El ORTH American Birds 5^^ lARTERLY JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGICAL RECORD PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION Volume 55; No. 2, 2001 • December 2000-February 2001 Winter Season E L CLASS THE ULTIMATE BIRDING GLASS... NO COMPROMISES NEW "E L Class" birding bino- culars represent a radical break- through in premium optical techno- logy from Swarovski Optik. In optical performance... wide field of view with great depth of focus, weight - 27.5 oz, close focus - 6 ft, and a nar- row tube "Grip-ability" for hand com- fort, perfection was achieved. No compromises were allowed in the E L Class design* or manufacture. Available in 8.5x42 and 10 X 42 spe- cifications, the new E L's have rugged, light weight magnesium alloy housings, and an entirely new optical system delivering extreme image sharpness and brilliant. neutral color trans- mission. There are no other birding binoculars on the planet as good as the new E L's from Swarovski. See what no compromising means for your birding. Call 800-426-3089 or visit our homepage: www.swarovskioptik.com for more information. ■patent applied for SWAROVSK! OPTIK WITH THE EYES OE A HAWK Swarovski Optik North America, Ltd., 2 Slater Road, Cranston, Rl 02920 CONTENTS Winter SeASONI December 2000 Through February 2001 NORTH AMERiCAN BIRDS • AMERICAN BIRDINO ASSOCIATION • VOLUME 55: NUMBER 2 • 2001 124 Editors’ Notebook 125 In Memoriam: Fred Scott Henry I Armistead • 127 Arctic Terns Nesting in Montana: First Modern Interior Breeding Records for the Lower 48 United States Stephen J. Dinsmore and Joel G. Jorgensen 132 Changing Seasons, Winter 2000-2001 Edward S. Brinkley 241 History of the Sage Grouse in Kansas Roger D. Applegate 242 Nominate Rock Sandpiper at Ocean Shores, Washington Tom Aversa The Regional Reports 141 144 146 151 156 160 163 167 169 172 175 179 C. Dwight Cooley Atlantic Provinces Brian Dalzell Quebec Pierre Bannon, Samuel Denault, Yves Aubry, and Normand David New England Pam Hunt Hudson-Delaware Joseph G. Burgiel, Robert 0. Paxton, and David A. Cutler Middle Atlantic Coast Marshal! J. Iliff Southern Atlantic Coast Ricky Davis Florida Bruce H. Anderson Ontario Hugh G. Currie Appalachia Robert C. Leberman *"■' Western Great Lakes Jim Granlund Middlewestern Prairie Kenneth J. Brock Central Southern 184 Prairie Provinces Rudolf F. Koes and Peter Taylor 186 Northern Great Plains Ron Martin 187 Southern Great Plains (Spring Migration 2000) Joseph A. Grzybowski 191 Southern Great Plains (the Nesting Season 2000) Joseph A. Grzybowski 193 Texas Chuck Sexton 198 Idaho- Western Montana David Trochlell 200 Mountain West Van A. Truan and Brandon K. Percivai 203 Great Basin Ted Floyd and Mark Stackhouse 206 Arizona Gary H. Rosenberg and Roy M. Jones 209 New Mexico Sartor 0. Williams III 212 Alaska Thede Tobish 215 British Columbia- Yukon Donald G. Ceclle 2 1 9 Oregon-Washington Steven MIodinow and Bill Tweit 223 Middle Pacific Coast Steven A. Glover, Scott B. Terrill, Daniel S. Singer, and Don Roberson 226 Southern Pacific Coast Guy icCaskie and Kimball L. Garrett 230 Baja California Peninsula Robert A. Hamilton, Richard A. Erickson, and Eduardo Palacios 232 Hawaiian Islands (the Winter Season 1999-2000) Robert L. Pyle and Peter Donaldson 234 Hawaiian Islands (the Winter Season 2000-2001) Robert L. Pyle and Peter Donaldson 236 West Indies Robert L. Norton and Anthony White 238 Central America H. Lee Jones 245 Pictorial Highlights On the cover: There was no question this season: the cover belonged to this incredible Greater Sandplover [Charadrius leschenaultii) found and identi- fied 29 January at Bolinas Lagoon, Marin County, California by Sue Abbott, Steve Howell, and others. It remained through the period and was seen by hun- dreds of birders, thanks to the generosity of local landowners. Photograph hy Peter La Tourrette. American Birding Association PRESIDENT Richard H. Payne VICE-PRESIDENT Wayne R. Petersen SECRETARY " Ann Stone TREASURER Dennis H. Lacoss BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kenneth P. Able Margaret J.C. Bain David M. Bird Lynda Brothers Jon L. Dunn Thomas J. Gilmore Bettie R. Harriman John C. Kricher Greg W. Lasley Michael Ord Richard H. Payne Father Tom Pincelli Harry Tow Gerald J. Ziarno EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paul Green FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Lynn Yeager CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION Lina DiGregorio CONVENTIONS AND CONFERENCES Ken Hollinga ADVERTISING Ken Barron GENERAL COUNSEL Daniel T. Williams Jr. PAST PRESIDENTS Allan R. Keith (1997-1999) Daniel T. Williams Jr. (1993-1997) Allan R. Keith (1989-1993) Lawrence G. Balch (1983-1989) Joseph W. Taylor (1979-1983) Arnold Small (1976-1979) G. Stuart Keith (1973-1976) G. Stuart Keith (1970 pro tern) North American Birds is published by the American Birding Association. The mission of the journal is to provide a complete overview of the changing panorama of our continent’s birdlife, including outstanding records, range extensions and contrac- tions, population dynamics, and changes in migration patterns or seasonal occurrence. PUBLISHER ABA / John C. Kricher EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS • PHOTO EDITOR Edward S. Brinkley Stephen J. Dinsmore Matthew F. Sharp Alvaro Jaramillo Paul E. Lehman . EDITORIAL AND SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD Kenneth P. Able, P. A. Buckley, Richard Cannings, Alan Contreras, Jon L. Dunn, Matt T. Heindel, Kevin T. Karlson, Jon King, Tony Leukering, Joseph Morlan, Michael O’Brien, Kenneth V. Rosenberg, P. William Smith, Richard R. Veit, David Wingate, Alan Wormington REGIONAL EDITORS Bruce H. Anderson, Yves Aubry, Margaret J. C. Bain, Pierre Bannon, Kenneth J. Brock, Joseph C. Burgiel, Steven W. Cardiff, Donald G. Cecile, C. Dwight Cooley, Hugh G. Currier, David A. Cutler, Brian Dalzell, Normand David, Ricky Davis, Samuel Denault, Peter Donaldson, David H. Elder, Walter G. Ellison, Richard A. Erickson, Ted Floyd, Kimball Garrett, Jeff Gilligan, Steven A. Glover, Jim Granlund, Joseph A. Grzybowski, Robert A. Hamilton, Theo Hofmann, Pam Hunt, Marshall J. Iliff, Greg D. Jackson, H. Lee Jones, Roy Jones, Rudolf F. Koes, Greg W. Lasley, Robert C. Leberman, Gerard Lillie, Mark Lockwood, Bruce Mactavish, Nancy L. Martin, Ron E. Martin, Blake Maybank, Guy McCaskie, Ian A. McLaren, Steven G. Mlodinow, B. Mac. Myers, Robert L. Norton, Eduardo Z. Palacios, Robert O. Paxton, Brandon K. Percival, Simon Perkins, Wayne R. Petersen, Bill Pranty, Robert D. Purrington, Robert L. Pyle, Don Roberson, Gary H. Rosenberg, Willie Sekula, Chuck Sexton, Cliff Shackelford, Michael G. Shepard, Daniel S. Singer, Mark Stackhouse, Stephen J. Stedman, Peder Svingen, Peter Taylor, Scott B. Terrill, Bill Tice, Thede G. Tobish Jr., David Trochlell, Van A. Truan, Bill Tweit, Phillip A. Wallace, Ron Weeks, Anthony W. White, Sartor O. Williams III GRAPHIC DESIGN PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Weaver Design Melissa Fivecoat-Borger CIRCULATION TECHNICAL REVIEWERS Carissa Pigott Marshall J. Illiff Steven G. Mlodinow Bill Pranty North American Birds (ISSN 1525-3708) (USPS 872-200) is published quarterly by the American Birding Association, Inc., 720 West Monument Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904-3624. Periodicals postage paid at Colorado Springs, Colorado, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: return postage guaranteed; send address changes and POD forms 3579 to North American Birds, PO Box 6599, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80934-6599. Subscription prices: $30/year (US) and US$35/year (Canada). Copyright © 2001 by the American Birding Association, Inc., all rights reserved. Printed by Publishers Printing, Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of each contributing writer and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the American Birding Association or its management. ABA is not responsible for the quality of products or services advertised in North American Birds, unless the products or services are being offered directly by the Association. GST Registration No. R1 35943454. 122 North American Birds Tropical Bird Ecology with John Kricher January 7-14, 2002 Chan Chich, Belize Shorebirds with Wayne Petersen August 5-12, 2001 /August 4-11, 2002 Sackville, New Brunswick Fall Warblers with Jon Dunn and Kimball Garrett August 27-Sept. 2, 2001/August 26-Sept. 1, 2002 Leamington, Ontario WORKSHOPS FOR BIRDERS I Institute for Field Ornithology 1 American Birding Association j PO Box 6599, Colorado Springs, CO 80934-6599 I 800/850-2473 ext. 233 I http://americanbirdmg.org/programs/eduifawksp.htm " AviSys" 4.57 /or Windows As Simple As You Wish ~ As Powertui As You Need Palm Support! Clements’ 2000 World Taxonomy! The Leader A Giant Step Ahead Of All The Rest AviSys is a fuil-featured worldwide database and reporting system for serious bird- ers. It can be enhanced by adding the Official Shawneen Finnegan Worldwide Na- tion Checklist Add-On (as provided in BirdArea by Santa Barbara Software Prod- ucts), providing the most authoritative, highest quality, and most up-to-date check- lists of the 254 nations of ths world. The checklists are tightly and seamlessly inte- grated with AviSys, providing beautiful screen and printed output with seen, seen- in-nation, and endemic markers, and instant worldwide nation-by-nation range query for any species. AviSys produces seen reports, checklists and hit lists of any na- tion or state, any group of nations or states, and all ABA Regions and Areas. You can instantly reduce the on-screen list from a world or NA list to the checklist of any nation, state, county, wildlife refuge, etc., whether provided by AviSys or cre- ated by you. Deal with only the birds you need. Rotate through modes instantly. One AviSys user wrote: “OUTSTANDING! I have been a computer professional for over 30 years and must congratulate you on generating state-of-the-art, convenient to use, effi- cient and reliable software." Another says: “AVISYS IS A BLAST!” Precisely our objective. ^ Unlimited Number of Lists; all major geographic lists automatically updated. Example: assigning a sighting to your yard also updates your City, County, State, Nation, Continent, worldwide ABA Area, worldwide ABA Region, and Life lists. * Full ABA N.A. Checklist, Clements World Checklist, and Official Tony White State/Province Checklists, all fully integrated with screen and report facilities. * The Fastest, Easiest and Most Flexible sighting entry— just click on the birds. AviSys has absolutely unmatched search facilities, including World Band Codes! * Unlimited Reporting and Listing by date range, season, geography, species, habitat, behavior, sex, nesting status, heard-only, photographed, key-words, etc. ^ Census Spreadsheets for population, sighting, CBC, and ornithology studies. ^ Palm PDA data entry support (opt.) ~ comprehensive, powerful, quick, easy! Free! NABA Butterfly, Dragonfly, Reptile/Amphibian, and Mammal data sets! * BirdBase users - ask for our free comprehensive data conversion facility. Visit our web site at: www.avisys.net Orders or info, call 1-800-354-7755 - 24 hours - MCA/ISA AviSys 4.57 for Windows 95/98/3.1 /NT/2000 ~ $99.95 ~ S&H $4.00 Nation Checklist Add-On (BirdArea) ~ $59.95 ~ (S&H $4.00 if ordered separately) 60 day money back ~ Perceptive Systems, PO Box 3530, Silverdale, WA 98383 Fast as a Falcon ~ Powerful as an Eagle ~ Friendly as a Chickadee BIRDING TOURS 2d@2 Call or write for itineraries more than 100 departures worldwide Thailand January 19-February 8, 2002 Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge January 17-26, 2002 Jewels of Ecuador: Hummers, Tanagers & Antpittas January 26-February 12, 2002 Panama’s Canopy Tower February 21-28, 2002 March 1-8, 2002 Bhutan March 15-April 1, 2002 Big Bend, The Davis Mountains & Hill Country April 26-May 5, May 3-12, 2002 Alaska May 30“ June 8, 2002 June 7-17, Finland & Arctic Norway June 1 2002 800-728-4953 9433 BEE CAVE ROAD BUILDING 1, SUITE 150 AUSTIN, TX 78733 www.fieldguides.com fieldguides@fieldguides.com Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 123 Editors’ Notebook There is scarcely space enough in the journal to thank and acknowledge the outgoing team of editors, Michael Patten and Kevin Karlson, much less to enumerate all of their good offices since 1999. Michael, together with Virginia Maynard, has streamlined the process of submis- sion of articles, photographs, and regional reports, and devised a rapid method for returning review pages to authors and editors. Michael and Virginia also produced a polished Style Manual for regional editors, which has resulted in a consistency of form and style well received by readers. Michael convinced editors from Belize to Baja California to join the North American Birds famOy, and their regional reports from Central America and Mexico’s westernmost states have been of the highest cali- bre. Most importantly, Michael instituted and has maintained the high- est standards for peer review of articles submitted, and this has borne fruit in some of the best articles, one daresay, the journal has ever pub- lished. Happily, Virginia Maynard will stay on to assist with maps and graphs and Bill Pranty will stay on as Technical Reviewer, joined by Steven G. Mlodinow, regional editor from the Oregon- Washington Region, and Marshall J. Iliff, regional editor from the Middle Atlantic Region, in this invaluable service. Everyone at the ABA has welcomed the new editing team warmly in the past several weeks, and all have expressed a strong commitment to the suc- cess of North American Birds as a journal. Doing yeoman’s duty as Photo Editor will be Matthew F. Sharp, who is also a staff member at VIREO (Visual Resources in Ornithology) at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Coming on board as Associate Editors will be Stephen J. Dinsmore, Alvaro Jaramillo, and Paul E. Lehman. Steve, Alvaro, and Paul will be well known to most readers; their coverage of a range of fields with- in both birding and field ornithology — on both coasts and in the conti- nent’s center — will bring both depth and breadth to the journal’s editing resources. We are delighted to announce, too, that our coverage in Mexico will begin soon, with Hector Gomez de SUva as Regional Editor for all of Mexico except the Baja California peninsula. Subregional editors for vari- ous regions and states are stiU being sought but should be in place shortly. Contact Hector, whose reports will begin with the Spring Migration 2001 season, by email at hgomez@miranda.ecologia.unam.mx — or by regular mail at Institute De Ecologia, UNAM; Xola 314-E; 03100 - Mexico, D.E; MEXICO. At last, a place to send your significant sightings in Mexico! There are hundreds of good ideas circulating among regional editors and contributors, among ABA staff people and Board members, for improvement and strengthening of the journal, but I would like to make a plea to readers of this column to send in your own thoughts and ideas (to ensifera@aol.com). We, the Associate Editors, Photo Editor, and Editor, will weigh and respond to every piece of mail we receive. We welcome, as always, the submission of articles of all stripes: North American Birds gen- erally publishes articles on changes in bird distribution; on bird migration; on records of vagrants; on particular species or groups of birds and their patterns of breeding and movement; and on birds’ relations to oceano- graphic and atmospheric phenomena. Together with the editing teams at Birding magazine and Winging It newsletter, we will be happy to suggest the most productive venue for publication of any bird-related material. A popular male Cape May Warbler frequented Stinson Beach, Marin County, California from New Year’s Day into March. Photograph by Rich Stallcup. even if one of the ABA publications is not able to publish the material. North American Birds in all its incarnations has always been a chal- lenging undertaking: even five and six decades ago, there were calls to the subscribership to help boost the distribution of Bird-Lore and Audubon Field Notes. The number of people contributing to the base of data on North America’s birds has grown steadily over the twentieth century, and continues to grow in the twenty-first, but the percentage of the birding population that feels the need to know more about their own areas, and particularly in a continental context, has never been enormous. The challenge of producing North American Birds continues, as more and more modern birders turn to the Internet as the source for current information on bird distribution and vagrants. No journal, of course, can compete in timeliness with the near-instantaneous dissemination of material in electronic form. But North American Birds by no means pales in comparison to that medium: the journal offers a synopsis, region by region, of an entire season, compiled and composed by veteran observers and editors who have worked hard to separate the wheat from the chaff and give narrative form to the truly significant finds and trends of the sea- son. These regional reports offer analyses found nowhere on the Internet, and they have for many decades comprised a sort of “gold standard” in the evaluation of birders’ and ornithologists’ discoveries in the field. In turn, birders and ornithologists who read the regional reports come to com- prehend more clearly the relative weight of their own discoveries. Most of the nearly 5000 people who subscribe to North American Birds at present can be considered birding’s vanguard in North America (and abroad); most of us have kept up our subscriptions, through thick and thin, because we consider the regional reports to be an indispensa- ble part of our lives as birders and ornithologists. We have grown, intel- lectually, with and through North American Birds, and in many cases, we’ve grown up with it. In living our lives through birds, we rely on the journal and look forward to its appearance in the mailbox. It is a repos- itory for our own records and findings and a means of enjoying and learning from the discoveries of others who are like-minded. It is a means and source of communication, of amazement and aesthetic appreciation, even of comfort, an ornithological journal that has never lost its contact with the enormous cadre of amateurs from which the study sprang. Please let us know your thoughts on this journal for this and future issues. — Edward S. (Ned) Brinkley, Editor 124 North American Birds In Memoriam Frederic R. Scott, III March 1, 1928-ApriI 25, 2001 When Rich Stalkup’s photograph of the male Cape May Warbler near Bolinas, California, arrived, the mind’s eye turned instantly to that singu- lar image of a male Cape May Warbler in a Flowering Dogwood that blazed forth from the cover o/ American Birds in September 1978. Birding was smaller then, perhaps more intimate or more native, and so many who received that issue in the mail were undone by it. It captured the spirit of spring, that elusive aesthetic language that draws so many birders back into the field with an almost feverish intensity. I recall Fred Scott, then Regional Editor for the Middle Atlantic, praising that sublime photograph, in words characteristically well-chosen. As this issue goes to press in the first week of May, the dogwoods are in bloom, and warblers of many sorts forage among them, but a lion, one of our own, has passed away. Frederic R. Scott, “Fred” to everyone who knew him, served as Audubon Field Notes’ Editor for the Middle Atlantic Coast region with Julian K. Potter from the first issue of Volume 12 (fall 1957) to the first issue of Volume 14. From winter 1959-1960 to spring 1975, David A. Cutler wrote the regional report with Fred, who was responsible for most of the Virginia material. With the redefinition in 1975 of the reporting regions (Delaware became part of the Hudson-Delaware region), Scott became sole editor of the Middle Atlantic region for American Birds, a region that includes the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of Maryland and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia. He served in this capacity through the fall of 1979, his successor being Henry T. Armistead of Philadelphia, who remembers him here. — Ed. Fred Scott was one of my most important birding mentors. When after 23 years he stepped down as Middle Atlantic Coast Editor of American Birds, I was flabbergasted when he and Chan Robbins recom- mended me as his successor. But I swallowed hard, and tried harder, and this was probably the best thing to happen to me in my “career” as an amateur ornithologist. I lasted 14 years, and after 265,000 or so words, I thought the column was overdue for some new blood. Another mentor and friend, David A. Cutler, who shared the column with Fred for years, once said to me: “Fred Scott. There is a professional editor.” Fred had a lifelong interest in Virginia’s avifauna and in particular the birds of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. In his earliest years of birding in the 1940s, Fred would bicycle for a very full day from the West End of Richmond to the Curies Neck farming communities, a distance of some 40 miles round-trip; he kept records of every bird he saw then. After tak- ing his B. S. in biology from Hampden-Sydney College in 1950, he earned his M.A. from the University of Michigan in 1952. That year, he started the Chincoteague Christmas Bird Count centered on that refuge back even before there was a bridge linking it to Assateague Island (and before there was a bridge to the Eastern Shore of Virginia). He compiled that count, in two years with help from Claudia V^/'ilds, until 1990. He had founded the Hopewell, Virginia C.B.C. in 1944 at age 26 and was its compiler for 40 years. He also did early C.B.C.s in such places as remote Cobb Island, the Chesapeake Bay mouth (by the old ferry system), and Cape Charles. Sitting in the dining room of the Tour-Inns Motor Lodge at Kiptopeke one early fall day, Fred and friends observed through the Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 125 motel windows a flood of flickers, warblers, and other migrants passing north along the bluff. This moment — the first inkling of the enormity of the autumn bird passage at this site (and of “reverse migration” here) — was the inspiration for the start of the Kiptopeke landbird banding sta- tion that Fred, Walter P. Smith, Mike and Dorothy Mitchell, Charles W. Hacker, John H. Grey, Paul W. Sykes, and others began in September 1963 in cooperation with the national program Operation Recovery. Fred was the station’s Director until Walter Smith took over in 1985. Kiptopeke has been in continuous operation since 1963, with well over 260,000 birds of over 180 species banded. There is now a major raptor banding station and a raptor census station as well. Without Fred’s fore- sight, energies, and pioneering interest, these operations might not have flourished as they have for the past nearly four decades. Fred was a big man, tall, with an impressive bearing, a ruddy, bald head but always with a twinkle in his eye and a gift for playful, sardonic humor and good will. I remember watching his large hands deftly and gently handle delicate kinglets at the banding station, just as deftly as he would later pop nuts into his mouth at Happy Hour in Walter Smith’s room at the Edgewood Motel on fall afternoons after a day’s banding. One time, when I was servicing mist nets at Kiptopeke, I saw in the dis- tance what looked like an enormous flicker lying in the trammels. A closer inspection revealed a rubber chicken waiting for its band. I was not sur- prised when I learned how it got there. A bon vivant, Fred once took me in his Boston Whaler to Tangier Island in the central Chesapeake Bay. At noon, after we had surveyed various small islands and tumps, some with small tern colonies, he observed the call for whiskey and a cigar under a blazing July sun while I favored pepperoni, salami, and other salty, fat-filled yiina^Strr/ !jou 1 RO. BOX 196 PUtNETARIUM STATION NEW YORK, NY 10024 U.S.A. (212) 866-7923 “the greatest operator of ornithological tours on earth” Arthur Frommer our^ Asia Specialists website: www.kingbirdtours.com email: kingbirdtours@earthiink.net foods. He appreciated my jest that Tangier should do an Environmental Impact Statement in the aftermath of our repast. Once at dinner at Paul’s Restaurant in Cheriton I remember Ustening to Fred hold forth on all the different kinds of German and other sausages he had savored on a recent European trip; he went on for 10 minutes or more. (He and fellow Kiptopeke banders were responsible for making the Crab Imperial the birder’s meal of choice at Paul’s for decades.) Fred loved classical music; though not a musician, he was member of the Musicians’ Club, of the orig- inal Chamber Music Society, and of the Richmond Chamber Players. He helped find a home for Richmond’s only classical music station at Union Theological Seminary’s former building. He was an urbane man without airs from a sophisticated city. Fred’s contributions to the ornithology of the mid-Atlantic, beyond his 41 regional reports in Audubon Field Notes and American Birds, were many, leading the Ust over 80 scholarly contributions published in the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s journal The Raven, his earliest being an essay on the 1953 spring migration in Virginia. He wrote on Bachman’s Warbler in Virginia, on nesting Red Crossbills on Shenandoah Mountain and the great crossbill invasion of 1963-1964, on summering Golden- winged Warbler and Black-capped Chickadee, as well as on vagrants he found, such as a Western Grebe on the York River in 1963. His subjects ranged from Appalachia and the Shenandoah Valley to the barrier islands of the Eastern Shore, still very remote territory in mid-century. After 15 years as Associate Editor under J. J. Murray (1955-1969), Ered assumed the Editorship of The Raven for issues from September 1969 until 1988, and he served as Editor Emeritus throughout the 1990s. He worked for the V.S.O. in countless other capacities, leader of field trips, organizer and compiler of bird counts and forays, and editor of Christmas Bird Count data, in which he was suc- ceeded by Teta Kain, also his successor as Raven edi- tor and compiler of the Chincoteague C.B.C. He was instrumental in helping to get Virginia’s breed- ing bird atlas off the ground and himself conducted many breeding bird surveys. Ered, along with Jackson Abbott and others, carefully documented the decline of Bald Eagles in Virginia through cen- suses in the 1960s and 1970s. He served on the Governor’s Task Force for Caledon State Park, a cru- cial site for the protection of eagles. His efforts on their behalf were recognized with an award from the National Audubon Society in 1983. But his productivity in the literature on birds and in bird conservation hardly defined Fred for his friends. It was his gentlemanly demeanor, his gre- gariousness, his powerful laugh and discerning sense of humor that won over three generations of Atlantic birders and ornithologists. With Dr. Mitchell A. Byrd, Fred surely shares the accolade: dean of Virginia ornithology. He was in the finest BHUTAN I sense a professional amateur ornithologist. He is 5-28 April and will be missed. 2002 BIRDING TOURS VIETNAM North, South 3-27 January THAILAND North, Central, Peninsular 5-27 January PHILIPPINES Luzon, Mindanao, Cebu, Palawan, Bohol, Negros 1 February -4 March NE INDIA Arunachal Pradesh, Assam 8-31 March 2001 BIRDING TOUR NORTH BURMA HIMALAYAN EXPEDITION 3 November- 2 December INDONESIA #1 Sumatra 31 May- 23 June INDONESIA #2 Greater Sundas Java, Bali 28 June-21 July WEST CHINA Sichuan (Szechuan) Panda Reserves 3- 27 May MALAYSIA Malaya, Borneo (Mt. Kinabalu) 4- 26 May Rest in peace, Fred. — Henry T. Armistead North American Birds Volume 55, Number 2 is ded- icated to the memory of Frederic R. Scott, III. 126 North American Birds Arctic Terns Nesting in Montana First Modern Interior Breeding Records for the Lower 48 United States Stephen J. Dinsmore 612 1/2 West Magnolia Street Fort Coliins, Colorado 80521 (dinsmore@laniar.colostate.edu) Joel G. Jorgensen 1218 Jackson Street Blair, Nebraska 68008 Abstract The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a circumpolar species that breeds throughout Arctic regions of the northern hemisphere and winters at sea in southern hemisphere oceans. During migration, the species is highly pelagic, although a few individuals regularly occur inland on migration. Arctic Terns are rare vagrants in the Great Plains, with apparent migrants accounting for all previous records. Here we report the occurrence of nesting Arctic Terns in 1998, 1999, and 2000 at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge in north-central Montana and comment on the status of the species elsewhere in the Great Plains. Distribution Arctic Terns are widespread breeders across tundra regions of the Arctic (Cramp 1985). They nest on open tundra, mostly above 50° N latitude and farther north than any other tern species (Cramp 1985). The south- ern limits of their breeding range in North America lie in northern British Columbia, northeastern Alberta, northwestern Saskatchewan, northern Manitoba, northern Ontario, eastern Quebec, and Nova Scotia (Godfrey 1966, American Ornithologists’ Union 1998). A few breed along the Atlantic Coast south to Massachusetts (Veit and Petersen 1993) and along the Pacific Coast south to Washington (American Ornithologists’ Union 1998). There are four breeding records for Wisconsin between 1871 and 1891 (Kumlien and Hollister 1903, Robbins 1991), but none of these is mentioned in a more recent reference (American Ornithologists’ Union 1998). We are aware of no other inte- rior breeding records of Arctic Tern for the Lower 48 United States. There is also one report of an Arctic Tern hybridizing with a Forster’s Tern (S. forsteri) along the central California coast (Roberson et al. 1999). Arctic Terns undertake one of the longest migrations of any bird species — approaching 35,000 km annually — as they travel between their Arctic breeding grounds and their wintering grounds, as far south as 74° S lati- tude in southern oceans (Bent 1963). Most are thought to winter in Antarctic pack ice between 55° E and 155° E longitude (Cramp 1985). Breeding Biology Arctic Terns typically breed in coastal areas and on islands, although some nest at a variety of inland sites associated with larger lakes and rivers. They nest in a wide range of open habitats including beaches, dunes, sand spits, low islands, and marshy tundra, always near water (Godfrey 1966). They may nest either colonially or in isolated pairs (Godfrey 1966), sometimes with other species of gulls (Larus spp.) and Common Terns (S. hirundo) or Aleutian Terns (S. aleutka) (Hawksley 1957). The breeding season extends from early May through July; nest initiation is earliest at southern latitudes and progressively later at more northerly latitudes (Bent 1963). Mean clutch size for Arctic Terns is 2 eggs; one- and 3-egg clutches are less frequent (Bent 1963, Baicich and Harrison 1997, Robinson et al. 2001). Eggs are laid at intervals of one- two days, and incubation may begin with either the first or second egg (Bent 1963). Incubation is typically 20-22 days (Godfrey 1966, Baicich and Harrison 1997). Nest success varies temporally and geographically, with an average nest success of about 70% (see Cramp 1986). After hatching, the semi-precocial young remain near the nest, where both parents tend them; they fledge at 19-24 days (Cramp 1985, Baicich and Harrison 1997). Young birds remain dependent upon the adults for up to two months after fledging (Cramp 1985). Most Arctic Terns do not breed until age four, though some begin breeding as early as two years and some as late as five (Cramp 1985). Evidence of Breeding in IVIontana On 14 June 1998 we were conducting a shorebird survey at Bowdoin National Wfldlife Refuge in Phillips County, Montana. This 6300-hectare refuge is located 1 1 km east of Malta and contains a variety of habitats including a large freshwater lake with extensive marshes and surround- ing grasslands. At 1108 MDT we saw an adult Arctic Tern (Fig. 1) at the southeast end of Lake Bowdoin. At approximately 1215, we noted a sec- ond adult, and we studied and photographed both birds until 1235. Both North American Birds 5 5:1 27- 1 3 1 127 Fig. 1 . Arctic Tern in flight at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Montana, 14 June 1998. Photo by Stephen J. Dinsmore. Fig. 2. Arctic Terns in courtship at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Montana, 1 7 June 1 998. Photo by Stephen J. Dinsmore. birds were alternately foraging along the lakeshore and resting on a nearby sandbar with several Common Terns. The combination of a shorter, blood-red bill, contrasting white cheek, dark gray belly, short-winged appearance, pale gray upperwing, pattern of narrow black edges to the undersides of the primaries, and higher- pitched call notes separated these birds from the Common Terns. When perched, the birds showed a distinctive short-legged, hunch- backed appearance. We suspected that the Arctic Terns probably arrived on southerly winds just prior to the passage of a cold front on 13 June. Arctic Terns are well known as late spring migrants, and we assumed both birds would resume their northward migration when the weather cleared. The mid- June date seemed nor- mal for a migrant Arctic Tern at this latitude, but we certainly did not anticipate that the terns would remain and nest. On 16 June, we returned to the location of our original sighting and were unable to relocate the terns. Later that day we found two adult Arctic Terns along the northeast shore of Lake Bowdoin, just east of Long Island. Although this location was approximately six km from our original sighting, we assumed they were the same terns we had seen on 14 June. The birds spent most of their time on a small rock and nearby sand spit. We again confirmed our origi- nal identification and took several additional photographs. On 17 June both adults were still at the same location east of Long Island. On this occasion we noted that the birds were actively courting (Fig. 2). The flight display consisted of a short chase by the male in typical stiff-winged flight, the wings held upward in a deep vee (Cramp 1986). The male brought several small (<5 cm) min- nows to the female. Although we cannot be cer- tain, the minnows appeared to be Fathead Minnows {Pimepahles promelas); Carp {Cyprinus carpio) and Brook Stickleback {Culaea incon- stans) also occur in Lake Bowdoin. The birds also spent considerable time on the small sand spit, although we did not observe nest building. Both adults were very territorial, and we watched them chase away Blue-winged Teal {Anas dis- cors), Killdeer {Charadrius vociferus), American Avocets {Recurvirostra americana), and Ring- billed Gulls {Larus delawarensis). Although it seemed highly improbable, we suspected the birds might attempt to nest. On 18 June, nest scraping and copulation were seen at this location (C. R. Carlson, pers. comm.). On our next visit on 20 June we found an adult Arctic Tern incubating a nest contain- ing one egg. A second adult was nearby, and a third adult was frequenting the southeastern shore of Lake Bowdoin. Both members of the 128 North American Birds Arctic Terns Nesting in Montana Fig. 3. Arctic Tern nest at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Montana, 3 July 1998. Photo by Stephen J. Dinsmore. Fig. 4. Arctic Tern nest site at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Montana, 3 July 1 999. Photo by Stephen J. Dinsmore. nesting pair were very vocal when we were near the nest. The nest was on a small sandbar less than one-half m above the waterline and con- sisted of a shallow scrape lined with pebbles and bits of vegetation. The nest and egg resembled those of a Common Tern (Dinsmore, pers. obs.) and were consistent with those of an Arctic Tern (Baicich and Harrison 1997). The nest con- tained two eggs when it was checked on 28 June and 3 July (Fig. 3). The nest was still being incu- bated on 6 July. Between 6 and 10 July, the nest was inundated by rising water levels. During this period, refuge staff elevated the nest in an unsuccessful attempt to save it from being flood- ed. Had the nest been successful, it should have hatched on approximately 10 July, assuming a normal incubation period. After the nest failed, the terns became much more difficult to locate, and our last sighting was of a single adult near the nest site on 5 August. On 30 May 1999, Dinsmore and David C. Ely observed a pair of adult Arctic Terns courting at the 1998 nest site. A third adult Arctic Tern was also present but did not engage in courtship activity. By 31 May the pair had constructed a nest within two m of the location of the 1998 nest. The nest contained two eggs on 4 June. On 22 June the nest was empty, and there was no sign of the adults, indicating that the nest had failed. On 3 July, Dinsmore and Ely discovered a second nest containing one egg approximately three km from the first nest (Fig. 4). A pair of Arctic Terns defended the nest and, once again, a third adult was seen nearby. We suspected this was a re- nesting attempt by the original pair. On 24 July the nest contained one egg and was defended by both adults. The egg was still pres- ent on 1 August, but we saw no sign of the adults. We concluded that the egg was probably infertile because it should have hatched no later than 25 July, assuming a normal incubation period. We observed both adults engaged in courtship activity on an adjacent island on 1 and 3 August but not thereafter. On 20 May 2000, Dinsmore and Aaron Brees observed a pair of Arctic Terns courting near the second 1998 nest site. We returned to this site on 24 June and discovered a nest containing two pipping eggs. At least two other adult Arctic Terns were nearby. Assuming a normal incuba- tion period, we calculated that this nest was ini- tiated sometime around 1 June. When we next visited the nest site on 1 July, we saw no evidence of the adults or young and concluded that the young had been depredated, if they had in fact hatched. The terns became much more difficult to locate thereafter, and our last sighting was of a single adult near the nest site on 21 July. Except for the geographic location, all of these nesting attempts were quite normal. All of Volume 5 5 ( 2 00 1 ), Number 2 129 the nests were on small gravel spits along the margin of a large freshwa- ter lake, much like the habitat used by Arctic Terns within their normal breeding range. The nest sites were very exposed and were not in taller vegetation like the nests of Common Terns (Dinsmore, pers. obs.). Our nest initiation dates of 1 June, 4 June, 20 June, and 3 July all fall within the normal range of dates listed by Bent (1963). To the best of our know- ledge, none of these nesting attempts was successful. It is possible that eggs from the 2000 nest hatched. It is interesting that these nesting Arctic Terns were not associated with the nesting colonies of Common or Forster’s Terns; their nests were a minimum of two km from the nearest Common Tern colony and four km from the nearest Forster’s Tern colony. Although they had the opportunity to nest among other species of Sterna, these Arctic Terns nested elsewhere. Status in the Great Plains Four species of smaO Sterna have occurred in the Great Plains: Common, Arctic, Forster’s, and Least (S. antillarum) Terns. In this article, we have defined the Great Plains region to include ten states (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico), but only the parts of those states lying east of the Continental Divide. Figure 5. Arctic Tern records in the Great Plains east of the Continental Divide. Three species of Sterna (Common, Forster’s, and Least) occur regu- larly in the Great Plains. Within this region. Common Tern breeds only in Montana and the Dakotas. In Montana, it is a locally common breed- ing bird, mainly in the northern half of the state (Montana Bird Distribution Committee 1996). In 1997 approximately 110 pairs nested on the Dry Lake unit of Bowdoin N.W.R., but fewer nested there in 1998, 1999, and 2000 (S. J. Dinsmore, pers. obs.). Forster’s Terns breeds more widely in in the Great Plains, from Montana and North Dakota south to Colorado, New Mexico and Kansas. In Montana, it breeds locally at scat- tered locations throughout the state (Montana Bird Distribution Committee 1996). Forster’s Tern is an uncommon migrant and rare and irregular breeder at Bowdoin N.W.R., with a few pairs nesting there most years. Least Terns breed locally in every state in the Great Plains except Wyoming and New Mexico, mainly along the Missouri, Platte, and Arkansas River drainages and in coastal Texas. In Montana, it breeds very locally along the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers in extreme eastern Montana (Montana Bird Distribution Committee 1996). Arctic Terns are rare vagrants in the Great Plains, although records have increased over the past few years. We located 27 records for the Great Plains (Table 1, Figure 5; we excluded a marine record from Texas). These data indicate that Arctic Tern is a rare spring (14 May-20 June; 9 records) and fall (11 July- 14 October; 16 records) migrant, with no evidence of breeding. Two records (28 June in Montana and 3 July in New Mexico) defy classification and could represent late spring migrants, non-breeding birds summering south of the regular breeding range, or early fall migrants. The only records of summering birds are from Montana (three records, this paper). It may be noteworthy that records from the eastern part of the Great Plains tend to be in spring, while more westerly records tend to be in autumn. Based on the available Great Plains data, there was no rea- son to believe that breeding was even remotely likely in the Great Plains or, more specifically, in Montana. First, the clos- est known breeding locales to Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge are in Puget Sound, Washington (approximately 1300 km to the west) and northern Saskatchewan (approximately 1350 km to the north). Second, all records from the summer months appear to be of migrants that remained at a site for no more than a few days, except for old breeding records from Wisconsin. One may speculate that records of Arctic Terns in the Great Plains will continue to increase as birders make a more con- certed effort to find them during migration. In the absence of other breeding data from the Lower 48 and adjacent southern Ganada, however, we see no reason to expect a similar increase in breeding records. How long Arctic Terns continue to breed at this site in Montana will be a subject of continued interest. Acknowledgments We thank Charles R. Carlson for providing us with informa- tion from an 18 June 1998 visit and helping us to identify the possible fish species in Lake Bowdoin. David C. Ely and Tim T. Hanks helped monitor the 1999 nesting attempts and Aaron Brees helped monitor the 2000 nesting attempt. James W. Arterburn, Peter Grant, BOl Howe, Bill Lisowsky, Ron Martin, W. Ross Silcock, and Sartor O. Williams, III, helped us locate Arctic Tern records in the Great Plains region. W. Ross Silcock and Marshall Iliff carefully read and edited the manuscript of this paper and much improved it. 130 North American Birds Arctic Terns Nesting in Montana Literature Cited American Ornithologists’ Union. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds, seventh ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D. C. Andrews, R., and R. Righter. 1992. Colorado Birds. Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO. Baicich, R J., and C. J. O. Harrison. 1997. A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds, second ed. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. Bent, A. C. 1963. Life Histories of North American Gulls and Terns. Dover Publications Inc., New York, NY. Conry, J. A., and B. E. Webb. 1982. An extant specimen of Arctic Tern from Colorado. Western Birds 13: 37-38. Cramp, S. 1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, vol. 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Godfrey, W. E. 1966. Birds of Canada. National Museum of Canada, Ottawa. Kumlien, L., and N. Hollister. 1903. The Birds of Wisconsin. Bulletin of the Wisconsin Natural History Society 3: 1-143. Montana Bird Distribution Committee. 1996. P. D. Skaar’s Montana Bird Distribution, fifth ed. Special Publication No. 3., Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena. Olsen, K. M., and H. Larsson. 1995. Terns of Europe and North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N}. Robbins, S. D., Jr. 1991. Wisconsin Birdlife. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. Roberson, D., S. C. Rottenborn, S. B. Terrill, and D. S. Singer. 1999. Middle Pacific Coast region. North American Birds 53: Table 1. Records of Arctic Terns in the Great Plains (only locations east of the Continental Divide). Date(s) Number Location Reference Montana 28 June 1994 1 adult Lebo L., Wheatland Co. Field Notes 48:957 14 June-5 August 1998 3 adults Bowdoin N.W.R., Phillips Co. Field Notes 52:471, 518, this article 30 May-3 August 1999 3 adults Bowdoin N.W.R., Phillips Co. North American Birds 53:294, this article 20 May-21 July 2000 4 adults Bowdoin N.W.R., Phillips Co. North American Birds 54:297 North Dakota 20 June 1902 1 adult Stump L., Nelson Co. R. Martin pers. comm. 20 June 1993 1 adult Minot sewage lagoons. Ward Co. American Birds 47:1121 14 May 1994 2 adults Grand Forks lagoons. Grand Forks Co. Field Notes 48:312 South Dakota 16-17 May 1999 1 adult Oahe dam, Stanley/Hughes Co. North American Birds 53:294 Wyoming 11 July 1992 1 adult Soda L., Casper, Natrona Co. American Birds 46:1 158 14 October 1997 1 juvenile Yellowstone National Park, Teton Co. Field Notes 52:98 Nebraska 20 September 2000 1 adult Lake Minatare, Scotts Bluff Co. S. J. Dinsmore pers. obs. Colorado 16 September 1912 1 adult Windsor, Weld Co. Conry and Webb { 1982) 11-12 September 1979 1 adult Union Reservoir, Weld Co. Andrews and Righter ( 1992) 12 June 1991 1 adult Adobe Creek Reservoir, Kiowa/Bent Co. Andrews and Righter (1992) 9 June 1992 1 adult Nee Noshe Reservoir, Kiowa Co. B. Lisowsky pers. comm. 20 September 1997 1 juvenile Lower Latham Reservoir, Weld Co. Field Notes 52:98 5 October 1999 1 adult Union Reservoir, Weld Co. North American Birds 54:81 23 September 2000® 1 adult Big Johnson Reservoir, El Paso Co. P. Gent pers. comm. 29 September 2000® 1 adult Pueblo Reservoir, Pueblo Co. P. Gent pers. comm. 5-11 October 2000® 1 juvenile Union Reservoir, Weld Co. P. Gent pers. comm. 7-10 October 2000® 2 juveniles Chatfield Reservoir, Jefferson Co. P. Gent pers. comm. Kansas No records Oklahoma 26 May 2000 1 adult Lake Yahola, Tulsa Co. North American Birds 55:193 25 September 2000 1 juvenile Lake Oologah, Rogers Co. J. W. Arterburn pers. comm. 10 October 2000 1 juvenile Lake Flefner, Oklahoma Co. J. W. Arterburn pers. comm. 14 October 2000® 1 adult Lake Hefner, Oklahoma Co. J. W. Arterburn pers. comm. Texas 5-7 June 1997 1 adult McNary Reservoir, Hudspeth Co. Field Notes 51:1021 New Mexico 23 September 1991 1 juvenile Santa Rosa Reservoir, Guadalupe Co. American Birds 46: 301 28 September 1995 1 adult, 1 juvenile Majcwell NWR, Colfax Co. Field Notes 50:94 3 July 1997 1 adult Elephant Butte L., Sierra Co. Field Notes 51:1054, 1064 15 May 1998 1 adult Brantley L., Eddy Co. Field Notes 52:369, 370 428~43 1 . ^ Pending acceptance by the state’s records committee. Robinson, J. A., K. C. Hamer, and L. S. Chivers. 