, grebes, all three scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, and a variety of other sea and bay ducks, large numbers of Brant and shorebirds, and raptors.

For more information and to sign up, contact Joe Meche at [email protected].

Sunday April 23, 2017 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.Pierce Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Skamania Co.Leaders: Bob Flores and Randy Hill

Explore Skamania County’s Pierce Lake National Wild-life Refuge during early spring migration. This will be a unique opportunity to access lands closed to the public. Species to be found will include residents and migrants

found within river riparian habitats. Species of interest that could be found include include Red-shouldered Hawk, American Dipper, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Say’s Phoebe, Western and Eastern Kingbird. This will be a walking trip on the refuge so be prepared with proper footwear and clothing. Bring food and water to meet your needs we will break for lunch on the refuge.

The group will meet at the Steigerwald Lake National Wild-life Refuge parking lot, Washougal, at 7 a.m. For additional information on the refuge visit the following website https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Pierce/.

For information and to sign up, contact Bob Flores by email at [email protected] or at (360) 771-8601.

Saturday April 29, 2017 – Limit 11Grays Harbor areaLeader: Brian H. Bell 425-485-8058 (206-619-0379 morning of trip only)

The northbound shorebird migration should be in full swing by the end of April. We’ll plan for a wide variety of shore-birds and will search out the best locations - but won’t pass over other nice birds. We’ll likely hit Bottle Beach, and depending on what is around Ocean Shores, Westport, or maybe Tokeland. Scopes essential, bring a Discover Pass if you have one. We’ll meet at 6 a.m. at the Newport Hills P&R (exit 9 off I-405) and carpool to three cars, bring lunch and fluids, probably a jacket (can be chilly at the coast, but who knows?). Email or call Brian ([email protected], 425-485-8058) to sign up.

Upcoming Field Trips (continued)

Golden-crowned Sparrow

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wosnews #165 february-march 2017wos.org/documents/wosnws/wosnews165.pdftreasurer’s report for...

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