2001. Contrasting brood sizes in Common and Arctic Terns: The roles of food provisioning rates and parental brooding. Condor 105: 108-117. Veit, R. R., and W. R. Petersen. 1993. Birds of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Audubon Society, Lincoln, MA. — Received 14 February 2001; Accepted 4 May 2001. Volume 5 5 ( 2 00 1 ), Number 2 131 The Changing Seasons: Winter 2000-2001 Hawk owls, hummingbirds, and hardies Writers faced with summarizing the continent’s birds’ and birders’ activities in these pages — or “the luckless inheritors of this space” as Bill Robertson (1975) once called Changing Seasons colum- nists— sometimes invoke at the outset what Harold Bloom termed the “anxiety of influence,” that writerly fear that whatever is written will suffer poorly in comparison to the great volume of text that precedes and looms over it. David Muth (1999) was right when he wrote that after Kenn Kaufman’s myriad analyses, careful critiques, and sallies into speculation, the Changing Seasons had become a column that challenges and permits its authors to do more than summarize the season: it allows digressions, even daring, and Muth’s own aplomb refreshed the column instantly. Michael Patten (1998) had refined the column still more by transforming what had been largely a journalistic endeavor into a careful scientific forum, much as Kimberly Smith (1977) had done, complete with an exten- sive set of references to the current scientific literature. Readers wanting to know more about greenhouse warming, El Nino/Southern OsciUation, or the latest on bird migration could continue their thinking through these well-selected references. In turn, Tony Leukering’s recent Changing Seasons (2001) combined all the best aspects of past columns: seasonal analysis, updates on the state of laboratory ornithology, and exhortations to caution and precision in our field work and record-keeping. Readers of this column know that its greatest value lies in its continu- ous reflection on its own enterprise, in its accretion of thinking about birds’ lives, and in the dialogue, explicit or otherwise, carried on here between regional editors and columnists, as well as the intertextual exchange between past and present Changing Seasons columnists. We writers in the present have the immense advantage of being able to read back on decades of thought in this column: if there is a chief anxiety, it is Robertson’s objec- tion that space scarcely permits “a timely seasonal ornithological expose on so broad a canvas”: “to summarize a season coherendy within American Birds’ Procrustean limits is a nightmare.” But these constraints have pro- duced some of North American field ornithology’s most illuminating jour- nalism. Take a day, if you have not already, to read some of the Changing Seasons of decades past, and the winter season reports of Paul E. Lehman, Paul DeBenedictis, Claudia P. WUds, Diane Larson, Charles D. Duncan, and Carl E. Bock, as well as those authors cited herein, will put this season’s dis- coveries into deep perspective — and too provide a lasting sense of the intel- lectual history of modern field observation of birds. Part of a widespread invasion that stretched from British Columbia to New England, this Northern Hawk Owl was captured on film while it hunted Jefferson Meadows, New Hampshire, on 1 0 December. Photograph by Steve Mirick. The Weather Report This winter showed a famUiar east-west bimodal pattern, as the polar jet stream’s wave form dug a deep trough well into the eastern half of the continent but rode high over nearly all of the far western. The result east of the Continental Divide was a very cold winter — an “old-fashioned” winter as Robert Leberman, Ken Brock, and Brian Dalzell dubbed it, the “real thing” as Pam Hunt penned of New England’s harsh season. In much of the West, the season was near average in temperature or even, relative- ly speaking, quite warm. Roughly, the winter resembled that of 1980-198 1 (Petersen and Forster 1981). From the eastern portion of the prairie provinces, the easterly north- ern Great Plains into the Middlewestern Prairie, east through Quebec to the Atlantic Provinces and eastern seaboard, and even south to the Gulf of North American Birds 55:132-139 Changing Seasons Mexico, low temperatures and (up north) heavy, regular snowfalls put regional editors in mind of past decades. Iowa had the second coldest December in 126 years; Minnesota’s was the third coldest since 1895. December in Chicago saw the highest snowfall of any month on record, and the winter’s 660-cm (240-in) snowfall total in St. John’s, Newfoundland is bested only by the record snowfalls of 1882. The pattern of those warm, dry eastern winters of the second half of the 1990s was decisively broken in 2000-2001, shattered in some places, par- ticularly north of the Mason-Dixon line’s latitude in the eastern half of the continent. Even as far south as the Rio Grande Valley and southern Florida, where freezes did moderate damage, there were significant periods of harsh weather. “We actually had a winter!” Chuck Sexton exclaimed. From a meteorologist’s perspective, however, the winter was merely a return to near “average” in many places: it may be that the previous four mild win- ters made 2000-2001 seem all the more frigid by contrast. In the prairie provinces of Canada, the jet stream generally cut through Saskatchewan, so that Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan had a “terrible,” “brutal” winter according to Rudolf Koes and Peter Taylor — in fact, it was the coldest December on record in Winnipeg in over a century, with very heavy snowfall. But the remainder of Saskatchewan and Alberta had both warmer temperatures and less precipitation. Similariy, the Northern Great Plains showed two distinct patterns: the eastern Dakotas, northwestern North Dakota, and northeastern Montana had heavy snow, but the rest of the Region had only light to moderate snow amounts. In both of these regions, December and February temperatures were below average, but January was rather warmer, as the polar jet buckled a bit. Light snows were also the rule in Idaho, writes David TrochleU; the absence of Pacific storms made for the sixth driest winter on record and a season about average temperaturewise there. Colorado was apparently cold but moderated toward winter’s end. In the Great Basin through Arizona and New Mexico, conditions were noticeably mild, with a good amount of precipitation in Arizona and New Mexico, and much the same was the case in California. On the Canadian and Alaskan Pacific coasts, “mUd” would be putting it mildly. “Weatherwise, win- ter 2000-2001 barely happened, at least where birds and winter movements are feasible, i.e., south of the Brooks Range” notes Thede Tobish of Alaska’s nonwinter. As for most everywhere else in the far West, snows were very light and water remained ice-free or at least open much later than is typical. “AH area reports included mention of lengthy periods of warm, storm-free con- ditions,” and, surprisingly, “the Anchorage area never registered below zero all season.” In British Columbia and the Yukon, it was “another winter with- out a winter” and one without much in the way of precipitous Pacific storms after early December, according to Donald Cecile. In Oregon and Washington, Steve Mlodinow and Bill Tweit document drought or near- drought conditions through the period and a snowpack in most of Washington below 70% of normal. The news media made much of these drought conditions over the winter, and the predictions from NOAA are for it to continue for much of the summer. Such dry conditions could fuel an exodus of montane species similar to the one documented in autumn 2000, which persisted in the Southwest and far West through the winter. Hawk owls This was certainly the winter of the Northern Hawk Owl, a species that lives its life remote from the broad mass of birders and so is especially prized when encountered in the field. Comparing flights of owls from winter to winter can be tricky, but it would not be incorrect to say that this broad southward movement of hawk owls, stretching from British Columbia and Washington to the Atlantic Provinces of Canada and New England, was one of the very largest on record. As is typical, the southern reaches of Canada and the state of Minnesota had the lion’s share of hawk owls, but the invasion’s front was unexpectedly, unusually broad, if not uniformly intense in aU areas of south- ern Canada. Quebec, through the middle of March, had a staggering 209 reports of this conspicuous little owl, almost a hundred more than in 1991-1992 (Kaufman 1992, Yank and Aubry 1992). In Ontario, Hugh Currie notes that there were “many” hawk owls in the Thunder Bay area, but that most stayed up near the Canadian Shield, with at least 13 noted in other areas. To the west, Rudolf Koes and Peter Taylor report “unprecedented movement” in the Calgary region, “fair numbers” in Saskatchewan, and many in Manitoba, up to six per day, “but numbers were barely 1 5% of those in the huge 1996-1997 invasion” (cf. Koes and Taylor 1997). Still farther west, no fewer than 75 hawk owls were located in the Interior of British Columbia, a record tally, with the most southerly being from Anarchist Mountain in the southern Okanagan and few near the coast. In Minnesota, there were 159 reports, 17 above the old record set nine winters ago (Granlund 1992). Minnesota, much as did Manitoba, saw many hawk owls on the edges of, or away from, typical coniferous habitat, which was unusual. At lower latitudes, on the fringes of the flight, the numbers of hawk owls were typically in the single digits. Michigan had sue reports, one as far south as Manistee County, and Wisconsin had two. The Atlantic Provinces noted a “minor invasion” of the species: New Brunswick saw eight. Prince Edward Island one, and Nova Scotia (where very rare) four, one as far south as Chebogue Point, Yarmouth. In New England, hawk owls appeared for the first time since 1998. New Hampshire held two, including a very popular bird at Whitefield Airport, Maine had three, and two were in or near the Adirondacks of New York. On the western front, the invasion in Washington, where the species is quite rare, continued from the late fall, with two more birds recorded. Donald Cecile in British Columbia writes: “Presumably, a successful reproductive year encouraged this movement, and the reduced snow cover may have assisted their success. Often when such invasions occur, there is also a high incidence of injured or starving birds, but this was not the case in 2000-2001. Not only was there a lack of such reports, but birds that were closely observed were noted to have been highly successful at capturing prey, even along busy streets.” The more information that can be gathered of this sort, the clearer the picture ivill be of the magnitude of this flight and its pos- sible causes. Peder Svingen (psvingen@d.umn.edu) is preparing a paper on the hawk owl flight of 2000-2001; do send him your observations and data. The invasion of Great Gray Owls, geographically more limited than that of hawk owls, was nevertheless a most substantial one, spreading from the Yukon, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan east to Quebec. It was hailed as the second largest flight on record in several regions. In oudying areas, Alberta numbers were considered “average,” and none were reported from the New England or the Hudson-Delaware regions, so unlike the 1978-1979 invasion (Vickery and Yunick 1979). But for Manitoba, northern and west- ern Quebec, northern Ontario, and Minnesota, Great Grays were ubiquitous. Most Great Grays in Manitoba were observed from roads at the edge of boreal forest (or the forest interior, by snowmobilers), and scattered indi- viduals reached farming communities of the prairies such as Melita. Try to read these lines from the Prairie Provinces’ report without a drop of the jaw: “Birders routinely found 20 to 50 Great Grays per day in Manitoba, and two manic observers found no fewer than 101 in the Lac du Bonnet-Pine Falls area on 20 January.” Note the use of the word “routinely.” Now, admittedly, these observers were out looking for Great Gray Owls specifically, and the account of their Big (Gray) Day, posted on the Internet, made for fascinating reading. But birders elsewhere in Canada and in Minnesota saw their fair share. In Saskatchewan, a high count of 21 was made on a cross-provincial journey in early January, and there was another one-day count of ten. In Quebec, 104 birds were reported through mid-March, the second largest number on record, with most birds noted in the Saguenay- Lac-Saint-Jean and Quebec City vicinities. In Ontario, Thunder Bay had a great many Great Grays, while near Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 133 Peterborough there were some 27 and about 27 reported elsewhere in the province. Great Gray Owls swept into Minnesota in droves, where 300+ reports represented the highest ever noted, with (as for hawk owls) a few birds beyond the coniferous belt. Michigan had as many as seven, far fewer than in 1991-1992, while Wisconsin held at least four. As for the hawk owls, observers commented on the birds’ apparent vigor. The Great Grays handled and banded in Manitoba “were generally in excellent shape and included some of the heaviest ever recorded.” Mortality, unfortunately, was rumored in Minnesota, where some birds were allegedly killed “to save the grouse,” whereas other Great Grays were killed by vehicular traffic, as happens in each such invasion. The hoped-for grand invasion of Snowy Owls never really material- ized, though regions from Washington to the Middle Atlantic reported modest numbers continuing from the late-autumn push. In Washington and Oregon, as for Quebec, numbers were “above average,” though it was “definitely not an irruption year.” Other than 15 in the Standard, Alberta area, numbers were “unremarkable” in the rest of the prairie provinces. Most of the Atlantic Provinces, with the exception of Newfoundland, recorded a “minor invasion” of Snowies. Thirty-four reports from New England is respectable, certainly, but not a grand slam, nor were the fewer than 100 in Minnesota or the “lackluster” numbers from Michigan. Only in Wisconsin, where 14 counties reported the species, was it con- sidered a “good” winter for the species. Boreal Owls in winter are rarely seen in the boldfaced numbers of Great Grays and hawk owls, but Minnesota had 1 10 reports of Boreals this sea- son, a very decent winter. Ontario’s winter tally came to 35, also above aver- age. Ten Boreals were part of a mid- to late-winter movement in southern Manitoba, four were on the Edmonton C.B.C., and Michigan birders found five in that state. On legendary Amherst Island, Ontario, Boreals peaked at four in mid- January, along with up to 30 Short-eareds, 20 Long-eareds, 13 Snowies, and 1 1 Northern Saw-whets; all but the Saw-whet count are sub- stantially lower totals than those of some winters past (e.g.. Bell et al. 1979). A dead Boreal was found at Sackville, New Brunswick, the farthest south- east of its kind. No other mention of mortality in that species was made, but Brian Dalzell reports that deep winter snows seemed to be linked to “con- siderable mortality of Northern Saw-whet Owls in the Maritimes. Reports of tame and/or emaciated (upon examination after death) Saw- whets around bird feeders began to surface in early January, especially in Nova Scotia.” Almost everywhere else. Saw- whets appeared to remain “north of normal,” as Jim Granlund put it, although the Central Southern region got a single Saw-whet, a third Mississippi record right on the Mississippi State University campus in late December, and Texas saw a surfeit of the species. Not to be overlooked, though extra-seasonal, a Flammulated Owl was found dead in Edmonton, Alberta last fall, a first record for the province. In light of this past winter’s magnificent invasion of Great Gray Owls and especially Northern Hawk Owls, it was tempting to attempt a reflection on modern birding culture’s fascination, nigh on obsession, with these rap- tors. Human cultures have sometimes revered, more frequently feared and demonized owls, but our own relation reflects an extreme of desire for prox- imity: when northern owls come south, birders want to see them, and so they’re some of the best documented of all the irruptive birds. This is good; it makes tracking their numbers far easier than tracking those of many other birds. Whatever motivates this desire — owls’ apparent scarcity, the remote- ness of their nesting areas, their penetrating gazes, their approachability when found — it’s clear, as birding waxes in popularity, that these visitors are increasingly visited, a delight to the local Chambers of Commerce but per- haps not to a roosting owl. Too many accusations and admonitions have been posted on the Internet, too many stories of roost disruptions and angry landowners, to imagine that there will be a simple solution to the violations of decency, against people as well as owls, in the name of “birding” or “owl- ing.” Clear-thinking birders and ornithologists have a responsibility to be vigilant on behalf of both birds and birding in such cases. Sprites of passage It seems there will not, in the near future, be a Changing Seasons column for the winter season that dares sidestep the ongoing incredulity of most birders in the Lower 48 states: hummingbirds of many species are an increasingly prominent aspect of our winter avifauna. Now, to back up for a moment: it is quite the case, as many editors have suggested, that this column should keep close tabs on overwintering tanagers, warblers, vireos, thrushes, and other Neotropical migrants, as the anthro- pogenic warming of our climate continues to produce dramatic examples — particularly dramatic when viewed synoptically — of late-lingering and even overvdntering birds, some of which don’t seem to require backyard feeding stations to remain thousands of km north of typical wintering ranges. Witness: well-documented Veeries in Bristol, New Hampshire from October to mid-February, in Madison, Wisconsin, in mid-December (a first winter record for the state), and at Michigan’s Detroit Zoo in mid- February. This thrush is virtually unknown in southern Florida after mid- October, and winter reports of Veery anywhere in North America have always been treated with great skepticism. Observers this winter docu- mented their finds carefully, commendably, so that the species is proven to be capable of winter survival above latitude 43° N. This seems incredi- ble. (To those boreal readers who have birded for three or four or five decades: how many winter Veeries have you seen?) Witness: a Kentucky Warbler in Montreal’s Botanical Garden through at least 5 December, an Ovenbird at London, Ontario through at least 17 December, a Lark Bunting in Perry, Iowa through 8 January, Summer Tanagers through 5 December in Faribault, Minnesota and at Gedar Mill, Oregon through March, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in Durham, Ontario; Boise, Idaho; Jackson County, Wisconsin; Johnson City, Tennessee; Cedar, British Columbia; Sangamon County, Illinois; Geneva, New York; Como, Colorado; and Warren, Pennsylvania. Witness-. Even farther to the south, records or numbers that would seem preposterous were equally well documented: Maryland’s first winter record of Blue Grosbeak in Dorchester County 29 December; one or two Warbling Vireos from December through March on Roanoke Island, North Carolina; unprecedented numbers of Wilson’s Warblers from the Middle Atlantic through Florida. But wait. These lists seem strangely familiar. Yes, here they are: William B. Robertson, Jr.’s winter column from 1975. Or Robert O. Paxton’s column from 1974. Or P. A. Buckley’s column from 1973. It seems that we editors enjoy listing out the eccentric lingerers as much as ancient moralists relished listing out the dangerous vices. As Kaufman (1998) points out, “to dwell on a few gee- whiz records” is “easy — ^but misleading.” “Every winter produces a few records of birds bizarrely far north, even if the season is an unusually harsh one.” Such scattered records, an annual affair (if often “unprecedent- ed” in their particulars), may not manifest obvious connections or causes in themselves, but they do prompt us to wonder why it is that many such birds remained and survived well after the onset of bitterly cold weather. Most regional reports from north of latitude 39° N and east of longitude 105° W, the area with such a cold winter, are replete with remarkable records. Shouldn’t this winter, with such heavy snows and cold tempera- tures, have been the winter with few lingerers in the hard-knock regions? From the Middlewestern Prairie region, Ken Brock echoes analyses from many sites farther east: “Despite this inhospitable environment, a fair num- ber of semi-hardy passerines lingered in the Region.” One solution to the question is to look at other resources available to such birds: as has been abundantly demonstrated in past winters, “food supplies, not temperatures, provide the key to [birds’] survival in cold winters” (Kaufman 1990). This 134 North American Birds Changing Seasons is not to say that intense cold cannot kill staggering numbers of birds; it cer- tainly can and does, as this column has discussed (Smith 1977, Shuford and DeSante 1979, Knapton 1982). The column has also argued convincingly that the mildest winters produce the greatest number of lingerers and that lingering birds survive such winters more frequently (e. g.. Able 1980). How then does this winter fit into those of the past? If we look back on two or three dozen Changing Seasons columns, most of the weather patterns of 2000-2001 don’t look so unusual, nor does the situation with lingerers look wildly out of kilter with similar winters of the past. So if food supplies were there, then what seem at first to be extremes fall roughly into line with what we might expect in a continental perspec- tive. (It might take me years personally to get used to the idea of Warbling Vireos wintering on Roanoke Island, but in the big picture, my astonish- ment doesn’t matter. As Robertson [1975] wrote: “The many mid-to-late winter reports of ‘tender’ species in remarkable places rudely shook the belief that winter stragglers only delay their death date. But it is no doubt too soon to suggest that migration is becoming obsolete.”) Too, the extreme examples of overwintering sometimes overshadow what would seem to be more mundane phenomena. Quietly, a fairly wide variety of birds is staying farther north, staying longer, and in some cases, not leaving at all. Many of the common nesting species that rarely raise eye- brows on the margins of the winter months (and are unlikely to draw the reader’s eye when browsing the regional reports) are establishing a regular winter-long presence in areas where they would have been considered unheard of or at least genuine seasonal rarities only a few years ago. Consider a few examples in regular typeface from just one region, the Atlantic Provinces: American Robins remained in western Labrador all winter, apparently healthy; ten Double-crested Cormorants spent all win- ter on Newfoundland’s rugged Avalon Peninsula; an Osprey remained on Cape Breton Island through year’s end; and Carolina Wrens and Northern Flickers made it through, despite aU odds. Kaufman (1998) consistently suggested that readers take careful note of birds wintering “just a bit north of usual range,” as such records, he felt, were “more likely to lead to actu- al consolidations of range extensions.” In the cases of all these species, one can make an argument for just such a long-term trend. The slightly milder oceanic climes of the insular Atlantic provinces probably permit more species to maintain a toehold here, but western Labrador is not similarly hospitable, and the subtle trend of small-scale northward winter range extensions certainly manifests itself in the interior states and provinces too, if not uniformly or neatly. This column frequently entertains but rarely answers the open question: What is one to make of what these observations, which undoubtedly indi- cate changes in the distribution of many bird species? Most speculation remains modest (Robertson [1975] goads: “...but the timid must be con- ventional”), as a single season’s records necessarily cannot provide a suffi- cient base of data for grand inferences. Indeed, even close statistical read- ings over longer periods, such as Steve Davis’s look at Hooded Merganser’s increases on 1980s and 1990s New England C.B.C.s (forthcoming in this journal), often cannot resolve questions of causality that arise when one notices and even clearly demonstrates change. To investigate connections between overwintering birds and tempera- ture/weather patterns thoroughly would require analysis of a whole set of variables that can be difficult to quantify or study: mortality; availability of food (American Robins in Newfoundland took advantage of the Mountain Ash crop; others in New Brunswick were observed feeding on mudflats in midwinter — on marine worms and mud shrimp!), immediate ambient temperatures (metropolitan areas and some microhabitats stay significant- ly warmer than surrounding areas), and for some species the changing availability of open water (natural or artificial). And there are other consid- erations: when birds linger into the late fall — in some cases having landed far to the north because of weather-related bad luck — at what point does southward movement become energetically impossible? Such lingering questions may express limits to our understanding of birds’ behavioral responses to both local and global changes in climate. But we continue to tender our observations in the expectation that what the near term cannot resolve the long term may yet unfold. Hummingbirds that don’t fly away To return to our original topic: hummingbirds, though we know them to be tenacious customers able to withstand Alaskan springs and trans-Gulf flights, hold a place of wonder in most observers’ minds. It seems incredi- ble to most of us, even those scientifically trained, that birds weighing no more than a tenth of an ounce, as a Calliope Hummingbird, could be able to vnthstand winters such as that of 2000-2001; they seem to represent an extreme case of hardiness. Calliopes made headlines from Virginia — where a state-first bird survived temperatures below zero degrees C through New Year’s Eve — to Georgia, where five were banded (the state’s third through seventh records), to Hamilton County, Tennessee at the end of January, to the offices of the Tucson Audubon Society all winter, which, editors Gary Rosenberg and Roy Jones note, represents only the second winter record for Arizona. Dwight Cooley documents “a major invasion” of Calliopes into the Central Southern region, an area that had its first record only in 1998! Unknown in that Region prior to 1998, single Calliopes were at two sites each in northwestern Florida and Alabama; each area now has about a dozen records of the species. Chuck Sexton exclaims on “an amazing four” at Austin feeders in December and January and four more elsewhere in Texas. What caused these Calliopes to hang around (free imitation nectar) is less mysterious than what caused them to move into Texas and the south- eastern states in the first place, but it may be that the little Stellula is begin- ning to show patterns that Selasphorus has shown for two decades on the Gulf Coast and in the East. Presumably, the more successful these mites are at incorporating the Southeast into their life cycles, the more we’ll see in future winter seasons. North of Mexico and Central America, regional reports detail the pres- ence of thirteen species of hummingbird in the winter season: Broad-billed, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Allen’s, Calliope, Violet-crowned, Black-chinned, Ruby-throated, Anna’s, Costa’s, Magnificent, Buff-bellied, and Green- breasted Mango — both the continuing bird at Concord, North Carolina, and another in McAllen, Texas, in February. Only a few regular North American breeding species and casual species went unrecorded. What is most surreal to long-time birders is that this spectacle is now expected: recall the shockwaves when the first Black-chinned Hummingbird for Massachusetts was documented in these pages (Heil 1981)? Now such a bird would be have to wait in line (or: on line): vagrant and tardy Black- chinned Hummingbirds numbered four each in North Carolina and Georgia, one each in Colorado and South Carolina, and a possible bird in Portsmouth, Virginia. The hardy Anna’s Hummingbird put in appearances at feeders in unexpected places such as Llano and Hays Counties in Texas, in Bend, Oregon, and Wenatchee, Washington through February, where con- sidered extremely rare in winter, and in SneUville, Georgia (that state’s third). Equally noteworthy, Donald Cecile documents three from the British Columbian Interior, including a male at a Prince George feeder until 10 December that finally “succumbed to overnight temperatures of -25 to -30 degrees C.” Likewise, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds came east and stayed: Georgia’s third continued from the fall season, another was in West Pensacola, Florida all winter, another in Niceville, Florida (the latter two the state’s second and third), and still another in Diamondhead, Mississippi in January. A Broad-taOed was unusual in Tucson in early December. So why are so many winter regional reports now filled with para- graphs about hummingbirds, as they certainly were not in the 1970s? Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 135 After all, the typical winter ranges for most hummingbirds (Anna’s is an exception) have not normally included the United States — at all. These are obligate migrants, nectivorous and insectivorous, and not often observed in northern climes far from a feeder in winter. Should we cred- it the slew of hummingbirds to the steady increase in feeding stations, in bird enthusiasts, in communication among birders? And is it the case, as sometimes maintained, that some hummingbirds are gradually, year to year, changing the fundamentals of their behavior in anticipation of the availability of artificial food resources? To what extent does the severity of the season matter in such cases? More time may tell. As Michael Patten (2000) wrote of the hummingbird pageant of winter 1999-2000: “If global warming is real and will occur as quickly as some fatalists predict, the hummingbird show this winter will look tame ten years from now.” The hard winter of 2000-2001 surpassed that “mildest of winters” (1999-2000) in its vagrant hummingbird spectacle, it would seem, so we should maintain an open mind when we link these records to atmos- pheric trends, however intuitive it may seem to assume that these small birds require balmy conditions to survive or to overwinter. Fill your feeders, and they will come. Fortunately, for the annals of bird study, there is a growing group of carefully trained specialists who can assist those with difficult-to-identify hummingbirds in documenting their feeders’ patrons. Many a Selasphorus (and even Stellula and Archilochus) in these pages would have gone unidentified to species had it not been for the cooperation of these professional and amateur scientists over great distances and many years. From those of us who have enjoyed the fruits of their labor (the hummingbird identification sections of recent field guides; or the hummers themselves), support for organiza- tions such as the Hummer/Bird Study Group (Clay, Alabama) would rec- ognize their long-term commitment to this delicate work. Juncos’ junkets In the northeastern reaches of the continent, few winter finches were in evidence (as was true elsewhere), but unusually high numbers of Dark- eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows overwintered. In Nova Scotia, near-record numbers of White-throated Sparrows were detected, with only the gruesome winter of 1976-1977 recording more. More than 10,000 Dark-eyed Juncos were counted in the Maritimes, almost twice the previous high. Indeed, in New England, Pam Hunt called 2000—2001 “The Year of the Sparrow.” Hunt suggests three possible causes for the influx: “1) they had a very productive breeding season in 2000, 2) large natural food crops caused them to stay farther north than usual, and 3) cold weather in Canada caused them to move farther south than usual. The latter two, conveniently, are testable hypotheses, using C.B.C. data and other regional reports.” It may very well have been, in part, the deep snow to the north and west — Quebec to eastern Saskatchewan, through the Great Lakes and Middlewestern Prairie— of the affected regions that drove these snowbirds down in such numbers. In New England, other Emberizidae joined the juncos (perhaps too in facultative migration), among them very high numbers of Eastern Towhees, Savannah Sparrows, and Fox Sparrows, whereas in Nova Scotia, all-time record numbers of wintering Song Sparrows were found. It’s interesting that in the Appalachian and adjacent Central Southern regions, south of the very snowy Middlewestern Prairie region, the winter of 1977-1978 (another cold one in the East) serves as point of comparison for the tremendous flight of American Tree Sparrows observed in 2000-2001. Even northern Alabama and Mississippi had Tree Sparrows, and counts as high as 124 (!) came from the Tennessee C.B.C.s. No other regions commented on juncos or these species of sparrow to this degree, though Arizona noted higher-than-normal numbers of Dark-eyed (Slate-col- ored) Junco, and the Middlewestern Prairie and Western Great Lakes regions reported good sparrowing, possibly owing to increased visibility at feeders and in snow-free areas. In the West, something was afoot with White-winged Juncos as well. This form — one strains to write: species — normally winters not far from its breeding areas (chiefly in Wyoming and South Dakota), but it can be found in Colorado, Nebraska, and sometimes Kansas and New Mexico in winter. The El Paso bird discovered by Barry Zimmer in late November continued through early December, and the Texas Panhandle had three more still! In Arizona, Rosenberg and Jones called the White-wingeds’ invasion “the bird- ing event of the season”: as many as 14 were in Plagstaff, seven around Prescott, and two singles made it to southern Arizona. The only previous state records had been in the winter of 1936-1937 and in 1971. In New Mexico, where there are more records of the species, one made it south to Las Cruces for much of December and early January. The prize for long-dis- tance movement, however, went to the White-winged that made it to Bishop, California, in late December, a second Regional record there. Sacre bleu In the absence of more mass movements — winter 2000-2001 saw few finches on the move, only modest-to-good numbers of Gyrfalcons, Rough- legged Hawks, Northern Shrikes, and Northern Goshawks in the East, and the tail-end of a montane exodus in some of the West — we offer for edifi- cation an overview of noteworthy records from the Yukon to Panama. In addition to a scattering of Pacific Loons from Maine to New Mexico, now an annual occurrence, a Yellow-billed Loon was found in the Brownsville Ship Channel, Texas, the first ever for the Gulf of Mexico and only Texas’s fifth, as if to prove Michael Patten’s point (2000) about the recent trend toward extraordinary southerly vagrancy in the species. Another was at Farmington Lake, New Mexico through the end of January, that state’s eleventh in as many years. Perhaps Mexico is next. In tubenose news, the Atlantic was quiet, other than rare-in-winter Sooty Shearwaters off Virginia Beach, Virginia and Hatteras, North Carolina. On a Westport, Washington trip 27 January, an immature Short- tailed Albatross nearly outnumbered the single Black-footed Albatross seen that day! It was a ninth Regional record since 1950. A Boiler’s Shearwater off Oregon 7 January would be a first winter record for the Region, while a Greater Shearwater off Pt. Pinos, Monterey. County, California 13-15 January would be the third North Pacific record. An adult Masked Booby, only the fourth for Belize, sailed by a boater off Glovers Reef 19 December, and a Brown Pelican on Block Island, Rhode Island two days later might have preferred Belize. An incredibly late Least Bittern tarried in Greece, New York on the wild date of 17 December. A Cattle Egret at Cypress River, Manitoba hung out in a feedlot into early December, a Regional first in winter (these hardy creatures have reached Antarctica, of course, so Manitoba may be small potatoes). Those who know Brevard, North Carolina will be shocked to learn that that town’s Great White Heron remained through 25 January; this form of Great Blue Heron has overwintered on the Outer Banks of North Carolina recently. Two Gray Herons and 22 Little Egrets were counted on the Barbados C.B.C., the latter the highest count in the West Indies and the New World. Washington’s first White Ibis was at Bay Center in late December and then found again in January near Raymond; it may have been the same individual noted earlier at Newport, Oregon. An impressive 3460 White- faced Ibis were near Marysville, California on 14 December, and three were were with wintering Glossies at St. Marks N.W.R., Florida in February, that state’s tenth record. The White-faced Ibis found at Savannah N.W.R., South Carolina in the fall season also remained throughout the winter. Five Whooper Swans at Lower Klamath N.W.R., present from 1 January through the end of the period in California, wandered into 136 North American Birds Changing Seasons Oregon 18 February; it is not clear at this time whether the birds comprise a family group or whether the young are of hybrid origin. A Bewick’s Swan, rare anywhere in North America, was reported in Kilby Provincial Park, British Columbia, in early December. Black Brant, though very infrequently encountered in the East, are being detected more and more regularly: New York and New Jersey each had one, continuing a recent trend, and one was at Greeley, Colorado 15-21 January. Perhaps an even rarer bird in New Mexico, a single Black Brant was noted 18 December, appropriately at Brantley Lake, the fifth state record. A single juvenile hrota Brant overwintered at Bermuda, where any brant is equally rare (two forms have been recorded there). An errant American Black Duck in Nez Perce County, Idaho remained untO 10 December. A female Green-winged Teal was only the second ever recorded in Panama; a female Garganey was a second Barbados record, seen on two dates. A female Harlequin Duck wintered at Black Hills Reservoir in inland Maryland from December through February, almost unprecedented in that Region, while 15 King Eiders in the Lake Ontario Littoral, Oswego County, New York 24 February made nearly a record local count from the area and a fine tally anywhere in the interior of the Lower 48. A highlight of the year for the many who trekked out to see it, an adult male Smew at Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area, Missouri was found 13 January (refer to the Middlewestern Prairie report for the charming story of its discovery); it stayed through the season. Another adult male was at Malheur 26-28 February, a second Oregon record. Three Red-breasted Mergansers were believed to be first records of the species for Belize. Washington state had a whopping eight Red-shouldered Hawks this winter, indicative of a foothold in that state, where it was unknown prior to 1979. A Roadside Hawk 11-15 December at Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park in Texas was that state’s (and the U. S.’s) fourth. An adult Harris’s Hawk near Sorrento, Louisiana 4 January was quite unusual for that state, but the winter season’s prize raptor was a Zone-tailed Hawk at Big Pine Key, Florida 3 December and Boca Grande Key, Key West N.W.R. 12 December. The species is virtually unknown as a vagrant in the East. A Long-winged Harrier was noted at the El Real airstrip, Darien on New Year’s Day, a second for Panama and for Central America. A Bald Eagle was observed off and on at Abaco, Bahamas for almost two months; the species is incredibly rare here and anywhere off the main- land from Bermuda southward. Rare in the Central Southern region, Alabama’s first Crested Caracara was videotaped in Baldwin County 19 January, and a handful of the species made it to Louisiana. Crested Caracara has been reported in Belize on sev- eral occasions in the past, but good documentation came only last year, 17 December in the Orange Walk District. Alabama had another good raptor, its third Prairie Falcon near Guntersville Dam 6 January, the area from which its other records are known; nearby Arkansas had two, and one was in South Carolina in the ACE Basin 13 January. Though the question of origin is often raised. South Carolina has had records of this species in the past, and other records in the Southeast suggests a weak pattern of legitimate vagrancy. Southern New Mexico’s pair of Aplomado Falcons was seen courting and possibly preparing to nest 20 February. In the “hey-what’s-this” department, Common Moorhen x American Coot hybrids at John Martin Reservoir, Colorado and Point Reyes National Seashore, California, both in February, must have gotten a second look, like- wise a post-New-Year’s-Eve Purple Gallinule on Martha’s Vineyard. Cranes in Cumberland Coimty, New Jersey perplexed observers all winter. At least nine and possibly as many as 14 birds have been present here for some time, and these appear to include at least one Common Crane, six Sandhill Cranes (very unusual but increasing on the mid-Atlantic seaboard), and seven apparent hybrid Common x Sandhill Cranes. Read the Hudson-Delaware (and Spring Southern Great Plains) reports for detaUs. It was a magnificent winter for those who like plovers (everyone, cer- tainly). A Eurasian Dotterel was photographed with Mountain Plovers near Calipatria, California 22-23 January, a Regional first and first win- ter record for the United States. A Mountain Plover at Ilwaco, Washington around the holidays was that state’s third. More astounding still, a European Golden-Plover was Alaska’s (and the Pacific Basin’s) first at Ketchikan 13-14 January. A Northern Lapwing at Ferryland, Newfoundland, also around the holidays, made many a birder merry, but unquestionably the bird of the winter was the Greater Sandplover found 29 January and studied by many hundreds through early April at Bolinas Lagoon, Marin County, California — a first for the Western Hemisphere. Read the Middle Pacific Coast report for more detaOs of this stunning and subtle discovery. A Black-tailed Godwit, Hawaii’s first, island-hopped from Maui to 0‘ahu through the winter, while a Marbled Godwit at Souris, Prince Edward Island on Christmas Day was a first Regional winter record. A Dunlin at Lee Metcalf N.W.R. 6 January represented a first winter record for Montana, and a White-rumped Sandpiper in Sarasota County, Florida in mid-January would be the state’s first verifiable winter record (of some 20 reports, the first by one J. J. Audubon). An adult Long-tailed Jaeger seen from a Point Judith, Rhode Island seawatch in mid-January is on par with nearly any vagrant reported here- in: there are few if any verifiable midwinter records for the North Atlantic. An unidentified jaeger in Hughes County, South Dakota 13 February likewise boggles the mind. The Hudson-Delaware region boasted 17 gull species, 13 of those on Long Island, including a Black-tailed Gull at Jones Beach on New Year’s Day, a state second. (Why these birds roam the Atlantic but hardly the Pacific coast continues to be a mystery.) laughing Gulls, enigmatic wan- derers that have reached Australia and beyond, staged an unprecedented winter movement into the interior of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Arkansas this season, with no clear weather event to con- nect to the movement. In the same vicinity, four Little Gulls were in Arkansas this winter, where they have had almost no history of occurrence. A Black-headed Gull, rare in California, frequented Goleta in December, and Florida’s Heermann’s Gull from last autumn moved up and down the peninsula most of the winter, to the cheer of local birders. The proliferation of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Leukering 2001) con- tinued unabated this winter, and astute observers zeroed in on single YeUow-legged Gulls on Nantucket 28 December and at St. John’s, Newfoundland through the season. To the south, an adult Kelp GuU at Barbados was West Indies first; Maryland’s reliable bird at Sandgates, “Shrimpy,” continued through the season. High-arctic gulls visited. Ivory Gulls stole the show in Ontario: of three birds, one posed on the Amherst Island ferry route 3-17 January (a bonus for those enjoying the bevy of owls there). Far rarer still, single Red-legged Kittiwakes were seen 13 February in Marin County and seven miles off Santa Cruz County, California 26 February. The state had only a single previous record of the species. Terns were not much in the news. An Elegant Tern at Fort De Soto County Park, Florida for most of December into early January was near the site of Florida’s 1999 record but was certain to be a different individ- ual. Alcids elicited a bit more comment. Twenty-four Atlantic Puffins just off Hatteras Island, North Carolina 18 February represented a record high count for this far south in the western Atlantic; the state had only four previous records. The same state’s first documented Common Murre was just offshore at Buxton 2-3 February, noted from shore as well as by boat. Far farther north, a flight of 15,000-t- Dovelde passing Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 137 White Head Island in the Bay of Fundy in just four hours on 5 February was called “unprecedented” for that area. Four Eurasian CoUared-Doves from August through February in Idaho were the first to reach that state (one of the last western states to record the species), while White-winged and Inca Doves continued to be found far from typical range. A Red-breasted Sapsucker was seen at Big Bend Ranch, Presidio County, Texas 3 December, a second state record; two sapsuckers in Arizona this winter approached pure Red-breasteds in plumage, but the hybrid sit- uation there continues to cloud identification. A White-headed Woodpecker, a “mega” in British Columbia, was reported from Anarchist Mountain 26 February, while the Yukon held an incredible PUeated Woodpecker at Upper Liard 18 December. A Downy Woodpecker at Parque Morelos, Tijuana, 27 February was only Mexico’s third or fourth, whereas a Red-shafted (Northern) Flicker in Grady County, Georgia was a state first. There are very few records of this form on the East Coast. A Mouse-colored Tyrannulet on the Rio Salto near Agua Buena in February and March was the first one seen by birders in Costa Rica (sev- eral have been caught in banding operations); the first country record came only in November 1995. Continuing from the faO season, the Hammond’s Flycatcher in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania stayed until 22 December, one of only a few eastern records. Leading the list among the wintering Myiarchus flycatchers, California’s first Nutting’s Flycatcher, found 11 November in Irvine, stayed through the period. An Ash-throated Flycatcher was reported from Reifel Island, British Columbia, for that Region’s first winter record; another at Safe Harbor Dam, Pennsylvania, around the holidays, will make for a second state record. In the incredible state of Louisiana, a Brown-crested Flycatcher was on the Venice C.B.C. at year’s end; on the same C.B.C., a Say’s Phoebe and a Great Kiskadee furnished equally heavy records for the Central Southern region. Kingbirds are often bright spots in the winter months. A Thick-billed Kingbird continued at Half Moon Bay, California through the end of February. A sometimes-calling Tropical Kingbird was at Fort Myers Beach in mid-January, and that state’s eighth and ninth Cassin’s Kingbirds were discovered during the same period. In Washington and Oregon, Tropical Kingbirds remained at several locations following the fall’s invasion; the Region had only two previous winter records of the species. Another Tropical at Worlds End, Hingham, Massachusetts, left soon after its November visit. Belize’s first Blue-headed Vireo was at Belmopan on Christmas Day and was recorded on its C.B.C. the next day. Not too far away, the Peten’s first Warbling Vireo was noted in San Andres 17 January. A Mexican Jay in El Paso 24 January was of the arizonae race, a first for Texas. A Carolina Wren continues to be seen at Cook’s Lake, the only record for Arizona, while two Black-capped Chickadees, known from fewer than ten records in that state, were documented at Teec Nos Pos from December through February. It was a truly fine winter for Varied Thrushes. From New Mexico and west Texas, north through the Dakotas and the Great Lakes, and eastward to the Canadian Maritimes and New England, Varieds showed up in near- record numbers in some areas: almost 50 were noted away from typical wintering range in the far West. Townsend’s Solitaires were also reported widely, from Ohio to Arkansas. Both western frugivores have shown odd dispersal patterns in past winters (e. g., Kaufman 1990, 1993), and dry con- ditions in the West could play a role in such movements. But far-flung thrushes were most in evidence in the northeastern sec- tion of the continent: New Brunswick had its second Mountain Bluebird, multiple Fieldfares were in Newfoundland, Quebec, and New Brunswick, and a Redwing in the latter province was its first. A Rufous-backed Robin in Big Bend’s Rio Grande Village at year’s end was about Texas’s tenth. Wagtails are not usually a part of the winter season report, but one actually spent this “warm” western winter at King Gove on the west end of the Alaska Peninsula, surviving well into March. It was thought to be an immature Black-backed, but there is as of this writing no consensus. There are no records of the genus from Alaska past middle October. In Santa Clara County, California, an adult Black-backed Wagtail was pres- ent through the winter, a seventh Regional record but again the first to overwinter here. A belated report came in of Washington’s second Yellow Wagtail from Ocean Shores 14 September 2000. Wintering warblers of many species were much in evidence around Guerrero Negro, Baja California in mid-December, among them a male Belding’s Yellowthroat rather far from known range; this species is threat- ened, and carefully documented reports from Baja would be welcome sub- missions to the new team of editors for this Region. In Belize, a YeUow Palm Warbler on Ambergris Caye 8 December was photographed, per- haps the first fully confirmed record for the country. MacGillivray’s Warblers were widely reported. Nova Scotia’s first, a lingerer from the fall season at Halifax, lasted at least through 4 December, while British Columbia had only its second winter record at Vancouver 17 December. Pompano Beach, Florida held Florida’s fourth 17 February to the end of the period. Audubon’s Warblers, also scarce in the East, were noted 30 December at Cheapside, Virginia and at Ninigret N.W.R., Rhode Island 23 December, a state second. At Spanish River Park, Florida, a female Western Spindalis (formerly Stripe-headed Tanager) was present between 9 December and early January, while a male Rosy Thrush-Tanager at Valle Azul near Canas Gordas was the first reported in Costa Rica in some time. A male Cuban Grassquit reported at Miami Beach 10 December would be about the Region’s eleventh if confirmable. Only Florida’s fifth, a male West Indian Yellow-faced Grassquit was at Eco Pond in Everglades National Park 20 January through 5 February. Possibly Guatemala’s first, a female Blue Seedeater was at Baja Verapaz, Biotopo del Quetzal 3 February. In Maryland, few birds were rarer this winter than the Green-tailed Towhee in the North Branch area of the C&O Canal on New Year’s Day; one at Ledgewood Beach furnished Washington’s third winter record (and only western Washington’s third at any time). A Lark Sparrow in Guanacaste Province 6 November was Gosta Rica’s third, whereas a Black- throated Sparrow in Dane County was Wisconsin’s seventh. A Chestnut- collared Longspur at Jones Beach, New York 5 January was New York’s sixth but first in midwinter; six McCown’s Longspurs at Lower Klamath N.W.R. into March furnished Oregon’s fifth record. A Pyrrhuloxia spent December at a Billings, Montana feeder, providing at remarkable state first. Lone male Lazuli Buntings were at Luling, Louisiana 16 January and the Garden of the Gods, Golorado on the next day. Single Great-tailed Grackles established a state second for Washington at Stanwood and a provincial third at Kelowna, British Columbia. A Conunon Grackle at Apache Lake near Phoenix 27 February and another at Rancho El Descanso, Baja California 17 December were noteworthy: Arizona still has fewer than ten records of the species, Mexico only one other record, from 1996. Bullock’s Oriole made mention in a few columns. A female at West End, Grand Bahama 2 February was a first from the Bahamas and a new West Indian record. A male in Brighton, Colorado in early January resem- bled a record from the previous winter, while one in Continental, Arizona was unusual in winter. In Florida, where a recent review of records had eliminated the species from the state list, observers carefully documented an immature male at Flamingo, another at Gainesville, and one at Gulf Breeze. An apparent Bullock’s x Baltimore hybrid was near the Bullock’s at Flamingo. Vancouver’s third Hooded Oriole — and the seventh for British 138 North American Birds Changing Seasons Columbia — ^was at a Richmond feeder in late winter. At long last, a Streak-backed Oriole was documented in New Mexico, a bird at Corrales for most of December and January — an overdue but most welcome state first. One was noted wintering at Cook’s Lake, Arizona as well, and breeding is suspected nearby. It was a superb winter for fans of the dapper Black Rosy-Finch. Sixty-five were tallied near the Echo Cliffs, near Page, Arizona in November, and as many as 1000 were estimated at Antelope Island, Utah, in mid-January. Extremely rare was a male at Benton Hot Springs in Mono County, California from 16 February to 2 March, only the fourth Regional record. For comparative views of aU three species, what locale could best the 30 December count at a Rye, Colorado feed- ing station: 856 Gray-crowned, 48 Black, and 67 Brown-capped? (The high coimt for Black Rosy- Finches at that feeder was made 27 February, with 127 birds carefully tallied.) Quite rare in the Western Great Lakes, an interior-form Gray- crowned Rosy-Finch in Duluth, Minnesota, represented that state’s eleventh but apparently first of this form. And crovming the continent’s metaphoric yule tree, an adult female Eurasian Bullfinch of the cassinii form furnished a first confirmed record for the eastern Alaskan Interior over its long stay. The Last Word There may be a sense among some readers that to submit sightings and documentation and photographs to regional editors has an element of futility to it, that so many of these sightings don’t make it into print per se (but are summa- rized instead), and that the summary of these summaries not infrequently concludes that there can be no real conclusion about the pat- terns of bird distribution so carefuUy docu- mented by observers and regional editors. On the other hand, if you peruse the bird distribu- tion maps in some of those incredible new field guides, or the pages of states’ and provinces’ journals and monographs, or the many books emerging on particular regions or particular families of birds, you’ll notice that the finest ref- erences and field materials use this journaFs regional reports as part of the bedrock data on which their books or articles are built. But there is a common frustration among those who assemble these materials and those who wish to research a particular species: the regional reports themselves cannot be easily searched for data. It is one goal of the editors of this journal to develop an electronic database of the regional reports, so that anyone with an interest in the history of a particular species or suite of species might easily perform the research without resorting to hundreds of hours in a library. We will of course keep the readership and ornithological community abreast of our efforts in this direction. Literature cited Able, K. R 1980. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 34: 249-252. Bell, G. R, F. J. S. Phelan, and R. C. P. Wypkema. 1979. The owl invasion of Amherst Island, Ontario, January-April 1979: a report from the owl capital of the world in the parliament of winter. American Birds 33: 245-246. Buckley, P. A. 1973. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 27: 578-585. Granlund, J. 1992. The Winter Season: Western Great Lakes Region. American Birds 46: 266-270. Heil, R. S. 1981. An avian fallout and the first Massachusetts records for Black-chinned Hummingbird and Lucy’s Warbler. American Birds 35: 139-141. Kaufman, K. 1990. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 44: 224—227. — — . 1992. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 46: 224-227. . 1993. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 47: 230-232. . 1998. The Changing Seasons. Field Notes 52: 158-159. Knapton, R. K. 1982. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 36: 261-271. Leukering, T. 2001. The Changing Seasons. North American Birds 55: 13-19. Muth, D. P. 1999. The Changing Seasons. North American Birds 53: 132-134. Patten, M. A. 2000. The Changing Seasons: Warm weather and cross-continental won- ders. North American Birds 54: 146-148. . 1998. The Changing Seasons. North American Birds 52: 14-18. Paxton, R. O. 1973. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 28: 604-609. Petersen, W. R., and R. A. Forster. 1981. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 35: 269-278. Robertson, W. B., Jr. 1975. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 29: 660-666. Smith, K. 1977. The Changing Seasons. American Birds 31: 292-303. Shuford, D., and D. DeSante. 1979. The Changing Seasons: Winter 1978-79... the year of the Great Gray Owl. American Birds 33: 255-262. Vickery, R, and R. P. Yunick. 1979. The 1978-1979 Great Gray Owl incursion across northeastern North America. American Birds 33: 242-244. Yank, R., and Y. Aubry. 1992. The Wmter Season: Quebec region. American Birds 46: 233-235. . STANDARD ABBRSVIATEONS USED IN THE REGIONAL REPORTS Abbreviations used in place names In most regions, place names given in italic type are parishes or counties. Other abbreviations: A. F.B. B. B.S. C. B.C. Cr. Ft. Hwy 1. Is. Jet. km L. mi Mt. Mts. N.F. N.M. N.P. N.W.R. P.P. Pen. Pt. R. Ref. Res. S. P. Twp. W.M.A. W.T.P. Air Force Base Breeding Bird Survey Christmas Bird Count Creek Fort Highway Island or Isle Islands or Isles Junction kilometer(s) Lake mile (s) Mountain or Mount Mountains National Forest National Monument National Park National Wildlife Refuge Provincial Park Peninsula Point (not Port) River Refuge Reservoir (not Reservation) State Park Township Wildlife Management Area (Waste) Water Treatment Pond(s) or Plant Other abbreviations and symbols referring to birds; ad. (ads.) adult(s) imm. (imms.) immature(s) juv. (juvs.) juvenal; juvenile(s) ph. photographed sp. (spp.) species (plural) subad. (subads.) subadult(s) tape audio tape-recorded v.t. videotaped t written details were submitted for a sighting * a specimen was collected Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 139 Jan 28 to Feb 9 - Winter Wonders of Japan Huge concentrations of cranes, eagles & geese; Asian specials; with Chris Cook & Tetsuji Hidaka Siemer & Hand Travel, (800) 451-4321; (415) 788-4000; travel@sienierhand.com Feb 10 to 2B - Belize and Tikal Bird with superb, enthusiastic local & U.S. guides; see up to 300 species while supporting local con- servation. Wildside Birding Tours, (888) 875-9453; (6l0) 363-3033; tours@adventurecamera.com Feb 23 to Mar 5 - Cruise the Orinoco River and Lower Caribbean Tropical forest birding at its most comfortable; 200 species lastyear including many psittacidae, rap- tors and tanagers. Clipper Cruise Line, (800) 325-0010, x275; (314) 727-2929, x275 Mar 23 to 31 - Dominican Republic 27 endemics and many more Caribbean species. Baoruco Mtns. & SW lowlands. Small group; locally resident U.S. guide. OBServ Tours, Inc., (6l5) 292-2739; observinc@aol.com April 15 to 28 - Botswana Birding safari to Masham, Chobe & Okavango. Extraordinary birding, exciting views of mammals; excellent accommodation. Siemer & Hand Travel, (800) 451-4321; (415) 788-4000; travel@siemerhand.com SHORT TRIPS FOR TARGET SPECIES Apr 27 to May 1 1 - Wales St Norfolk Bird the mountains of Wales, the plains and marshes of Norfolk; expert local guides; expect 175 species. Celtic Bird Tours, tel (44)-l656 645 709; Birds@celtictours.org.uk May 19 to Jun 1 - Finland & North Norway Join 50 million breeding pairs of birds in the Land of the Midnight Sun; excellent local guides; warm hospitahty. Siemer & Hand Travel, (800) 451-4321; (415) 788-4000; travel@siemerhand.com Aug 4 to 18 - Cruise from Alaska to the Kamchatka Peninsula Bird the Pribiloffs, the Aleutian chain to Attu; Bering Island and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula; expert ABA guides. Clipper Cruise Line, (800) 325-0010, x275; (314) 727-2929, x275 Nov 15 to Dec 1 - New Zealand See unique endemics of these dehghtful isles; expert local guides; several boat excursions including pelagic birding. Talon Tours, (707) 795-7547, talontours@yahoo.com Pacific Northwest Pelagic Trips The Bird Guide, (503) 844-6876; guide@telepoit.com British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Maine, Texas, Colorado, California OBServ Tours, Inc. (6l5) 292-2739; observinc@aol.com Please contact tour company directly for information and reservations, and identify yourself as an ABA member. Tour companies pay ABA a commission for each ABA participant. Atlantic Provinces Atlantic Provinces Brian Daliell Fundy Bird Observatory Grand Manan, NB, E5G 3C9 The Region experienced a return to “old- fashioned” winter conditions, with well abo¥e-average snowfall in Newfoundland and Labrador and above-average snowfall in the Maritimes. The snow capital of Canada was easUy St. John’s, NF, which received more than 600 cm (240 in) by the end of March, a total exceeded only by the winter of 1882. Until late December, it looked like winter would follow the pattern established in the 1990s — an often messy mixture of snow and rain with frequent and often prolonged mild spells in January and February. For example, on 18 December west- ern Labrador received 10 hours of rain, which froze on contact, only the second time this had happened in December since about 1960. However, winter then took hold throughout the Region. Temperatures were not as cold as during recent winters, but they remained con- sistently below average. Birdwise, the highlight of the season was easily the bumper crop of Mountain Ash, which encouraged record numbers of American Robin and Cedar Waxwing to winter. A few of each even sur- vived the period in western Labrador, surely a first for that subarctic portion of our area. Finch numbers were mostly depressed, with the exception of Purple Finch, which was found in above-average numbers in southern New Brunswick and throughout Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia C.B.C.s also experienced record numbers of Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and Dark-eyed Junco. Abbreviations: AVP (Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland); CSI (Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia); GMI (Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick); CBI (Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia); SPM (St. Pierre and Miquelon Islands, France); AV (Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia); PEI (Prince Edward Island). Loons Through Vultures Red-throated Loons were sparse as usual, with a high count of 28 at CSI 16 Dec. Singles on the Miquelon C.B.C. 16 Dec and Miscou Island, NB 30 Dec (Robert Doiron) were notably late for those locations. A handful of Pied-billed Grebes attempt to winter along the Nova Scotia coast every year. The latest reports were 2 in Victoria, CBI 6 Jan (DM), singles 18 Jan at Pleasant L. and Blanche, NS, and 3 at Gabarus, CBI 25 Jan (DM). Horned and Red-necked Grebe numbers were unremarkable. Wintering Double-crested Cormorants were above aver- age in the Region: a “very unusual” number for winter occurred on the AVP starting in late Dec and continuing through Jan with a few (about 10) staying through the winter (BMt). Ten were found on the new St. Pierre C.B.C. 30 Dec. An imm. Black-crowned Night-Heron throughout the period at St. John’s survived on trout found in open streams, a first winter record for Newfoundland. Another imm. was present 15-24 Feb at Daniels Head, CSI (MN). There is a small resident population of Turkey Vulture in sw. Nova Scotia, where there was a peak of 10 birds 13 Jan at Brier 1. (BMy), and up to 5 around a farm at Chebogue (MN). Waterfowl Through Raptors An imm. Mute Swan that spent 1-31 Jan at Westport, Brier 1. (v. o.) was deemed to be a genuine vagrant from the expanding New England population (lAM). It was first noted in late Dec on the nearby French Shore and eventually found dead in early Feb. Eurasian Wigeon numbers were normal, with high counts of 8 at St. John’s, 4 in Halifax, and 3 at Glace Bay. A count of 85 American Wigeon at Tufts Cove, Halifax 13 Dec was easily a Regional winter record (BMy). Two on the Miquelon C.B.C. 16 Dec were firsts. There was a late Dec influx of Wood Duck on the AVP, with 4 individuals, including one that survived the winter at St. John’s (BMt). American Black Ducks were found in above-average numbers, with 5383 found on New Brunswick C.B.C.s, 18,040 in Nova Scotia, and a record high of 571 on the Miquelon C.B.C. A count of 65 Green- winged Teal on the Saint John, NB C.B.C. 30 Dec was a Regional high. Tufted Ducks num- bered 8 at St. John’s, 4 in Nova Scotia, and one at Saint John, NB. Greater Scaup Regional headquarters continues to be Pictou Harbour, NS, where 4441 were found on the local C.B.C. in early Jan. Harlequin Duck continues its road to recovery, with a Regional high of 68 found at White Head, GMI 8 Feb (BED). Chaleur Bay continues to boast the Region’s highest con- centration of wintering Barrow’s Goldeneye, with a record 313 tallied on the Dalhousie, NB C.B.C. Two female Hooded Mergansers at St. John’s throughout the period provided a first overwintering record for the AVP. There were two late reports of Osprey, one on the Halifax- Dartmouth C.B.C. 17 Dec and the other at Margaree, CBI on the remarkably Volume 55 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 141 late date of 28 Dec. The annual Cyril Coldwell Eagle and Raptor Count in Kings, NS turned up 387 Bald Eagles 10 Feb. Reports of Cooper’s Hawk numbered two in Nova Scotia and three in New Brunswick. A Red-shouldered Hawk near Mactaquac, NB 1-3 Jan (DG) was a good find. A respectable 94 Red-tailed Hawks was tallied on the Cyril Coldwell raptor count. There were “hardly any” Gyrfalcons found in Newfoundland (BMt) but at least 4 in Nova Scotia and a like number in New Brunswick. Only a few Peregrine Falcons were seen this winter, with two reports from New Brunswick, four from Nova Scotia, two on the AVP, and two at SPM. Peak count of about 10 Rough- legged Hawks came from the Tantramar Marsh, NB on various dates. Ptarmigan Through Shorebirds After last winter’s tremendous invasion of Willow Ptarmigan in w. Labrador, numbers crashed back down to normal levels in 2000-2001, but numbers appeared to be up in Newfoundland, indicating the peak may occur there a year later. Interestingly, the precipitous decline in Gray Partridge numbers in the Annapolis Valley over the past 50 years is hypothesized to be almost entirely attributable to ingestion of lethal amounts of road salt taken in with grit (Paul MacDonald). A Sora at St. John’s 1 1-14 Dec (JS) was the only Regional report. Two American Coots at Saint John, NB 25 Jan (KMI) were perhaps the same birds that wintered there last year. Sandhill Crane is becoming almost passe in the Region, even in early winter, albeit still rare. One near Hampton, NB that persevered until early Jan (Richard Blacquiere) provided a first winter record for the province, while another survived until mid-Jan at Shubenacadie, NS. The season’s now seemingly annual Newfoundland/SPM Northern Lapwing was present at Ferryland from 30 Dec-5 Jan and enjoyed by many (John Wells et al.). A single Black-bellied Plover persisted at Grand Barachois, SPM until at least 2 Feb. Thirty-one were found on the CSI C.B.C. 16 Dec, with 21 still present 1 Feb. Four Semipalmated Plovers on the Glace Bay, NS C.B.C. 30 Dec were unique in the Region and record-late. A Marbled Godwit at Souris, PEI 25 Dec was apparently a first Regional winter record (KJM). The motherlode of Ruddy Turnstone, as usual, was at CSI, where 48 were found on 18 Feb (JN, MN). A maximum of 25 Red Knot was present at Grand Barachois, SPM in Dec and up to 2 Jan (RE). Sanderling were present in good numbers, such as 200 at Yarmouth 17 Dec, 76 at The Cape, CSI 1 Feb, 41 at Broad Cove, NS 29 Dec, 34 at Long Pond Beach, GMI 3 Jan, and 19 on the Miquelon C.B.C. 16 Dec. Three Semipalmated/Western Sandpipers were present at CSI 16 Dec (BMy). Lingering White- rumped Sandpipers were 3 at Schooner Pond, CBI to 4 Dec, one at Grand Barachois, SPM 5 Dec, and 3 at CSI 16 Dec. Several American Woodcock apparently attempted to winter in sw. Nova Scotia, perhaps with some success, as the latest report of these surprisingly hardy birds was of one at CSI 1 Feb (MN). Jaegers Through Aicids Jaegers seldom grace this seasonal report, but a late Pomarine was noted off CSI 16 Dec and a Parasitic at Brier Island 19 Dec (both BMy). An imm. Laughing Gull on the Port Hebert C.B.C. 17 Dec was a good find (DY, SF). Three Little Gulls at Campobello 1. 26 Dec (Maurry Mills) was a high count for New Brunswick and also notably late. Black-headed Gulls went unremarked upon at their Regional headquar- ters in St. John’s, but 275 were reported on Nova Scotia C.B.C.s, including 150 at Halifax 17 Dec. A Bonaparte’s Gull 25 Jan-t- in St. Pierre was considered fairly rare for winter (RE). At least 4 Common Gulls frequented St. John’s Harbor, while singles were found at Eskasoni, CBI 26 Dec, Pictou Harbour through Jan (KJM), and Pocologan, NB 10 Feb (JGW). Last winter’s Thayer’s Gull returned to its Halifax Harbour haunts for a command performance (v. o.). An ad. Yellow-legged Gull at St. John’s several times through the season (BMt, Paul Linegar, Jon King et al.) was deemed “pretty well an annual winter bird” by Mactavish. Lesser Black-backed Gull was tolerably com- mon only in St. John’s Harbor, where at least 10 different birds overwintered (BMt et al.). Black-legged Kittiwake was common in the lower Bay of Fundy during early winter, as evi- denced by 10,000-1- tallied off Brier 1. 4 Dec (ELM, lAM) and 9500 on the C.B.C. there 19 Dec. Away from Newfoundland, single imm. Ivory Gulls were found at L’Ardoise, CBI 27 Dec (DM, SM) and Hunts Point, Queens, NS 25 Jan (Sandy Hiltz). The only tern of the sea- son was a Forster’s Tern found near Yarmouth, NS 1-4 Dec (MN). A flight of 15,000+ Dovekie passing White Head I, GMI in four hours 5 Feb was unprecedented for the Bay of Fundy (BED). They were also common along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia during Dec. Special aerial surveys documented up to 25,000 Razorbills at Old Proprietor Shoals, GMI during the winter. Forty miles across the Bay, 8600 were counted on the Brier 1. C.B.C. Owls Through Gnatcatcher There was a minor invasion of Snowy Owls throughout the Region, although it was termed “not a very good year” in Newfoundland (BMt). Peak numbers were four at CSI 16 Dec and a like number throughout on the Tantramar Marshes (v. o.) along the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border. Northern Hawk Owl staged a minor invasion as well but nothing like that experienced farther west. New Brunswick had about eight sightings. Prince Edward Island one, and Nova Scotia four, where they are very rare. One was as far s. as Chebogue Point, Yarmouth 16 Jan. Deep winter snows were apparently the cause of consider- able mortality of Northern Saw-whet Owls in the Maritimes. Reports of tame and/or emaci- ated (upon examination after death) Saw- whets around bird feeders began to surface in early Jan, especially in Nova Scotia. A dead Boreal Owl found at Sackville, NB 23 Jan was the farthest s. in the Region {fide Nev Gerrity). A dead Long-eared Owl found in Lunenburg, NS in mid-Jan indicated they may also have experienced some difficulties with deep snow. There were fewer reports than usual of Red- bellied Woodpecker, with about five each in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and one in Prince Edward Island. An imm. YeUow-bellied Sapsucker at Jollimore, Halifax, NS through- out the period was almost unprecedented in the province (ED). Reports of wintering Northern Flickers continue to increase, espe- cially in Nova Scotia, but also in s. New Brunswick and e. Prince Edward Island. A Three-toed Woodpecker at Buctouche Dune, NB throughout the period was enjoyed by many. One at Mirande Lake, SPM 29 Dec was a first for those French islands (RE). It was an exceptional winter for Northern Shrike, with 105 on New Brunswick C.B.C.s, and 45 in Nova Scotia. It was even a “fairly good” season for the species in Newfoundland (BMt). Almost annual now in winter, at least 2 Carolina Wrens were found in New Brunswick, one at Fredericton, and one near Hampton. The only Marsh Wren for the period was at Wolfville, NS to 17 Dec. At least 3 Ruby- crowned Kinglets persisted into Jan at Alma, NB by making use of suet-peanut butter mix- tures at local feeders (Rob Walker). A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at St. John’s until 7 Dec (Anne Hughes et al.) was unique in the Region. Wheatear Through Waxwings An undocumented Northern Wheatear was reported from Port Morien, CBI 3 1 Dec (Jim 8c Della Murrant). Only New Brunswick’s 2nd, a female Mountain Bluebird was present 25 Nov-1 Dec at Pennfield Ridge, Charlotte (KMI). The Region’s only Townsend’s Solitaire pleased many observers 19 Jan- 14 Feb at Melmerby Beach, Pictou, NS (Gary Murray et 142 North American Birds Atlantic Provinces al.). Two Fieldfares graced the Region. One briefly at Ferryland, NF 12 Jan (JS) did not linger. The 2nd, a long-staying bird at Fredericton, NB, was present 18 Jan-15 Mar for the province’s 3rd record (DG et al). Local birders Don Gibson and Peter Pearce per- formed yeoman’s service by keeping tabs on the bird and showing it to birders from as far afield as California. It associated loosely with flocks of American Robins and fed on Mountain Ash berries throughout the city. A Redwing at Marys Point, Albert, NB was well documented 1 Jan (DSC) for the province’s first report. Despite intensive efforts by local birders over the next two months, it could not be relocated. One well described at Truro, NS Who could overlook American Robins? Numbers were exception- al and likely unprecedented, even as far north as w. Labrador. The reason was a bumper crop of Mountain Ash (except on the island of Newfoundland), perhaps try- ing to make up for its almost complete failure in 1999. A total of 3370 were found on New Brunswick C.B.C.s, while Nova Scotia reported 3651. Peak C.B.C. counts were 571 at Shubenacadie, NS and 528 at Fredericton, NB. From all reports, this author estimates at least 25,000 were pres- ent in New Brunswick, mostly in the s. along the Bay of Fundy. They were uncommon in Newfoundland, although a handful persisted throughout the period in w. Labrador, surely a first for this sub- arctic portion of our Region. As an exam- ple of their resourcefulness, DSC et al. reported them feeding on intertidal mud flats of the upper Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. Closer investigation revealed they were likely feeding on marine inver- tebrates, such as mud shrimp {Corophium volutator) and marine worms {Nereis sp.), fare usually reserved for shorebirds. Observation of similar behavior came from the Minas Basin of Nova Scotia. Flocks began to break up in mid-Feb, and by the end of the period, some reports of dead or starving birds surfaced in s. New Brunswick. However, the majority of these sturdy thrushes likely made it through. by a single observer Feb 8 may have been the sought-after bird (Lyn Ferns). Finally, to cap a truly interesting thrush winter, came three reports of Varied Thrush. A male at Mill Village, Queens, NS 22-24 Jan (SF, SC) did not stay, but another in New Glascow was present 6 Feb+ {fide KJM). One, perhaps 2, were present in two areas of Fredericton, NB 12-31 Jan (v.o.). Numbers of Bohemian Waxwing were low compared to the high levels found in winter 1999-2000. In St. John’s, flocks of several hundred were present until mid-Jan, after which “all the berries were eaten and they had to leave” (BMt). On the other hand, Cedar Waxwings outnumbered Bohemians in Nova Scotia, while the opposite was true in New Brunswick. Nova Scotia recorded 1262 Cedars on its C.B.C.s, while New Brunswick tallied a respectable 1061. They were even found in w. Labrador at the very edge of their summer range, with about 25 on the Wabush-Lab City C.B.C. 16 Dec. Warblers Through Finches There were 397 warblers on the various Nova Scotia C.B.C.s, 372 of which were Yellow- rumped. Not surprisingly. Pine (9) and Orange-crowned (7) made up the bulk of the remaining warblers. One of the latter was pres- ent at St. Pierre untU at least 21 Jan. A Nashville was on the CSI C.B.C. 16 Dec. Single Yellow- throated Warblers were attending feeders in St. John’s 3-10 Dec and Riverview, NB 1 1-22 Dec. A Yellow-rumped Warbler on LaHave L, Lunenburg, NS 29 Dec was identified as an Audubon’s Warbler, a first for Nova Scotia C.B.C.s (BMy). A rather late, quite yellowish Northern Waterthrush was found in Halifax 3-4 Dec (David Currie). Single Black-and- white Warblers were in Halifax to 3 Dec and 6-7 Dec in St. John’s. Nova Scotia’s first MacGillivray’s Warbler lingered from the fall at Halifax until at least 4 Dec (BMy, ED et al.). A Yellow-breasted Chat lasted until 26 Dec at St. John’s (Doug Phelan). Perhaps surprisingly, more Eastern Towhees were reported in the Region this win- ter than during the previous fall. There were at least 6 at Nova Scotia feeders, 5 in New Brunswick, and 3 in Newfoundland. The only Clay-colored Sparrow reported was at a Shediac, NB feeder 5 Dec-1 Jan (Stuart Tingley). Single Grasshopper Sparrows were reported at Brier L, NS 3 Dec (lAM et al.) and MacArras Brook, Antigonish, NS 4 Dec (KJM). Newfoundland’s 5th Sharp-tailed Sparrow, believed to be a Nelson’s, was at Point Lance 16-20 Dec (BMt et al.). Record numbers of wintering Song Sparrows were found in Nova Scotia, as well as near-record numbers of White-throated Sparrows. Only the winter of 1976-1977 recorded more White-throateds in that province. More than 10,000 Dark-eyed Juncos were tallied, close to twice the previous high. Single male Yellow-headed Blackbirds were found at Apple River, Cumberland, NS 16 Jan and Moncton, NB 12 Feb. The imm. male Bullock’s Oriole first found in early Dec in Halifax survived until at least early Apr (v.o.). It is worth noting this was one of very few fully documented and satisfactory records ever for the Region. Purple Finch was common in the Maritimes, especially in Nova Scotia and s. New Brunswick. Two were even found on the Wabush-Lab City C.B.C. 16 Dec, at the very edge of their summer range. A tally of 406 House Finch on the Moncton C.B.C. 16 Dec was a provincial high. It was a “very poor” year for all species of finch in Newfoundland (BMt), except for American Goldfinch, which was fairly common in urban areas (formerly rare). Elsewhere in the Region, there were moderate numbers of White-winged Crossbill in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Interior Queens, NS was the only area were Red Crossbill was common, with “hundreds” reported in late Jan at Kejimkujik N.P. (Becky Whittam). It was an off winter for Common and Hoary Redpolls, except in Labrador, where both were fairly common. Pine Siskin was found in above-average numbers on Maritime C.B.C.s, while American Goldfinch was at or near record highs, with 11,000-1- on both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia counts. Evening Grosbeak numbers continue to be depressed, termed “below average” in New Brunswick (DSC) and “average” in Nova Scotia (DM). Observers (sub-regional editors in bold- face): David S. Christie, Shirley Cohrs, Brian E. Dalzell, Fred Dobson, Elizabeth Doull, Roger Etcheberry, Sylvia Fullerton, Don Gibson, Matt Holder, Richard Knapton, Randy LauH, David McCorquodale, Kenneth J. McKenna (KJM), Ian A. McLaren, Kenneth Macintosh (KMI), Bruce Mactavish (BMt), Blake Maybank (BMy), Eric L. Mills, Susann Myers, Johnny Nickerson, Murray Newell, Don Gibson, Jytte Selno, David Young. A Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 143 Quebec James Blanc-Sablonj lEastmain Havre-St-Pierre Natashquan Matagami 'Chibougamau Baie^i Comeau Gulfof St Lawrence Matane ’•Rimouski •Amos Chicoutimi ,Mont- Laurier Montreal Sherbrooke • ATLANTIC OCEAN Pierre Bannon 1 51 7 Leprohon Montreal, Quebec, H4E 1P1 (pbannon@total.net) Samuel Denault 75 Beauchemin Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Quebec, JSN 1 J6 (samuel.clenault@vicleotron.ca) Yves Aubry Canadian Wildlife Service P.O Box 10100 Sainte-Foy, Quebec, G1V 4H5 (yves.aubry@ec.gc.ca) Normand David 11931 Lavigne Montreal, Quebec, H4J 1X9 (ndavid@netrover.com) After several mild winters, it was a return to a typical Canadian winter. The above-nor- mal precipitation and the absence of any extended thaw were responsible for a heavy snow cover throughout the Region. On the other hand, the temperature remained pleas- antly cold, with no extreme variations. Birding was excellent, owing to an abundance of northern owls, while an excellent fruit crop contributed to the presence of large numbers of American Robins and both species of waxwings. Northern finches were scarce in the south except for White-winged Crossbills and American Goldfinches, but most finches were more common in northern regions. Due to an early onset of the cold weather in December, fewer than usual late migrants lingered into the Region. Loons Through Gulls Accidental in mid-winter, a Red-throated Loon at Gentilly 27 Feb-l- may be considered our ear- liest ever (fide S. Houle). Seldom reported in Feb, single Common Loons were present at Les Escoumins 13 & 15 Feb (CA, CG), Baie-Sainte- Catherine 16 Feb (R Otis et al.), and Grande- Riviere 18 Feb (DM, A. Couture). The Horned Grebe that was observed at Les Escoumins 4 Jan 8c 2 Feb probably overwintered locally (CA), whOe a Red-necked Grebe at Pointe- Saint-Pierre 4 Feb was a good find for the peri- od (PP, DM, JRL, G. Roy). Two ad. Greater White-fronted Geese at Levis 1-5 Dec (R. Lepage et al.) and one imma- ture at Berthier-sur-mer 1 Dec (JL) were the first ever reported in Dec in the Quebec City area. The 25 Canada Geese at Caplan 4 Feb were unexpected at this time of the year in Gaspesie region (JM. Pitre). A Mute Swan of unknown origin continued to be present at Beauharnois until the end of the period (fide SD). The Wood Duck found at Shipshaw 27 Jan-4 Feb represented the first winter record in the Saguenay- Lac-Saint-Jean area (F. Riverin et al.), while 4 males overwintered at Beauharnois (D. Daigneault et al.). The male Eurasian Wigeon found at He des Soeurs 3 Dec was record late (PB). Unreported in Feb since 1996, a female Redhead at Sainte-Catherine 3-28 Feb+ was a good mid-winter find (SD). An impressive count of 6158 Common Eiders was tallied at the Matane C.B.C. 17 Dec. Also rare in mid-winter was a White-winged Scoter at Gentilly 3 Feb (RB). With almost 30 records, Gyrfalcons made their best appearance in years (ftde PB). Wild Turkeys were sighted in new localities in the Outaouais area with an individual killed at LuskvOle 15 Dec (M. Macquart) and another seen alive at Val-des-Bois 20 Jan (M. Peck). Six Ruddy Turnstones at Riviere-Hatee 6 Dec were the latest of the season (R. St- Laurent). A Common Snipe at Matapedia 8 Feb represented the first winter record for the species in the Gaspesie region (C. Pitre). Four imm. Black-headed Gulls were still present at Cap-aux-Meules 14 Jan (DGG). A second-win- ter Mew Gull, apparently of the European sub- species, was discovered at Port-Daniel 29 Dec, providing a new record late date by one day (£. Arsenault). A Lesser Black-backed Gull throughout the season at Les Escoumins pro- vided one of few overwintering records for the Region (CA, CG). An imm. Ivory Gull was dis- covered by a young teen birder 1 Jan at Saint- Gedeon (EC. Simard et al.), and was relocated the day after by local birders; another bird, also an imm., was observed flying over the frozen St. Lawrence R. at Rimouski 2 Jan (G. Gendron). Owls Through Blackbirds Owls were the dominant feature of the winter. Snov^y Owls appeared to be in above-average numbers, although it was not considered a peak year. Northern Hawk Owls continued to move s., with new birds appearing regularly until late Jan in almost every region of the province. As predicted in the last Fall report, the final count through mid-March totaled 209 individuals (fide SB). Great Gray Owls staged their second largest invasion in the Region, with a total of 104 birds reported through mid- March (fide SB). Most of the reports originat- ed from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and the Quebec City regions. Few birds reached the easternmost and the southernmost regions. Finally, Boreal Owls numbered 35 individuals through mid-March (fide C. Nadeau) Considered irregular in winter, the Belted Kingfisher was nonetheless well reported, with singles at Quebec City 17 Dec-28 Feb+ (JL et al.), Becancour 21 Jan-28 Feb+ (RB), Pointe- Calumet 7-28 Feb (LS), and Saint-Faustin 20 144 North American Birds Quebec One of two Harris’s Sparrows found in the province over the winter was this bird at i'Ange-Gardien. it was seen from 5 December through the winter. Photograph by Michele Lafleur. Feb (M. Renaud). A Red-bellied Woodpecker at Gros-Cap 12-23 Jan provided the second record only for lies de la Madeleine (DGG, L. Lapierre, m.ob.). Northern Flickers away from the southwest were found in good numbers as shown by totals of 7 in the Saguenay-Lac- Saint-Jean region, 4 in the Lower St. Lawrence, 2 in ties de la Madeleine, and one on the North Shore. Extremely rare in Dec, an Eastern Phoebe made quite a surprise at Irlande 13 Dec (B. Lemay). As expected, 8-9 Carolina Wrens were tallied in the s. part of the province with the northernmost appearing at Loretteville 1—6 Dec (M. Comeau, G. Cyr). A Marsh Wren, the second ever for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, caused great excitement at La Baie 3 Dec (CC, GS, et al., ph. S. Tremblay). No fewer than 4 Townsend’s Solitaires visit- ed the Region: one was at Sillery 1 Dec (O. Barden), one at Roxton-Sud 22-24 Dec (D. Pontbriand), one at Saint- Anaclet 27-28 Jan (JLM), and one at Les Escoumins 4 Feb (CA). The only Varied Thrush of the season bright- ened Saint-Ambroise-de-Kildare 9-28 Feb+ (M. Desroches, m.ob.). For the third consecu- tive year, a Fieldfare turned up briefly in the Region, this time at Cap-a-FAigle 1 Jan (M. Robert). American Robins overwintered in large numbers as far e. as the North Shore and the Lower St. Lawrence regions. In the south, flocks of 1600 at Montreal 5 Jan (B. Barnhurst, M. McIntosh) and 850 at Sainte-Catherine (Montreal C.B.C.) were noteworthy. Both species of waxwings were much in evidence. This Marsh Wren, photographed at La Baie 3 December, was the second ever for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. Photograph by Serge Tremblay. Best counts of Bohemians were 8000 at Chicoutimi 17 Jan (N. Duchesne), and 6000 at at Saint-Irenee 19 Jan (J. Hardy). Unexpectedly, the Cedar Waxwing was best reported away from the southwest, with a peak count of 200 at La Baie 7 Jan (D. Gervais, M. Tremblay). Single Yellow- rumped Warblers successfully overwintered at Matane (C. Durette, J. Durette et al.) and Rimouski (F. Proulx), while one was present at Les Escoumins 10 Dec-3 Feb (CA, CG). The other warblers of the season includ- ed a Pine at Beaconsfield late Dec-early Feb (PB) and the last fall long-standing Kentucky that survived in the Montreal Botanical Gardens until 5 Dec {fide PB). A female Spotted Towhee delighted many at Beauport 5 Jan-28 Feb-f (fide JL, m.ob., ph. ML), while single overwintering Eastern Towhees at Maria (C. Lamarre, B. Leblanc) and Bonaventure (fide PP) were worthy of men- tion. Considering the harsh December weather in the Montreal area, single Savannah Sparrows at Mirabel 11 Dec (LS), Saint- Constant 16 Dec (P. Wery), and Saint-Janvier 16 Dec (Y. Gauthier, S. Morand) were amaz- ingly late. Out-of-season Fox Sparrows were found at Matane 20 Jan (Y. Lemieux) and at Chandler 16 Feb-)- (R. Garrett, M. Garant et al.). A Swamp Sparrow at Chandler 28 Dec-28 Feb-l- was a first overwintering record for the Gaspesie region (JRL et al). Remarkable west- ern strays included single Harris’s Sparrows at I’Ange-Gardien 5 Dec-28 Feb-l- (£. Razurel, m.ob., ph. ML), and at Granby 15 Dec-6 Feb (fide B. Hamel, m.ob.). Worthy of mention among the half-dozen reports of the White- crowned Sparrow were single imm. gambelii at Les Escoumins 23 Nov-3 Dec (CA, CG), Saint- Janvier late Dec-28 Feb-i- (S. Aubin), and ChMeau-Richer 1 Jan-28 Feb-L (JM. Giroux). The only Oregon Junco spent the season at Laurierville (N. Labrie, D. McCutcheon). Single Rusty Blackbirds at Les Escoumins 30 Dec (CA, CG) and Cap d’Espoir 21 Jan-28 Feb-l- (PP et al.) were noteworthy. Contributors (subregional editors in bold- face): C. Auchu, P. Bannon (Montreal), R. Barbeau, S. Belleau, C. Buidin (North Shore), C. Cormier, DG. Gaudet (lies de la Madeleine), C. Girard, B. Hamel (Estrie), J. Lachance (Quebec City), M. Lafleur, JR. Lepage, JL. Martel (Lower St. Lawrence), D. Mercier, P. Poulin (Gaspesie), S. Rh^aume (Lower St. Lawrence), C. Roy (Bois-Francs), G. Savard (Saguenay-Lac-Saint- Jean), L. Simard, D. Toussaint (Outaouais), R. Ttirgeon (Lanauditre). Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 145 New England Pam Hunt 66 Park Street #2 Northfield, New Hampshire 03276 (biodiva@fcgnetworks.net) It had to happen eventually. After four con- secutive winters with above-average temper- atures, New Englanders finally got a taste of the real thing. December 2000, in fact, was the coldest December since 1989, falling into the bottom third in n. New England and the bot- tom fifth in the southern states. By January, temperatures were roughly normal, and even ended up in the top quarter by February. December was wetter than average, and many Christmas Bird Counters throughout the Region will not soon forget the thunderstorms of the 17th. In contrast, January and February were fairly dry, and we had to wait until March for the really serious snowfalls (but that’s another season). There were a number of clear patterns to New England’s avifauna this winter, although none were particularly dramatic. Among them was a modest invasion of northern raptors, including Rough-legged Hawks, Gyrfalcons, Snowy Owls, Northern Hawk Owls, and Northern Shrikes. In contrast, northern finch- es were almost absent, although they were replaced at feeders by a profusion of sparrows, especially Dark-eyed Juncos. Despite the cold temperatures, some half-hardies, including Hermit Thrush and a few warblers, lingered into the northern parts of the Region. On the other hand, the December freeze seems to have driven many waterfowl south early, and linger- ers in this group were generally reported in lower numbers. Offshore, December was good for jaegers and Dovekies, and alcids in general were relatively common throughout the sea- son. And finally, there were the rarities, includ- ing Brown Pelican in Rhode Island, possible Yellow-legged Gull on Nantucket, Veery in New Hampshire, and the usual collection of vagrant passerines from the south or west. Abbreviations; Block I. (Block I., Washington, RI), M.V. (Martha’s Vineyard, MA), Nantucket (Nantucket L, MA), Ogunquit (York, ME), P.I. (Plum I., Essex, MA), Provincetown {Barnstable, MA), Quabbin (Quabbin Reservoir, w. MA), Rockport {Essex, MA). Loons Through Vultures Pacific Loons are becoming regular in the Gulf of Maine. This season, one was in Gloucester, Essex, MA 18 Jan, and another was sporadically reported from Ogunquit 10 Dec-13 Feb (v.ob.). Away from the Gulf of Maine, Connecticut hosted one in Mystic, New London 30 Dec (C. Taylor). While Pied-billed Grebes regularly spend part of the winter in coastal areas, they are not expected over most of the Region’s interior. This winter 2 individ- uals made it into Feb: one in Burlington, Chittenden, VT 2 Feb, and another one along the Connecticut R. in Chicopee, Hampden, MA 22 Feb. Back in the south, a Red-necked Grebe in Fairfield, Fairfield, CT 4 Feb was noteworthy for the Nutmeg State (fide GH). Wayward Eared Grebes included Gloucester’s bird back for its 6th consecutive winter, and another in E. Lyme, New London, CT 29 Dec-13 Jan (ph., m.ob.). A Western Grebe made a one-day showing at Salisbury, Essex, MA 14 Jan. Greater Shearwaters lingered in Massachusetts’ waters into mid-Dec, with 9 seen from shore at Rockport 12 Dec and 25 on George’s Bank 2 Dec. One off Block I. 10 Dec was among the latest reports on record for Rhode Island {fide DE). For the 2nd year in a row. New England hosted a Brown Pelican in Dec. This year’s individual was no doubt quite a surprise to observers on the Block I. C.B.C., as it perched on a breakwater through sunset 21 Dec (C. Raithel et al.). The wader of the sea- son was an imm. Little Blue Heron that just made it into the winter at Scarborough Marsh, Cumberland, ME 1 Dec. Black Vultures continue to spread slowly from their w. Connecticut stronghold, although I suspect the cold winter curtailed their movements somewhat this year. Eastward wanderers made it to Niantic, New London, CT 10 Feb; Marion, Plymouth, MA 3 Jan; and Bourne, Barnstable, MA 6 Jan, while one at Sheffield, Berkshire 1 1 Feb was the first mid- winter record for w. Massachusetts (fide SK). It is not unusual for migrant Turkey Vultures to catch either end of the winter in early Dec and late Feb, but mid-winter reports away from s. New England are rare. This year’s standouts were in Kensington, Rockingham, NH 31 Dec and Montville, Waldo, ME 6 Feb. Waterfowl For the first time in several years, inland waters froze before the end of Dec, resulting in fewer reports of waterfowl away from s. and coastal areas. Numbers of Greater White-fronted Geese were down this season, with only 2 in Massachusetts and 3 in Connecticut. Snow 146 North American Birds New England Geese, on the other hand, were more numer- ous than usual in Connecticut. A Snow Goose flock in Newburyport, Essex, MA began at 1 14 in early Dec and declined to 69 by late Feb, making it the largest group ever to winter in the state (fide RH). Flocks of 100-300 Snow Geese were noted in several Vermont locations during Dec, but the high count was 4200 over Charlotte, Addison 12 Dec. Following the lead set by white-fronted geese, Tundra Swans were poorly represented, likely because colder tem- peratures resulted in less open water. Two were in Connecticut and 3 in Rhode Island, but none were reported from the traditional site of Naples, Cumberland, ME (fide JD). Numbers of Eurasian Wigeon were roughly normal, with 8 in Massachusetts, and 4 each in Rhode Island and Connecticut. In contrast to last year, Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shovelers were less widespread, as well as less likely to linger beyond Dec. But just when it was becoming clear that waterfowl numbers were down in 2000-2001, there comes a flock of up to 250 Northern Pintail in Westport, Bristol, MA during Feb that may be the highest winter count on record for the Bay State. The male Tufted Duck returned to Wachusett Res., Worcester, MA for a 6th winter but was last reported on 16 Dec. There were no other Tufted Ducks reported for the Region. Flarlequin Ducks occurred in usual loca- tions in normal numbers. The following are seasonal maxima for the traditional hot spots: 30 at Ogunquit; 91 at Rockport; 12 at Orleans, Barnstable, MA; 43 at Nantucket; 80 at Sachuest Pt., Newport, RI; and 25 at Jamestown, Newport, RI. The latter location appears to be something of an overflow area for the increasing population at Sachuest Point. The count of 30,000 Surf Scoters seen from a ferry in Nantucket Sound 6 Jan, along 9000 Black Scoters and 650 White-winged Scoters, made for a staggering count (RH). A sampling of state high counts for Common Goldeneye is likewise impressive: 271 on Lake Winnisquam, Belknap, NH 10 Dec, 547 in Quincy, Norfolk, MA 28 Jan, and 800 in Charlotte, Chittenden, VT 7 Feb. Each species of waterfowl appears to have a favorite winter- ing location, and for Hooded Merganser it appears to be the Lakes Region of cen. New Hampshire. The maximum mid-winter count for all of New England was a flock of 56 in Tilton, Belknap 3 Feb. The best s. New England could do was 35 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA 1 1 Feb. Red-breasted Merganser, in contrast, is a species of the ocean, with a high of 2000 at Provincetown 4 Feb. Inland individuals of this species are quite rare after Dec, thus making one at Quabbin 12 Jan and 2 at Shelburne, Chittenden, VT 17 Jan especially noteworthy given the temperatures that preceded their dis- covery. Although less common than last win- ter, Ruddy Ducks were still found in above- average numbers. The maximum was a flock of 228 at Nahant, Essex, MA 17 Jan (RH). Raptors Through Rails While Osprey regularly linger into Dec in s. New England, they are more unusual in the n. three states. This season there was one at Gerrish L, York, ME 3 Dec. Bald Eagles in New Hampshire made national news when a pair began building a nest along the Merrimack River in Bedford, Hillsborough in early Feb. If successful, this nest would be the first case of eagles breeding in an urban area in the Region, a sure sign that the species’s recovery is well under way. Although the data are not clear on this point, it is this editor’s impression that Northern Goshawks were more abundant over much of the Region this winter, based on reports to state rare bird alerts. If this large Accipiter did stage something of an irruption, it would fit nicely with a general influx of other n. raptors. One of these was Rough-legged Hawk, which was more common than usual in Connecticut, Rhode Island, w. Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. This marks the 2nd con- secutive winter that this species has made it to Connecticut in relatively high numbers, with this year’s birds arriving after an early Jan cold snap. Golden Eagles were at the usual locations in Connecticut and w. Massachusetts, includ- ing 2 each in Canaan, Litchfield, CT and the lower Connecticut River Valley, Middlesex and New London, CT; and a single bird at Quabbin. Another Golden Eagle was at Shaftsbury, Bennington, VT and was likely the same indi- vidual that frequented this location last winter. Merlins may be increasing as a wintering species in New England, perhaps paralleling their increase as breeders in n. parts of the Region. This winter there were 3 in Maine, 2 in New Hampshire, one in Vermont, 1 1 in Rhode Island, and at least 20 in Massachusetts. Among the n. raptors moving south were Gyrfalcons. The gray individual at P.I. contin- ued from Nov, where it was last seen 10 Dec. The Champlain Valley of Vermont hosted 2-3 birds and another 2 were reported from coastal Maine. The region’s final Gyrfalcon frequented the Jefferson and Lancaster areas, Coos, NH from early Dec into Jan, providing the Granite State with its first accepted record since March 1993. For the 2nd year, a Virginia Rail lingered into Dec in w. Massachusetts, where it was found in Northampton, Hampshire 17 Dec. More unusual was a Common Moorhen at Trustom Pond, Washington, RI 2 Dec; and most unexpected was a Purple Gallinule on M.V. 1 Jan (fide A. Keith). This season’s Sandhill Cranes were a returning individual in Fairhaven, Bristol, MA 27 Jan-23 Feb and one in Bloomfield, Hartford, CT 16-23 Dec. This or a different individual flew over nearby West Hartford 24 Feb. Shorebirds Through Alcids Lingering Semipalmated Plovers were seen at two locations 23 Dec: Naragansett, Washington, RI and Winthrop, Suffolk, MA. American Oystercatchers may be increasing as winter visitors in Connecticut, where up to 9 were at Westbrook, Middlesex 14-18 Jan. Considering the fact that they are one of the earliest fall shorebirds, the presence of 3 Lesser YeUowlegs on P.I. 5 Dec is unprecedented for the Bay State. One of these birds was still pres- ent 26 Dec. Surprise shorebirds at South Beach, Chatham, Barnstable, MA included a Western Willet 17 Dec and a Marbled Godwit 1-17 Dec. Despite the colder winter in most of the region, American Woodcock were ready for the breeding season on Cape Cod as early as 6 Feb, when one was heard calling in Truro, Barnstable, MA. Following the fall’s flight, Massachusetts hosted several jaegers into mid-Dec. Most were the expected Pomarines, including high counts of 12 at South Monomoy, Barnstable 1 Dec and 4 at Rockport 12 Dec. More noteworthy was one over Nantucket Sound 6 Jan (RH et al.), furnishing the Bay State with possibly a record late date. Among the Pomarines were some Parasitics, including 2 at Nantucket 2 Dec and one at Block 1. 2 Dec. Topping the list was an adult Long-tailed Jaeger seen from land at Point Judith, Washington, RI 15 Jan (D. Finizia, C. Nunes). Although the primary Atlantic win- tering grounds of this species are poorly known (thought to be in the Falkland Current off South America), they are certainly far from New England, and there are no recent winter reports from anywhere on the Atlantic Coast of North America. The individual in question was seen at close range, both in flight and on the water, by experienced observers, and awaits evaluation by the Rhode Island Records Committee. Unusual inland in mid-winter, especially after a cold Dec, was a Black-headed Gull at Quabbin 12 Jan (S. Perkins et al). A Mew Gull was at Lynn, Essex, MA 8-15 Feb. Thayer’s Gulls were reported from Southbury, Fairfield, CT 29 Dec (GH); Nantucket; and Portland, Cumberland, ME 18 Feb (P. Comins). Perhaps as a result of increasing winter populations (see S.A.), Lesser Black-backed Gulls are increasingly Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 147 Overwintering American Pipits are quite rare in northern New England, so this individual at Hampton Beach, Rockingham, New Hampshire (here 28 January) was especially noteworthy, considering the cold temperatures it endured. Photograph from video by Steve Mirick. O A Interesting population changes Oxxmay be afoot with the Region’s populations of “winter” gulls. At least one observer (RH) has noted a consistent, even dramatic, decline in Iceland Gulls in northeastern Massachusetts over the last few decades. Counts over 50 were report- ed from Cape Ann in the late 1970s and early 1980s, whereas there have not been more than 5 at that location in the last five seasons. Numbers at other locations in the Bay State have shown similar trends. Perusal of the last four years of data show drops of roughly 50% at P.I. and Provincetown, and even the traditional hotspot of Nantucket had a maximum only 45 this winter, compared to 85 in 1999-2000 and 60 in 1998-1999. Christmas Bird Count data from Maine also show a decline, at least away from the far “down east” (fide WT). At the same time. Lesser Black-backed Gulls are on the increase. Massachusetts and Connecticut each averaged 4 statewide in the early 1990s, totals that increased dramatical- ly— to 15 and 10 respectively — by decade’s end. Glaucous Gulls seem to be holding their own, although they are now less common than the previous species in s. New England. The factors behind these changes are open to speculation, and a complete analysis would require a much more extensive perusal of C.B.C. and other data. Nonetheless, this is a good example of the sorts of population trends that can only emerge when we step back and look at sightings in large blocks. Only time will tell if the patterns continue (they show every sign of doing so, at least for Lesser Black-backeds), but in the mean- time we need to keep making and submit- ting our observations. common inland in cen. New England. This sea- son there were at least 2 in w. Massachusetts and a well-described individual in Brattleboro, Windham, VT 3 1 Jan (M. Taylor) provided a rare record for the Green Mountain State. And then there was Nantucket. This regional larid hotspot has long been known as a good location to find large concentrations of Lesser Black-backed and Iceland Gulls. In the midst of such mundane fare, observers discovered a bird showing all the field marks of Yellow-legged Gull 28 Dec (tP. Buckley, R. Veit, R Buckley). The bird in question appears to have been of the subspecies Larus cachinnans michahellis, the population breeding in the Mediterranean, which may be a separate species from the nomi- nate Yellow-legged Gulls of the Black and Caspian Seas. After a lackluster showing last winter, alcids were reasonably common. Dovekies staged one of their largest incursions in many years, with most large counts in Dec. At Rockport, 22 were observed 5 Dec, but the motherlode came 17 Dec, when the mis- erable weather pre- sumably forced 62 close to shore (RH). Other good totals included 9 at Ogunquit 12 Dec and 14 at Jamestown, RI 10 Feb. Common Murres were also slightly more common than usual, with peak counts of 6 and 7 from Rockport and offshore Rhode Island, respectively. Their Thick-billed relatives were back up to numbers comparable to the winter of 1998-1999. In Long Island Sound, 6 Razorbills made it all the way to New London, New London, CT through Jan and Feb, and the species was also more com- mon than usual in Rhode Island. High counts farther north included 20 in Rye, Rockingham, NH 22 Dec; 7000 from Nantucket 4 Jan; and 8000 from Provincetown 4 Feb. There was the usual scatter of Atlantic Puffins, all from Massachusetts except a single offshore sighting from Rhode Island 4 Feb. Doves Through Woodpeckers A Eurasian Collared-Dove was reported in Newbury, Orange, VT 1 Dec (C. Bretton), but no details were submitted. To date, this expanding species has not been recorded in New England, but observers should remain alert for that possibility. Rough-legged Hawks and Gyrfalcons weren’t the only n. raptors moving south this winter, since Snowy Owls increased for the 2nd year in a row. Totals Regionwide included 4 in Vermont, 2 in New Hampshire, 3 in Maine, 19 in Massachusetts, 4 in Connecticut, and 2 in Rhode Island. Snowies weren’t the only n. owls in New England, however, as Northern Hawk Owls appeared for the first time since 1998. New Hampshire hosted 2 individuals, including one at the Whitefield Airport, Coos 1 Dec- 18 Feb that was seen by birders from all over the Northeast. The 2nd bird, only a few miles away in Jefferson, was seen infrequently during the first half of Dec. To the east, 3 hawk owls visit- ed Maine: one-day sightings at Bancroft, Aroostook 30 Dec and Orono, Penobscot 28 Jan, and the 3rd at Sydney, Kennebec from 21 Jan into March. A roost of 10-12 Long-eared Owls in Essex, Essex, MA 28 Jan was one of the largest recorded in the county (JB). Short- eared Owls were widespread along the Connecticut coast, but not quite as common in Rhode Island as the previous winter. The only Red-headed Woodpeckers in the Region were 2 overwintering individuals in Connecticut, and an additional single-day sighting from Hudson, Hillsborough, NH 6 Jan (J. Bedard). Red-bellied Woodpeckers made inroads to the north, with birds in Brandon, Rutland, VT 8 Feb, and Orono, Penobscot, ME in early Jan. While Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are pretty regular in s. New England, one visit- ing a feeder in Moultonborough, Carroll, NH throughout Jan and Feb was unusual for the n. half of the Region (J. Currier). Even farther north, but where it was supposed to be, was a Three-toed Woodpecker in Houlton, Aroostook, ME 5 Jan, providing a rare winter record of this hard-to-find boreal species. Flycatchers Through Waxwings Despite the cold Dec, this winter there were 2 Eastern Phoebes in Massachusetts into mid- winter, one at Sudbury, Middlesex 2 1 Jan and another on Nantucket 31 Jan. The Tropical 148 North American Birds New England Kingbird that graced Hingham in Nov left as the season turned but was replaced by a Western Kingbird on M.V. 5 Dec, providing the Bay State with a rare winter record. It v/as the 2nd banner year in a row for Northern Shrikes. Totals of 40, 22, and 41 in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine compare favorably with last winter’s 60, 24, and 55, respectively. Like the hawks and owls discussed above, this smallest raptor seemed to move south as the winter progressed, with increases noted in Connecticut in late Jan. The season’s only vireo was a Blue-headed at Mansfield Hollow S.P., Tolland, CT 3 Dec (C. Elphick). Winter Fish Crows are to be expected from Massachusetts south in variable numbers, but the small corvids are rare after Sep from New Hampshire north. It is thus noteworthy for there to have been two reports from Maine: one in Freeport, Cumberland, at the end of Dec, and another at Brunswick, Sagadahoc 5 Feb (JideWT). Carolina Wrens increased for the 5th straight year at the edge of their range in w. Massachusetts and s. Nev/ Hampshire. Among the Region’s six records of House Wren this sea- son, one was singing in Augusta, Kennebec, ME 4 Dec, and 2 made it into Feb in e. Massachusetts. A Sedge Wren was again on Nantucket 2-3 Dec, while at the opposite comer of New England, a Marsh Wren was noteworthy at Colchester, Chittenden, VT 17 Dec (A. Strong). Despite the Dec freeze, Ruby-crowned Kinglets were wel reported from areas where they are usually absent in winter. New Hampshire hosted 3 in Dec, w. Massachusetts had 5 in Jan (including 2 at a feeder through Feb), and one lingered to 23 Jan on Monhegan L, Lincoln, ME. Almost unprecedented in the Region was a Veery that appeared at a feeder in Bristol, Grafton, NH in late Oct and was still present in mid-Feb (ph. P. Moulton). The only other winter record for the Region is of a bird in Greenwich, Connecticut in Jan 1980. Our regular winter thrushes — Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, and American Robin — con- tinue to increase in the north and west and to consolidate their gains in the south. There were 3 Varied Thrushes this winter, all in the north: Buxton, York, ME 31 Dec to 7 Jan; Etna, Penobscot, ME 1~2 Jan; and Rye, NH 16-25 Feb. A Gray Catbird was north and late in Bennington, VT 18 Feb. There are usually a few American Pipits in e. Massachusetts each win- ter, although numbers vary. This year the peak count was 25 at Middleboro, Plymouth 10 Dec. More noteworthy were the birds in Rockingham, coastal New Hampshire. Five were in North Hampton 13 Jan, and one spent almost the entire winter just to the south in Hampton. As one would expect, there were rtf ■X; Not quite a standard feeder bird was this Ovenbird in Kittery, York County, Maine, on 17 January, one of two this winter in New England. Photograph from video by Steve Uirick. only a fev# Bohemian Waxwings after last year’s invasion. Most were in n. New Hampshire and Maine, with smaller numbers in n. Vermont. They appeared to increase somewhat in late Jan, followed by southward-vrander- ing individuals in Feb. Of the latter, the farthest afield were birds at Monterey, Berkshire, MA 20 Feb, and Scarborough, ME in early Feb. Warblers Through Finches As one might expect in a chilly Dec, th.e numbers of lingering warblers were relatively low. Reports in the early part of the season included a Nashville on the Newport, Newport, RI C.B.C. 16 Dec, a Northern Parula on M.V. i-2 Dec, and a Yellow-throated in Derry, Rockingham, NH 18-22 Dec. The latter bird was at a feeder, a behavior that allowed a few other warblers to survive v#ell into 2001. Among them were a Black-throated Blue in Brewster, Barnstable, MA throughout the winter, and 2 Ovenbirds: one all winter in Durham, Middlesex, CT and another at Kittery, York, ME 17-20 Jan (v.t. S. Mirick). Pine Warblers, which regularly spend all or part of the snov/ season in s. New England, may have been more common than usual in the north, where they were also aided by feeders. Farthest afield were birds in Hanover, Grafton, NH 7 Dec into Jan, and Buck’s Harbor, Washington, ME 18 Jan to 6 Feb. Also away from their usual winter- ing areas in the Region were Yellow-rumped Warblers in Vermont: 2 at Ferrisburg, Addison 1 Jan, and one at Starksboro, Addison 18 Jan. Finally, another good find was an Auduborfs Warbler at Ninigret N.W.R., Washington, RI 23 Dec (J. LeBaron), marking only the 2nd time this species has been recorded in the Ocean State. The season’s only Western Tanager was found in Woodbury, Litchfield, CT 14 Dec (J. Frev/). At first apparently a one-day- wonder, it reappeared 28 Feb and remained vreil into Mar. Two others were reported from e. Massachusetts without supporting documentation. If one had to name the winter of 2000-2001 for a passerine phenomenon, it would be called “The Year of the Sparrow.” Leading the wave were Dark-eyed Juncos, which occurred in numbers large enough to exceed C.B.C. records through- out the Region. Speculation on the cause of this junco invasion focuses on three theories: 1) they had a very productive breeding season in 2000, 2) large natural food crops caused them to stay far- ther north than usual, and 3) cold weather in Canada caused them to move farther south than usual. The latter two, conveniently, are testable hypotheses, using C.B.C. data and other regional reports, and perhaps by the time this season is summarized in its entirety we’ll have a better idea of what was going on. Joining the juncos were larger than usual numbers of Eastern Towhees, and Savannah, V/hite-throated and Fox Sparrows, especially in the north and inland west. Unusual sparrows included 3 Lark Sparrows (2 in New Hampshire, one in Massachusetts), 2 Grasshopper Sparrows (in Massachusetts and Connecticut), and a Lincoln’s Sparrow on the S. Kingston C.B.C., Washington, RI 23 Dec. The rarest species in this group however, was the Harris’s Sparrow, 2 of which graced New England feeders this season. One was at Berlin, Coos, NH 22-24 Dec (K. Dube), while the other persisted in Putney, Windham, VT from Nov into Mar (S. Medved). A female Painted Bunting fre- quented Wellfleet, Barnstable, MA 1-12 Feb. Winter blackbirds of note included 5 YeUow- headeds in Connecticut and one in Massachusetts; a Boat-tailed Crackle in Stratford, Fairfield, CT 11 Dec; and at least 9 Baltimore Orioles, with one in Maine, 3 each in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and 2 in Rhode Island. This season’s Bullock’s Oriole was an imm. male at S. Dartmouth, Bristol, MA 19-23 Jan (ph. R. Bullard). As is to be expected, winter finches were largely absent after last year’s invasion. Purple Finches appear to be the only species that moved to any extent, but even they were generally in scat- tered smaller flocks. Pine Grosbeaks were largely restricted to n. New Hampshire and n. and c. Maine, although one was out of place near the s. Maine coast at Old Orchard Beach, York 24 Feb. Red Crossbills showed a similar distribution, although a handful made it to the Berkshires in w. Massachusetts. White-winged Crossbills were more common and widespread over the same general area, with additional sightings from Volume 5 5 ( 2 00 1 ), Number 2 149 Two Ways TO Give TO ABA Give at tke Off ice Many companies will match your monthly or payroll deduction gifts as well as your annual gifts to ABA. Just obtain a copy of your company's Matching Gift Application form from your personnel office, fill it out, and send it to ABA. Ask your Employer to Matck Tour Gift Take advantage of this easy way to give to ABA conser- vation and education pro- grams. Give us a call and we'll check to see if your employer is on our list of nearly 6,000 companies with matching gift programs, 800/850-2473 or write to us at: ABA Development PO Box 6599 Colorado Springs, CO 80934 Vermont, and up to 140 at Savoy, Berkshire, MA during Jan and Feb. Pine Siskins were generally scarce, and there was only a tiny echo of last win- ter’s redpoO flight, most of which were in Maine. Exotics A Great Tit frequented a feeder in Sharon, Litchfield, CT for the entire winter (ph. F. Mueller). It wasn’t that long ago that one of this species was exhibiting similar behavior in Rhode Island, and one cannot help but wonder how common they actually are in captivity. There are at least four records from Iceland but none from Greenland. Subregional editors (boldface), contributors (italics), and observers? Ann Aversa (VT), Jim Berry, Alan Delorey (NH), Jody Despres (ME), David Emerson (RI), Greg Hanisek (CT), Richard Heil, Seth Kellogg (MA), Judy Peterson (VT), Marjorie Rimes (MA), William Townsend (ME). /) Assist in bird conservation, research, and outreach in the Neotropics by donating your used but still functional birding equipment to Birders' Exchange, We collect binoculars, spotting scopes, neotropical field guides, and backpacks for distribution to research and education organizations in the Neotropics. We also accept financial contributions to support the program. Please send your donations to: Birders' Exchange, American Birding Association, 720 West Monument St., PO Box 6599, Colorado Springs, CO 80934-6599. Birders' Exchange Birders’ Exchange Needs You! http://annericanbirding.org/programs/consbex.htrn 150 North American Birds Hudson- Delaware Hudson-Delaware Joseph C. Burgiel 331 Alpine Court Stanhope, New Jersey 07874 (burgiel@alum.mit.edu) Robert 0. Paxton 460 Riverside Drive Apt. 72, New York, New York 1 0027 (rop1@columbia.edu) David A. Cutler 1 003 Livezey Lane Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1 91 1 9 (dcipaper@aol.com) Though the year 2000 was a warm one over- all, December was very cold over the entire Region, and while precipitation was below normal, much of it fell as snow. January and February were somewhat warmer than normal with less than normal precipitation. In spite of the harsh December, a reasonable number of half-hardy species continued well into the win- ter. Except in the extreme northern portion, winter finches were nearly nonexistent. Christmas Bird Counts on the first weekend of the count interval suffered rain, sometimes very heavy, even in the northern parts, while those on the last weekend had deep snow. Highlights of the season were American White Pelican in Delaware; a modest incursion of Gyrfalcons; gulls, including reports of Black-tailed, Mew, California, Ivory, Ross’s, and Sabine’s; two Northern Hawk Owls and a Chestnut-collared Longspur in New York; Ash- throated Flycatcher in Pennsylvania; and Le Conte’s Sparrow in New Jersey. Continuing from last season were Allen’s Hummingbird in New Jersey and Hammond’s Flycatcher in Pennsylvania. Abbreviations: Avalon (Sea Watch at Avalon, Cape May, NJ); Barnegat (Barnegat Light S.P., Ocean, NJ); Bombay Hook (Bombay Hook N.W.R., Kent, DE); Cape Henlopen (Cape Henlopen S.P., Sussex, DE); Jones Beach (Jones Beach S.P., Nassau, NY); Montauk (Montauk Point S.R, Suffolk, NY); N.J.B.R.C. (New Jersey Bird Records Committee); N.Y.S.A.R.C. (New York State Avian Records Committee); Peace Valley (Peace Valley Park, near Doylestown, Bucks, PA); P.O.R.C. (Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee); Sandy Hook (Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway National Recreation Area, Monmouth, NJ). Grebes Through Vultures Over 30 Red-necked Grebes were reported from Long Island, with a peak of 12 on the Montauk C.B.C. 16 Dec, and a maximum of 15 were at Whalon’s Bay, Essex, NY 3 Dec (JP, PT). Elsewhere they were scarce. With a total of 8 reported, Eared Grebes made a good showing. The only report outside New York was of one in New Jersey at High Bar near Barnegat 6 Jan (Roger Johnson) and 14 Jan (SB, Linda Mack). An American White Pelican spent more than a month in Delaware, which has only about a half-dozen previous records. First found near Dover, Kent 29 Dec (Dave Wolanski), it was seen four more times until 19 Feb at various locations in Kent and Sussex (v.ob.). American Bitterns were present along the coast in normal numbers, with 3 reported from Long Island and 5 each from Delaware and New Jersey. An extremely late Least Bittern in upstate New York, where it is virtually unknown in winter, visited a pond in Greece, Monroe 17 Dec (Dave Tetlow). A Yellow-crowned Night Heron was present on the Cape May C.B.C. 17 Dec in New Jersey with fewer than ten state winter records. Waterfowl Regular since the 1980s, Greater White-Ifonted Geese were present in good numbers, with near- ly 30 reported. Two Delaware C.B.C.s had the top Snow Goose counts, with 78,000 on the Cape Henlopen-Prime Hook C.B.C., Sussex 17 Dec and 77,000 on the Bombay Hook C.B.C. 31 Dec. And numbers built to 70,000 at Middlecreek WMA, Lancaster, PA by the end of Feb (DH). Ross’s Geese, once a rarity, made an excellent showing, with 16 at customary locations in all four states. Black Brant, a rare visitor, appeared one each in Moorestown, Burlington, NJ 15 Jan (Glenn Mahler) and at Floyd Bennet Field in Brooklyn 13 Feb (PT). In mid-Jan, a second Brant die-off similar to one last Nov occurred at the Brigantine Unit of the Forsythe N.W.R., Ocean, NJ and left about 1000 dead. Experts at the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, are trying to determine the cause. Candidates include algal blooms or biotoxins, pollutants, and diseases. There is no sign of trauma, and starvation appears to be ruled out because the birds seem to have adequate body fat. One and later two Barnacle Geese of unknown origin were present at Peace Valley and nearby L. Galena for much of Dec (AM). A total of 1 1 Trumpeter Swans, pre- sumably from reintroduction programs in Ontario and elsewhere, visited nw. New York, with a maximum of 6 at Fair Haven, Cayuga 2 Dec (BP). But 2 at Blue Marsh L., Berks 31 Dec into Feb (Harold & Joan Silagy), being hand fed, were probably of captive origin. Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 151 No longer a rarity in most coastal plain sites in the East, at least where large numbers of gulls gather, Lesser Black-backed Gulls were again widely reported in double- and even triple-digit figures. These 20 birds were at the Churchville Reservoir, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where up to 160 were tallied in middle December. Photograph by Alan Brady. Eurasian Wigeon numbers seem to be down some from previous years, with only 1 3 reported, of which 8 were on Long Island, and only one well inland at Cayuga L., Tompkins, NY 6-7 Jan (BFo, BE). The peak count of Canvasbacks was 8000 on the Ithaca C.B.C., Tompkins, NY I Jan, with 6800 in the Niagara River at Grand L, Erie, NY 15 Jan (BK). And the peak count of Redheads was 13,500, also on the Ithaca C.B.C. After lower numbers through most of the 1990s, for the 2nd consec- utive year Redheads have been staging a come- back in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, though the extraordinary high of 50,000 at Senaca L. in 1976 is still a long way off. A Tufted Duck in Oswego, NY 4 Feb through the end of the period (BP, Gerard Phillips, KM) provided the 2nd record for the Oneida L. Basin. Single females at Rehoboth Beach, Susssex, DE 7 Dec to season end (m.ob.) and at Brick Twp., Ocean, NJ 5 Jan-15 Feb (m.ob.) are believed to be returning birds (the one at Brick frozen out of the ponds in Point Pleasant). Four others were reported from Long Island. Once again the maximum count of Greater Scaup was in the Sandy Hook area. Thirty thousand were present in Raritan Bay 7 Feb (Rich Kane). Fifteen King Eiders in the L. Ontario Littoral, Oswego, NY 24 Feb (KM, BP) provided the 2nd highest one-day count for the Oneida L. Basin. As many as 8 more were present along the L. Ontario shore of New York’s Genesee region, 8 at Montauk, and sin- gles in Buffalo and at Shark River Inlet, Monmonth, NJ. The Montauk C.B.C. 16 Dec tallied 250 Com. Eiders and similar numbers remained in the area through the season. While this is a good count, it is a far cry from the thousands that graced the same area in the mid-nineties. Four others were reported from New Jersey. Twenty-two Harlequin Ducks was the top count at Barnegat 15 Jan (Sandra Keller). Six more were present on the Montauk C.B.C. 16 Dec, with about 4 others scattered over the remainder of Long Island. Other reports included singles in New York at Niagara Falls, at Orleans, Jefferson, and in the Oswego R., Oswego; and in New Jersey at Avalon. No longer a rarity in much of the region, 12 Barrow’s Goldeneye were reported, one at Sandy Hook (m.ob.) returning for its 7th season. And a well-described Barrow’s x Common Goldeneye hybrid visited Yard’s Cr. Res., Warren, NJ 13 Jan (fBrian & Tiffany Hardiman). Raptors To Cranes An Osprey surprised observers on the Salem County Raptor Survey, Salem, NJ 10 Feb (Flora Woessner et ah). There are only three or four mid-winter records for New Jersey in the last quarter century. Five others remained in the region until mid-Dec. With over 350 reported (some possibly more than once). Bald Eagles continue to rebound. The Bombay Hook C.B.C. 31 Dec tallied 75 Northern Harriers, an outstanding total; and about 175 more were reported from the rest of the Region. With 33 reported. Northern Goshawks made a good showing. Rough-legged Hawks also made a good showing with about 265 reported, though in some areas it was not as good as last year’s. And with 5 in New York, 3 in New Jersey and one in Pennsylvania, Golden Eagles num- bers were down slightly from last year. Wintering Merlins in unusual locations included one in Tewksbury, Hunterdon, NJ (EO) and one at Onondaga Park in Syracuse, NY, which also frequented the University cam- pus and downtown Syracuse (m.ob.). Twenty- Cranes were present all season in the area around Bostwick L., Cumberland, NJ, not far from where up to 5 were reported last fall. They remained on large tracts of private land and more often than not could not be seen. The largest daily total was 9 on 3 Feb (Tom Bailey, Don Jones), but did not include the Common Crane that had been frequenting the area, and may or may not have included the Sandhill Crane that normally accompanied it. During the past year, Jim Dowdell has made something of a study of these birds and believes he has identified 14 separate individuals: 1 Common Crane, 6 appar- ently pure Sandhill Cranes, and 7 show- ing characters suggesting they are Common x Sandhill hybrids. This con- centration of cranes is consistent with the increase in SandhOl Cranes in other states in the northeast arid in the middle Atlantic region. Bruder has received a photograph taken by a local landowner last spring showing the Common Crane together with a Sandhill Crane and a chick less than a foot high. The Common Crane that bred with a Sandhill Crane in 1995 in nearby central Salem had a crooked toe on its left foot and is pre- sumed to have escaped from a farm in upstate New York in 1991. But though the present bird is probably the same individual, its origin remains uncon- firmed. Many thanks are due to Jim Dowdell, Ed Bruder, and Laurie Larson for providing information. 152 North American Birds Hudson-Delaware two others were also reported. In New York, a white-morph Gyrfalcon was reported at Tupper L. Marsh, Franklin 26 Dec (Charicie Delehanty, details requested for N.Y.S.A.R.C.), an imm. gray morph at Venice, Cayuga 28 Jan (tBF, Meena Haribal), and an imm. dark morph at Little Sodus Bay, Fair Haven, Cayuga most of Feb (MAK, m.ob.; details to N.Y.S.A.R.C.). In New Jersey, another imm. white morph was reported just outside of The Great Sv/amp, Morris 22 Feb (Ron Boughman, details to N.J.B.R.C.), a gray morph at Berkeley Twp. Ocean (Brian Vernachio, details requested for N.I.B.R.C.), and an unspecified morph at Merrill Creek Res., Warren 2 Jan (Jane Bullis, details requested for N.J.B.R.C.). Should all six of these reports be accepted by the respective state records committees, the ratio of one- third white morphs would be high; historically this ratio has been closer to one tenth. Northern Bobwhite remain in serious trouble. The only reports were of 8 at Cape Henelopen S.P., Sussex, DE 17 Dec (AE), 14 on the Bombay Hook C.B.C. 31 Dec, and one on the Barnegat C.B.C., Ocean, NJ 31 Dec. Shorebirds Throogh Alcids Killdeer numbers were low. For example, only 4 were recorded on the Bombay Hook C.B.C. 31 Dec where frequently more than 100 would be (Martin Selzer). A Solitary Sandpiper at the Hackensack Meadows Environmental Center, Bergen, NJ 2 Dec (Ken Prytherch) was excep- tionally late. There is only one published New Jersey record v/ith a later date. The participants in a pelagic trip from Manasquan Inlet, Ocean, NJ on 9 Dec were treated to a Great Skua (FONT, PC et al). Depending upon how pelagic state boundaries are drawn, this is the 5th accepted state record. The same pelagic trip tallied 2 Pomarine and 2 unidentified jaegers. Other jaegers included 2 Pomarine and one Parasitic from Cape May, NJ in Dec. Seventeen species of gull, 13 on Long Island alone, provided much interest this season. A Black-tailed GuU, potentially New York’s 2nd record, appeared at Jones Beach and Pt. Lookout, Nassau, NY 1 Jan (TWB, GB et al., details to N.Y.S.A.R.C.). The Mew Gull returned to Shinnecock Inlet, Suffolk, NY for the 3rd consecutive year on 14 Dec (AB), was rediscovered 24 Feb (TL) and remained into Mar. Large concentrations of Ring-billed Gulls at Round Valley Res., Hunterdon, NJ continued into this winter, with 25,000 present during Jan (EO). An ad. California Gull was reported from Southold, Suffolk, NY 24 Dec (TL), while another continued from Nov until 10 Dec near Niagara Falls (fMM, fWD’A, fBK), where it has been a returning bird. An ad. gull the size of a Herring Gull with darker mantle and yel- low legs at L. Ontelaunee, Berks, PA and, at the same time, a similar bird at Easton, Northampton, PA caused much discussion. Both birds remain unidentified (fide RK & AK). On 2 Dec an ad. Thayer’s Gull was pres- ent at Perinton, Monroe, NY (Dominic Sherony); an ad. and 2 first-year birds were at Florence, Burlington, NJ 13 Jan (Matt Sharp, EO, detais to N.J.B.R.C. and P.O.R.C.); and another first-year bird spent time in the Delaware R. near Easton, Northampton, PA (RW, D. DeReamus, J. Horn). The explosion of Lesser Black-backed Gulls continues for the 3rd consecutive year, with up to 160 in mid- Dec at the Churchvile Res., Bucks, PA., 60-h at Florence, Burlington, NJ (WD), and 50-60 at Peace Valley Dec and Feb (AM). Last season’s Sabine’s Gull remained at the Niagara R. until 6 Dec (WD’A et al.). Avalon produced a prob- able Ross’s Gull 18 Dec (fClay Sutton); only one accepted New Jersey record exists. An imm. Ivory Gul! in L. Ontario near Scriba, Oswego, NY delighted one observer on 29 Dec (KM, details to N.Y.S.A.R.C.), while another was reported in the Hudson R. off Edgewater, Bergen, NJ 15 Feb (RR, details requested for N.Y.S.A.R.C.). In New York, about 15 previous accepted records are about evenly divided between upstate and the coast, while in New Jersey all three are coastal. A Black Skimmer at Cape Heniopen 17 Dec (CB, DK) provided Delaware with its first winter record in nearly thirty years. The season was a good one for alcids, par- ticularly Razorbills, with all six Atlantic species represented. A Dovekie was recorded on the Montauk C.B.C. 16 Dec, with 2 at Montauk 6 Jan and one at Jones inlet, Nassau, NY 23 Jan. And in New Jersey, one was recorded on the Sandy Hook C.B.C. 16 Dec (RR) for a first count record. A slightly oiled Common Murre at Shinnecock, Suffolk, NY 13 Jan (Paul Maldonado, Jim Clinton) was captured, cleaned, and released. Two Thick-billed Murres appeared at Montauk 3 Feb (R. J. Kurtz), with one remaining until 11 Feb. The peak Razorbill count occurred at Montauk 4 Feb when over 150 were present (HM, TWB, AB), with 50 or more present for the entire sea- son. And in New Jersey, 32 were recorded on a whale-watching trip from Manasquan Inlet, Ocean 4 Feb (SB, Pete Bacinski, Derek Lovitch). The pelagic trip from Manasquan Inlet 9 Dec recorded the remaining species, an Atlantic Puffin (FONT, PG et al.). Owls Through Woodpeckers Snowy Owls continued their modest invasion of last Nov, with one as far south as Port This Ash-throated Flycatcher at Safe Harbor Dam, Lancaster County, was one of three in the Region this winter and constituted a second record for Pennsylvania. Photograph by Rick Wiltraut. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 153 Mahon, Kent, DE 4-18 Feb (Bob Lego, m.ob.)- About 35 more were reported from New York and another dozen from New Jersey. A Northern Hawk Owl at Bloomingdale Bog, Frankin, NY 30 Dec into Mar (Ed Grant, m.ob.) provided the county with its 4th record, while another along the Adirondack Northway at Exit 39, Clinton, NY (Nancy Olsen) was the first record for that county. Peterson remarks that these two individuals were but a sugges- tion of some 200 reported just to the north in Quebec. The season was a weak one for Northern Saw-whet Owls. Only 25 were reported from the entire Region, with just 4 in New Jersey, one in Pennsylvania, one on Long Island, and the remainder in upstate New York. A late swift sp. on 4 Dec at Braddock Bay Park, Monroe, NY (tJ. & I- Barry) was not recorded as Chimney Swift. Though details were well written, other species of swift could not be ruled out at the very late date. Rufous Hummingbirds holding over from last fall included one at Nazareth, Northampton until 7 Dec (RW, AM) and one in Hockesin, New Castle, DE into Dec (Jim White, MG). And last season’s AUen’s Hiiminingbird at Cape May remained untO 2 Jan. Only 8 reported Red- headed Woodpeckers may be an all-time win- ter low. Recent s. strongholds such as Redden S.F., Sussex, DE (FR) and The Great Swamp, Morris, NJ (m.ob.) each produced only one. One was recorded on the Cape May C.B.C., NJ 17 Dec, and possibly the same individual was reported at the Cape May N.W.R. 7 Feb (Fred Lesser, John Danzenbaker). From New York came reports of 2 at Lakeside Beach S.P. Orleans 2 Jan (BK), one at Point Gratiot, Chautauqua 14 Jan (Tom Simmons), and an imm. off Shunpike near Milbrook, Dutchess (Jesse Bontecou) for the month of Jan. Flycatchers Through Waxwlngs Last November’s Hammimd’s Flycatcher at Bethlehem, PA remained until 22 Dec. An Ash- throated Flycatcher at Safe Harbor Dam, Lancaster 28 Dec-6 Jan (m.ob.) will give Pennsylvania its 2nd record and Lancaster its first if accepted by P.O.R.C. Meanwhile indi- viduals at two New York City Parks remained from last season: one at Prospect Park until 1 Dec, and one at Alley Pond Park until 24 Dec. A rare and irregular visitor, the only Loggerhead Shrike of the season was recorded at Prime Hook N.W.R., Sussex, DE 17 Dec (MG, Bruce Peterjohn). Though less wide- spread than last winter, with over 130 reported Northern Shrikes staged a modest invasion, particularly in northernmost areas. Ninety-six of them were concentrated in the Oneida Lake Basin, St. Lawrence, Adirondack-Champlain, and Hudson-Mohawk Regions of New York. Late Blue-headed Vireos included 2 on the Cape May C.B.C. 17 Dec and one at Lansdale, Montgomery, PA (KR, AM). Having survived the severest part of the winter, a lone Tree Swallow was found at Cape May, NJ 6 Jan (Dave Hedeen). Except in the n. portion with a peak count of 138 on the Saranac L. C.B.C., Franklin, NY 30 Dec, Red-breasted Nuthatches were scarce. Cape Henlopen with 7 Brown- headed Nuthatches on 17 Dec (CB, AE, DK) stOl has the largest population in Delaware (and of course the Region). A House Wren on the Ferrisburg C.B.C., Essex, NY 16 Dec (tJT) was exceptionally late at this n. location. And a Winter Wren outside of L. Placid, Essex, NY on 7 Feb (Brian McAllister) was equally mis- placed. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Cape May Point, NJ 4—9 Dec (Bill Schule et al), another on the Delaware County C.B.C., PA 16 Dec (Robert Miller), and 2 more on the Lancaster C.B.C., PA 30 Dec were also late. A Hermit Thrush observed on the Ferrisburg C.B.C., NY 16 Dec (Gary Worthington) was approximate- ly the 5th Essex winter record. Still a rare vagrant, the only Varied Thrush of the season visited Mansfield, Cattaraugus, NY 24 Feb (tDoug Happ, tMike Zebehazy). Bohemian Waxwings did not repeat their invasion of last year. Only 3 were reported: one each from Fort Niagara S.P., NY 1 Dec (BK); the Saranac L. C.B.C., Franklin, NY; and Oswego, NY 7 Jan (KM, BP, Brenda Best, MAK). Warblers Through Finches The Cumberland County C.B.C., NJ 31 Dec tallied a massive 1383 Yellow-rumped Warblers. Very rare and late on Long Island, a Yellow-throated Warbler remained untd 27 Dec in E. Northport, Sujfolk, NY (Vinnie Schiappa et al). Gone from interior New York by early Nov, with most of the state’s approxi- mately ten winter records coming from Long Island, N. Waterthrushes — one each at the Watervliet Res., Albany upstate 16 Dec (WE) and on the Central Suffolk C.B.C. on Long Island 27 Dec — were also very late. Only 2 Clay-colored Sparrows were reported: one at Peace Valley 2 Jan to season end (KR) and one, possibly a hybrid with Chipping Sparrow (per PL), at Cape May Point, NJ 24 Feb (Shawneen Finnegan). Common into Dec on Long Island and in New Jersey as recently as the 1970s, Vesper Sparrow has undergone a sharp decline. This was one of the better recent winters with reports of 8: in Suffolk, Long Island there were 3, one each at Nappeague 16 Dec (Steve D’Amato), at Cutchogue 29 Dec (TL), and at Shinnecock 27 Jan (Doug Futuyma); and in New Jersey five, 2 in Tewksbury, Hunterdon 24 Dec (EO), and 3 at Cape May until 6 Jan (m.ob.). As in about half of recent winters, Lark Sparrows lingered into the season in New Jersey: one each on the Lakehurst C.B.C., Ocean 16 Dec (Don Sutherland); at Dias Creek, Cape May 18-29 Dec (PL); and at Cape May Pt. 19-20 Dec (Judy & Karl Lukens). A Grasshopper Sparrow on the Cumberland County C.B.C., 16 Dec was a rare winter record for New Jersey, while another on the Rehoboth C.B.C., Sussex 31 Dec was a very rare winter record for Delaware. Also very rare was a Le Conte’s Sparrow on the Great Swamp C.B.C., Morris, NJ 16 Dec (Bill Boyle, Karen Thompson). A White-crowned Sparrow on the Ferrisburg C.B.C., Essex, NY 16 Dec was excep- tional there, with only about five county win- ter records, and an ad. of the Gambel’s race was of interest in Green Twp. Sussex, NJ 24 Jan (JB, Marge Barrett). The Emberizid of the season, however was a Chestnut-collared Longspur at Jones Beach 5 Jan (TWB, GB et al.) and 18-19 Feb (SS), which provided New York with its 6th record and first in midwinter, pending review by N.Y.S.A.R.C. Two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were a pleas- ant surprise near Geneva, Ontario, NY 16-17 Dec (Ann & Don Cobb, v.ob.) This species has persisted into Dec on numerous occasions. An Indigo Bunting, with only about three previ- ous New Jersey winter records, was an excellent find at Cape May Point 9 Dec (George Meyers, Tom Parsons) and again on the Cape May C.B.C. 16 Dec. And November’s Painted Bunting at Cape May, NJ remained until 1 Dec. This was a reasonably good winter for Dickcissel, with 9 reported. Eighty-two Eastern Meadowlarks on the Bombay Hook C.B.C. 31 Dec was the top count, with good numbers in several other locations; but as expected, nearly all reports came from s. parts of the region. A female Yellow-headed Blackbird visited Bombay Hook 27 Jan (Glen Lovelace), and another, of unspecified sex, also in Delaware, was at Taylor’s Bridge, New Castle 25 Feb (FR). A Rusty Blackbird at a feeder in Bloomingdale, Franklin, NY 10 Feb (Debbie & Ed Kanze) was a bit out of range for approximately the 5th county winter record. The Bombay Hook C.B.C. 31 Dec recorded a total of 75 Brewer’s Blackbirds (DAC), with only 4 others reported elsewhere in the Region. Winter finches remained largely in the north this winter. The only reports of Pine Grosbeak were of one each on the Elizabethtown and Minerva C.B.C.s, both in Essex in the northeasternmost corner of New York. With over 500 Purple Finches on 19 Feb in Speculator (Paul Kelley), Hamilton, NY had record numbers. The Saranac L. C.B.C., 154 North American Birds Hudson-Delaware This striking dark-morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk, rare anywhere in the East, returned for its tenth winter near Tatamy, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Photograph by Rick Wiltraut. Franklin, NY 30 Dec tallied 326, while flocks of 25-40 were common in the Adirondacks far- ther south. But numbers were much lower over the remainder of the Region. Red Crossbills were scarce everywhere, with the only five reports: 13 on the Elizabethtown C.B.C., Essex, NY 23 Dec; 10 at Oseetah L., Franklin NY (Linda LaPan); 11 at Jenny L., Saratoga, NY 11 Dec (Robert Yunick); 2 at Summerhill S.E Cayuga, NY (BFo); and one at Dallas, Luzerne, PA 16 Dec (BR). In contrast. White-winged Crossbills staged a major invasion in ne. New York with frequent evidence of breeding and a maximum of 269 on the Saranac L. C.B.C. 30 Dec, but remained scarce elsewhere. Common Redpolls, while also scarce, were widely scat- tered, with maxima of 36 on the Ithaca C.B.C., Tompkins, NY 1 Jan, and 30 at Orwell, Bradford, PA 15 Jan (Trudy Gerlach). Pine Siskins, while common in the northeast corner, were more uniformly though less densely dis- tributed elsewhere. And finally Evening Grosbeaks were nowhere abundant, with the highest though still modest total for the area being 160 on the Saranac L. C.B.C. 30 Dec, and a small number of reports scattered over the rest of the Region. Qorrigetida Thanks to P. A. Buckley, we learn that the date given in our report on the spring 2000 season for the Fire I. Yellow-nosed Albatross sighting was in error. The correct date is 9 May, only a little more than six hours earlier than the sight- ing at Penikese I. He also calls to our attention an additional report on 27 May at Manasquan Inlet, Ocean, NJ (Larry Moniz). Also, with apologies to Scott, Brian Vernachio was incor- rectly listed in our summer 2000 report as the sub-regional compiler for New Jersey’s North Coast Region, whereas Scott Barnes actually performs this function. Contributors (subregional compilers in boldface): Andy Baldelli, Scott Barnes (North Coast Region, NJ: Owl Haven, P.O. Box 26, Tennent, NJ 07763), Chris Bennett (Sussex, DE: Cape Henlopen SP, 42 Cape Henlopen Dr., DE 19958), Gail Benson, Thomas W. Burke (New York Rare Bird Alert), Willie D’Anna (WD’A), Ward W. Dasey (Lower Delaware Valley, NJ: 29 Ark Rd., Medford, NJ 08055, A. P. Ednie (New Castle and Kent, DE: 59 Lawson Ave., Claymont, DE 19703), Vince Elia (South Coast and Delaware Bay Region, NJ: CMBO R8cE Center, 600 Rt 47 North, Cape May Courthouse, NJ 08120), Ben Fambrough, Focus on Nature Tours (FONT), Bob Fogg (BFo), Jane Denker Graves (Hudson- Mohawk Region, NY: 133 York Ave., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866), Kevin Griffith (Genesee Region, NY: 61 Grandview Lane, Rochester, NY 14612), Paul Guris, Mary Gustafson, Armas HiU (Philadelphia Birdline), Deuane Hoffman (Eastern Susquehanna Valley, PA: 3406 Montour St. Harrisburg, PA 17111), Dave Keck, Rudy Keller (Baird Ornithological Club), Brendan Klick, Arlene Koch (Lehigh Valley, PA: 1375 Raubsville, Rd., Easton, PA), Mary Alice Koeneke, Tony Lauro, Paul Lehman, Bob Long (St. Lawrence Region, NY: 2807 Citation Dr., Pompey, NY 13138), Kevin McGann, Hugh McGuinness (Eastern Long Island, NY: P.O. Box 3005, Southampton, NY 11969), August Mirabella, Mike Morgante (Niagara Frontier Region, NY: 16 Lakeside Crescent, Lancaster, NY 14086), Evan Obercian, Bill Ostrander (Finger Lakes Region, NY: 80 Westmong Ave., Elmira, NY 14904), Ed Patten (Northwestern Region, NJ: 9 Cornfield Ter., Flemington, NJ 08822), John M. C. Peterson (Adirondack-Champlain Region, NY: Discovery Farm, RR 1, Box 230, Elizabethtown, NY 12932), Bill Purcell (Oneida Lake Basin, NY: 281 Baum Rd., Hastings, NY 13076), Rick Radis (Piedmont Region, NJ: 69 Ogden Ave., Rockaway, NJ 07866), Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club, William Reid (ne. Pennsylvania: 73 W. Ross St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702), Ken Reiker, Frank Rohrbacher, Sy Schiff (Long Island, NY: 603 Mead Ter., S. Hempstead, NY 11550), Robert Spahn (Genesee Ornithological Society), Eric Sullivan (Susquehanna Region, NY: 42 Patricia St., Binghamton, NY 13905), Pat Sutton (Cape May Bird Observatory), John Thaxton, Pat Thaxton, Rick Wiltraut, A1 Wollin (Long Island, NY: 4 Meadow Lane, Rockville Center, NY 1 1570). Volume 5 5 ( 2 00 1 ), Number 2 155 Middle Atlantic Coast Marshall J. Iliff 901 Crystal Spring Farm Road Annapolis, Maryland 21403 (miliff@aol.com) This winter began fairly mild but took a turn for the colder around Christmas, with sev- eral snowstorms in quick succession. The rest of the winter alternated between brief warm spells and more winter storms, amounting to a “typical” winter rather than the prolonged warm ones that we’ve had recently. As a result, winter lingerers were not quite as evident as in years past. Still, some unusual unseasonal birds were found along with a handful of real rarities. Highlights included a Western Grebe, an inland Harlequin Duck, good numbers of alcids on the one pelagic trip, a second Regional Eurasian Collared-Dove, a first Regional Calliope Hummingbird along with the two more regular hummingbird species, a Snowy Owl invasion and a few Northern Shrikes, a Western Tanager, and con- tinued success finding Le Conte’s Sparrows in Maryland. Winter finches were a complete dud. Invaluable this winter, as with last winter, was the BirdSource website which again provided the totals for all Regional C.B.C.s. The compiler for each can be gleaned from the website, so I do not reiterate them here. All locations can be assumed to be in Maryland except that each Virginia location is noted as such the first time it appears in the text. Abbreviations: Assat. (Assateague I. National Seashore, Worcester, MD); Bay (Chesapeake Bay); C.B.B.T. (Chesapeake Bay Bridge- Tunnel, south of Northampton, VA); Chine. (Chincoteague N.W.R., Accomack, YA); D.C. (District of Columbia); Deal (Deal Island W.M.A., Somerset, MD); E.S.V.N.W.R. (Eastern Shore of Virginia N.W.R., Northampton, VA); Hart (Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil Containment Facility, Baltimore, MD); Kipt. (Kiptopeke S.R, Northampton, VA); RL.S.R (Point Lookout S.R, Saint Mary’s, MD); P.R.N.A.S. (Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Saint Mary’s, MD); Vaughn (E.A. Vaughn W.M.A., Worcester, MD). Grebes Through Waterfowl An ad. Pacific Loon at the C.B.B.T. 5 Jan (fESB et al.) was an excellent find, though at least one has been found in most recent years. Unusual inland, especially in winter, a Red- throated Loon was at Piney Run Res., Carroll 2-11 Dec (RFR, v.o.). A Western Grebe was seen from the road at the C.B.B.T. 1 (fD. Schwab, T. Gwynn) & 17 Feb (RH, ESB) for a first record there. There were about six reports of Red-necked Grebes, mostly from the C.B.B.T. The 24 Feb (BP et al.) pelagic trip from Virginia Beach recorded 4 Northern Fulmar and one Sooty Shearwater, the latter extremely rare in winter. For the first time in eight years. Brown Pelicans were missed on the Cape Charles, Northampton, VA C.B.C., which is usually a winter stronghold for them. They did turn up in a number of other unusual areas this winter, as might be expected given their continued expansion in the Region. One in the Salisbury harbor, Wicomico 18 Dec (C8cDB) was very unusual so far inland, while 2 on the Ocean City, Worcester C.B.C. 28 Dec (v.o.) provided an overdue first for that C.B.C. Cribb spent the winter living at Smith L, Somserset, the first time a birder has done so. He reported 2 Brown Pelicans there 31 Jan and 4 there 8 Feb. An American White Pelican was not unexpect- ed at Chine. 1 Dec (R. Wall), but another pro- vided a Wicomico first when a sickly imm. was rescued from a farm field 29 Dec (MD D.N.R. fide SHD) and transported to the Salisbury Zoo. The American White Pelican noted at Schoolhouse Pond, Prince George’s 30 Nov was seen again at nearby Jug Bay, Anne Arundel, 1 Dec (D. Bystrak). Great Cormorants remain limited to small pockets in the Upper Bay, with good numbers occurring only at RL.S.R and around Baltimore Lighthouse, n. of Annapolis. The Annapolis C.B.C. recorded a record-high 27 on 31 Dec. Hart has been getting small numbers regularly recently, including 4 on 9 Dec (EJS et al.) and one 10 Feb (EJS et al.). Anhingas have been found in the past two win- ters at Virginia Beach, and this year one was found near Pungo for the Back Bay, VA C.B.C. 30 Dec (C. & S. Gambill). At traditional Stumpy L., Virginia Beach, VA, one was noted 2 Dec and a pair was there 26 Feb (SE). Since most birders check this site for Anhingas only in summer, can we be certain that they did not spend the whole winter, as they have attempt- ed in the past? Tricolored Herons are usually found at Deal through the winter, and 12 there 18 Feb (RFR et al.) was a good count. Single Snowy Egrets at Deal 1 (SHD), 18 (RFR et al.), & 28 Feb (E. Lawler), and 2 Glossy Ibis there 18 Feb 156 North American Birds Middle Atlantic Coast A Silver Gull, first noted in the autumn at Brown’s Station Landfill, Maryland, has been presumed to be an escapee from a bird collection. This photograph was taken on 30 November 2000. Photograph by Marshall J. liiff. (RFR et al.), were considerably more unusual. A Green Heron on the Williamsburg, VA C.B.C. 17 Dec and another 20 Dec (M. Johnson) at Mill Creek L., Amherst, VA was unusual. White Ibis numbered 24 on the Cape Charles C.B.C. 30 Dec, and 4 were seen at E.S.V.N.W.R. 11 Feb (SA, JD). Rarely are these ibis checked on after C.B.C. season, but pre- sumably a number of them winter successfully. Far more unusual was one at Bethel Beach, Mathews, VA 16 Jan (SE). Ross’s Geese were found with continued regularity at most areas where Snow Geese congregate, and at least 18 small- race Canada Geese were reported, most presumably hutchinsii A first for D.C. was a Greater White- fronted Goose at Haines Pt. 6-20 Jan (CT, ph.DC, m.ob.) which moved to Constitution Gardens on the Mall 2-4 Feb (JFe, RH, LS). This bird reportedly had a pink bill typical of one of the western subspecies, and may have been the same bird seen earlier in the fall in Howard. The Tridelphia C.B.C. had one 16 Dec, and one was seen at Black Hills Res., Montgomery 1-2 Feb (M.A. Todd, B. Pomrenke). The bird at Airlie, Fauquier, VA remained through 6 Dec (SH), one was at Curies Neck Farm, VA 17 Dec {fide LL), and another was at Charlottesville, Albemarle, VA for that C.B.C. the same day. An enigmatic swan graced Schoolhouse Pond 9 Jan-26 Feb (FS, ph. vt. m.ob.). Appearing very similar to a Whooper Swan, it was noted by some observers to have too little yellow on the bill (the yellow barely reached as far out the bill as the nares) and improper forehead pattern for a Whooper. Since Whooper Swan is believed not to show much variation in these characters, it is suspected that this bird may be a hybrid with a Tundra (Whistling) Swan. Whether purebred Whooper or a hybrid, it was almost certainly of captive origin especially given its unwary behavior and the recent spate of feral Whoopers in New England and elsewhere. Escaped Black Swans were noted at Denton W.T.P., Caroline 16 Dec (S. Westre) and Smith I., where 2 were seen 7-14 Feb (MC). Up to 8 Trumpeter Swans, recently released in Virginia, wintered this season at The Wildfowl Trust, Queen Anne's. Eurasian Wigeon this season included 2 at Assat. 28-29 Dec (P. Bystrak, JLS) and singles at Deal 1 Feb (SHD) and at Chine. 27 Jan-10 Feb (V. Kitchens, BL, SA, JD). Male Common Teal appeared at Vaughn 21 Dec (fMJI, fMH), where at least one bird has been regular in recent years, and at E.S.V.N.W.R. 18 Feb (tRH et al.). Late Blue-winged Teal included a pair at Vaughn 2 & 21 Dec (MJI et al.) and 15 on the S. Dorchester C.B.C. 29 Dec, which may have wintered in the area. Redhead were widely reported and in better-than-average numbers, with the high count (by far) still in Pocomoke Sound on the Crisfield C.B.C., with 2261 counted 27 Dec. One of the surprises of the season was a female Harlequin Duck that strangely chose to winter at Black Hills Res., Montgomery. First noted 1 Dec (fB. Cooper, J. Cooper) and seen by many through 4 Feb (J. Alexander, ph. vt.; m.ob.), it provided a county first and one of few records for the Region away from the Bay or Susquehanna R. Harlequins wintering at Ocean City Inlet num- bered as many as 10 in Feb (v.o.) but no more than 3 at the C.B.B.T. (v.o.). The only King Eider reported this year was out of place at P.L.S.P. 11-18 Jan (PC et al.). Saint Mary’s 3rd. Common Eiders have been scarcer in recent years. One was at Ocean City Inlet 26 Dec-6 Jan (JBC, v.o.) and 2 at the C.B.B.T. 31 Dec-5 Jan (KK, v.o.). Two female Black Scoters off Haines Pt. 2 Dec (RH, LS, PP, CT) added to the small handful of prior D.C. records. Rare on the coast, there was a small influx of Common Mergansers after Christmas. One was at Ocean City Inlet 27 Dec (JLS), the Ocean City C.B.C. recorded 6 the next day, the Chine. C.B.C. got 21 on 29 Dec, the Cape Charles C.B.C. had 2 on 30 Dec, and one hen was seen 5 Jan from the C.B.B.T. on the Chesapeake Bay C.B.C. (ESB et al.). Hawks Through Alcids After 18 Feb there were 13 reports of spring arrival Ospreys in the Region, far more than is typical for Feb. The earliest ones appeared well ahead of schedule 29 Jan (E. Engle) at Tanyard, Caroline, followed by one 3 Feb (C&DB) at Vienna, Wicomico. The dark morph calurus Red-tailed Hawk returned for its 3rd straight winter 2 Dec+ (TMD et al.). A Golden Eagle at Vaughn was unusual for Worcester 17-18 Feb (ph.MJI, ph.MLH, vt.JLS et al.), while 4 at Blackwater N.W.R., Dorchester made for an excellent count 3 Dec (W. Clark et al). The only Sora of the winter was one on the Back Bay C.B.C. 29 Dec. A Sandhill Crane was enjoyed 2-15 Feb (L. Schindler, m.ob., ph.) at Kent Pt., Queen Anne’s, while 2 were at Rte. 649, Isle of Wight, VA 23-28 Dec (KK, m.ob.). The Ocean City C.B.C. recorded one Semipalmated Plover 28 Dec for its 2nd straight year, and others were recorded on Virginia C.B.C.s, including one each at Chine, and Back Bay and 14 at Cape Charles, where they are far more regular. A late record for Maryland and first record for Charles, Jett watched an American Avocet 17 Dec at Nanjemoy Cr. during the Port Tobacco C.B.C. Besting that late date, another avocet was noted 29 Dec (JLS, MH) at central Vaughn for the Chine. C.B.C.! On the Maryland coast. Lesser Yellowlegs seem to be becoming more regular, with 6 last- ing at Deal as late as 1 Feb (SHD) and 4 near Snow Hill, Worcester 8 Feb (ph.MJI). Not last- ing until the Ocean City C.B.C., one Willet was at Eagle’s Nest Campground, Worcester 13 Dec (GLA, MJI), while the Cape Charles C.B.C., which regularly gets large numbers of Willets, Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 157 had a record high 319 on 30 Dec. Other unusual shorebirds were 2 Whimbrel on the Cape Charles C.B.C. 30 Dec, a Marbled Godwit at Eagle’s Nest Campground 2-3 Dec (MJI, GLA), at least 2 Red Knots at Ocean City Inlet through 22 Jan (J. Maloney, v.o.), and a shocking Spotted Sandpiper at Blockhouse Pt., Montgomery 6 Jan (B. Mumford). Long-billed Dowitchers in Maryland included singles for the Ocean City C.B.C. 28 Dec and at cen. Vaughn 29 Dec (MH, JLS, DP). On the Cape Charles C.B.C., where both species are regular, Short-billeds numbered 113, while Long- billeds came in with 43. Two dowitcher sp. at Pemberton Park, Salisbury, Wicomico were a good find inland 17 Dec (SHD). Nine Red Phalaropes were counted on the 24 Feb pelag- ic trip from Virginia Beach (BP et al.). Laughing Gulls withdrew early this year, with only three reports after 17 Dec and none after 31 Dec, when 20 were on the Mathews C.B.C. A very out-of-place Laughing was noted 17 Dec (D. Mozurkewich) at New Design Rd., Frederick, roosting in a field with Ring-billeds. Little Gulls were reported four times during the season, while the only Black-headed Gulls were found 23 Dec for the Pt. Lookout G.B.G. and 27 Jan (PC) at the C.B.B.T. The presum- ably escaped Silver Gull at Brown’s Station Landfill was relocated 4 Dec ( J. Halpin). An ad. California Gull at the Prince William, VA Landfill 27 Jan (t, ph.SR) was a great find. Six Thayer’s Gulls were reported, though at least 2, first-winter birds at Haines Pt. 7 Jan (ph.DC) and at Prince William Landfill 27 Jan (ph.SR), were “hedged” as possible hybrids with kum- lieni. We still know very little about how much individual and geographic variation thayeri shows, and to what extent hybridization occurs with knmlieni. The best policy is for observers to continue to photograph and describe candi- date Thayer’s so that we might be able to revis- it each report if and when we better under- stand what Thayer’s Gull actually is. The others were an ad. at Conowingo 31 Dec and 13 Jan (EJS, EB et al.), a first-winter 8 Jan (ph. MJI, K. Hutton) at Hampton, VA, and an ad. 30 Jan (BA) at Georgetown Res., D.G. About 13 Iceland Gulls were found but only 2 Glaucous: 8 Dec (ph.JLS) at Schoolhouse Pond and 14 Feb (D&GB) at Rte. 346, Worcester. Eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Haines Pt. was a fair count for the Region 7 Jan (BA); why don’t we get two- or three-digit counts like Bucks, PA? The Saint Mary’s Kelp Gull continued with uncanny consistency at its favorite Sandgates dock throughout the season. The 24 Feb (BP et al.) pelagic trip from Virginia Beach did well with alcids, including 2 Dovekies, 53 Razorbills, 8 alcid sp., and a high count of 52 Atlantic Puffins. Two Razorbills at Ocean City Inlet 16 Feb (MJI) remained to be widely seen through at least 28 Feb (m.ob., vt.T. Beil). Doves Through Chickadees A Eurasian CoUared-Dove at Cape Charles, Northampton,YA3l Jan-2 Feb (tESB, SWH, D. Jarry) provided a 2nd record for Virginia, with the first record (not reported in North American Birds) being one at Sterling, Loudoun, VA 4 Jun 2000. The latter record has already been accepted by the Virginia Avian Records Committee. This was the best Snowy Owl win- ter in many years. In addition to those reports for the fall season. Snowy Owl reports included one 29 Nov-6 Dec at Hart (Jide EJS), one perched on a building in downtown D.G. in early Dec (ph., fide G. Gough), one at Welltown Rd., Winchester, VA 4-5 Jan (fide W. Leigh, ph. by local newspaper), and one 19-30 Jan (LL, J. & B. Creamer) at the Prince George, VA Federal Prison. In addition to the above mentioned short-stayers, both Maryland and Virginia had their own cooperative and widely admired Snowies that put on a show for hundreds of birders. In Maryland an imm. at New Design Rd., Frederick was seen by hundreds 10 Dec-1 Feb (m.ob., ph., vt.), though it was first noted by local residents 7 Nov (fide MB). In Virginia one remained at Windmill Pt., Lancaster, VA 2 Dec-7 Jan (E. Squires, m.ob., ph.), perching obligingly on a particular sign at the entrance to a small marina each day. It was a decidedly poor year for Long-eared Owls, with the only report being of two roosts of 2-3 birds in Prince William, VA 2-23 Dec (TMD, L. Cartwright). Short-eared Owl numbers were average. A state and Regional first Calliope Hummingbird visited Willis’s Suffolk, VA yard 29-31 Dec (t, vt. LW). Birders in the Region are reminded not to assume that rusty hum- mingbirds will be Rufous, as Virginia now has records for both Allen’s and Calliope, and as Delaware has a recent Broad-tailed Hummingbird record. The imm. male Rufous Hummingbird in Cambridge, Dorchester remained through 22 Dec (fl. McLaughlin, ph. V.O.), the ad. female in Bishopville, Worcester remained through 1 Jan (fAD, ph. m.ob.), and an imm. female that wintered at a Portsmouth, VA feeder 16 Dec-l- (fD.L. Hughes) was band- ed and identified on 1 Jan (MG). Hughes also noted an Archilochus at his feeder that was not identified to species. A Selasphorus off Rte. 647 n. of Rte. 640, Dinwiddle, VA was not reported in the fall season but lasted 31 Oct-5 Jan (F. 8c B. Wilson, LL, et al.). Finally, the imm. male Ruby-throated Hummingbird at White Plains, Charles was banded 3 Dec (MG) and last seen 4 Dec (/ide GMJ). A Western Kingbird at Westover Plantation, Charles City 17 Dec (fide LL) was a great find for the Hopewell C.B.C., while one at Eastern Neck N.W.R., Kent 7 Jan (J.W. Slinkard) was amazingly at the exact location where one was seen in mid-Nov. Virginians are still finding Loggerhead Shrikes with regularity in the Piedmont, with more than seven reports this season. Although it was no comparison to last year’s invasion, single ad. Northern Shrikes at Hughes Rd., Montgomery 1-7 Jan (ph.DC, m.ob.) and P.R.N.A.S. 29 Jan-l- (KR, ph. m.ob.) made for a good season. The latter bird was even heard singing 13 Feb (PC, tape ph. MJI, A. Gilbert). In addition to Blue-headed Vireos on a smattering of Virginia C.B.C.s, a White-eyed Vireo was found 16 Dec for the Denton C.B.C. Sometimes invading the lowlands in winter, Common Ravens were noted at Bull Run Post Office Rd., Fairfax, VA on several dates in Jan and Feb. Returning Tree Swallows were noted as early as 17 Feb (FF, J. Fallon), when 2 were at Blackwater N.W.R., Dorchester. Craig’s Dameron, Saint Mary’s yard again played host to one or more Black-capped Chickadees. Why this species has consistently been found here in recent winters, but not elsewhere in the Region, is somewhat mysterious. Warblers Through Finches Orange-crowned Warblers are being found more effectively on coastal C.B.C.s in recent years, either a product of warmer winters or increased observer awareness. One at the Tidal Basin, D.C. 4 (MB) and 11 Dec (JFe) was unusual inland while one 4 8c 13 Feb (PC et al.) at P.R.N.A.S. was notable. Two Nashville Warblers were strange to see together 30 Dec (EO) on the Cape Charles C.B.C., while anoth- er bird wintered at Hurlock, Dorchester 14 ]an+ (ph. C. Diedrich). Other unusual winter war- blers were an American Redstart on the L. Anna C.B.C., VA 5 Jan and an Ovenbird seen weO 8 Feb at Ft. Belvoir, Fairfax, VA (fide G. Fleming). A female or imm. male Audubon’s Warbler found 30 Dec (EO, fCLA) at Cheapside Rd. for the Cape Charles C.B.C. was relocated the next day and 5 Jan (BL) but not thereafter. Wilson’s Warblers staged an amaz- ing presence in the Region this winter, with some 11 reports (one from D.C., 3 from Maryland), all of which came from the Western Shore or Coastal Plain. Two of the more interesting were a male at a Howard feed- er 5 Dec-20 Jan (J. Lyndon) and one at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax, VA 3-1 1 Feb (M. Djouadi, J.E. Dent, KG et al.). Reports of 14 Yellow-breasted Chats was well above average, but most unusu- al were 4 found in a single day of birding scrubby edges at s. Vaughn 8 Dec (GLA, MJI). 158 North American Birds Middle Atlantic Coast This Snowy Owl at Windmill Point, Virginia attracted hundreds of admirers through its long stay. Photograph by Tim Barry. A male Western Tanager 8-31 Jan (M. Pulley, ph. H. Brooks, m.ob.) in Redart, Mathews, VA was a great bird for the Region. Clay-colored Sparrows are expected at the coast in winter, and this winter 2 were at n. Vaughn 9-18 Feb (ph.MJI, v.o.) with one still 24 Feb (JLS, MH, KF). Another was found at cen. Vaughn 17 Feb (JLS, MLH, MJI). Increased observer awareness and a few focused searches turned up several more Le Conte’s Sparrows in Maryland (t) this winter. One at n. Vaughn in Nov continued through at least 18 Feb and was at the same exact location in which one wintered last year. Yet another individual was found in a different field here and was seen 9 Feb (tSR, fDM, tMJI) & 17 Feb (tMJI). Another individual was in the same s. Vaughn field that hosted one last year, and was seen at least 29 Dec (tMH, JLS, DP), 9 (tMJI, SR, DM), & 17 Feb (MJI, MLH, vt.JLS). Finally, and most surprisingly, Fallon found one at Beltsville Agricultural Research Station 15 Feb, which lingered at least into Mar and constitut- ed not only a first for Prince George’s but the first away from the immediate coast or Bay shoreline. All were found in fields with good low ground cover and a strong broomsedge (Andropogon) component. In Virginia only one was turned up at Back Bay N.W.R. (EO, PH), apparently due to degradation of the habitat in one of their preferred impoundments (fide GLA). Perhaps more unusual than Le Conte’s, a single Grasshopper Sparrow was at n. Vaughn 9 Feb (ph.MJI) and again 24 Feb (MH, JLS, KF), while another at Oyster, Northampton, VA was recorded on the Cape Charles C.B.C. 30 Dec (C. & G. Turner). Lapland Longspurs were consistently found at favorite Regional areas: New Design Rd., Frederick; Sparks Lane, Caroline, where 46 on the Denton C.B.C. 16 Dec represented the high there; and 50 at P.R.N.A.S. 2 Jan (KR), the best count. An out- lier was one 13 Jan (ESB) at Kipt. Snow Buntings were fairly widespread. The most unusual find in Maryland this C.B.C. season was a first winter record of Blue Grosbeak, described well from Weston Farm, off Elliott 1. Rd., Dorchester 29 Dec (tW Bell). Tidewater Virginia continues its streak of Painted Buntings with up to 2 visiting feeders at Holiday Trav-L-Park, Virginia Beach, VA and a male that graced a feeder off Windmill Pt. Rd. at White Stone, Lancaster, VA 27 Dec-4 Jan (E. Squires, v.o.). More unusual across the Bay, a female at Custis Tomb, Northampton 30 Dec (tW. Russell, PH) provided a Cape Charles C.B.C. first. Unusual winter Dickcissels were found on the Tridelphia C.B.C. 16 Dec and at a Sykesville, Carroll feed- er 16 Jan (D.& M. Harvey). Single Yellow-headed Blackbirds were a female near Kipt. 13 Jan (ESB) and an imm. male at Maddox Campground, Chine. 20 Jan (M. Boatwright). Brewer’s Blackbirds were reported only on the Williamsburg C.B.C. 17 Dec and the Calmes Neck C.B.C., Henrico, VA, with 2 on 31 Dec. A total of 12 Baltimore Orioles was reported this season: hopefully all observers check winter orioles carefully for other species, as recent winter orioles in other Regions have turned out to be Bullock’s, Hooded, Scott’s, and even Streak-backed! This was an exceptionally poor finch year, with no reports of crossbills or redpolls, just four reports of Evening Grosbeak, a nearly com- plete absence of Pine Siskins, and low numbers of Purple Finches and American Goldfinches. Undocumented rarities: The following rari- ties were not reported with sufficient detail to be included here: Black Brant in Worcester 28 Dec; Harris’s Sparrow in Montgomery 18 Dec; Brewer’s Blackbird in Montgomery 18 Dec. Observers (area compilers in boldface): Bob Abrams, George L. Armistead, Henry T. Armistead, Stan Arnold, Debbie Bennett (Caroline, P.O. Box 404, Denton, MD 21625), Eirik Blom, Michael Bowen, Edward S. Brinkley, Carol & Don Broderick, John B. Churchill, Patty Craig (Saint Mary’s, P.O. Box 84, Lexington Park, MD 20653), Marty Cribb, Dave Czapiak, Todd M. Day, Joan Decarli, Allen Deward, Samuel H. Dyke, Steven Eccles, Fred Fallon, Kevin Fehskens, Jim Felley (JFe), Kurt Gaskill, Mary Gustafson, Tom Gwynn, Matt Hafner, Steven W. Hairfield, Sue Heath, Jane Hill (Voice of the Naturalist), Peter Hill, Rob Hilton, Mark L. Hoffman, George M. Jett, Bev Leeuwenberg, Larry Lynch (VA-BIRD internet group), Dotty Mumford, Evan Obercian, Helen A, Patton (Montgomery, 429 Hamilton Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20901 ), Paul Pisano, Elizabeth Pitney (Wicomico, 7218 Walston Switch Rd., Parsonsburg, MD 21849), Dave Powell, Kyle Rambo, Sue Riccardi, Robert F. Ringler, Norm Saunders (MDOsprey Internet group), Eugene J. Scarpulla, Lisa Shannon, Jo Solem (Howard, 10617 Graeloch Rd., Laurel, MD 20723), James L. Stasz, Craig Turner, Les Willis (Virginia Birdline). A Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 159 Southern Atlantic Coast Ricky Davis 608 Smallwood Drive Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804 (rjdnc@aol.com) Temperatures this winter were below average early, but gradually settled into normal ranges by the end of January. Precipitation was below average, with rainfall amounts being quite low. After an impressive early snowfall in eastern North Carolina on December 3, what little moisture fell from the skies was generally in the form of rain. By the end of the period, many areas were experiencing very dry condi- tions. This season’s highlights included several unusual-in-winter birds and the amazing hummingbird situation. Abbreviations: C. Hatt. (Cape Hatteras, NC); E.L.H. (E. L. Huie Land Application Eacility, Clayton, GA); H.B.S.P. (Huntington Beach State Park, SC); P.I. (Pea I. N.W.R., NC); S.S.S. (Savannah Spoil Site, Jasper, SC). Loons Through Sandhill Crane Noteworthy inland Red-throated Loons involved singles on L. Allatoona, GA 31 Dec-1 Jan (JEl, EH) and in e. Edgecombe, NC 25 Feb (RD). Red-necked Grebe, a review species in Georgia, was a very good find at Little St. Simons 1. 29 Jan (JFl). Eared Grebes wintered in their usual scattered numbers, with the best count being 3 at the Goldsboro, NC W.T.P. (ED). A Western Grebe made a brief appear- ance at the Avon, NC pier 19-21 Feb (BH, WE, sev. obs.), providing a rare regional sighting. A Sooty Shearwater was found off of Hatteras, NC, 3 Feb (BP et al.) for one of only a handful of winter reports for the Region. Double-crest- ed Cormorants continue to increase in the Region, as evidenced by the 1,075 tallied on the Jordan Lake, NC C.B.C. 31 Dec {fide NB).Very rare during winter, a Least Bittern was a good find at L. Mattamuskeet, NC 9 Dec (BC, GS). The most interesting lingering long-legged waders included a Reddish Egret at Charleston, SC 24 Dec {fide EB), a Green Heron at Atlanta, GA 17 Dec {ftde BB), and a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron on the Piedmont N.W.R./Rum Creek, GA C.B.C. 18 Dec {fide TJ). Also the White-faced Ibis found at Savannah N.W.R., SC in the fall season, remained throughout the winter, only sporadically being observed. Fulvous Whistling-Ducks continued to be found after the good flight of the fall season. Eleven were in Carteret, NC 14 Dec {fide JF), up to seven were at Magnolia Gardens, SC 3-16 Dec {fide PN, SCo), and one was at the Goldsboro, NC W.T.P. 1 Dec (JR, FR) until at least 1 Jan (RD). The best Greater White-front- ed Goose reports included 26 at Eufaula N.W.R., GA 26 Dec (EH) and 4 at Santee N.W.R., SC 9 Jan (LG). Snow Geese were scat- tered throughout the Region in small numbers. and Ross’s Geese were found more often than normal, with three Georgia, two South Carolina, and two North Carolina reports. Wilmington’s Eurasian Wigeon returned for the 3rd winter in a row (GM, sev. obs.) and remained until spring. Cinnamon Teal is becoming almost annual in the Region. This year males spent the winter at Goldsboro, NC (ED et al., m.ob.) and at Sunset Beach, NC (MM, m.ob.). Another male was at Savannah N.W.R., SC 4-16 Feb (BL, v. ob.). Other puddle ducks were present in average numbers for the most part. Diving ducks also seemed to be in normal numbers. The only Common Eiders found were 9 on the Bodie-Pea L, NC C.B.C. 28 Dec {fide PS) and one at Atlantic Beach, NC 22 Feb (JF). Rare in the Region, a Harlequin Duck frequented the Avon and Rodanthe, NC piers from 27 Jan (BC) until at least 25 Feb (JL). Of interest were four different reports of White- winged Scoter and one Black Scoter inland in Georgia this winter. Inland Long-tailed Ducks included 4 at Jordan Lake, NC 7 Jan (RD), one on the Greensboro, NC C.B.C. 16 Dec {fide DB), one at Test Point Lake, GA 25-26 Dec {fide WC), and another there 28 Dec until at least 24 Feb {fide JH, GB et al.). Common Mergansers were widely reported this winter. The best total was the 280 at the usual Phelps Lake, NC area 26 Dec (DC). Quite rare in Georgia, Commons were reported twice, with 2 flying over Grand Bay W.M.A., Lowndes, GA 26 Jan (BBe) and one at L. Acworth 24 Dec until at least 14 Jan (BZ et al., BBe). Very rare in the region, Northern Goshawk was found twice. An imm. was seen on the C. Hatt., NC C.B.C. 27 Jan (DC, WI, KA), and an adult frequented the north end of Roanoke L, NC 5-13 Jan (JL). A dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk, rarely reported in our Region, was closely observed near Crestview, Baker, GA 13 Jan (JS, BD, RSm). This winter Georgia had the Rough-legged Hawks. One was at Eufaula N.W.R. 15 Dec (NK et al.), one was near Colbert, Madison 10 Feb (PS), and astonish- ingly 2 were there 18 Feb (J&MP)! Two coastal Golden Eagle reports involved one on the ACE Basin, SC C.B.C. 31 Dec {ftde PL) and one at the Yawkey Wildlife Center, SC 23 Feb {fide GP). Also in the ACE Basin, an ad. Prairie Falcon was observed 13 Jan {fideDBa). No evi- dence of captivity was seen, but the probabOi- ty of it being an escapee cannot be ruled out. The only Yellow Rails reported were three at 160 North American Birds Southern Atlantic Coast An Ash-throated Flycatcher at Quitman, Brooks County, Georgia, here photographed 18 January, provided the state’s first fully documented record of the species. Photograph by James Flynn, Jr. Samworth W.M.A., Georgetown, SC 29 Dec (LG). Rare, especially away from the immedi- ate coast, was the Black Rail found at the Conway, SC W.T.R 15-16 Jan (GP, LG). The partial remains of a Purple Gallinule were found at Alligator R. N.W.R., NC in Jan (JL), providing a very rare winter record for that state. The northward migration of Sandhill Cranes moved through Georgia as usual, with the best count being 940 in one flock near the Pike and Spaulding line 8 Feb (JFl et al.). Elsewhere 2-3 were in the Murrell’s Inlet, SC area 21-26 Jan (JWa et al., GP). Plovers Through Alcids Wilson’s Plovers continued to winter in small numbers. The best counts included 5 at Charleston, SC 24 Dec (fide EB), 3 on Jekyll L, GA 12 Jan (LT), and 3 on Ossabaw L, GA 29 Jan (PS, TE). The best Piping Plover totals reported were the 20 on Shackleford Banks, Carteret, NC 8 Feb and 29 on the Portsmouth 1. CBD 29 Dec {fide JF). Long-billed Curlew numbers were up, with excellent totals being 4 on Sapelo I., GA 30 Dec {fide AW) and 6 on the McClellanville, SC C.B.C. 16 Dec (fide PN). Several very unusual shorebirds reported included a Solitary Sandpiper on the Long Cane, SC C.B.C. 23 Dec (SW), and an inland Sanderling on the Columbia, SC C.B.C. 17 Dec (fide RC). Wintering Spotted Sandpipers con- tinued to increase in the Region, with at least 15 reports; the best counts were 22 on the St. Catherine’s L, GA C.B.C. 16 Dec (fide EC) and 10 on the Hilton Head L, SC C.B.C. 16 Dec (JWi). The wintering Stilt Sandpiper popula- tion at the S.S.S. peaked at 131 on 16 Dec (SC) this season. And finally a total of 334 Red Phalaropes was noted on a pelagic trip out of Savannah, GA 2 Dec (GB et al.), a very good count for that state. Great Skua was again found off North Carolina, with 3 on the Hatteras pelagic trip 18 Feb (BP et al.). Unusual inland gulls included ad. Laughings at L. Allatoona, GA 1 Jan (JFl, EH) and High Point, NC 14 Dec (HH), an ad. Lesser Black-backed at Buford L. Dam, GA 2 1 Jan (EH et al.), and a Great Black-backed at West Point Lake, GA 5 Jan (fide JH). All Little Gulls reports came from North Carolina, as usual, with the best reports being 4 off Hatteras 18 Feb (BP et al.), 3 at Atlantic Beach 22 Feb (JF), and one at Wrightsville Beach 4 Feb (SCp). The C. Hatt. area once again hosted a good diversity of gulls. Highlights this season were a Black-headed 3-4 Feb (ED, DC et al.), up to 2 Californias during the winter (m.ob.), a record one-day total of 3-4 Thayer’s 17 Feb (HL et al), an ad. Iceland 17 Feb (HL et al.), a season-long, tame Glaucous (m.ob.), a Black- legged Kittiwake 13 Jan (RScPT), and a bewil- dering assortment of at least 4 different hybrid types 17 Feb (HL et al.). Sandwich Terns lin- gered more than usual, providing three differ- ent reports, with 2 on the Morehead City, NC C.B.C. 17 Dec (MT), 3 on the Hilton Head L, SC C.B.C. 16 Dec (fide JWi), and one on the St. Catherine’s L, GA C.B.C. 16 Dec (fide EC). In North Carolina, alcids made news this winter. Indicative of the first major flight into the Region since 1994, Razorbills were present in big numbers, with the best total being 830 on the 18 Feb Hatteras pelagic (BP et al.). Also on that trip, 24 Atlantic Puffins were found (BP et al.). This was the state’s 4th report and easily provided a record count for this far south in the w. Atlantic. North Carolina also got its first documented Common Murre when one was found in the surf at C. Hatt. 2-3 Feb (JD, R8cPT, m.ob.). Photos, pending acceptance by the N.C. B.R.C., should place this species on the state’s official list. Doves Through Gnatcatcher Eurasian Collared-Doves continue to increase throughout the Region, so much so that we must now turn to the question of competition with native species. White-winged Doves are also increasing, as evidenced by at least by four different Georgia reports and two North Carolina sightings. In light of all this, the report of 43 Common Ground-Doves on the Macon, GA C.B.C. 16 Dec (fide TJ) was encouraging. Nightjars made news in North Carolina, with Whips being found twice, and a Chuck-wilFs-widow photographed on the C. Hatt. C.B.C. 27 Dec (PS et al.), providing rare documentation of a wintering bird. The hummingbird picture in the Region continues to amaze! First, the Green-breasted Mango from the fall season at Concord, NC was seen until at least 4 Dec. Black-chinned Hummingbirds staged an invasion with band- ed or photographed (documented!) birds including 4 in North Carolina (SCb), one in South Carolina (SCb), and 3 in Georgia (SC, TJ). Calliope Hummingbirds invaded Georgia, with 5 being banded, thus providing documentation for that state’s 3rd-7th records (fide BBe, TJ, fide RTr, FM). Georgia’s third Anna’s Hummingbird (Snellville) and third Broad-tailed Hummingbird (L. Acworth) continued from the fall season. Along with the usual smattering of Rufous and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, there were seven species reported from the Region this winter! A Red-shafted (Northern) Flicker was present at the Birdsong Nature Center, Grady, GA 6 Jan until the end of the period (MB). This is possibly a first for Georgia, as there are only a handful of reports of this form for the entire Region. Reports of winter Empidonax flycatch- ers included a calling Least Flycatcher at Buxton, NC 29 Dec (BP), a silent Empidonax at Samworth W.M.A., SC 8 Dec (GP), and anoth- er silent bird at Buxton, NC 27 Dec that was Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 161 A female Anna’s Hummingbird stayed at a Gwinnet County, Georgia feeder for several weeks. Geogia’s third, it was captured on film 1 5 January. Photographed by James Flynn, Jr. considered a probable Acadian (PS et al.)! North Carolina’s 3rd Vermilion Flycatcher from the fall at Goldsboro was last seen 2 Dec, right before the unusually heavy early snowfall the next day. Another Vermilion returned to Carter’s Pond, Lakeland, Lanier, GA 28 Jan until at least 19 Feb (BBe, MB, sev. obs.) for the 2nd year in a row. Georgia had its 2nd and 3rd reports of Ash-throated Flycatcher, with one on the St. Catherine’s I. C.B.C. 16 Dec {fide AW) and another near Quitman, Brooks 8-20 Jan (DG, DK, JFl, m.ob.). The latter bird was photographed, thus providing the state’s first documented record. Western Kinglrirds were found in all three states, with six reports received, four in Georgia, and one each in the other states. In the amazing department, a Warbling Vireo was found to be wintering on Roanoke 1., NC, this year, an unprecedented occurrence. One was found 12 Dec and seen off-and-on until the spring season (JL, JF). Even more amazing, a second individual was observed briefly 18 Dec! Common Ravens appeared at a new piedmont location in North Carolina when one was in Davidson 14 Dec (JPo); they are already at nearby Winston- Salem and Greensboro. Numbers of Red- breasted Nuthatches were down again this winter, with only a few scattered birds report- ed. Inland wintering Gnatcatchers seemed about normal but a total of 7 found on three different C.B.C.s in the Triangle area of North Carolina was noteworthy. Warblers Through Finches The only Nashville Warbler reported was near Conway, SC 21 Dec (GP). Rare in winter. Northern Parulas were found at Roanoke I., NC 12-18 Dec (JL), and an impressive count of 3 was made on the C. Hatt., NC C.B.C. 27 Dec {fide HL). Other unusual warbler reports included a Magnolia at Savannah N.W.R., SC 20 Jan (MC et al.), a Cape May at Fiowell Woods, Johnston, NC 28 Feb (JSa), 4 different Black-throated Blues (Durham and Hillsborough, NC, Charleston and Hilton Head I., SC), an American Redstart in Charleston, SC 6 Feb (DF et al.), and a Northern Waterthrush at the S.S.S. 4 Jan (SC). Yellow-throated Warblers were reported seven times, Black-and-whites 16 times, Ovenbird three times, and Yellow-breasted Chat seven times, all indicating a better-than-average year for these lingerers. And finally, Wilson’s Warbler staged probably its most impressive winter season ever in the Region. There were no fewer than 6 different birds found in Georgia, and the other states produced 2 each. The best count was of 2 found at Savannah N.W.R., SC 4 Dec (GB, LG et al.).Very rare and unusual in winter. Summer Tanagers were found at N. Myrtle Beach, SC 5-21 Jan (CS, RM) and on St. Catherine’s L, GA in mid-Dec {fide EU). Western Tanagers were found more than usual this season with 3 each in Georgia and North Carolina. Clay-colored Sparrow reports were about normal, with the best being at least 5 different birds in Baker, GA during Jan (EH, MB, JFl, RTr, WC). Lark Sparrows included singles in Carteret, NC 20 Jan (JF, JFe), Edgecombe, NC 1 1 Feb (RD), and on the Albany, GA C.B.C. 30 Dec {ftde TM). Once again Ammodramus sparrows were found at many sites throughout the Region. The best counts received included up to 11 different Grasshopper Sparrows at Alligator R. N.W.R., NC 8-9 Feb (JL), up to 7 Henslow’s Sparrows on the Savannah River Site, SC 6-8 Jan (PC), and 19 Le Conte’s Sparrows at the S.S.S. 16 Dec & 4 Jan (SC). Also of note were the two Nelson’s Sharp- tailed Sparrows found at Augusta, GA 9 Dec (AW et al.), a very rare inland winter occur- rence. Lincoln’s Sparrows were found in aver- age numbers with the best count being 6 birds at Alligator R. N.W.R., NC 16-17 Jan (JL). Always noteworthy in the Region, an Oregon Junco was at a feeder in Lexington, SC 4 & 11 Feb (MBo, AC). Georgia had three Lapland Longspur reports, including 7-8 near the This immature male Calliope Hummingbird in Fulton County, Georgia was one of five banded in that state and one of at least 1 9 found far north found far north (and east!) of typical range this winter. This photograph was taken 1 8 December. Photograph by James Flynn, Jr. 162 North American Birds Southern Atlantic Coast-Florida Elbert airport 5 Dec (BDu), 3 at Andrews I., Brunswick 3-5 Dec (BW, sev. obs.)) and 2 at E.L.H. 10-12 Dec (EBe, GB et al, AS). Very rare in winter, a Blue Grosbeak was found on the Litchfield- Pawleys L, SC C.B.C. 28 Dec (CH, fide JPe). A good winter bunting was the Indigo found on the Macon, GA, C.B.C. 16 Dec (ftde JA). Dickcissel reports included one at Buxton, NC 27 Dec until at least 14 fan (PS et al., PM) and one at Conway, SC 18 Jan (GP). Georgia had a lock on Yellow-headed Blackbirds, with 2 in Baker 18 Feb (BDu) and up to 3 in Seminole 27 Dec-1 1 Feb (EH, PS, BB, MB et al.). Excellent totals for Brewer’s Blackbird were had this year, with up to 150 in Baker, GA 13 Jan (JFl, EH, sev. obs.), 200 near Bowman, Orangeburg, SC 9 Dec (LG), and nine in Carteret, NC 16 & 26 Jan (JF, JFe, sev. obs.). Only one Red Crossbill was found this winter, a male at a feeder in Chapel Hill, NC 31 Jan (DS). And finally, the 6 Evening Grosbeaks reported on the Jordan Lake, NC C.B.C. 31 Dec {fide NB) were certainly out of place, since the species was practically absent from the Region the entire winter. Contributors: Jerry Amerson, Keith Andre, Donna Bailey (DBa), Giff Beaton, Michael Bell, Eric Beohm (EBe), Brad Bergstrom (BBe), Bill Blakeslee, Ed Blitch III, Molly Bonnell (MBo), Norm Budnitz, Dennis Burnette, Susan Campbell (SCb), Steve Calver, Brad Carlson, Derb Carter, Robin Carter, Andrea Ceselski, Walt Chambers, Paul Champlin, Mike Chapman, Steve Compton (SCo), Sam Cooper (SCp), Ricky Davis, Eric Dean, John Dole, Bruce Dralle, Billy Dunbar (BDu), Tom Egan, Jack Fennell (JFe), Jim Flynn (JFl), Dennis Forsythe, Wade Fuller, John Fussell, Lex Glover, Debbie Grimes, Chris Hill, Joel Hitt, Bob Holmes, Hop Hopkins, Earl Horn, Wayne Irvin, Terry Johnson, Diane Kelsey, Nathan Klaus, Pete Laurie, Harry LeGrand, Jeff Lewis, Barry Lowes, Greg Massey, Mary McDavit, Fred Moore, Pat Moore, Terry Moore, Rick Murray, Perry Nugent, Jim & Melissa Pappas (J&MP), Brian Patteson, Jack Peachey (JPe), Gary Phillips, Joe Poston (JPo), Frank Rheindt, Josh Rose, Jamie Sasser (JSa), Aubrey Scott, Jeff Sewell, Doug Shadwick, Craig Smith, Gordon Smith, Robert Smith (RSm), Paul Sykes, Lydia Thompson, Mike Tove, Rusty Trump (RTr), Russ & Patricia Tyndall (R&PT), Emil Urban, Steve Wagner, Judy Walker (JWa), Anne Waters, Joe Williams (JWi), Brad Winn, Bob Zaremba. A Florida GULF OF MEXICO a. R ss DryJortugas Key West Bruce H. Anderson 291 7 Scarlet Road Winter Park, Florida 32792 (scizortail@aol.com) This season was not as warm as other recent winters. In Orlando, there were seven nights of freezing temperatures or below, and for at least one night, frost warnings extended the entire length of the peninsula. The cold damaged much of the exotic flora in the northern and central regions of the state, but birds remained plentiful in most areas. The Florida peninsula experienced drought, with central Florida recording a 19” rainfall deficit by the end of the period. The falling water lev- els did not attract the large numbers of wad- ing and water bird species that they did last winter. The abundance of wintering Wilson’s Warblers that seemingly “plagued” much of the Southeast included Florida, where unprecedented numbers were reported throughout the state. If accepted by the F.O.S.R.C., three species will be new for Florida’s list of verifiable species: Red-necked Grebe (Central Southern Region), Zone-tailed Hawk, and Bullock’s Oriole. Abbreviations: E.N.P. (Everglades National Park), F.O.S.R.C. (Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee), L.A.R.A. (Lake Apopka Restoration Area, Orange), P.P.M. {Polk Phosphate Mines). Loons Through Waterfowl A Pacific Loon was seen off St. George L, Franklin 10 Jan (AWK). Red-throated Loons appeared along the Florida coasts in unprece- dented numbers, with 4 reported as far south as Canaveral National Seashore, Volusia 4 Feb (JP). On the Gulf coast, 12 Red-throateds were at Alligator Point, Franklin 14 Feb (DS), and 3 at St. Marks N.W.R., Wakulla 23 Feb (PBl). One high report was the 282 seen in 30 min. off Talbot Is. S.P., Duval 19 Jan (RCl) — a spot always good for this species, but never in this number. Lake Weir, Marion hosted 94 Common Loons 17 Jan (ES). At Polk Phosphate Mines, 22 Eared Grebes were found 25 Feb (PT, CG), and another was reported at St. Marks N.W.R., 11 & 14 Feb (KA, DS). An Aechmophorus sp. at Sanibel L, Lee 12-18 Jan, Florida’s 3rd to be documented, was consid- ered a Western Grebe by most who saw the bird (Jim Williams, Walt Winton, ph. LA, ph. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1), Number 2 163 CE et al.). A late Cory’s Shearwater was off Talbot I. 16 Dec (CBu). Single Brown Boobies were noted at Boca Grande Pass, Lee 14 Jan (Shepard Krech) and Cape Canaveral 4 Feb (DS). Again this winter, large numbers of Northern Gannets were seen close to shore: 2477 were counted 3 Dec at Canaveral National Seashore (JP). Eleven Brown Pelicans wintered at L. Hollingsworth, Polk (TP), one was at L.A.R.A. 28-31 Jan (HR), and another at L. Kissimmee 16 Feb (DF, JoC). The Great Cormorant discovered at Titusville remained to 3 Dec (CE). Forty Magnificent Frigatebirds were tallied on the St. Petersburg C.B.C. 16 Dec (fide RSm). Again E.N.P. hosted a probable White X Scarlet Ibis at Eco Pond, Monroe (m.ob.), whOe another was in Brevard, 5 Feb (IDS). A subad. Scarlet Ibis roosted at Ft. Myers Beach (m.ob.), presumably an escapee. Small numbers of Glossy Ibis wintered at St. Marks N.W.R., where they were joined by up to 3 White-faced Ibis 11 Feb+ (tKA, ph. LA, B. Atherton, BBe et al.) for Florida’s 10th pub- lished report. The flock of Greater Flamingos at Snake Bight, E.N.P., did not exceed 12 individ- uals (Mike Rosenthal, m.ob.). At Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area, Lake, the count of 298 Fulvous Whistling-Ducks tallied 28 Dec was a high number so far north (fide John Stenberg). Black-beOied Whistling- Ducks continue to increase locally in the n. peninsula; 35 were counted 3 Dec (DHa) at Paynes Prairie State Preserve. Up to 4 Greater White-fronted Geese visited St. Marks N.W.R. 1-17 Jan (John Hintermister, Nan Lloyd et al.), and one was found at Gainesville 2 Feb (Bliz Feldherr, Mary Landsman). Eight Snow Geese visited Three Lakes W.M.A., Osceola 8 Dec (CG), and 3 were at Lake Woodruff N.W.R., Volusia 25 Jan (Wes Biggs, MG). Farther south, 2 were at Chekika, E.N.P. 12-18 Dec (LaM, JHB), one there 14—23 Jan (Buck and Linda Cooper, DS), and 5 were at Spanish River Park, Palm Beach 25 Jan (BHo). A Canada Goose at Viera, Brevard 7 Jan-h (m.ob.) was thought to be a wild bird. A lone Brant paused at Long Point, Brevard 20 Dec (Doug Johansen fide TM), and the next day 2 were at Black Point Park, Miami-Dade, where one remained to 24 Dec (fLaM, Jan, John & Chadda Shelly). A male Eurasian Wigeon was n. of Mims, Brevard 3-9 Jan (DS, RKH et al.) and another at Merritt I. N.W.R. 17 Dec & 2 Jan (Paul Marvin, DS). Rare in the cen. peninsula, an American Black Duck visited L.A.R.A. 3-12 Dec (HR), and a pair was at Longpoint Park, Brevard 11 Jan (DS). A cinnamon-colored teal with “a diffuse white crescent between the eye and bill” at Merritt 1. N.W.R. 26 Dec was con- sidered a Blue-winged x Ginnamon hybrid (tDS). Single ad. male Cinnamon Teal were found at Myakka River S.P. 13-21 Jan (Don and Marcia Fairbanks, DP) and P.P.M. 20-25 Jan (KA, PF et al.). Scoters were scarce. One Surf was off Canaveral National Seashore 3 Dec (JP); 3 were off Matanzas Inlet, St. Johns 16 Dec (ES); and 2 were on the St. Johns R., S. Jacksonville 10 Jan (Peggy Powell). A White-winged Scoter was viewed from St. George Causeway 10 Jan (AWK). A Black Scoter at Ft. Chnch S.P., Nassau 8 Jan (DS) was the only report. One Long-tailed Duck stopped at St. Marks N.W.R. 8 Dec (IH), whUe another visited Springhill Road W.T.R, Leon to 9 Jan (DHa, GEM et al.). Brevard hosted 2 at Merritt 1. N.W.R. 2-19 Dec (Bob Sicolo, Meret Wilson), and farther south, one at Eau Gallie Causeway 7-16 Jan (Juhe and Anthony Trott, RP). One at Ft. Clinch S.P. loitered near the fishing pier 1-8 Jan (PL, DS). Rare inland, Bufflehead visited Polk, Orange, and Miami- Dade at Hialeah (PF, LFA, HR, Mary Wheeler, ph.JHB). Single Common Goldeneyes were at Gainesville 30 Nov-l- (RR) and Ulumay Wildlife Refuge, Brevard 6 Jan (DS), while 200-1- at Fort Island Gulf Beach, Citrus 29 Jan (MG) was a high number. Two goldeneyes and 1200 Hooded Mergansers visited Punta Gorda, Charlotte beginning 6 Dec (JeB). Hawks Through Shorebirds The first Swallow-tailed Kites were at E.N.P. 23 Feb (CJG) and s. Jefferson and Alligator Point, 25 Feb (JD). Two White-tailed Kites, casual in the Big Bend, frequented L. Miccosukee, Jefferson 6 Jan+, sometimes engaging in “courtship flight” (Michael Miller, ph. Eliza Hawkins et al.). Farther south, other White- taileds were reported from Brevard, Collier, and Miami-Dade (RP, TM, VL, LaM et al.). Extralimital Snail Kites wandered to Gemini Springs Park, Volusia 1 Dec (RP), Harney Canal, Hillsborough 27 Dec-4 Jan (KA, IH et al.), and Chekika 12 Dec-29 Jan (LaM, KA). Migrant Short-tailed Hawks were first noted at Saddle Creek C.P., Polk 7 Feb (PF), and Gainesville 19 Feb (David Steadman). One male with a trans- mitter was located with its probable mate near Gulf Hammock, Levy 23 Feb (Ken Meyer); it left s. Florida between 6-15 Feb. Lone Swainson’s Hawks at L.A.R.A. 20 Dec (HR) and near Holey Land W.M.A., Palm Beach 26 Feb (DS) may have been migrants. A very rare Golden Eagle was identified at L.A.R.A. 12 Dec (HR). This season’s most unusual rarity was a 2tone-tailed Hawk observed over Big Pine Key 3 Dec and again ca. 50 mi w. over Boca Grande Key, Key West N.W.R. 12 Dec, when it was videotaped as it soared over the mangrove-covered island in the company of frigatebirds (v.t. Tom Wilmers). Two Black Rails were discovered at Bayonet Pt., Pasco 29 Dec (DR, D P, P. Young). An astonishing find was this Zone- tailed Hawk at Boca Grande Key 12 December, a vagrant hardly known in the East. Photograph from videotape by Tom Wilmers. One American Golden-Plover visited Chekika 31 Dec-7 Jan (LaM, JHB). Eleven Black-necked Stilts lingered at P.P.M to 2 Dec (PF, LFA) and 4 at L.A.R.A. to 15 Dec (HR). A Solitary Sandpiper in Gainesville 6 Dec (RR) was late, while wintering birds were reported in Zephyrhills, Pasco 21 Dec (DP et al.); Volusia 30 Dec (LoM); Sarasota 19 Jan-5 Feb (JP), Miami- Dade 23 Jan (Buck Cooper, ph. Linda Cooper), and 2 e. of Immokalee 21 8c 25 Feb (VM). Two Sanderlings were late at P.P.M. 2 Dec (PF, LFA). With fewer than 20 winter Florida reports (including one by J.J. Audubon), a ’WWte- nunped Sandpiper in celery fields in Sarasota 13-18 Jan provided the first verifiable winter record (Alison Bishop, VL, Ray Webb, ph.LA). Purple Sandpipers wintered at their usual e. coast sites: 15 at Ft. Clinch S.P. 8-14 Jan (DS, DR, JP); 2 at Matanzas Inlet, Flagler 9 Feb (Bert Charest fide DR); and 3 at Smyrna Dunes Park, Volusia 15 Jan-9 Feb (John Burke, DF et al.). Numerous observations of Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers were made from shore along the Atlantic coast south to Brevard (JP, DS, RP, DW 8c LS). Along the Gulf coast, 2 Parasitics were at Ft. De Soto G.P. 29 Dec-19 Jan (RSm, JeB et al.), and 2 were at Sanibel 1. 19-22 Jan (DP, JP, DS). An ad. Franklin’s Gull stopped at St. Marks N.W.R. 16 Dec (Tom Gurtis), while another remained at Redington Beach, Pinellas, where one wintered last season (m.ob.). The Heermann’s Gull that arrived at Ft. De Soto C.R, Pinellas last fall remained in the vicinity to at least 19 Dec (lA fide Margie Wilkinson). The bird became a tourist and was reported s. at Anna Maria 1. 25-27 Dec (Mike Sefton), at Ft. De Soto C.R 29 Dec-16 Jan (CBu, Steve Thornton et al.), at Longboat Key, Sarasota 18 Jan (Ron McCuUock), at Ft. De Soto C.R. 19 Jan (JeB), and approx 100 mi. s. at Sanibel 1. 28-30 Jan (Lillian and Don Stokes, Bev and Claire Postmus). Its whereabouts after that remained a mystery until it returned to Ft. De Soto C.R 22 Feb+ noticeably molting flight feathers (ph.LA et al.). Along both coasts. Lesser Black-backed Gulls were reported in Brevard, Broward, Lee, 164 North American Birds Florida Pinellas, and Monroe, including one at Key West 28 Feb (JO). Inland, one was at L.A.R.A. 24 Jan (HR). First-year Glaucous Gulls were discov- ered at Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval 10-13 Dec & 28 Dec-19 Jan (BR, Howard Adams), the Pompano landfill, Broward 1 1 Feb-l- (J. Villamil, K. Sarsfield et al.), and Key Biscayne, Miami- Dade 28 Feb (RD). Winter Gulf coast reports of Great Black-backed GuUs continue to increase: in Pinellas, 1 were identified at Redington Beach, 3 at Ft. De Soto C.P. (m.ob.) throughout the period, and 3 at Sanibel I. from 14 Jan-l- (CE, Dick Beeler). Seven Gull-billed Terns at Hernando Beach South, Hernando 19 Dec (BP, BA) were late migrants; however, 3 were found at nearby Pine 1. 10-13 Jan (MG), where 2 were located last winter. Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange is closed until 31 Jan, so 2 there 4 Feb (Cheri Pierce) may have wintered, but 2 at Viera 22 Feb were probably early migrants (DF, G. Beaton). Polk hosted 6 Royal Terns at two loca- tions 6 Jan (PT, CG) and 28 Jan (B. and L. Cooper). In first- winter plumage, Florida’s 2nd Elegant Tern was found at Ft. De Soto C.P. 2 Dec-6 Jan (ph.LA, ph. Clay Kelsey, BS et al.), not far s. of where the first (a different individual) was verified in fall 1999. One hundred Common Terns at Ft. De Soto C.P. 2 Dec were late (LA), while one there 6 Jan and one at Anna Maria I. 31 Jan (PBl, WY) probably wintered. Doves Through Woodpeckers A Eurasian Collared-Dove nest at Minneola, Lake contained two fresh eggs 2 Feb (Ross Shafer, Jerry Cline, BHA), indicating that breed- ing may be year-round. Single White-winged Doves were at St. George I., Franklin 2 Dec (Howard Horne), and Lutz, Hillsborough 23 Dec (JoAnne Hartzler). In Jan, on a microwave tower at Safety Harbor, Pinellas, several pairs of Monk Parakeets tended a nest on top of which a pair of Bald Eagles tended their nest (KT). Casual in the peninsula, a Groove-billed Ani was between Gibsonton and ApoUo Beach, Hillsborough 15 Dec (ph. KA). Single Short- eared Owls were at L. Jackson, Leon 8 Dec (Richard Perry), at L.A.R.A. 1, 14, 8c 24 Jan and 7 Feb (HR), and near Okeechobee and Pahokee, Glades 3 Feb (JD). Up to 20 Lesser Nighthawks were reported near Flamingo, E.N.P., Monroe 10 Dec— 4 Feb (CJG, fKR, TM et al.), and 9 at Loxahatchee N.W.R., Palm Beach 13 Dec-4 Jan (BHo et al.). Not verified in winter, a Common Nighthawk was “heard and seen” 21 Feb (BHo). The first singing Chuck-will’s-widows were heard at Lutz 10 Feb (Dave Bowman) and Naples, Collier 11 Feb (Terry Doyle). Ruby- throated Hummingbirds were identified in Leon (3), Franklin (1), Seminole (3), Hillsborough (2), Miami-Dade (3) and Monroe (1) (Harry Hooper, JD, BHA, SB, LaM, JO); single Black- chinneds were identified at Alligator Pt. throughout the season (JD) and at Spring Hill, Hernando 12 Feb-l- (LA, DG). Single Selasphorus were found at Cedar Key, Levy 9 Dec-9 Jan (D. Henderson), Melrose, Alachua 17 Dec-18 Jan (ph. Jan Bolte), Valrico, Hillsborough 18 Dec+ (SB), and Crystal River, Citrus 24 Jan (TR). Two were at Homestead, Miami-Dade 7 Dec-2 Jan (LaM), and 5 were in the Tallahassee area 1 Jan-25 Feb {fide GEM). An ad. male Rufous was at S. Jacksonville 25 Dec-t- (L. Bremer) and an imm. male at Spring Hill 12 Feb-f (LA, DG). Flycatchers Through Pipits Three Least Flycatchers were at L.A.R.A. to 14 Feb (HR). Singles were heard calling at Eco Pond, E.N.P. 21 Jan-t- (RSm, JHB et al.) and in w. Kendall, Miami-Dade 26 Jan-t (JHB). Lone Vermilion Flycatchers visited Quincy, Gadsden 31 Dec (fide M. Collins) St. Marks N.W.R. 24 Dec- 16 Feb (Bob and Sandy Donner, AWK); s. L. Jackson 15 Feb (GEM); DeBary, Volusia 14 Jan (LoM), and Goodwin W.M.A., Brevard to 7 Feb (BHA, Don Feuss); and 2 females frequent- ed L.A.R.A. 3-25 Feb (DS, JP). One Ash-throat- ed Flycatcher was at Paynes Prairie S.P. 3 Dec-l- (DHa et al.), one at Ocklawaha Prairie, Marion 19 Jan (ES), 4 at L.A.R.A. throughout the season (HR, BHA, ph.LA et al.), and one in Palm Beach 3-18 Jan (BHo et al.). Brown-crested Elycatchers were identified at L.A.R.A. 14 Jan-11 Feb (HR, fDF, tph.JoC) and Snake Bight Trail, E.N.P. 15 Jan-4 Feb (LaM, DS). A silent Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird was at Ft. Myers Beach, Lee 13-16 Jan (CE, LA); at the same location 17 Jan one heard was dubbed a Tropical Kingbird (fTom Hince). Another king- bird at Mahogany Hammock, E.N.P. was vocal but not audiotaped; observers did not agree about its identification (fLaM, fPBi, fMike Forman et al.). The state’s 8th and 9th Cassin’s Kingbirds came from L.A.R.A. 14 Jan-l- where one wintered last year (HR), and L. Poinsett, Brevard 26 Dec (Paul Marvin, BHA, RD et al.). Wintering Western Kingbirds were plentiful throughout much of the cen. and s. peninsula, with up to 24 at L.A.R.A. (HR, m.ob.). A late Eastern Kingbird was in Homestead 2 Dec (LaM). One Scissor-tailed Flycatcher wandered to Fernandina Beach, Nassau 4-14 Dec (PL). In the c. peninsula individuals were at L.A.R.A.14 & 28 Jan (HR) and in w. Pasco 16 Jan (KT). A Bell’s Vireo was at Eco Pond, E.N.P. 7 Feb (LaM). One YeOow- throated Vireo at Matheson Hammock 11 Dec (Linda and Buck Cooper) was likely a late migrant. Other Yellow-throat- eds were found at Spanish River Park 4 Jan (BHo) and at E.N.P. at Snake Bight 21 8c 28 Jan (DS, JHB) and 2 at Royal Palm, Miami-Dade 28 Jan (JHB). Not verified in winter, a Warbling Vireo was independently seen and identified by two observers at Camp Owaissa Bauer Miami- Dade 29 Jan (fDS, Roger Hammer). The first Purple Martins were at Odessa, Pasco 11 Jan (DW) and at Port St. Lucie 18 Jan (Dotty HuO). A Northern Rough-winged Swallow in the Apalachicola N.F. 25 Feb was early (JD). A Cave Swallow and “several” Cliff Swallows were found at Chekika 22 Dec (JHB). Lone Cave Swallows wandered north to two Palm Beach locations: Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Loxahatchee N.W.R. 4 Jan (BHo). Lone migrant Barn Swallows were seen at Spring Road W.T.P. 3 Dec (GEM, Paul Conover) and L.A.R.A. 25 Feb (JP), while one appeared at Flamingo, E.N.P. 29 Jan (VM). At nine sites in Leon, Gadsden, and Jefferson, “numerous” Winter Wrens were found 3 Dec-t {fide GEM). Two Brown Creepers were counted in Leon in Jan (Marvin Collins fide GEM). Single Golden- crowned Kinglets wandered south to L.A.R.A. 20 Dec (HR), Geneva, Volusia 22 Dec (Gary Minor), and Lakeland 25 Feb (BS), while 4 were in Pasco 29 Dec (DR, DP). A Wood Thrush remained at Ft. Lauderdale 29 Jan-f (fWG et al.). A Northern Mockingbird nestling, estimat- ed to be three days old, was in a very early Gainesville nest 15 Feb (Michael Meisenburg). Up to 5 Sprague’s Pipits were flushed at Apalachicola Municipal Airport, Franklin 3 Dec-14 Jan (DS et al.). Warblers Through Finches Twenty-seven species of wood-warblers were reported this season; some were late or early migrants, and others are rare or casual in win- ter. Not verified in winter, single Blue-winged Warblers were at West Lake, E.N.P., Miami- Dade 4 Feb (RD & Bill Boeringer), and Key West all winter (JO). A late Tennessee Warbler was at W. Boynton Beach, Palm Beach 3 Dec (BHo, Chuck Weber). A Nashville Warbler at Matheson Hammock 13 Dec (LaM) was late; others were reported near Oviedo, Seminole 30 Dec (BHA), at W. Boca Raton 14 Jan-t (BHo et al), at L.A.R.A. 24 Jan (HR), at Fern Forest Nature Center, Broward 17 Feb (WG), and near Loxahatchee N.W.R. 25 Feb (DS). The first singing Northern Parulas were noted at Weekiwachee Preserve, Hernando 16 Feb (BHa). A late Yellow Warbler visited Lakeland 16 Dec (Linda 8c Buck Cooper). Single Magnolia Warblers were at two E.N.P. locations 28 8c 29 Jan (JHB, DS). A late Black-throated Blue Warbler was at Gainesville 17 Dec (MM), while others were at West Lake, E.N.P. 28 Jan (JHB) and at Matheson Hammock 24 Feb (DS). A Black-throated Gray Warbler visited Matheson Hammock 3-16 Dec (JHB et al.). Lone Black- VoLUME 55 (2001), Number 2 165 throated Green Warblers were north at L.A.R.A. 22 Dec (HR) and N. Jacksonville 30 Dec (PP). Up to 3 Prairie Warblers lingered in e. Leon through 30 Dec (John Murphy, Jim Cox, GEM et al.)) while one was found at St. Augustine, St. Johns 27 Jan (DR). A Prothonotary Warbler spotted 19 Dec Ft. Lauderdale was late (Paddy Cunningham, WG). Single Worm-eating Warblers were at two E.N.P. locations 3-28 Jan (LaM, JHB), and another was at Matheson Hammock 24 Feb (DS). Lone Northern Waterthrushes remained north at Paynes Prairie State Preserve 17 Dec (S. Flamand, R. Leonard), at Gainesville 10 Feb (M. Meisenburg), and Black Hammock, Oviedo 30 Dec (BHA). Three Louisiana Waterthrushes were at Snake Bight Trad, E.N.P. 18 Jan-18 Feb (LaM, DS), while an early migrant reached L.A.R.A. 11 Feb (HR). Fern Forest Nature Center, at Pompano Beach, host- ed the Region’s 4th MacGillivray’s Warbler 17 Feb-i- (tWG, m.ob.). Numbers of Wilson’s Warblers have increased in recent years; from Tallahassee to Jacksonville and s. through the peninsula, 61 individuals (12 in Palm Beach, BHo) were reported in twelve counties (m.ob.). Single Yellow-breasted Chats were in Taylor, Marion, Orange, Pinellas, Collier, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade (A. Kent, C. Graham, ES, HR, PBl, JJ, BHo, SB); the Collier chat was banded and ph. at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary 1 7 Feb and recaptured 24 Feb; it was identified as “a western race.. .a beautiful brilliant orange- breasted bird!”(JJ). A late female/imm. Summer Tanager paused in n. St. Johns 3-12 Dec (PP), while farther s. a male remained at Ponte Vedra Beach 17 Jan-h (S. Wakefield); oth- ers wintered at Spanish River Park 15 Dec-l- (BHo), and S. Jacksonville 24 Dec-l- (J. Cocke). Spanish River Park attracted a male Western Tanager 28 Dec-6 Jan (tLaM, BHo et al.), as did Ft. Myers Beach 14-16 Jan (LA et al.) and Newport, Wakulla 22 Feb (RG jide RCh), the latter birds being females or immatures. It was a three-tanager winter at Spanish River Park when a female Western Spindalis visited 9 Dec-4 Jan (DS, BHo et al.). A study of an ad. male Cuban Grassquit at Miami Beach 10 Dec (David LaPuma) was too brief to speculate about its origin; it was the Region’s 11th report. All of the state’s reports are presumed to be of escaped cage birds. Rarer still, and representing the Region’s 5th report, a male West Indian Yellow-faced Grassquit lingered at Eco Pond, E.N.P. 20 Jan-5 Feb (tCJG, ph. LS, m.ob.). A Clay-colored Sparrow at Talbot Is. S.P. 3-12 Dec (RCl) was likely migrating, while oth- ers remained later in the season in Wakulla, Orange, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Polk, where 9 wintered (TK, TP, LEA, DS, LaM, JHB et al.). A Lark Sparrow visited L.A.R.A. 12 Dec (HR), while 2 remained at Lake Wales 1-30 Jan (TP, Byron Bratlie et al.). Three Henslow’s Sparrows were at Paynes Prairie State Preserve 17 Dec (Adam Kent), and up to 20 were at Doe Lake, Ocala N.F., Marion 6 Jan-l- ( JP, ph. ES). Six Le Conte’s Sparrows were at Paynes Prairie 17 Dec (A. Kent), 2 at N. Jacksonville 30 Dec (RR), one at Weekiwachee Preserve 14r-19 Jan (BHa, A. Hansen, CBl), 2 at Doe Lake 20 Jan+ (JP), and one at Sarasota celery fields 27 Jan (PBl, WY). Outnumbered by Nelson’s along the Gulf coast, single Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows were reported at Fort Island Beach, Citrus at 1 1 Jan (TR) and Eco Pond, E.N.P. 28 Jan (JHB). One Fox Sparrow wandered south to San Felasco Hammock, Alachua 1 Jan (MM), as did 2 at Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area, Marion 9-10 Feb (JP, ES). In the Big Bend 3 were at Leon Sinks 1 & 7 Jan (DHa, RKH), one at Bald Point, Franklin 5-6 Dec (JD), and two in Jefferson at Lamont 10 Jan (GEM) and L. Miccosukee 28 Jan (BBe et al). Two Song Sparrows at Eco Pond, E.N.P. were far south (CJG, JHB et al.). Lincoln’s Sparrows were found in Wakulla, Alachua, Pasco, Orange, Brevard, Palm Beach, and Broward (RR, BA, AS, RSm, HR, WG, DS). White-crowned Sparrows continue to increase in abundance: in Wakulla (3, GEM et al.), Jefferson (3, GEM et al.), Nassau (24, RCl), Alachua (22, RR), Citrus ( 1 1, TR, MG et al.), Pasco (3, RSm, AS, BA), Seminole (6, BHA), Orange (19, HR), Brevard (14, DS), and Miami-Dade (1, JHB). At least 8 Dark-eyed Juncos wintered in the Tallahassee area (GEM). One was far south at West Lake, E.N.P., Miami- Dade 1 Dec (LaM ph.); others were seen in S. Jacksonville 2-3 Dec (PP) and Crystal River, Citrus 6 Dec (TR); where did these migrants winter? There were two reports of Lapland Longspur: one at Apalachicola Municipal Airport 3 Dec (DS, Kurt and Cindy Radamaker), and 7 roaming the dunes at Huguenot Memorial Park 28 Dec-31 Jan (DHa, BR et al.). An early Rose-breasted Grosbeak was in Franklin 21 Feb (RG fide RCh). Single Blue Grosbeaks at Bald Point 5 Dec (JM), at Alligator Point and Bald Point 21 & 26 Feb (JM, JD), respectively, and at L.A.R.A. 12 & 17 Dec were late and early. One wintering Blue was near Oviedo 30 Dec (fBHA), and 4 were w. of Kendall 6 Feb+ (fJHB). Three Painted Buntings were found at two Leon and one Jefferson sites 13 & 15 Jan, with one remain- ing in Leon through the end of the season (DHa, Barbara Buford, JD). Two Painted Buntings at Gainesville 24 Feb (RR, Scott Duncan) and an Indigo Bunting at Newberry, Gilchrist 25 Feb (B. Giambrone) were early. A Dickcissel visited L.A.R.A. 12 Dec (HR), whOe one at Rotenberger W.M.A., Palm Beach/Broward 27 Jan (BHo) and 2 at W. Kendall 6 Feb-H (JHB) wintered. Single Yellow- headed Blackbirds were at L.A.R.A. 7 Jan 8c 4 Feb (HR) and W. Boca Raton 14 Jan+ (BHo). Up to 22 Rusty Blackbirds wintered in n. Leon (DHa), while one wandered south to near Oviedo 30 Dec (BHA). One Brewer’s Blackbird was at L.A.R.A. 3 Feb (DS). At least 6 Shiny Cowbirds were reported at Briggs Nature Center, Collier 1 ]an+ (VL). Up to 4 Bronzed Cowbirds wintered at a Polk golf course 2 Dec-22 Feb (LFA, Bob Wallace et al.), while 5 remained in Sarasota 10 Dec-5 Jan (JP et al.). An Orchard Oriole in s. Miami-Dade 2 Dec (PBi) was late. Recently, the Bullock’s Oriole was removed from the list of verified species in Florida following F.O.S.R.C. review of the pre- vious evidence. This season Bullock’s were reported in the panhandle and peninsula: an imm. male was at Flamingo, E.N.P. 13 Jan+ (fAKr, ph. BP, CJG et al.), and another was at Gainesville 18 Feb (fAKr, RR). One oriole in the company of the E.N.P. Bullock’s was identi- fied as a Bullock’s x Baltimore hybrid (AKr). Up to 4 Purple Finches visited feeders in Leon 30 Dec-25 Feb (Fran Rutkovsky, TC). Two Pine Siskins wintered in Franklin (JM), 6 in Gainesville remained 3 Feb+ (L. Hensley, RR), and farther s. one was at Spring Hill 25 Feb+ (M. Lytle, CBl). Addendum The previously published report of a probable California Gull in Franklin 11-14 Dec 1999 was not accepted by the F.O.S.R.C. Undocumented Rarities These reports were received with little or no supporting documentation: A Western Grebe was reportedly photographed at Ft. Clinch S.P. 2 Jan. At L.A.R.A., a Little Gull was recorded 7 Jan. Florida’s 4th report of a Chestnut-collared Longspur came from N. Jacksonville 23 Jan. A male and female Bullock’s Oriole were report- ed at Key West 27 Feb. Contributors cited; I thank the F.O.S. Field Observations Committee for sharing many reports: Bill Pranty, state compiler, John H. Boyd III, Linda Cooper, Bob and Lucy Duncan, Charlie Ewell, Bev Hansen, Gail E. Menk, and Peggy Powell. The following contributors were cited more than once in the text: Brian Ahern (BA), Larry F. Albright (LFA), Ken Allen (KA), Bruce Anderson (BHA), Lyn Atherton (LA), Steve Backes (SB), Brad Bergstrom (BBe), Paul Bithorn (PBi), Clay Black (CBl), Paul Blair (PBl), Jeff Bouton (JeB), John H. Boyd (JHB), Charles Buhrman (CBu), Ron Christen (RCh), 166 North American Birds Florida-Ontario Roger Clark (RCl), Joie Clifton (JoC), Tom Curtis (TC), Robin Diaz (RD), Jack Dozier (JD), Charlie Ewell (CE), Paul Fellers (PE), Dot Freeman (DF), Murray Gardler (MG), Chuck Geanangel (CG), Wally George (WG), Red Gidden (RG), Debbie Grimes (DG), CJ. Grimes (CJG), Bev Hansen (BHa), David Harder (DHa), Robert K. Henderson (RKH), Irene Hernandez (IH), Brian Hope (BHo), Jerome Jackson (JJ), Alan W. Knothe (AWK), Andrew Kratter (AKr), Pat Leary (PL), Vincent Lucas (VL), Travis MacClendon (TM), Lome Malo (LoM), Mike Manetz (MM), Larry Manfredi (LaM), Paul Marvin (PM), Vince McGrath (VM), Michael Meisenburg (MM), Gail E. Menk (GEM), John Murphy (JM), Joe Ondrejko (JO), Jeff Palmer (JP), Tom Palmer (TP), Roy Peterson (RP), David Powell (DP), Peggy Powell (PP), Bill Pranty (BP), John Puschock (JP), Kurt Radamaker (KR), Diane Reed (DR), Bob Richter (BR), Don Robinson (DR), Harry Robinson (HR), Tommie Rogers (TR), Rex Rowan (RR), Lilian Saul (LS), Earl Scales (ES), David Simpson (DS), Austin Smith (AS), Ron Smith (RSm), Bob Snow (BS), Lee Snyder (LS), Pete Timmer (PT), Ken Traey (KT), Doug Wassmer (DW), and Wilfred Yusek (WY). Ontario A Place names that are frequently men- tioned, but very long, may be abbrevi- ated in a form such as “C.B.B.T.” or “W.P.B.O.” Such local abbreviations win be explained in a key at the begin- ning of the particular regional report in which they are used. In most regions, place names given in italic type are counties. Standard abbrevia- tions that are used throughout North American Birds are keyed on page 139. Hugh G. Currie 385 Delaware Avenue Toronto, Ontario M6H (currie@pathcom.com) Recent winters in Ontario have been mild, but this winter we saw a return to normal temperatures. Snowfall was heavy, and snow cover remained on the ground for a record length of time. Feeder birds were few. Despite the cold, there were some early spring arrivals. Indeed, Ontario is such a vast province that observers experience very different avian events simultaneously. Great Gray Owls left the Rainy River district in December and were just beginning to arrive at locations in central and southern Ontario in the same month. Finch numbers varied widely across the province, with a notable absence at Rainy River of White-winged Crossbills but a major influx of breeders in southern Ontario. Abbreviation: Soo (Sault Saint Marie). Loons Through Waterfowl A Western Grebe was discovered 3 Dec at Jordan Harbour (JL), where it remained through at least 15 Dec. A Pacific Loon off Wolfe 1. 17 Dec (GFV, RDW) was an excellent find. Common Loons are scarce in winter, so one inland from the Great Lakes at Peterborough (WC) 1 Dec was especially note- worthy. An Eared Grebe at Kingston 17 Dec (CG, LSW et al.) was the only one of this species reported. A juv. Northern Gannet was at Stoney Creek 1 Dec (JO, RS). The Lake Ontario Mid-winter Waterfowl Inventory was conducted 7 Jan under good conditions except for the eastern half of the lake. The count of 250,446 waterfowl was the 3rd highest ever but lower than in 1999 or 2000. Record highs were set for Redhead, Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, and Hooded Merganser. Comparatively low counts were noted for Canada Goose, Mallard, and American Black Duck. A Tundra Swan was unusually far north and late at the Soo through 24 Dec (m.ob.). A Ross’s Goose at Kingsville remained until 6 Dec (DW et al.), with anoth- er on the Oshawa C.B.C. A single Brant remained at Cobourg until 7 Dec (CEG, MB), and another was at Simcoe 1 Dec (GP). A female Blue-winged Teal could still be seen at Dufferin I. in the Niagara R. 7 Jan (WD’A). A count of 6414 Redheads on the Long Point C.B.C. was very high. A female Common Eider of the dressed race was occasionally seen at Stoney Creek (JN) before it moved to Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 167 This immature Ivory Gull spent much of the C.B.C. season at Humber Bay. Photograph by Sam Barone. Burlington, where it associated with Mallards close to shore for the rest of the winter. Several King Eiders were reported, but the ad. male at Stoney Creek (JO) understandably attracted the most attention. A count of 62 Common Goldeneye at Atikokan 1 Jan (DE) was a record-high winter count for the area. Barrow’s Goldeneye reports include 5 at Ottawa (m.ob.), one at Stoney Creek throughout the winter, and one at Amherst I. 12-27 Jan (KE, m.ob.). Raptors Through Owls Winter counts of Bald Eagles are increasing each year, but a count of 8 on the Long Point C.B.C. represented a new high. Red-tailed Hawks were present in good numbers, e.g. at the Cobourg waterfront. Accipiters are being noted more frequently in winter. Cooper’s Hawks in Toronto are now a common sight. A count of 47 Rough-legged Hawks at Hillman Marsh on 30 Dec (AW) was remarkable. Gyrfalcons made a good showing in the south but were hard to find in their usual haunts far- ther north such as Thunder Bay and Soo. A gray-phase bird remained at Kingston 29 Jan-24 Feb (BR,KK et ah). Another appeared at Fort Erie 18 Feb (KM). A total of 3 was at Sudbury, including a white morph at Ramsey Lake 14 Feb (LG). A Virginia Rail was a fine find at Hillman Marsh 10-18 Dec (AW et al.). A Sandhill Crane was noted at Holiday Beach 2 Dec (FU). The Killdeer at Hillman Marsh 9 Feb (AW) was one of many record-early migrants for the Pelee area on that date. Purple Sandpipers have been absent from the Niagara R. the past two win- ters; however, one was found at Jordan Harbour 9 Dec (JL), 4 at Presqu’ile P.P. 19 Dec (DS), 2 at Rondeau 17 Dec (m.ob.), and one at Leslie Spit 3 Dec (BR). Both the Least Sandpiper 1-12 Dec and the White-rumped Sandpiper 3 Dec at Hillman Marsh (AW) were record-late birds for Pelee. A Common Snipe 24 Jan seen flying with a flock of American Black Ducks (WC) at Rice Lake was a decided- ly odd sight. A Red Phalarope at Rondeau P.P. (PAW) on 22 Dec was late. There was a good variety of gulls this win- ter. London, though inland, reported an unusual number of Thayer’s and Lesser Black- backed Gulls. A Pomarine Jaeger at Darlington P.P. 17 Dec was noted on the Durham C.B.C. (TH). An ad. Laughing Gull was at Hamilton Bay 25-28 Feb (RC). There was a Black-head- ed Gull at Niagara-on-the-Lake 14 Dec (GB); another at Ashbridge’s Bay 1 1 Jan was seen by two visiting birders from Belgium (Miguel Demeulemeester, Peter Adrians, fide JI). A California Gull remained until 10 Dec at the Sir Adam Beck Power Plant near Queenston ( WD’A, Klick), where noted several times since 1992. A juv. Black-legged Kittiwake was at Adam Beck 28 Dec (DT, RH). There were 2 Sabine’s Gulls seen on the Niagara River 2 Dec (OFO) and an exceptionally late individual was at Darlington P.P. 17 Dec (TH). Ivory Gulls put on a great show with three definitely different individual birds being seen, all in highly populated areas. The first was at Humber Bay in Toronto 17-25 Dec (LS, m.ob.). The next appeared at Hamilton 1 Jan (m.ob.) where it remained until a fatal colli- sion with a hydro wire 4 Jan. The third bird turned up 3 Jan along the Amherst 1. ferry route, where it was seen until 17 Jan. This last bird was a bonus for the many vis- itors who had come to see Boreal Owl and other owls on the island. Most n. owls ventured no farther south than the Canadian Shield or a few miles beyond this winter. In the Verner area near Sudbury, there were up to 5 Northern Hawk Owls and 8 Great Grays. About 27 Great Grays reached the Peterborough region over the winter. Another 6 were in the Midland area along with a dependable hawk owl. There were 3 Great Grays and a hawk owl w. of Bracebridge, to the great pleasure of many. Much farther nw., there were at least 10 Great Grays and 6 hawk owls w. of Fort Frances. At Thunder Bay, there were also many Great Grays and hawk owls until early Jan, when the latter species moved south. By the end of Feb, even the Great Grays had This female Common Eider of the race dressed, first noted at Stoney Creek, was relocated at Burlington, where it win- tered, Photograph by Sam Barone. 168 North American Birds Ontario-Appalachia thinned out (NE). Boreal Owls reached a max- imum of 4 on Amherst I. 13-17 Jan. Also pres- ent here were up to 30 Short-eareds, 20 Long- eareds, 13 Snowy Owls, and 1 1 Northern Saw- whets. The Belted Kingfisher at Atikokan 1-3 Feb (DHE) provided a first winter record for the Rainy River district. Flycatchers Through Blackbirds An Eastern Phoebe at Wheatley 1-3 Jan (TH) was unique. A Northern Mockingbird at Sudbury somehow survived the winter there. The only Mountain Bluebird was seen just w. of Port Rowan 8 Dec (MH). This will be just the third Long Point record if accepted. A Townsend’s Solitaire was at Toronto 14 Jan (AD) and remained until the end of the peri- od, though it proved very elusive. Another was at Dryden until 6 Dec. A Varied Thrush was fairly dependable at Port Franks until about 15 Jan. A male attended a feeder near the Petroglyphs P.P. 8 Jan to at least 23 Feb. The homeowner reports seeing 2 at once. Another was at the Soo throughout the period. Yet another attended feeders in BaysviOe, Muskoka (F&SWetal.) 13-18 Dec. Pine Grosbeaks appeared in modest num- bers at Algonquin but rarely farther south. At Algonquin, the peak count was 101 on the C.B.C. 30 Dec. In the Rainy River district, they remained all winter in record-high numbers. White-winged Crossbills were abundant after 23 Dec at Algonquin with 2154 counted on the C.B.C. At Rainy River, and even at Sudbury, they were very scarce. A nest was found at the Palgrave Conservation Area 25 Feb (vt. GC, RS), one of fewer than 10 nests ever found in the province. A flock of 50 Common Redpolls was at Espanola 17 Feb, but they were very scarce any farther south. A YeOow-throated Warbler turned up at a feeder in Georgetown (vt. P. Kimber) 3-12 Dec. Another remained at Thunder Bay until 4 Dec. An Ovenbird attend- ed a feeder in London until 17 Dec (EG). A Pine Warbler spent the winter at Long Point (m.ob.), with another on the Pt. Colborne C.B.C. 17 Dec. A Field Sparrow survived at Toronto 1. 4 Dec-8 Jan (m.ob.). A Vesper Sparrow was pres- ent at Cherrywood in Durham (AGC.TS, m.ob.) 1-12 Jan. Two Harris’s Sparrows were seen by many, one just e. of St. Catharines to at least 18 Feb, another attending a Pickering feed- er 26 Dec-31 Jan. Another more northerly Harris’s Sparrow was at Thunder Bay until at least Christmas Day (GW). A male Dickcissel was seen 19 Dec at Cobourg (RN). A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak visited a feeder in Durham 17 Dec (C.B.C.). The female Red- winged Blackbird at Algonquin Park on the C.B.C. represented a first winter record for the park. Brewer’s Blackbird reports include two at Port Rowan (RR) 9-16 Dec and one at Long Point (DM) 10 Jan. Corrigenda From Vol. 54, No. 4: The Tricolored Heron reported at Hillman Marsh 31 Jul was uncon- firmed and should be struck, and the Swainson’s Thrush at Pelee was seen 22 Jul ( not 7 Jun), a probable early fall migrant. Observers (Sub-regional editors are in bold face): Robert Andrle, Margaret Bain, Gord Bellerby, Evelyn Brown, Keith Burk, Geoff Carpentier (AGC), Glenn Coady (GC), Bob Curry (RC), Willie D’Anna, Ken Edwards, Robert C. Leberman Powdermill Nature Reserve Carnegie Museum of Natural History HC 64 Box 453 Rector, Pennsylvania 15677-9605 (rcleberm@charterpa.net) Dave Elder, Nick Escott, J. Fata, Eleanor Gill, Clive Goodwin (CEG), Chris Grooms (CG), Ross Harris, Matt Hindle, Tyler Hoar, Jean Iron, Ken Kingdon, Bob Knudsen, John Lamey (JL), John Lemon, Kevin McLaughlin, John Miles, Dave Milsom, Rob Nisbett, Jean Niskanen, John Olmsted, Ontario Field Ornithologists, Peter Read, Barb Reid (BR), Ian Richards, Alf Rider, Ron Ridout, B. Rowe, Doug Sadler, Leon Schlicter, Don Shanahan, Maggie Smiley, Roy Smith, Terry Smith, Bill Stone (WS), Richard Tafel, Ron Tozer, Declan Troy, Dean Ware, A1 Woodliffe (PAW), Fred Urie, R.D. WEIR, Frances 8c Sam Woodruff, A1 Wormington, L.S. Wright. After a series of milder than usual winters, Appalachia experienced what can best be described as “a good old-fashioned winter,” with plenty of snow throughout the season and persistently cold, if not really harsh, tem- peratures. Throughout much of the northern Appalachia Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 169 half of region, snow cover and frozen lakes were the norm from early December on. Total snow accumulations were heavy along the Lake Erie shore, where 120" was measured through February. With small mammal prey hidden beneath deep snowcover, some raptors such as Red-shouldered, Red-tailed, and Rough-legged Hawks, as well as American Kestrel, wintered farther south in larger numbers than usual. Similarly, American Tree Sparrows wandered somewhat farther south than usual this winter, perhaps because wild seed crops were inacces- sible due to snow farther north. Despite the snowcover, and no doubt thanks to the general lack of extended periods of bitterly cold weath- er, semi-hardy species like Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Hermit Thrush, Eastern Towhee, and White-throated Sparrow wintered well through most of the Region. Abbreviations: RN.R. (Powdermill Nature Reserve, Rector, Westmoreland, PA); P.I.S.P. (Presque Isle S.P., Erie, PA). Loons Through Vultures Rather late southbound Red-throated Loons were at Keystone Res., Armstrong, PA 3 Dec (MH, RH), and P.I.S.P. 10 & 16 Dec (JM), while rare midwinter sightings included one at Chambersburg, PA 23 Jan (DG) and one at Chickamauga L., TN 22-23 Jan (KC, JN). A Common Loon was on a patch of open water at Meander L., Mahoning, OH 13 Feb (CB); in Tennessee 2 birds each wintered at Watauga and S. Holston Lakes (RKn). With lakes in the north frozen by mid-Dec, a Pied-billed Grebe found some wintering habitat on the Allegheny R. at Oil City, 20 Jan (JS); high count in the south was of 125+ at Douglas L., TN 12 Jan (RBCn). A total of 224 Horned Grebes was on Boone L., TN 3 Dec, and 30 were at Watauga L. 14 Jan (RKn). An Eared Grebe was a first for Keystone Res., Indiana, PA 3 Dec (MH, RH), and at least 1 1 were found winter- ing on S. Holston L., TN (RKn, WCo). A Double-crested Cormorant lingered at Pymatuning Res., PA until 9 Dec (RFL), one was at Codorus S.P, York, PA 10 Dec (JJP), and up to 40 wintered at Kingsport, TN (RKn). A few Great Blue Herons successfully over- wintered along rivers and streams in w. Pennsylvania despite the lack of open still water habitats (m.ob.), and the first known Great Blue rookery in Sullivan, TN contained 9 occupied nests by 27 Feb (RKn). A Great White Heron, first observed near Brevard, NC, last summer, remained through 25 Jan (NS). The only Great Egret reported was in Bledsoe, TN 3 Dec (BJ), and the lone Green Heron was at Brevard, NG until 15 Dec (NS). Up to 19 Black-crowned Night-Herons wintered at Kingsport, TN (RKn). Black Vultures continue to expand their range northwestward and are now found as pemanent residents in Blackwater Canyon, Tucker, WV (GF). Unknown in w. Pennsylvania in midwinter until the last few years, a Turkey Vulture was at Connemaugh Dam, Indiana 11 Jan (LLH), one was at New Castle 17 Jan (BD), and 2 were at Corsica, Jefferson 20 Jan (JF). Waterfowl Two Greater White-fronted Geese were rare finds in Bledsoe, TN 27 Dec, as were 3 at Brainerd Levee, Hamilton, TN 28 Dec (both BJ, JN); even more unusual was one at New Bethlehem, PA 12 Feb (JF). A flock of 1500 Snow Geese was seen feeding in fields near Stewartstown, York, PA 4 Feb (RP), and there were numerous reports of individual birds or small flocks elsewhere in w. Pennsylvania and w. Maryland; 10 Snows were at Hiwassee W.R., Meigs, TN 1 Jan (KC), 3 at Brainerd Levee, TN 16-17 Jan (JG), and 2 in Walker, GA 6 Jan {fide MB). At Pymatuning L., PA, Canada Geese peaked at 10,315 on 26 Jan (RFL). A Brant at Coudersport, PA 25 Jan (GW) was both out of season and out of place! On 9 Dec a flock of 352 southbound Tundra Swans stopped at L. Arthur, PA (DDr, DY), and 50 were on Gheat L., WV (JC); early spring migrants included a flock of 64 at Mercer, PA 28 Feb (NT). Wood Ducks began returning n. during the last week of Feb, with 2 at Yellow Cr. S.P, PA 20 Feb (MH), and one at P.I.S.P on the 25th ( JM). Twenty-three Gadwall was a good count at L. Osceola, Henderson, NC 24 Dec (WF), 90 were listed in Augusta, VA 26 Feb (YL), and a high count of 226 was made at Kingsport, TN 18 Feb (RKn). A flock of 22 American Black Ducks in Towns, GA 1 Jan was unusual for the mountains there {fide MB), as were 116 in s. Garrett, MD 16 Dec (FP). High Mallard counts included 7378 at Pymatuning L., PA 26 Jan (RFL), and 3,907 on the Trumbull, OH C.B.C. 17 Dec. Better midwinter counts of Northern Pintail were of 5 at L. Osceola 21 Dec (WF, RSe), 8 in Walker, GA 6 Jan (MD), and 17 at Reedsville, Preston, WV 7 Feb (GF). A Northern Pintail x Mallard hybrid was well described from Harrisonville, Fulton, PA 20 Feb (DS). Seventy southbound Redheads were on Boone L., TN 3 Dec (RKn); and 132 spring migrants were on L. Julian, Buncombe, NC 28 Feb (WF, RSe). On 9 Dec, 3 Surf Scoters were at P.I.S.P., and there were six sightings there between 13-30 Jan (JM); one was on Deep Cr. L., MD 9 Dec (JC); in Tennessee singles were at Cove L. S.P. 2 Dec (NM) and Chickamauga L. 9-29 Dec (MP). A total of 5 White-winged Scoters was listed at P.I.S.P 16 Dec- 18 Jan (JM, MF), and a male on Chickamauga L. 23 Dec-15 Jan {fide KC) was the first for Hamilton, TN in many years. Single Black Scoters were at P.I.S.P 9 Dec (JM) and at Chickamauga L. 3-10 Dec (KC). The only Long-tailed Duck sightings s. of L. Erie were of singles on the Ohio R. at Newberry L, Wood, WV 14 Jan (JE) and at Chickamauga L. 1 1-16 Dec (KC). A bird identified as a probable Common Goldeneye x Barrow’s Goldeneye was on the Allegheny R. near Oil City, PA 1-7 Jan (JS). Better Ruddy Duck counts included 75 at Tamarack L., Meadville, PA 2 Dec (RFL) and 45 on Deep Cr. L., MD 10 Dec (FP). Raptors Through Gulls A late Osprey was observed in Greene, TN 16 Dec (DM), and a midwinter bird was at Pymatuning Res., PA 7 Jan (RFL). There were some excellent C.B.C. Bald Eagle totals, includ- ing a record 24 at Pymatuning 17 Dec, a dozen in Trumbull, OH 17 Dec, and 20 at Hiwassee W.R., TN 1 Jan. Nine Bald Eagles wintered on the Ohio R. at Parkersburg, WV (JE), and 31 were listed on a survey in w. Pennsylvania 11-17 Jan {fide DBr). More than the usual number of Northern Goshawks were found w. of the mt. ridges in Pennsylvania: 3 were in Crawford 15 Dec-9 Feb (RFL, RCL), and sin- gles were at Franklin 21 Jan (JS), W. Lebanon, Indiana 7 Dec (MM), and Marion Twp., Butler 17 Dec (RC). An imm. Broad-winged Hawk was a midwinter rarity on the Hiwassee, TN C.B.C. 1 Jan (BJ, JN, DA). Rough-legged Hawks were numerous nearly throughout w. Pennsylvania (m.ob.), 6 were listed on the Trumbull, OH, C.B.C. 17 Dec, and a few win- tered near Frostburg and Cumberland, MD (JC). E. Tennessee sightings included one near Knoxville 3 1 Dec (DT, AT), one in Meigs 9 Dec, and 4 from Bledsoe 3 Dec-2 Feb {fide KC). Two were at Burkes Garden, VA 17 Feb (WCo, RKn). An ad. Golden Eagle wintered at Pigeon Mt. N.W.A., Walker, GA {fide MB), 2 were at Burke’s Garden 17 Feb (WC, RKn), and one was at Hiwassee 1 Jan (KC); an early north- bound migrant passed by Allegheny Front, Bedford, PA 19 Feb (DBy). In recent years. Merlins have begun wintering regularly in w. Pennsylvania: at least 4 were at Schenley Park, Pittsburgh all season (PH), four sightings came from Erie, 6 Jan-13 Feb {fide JM), and singles were at Latrobe 20 Dec (TV) and Ligonier 4 Dec (MM). A dark-morph Gyrfalcon was an exciting find, sparking con- siderable birder interest, at P.I.S.P 27 Jan-2 Feb (RSt, DC, V.O.). On 15 Dec, just before freeze-over, 1750 American Coots were on Conneaut L., PA 170 North American Birds Appalachia (RCL, RFL), 1000 were at L. Moomaw, Bath, VA 13 Jan (YL), and a remarkable 17,094 were listed on the Nickajack, TN C.B.C. 30 Dec. Four Sandhill Cranes stopped o¥er in the Mills River area, Henderson, NC 6-12 Dec (WF), 1 1,053 were censused by the Tennessee W.R.A. at Hiwassee W.R. 6 Dec (WA), and 2 early migrants appeared near Bald Eagle S.P., Centre, PA 26 Feb (RSn, m.ob.). In Tennessee 20 Least Sandpipers were at Hiwassee 1 Jan (KC), and one was at S. Holston L. 2 Jan (RKn). A late Dunlin appeared at P.I.S.P. 10 Dec (|M), while a late American Woodcock was found on the York, PA C.B.C. 17 Dec. There were two rare winter records of Laughing Gull for e. Tennessee: one at Cherokee L. 1 Jan (RKn) and another at Chickamauga L. 12 Feb (KC). The season’s only Little Gull was at P.I.S.P. 16 Dec ( JM), and a Black-headed Gull was there 1 Dec (PH, SS). A concentration of 1700 Bonaparte’s and 2850 Ring-billed Gulls had gathered at Cherokee L. 11 Jan (RKn). An extensive survey of the Ohio R. from Pittsburgh, PA w. to th.e Ohio border listed 3400 Ring-billed and 50 Herring Gulls 18-19 Dec (SK). There were four sightings of Lesser Black-backed Gulls at P.I.S.P. 11-15 Feb (JM), and one was on the Ohio R. at Edgeworth, Allegheny, PA 6 Jan (SK, m.ob.). A Glaucous Gull was at P.I.S.P. 10 Dec (JM), and up to 3 were there 31 Jan-24 Feb (m.ob.). Rare in the Region away from L. Erie, a Great Black-backed Gull was on the Ohio R. at Pittsburgh 30 Dec (CT), and one (same bird?) was a few miles upriver on the Allegheny 26-29 Jan (SK, PH). Cores Tliroygh Warblers The Eurasian Collared-Dove population explosion continued in se, Tennessee, v/here 198 were listed on the Chattanooga C.B.C. 16 Dec. Two Barn Owls were at a regular site in Johnson City, TN this season (RKn), and one was found roosting in a spruce thicket with 2 Long-eared Owls in Clarion, PA mid-Feb (JF). A Snowy Owl frequented P.I.S.P. until at least 3 Feb (JM, MF, v.o.), and one was in Greene Twp., Erie the first v/eek of Jan (GM); others were at Biglerville, Adams, PA for several days in late Nov (fide PR), at Pymatuning Res. 1 Dec (RFL) and 17 Dec (RCL), and in w. Westmoreland, PA 7 Feb (JPO). Short-eared Owls were widely reported from w. Pennsylvania, where better counts included 5 at W. Lebanon, Indiana, in Dec (MH, RH), 5 along Pumping Station Rd., Adams (AK) 21 Dec, and a high of 14 in Dec in Marion Twp., Butler (RC). In Maryland a Short-eared was in Garrett 9 Dec (JC). A scattering of Northern Saw-whet Owls was reported from across w. Pennsylvania (v.o.), and one was heard calling at Cranesville Swamp, MD 27 Feb (FP). The no-Ionger-unexpected occurrence of one or more western hummingbird species wintering in the southern Appalachians included a Black-chinned Hummingbird banded at Ringold, Catoosa, GA 29 Dec (fide MB), an imm. male Calliope Hummingliird in Hamilton, TN 22-28 Jan (DW) which also was trapped and banded (BS), and 3 different Rufous Hummingbirds banded (CS, FM) in Hamilton, at least one of which remained throughout the period (fide KC). Two Red-headed ¥/oodpeckers were seen on the Trumbull OH C.B.C., one visited a feeder at Mercer, PA, all season (NT), and another was a rare winter find near Parkersburg, WV 15 Feb (fide JE). Eastern Phoebes were on C.B.C. lists in Trumbull OH 20 Dec, and Raystown, PA 20 Dec; others were at Whitesburg, Armstrong, PA 19 Dec, Elderton 5 Jan, and Shelocta, Indiana 22 Feb (all MH, RH). A Loggerhead Shrike was at Fairfield, Adams, PA 3 Dec, for a rare Pennsylvania win- ter record (JNL); however, the species was con- sidered scarce in ne. Tennessee, where it win- ters regularly (RKn). At least 19 Northern Shrikes were tallied from 14 counties in w. Pennsylvania (fide PH); 2 were in Trumbull OH 17 Dec (CB). Horned Larks were found in good numbers throughout the Region, includ- ing a total of 930 at tvro locations near New Castle, PA 28 Jan (BD, GD), 300 at Berlin, Somerset, PA 10 Dec (JP), and 436 on the Nickajack, TN, C.B.C. 30 Dec. An early Tree Swallow appeared in Greene, TN 25 Feb (DM), and 4 were in Washington, TN on the 26th (RKn). Although several Red-breasted Nuthatches were found as far s. as Rabun, GA 13 and 25 Jan (fide MB), they were either miss- ing or uncommon over most of the Region. Two Brown-headed Nuthatches were a good find at L. Julian, Buncombe, NC 15 Feb (WF). Despite the cold weather and continuous snow cover, Carolina Wrens did well, wintering suc- cessfully as far n. as Mahoning, OH (CB) and Warren, PA (TG). A House Wren was well n. of its usual wintering range at Parkersburg, WV 30 Dec (fide JE), and another was in the Mills River area, Henderon, NC 28 Jan (WF). In Tennessee 2 Sedge V/rens were found at Brainerd Levee 16 Dec (KC), one was in Marion 30 Dec (fide (KC), and one was in Blount 20 Jan (AW). A Marsh Wren also was at Brainerd Levee 16 Dec (KC), and another in the French Broad R. Valley, NC 28 Feb (WF, RSe). A Gray Catbird was a rare winter find at Warren, PA 16 Dec (TG), as were 2 at Yellow Cr. S.P., PA 29 Jan (MH, RH), and a Brown Thrasher was even more unusual on the Indiana, PA C.B.C. 26 Dec. An American Pipit was very late so far north at P.I.S.P. 16 Dec (JM), while in the south a flock of 100+ was at Mills River, NC 3 Feb (WF, BO). Rare in win- ter, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers were listed during the Chattanooga C.B.C. 16 Dec, and one was at Amnicola Marsh, Hamilton, TN 7 Jan (fide KC). A Pine Warbler visited a Warren, PA feeder 1 Jan- 18 Feb (BH, JK); in Tennessee one was at Mountain City 23 Dec, and one in Washington 6 Jan (RKn). A Western Palm Warbler was found on the Bushy Run, Westmoreland, PA C.B.C. 17 Dec, and a Palm was at Long Level, York, PA 13 Dec (DH)— both well n. of their usual wintering range in the Appalachians. Finches The passerine of the season was the Green- tailed Towhee observed in the N. Branch area of the C&O Canal, Allegany, MD, 1 Jan (tRKi, BMT, RB) — a first for the state! American Tree Sparrows were in the best numbers in several years: the 483 on the Indiana, PA C.B.C. was 65% over the previous high, and Butler’s 285 was more than double average (fide PH); one or 2 ventured as far s. as the Kingston Steam Plant 5-10 Jan (AW), and one at Amnicola Marsh was the first for se. Tennessee since the 1980s (KC). One or 2 Le Conte’s Sparrows v/in- tered in Shady Valley, TN, for just the 2nd known occurrence there (HPL, RKn). Although Dark-eyed Juncos numbers were low in much of the Region, including P.N.R. (RM, RCL), a total of 1346 was a record high C.B.C. count at Warren, PA. An Oregon Junco was at Edinboro, Erie PA, 5-6 Jan (PP), and one was at Rosman, Transylvania, NC in late Feb (ph. NS). Numerous sightings of Lapland Longspurs across w. Pennsylvania included a remarkably high count of 150 near Guy’s Mills, Crawford 10 Feb (IK), and better Snov/ Bunting counts were of 100 at Kahle L., Venango, PA (JS) and 180 at New Castle 28 Jan (BD). An out-of-season Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at Warren, PA 16 Dec (fide TG), and another was at a Johnson City, TN feeder 7 Dec (JB), v^hile a Dickcissel lingered at Brevard, NC until 14 Dec (NS). This winter’s lone report of a Brewer’s Blackbird came from Sequatchie, TN 8 Feb (BJ), and the only Baltimore Oriole, an ad. male, was seen near Ligonier, PA 1 Jan (DL). Purple Finches were scarce throughout the Region, but better counts included 20 at McAlvey’s Ft., Huntingdon, PA 11 Feb (GG) and 47 on the Indiana, PA C.B.C. 26 Dec. Red Crossbills, while not widely reported, were present through the entire period in Tucker, WV, where breeding had been suspected earli- er in 2000 (GF). Pine Siskin numbers were the Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 171 lowest in several winters, but small numbers reached as far south as ne. Tennessee (RKn) and n. Georgia (MB). The 2 Evening Grosbeaks listed on the Indiana, PA C.B.C. 26 Dec comprised the only report from Appalachia during the period. Contributors and cited observers: David Aborn, Wally Akins, Carole Babyak, Michael Bell, Ralph K. Bell, Dan Brauning (DBr), George Breiding, Janet Brown, Roy Brown (RBr), Dick Byers (DBy), Kevin Calhoon, John Churchill, Wallace Coffey (WCo), Doug Couchman, Ruth Crawford, Dave Darney (DDr), David Davis, Barb Dean, George Dean, Marion Dobbs, Jeanette Esker, John Fedak, Gary Felton, Mike Fialkovich, Wayne Forsythe, Dale Gearhart, John Gentle, Ted Grisez, Greg Grove, Dan Heathcote, Len and Linda Hess (LLH), Paul Hess (PH), Margaret Higbee, Roger Higbee, Bill Hill, Bonnie Johnson, Art Kennell, Isaac Kerns, Ray Kiddy (RKi), Jim King, Scott Kinzey, Rick Knight (RKn), H. P. Langridge, YuLee Lamer, Dennis Lauffer, Robert C. Leberman (RCL), Ronald F. Leberman (RFL), Jack and Nancy Locher (JNL), Tony Marich, Mark McConaughy, Jerry McWilliams (JM), Don Miller, Gloria Miller, Fred Moore, Nell Moore, Robert Mulvihill, Judy Newsome, Julia Pahountis-Opacic, Marty Paige, Peg Paxon, Jeff Payne, Randy Phillips, Fran Pope, John and Jean Prescott (JJP), Peter Robinson, Bob Sargent, Ron Selvey (RSe), Richard Shelling, Sam Sinderson, Chris Sloan, Robert Snyder (RSn), Randy Stringer (RSt), Norma Siebenheller, Daniel Snell, Jerry Stanley, Chuck Tague, John Trapp, Allen Trendy, David Trendy, Neil Troyer, Bob and Mary Twigg (BMT), Anthony Whitted, Diane Whitman, Gary Witmore, Tim Vechter, Debra Yovanovich. /) Western Great Lakes 1 Felton Prairie •Itasca State Park Duluth MINNESOTA Mille Lacs L.Q s' st^Big Stone NWR Minneapolis/ St. Paul * Black Dog l/ Rochester* • Blue Mounds S P. ' % AyMadisoS Milwauke^ • Jim Graniund Research Associate Kalamazoo Nature Center 6253 North Westnedge Kalamazoo, Michigan 49009 Unlike the past several mild winters, this season was characterized by cold tempera- tures and high snowfalls. It was particularly harsh in Minnesota during December, where temperatures were 1 1° F below average, the 3rd coldest since 1895, while snowfall was 200% above normal for the month. Wisconsin and Michigan had similar Decembers, perhaps a little less harsh. January was warmer in Minnesota, although the cold weather returned in February. Michigan and Wisconsin had warmer conditions in January and February and less precipitation. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan received consid- erable amounts of snow in the latter part of February. The most notable occurrence during the season was the northern owl invasion in the northern portions of the Region. Minnesota fared best, with record numbers of both Northern Hawk Owls and Great Gray Owls. Michigan had good numbers of owls in the Sault Ste. Marie area, while Wisconsin nearly missed out, with just a few sightings. In con- trast, winter finches were nearly absent in much of the Region. As normal a few real rari- ties showed up this season including a Gray- crowned Rosy Finch in Minnesota, a Black- throated Sparrow in Wisconsin, and a Rufous Hummingbird in Michigan. There were also an unusual number of lingering species, particu- larly sparrows. Abbreviations: M.B.R.C. (Michigan Bird Records Committee), M.O.R.C. (Minnesota Ornithological Records Committee), N.C. (Nature Center). Loons Through Vulture As in the past few years. Red-throated Loons lingered on s. L. Michigan in both Wisconsin and Michigan, the latest being 7 Jan at Muskegon, MI (AB). A Pacific Loon 21 Jan on L. Superior in St. Louis (SP) provided Minnesota only its 2nd winter record. Unusual in Minnesota were up to 4 Horned Grebes which overwintered on L. Superior in St. Louis and Lake. An Eared Grebe 17 Dec at Neenah (TW) was Wisconsin’s 7th Dec record. A Red- necked Grebe was recorded in Michigan 2 Jan at Whitefish Point, Chippewa (AB) and one in Wisconsin 16 Dec at Milwaukee (TW), while another was reported from 13 Jan-mid-Feb in Minnesota on L. Superior in St. Louis and Lake. A Western Grebe 26 Nov-20 Jan in Two Harbors, Lake (JL, m.ob.) was Minnesota’s 6th winter record and its 2nd latest date. Late in Michigan was an American Bittern 1 1 Dec at L. Erie Metropark, Wayne (PC). A Great Egret was present in Minnesota 2 Dec at Black Dog L., Dakota (PB et al.), while another was reported in Wisconsin 4 Dec in Marquette 172 North American Birds Western Great Lakes (DC); both provided 2nd winter records in their respective states. A report of 165 Great Blue Herons 17 Feb in Trenton, "Wayne (WP) was an unusually high total for such an early date in Michigan. Also in that state, Turkey Vultures overwintered in Washtenaw for the 2nd consecutive year. Waterfowl A record 522 Trumpeter Swans was reported in Minnesota 25 Jan along the Mississippi River near Monticello, Sherburne, Wright (SK), while another 204 were present on the Otter Tail River at Fergus Falls, Otter Tail (DM, SM). Early in Wisconsin was a Greater White-front- ed Goose 17 Feb in Dodge (BD), while a Ross’s Goose on 21 Feb in Ozaukee (JF) was record early in that state. Another Ross’s Goose was present 3 Dec in Washtenaw (AC, TW) in Michigan. As might be expected with the early cold weather and the resulting icing of open water, the number of lingering ducks was low throughout the Region. Exceptions included 2 Wood Ducks 23-27 Jan in Marquette (LT), both late and n. of normal in Michigan, and a very early Blue-winged Teal 16 Feb in Wisconsin (PP). As usual a good concentration of diving ducks was present in se. Michigan including 12,000 Canvasback and 8,000 Redhead in L. St. Clair, Macomb (AR). A King Eider 29 Dec-15 Jan at Two Harbors, Lake ( JL, PS, m.ob.) was the 15th winter record for Minnesota and a new record late date. Harlequin Ducks reports in Michigan included an individual in Berrien 4 Dec (KM), 2 at South Haven, Van Buren 3 Dec (JG, RS), an individual at Muskegon, Muskegon 6 Jan (SMi), an ad. male 24 Dec-Feb on the Grand R. in downtown Grand Rapids, Kent (BSw), and a female 5 Jan in St. Clair (DMc). Wisconsin reported Harlequins from Milwaukee 6 Jan (DT) and Sheboygan 10 Feb (DW), while Minnesota had reports from L. Superior of an individual 19 Dec in Cook (KH, MH) and an ad. male 29 Dec-3 Feb in St. Louis. Several Surf Scoters at Harrington Beach S. P. provided Wisconsin its 6th overwintering record (BD). Up to 2 V/hite-winged Scoters on L. Superior in Lake and St. Louis that remained to 3 Feb (CMe) were considered unusual in Minnesota. Black Scoters were seen in better- than-average numbers in Michigan this winter, with individuals in Berrien (KM), Muskegon (m.ob.), and an inland record 27 Jan on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, Kent (JG). Unusual away from L. Superior in Minnesota were 2 overwintering Long-tailed Ducks on the Mississippi River in Dakota (BL, JM et al). For the first time in several years, impressive totals of Long-tailed Ducks were reported from the e.-cen. shore of L. Michigan, with 700 on 28 Dec in Leelanau (KW), 2000 on 11 Feb in Benzie (CFr), and 11,300 on 12 Feb in Manistee (BA). For the 7th consecutive year, a male Barrow^s Goldeneye overwintered at Virmond Park in Wisconsin, while singles of this species were reported 1 1 Feb at Wisconsin Point (RJo) and 31 Dec at Manitowoc (JN). In Minnesota another ad. male was present 3 Feb+ in Duluth, St. Louis (HD, PS, KE). Hawks Throygh Gulls Northern Goshawk numbers were up this sea- son in Minnesota, where over 50 reports were submitted from 25 counties, this after several years of declines. In Michigan, overwintering Red-shouldered Hawks were reported in greater numbers this season, including one in Chippewa n. of their normal winter range. Also n. of normal in that state were reports of Golden Eagles from Mackinac (JG, JR) 27 Dec and Chippewa 2 Jan (AB, PCh). Unusual for the Twin Cities area of Minnesota v/as a report of a Golden Eagle from 23 Dec-20 Jan on the Minnesota River, Dakota/Hennepin- (TT, m.ob.). Winter Merlins continue to increase in both Michigan and Wisconsin. This year both states had reports from six counties. AH three states hosted Gyrfalcons this season. Michigan had a gray-morph bird through the period in Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa (CL, HW). Minnesota had numerous reports, including a subadult gray morph from 23 Dec+ (DE, m.ob.) and an immature gray morph 18 Dec (PS) in Duluth. Also in that state were an indi- vidual on the Grand Marais C.B.C., an ad. gray morph from 11-13 Jan in Virginia, St. Louis (BY), an individual 18 Feb (MG) and an ad. gray morph 12 Jan (MO), both in Roseau, and an imm. gray morph in Donaldson, Kittson (CA). One of the Gyrfalcons in Duluth was a].so seen sporadically in Superior through the period, providing Wisconsin its only report. Winter Peregrine Falcon reports are increasing in Michigan: this season birds were reported from 4 counties. Gray Partridge v#ere more numerous this season in Minnesota, with 179 individuals reported from 19 counties. Wisconsin had good numbers of Gray Partridge in Outagamie (DT). Sharp-tailed Grouse numbers were up significantly from the past few winters in the Sault Ste. Marie area of Michigan: as many as 100 birds v/ere seen in a single day. In Minnesota, a Virginia Rail 19 Dec at Mound Springs Park, Hennepin (SC) provided Minnesota with only its 9th winter record. Equally unusual was a Sora 17 Dec in Michigan during the Berrien Springs C.B.C., Berrien (KM). Well n. of normal at the late date of 13 Jan in Michigan was a Killdeer observed in Sauk Ste. Marie (CG). After a remarkable season last year, Purple Sandpipers were much scarcer this winter in Michigan, with reports of an individual 2 Dec (KM) and 2 on 3 Dec (PK) at Muskegon, and 1 from 20 Jan-12 Feb at Port Sheldon, Ottawa (CG, DS, m.ob.). Wisconsin reported a single Purple Sandpiper 2 Dec at Milwaukee (DT). North of normal in Minnesota were a Common Snipe 4 Dec in Duluth {fide KE) and one that overwintered in Otter Tail (DM, SM). The only jaeger in the Region this winter came from Michigan, where an individual was seen 23 Dec in Berrien (KM). Gull numbers were reported as being down along the L. Michigan coast of Wisconsin and were similarly scarce in Michigan. Very unexpected in Michigan was an ad. Franklin’s Gull in alternate plumage 21 Jan at the Muskegon Wastev/ater, Muskegon (AB, GB). Also in that state was the only Little Gull report in the Region, an ad. 10 Dec at Muskegon (CF). Late in Minnesota were 15 Bonaparte’s Gulls 2 Dec at Afton, Washington (BL). The Mew Gull first seen in Nov in Wisconsin remained to 2 Dec in Milwaukee (DG, DT). Thayer’s Gull numbers were reported as down in both Wisconsin and Minnesota, but about an average number was seen in Michigan. Unusual in Wisconsin were inland Iceland Gull reports 16 Dec in Brown (JH), 4 Jan in Outagamie (DT), and 10 Feb in Winnebago (ME). Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also scarce this season, with fewer than normal reports in Michigan, a single report in Dec in Dane (ME, PA) in Wisconsin, and an ad. 2 Dec at Black Dog L., Dakota (TT) in Minnesota. Do¥es Through Thrushes Two Eurasian CsMared-Doves overwintered in Minnesota at Russell, Lyon (RSc, m.ob.) and an individual was seen until 28 Jan at Oconto in V/isconsin (MP). Fewer than 100 Sno'wy Owls were reported in Minnesota during the season, which is not exceptional, while Michigan also had lackluster numbers, with a few scattered reports throughout the state. In contrast Wisconsin had an excellent year for this species, with reports from 14 different counties and a maximum of 4 from Buena Vista Grasslands in Portage (KH). Minnesota had a remarkable migration of Northern Hawk Owls this season: 159 reports, surpass- ing the old record set in 1991-1992 {fide PS). Unusual in that state were reports from the periphery of the coniferous' region including individuals in Polk, Becker, Hubbard, and Pine. Michigan also had a good year: reports of 3 to 4 birds in the Sault Ste. Marie area (m.ob.), one on 4 Jan (EM) and 24 Jan (SO) in Alpena, Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 173 Alpena, and a very southerly bird 27 Nov-16 Dec in Manistee (BA, m.ob.). Wisconsin saw fewer than the other states, having just 2 birds, one from 12 Dec+ in Vilas (BR) and another 18 Feb in Douglas (LS). Great Gray Owls also arrived in outstanding numbers in Minnesota with over 300 reports; when all records have been totaled, they will likely set a record high for that state (fide PS). One Great Gray strayed outside the coniferous zone in Polk, Michigan had up to 7 Great Grays in the Sault Ste. Marie area, while Wisconsin’s several reports includ- ed one quite far south near Appleton 3-9 Dec (TS, CS), an individual 14 Dec at Bayfield (PJ), and 2 in Douglas (SL). Minnesota posted 110 reports of Boreal Owls this season, with up to 4 reaching as far s. as the Twin Cities area. Michigan also had good numbers: single indi- viduals were noted 30 Dec on Les Cheneux C.B.C., from 1-3 Jan in Alpena (JSt), 14 Jan in Rogers City, Presque Use (PG, MG), 10 Feb in Marquette (per LT), and 17 Feb in Presque Use (JHa, IH). Northern Saw-whet Owls remained n. of normal in Minnesota where reports came from 10 counties, including multiple sightings around Duluth. In Michigan a Rufous Hummingbird in Ottawa was captured 5 Dec, but attempts to rehabilitate the bird failed and it later died. The specimen was transferred to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, where it was identified as a first-basic female. The only Three-toed Woodpecker reports came from Minnesota, where about 5 individuals were reported from Cook and Lake. All three states had a scattering of Black-backed Woodpecker reports from their traditional areas. Northern Shrike numbers were characterized as average throughout the Region. A Common Raven in Douglas 8 Feb provided a first record for this Minnesota county. The report of a Veery in winter in the Region is exceptional, making the report of 2 even more astounding. A well-doc- umented individual seen from 12-23 Dec at Madison (RD) provided a first winter record in Wisconsin, while an individual in Michigan was present 13-14 Feb at the Detroit Zoo, Wayne (CPa, PSm), this record pending M.B.R.C. review. Minnesota had a scattering of Townsend’s Solitaires, including 2 on 2-6 Dec (JL) and one that overwintered at Knife River, Lake. Also in Minnesota were individuals 3 Feb in Two Flarbors, Lake (fide DB), 23 Dec at Grand Marais, Cook (KH, MH), and 1 Jan in Elba, Winona (JS et al). Wisconsin had three Townsend’s Solitaire reports: 3 Dec in Eagle River (JB), 15 Dec in Kewaunee (JH), and one overwintering in Dane (m.ob.). Varied Thrushes were present in good numbers throughout the Region, with Wisconsin having reports from seven counties, Minnesota from 1 1 counties, and Michigan from four counties. IVlimids Through Finches Both late and n. of normal in Michigan was a Gray Catbird 1 Jan in Manistee (KW, JHe). Also late in that state was an American Pipit 9 Dec-8 Jan in Berrien Springs, Berrien (JW). Bohemian Waxwings were reported as relatively scarce in Minnesota and Wisconsin, while Michigan reported good numbers early in the season around Sault Ste. Marie. A Yellow-rumped Warbler that overwintered in Duluth (KE) was n. of normal in Minnesota. A Summer Tanager remained to 5 Dec in Faribault, Rice (TBo), only the 2nd Minnesota winter record. Also in that state were Spotted Towhee reports from 9-31 Dec in Burnsville, Dakota (DS, BS et al.), 31 Jan-i- in Murray (ND), and 2 overwintering in Lyon (RSc, m.ob.). Two Chipping Sparrows overwintering in Dane (SM) provided the 5th such record in Wisconsin. Even rarer in the Region were reports from Minnesota of Clay- colored Sparrow 6 Dec at Mound Springs Park, Hennepin (SC) and to 9 Jan in Richfield, Hennepin (CB, CM, RJ), both pending M.O.R.C. review. A Black-throated Sparrow from 6 Jan+ in Dane (TSc) was the 7th Wisconsin record, and the first since 1992. Rare in Michigan was an overwintering Vesper Sparrow at a feeder in Van Buren (DBu), whOe another 22 Jan in Dakota (DS, BS) was the 11th winter record for Minnesota. Only the 4th Minnesota winter record for a Savannah Sparrow was reported 9 Feb at the Carpenter N.C., Washington (TBe, EB). A report of a Savannah Sparrow 1 Jan in Ozaukee (MB) in Wisconsin was also exceptional. Harris’s Sparrows were more common than normal in Minnesota, where reports came from 1 1 coun- ties; both Michigan and Wisconsin had 2 reports. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak through 1 Jan in Jackson (JA) provided Wisconsin only its 4th Jan record. A YeUow-headed Blackbird that overwintered in Dodge (BD, DT) was only the 5th such record in Wisconsin. In Minnesota, a Baltimore Oriole lingered to mid-Dec in Cook (KH, MH), while another was seen to 10 Dec in Michigan in Berrien (fide KM). A Gray- crowned Rosy-Finch 13 Jan-4 Feb in Duluth (CH, JHo, DCa, m.ob.) constituted the 11th Minnesota record. Unlike several of the previ- ous records for this species, which were of the Coastal population, this individual was identi- fied as being from the Interior population. Winter finches were reported as scarce in Wisconsin with exception of Pine Siskins, which made a reasonable showing. Michigan also had a quiet season, with average numbers of finches in the n. portion of the state with the exception of redpoUs, which were extremely scarce. Minnesota reported average numbers of finches in the n. and contributed the only Hoary Redpoll reports from the entire Region. Corrigenda For the winter season 1999-2000 (NAB 54: 180-182): The Pacific Loon in Minnesota was A Black-throated Sparrow graced a feeding stalicn D&lores , '•tn 'ronr-iin for much of the winter, a state seventh. This image was taken 1 5 January 2001 . Photograph by Tom Schultz. 174 North American Birds Western Great Lakes-Middlewestern Prairie Middlewestern Prairie reported by JS (John Schladweiler) and not JC (Julie Craves). The word “late” should be replaced by “early” in the text concerning records of Turkey Vulture in Minnesota. Common Snipe and American Woodcock returned early to Michigan and Wisconsin, and not to Minnesota. Add a Barn Owl found dead in Michigan 20 Feb in Sauit Ste. Marie, Chippewa. The Fox Sparrow that wintered in Dane was reported by Kay Burcar; all other KBs in the report are for Karl Bardon. Omit the Eurasian CoUared-Dove from Brown due to lack of documentation, the record from Kandiyohi due to insufficient documentation, and extend the date of the Martin bird to over- wintering. Add a fSray-crowned Rosy-Finch 17-27 Feb in Connelly Twp., Wilkin, the 10th Minnesota record. For the summer season 2000 {NAB 54 : 386): There was one Rough- legged Hawk reported in Portage, V/I, rather than 10 as indicated in the article. Observers^ Brian Allen, Judy Allen, Christian Artuso, Philip Ashm.an, Karl Bardoa (Minnesota), Jim Baughman, Tom Beachy, Elizabeth Bell), Tom Bell (TBe), Dave Benson, Tom Boevers (TBo), Marilyn Bontly, Connie Brunell, Paul Budde, Dixie Burkhart (DBu), Adam Byrne, Dave Chalander (DCa), Steve Carlson, Allen Chartier, Daryl Christensen, Phil Chu (PCh), Paul Cypher, Nelvina DeKam, Herb Dingmann, Bob Domagalski, Kim Eckert, Dave Evans, Marty Evanson, Chip Francke, Carl Freeman (CFr), Jim Granlund, Cory Gregory, Mark Grulke, Pam Grulke, Dennis Gustafson, Kent Hall, Iris Haliauer (IHa), Jim Haliauer (JHa), Jan Hansen (Wisconsin), Judy Heller (JHe), Chris Hockema, John Hockema (JHo), Ken Hoffman, Molly Hoffman, Steve La Valley, Bill Litkey, James Lind, Craig Lipski, Robert B. Janssen, Phyllis Johnson, Robbye Johnson (RJo), Phil Kelly, Steve Kitteison, Craig Mandel, Sylvia Marek, Jim Mattsson, E. Bruce McLean, Doug McWhirter (Michigan) (DMc), Diane Millard, Steve Millard, Kip Miller, Steve Minard (SMi), Jackie Nooker, Mark Otnes, Scott Oulette, Pat Parsons, Craig Paulk (CPa), Walter Pawloski), Shaun Putz, Bill Reardon, Jack Reinoehl, Alan Ryff, Russ Schipper, Roger Schroeder (RSc), Tom Schultz (TSc), David Slater, Becky Smith, Drew Smith, Patrick Smyth (PSm), Jeff Stephenson, Peder Svingen, Jane St. Onge (JSt), Bill Sweetman (BSw), Carol Sykes, Tom Sykes, Louis Taccolini, Daryl Tessen, Tom Tustinson, Keith Westphal, Dan Williams, Heather Wise, Thomas Wood, Jon Wuepper, Ben Yokel. Kenneth J. Brock 1265 Red Bud Chesterton, Indiana 46304 (kebrock@ucs.indiana.edu) Following three years of mild winters some of us were finally beginning to believe in global warming. Indeed, Robert Cecil noted that Iowa birders had almost forgotten terms like “ground blizzard” or “two feet of snow.” This season, however, the Region enjoyed one of those “old-fashioned” Arctic winters with low temperatures and heavy snow. December was especially brutal. Temperatures in Iowa averaged 12.6 degrees below normal (second coldest December in 126 years), and the snow- fall was very heavy. At Chicago’s Midway Airport, December had the highest snowfall of any month on record. Although January and February were more seasonable, they never approached the balmy months of recent years. In the St. Louis area, William Rowe noted that the Mississippi River remained icy until mid- February. December’s gelid clime eliminated most open water and blanketed the countryside with a deep cover of snow. These conditions sent most of the waterfowl south early in the month. In addition, the deep snow provided difficult foraging conditions for most ground feeders, many of which also moved southward. Despite this inhospitable environment, a fair number of semi-hardy passerines lingered in the Region. Indeed, it was an unusually good winter for sparrows. However, several corre- spondents noted that the hard winter resulted in fewer species reported in the Region. John Cassady’s resounding “Viva El Nino!” captured the sentiments of many of the Region’s birders. Abbreviations! Carl. L. (Carlyle Lake in Clinton, Fayette & Bond, IL), H.B.S.P (Headlands Beach S.P., OH); Jax. P. (Jackson Park on the Chicago lakefront); L. Cal. (Lake Calumet, Chicago); R.E.D.A (Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area, MO). Loons Through Vultures In Dec 6 Red-throated Loons appeared along the Indiana lakefront where they have become regular in early winter. Inland reports included singles in Clinton, OH 3 Dec (DOv, LGr), an imm. in Barren, KY 3-6 Dec (DR et al.), and another imm. in Adair, KY 14 Dec (BPB). The Chicago i Toledo Davenport Michiqan ' Ciiy « Wayne Ottawa NWR iLi ii '.Hi-J Ii JDi ki-jA Columbus • Peoria Dayton Springfield Indianapolis' 'Cincinnati Muscatatuck* NVVR y* Louisville i.exinglon • Rendr^ /Evansville s^rab Orchard \ NWR ( KFITD.-f.-l-.Y Ballard Cumberland^ ' ) '-VMA IOWA SaylOTville Res » Des Moines DeSoto NWR * ■ Squaw Creek NWR Swan Li Swan Lake NWR Kansas City MISSOURI Mingo NWR Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 175 only Pacific Loon report was logged in Dickinson, lA 2 Dec (fLAS, ETh). A fine winter accumulation of 455 Horned Grebes at Louisville 3 Dec produced a record count for Kentucky (BPB). One to 2 Red-necked Grebes were reported in each of the four n. states. American White Pelicans were observed in each of the three winter months; the peak tally consisted of 250 spring migrants on L. Barkley, KY 23 Feb (DR). A fine winter count of 124 Great Blue Herons was logged at Chautauqua N.W.R., IL 7 Dec (RBj, SBj). Two unusually hardy Great Egrets lingered in Madison, IL until 20 Dec (TBe). For the 4th consecutive year, a winter- period Black-crowned Night-Heron was at Cedar L., lA; this year the bird was present 31 Dec-4 Feb (MO, THK, JLF). Additional Black- crowneds were reported in Illinois (7) and Missouri (one). Black Vultures were observed in every state except Iowa; the peak count was 28 in Holmes, OH 16 Dec, which has become a regular wintering site. Waterfowi The Region’s goose population continues to thrive. Greater White-fronted Geese were reported in all six states. Noteworthy, among scores of reports, were 750-1500 birds at Reelfoot N.W.R., KY throughout the winter (BPB) and up to 10 at Funk Bottoms W.M.A., OH Feb 12 (VF, m.ob.). An impressive 300,000 Snow Geese were at Carl. L. 1 1 Feb (DKa). Once again Ross’s Geese were plentiful, with reports from all six states. The easternmost bird was at Old Reid Park, Clark, OH 18-20 Feb (fDOv, tJWH, m.ob.). Also noteworthy was a state record count of 12-1- Ross’s Geese at Reelfoot N.W.R., KY 13 Jan (JW). The Region’s Trumpeter Swan population expanded this winter with numerous reports, including dou- ble-digit tallies in Iowa and Missouri. Released Trumpeters have successfully nested in Ohio, where eight pairs have raised 19 cygnets (fide RHa). In response to the cold December, dabbler and bay duck numbers were somewhat lower than in recent winters. However, spring migrants returned with a vengence, as indicat- ed by the 25,000 Northern Pintails at Carl. L. 24 Feb (DKa), a record Kentucky count of 320-1- Green-winged Teal at Reelfoot N.W.R. 21 Feb fde BPB), and 50,000 Canvasback on the Mississippi R. in Hancock, IL 24 Feb (KAM, m.ob.). It was a fairly typical winter for sea ducks. The only Harlequin Duck reports con- sisted of single inim. males at Michigan City Harbor, IN 16 Dec (JSm, JKC, JMc et al.) and on the Maumee River in Wood, OH 30 Dec-t- (m.ob.). The latter provides one of few inland Harlequin records for the Region. Scoters were scarce on the Great Lakes, but small numbers were reported at inland locations. The most remarkable accumulation consisted of 34 Surfs (mostly adults) and 5 Blacks seen on the Ohio R. at Louisville, KY 3 Dec (BPB, ph.). A water- fowl highlight was a male Barrow^s Goldeneye that appeared sporadically among the 2000 Common Goldeneye at R.E.D.A. 12-27 Jan (CM, fWR, m.ob.). Peak Merganser tallies included 4000 Commons in LaSalle, IL 20 Jan (CMc, JMk) and 1550 Red-breasteds off Chicago’s Grant Park 2 Dec (DSt). O A The Region’s birding event of the O/^season involved an ad. male Smew at R.E.D.A., which was first detected 13 Jan and remained through the season. It was discovered during a field trip that included the Burroughs Audubon Society. Some 70 birders were enjoying the water- fowl, including a Barrow’s Goldeneye, when nine-year-old Anna Hendricks asked her mom “What’s that white duck?” A more experienced observer took a look and commented, “Hey it’s an Oldsquaw.” As more birders got their scopes on the bird Matt Gearheart and Roger McNeil identified it as a Smew. This most cooper- ative individual was subsequently seen by thousands of observers. If the Missouri Bird Committee approves this bird’s pedi- gree, it will constitute the Region’s first Smew record. Osprey Through Shorebirds A tardy Osprey lingered in Taney, MO until 30 Dec {fide Greg Swick), to provide one of a hand- ful of winter records for the state. It was a good winter for Bald Eagles. As expected the most impressive eagle counts occurred on the Mississippi R., where 1857 were counted between Lock and Dam 13 and 16 on 1 1-15 Jan, and another 1562 were tallied along the river in Hancock, Henderson, and Mercer, IL 17 Jan (KJM). Winter Bald Eagles were also plentiful in Indiana, where the midwinter census produced a record 280 birds, exceeding the state’s previous best by 102 birds ( JCs). An unusuaOy high con- centration of 31 Northern Harriers appeared at a Sullivan, IN strip mine 2 Dec (DWh). Nine of the Region’s 14 Northern Goshawks were in Iowa; the southernmost report came from Greene, MO, where one was reported near Fellows L. 6 Jan (CB, et al.). Either the Region’s birders checked Red-tailed Hawks more closely or more w. forms than normal appeared this winter. The season reports included 8 Harlan’s, 5 Krider’s, and 4 “western” Red-taUeds. Rough- legged Hawks wintered in typical numbers; the peak count consisted of 21 at a Sullivan, IN strip mine 24 Jan (CW, DWh). Once again Golden Eagles were widespread, with reports from every state except Missouri. The diurnal raptor high- light was Iowa’s 2nd Gyrfalcon, a well-seen juv. gray morph that appeared west of Ames 21-22 Dec (tSJD, tJJD, fMO). The 30 Merlins report- ed is typical of recent winter totals for the Region. The only Prairie Falcon reported e. of the Mississippi R. was observed in rural Muhlenberg, KY 8 Feb (BPB, ST). A roadkilled Greater Prairie-Chicken, found in Sioux, LA 22 Jan (Marty Ehy fide JJD) was far from recent release sites and may weU have been a wild bird. Virginia Rail reports were higher than normal, with 3 in Ohio, 2 in Missouri, and one in Illinois. Winter-period Sandhill Cranes appeared in all four states e. of the Mississippi R. Noteworthy reports included 2 midwinter birds in Boone, IL 28 Jan (MAR), 3000 spring migrants over Taylor, KY 19 Feb (JEl, DE), and 60 in Marion, OH 6 Dec (KK, TD). Cold Dec weather apparently forced shorebirds s. earlier than in recent years; consequently, there were fewer lingering birds in the Region. Indeed, the only Dec records involved a Dunlin at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, IL 1 Dec (JEa), a Long-billed Dowitcher in Bates, MO 8 Dec (MBR), a Least Sandpiper at Carl. L. 13 Dec (DKa), and 3 Leasts in Alexander, IL 28 Dec (DKa, KAM, CT). A few shorebirds returned in Jan, with 2 Dunlin and 12 Leasts on Kentucky L., KY 18 Jan (HC). The first early spring migrants arrived in Feb, with a Lesser Yellowlegs at Reelfoot N.W.R. 3 Feb (BPB, MM et al.) and a Greater Yellowlegs at that location 24 Feb (BPB, MM, et al.). The only Purple Sandpipers were in Ohio, where an impressive 10 were reported along the L. Erie lakefront. Also in Ohio an overzealous American Woodcock arrived in Butler on the very early date of 7 Feb (Mike Busam). Guiis Through Owls As expected the cold winter produced a fine array of gulls. Among the more surprising reports was a plethora of Laughing Gulls, a species that is normally casual to accidental in winter. Two adults were discovered at Kentucky L., KY 18 Dec and one or 2 were seen there spo- radically until 27 Jan (BPB, DR, HC, et al.). An ad. and a first-year bird were also at Smithville Dam, Livingston, KY 6 Jan (FBe), and singletons were reported at two other Kentucky locations. Perhaps one of the ad. Kentucky birds wandered n. to L. Monroe, IN, where it was seen 23 Feb (J 6 SH). Many a Smew-seeker enjoyed an ad. Laughing Gull at R.E.D.A. and Alton, IL 13, 15, 176 North American Birds Middlewestern Prairie & 25 Jan (WR, CW, ph. m.ob.) and an ad. was at Carl. L. 18 Feb (DKa) Added to the mix was a Franklin’s Gull at Rend L, IL 12 Feb (KAM). Peak counts of the abundant gull species includ- ed 3000 Bonaparte’s at Crab Orchard N.W.R., IL 2 Dec (KAM, DKa, FBe), 50,000 Ring-billeds at Carl. L. 11 Feb (DKa), and 14,500 Herrings at Starved Rock S.P., IL 12 Jan (JHa). Multiple Thayer’s, Lesser Black-backed, and Glaucous Gulls were reported in every state, and Iceland Gulls appeared in every state except Iowa and Kentucky. Inland Great Black-backed Gulls were identified in Illinois (4), Missouri (3), and Kentucky (2). One of the most interesting gulls of the season was a first-year bird seen several times at the Hammond Marina, IN (RHu, BGr), which showed the characters of a Great Black- backed X Glaucous hybrid. For the second con- secutive year, overzealous Forster’s Terns arrived in Kentucky in Feb. This year 9 were seen at Kentucky L. 25 Feb (HC). Multiple Eurasian Collared-Doves were reported from every state except Ohio. The lat- ter is the Region’s only state without Collared- Dove records. The peak Monk Parkeet tally consisted of 61 in Burnham (Chicago’s s. side) 11 Feb (WJM). Snowy Owls were widespread with one to 8 reported in every state. The southernmost records included one with a broken wing in Louisville, KY 1 1 Jan (EW) and another in Cedar, MO 3 Jan (Don Lacey). The “eared” owls were present in typical numbers this winter; peak counts included 6 Long- eareds in Appanoose, LA 2 Dec (RLC) and 18 Short-eareds at the Hawthorn Mine in Sullivan, IN 27 Jan (J & SH, CW). Northern Saw-whet Owls were reported in above-aver- age numbers, with 8 in both Iowa and Illinois, and 3 each in Ohio and Indiana. Woodpeckers Through Waxwings A nice winter pocket of 12 Red-headed Woodpeckers was found in Rock Island, IL 26 Dec (KJM). Two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, seen in Winnebago, IL 23 Dec (Dwi) were a bit farther n. than normal. Kentucky had a monop- oly on this winter’s hummingbirds: 6 Rufous Hummingbirds were captured and banded; interestingly, all proved to be ad. females. A very late Eastern Phoebe tarried at Mermet L., IL until 30 Dec (KAM, DKa), and 3 were seen at Cuivre River S.P., MO 24 Dec (SS). It was a better-than-average winter for Northern Shrikes, with 45 birds scattered across the four n. states. An impressive American Crow tally of 70,000 birds was logged 24 Feb at a Cincinnati, OH roost (FR). In w. Iowa singleBlack-billed Magpies appeared in Pottawattami 1 Dec (fC. Klaphake) and in Plymouth 19-31 Dec (RR, O A The famous cartoonist Gary O/kLarson might caption the follow- ing scenario “How bird records go awry.” In mid-Feb, the following post appeared on the Indiana bird listserv, “I just received a scan of a photo taken this past summer in Marion (east-central Indiana). It was a Green-breasted Mango.” This note was posted by one of Indiana’s most experi- enced and respected birders. Following the muffled groan that emanated from lamenting birders across the state, research was initiated on this phenomenal report. It seems that a salesman, while visiting a client, commented about bird feeders in the client’s front yard. During the ensuing discussion the excited client showed him a hummingbird picture that had been a gift from a customer at photo lab where she worked. The salesman, a fairly new birder, was unable to identify the bird, but could clearly see that is was not a Ruby-throated. A few days later the salesman showed the picture to an Indiana D.N.R. employee who made the identification. Then fol- lowed a frantic effort to identify the mys- tery photographer. In the meantime the picture was shared with the veteran Hoosier birder who made the initial list- serv post. A vigorous exchange of mes- sages on the state listserv soon brought clarity to the situation. An astute reader of the Internet exchanges ultimately noted that the lady with the original photograph worked in Kokomo. That very city was also the residence of Phil Kelly, who had traveled to North Carolina in autumn and photographed that state’s famous Green - breasted Mango. Thus, this most bizarre tale ended with a hearty laugh by all; how- ever, had it evolved in a slightly different way, the results might have proven quite novel. SJD), where this species has been reported spo- radically over the past two years. An overly enthusiastic Purple Martin appeared in Calloway, KY 26 Feb, and 3 birds were seen there the following day (HC). Following last fall’s feeble Red-breasted Nuthatch flight, only small numbers were scattered across the Region. Despite the cold winter, 4 midwinter Brown Creepers were found in Carroll, lA 20 Jan (DT), and a singleton was in Kane, IL on the same day (UG). Other evidences of semi- hardy species ignoring the cold included a Sedge Wren in Ohio, KY 12 Jan (MM. BPB et al.) and 7 more on the Prairie S.P., MO along a route that has yielded this species during the past two winters (MBR). A Marsh Wren was found in Columbia, MO 16 Dec (BGo), and another was heard in Muhlenberg, KY 2 Feb (BY). Ohio’s 4th Townsend’s Solitaire, an unusually cooperative bird, was discovered at Holden Arboretum, Lake, OH 17 Jan (Ian Adams) and remained through 18 Feb (tBWh, LGd, ph. m.ob.). Another Solitaire was seen in Appanoose, lA 25 Jan (Bob 8c Peggy Seddon). Two Mountain Bluebirds were reported in cen. Iowa (Dallas) 10 Dec (fLannie Miller). It was a good season for Varied Thrushes, with 3 in Iowa, 2 in Indiana, and 2 in Ohio. Remarkably the Indiana birds, male and female, appeared at the same feeder in Allen. The female, which first appeared 31 Dec, was seen sporadically through 10 Jan was joined by a male that lin- gered until 27 Feb (fHaw, RHe, EP, m.ob.). As expected, the peak American Pipit counts came from the s. states, where some 20 birds were seen in Henry, KY 27 Dec (KP) and 6-8 at Reelfoot N.W.R., KY 28 Jan-Feb (BPB, HC et al.). A single Bohemian Waxwing graced the Region by appearing in O’Brian, lA 24 Feb (tLAS). Cedar Waxwing peaked at 1500 in O’Brien, lA 23 Feb (DKo), a total that almost doubled the Region’s next highest tally. Warblers Through Finches A tardy Orange-crowned Warbler, seen in Lester Davis Memorial Forest, Barton, MO 8 Dec (MBR) headed the list of a half dozen lin- gering warblers. The list also included a male Black- throated Blue in Cuyahoga, OH 10 Dec (Paul Lozano), several Pine Warblers, and a Common Yellowthroat at L. Lemon, IN 3 Dec (Jiri Dadok, Caroline Begley). It was a good winter for sparrows. The east- ernmost of 6 Spotted Towhees reported in Missouri was a female in St. Charles 30 Dec (WR). Chipping Sparrows were surprisingly plentiful this winter. The northernmost bird was in Rockford, IL 1-10 Dec (DWi, et al.), and the largest count consisted of a flock of 7 in e. Jefferson, KY 23 Dec (BPB, MM). An unusually high winter count of 20 Field Sparrows was logged at Mermet L., IL 30 Dec (BCAM, DKa). Winter Vesper Sparrows are casual in n. reach- es of the Region; consequently, a bird in Winnebago, IL 6 Jan (DWi) is most notewor- thy. Iowa’s first winter-period Lark Bunting, a basic-plumaged male, frequented the Myers’ feeder in Perry, lA 1-8 Jan (fRKM, fJLF, tJJD, fm.ob.). Savannah Sparrows were quite plenti- ful, with reports from every state except Kentucky. The peak count consisted of 30 at Mermet L., IL 30 Dec (KAM, DKa). Wintering Le Conte’s Sparrows are becoming quite regu- VoLUME 55 (2001), Number 2 177 lar; this year, there were reports from every state except Iowa and Ohio. The peak counts consisted of a state record 23 in Gibson, IN 4 Feb (JMc, P & IK, EP), a ne. Missouri record 16 in Nodaway, no date given (DAE, KG), and 14 at Grassy Slough, Johnson, IL 8 Dec (FBe). Kentucky’s first confirmed winter-period Henslow’s Sparrow was banded at Peabody W.M.A., Muhlenberg 13 Jan (MM, BPB, et ah). Harris’s Sparrows were unusually widespread, with reports from every state except Indiana. The peak count was 34 in Nodaway, no date given (DAE, KG), but 2 birds were also report- ed in Kentucky, and an imm. lingered in Wayne, OH from 7 Jan+ (fJMm, fBWh, m.ob.). Western forms of the Dark-eyed Junco included 3 Oregon types in Iowa and one in Kentucky, plus a well documented Pink-sided. The latter frequented the Roseanna Denton feeder in Pulaski, KY 1-9 Jan. Photos of the bird were examined by Ken Rosenberg at the Cornell Lab, who confirmed the subspecific identification. December snows pushed longspurs s., resulting in triple-digit peak counts in every state except Missouri. Appropriate for the impending Christmas season was a festive male Rose-breasted Grosbeak that appeared in Sangamon, IL 18 Dec (tHDB). Casual during winter anywhere in the Region, a Dickcissel identified in Lexington, KY 21 Jan (LR) was notable. Birders rarely take time to count blackbirds, so the 125,150 Red-wingeds and 147,457 Com. Crackles tallied at Rend L., IL 23 Dec (KMa) were noteworthy. A Western Meadowlark was reported in Winnebago, IL 7 Jan (DWi), and some 4 birds were found in Kentucky, suggest- ing that winter Westerns may have been over- looked in the past. At least 3 Yellow-headed Blackbirds were reported in s. Illinois in Dec and Jan. A large flock of some 200 Rusty Blackbirds was reported in Clinton, IL 25 Eeb (DKa). Three female Great-tailed Crackles in St. Louis, MO 1 Jan (WR, TP) suggests that the Great-tailed population continues to expand eastward. Red Crossbills provided the singular high- light of the winter finch season; all other species appeared in below-normal numbers. Red Crossbills appeared in all six states; the largest count by far was 30 in McDonough, IL 8-9 Dec (LLH); however, between 7 and 23 birds were reported in every other state. In contrast to last winter’s major White-winged Crossbill invasion, only one bird appeared this year-in Allen, IN on 13 Jan (BWa). Com. Redpoll reports were confined to 23 birds in Iowa and 7 in Indiana. Pine Siskins were also quite scarce, and no Evening Grosbeaks what- soever were reported. In Iowa, Eurasian Tree Jim Hampson (JHa), Ray Hannikman (RHn), Rob Harlan (RHa) (Ohio), Jim Haw (Haw), Roger Hedge (RHe), Jim 8c Susan Hengeveld (J 8c SH), Larry L. Hood, Robert Hughes (RHu), Brad Jacobs (BJa) (Missouri), Dan Kassebaum (DKa), Kelly Kelly, Phil 8c Joanne Kelly (P 8c JK), Thomas H. Kent, Darwin Koenig (DKo), Charlene Malone, Walter J. Marcisz, KeUy J. McKay (KJM) (Illinois), Cynthia McKee CMc, Jim McCormac (JMm), Jeff McCoy (JMc), John McKee (JMk), Keith A. McMullen (KAM), Mark Monroe, Robert K. Myers, Doug Overacker (DOv), Mike Overton, Brainard Palmer-BaU, Jr. (BPB) (Kentucky), Tom Parmeter, John Pogacnik (JPg), Ed Powers, Kerry Prather, Mark Proescholdt,Marjory A. Rand, Russ Reisz, Frank Renfrew, Mike Retter (MRe), Mark B. Robbins, David Roemer, William Rowe, Leisa Royse, Lee A. Schoenewe, Scott Schuette, Jerry Smith (JSm), Douglas Stotz (DSt), Craig Taylor, Ed Thelen (ETh), Dennis Thompson, Steven Thomas, Bob Walton (BWa), Bill Whan (BWh), Don Whitehead (DWh), Eileen Wicker, Dan Williams Jr. (DWi), Geoff Williamson, Jeff Wilson, Chris Wood, and Ben YandeU. Bird Base Mammals ^dd-Ons Bird Area Nearly all the ABA birders reporting life lists over 6000 who use computers use our software, it is the software most widely used by all those over the 1400 bird threshold. Why? Because it lets them easily keep track of birds seen and also helps them see new ones with its ability to list the birds of any major world area, labeling all endemics and birds previously seen in the area, outside it, or both. View an on-screen demonstration at http://members.aol.com/sbsp BirdBas@ can switch between displaying all the birds in James Clements' world list or any selection of them, when recording sightings. It handles subspecies and accepts 5000-word sighting notes. Recording sightings updates all annual/life lists (e.g., yard, county, state, nation, ABA region/area, world). These can give details of every sighting, or of only each bird's first sighting, or just name birds seen. BirdBase can list all sightings of a bird, list in date-order all trips or all bird’s first sightings/yearly arrival dates, do Christmas counts, etc. BirdArea can list in detail the range of any bird. And it can produce check lists of the birds of all major world areas (i.e., US states, Canadian provinces, nations, ABA regions/areas, important islands) with endemics labeled. Printouts allow multiple check marks and notes. Shawneen Finnegan's annually-updated ranges come from more than 800 publications. If BirdBase is used BirdArea can label birds already seen on each check list, make lists of birds not already seen, and find any recorded sighting in which a bird is outside its known range. If BirdArea is used BirdBase can switch to displaying only birds whose ranges include any of the major world areas when recording sightings of a trip to that area. Subspecies add-on puts the names of ail of Clements’ world bird subspecies in BirdBase. Mammals add-on puts the name and range of every mammal in BirdBase and BirdArea. BirdBase is $59.95+$4.00 s&h; so is BirdArea. Buy both for $99.95+$6.00. BirdBase with N. American birds is $39.95+$3.00. Subspecies is $19.95+$3.00. Mammals is $29.95+ $3.00.Tax on orders to CA is 8%. Double overseas s&h. Visa, MasterCard. For Windows. Santa Barbara Software Products 1400 Dover Rd., S.B. CA 93103 USA; Phone/fax: 805 963 4886; E-mail: sbsp@aol.com Sparrows established a new location, moving northwesterly to w. Johnson, where 3 were seen 2-3 Feb (JLF, THK). Corrigendum The 104 Eastern Kingbirds reported in Clay, MO 13 Apr (NAB 54: 289) were actually seen 13 May. Contributors cited: (Subregional editors in boldface) Many other individuals who could not be personally acknowledged also submitted notes to the various state reports. Alan Anderson, Susan Bagby (SBg), Frank Bennett (FBe), Torre Berger (TBe), Richard Bjorklund (RBj), Sigurd Bjorklund (SBj), H. David Bohlen (ABr), Alan Bruner (AB) (Indiana), Charles Burwick, Dennis Carter, John K.Cassady, John Castrale (JCs), Robert Cecil (RCe)(Iowa), Hap Chambers, Ray L. Cummins,Tim Davis, James J. Dinsmore, Steven J. Dinsmore, David A. Easterla, Jan Eaton (JEa), Diane Elmore, Jackie Elmore ( JEl), Vic Fazio Jim L. Fuller, Larry Cara (LGr), Louis Gardella (LGd), Urs Geiser, Bruce Click (BGl), Bill Goodge (BGo), Kirby Goslee, Brendan Grube (BGr), Joseph W. Hammond, 178 North American Birds Central Southern Central Southern ARKANSAS Whe^er MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA Montgomery LOUISIANA FLORIDA Ft Morgan GULF OF MEXICO C. Dwight Cooley U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge 2700 Refuge Headquarters Road Decatur, Alabama 35603 (sabrewing@earthlink.net) After a half-decade of drought conditions, the cycle of warm, dry winters appears to have been reversed early, with many parts of the Region receiving near normal rainfall and expe- riencing colder than normal temperatures. Many areas had suffered through three consecu- tive drought years with a rain deficit of as much as 42 inches. December was the third coldest on record in north Alabama, while February was the sixth warmest. The vagaries of winter weath- er were probably responsible for the southward incursion of several species early and the north- ern movement of southern species later. We in the Region owe a debt of gratitude to Steve Stedman for having served as the winter season editor for the past 10 years. His insightful reports were always a joy to read and his analysis of winter bird movements thought-provoking. Steve has decided to direct some of his bound- less energy to other projects. Abbreviations: F.W.B.S.F. (Ft. Walton Beach Spray Fields, Okaloosa, FL), p.a. (pending acceptance by appropriate state bird records committee). Loons Through Waterfowl Twenty years ago, the report of a loon other than Common was an event. Fortunately, that has changed and made winter birding more exciting. Red-throated Loons were reported from Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee. Up to 3 were seen on Mobile Bay, Baldwin 19 Feb (BSu), while one frequented the Pace Point area, Henry, TN 19-25 Dec (MCT, CAS, JD). Two Pacific Loons showed up 21 Dec at Pace Point, Henry, TN (KL et al), whOe Alabama hosted one 24 Dec near Guntersville, Marshall (DRC, RC) and one at Perdido Pass, Baldwin 31 Dec (SWM). While Red-necked Grebe has been reported in Florida over 40 times, an imm. pho- tographed in Santa Rosa Sound, Santa Rosa 13 Dec (RAD, EC, LC) may provide the first docu- mented state record. An imm. in Pensacola Bay, Escambia 28 Jan (RAD et al.) was thought to be a different bird. Three Brown Boobies at Perdido Pass, Baldwin, AL on the Gulf Shores C.B.C. (RRR) were unexpected; the species is casual in winter there. Wintering American White Pelicans are showing up with increasing frequency inland. One was in Lake Sequoyah, Washington, AR 17 Dec (MM, DCh). Up to 2000 were recorded on Robco Lake, Shelby, TN 5 Dec (WPP). The Brown Pelican first seen 11 Nov (DPh, SP) on Millwood Lake, Little River, AR was relocated 30 Dec (CM). Twenty-nine Anhingas at Bayou Sauvage N.W.R., Orleans, LA 23 Dec (PAW, CSo) was a large number for a single location in winter. Two Snowy Egrets at Millwood Lake, Little River, AR 16 Dec (CM) were the first recorded there in Dec, while 20 Little Blue Herons on the Lake Village C.B.C., Chicot, AR (RT) were unprecedented. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck populations appear to be increasing in Louisiana. Up to 200 were near Luling, St. Charles 14 Feb (GO, LAu). Outside of their winter stronghold in Arkansas and Louisiana, Greater White-fronted Geese are appearing with increasing regularity. They were reported from across the Region, with 222 recorded on the Reelfoot Lake C.B.C., Lake and Obion, TN. Ross’s Goose, noted as rare but reg- ular by most observers, was reported from every state at no fewer than 17 locations. The peak number occurred at Tunica Ponds, Tunica, MS 17 Feb, when 50-)- were recorded (JRW). Ten Canada Geese were recorded near Starkville, Oktibbeha, MS on 17 Jan (TS): one, a neck-col- lared individual, had been banded 56 km nw. of Fort Severn, Ontario 28 Jul 1999; the other 9 were of the hutchinsii race. The swan situation within the Region may be soon changing. A Trumpeter Swan was found dead 6 Jan near Bolton, Shelby, TN (DMo, BM, fide SCF). It had been banded near Larson Lake, Cherokee, LA in 1999 by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources as part of the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Project. Single Tundra Swans were reported from Wheeler N.W.R., Morgan, AL 22 Jan (CDC, FBI) and near Columbus, Lowndes, MS 6 Jan (KK, TS, m.ob.). Seven were seen on Winchester Farm, Haywood, TN (DHe, PS), where they had been present since early Nov {fide JRW). Probably the same 7 were seen just across the line in Crockett, TN 8 Feb (GS). Single male Blue-winged Teal were reported from the Judsonia Oxidation Ponds, White, AR (KN) 11 Dec and Donnegon Slough, Lauderdale, AL (DJS) 5 Jan. Small numbers of Canvasback are found annually in many locations within the Region, but the 2000 seen at Britton Ford, Henry, TN (MCT) 26 Jan were noteworthy. The largest number of Lesser Scaup reported was the 11,000 at Holly Beach, Cameron, LA 17 Feb (JPK, JK). The 20 Surf Scoters reported in Walton, FL 5 Jan (DW), where they are rare, might have been anticipated., but not so with Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 179 singles reported on the Oxford Sewage Lagoons, Lafayette, MS (GK, SK, m.ob.) 5-19 Dec, at Fayette, Fayette, AL (DMD, m.ob.) 21 Dec, and Baton Rouge University Lakes, East Baton Rouge, LA 27 Jan-7 Feb (DaC, MSw, JPK, MD). The only White-winged Scoter was one near Gulf Shores, Baldwin, AL 13 Jan (LFG). Long- tailed Ducks made a small showing in the Region. Singles were observed at the F.W.B.S.F. 11 Dec (DW), Lake Dardanelle, Pope and Yell, AR 28 Dec-1 Jan (KN, LN), Guntersville, Marshall, AL 12 Jan (RAR, LBR), and Oktibbeha Co. Lake, MS 21 Feb (TS). Two each were seen from Tiptonville Landing, Lake, TN 2 Dec (JRW, MCT), Mandeville, St. Tammany, LA 2 Dec (SS), and from Fairhope Pier, Baldwin, AL 13 Jan-20 Feb (BSu). Common Mergansers staged a mild invasion into the Region, with reports from every area except nw. Florida, peaking at 24 on the Big Sandy Unit of Tennessee N.W.R 20 Jan (JRW, m.ob.). The 1084 Ruddy Ducks near Guntersville, Marshall, AL 18 Feb (SWM) established a new state high count. Raptors Through Shorebirds Inland winter records of Osprey are infrequent but appear to be increasing. One at Upper Bear Reservoir, Marion, AL (DJS) and Millwood Lake, Little River, AR (CM) were noteworthy so far north. The range of the White-tailed Kite appears to be extending eastward in Louisiana. Singles were seen at Lacassine N.W.R., Cameron 3 Dec (JPK, KF) and near Myrtle Grove, Plaquemines 1 Jan (MSw), while 9 seen mosdy w. of the Calcasieu R., Cameron 2 Jan ( JPK, JW, SZ) were unprecedented. Bald Eagles were noted nesting at Heiberger, Perry, AL, where 3 ads. were seen 15 Jan (SH, DH), at the Morganza Spillway, Point Coupee, LA (JPK, MSw), where a pair was seen 9 Dec, and from the White Kitchen Lookout, Orleans, LA (CKe), where 4 were recorded. An ad. Harris’s Hawk near Sorrento, Ascension, LA 4 Jan (BMM, PAW; p.a.) is one of a handful documented in the Region. For the 2nd consecutive winter, a Broad-winged Hawk was recorded in Plaquemines, LA. This winter an imm. was seen on the Venice C.B.C. 30 Dec (RDP, PAW, BMM, m.ob.). Single Swainson’s Hawks were seen near Johnson’s Bayou, Cameron, LA 17 Dec (DPa, BF, MSw) and Bayou Lafourche, Lafourche, LA 22 Dec (RSB, JPi). Welsh, Jefferson Davis, LA appears to be the White-tailed Hawk mecca of the Region, with several convincingly described birds seen there in previous winters. This win- ter, a well-described ad., first seen near the Welsh Landfill 10 Dec (PAW; p.a.), was subse- quently seen 23 Dec (JPK, KF, MG) and 6 Jan {fide JPK). However, a bird photographed near there 13 Feb (MSw; p.a.) was undoubtedly an imm.! Most Rough-legged Hawk records came from w. Tennessee. Two birds were seen in Lake 1 Dec and in Dyer 31 Dec (WGC, m.ob.), while singles were noted on the Jackson C.B.C., Madison 30 Dec, in Fayette 6 Jan (MCT), in Madison 20 Jan (JRW). Arkansas hosted a light- morph bird near Pangburn, Cleburne 26 Jan (KN) and a dark- morph bird (p.a.) at Hickory Plains, Prairie 3 Feb (KN, LN). Mississipppi’s lone record was of a single bird at Yazoo N.W.R., Washington 17 Dec (DCi, SW). This was a Golden Eagle winter, with no fewer than 11 records across the Region. Alabama hosted an imm. near Willow Springs, Montgomery 10 Dec (TO) and up to 3 imms. frequented Guntersville Dam, Marshall 6-26 Jan (TAB, m.ob.). In Arkansas, an ad. was near Arkadelphia, Clark (DHA, DoHo) and a subad. at Holla Bend N.W.R., Pope (KN, LN) 22 Dec and 2 Feb, respectively. Up to 2 second-year birds were seen on the Big Sandy Unit of Tennessee N.W.R., Henry, TN early Nov-4 Feb (JRW, MCT, RW). Up to 2 were in the Lafayette, MS area 1 1 Dec-10 Jan ( VT), while an imm. was in Callicut Bottom, Marshall, MS 24 Feb (TH, GN, SN). The lone record in Louisiana was of an imm. at Lacassine N.W.R. 9 Dec (PAW; p.a.). Crested Caracara is decidedly rare in the Region. This winter Alabama recorded its first state record when one was videotaped in Baldwin 19 Jan (DPI, fide RAD, LD; p.a.). Two were along Fabacher Road, Calcasieu, LA 6 Jan^ Feb (JPK, JK, DR, KA), and a single was noted at Lacassine N.W.R., Cameron, LA 4 Jan (DMD, RCD). One wonders if there was a general movement to the e. from Texas. Reports of inland Merlins are becoming commonplace. This winter 13 records from Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee were received. The Arkabuda C.B.C., DeSoto, MS got its first Peregrine Falcon 23 Dec (VH, MGW), while one 135 mi s. of Morgan City, LA, in the Gulf of Mexico was unexpected (DNP). Alabama got its 3rd Prairie Falcon (p.a.) record 6 Jan near Guntersville Dam, Marshall (TAB, m.ob.), whence both previous records come. Singles were seen at Foreman, Little River, AR 8 Jan (DA) and Pangburn, Cleburne, AR 21 Jan (KN, LN). Inland Sandhill Crane populations appear to be increasing exponentially across the Region, probably as a result of the large wintering popu- lation in e. Tennessee. Maximum numbers reported this winter were 400 at the Hop-In Refuge, Obion, TN {fide DPi), 300 at Wheeler N.W.R., Limestone and Morgan, AL (GDC, FBI), 160 in Calcasieu, LA (JPK, JK), and 78 in Tunica, MS (JRW). The Black-bellied Plover at Everett Lake, Dyer, TN 1 Dec (WGC, JRW) was late as was the American Golden-Plover at Shelby Farms, Shelby, TN 6-10 Dec (m.ob.). The 36 Snowy Plovers recorded during the 2001 Piping Plover Winter Census in Louisiana {fide SS) were encouraging, as were the 34 seen 7 Feb on Santa Rosa L, Santa Rosa, FL (RAD, LD, EC) and the 10 on Navarre Flats, Santa Rosa, FL 9 Dec (PBa, m.ob.). A Semipalmated Plover at Everette Lake, Dyer, TN (WGC, JRW) through 1 1 Dec was late. Louisiana appears to be the Piping Plover stronghold in the Region. The state recorded 511 on the 2001 Piping Plover Winter Census, with 19 on Fourchon/Elmer’s Island, Lafourche 11 Feb (PAW, BMM, RDP). East-central Mississippi got its first midwinter Lesser Yellowlegs record 16 Dec with one at Noxubee N.W.R., Winston (TS, MSc). Pectoral Sandpipers remained late: singles were seen at Craig Fish Hatchery, Benton, AR 9 Dec (MM) and Heloise, Dyer, TN 7 Dec (WGC). Jaegers Through Swallows The only jaeger reported was one of undeter- mined species on the Gulf Shores C.B.C., Baldwin, AL 30 Dec (GDC, SWM, DW, PB). Single imm. Franklin’s Gulls were present at F.W.B.S.F. 5-15 Dec (RAD, DW, m.ob.), and Columbus L., Lowndes, MS 5-8 Dec (TS, KK), while one was at Florence, Lauderdale, AL 9 Dec (TMH). Little Gull is virtually unknown in the Region. Amazingly, three records of 4 birds were made in Arkansas this winter. Two ads. were on Millwood L., Little River, 16-24 Dec (CM, m. ob.), while singles were at Toadsuck Dam on the Arkansas River, Faulkner, 19 Dec (HR) and L. Dardanelle, Pope and Yell, 13 Jan (KN, LN, HR). A subad. California Gull on the New Orleans C.B.C. at Lake Ponchartrain, Orleans, LA 23 Dec (BMM, DPM, GG) was one of many for the state; there are only a handful of records elsewhere in the Region. Arkansas may have recorded its first Thayer’s Gull (p.a.) with an imm. 1-14 Jan at L. Dardanelle (KN, LN, m.ob.), while single birds at Pickwick State Park and Pickwick Lake, Hardin, TN 27 Jan and 3 Feb, respectively, were thought to be different indi- viduals (JRW; CAS). Lesser Black-hacked Gull is rare but increasing in the Region. Arkansas recorded its 2nd (p.a.) when an ad. was seen at L. Dardanelle, 23 Dec-1 Jan (KN, LN, MDi). An ad. was in Henry, TN 22 Dec-28 Feb (RW, MCT, DM) and another near Guntersville, Marshall, AL 12-21 Jan (RAR, LBR, m.ob.). Singles of undetermined age were at Holly Beach, Cameron, LA 3 Jan (RCD) and Gulfport, Harrison, MS 5 Jan (DCi, SW). Imm. Glaucous Gulls were reported from L. Dardanelle, Jan (KN, LN), Britton Ford, Henry, TN, 25-26 Feb (CAS, JD, m.ob.), and Guntersville, Marshall, AL 19-26 Jan (RAR, m.ob.). Single Black-legged Kittiwakes were reported from Gulf Shores, 180 North American Birds Central Southern Baldwin, AL 17 Feb (SER; p.a.) and the Mermentau River Jetties, Cameron, LA 18 Dec (DPa, BF). Eurasian Collared-Doves continued their march, with reports from nine locations in the Region. White-winged Doves continue to winter in numbers in the Region. One came to a feeder in Fayetteville, Washington, AR 18 Nov-5 Dec (DFIo, BH). Sixteen were recorded at Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa, FL 10 Dec (RAD) and Okaloosa, FL 18 Dec (AK, m.ob.) and 18 on the Gulf Shores C.B.C., Baldwin, AL 30 Dec. Short- eared Owls occurred throughout the Region on four C.B.C.s; they peaked at 17 in Dyer, TN 6 Feb (WGC, KL). One of the few Northern Saw- whet Owls ever recorded in the Region — and the 3rd Mississippi record — was on the Mississippi State University campus, Oktibbeha 20 Dec (LV, JV; p.a.). An astonishing number of hummingbird species were recorded in the Region. Many were Laughing Gulls staged an unprece- dented inland invasion into the Region. Most records were of ad. birds in winter plumage and usually involved mul- tiple individuals. The incursion did not appear to be weather-related. No fewer than 20 records of between one and 20 birds were made. In Alabama, one was at Wilson Dam, Lauderdale (TMH) 21 Dec, and up to 4 were noted near GuntersvOle, Marshall (SWM, m.ob.). Arkansas singles were recorded 25 Nov-14 Jan at DardaneUe Lock and Dam (KN, LN, MDi) and Millwood Lake, Little River 21 Jan (CM). Tennessee hosted one at McKellar Lake, Shelby 23 Dec (JRW); 3 on Pickwick Lake, Hardin 27 Jan^ Feb (JRW, CAS, TW); and one at Paris Landing, Henry 19 Feb (MCT). In Mississippi, up to 4 were on Oktibbeha County Lake 17 Dec-28 Feb+ (TS, MSc); 2 were at Noxubee N.W.R., Noxubee 17 Dec (TS, MSc); up to 7 were on Columbus Lake, Lowndes 19 Dec-16 Feb (TS, KK, m.ob.); Grenada Lake, Grenada hosted between one and 6 birds 22 Dec-14 Jan (GN, SN); up to 4 were on Ross Barnett Reservoir, Madison and Rankin 25 Dec-30 Jan (GN, SN, MSc); up to 16 were on Sardis Lake, Panola, TJ Dec-18 Feb (GN, SN, m.ob.); 2- 5 frequented Enid Lake, Yalobusha, 28 Dec-14 Jan (GN, SN); and one was along Tibbee Creek, Clay 20 Jan (MSc, TS). Amazingly, the only two C.B.C.s to record the species were Shreveport, Caddo, LA, where 20 were seen 16 Dec (CL, JI) and Arkabutla, DeSoto and Tate, MS, where 7 were seen. banded by the Hummer/Bird Study Group, Nancy Newfield and their associates. Two Selasphorus were in Memphis, Shelby, TN late Oct-30 Dec (m.ob.), while one frequented a feeder in Starkville, Oktibbeha, MS late Nov- 17 Feb (JLo, BH, TS). A Broad-billed, banded by NN 6 Jan in Thibodaux, Terrebonne, LA, was first seen 4 Jan (JC, NN). A Buff-bellied in Mobile, Mobile 27 Dec (FB, JH) was Alabama’s 11th (p.a.). Calliope Hummingbirds staged a major invasion. Unknown in the area prior to 1998, single Calliopes in Niceville, Okaloosa 13 Dec (VK, FB) and 30 Dec-28 Feb (JM, FB) provided nw. Florida’s 12th and 13th records (p.a.), while singles in Mobile, Mobile 27 Dec (FB, CS) and Montrose, Baldwin 12 Jan (FB, CSt) provided Alabama’s 11th and 12th records (p.a.). A band- ed hatch-year female Broad-tailed Hummingbird in West Pensacola, Escambia, 19 Nov-17 Feb (FB, RAD, LD, AS, m.ob.; p.a.) and seen by over 100 observers is Florida’s 2nd record. Amazingly, a 2nd Broad-tailed, repre- senting Florida’s 3rd was confirmed 24 Dec in Niceville, Okaloosa, after having been in the area for “some time” (GE, NE, CP, RLM; p. a.). A 3rd Broad-tailed, an ad. female, was banded in Diamondhead, Hancock, MS 17 Jan (BS, MS, DHp). Two imm. female Rufous were inland in Lauderdale, MS and banded 7 Dec (BS, m.ob.). A Say’s Phoebe found on the Venice C.B.C., Plaquemines, LA (PAW, BMM, m.ob.; p.a.) 30 Dec was one of a few records for the Region. Vermilion Flycatchers were reported from the F.W.B.S.F., where a male and female were seen 5 Dec (RAD, LF, PB), the female remaining through 27 Feb (AK); Lacassine N.W.R., Cameron, LA, with an imm. female 9 Dec (PAW); and Hancock, MS, where an ad. male was noted 20 Dec (DCi). Single Ash-throated Flycatchers showed up at the F.W.B.S.F. 15-20 Dec (DW, RAD, AK, DS), where a bird that appeared 28 Feb was thought, based on plumage characters, to be a different individual (DW, RAD, LD); and the Venice C.B.C., Plaquemines, LA 30 Dec (DPM, GO). A Brown-crested Flycatcher was recorded on the Venice C.B.C. 30 Dec (BMM, PAW; specimen LSUMNS). Continuing the flycatcher extravaganza on the Venice C.B.C., a Great Kiskadee was heard only 30 Dec (DPM, GO) was seen and videotaped through 17 Feb (MSw, CL; p.a.). Western Kingbirds continued into the reporting period at coastal locations. One at the F.W.B.S.F. remained through 20 Dec (RAD, BB, DW, m.ob.). Up to 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were reported from the F.W.B.S.F. 5-19 Dec (RAD, BC, LC). Horned Lark numbers peaked in the Memphis area in Dec when 1354 and 1335 were reported on the Reelfoot Lake, Lake and Obion, and Memphis, Shelby, C.B.C.s, respectively. Purple Martin spring arrival was about average in most areas. A single male on Baton Rouge University Lakes, East Baton Rouge, LA 20 Jan was early (DaC). A Cave Swallow found on the Sabine C.B.C., Cameron, LA 16 Dec (PSu, ML; p.a) was seen the next day in the same area. Wrens Through Sparrows The only Bewick’s Wren was near Cherokee City, Benton, AR 1 1 Dec (TJ). The 5 Sedge Wrens and one Marsh Wren near Fayetteville, Washington, AR 10 Dec were late (DJ, RHD, MM), as was the Marsh Wren on the Reelfoot Lake C.B.C. 16 Dec. Thrushes are unusual in the Region after mid- Nov, so the Swainson’s near Niceville, Okaloosa, FL 18 Dec (CP) and the Wood Thrush in the HoUeyman-Sheely Sanctuary, Cameron, LA 3 Jan (RCD) were noteworthy. The Townsend’s Solitaire observed for one-half hour along Gage Bluff, Marion, 28 Jan represented Arkansas’s 4th record (JL, SLi; p.a.). Two Sprague’s Pipits were observed in Perry, AR 16 Dec (HR, BV). Orange- crowned Warblers wintered n. of typical range, particularly in the Memphis area, where they were noted on four dates (VBR). A Nashville Warbler reported near Metairie, Jefferson, LA 3 Feb was unexpected (GO, DC). Yellow-rumped Warblers peaked at 30,000 on Grand Isle, Jefferson, LA 9 Dec (DPM, JS). Black-throated Green Warblers were reported on the Gulf Shores C.B.C., Baldwin, AL (RRR) and on Grand Isle, Jefferson, LA 10 Feb (CD, CL, MSw). The 4 Prairie Warblers on the Gulf Shores C.B.C., Baldwin, at two locations represent the 8th and 9th winter records for Alabama. Single Prairies in Louisiana were seen in New Orleans, Orleans 23 Dec (PAW) and Thornwell, Jefferson Davis 6 Jan (PAW, BBM, SWC, DLD). A Black- and-white Warbler at Wing, Covington 4 Jan (LAG) was the 6th winter inland record for Alabama. Rare in the Region in winter was a Prothonotary Warbler 30 Dec in Delacroix, St. Bernard, LA (TDC). A calling Ovenbird 20 Jan on Grand Isle, Jejferson, LA (DPM, PAW, BMM, RDP) was unusual. A Northern Waterthrush on the Venice C.B.C., Plaquemines, LA 30 Dec (DPM) was unexpected. Following on the heels of a fantastic fall for Wilson’s Warbler, the species was recorded in several coastal locations. Singles were seen at Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa 4 Dec (EC), and Pensacola, Escambia 9-12 Dec (LG, JPf) in Florida; the Gulf Shores C.B.C., Baldwin, AL 30 Dec (PCT, BT); and Slidell, St. Tammany, LA 2 Dec (LB, MSw). Two were at Waveland Sewage Lagoons, Hancock, MS 20 Dec (DCi), while 9 were on Grand Isle, Jejferson, LA 9 Dec (DPM). Alabama’s 11th winter record for Yellow-breast- ed Chat was one on the Gulf Shores C.B.C. near Perdido Pass, Baldwin 30 Dec (EGR). Seeing a tanager during the winter is always Volume 5 5 ( 2 00 1 ), Number 2 181 exciting. Summer Tanager was recorded at sever- al locations this winter. In Florida, singles were at Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa 11 Dec (RAD), Pensacola, Escambia 12 Dec (BS, FB), and Niceville, Okaloosa 18 Dec (CP). One at Slidell, St. Tammany, LA 12 Dec (PSi) was molting, and a female in Shreveport, Caddo, LA (LRR, ACR) 13 Dec-21 Jan was coming to a feeder. Because of significant variation in plumages of non- breeding tanagers, winter reports should be viewed critically. A female Western Tanager in Slidell, St. Tammany, LA 21 Dec-26 Feb (PSi, RS, MSw, CL, m.ob.; p.a.) was photographed and videotaped. A female reported on the Pensacola C.B.C., Escambia, FL 16 Dec will need further review. Spotted Towhees continue to occur reg- ularly in nw. Arkansas (MM, JN, RHD). Clay-colored Sparrows were reported from Alabama, nw. Florida, and Mississippi. Singles were at the F.W.B.S.F. 5 Dec (RAD, DW, EC, m.ob.) — the 2nd Dec record for the area — Fort Pickens, Escambia, FL 9 Jan (RAD), the Perdido Bay C.B.C., Baldwin, AL 23 Dec (RAD, LD), the Gulf Shores C.B.C., Baldwin, AL 30 Dec (RAD, LD), and Columbus Lake, Lowndes MS 7 Feb (TS, m.ob.), the latter a 2nd area record. Two were at the Woerner Turf Farm, Lowndes, 1 Jan- 23 Feb (LFG) for Alabama’s 2nd inland winter record. Six Lark Sparrows were recorded on the Lake Village C.B.C., Chicot, AR 20 Dec (SL), where they are very rare in winter. Two were at Fort Morgan, Baldwin, AL 2 Jan (RDL, LAF), while an imm. was on the e. end of Dauphin I., Mobile, AL 5 Feb (GB). Casual in winter in the Tennessee R. Valley of Alabama, a Grasshopper Sparrow was at Key Cave N.W.R., Lauderdale 3- 18 Feb (PDK, GNP, MA). One was near Robinson, Lowndes, AL 18 Feb (LFG, PJ), while 2-15 were recorded at the Ashe Tree Nursery in DeSoto N.F., Forrest, MS 10 Dec-28 Jan (SWo, Q A Not since the invasion of 1978 has O-Lijynericaii Tree Sparrow put in such a good showing as this past winter. The nw. portion of the Region was the cen- ter of the invasion, with a few individuals spilling over into n. Alabama and Mississippi. Consider these unprecedented numbers, all in Tennessee; 50 on the Hickory Priest C.B.C., Davidson 1 Jan; 50 in Dyer 10 Feb (WGC); 45 at Cates, Lake 18 Feb (KL, BL); 10 in Benton 25 Feb (CAS, JD); and 124 in Lake (JRW). Away from Tennessee and Arkansas, one seen near Florence, Lauderdale 25 Dec (TAH, m.ob.) provided the 16th Alabama record (p.a.), while one near Woodland Lake, DeSoto, MS 23 Dec (VH, MGW) provided the 2nd Arkabutla C.B.C. record. MC, DCi). The interest in grassland birds has resulted in a tremendous increase in Henslow’s and Le Conte’s Sparrow records in the Region. In Louisiana, between one and 3 Henslow’s Sparrow’s were recorded at the Almonaster Landfill near New Orleans, Orleans 13-28 Jan; 4 were seen at the Arabi Landfill, St. Bernard 23 Dec-17 Jan ( JOC, TDC, m.ob.). Six were at the Ashe Tree Nursery, Forrest 18 Jan (SWo), and one was seen near Wiggins, Stone 28 Jan (DCi) in Mississippi. One seen on Noxubee N.W.R., Noxubee, MS 10 Feb (JBe, MCo, JP, DP, m.ob.) was in an area where the species was seen last year. In Tennessee, Le Conte’s Sparrows were recorded on the Reelfoot Lake C.B.C. 16 Dec (12 birds; JRW, MAG, m.ob.), with 5 on the Big Sandy Unit of Tennessee N.WR. 20 Dec (MCT, RW), 4 on the Savannah C.B.C., Hardin 28 Dec, and 2 at Britton Ford, Henry 20 Jan-4 Feb (JRW). In Alabama, singles were at Speigner, Lowndes 2 Dec-15 Jan (LFG, m.ob.), Woerner Turf Farm, Lowndes 8 Dec (PJ, m.ob.), and Seven Mile 1. W.M.A., Lauderdale 3 Jan (fide BR). In Louisiana, 22-27 were at Almonaster Landfill near New Orleans, Orleans 13-28 Jan while 44- 59 were seen at the Arabi Landfill, St. Bernard 23 Dec-17 Jan (JOC, TDC, m.ob.). Up to 30 were at the Ashe Tree Nursery in DeSoto N.F., Forrest, MS 10 Dec-28 Jan (SWo, MC, DCi), while a sin- gle was at Noxubee N.W.R., Noxubee, MS 16 Dec (TS, MSc), and 3 were at the Oxford Sewage Lagoons, Lafayette, MS 3 Feb (GK, SK). Harris’s Sparrow was much more common in Arkansas this winter. In Tennessee, one was along Island 13 Road, Lake 3 Dec (JRW). In Louisiana, 2 were seen near Breaux Bridge, Lafayette 8 Jan (GBr, MSw), while up to 4 were near Lake Claiborne, Claiborne 15-16 Jan (PAW, BMM, CSo). Longspurs Through Evening Grosbeak Lapland Longspur numbers were up this year. Several thousand were near Jonesboro, Craighead, AR during Dec and Jan (KN, LN, HP, MP), and 1000 were at LoUie, Faulkner, AR 24 Dec (HR). In Tennessee, 1675 on the Savannah C.B.C., Hardin was an impressive count, while 800 along Gray’s Camp Road were a Lake high count (JRW). The 200-1- at Woerner Turf Farm, Lowndes, AL 3 Dec (LFG, PJ) made for an excellent number for the inland coastal plain. In Louisiana, 700 at the LSU experiment Station, Acadia 6 Jan (PAW, BMM, SWC, DLD) was a large number for the location. Smith’s Longspiurs were recorded in Arkansas and Tennessee. Four were at Pinebluff, Jefferson, AR 23 Dec (GL, JLu, DL, RH). Up to 325 were at the Newport Airport, Jackson, AR 30 Dec-28 Jan (KN, LN), and 30 were at the Stuttgart Airport, Prairie, AR 17 Feb (DPh, SP, m.ob.). In Tennessee, 10 were at the usual location at Cates Casting Field, Lake throughout the peri- od (JRW, MCT, m.ob.). Up to 2 Snow Buntings were at Jonesboro, Craighead, AR 25- 26 Dec (MB, KN, LN). Feeding stations continue to hold remark- able birds during the winter. An imm. male Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa, FL 13 Jan-3 Feb (PT, FB) was unusual, as were ad. males in Raceland, Lafourche, LA 6 Jan (LR) and at Browning Creek Lake, Oktibbeha, MS 12 Jan, the latter a first area winter record (TS). An ad. female Black-headed Grosbeak at Fort Pickens, Escambia 3-11 Dec (PBa) provid- ed nw. Florida’s 15th area record, whOe one at the F.W.B.S.F. 20 Dec (AK, DS) provided the 16th area record. An imm. male on the New Orleans C.B.C., Orleans, LA 23 Dec was unusu- al (DPM, JB; p.a.). A male Lazuli Bunting at Luling, St. Charles, LA 16 Jan (MT, MSw) was videotaped. Single female Painted Buntings were at Foley, Baldwin, AL (EB), Belle Fontaine, Mobile, AL 26 Jan (JHR), and Petal, Forrest, MS 6 Feb (DCi). Three females were at Luling, St. Charles, LA 28 Jan (MT, MSw). A Yellow-head- ed Blackbird at Navarre, Santa Rosa 28 Feb (DMa, AK) provided the first Feb record for nw. Florida. The 3000 Rusty Blackbirds and 3500 Brewer’s Blackbirds on the Jackson C.B.C., Madison, TN (MAG) were Regional maxima. An imm. male Baltimore Oriole on the Pensacola C.B.C., Escambia, FL (AF, DF, AS) 16 Dec was unusual. An ad. male in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, LA 3 Jan (MSw) was a highlight, as were the 6-7 at St. Rose, St. Charles, LA 17 Feb (MSt, PSt, CL, MSw). The first documented Bullock’s Oriole record for Florida (p.a.) was of an imm. male videotaped at Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa 22 Nov-30 Dec (CK, BK, m.ob.). In Louisiana, a male was at Cypress I. Preserve 1 1 Feb (MSw), while an imm. male and possibly 2 females were at St. Rose, St. Charles (MSt, PSt, CL, MSw). Seven Red Crossbills were on the North Fork of Illinois Bayou C.B.C., Pope, AR 17 Dec, while 7 were recorded on Ozark N.F., Pope 23 Jan (LA). A female was on the Savannah C.B.C., Hardin, TN 28 Dec (CDC). Nesting was again docu- mented in the Talladege N.F., Cleburne, AL along the Pinhoti Trail (BSu). Eleven were seen along the trail 18 Feb (SWM). The only Evening Grosbeak reported was one on the Lake Village C.B.C., Chicot, AR 20 Dec (JM). Contributors (subregional editors in bold- face): Moez Ali, Keith Anderson, Leif Anderson, David Arbour, Lionel Aucoin (LAu), Pat Baker, Peggy Baker (PBa), Linda Banas, Eva Barnett, Fred Bassett, James Beck, Richard S. Bellow, Jamen Berk (JBe), Gavin Bieber, Faye 182 North American Birds Central Southern Blankenship (FBI), Marcus Board, Bill Bremser, Thomas A. Brindley, Gary Broussard (GBr), Carolyn H. Bullock, Steve W. Cardiff, Dan Carroll, Ed Case, Lois Case, Mollie Cashner, David Chapman (DCh), Daniel Christian (DaC), David Cimprich (DCi), John Conover, C. Dwight Cooley, Buck Cooper, Linda Cooper (LCo), Margaret Copeland (MCo), Thomas D. Coulson, Jennifer O. Coulson, W. Glen Criswell, Dean R. Cutten, Raelene Cutten, Miriam Davey, Cathy De Salvo, Jay Desgrosellier, Mike Dillon (MDi), Donna L. Dittman, Robert C. Dobbs, Danny M. Dobbs, Robert H. Doster, Robert A. Duncan (n.w. Florida), Lucy Duncan, Gene Estes, Nan Estes, Karen Fay, Lenny Fenimore, Sue C. Ferguson, Bill Fontenot, Ann Forster, Dan Forster, Laureen A. Fregean, Larry F. Gardella, Gay Gomez, Lynn Gould, Mark A. Greene, Marty Guidry, Thomas M. Haggerty, Stan Hamilton, Dana Hamilton, Don Harrington (DHa), Doris Harrington (DoH), Van Harris, Jennifer Hartley, Derrick Heard (DHe), Robert Henderson, Bill Henry, Tom Hoar, Barbara Holt, Donald Holt (DHo), Doris Hope (DHp), Greg D. Jackson (Alabama), Douglas James, Pat Johnson, Taos Jones, Betty Kahn, Charles Kahn, Cecil Kersting (CKe), Keith Kimmerle, Paul D. Kittle, Joseph P. Kleiman (Louisiana), Joanne Kleiman, Gene Knight, Shannon Knight, Alan Knothe, Sterling Lacy, Betty Leggett, Ken Leggett, Robert D. Leier, Jim Liles, Suzie Liles (SLi), Mark Lockwood, Judy Loftin (JLo), David Luneau, Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau (JLu), Charles Lyon, Laura Malinick, Don Manning, Don Marshall (DMa), Steve W. McConnell, Robert L. McKenney, Jr., Charles Mills, Mike Mlodinow, Billy Moore, Debbie Moore (DMo), John Morrow, David P. Muth, B. Mac Myers, III, Joe Neal, Nancy Newfield, Kenny Nichols, LaDonna Nichols, Tommy Oliver, Glenn Ousset, Charles Parkel, Jr., Helen Parker (Arkansas), Max Parker (Arkansas), Diane Patterson, Jim Patterson, Dave Patton (DPa), William P. Peeples, W. Robert Peeples (w. Tennessee), James Pfeiffer (JPf), Drew Phillips (DPh), Sherry Phillips, G. Ned Piper, Jed Pitre (JPi), David Pitts (DPi), David Plumb (DPI), Robert D. Purrington, David N. Purvis, John H. Rabby, Herschel Raney, Anne C. Raymond, Larry R. Raymond, Shawn E. Reed, Elberta G. Reid, Robert R. Reid, Linda B. Reynolds, Richard A. Reynolds, Virginia B. Reynolds, Dave Roark, Lisa Robichaux, Bill Rogers, Bob Sargent, Martha Sargent, Carolyn Saunders, Terence Schiefer (Mississippi), Marion Schiefer (MSc), Peter Schutt, John P. Sevenair, Alan Sheppard, Steve Shively, Peggy Siegert, Rudy Siegert, Damien J. Simbeck, David Simpson, Chris A. Sloan, Curt Sorrells (CSo), Glen Stanley, Melanie Stephens (MSt), Pat Stephens (PSt), Carol Stickney (CSt), Bill Summerour (BSu), Paul Sunby (PSu), Mark Swan (MSw), Pat Taylor, Richard Taylor, Betsy Tetlow, Phil C. Tetlow, Vic Theobald, Michael C. Todd, Matt Touchard, Bo Verser, John Vissage, Leslie Vissage, Martha G. Waldron, Rick Waldrop, Phillip A. Wallace, Don Ware, Jason Weckstein, Sandy Whisler, Jeff R. Wilson, Terry Witt, Stefan Woltman (SWo), Stan Zamek. American Birding Association Student Membershi|> Your $20 student membership includes • B irding m agaz i n e • Winging It newsletter • A Bird's-Eye View student newsletter • A Birder's Resource Guide • ABA's volunteer directory or, subscribe to /\ Bird's-Eye View, ABA's student newsletter, for just $6 per year • read articles written by and for young birders • learn about ABA's education programs American B irding Association, PO Box 6599, Colorado Springs, CO 80934-6599 800-850-2473 • member@aba.org http://americanbirding.org Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 183 Prairie Provinces Rudolf F. Koes 1 35 Rossmere Crescent Winnipeg, Manitoba R2K 0G1 Peter Taylor P.O. Box 597 Pinawa, Manitoba ROE 1L0 December was variously described as “terri- ble” and “brutal” in southern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan; indeed, it was the coldest December on record in Winnipeg in over a century. Snowfall was heavy, particularly near the interprovincial border. Southwestern Saskatchewan and Alberta enjoyed both warmer temperatures and less precipitation in early winter. January was mild and dry across the region, while February was again cold in the east but still dry. By the end of the period, snow had all but disappeared in the west but was still thick on the ground in the east. Some astonish- ing owl numbers brightened an otherwise unremarkable birding season. Survival appeared to be high for those half-hardy birds that made it through December. Herons Through Gulls A Great Blue Heron at Banff N.P., AB 9 Jan was the only one reported (KB). A Cattle Egret at a Cypress River, MB feedlot into early Dec pro- vided the first regional winter record {fide AW). Lingering waterfowl were understandably scarce. A Mute Swan highlighted a Manitoba Naturalists Society outing at Powerview, MB 2 Dec and represented about the 6th sighting in the province (RKo et al.). Other highlights included a Gadwall at Gardiner Dam, SK 2 Dec (WG, m.ob.), a pair of Canvasbacks at Medicine Hat, AB 1 1 Feb (BFr, BV), 2 Redheadat Saskatoon, SK 3 Dec (WG), 3 Greater Scaup through the winter in Calgary (m.ob.), and another 12 at Wabamun L., AB 21 Jan (fideBP), a Long-tailed Duck through the period at Calgary {fide MH), and a Red-breasted Merganser at Medicine Hat 25 Dec (BL). Farms attracted 14 Bald Eagles near Elma, MB 1 Jan (L&BdM, RP, LV et al.) and 10-1- near Ft Macleod, AB 15 Feb (TK); another 2 were at Squaw Rapids, SK 27 Jan (RK, RM). The only midwinter Northern Harriers were near Calgary 7 Jan (AS) and near Eastend, SK 27 Jan (TH). Sharp-shinned Hawks, rare in winter in Manitoba, were spotted in Winnipeg, Lac du Bonnet, and Stonewall 13-21 Dec (AD, PT, RKo, DO). Singles were also seen on the Melita, MB, C.B.C. and at Weyburn, SK 3 Jan (ftde RK). Equally unusual were Cooper’s Hawks, one through the winter at Leader, SK (BF, JF) and another at Saskatoon 24 Jan (GW). At least 30 Northern Goshawks were sighted in s. Manitoba, in sharp contrast to Saskatchewan, where none was reported, and Alberta, where they did not elicit comment. Gyrfalcons were more widespread, with about 12 in Manitoba, 3 in Saskatchewan, and 20-1- in Alberta. Of note was a white individual at Nipawin, SK 27 Jan (the first one for the observers in 25-1- years of birding together; RK, RM) and a very pale gray bird near Calgary 30 Jan (RB). Twelve Greater Sage-Grouse near Orion, AB 17 Jan (JG) and 102 Sharp-tailed Grouse in an unharvested sunflower field near Radville, SK 13 Jan (CB, MB, JW) were high counts. Other than on the C.B.C.s, the only shorebird noted was a Common Snipe at Fish Cr. PR, AB 5-9 Dec (A&BA). An unidentified gull was late at Exshaw, AB 31 Dec (MM, BW); even more out- of-season was a Ring-billed Gull at Calgary 14 Jan (PS). Owls A Flammulated Owl, discovered dead in late Sep or early Oct in Edmonton, found its way to the Provincial Museum for a first Alberta record {fide TT). Snowy Owl numbers were unremarkable, except for 15 in the Standard/Hussar, AB area, 20 Jan (MG, KR). Northern Hawk Owls staged an “unprece- dented movement” in the Calgary region, with 6 each on Cochrane Wildlife Reserve and Snake’s Head C.B.C.s and numerous other sightings. “Pair numbers” were reported in Saskatchewan, with a high of 4 on 9 Jan in the Pierceland-Walburg area (FW). They were widespread in Manitoba, with up to 6 seen per day and numerous sightings outside the boreal forest, but numbers were barely 15% of those in the huge 1996-1997 invasion. Single Barred Owls were somewhat out of range at Weyburn, SK in late Dec {fide MB), Ft. Qu’Appelle, SK in early Jan {fide RH), and Rivers, MB on 16 Feb (NS). Great Gray Owl numbers were average in Alberta, but they were widespread in Saskatchewan, with high counts of 21 on a cross-province trip along highways 3, 55 and 9, 9-12 Jan (FW) and 10 on 28 Jan between Love, Candle L., and the south end of Prince Albert N.P. (RK, RM). Numbers in se. Manitoba were perhaps highest in Jan, although this was part- ly a function of viewing conditions. Most were recorded in traditional areas along the edge of the boreal forest from Sprague to Manigotagan. Birders routinely found 20 to 50 Great Grays per day, and two manic observers found no fewer than 101 in the Lac du Bonnet-Pine Falls area on 20 Jan (RKo, PT). Many were also reported off-road within the boreal forest by snowmobOers (fide JD). Those that were band- ed were generally in excellent shape and includ- ed some of the heaviest ever recorded (JD, RN, HC). Away from the forest, scattered individu- 184 North American Birds An overwintering Northern Mockingbird made Pincher Creek, Alberta home after mid-January, establishing one of only four provincial winter records. Photograph by Terry Korolyle. als turned up province-wide, w. and s. to Winnipeg, St. Adolphe, Neepawa, Lauder, Minnedosa and Melita. Inevitably, some were killed on highways, including 5+ in the Pinawa area (RZ). Reports of birds being shot in the Warroad, MN area “to save the grouse” were disturbing {fide]D). Seven Short-eared Owl sightings were reported in Dec in Saskatchewan (BF, JF et al.), and about 4 turned up north of Lac du Bonnet, MB around the end of Feb (LP et al.). Four Boreal Owls appeared on the Edmonton C.B.C., and there was an exceptional late winter movement in s. Manitoba, with at least seven sightings between 23 Feb and 4 Mar, following earlier observations at Maple Creek Rd. 1 Jan (RKo), Gimli 17 Jan (BC), and Ponemah 1 Feb (AC). One Northern Saw- whet Owl in Saskatchewan and 3 in Manitoba were closer to normal numbers. Woodpeekers Throygh Passerines Red-bellied Woodpeckers survived the winter in Winnipeg and Stonewall; another at Delta, MB was last seen before Christmas (m.ob.). A Black-backed Woodpecker at Medicine Hat 20 Jan was out of range (BV). Saskatchewan and Manitoba each hosted about 5 Northern Flickers, including a hybrid in Winnipeg; these numbers paled in comparison with Alberta: 92 on Calgary C.B.C. and 73 on Medicine Hat C.B.C. American Crows winter in increasing numbers in s. Manitoba, e.g., 86 mobbed a Common Raven in Winnipeg 27 Jan (GH, CC). A Mountain Bluebird in Winnipeg 2 Dec was about the 3rd ever in winter in Manitoba (RBz). A Northern Moddngbird at Pincher Creek from about 17 Jan to the end of the peri- od furnished about the 4th Alberta winter record (JR, m.ob.; ph. TK). Also notable were a Brown Thrasher in Jansen, SK in early Dec (MK) and another at an Edmonton area feeder 30 Nov-11 Jan (PM) Bohemian Waxwings drew attention in s. Alberta and s. Manitoba early in the season, but numbers dwindled rapidly and Saskatchewan had few. The Saskatoon area hosted 3 Harris’s Sparrows: one at a city feeder 6-8 Feb (RW) and 2 at the Forestry Farm 11 Feb (SS). Fifty Lapland Longspurs were among 5000+ Snow Buntings in an unharvested sunflower field at Oak Hammock Marsh, MB 26 Jan (KG). Western Meadowlarks appeared in Feb near Okotoks and Calgary, AB (L&SB, TK), and near Burstall, SK (fide BF). Brown-headed Cowbirds were reported without details at Weyburn (fide MB). Winter finches were scarce across the region, except for Pine Grosbeaks in se. Manitoba. Scattered pockets of Pine Siskins were noted at feeders, and small flocks of Common Redpolls fed mainly on alder, birch, and tamarack seeds in se. Manitoba. Observers (regional compilers in boliiface); A. & B. Armstrong, M. Bailey, R. Barclay, K. Barker, R. Bazin (RBz), C. Bjorklund, L. & S. Brown, B. Chartier, A. Cook, H. Copland, M. Coughlin, C. Curtis, L&B. de March, J. Duncan, A. Dyck, B. Flood, J. Flood, B. Frew (BFr), K. Gardner, W. Gierulski, J. Groves, M. Harrison, T. Harriot, G. Holland, R. Hooper, M. Kiehn, R. Koes (RKo), T. Korolyk, R. Kreba, B. Luterbach, P. Molineaux, M. Mulligan, R. Myers, R. Nero, D. Oakford, B. Parsons, R. Parsons, L. Plett, J. Rogers, K. Roman, S. Shadick, N. Short, A. Slater, P. Smith, P. Taylor, T. Thormin, L. Veelma, B. Velner, B. Walker, A. Walleyn, G. Wapple, R. Wapple, E Whiley, J. Whitell, R. Prairie Provinces Birders' Exchange Birders’ Exchange We’ll breathe new life into your old optics, other birding equipment, and books! The American Birding Association and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences are collecting used birding equipment and matching it with bird conservation projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. You can help by donating your used equipment, funds, or by acting as a courier. Contact: Lina DiGregorio 719-578-9703 edcon@aba.org Betty Petersen 508-224-6521 bpetersen@manomet.org http:// americanbirding” org /programs/consbex.htm; Volume 5 5 ( 2 00 1 ), Number 2 185 Northern Great Plains Ron Martin 16900 125th Street SE Sawyer, North Dakota 58781 -9284 (jrmartin@ndak.net) It was, by all accounts, not a terribly birdy winter. Raptor numbers were reasonably good, and Eurasian Collared- Doves continue to increase. The Region’s first Pyrrhuloxia was documented in Montana. December and February temperatures were below average, but January was unusually warm. The eastern Dakotas, northwest North Dakota, and north- eastern Montana endured heavy snow cover all winter, but the rest of the Region had only light to moderate snow amounts. Mountain snow pack was very light, and Missouri River reser- voirs were low. Grebes Through Gyrfalcon A Pied-billed Grebe noted near the end of the period in Jamestown, ND was in the same area where one was recorded on the C.B.C. 15 Dec. This provided the 2nd C.B.C. record and 2nd wintering record for the state (LI). Four Northern Pintails at Upper Souris N.W.R. 25 Feb furnished the earliest spring record for the species in N. Dakota (USNWRS). Two Green- winged Teal survived the season below Garrison Dam, providing the first wintering record for N. Dakota (REM). The first Jan record for S. Dakota, a White-winged Scoter was noted 3 Jan in Charles Mix (RM). Gasual in w S. Dakota, a Long-tailed Duck was noted in Butte 3 Dec (RAS). Bald Eagles were noted in unusual num- bers. The Garrison Dam, ND C.B.C. tallied 38 individuals 15 Dec, and 92 were counted at Ft. Peck, MT 17 Feb (CC). Eight Sharp-shinned Hawks on six N. Dakota C.B.C.s established a new high for the state. Northern Goshawks numbers were notable, with 18 on nine C.B.C.s in N. Dakota, and reports from six counties in S. Dakota. Buteo numbers were good in the Billings, MT area, with 39 Red-tailed Hawks and 23 Rough-legged Hawks counted on the C.B.C. 16 Dec. Gyrfalcon hunting was reward- ing, with 12 noted in N. Dakota, 6 in Montana, and reports from four S. Dakota counties. Gray Partridge Through Doves Gray Partridge numbers in N. Dakota were up some from last year’s very low totals, but the population remains well below the peaks of the early nineties. Ring-necked Pheasant popula- tions were very high, i.e. 1200 in Hettinger 1 Jan (CDF, JPL), and 1584 on the Long Lake G.B.G. 14 Dec. At Ft. Peck, MT aggregations of 70 or more were found daily (GC). A jaeger sp. in Hughes, SD 13 Feb provided the first February record for the state for that genus (RDO). Casual in winter in S. Dakota, a Franklin’s Gull was seen 6 & 9 Dec in Yankton (SVS, DS). A Eurasian CoUared-Dove found in Malta, MT during the Bowdoin NWR C.B.C. was in the area where the species raised young this summer. This furnished the 2nd state nesting record (PS). A Eurasian Collared-Dove in Campbell, SD in Jan provided about the 1 1th record for the state (fide DAT). In N. Dakota, the species was noted at five locations and recorded on three C.B.C.s. The 10th and 11th records were furnished by 2 individuals 14 Dec to the end of the period in Bismarck (HCT) and a single 9 Jan in Hazelton (PF). A peak of 8 was tallied on the Mayville-Portland C.B.C. 23 Dec (RMK). Owls Through Varied Thrush A form rarely seen in N. Dakota, a red-morph Eastern Screech-Owl was noted occasionally in Grand Forks (DOL). Snowy Owls made a good showing in S. Dakota, with reports for 10 counties. A group of 8 Long-eared Owls in Brown, SD 2 1 Feb was a high number for win- ter in this Region (DAT). Possible early migrants, the birds were not seen earlier in the winter in this area. A Boreal Owl was pho- tographed at Icelandic S.P., ND 28 Jan (JPL, CDE, HCT). There are now >20 records for the state. Common Ravens continue to increase in N. Dakota. Thirty were noted 30 Dec in Pembina and Cavalier, the highest one-day count ever for the state (DOL). In n.-cen. N. Dakota, 6 were found on a trip 13 Jan (REM, DNS), and 4 were at J. Clark Salyer N.W.R. 10 Jan (GAE). Accidental in recent decades in S. Dakota, a single Gommon Raven was in Haakon 4 Jan (TJ). A nearly frozen Ruby-crowned Kinglet allowed close approach at Bowdoin, MT 11 Dec (JS, DH). There are few winter records for the area (DP). Casual in winter in S. Dakota, a Mountain Bluebird was e. of normal haunts in Yankton 25 Jan (SVS). Townsend’s Solitaires were noted in 11 N. Dakota counties, and 16 were tallied on the Little Rocky Mts., MT C.B.C. 3 Jan. In S. Dakota, the species was seen in three counties away from the Black Hills. Five Varied Thrushes in N. Dakota during the period was a notable number, and a single was in Butte, SD 22-28 Jan (RAS). 186 North American Birds Northern Great Plains-Southern Great Plains Southern Great Plains Spring Migration 2000 Sparrows Through Redpolls Amercian Tree Sparrows were present in sever- al e. N. Dakota areas this winter where they are usually absent. A Chipping Sparrow found on the Grand Forks, ND C.B.C. 17 Dec was seen through the following week (DOL, EEF). This provided only the 3rd C.B.C. record for the state. A Gray-headed Junco was documented in Rolette, ND 13 Jan (REM, DNS). This pro- vided at least the 3rd record for the state for this subspecies. A White-winged Junco was e. of usual haunts in Yankton, SD 31 Dec (DS). Northern Cardinals made a strong show- ing, with 7 individuals reported from five N. Dakota counties. In n. S. Dakota the species was noted in Edmonds 27 Jan (JDW), and 2 spent the period in Brown (DAT). The bird of the season, a Pyrrhuloxia was reported from a feeder by a casual observer in Billings, MT in early Dec. The sighting was later confirmed by Helen Carlson and others, and photos suitable for confirmation of the identification were obtained. The bird was later tallied on the Billings C.B.C.. The home- owner originally reported 2 birds, but others saw only the single individual. This furnished the first record for Montana and the Region. Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch peaks in the Dakotas were 100 in Lawrence, SD 20 Jan (RDO), and 85 on the Medora, ND C.B.C. 4 Jan (HCT). Red Crossbill numbers were low, with seven N. Dakota observations and reports from three e. S. Dakota counties. Two reports of White-winged Crossbills from N. Dakota totaled only four individuals. Common Redpolls were scarce, with only seven sightings in N. Dakota and two reports from Montana. Contributors: MONTANA; Chuck Carlson, Helen Carlson, Don Hultman, Dwain Prellwitz, Paulette Shores, James Stutzman. NORTH DAKOTA: Corey D. Ellingson, Gary A. Eslinger, Pete Finley, Eve E. Freeberg, Larry Igl, Robert M. Krueger, David O. Lambeth, Jack P. Lefor, Ron E. Martin, Dan N. Svingen, H. Clark Talkington, Upper Souris N.W.R. Staff. SOUTH DAKOTA: Todd Jensen, Ron Mabie, Ricky D. Olson, Jeffrey S. Palmer, Ralph and Alice Shaykett, Dave Swanson, Dan A. Tallman, Steve Van Sickle, J. David Williams. Joseph A. Grzybowski 715 Elmwood Drive Norman, Oklahoma 73072 (grzybow@aix1 .ucok.edu) Recent years have revealed changes in the breeding distributions of some southern waterbirds and shorebirds northward, some of which probably relates to good water condi- tions, at least on average. Some special birding areas have developed recently, in part through habitat management, as noted below. For whatever reasons, the several species of dove, particularly Eurasian Collared-Dove, continue to increase in the Region. Gulls did not offer the diversion of earlier seasons, and it was generally a weak season for warblers, expected to be most in evidence during spring periods. The very warm March weather provided for some exceptional arrival dates. Abbreviations; Cheyenne Bottoms (Cheyenne Bottoms W.M.A., Barton, KS); K.B.R.C. (Kansas Bird Records Committee); L. Ogallala (L. Ogallala, Keith, NE); McConaughy (L. McConaughy, Keith, NE); Quivira (Quivira N.W.R. Stafford, KS); Red Slough (Red Slough W.M.A., McCurtain, OK). Loons Through Ducks Part of the relatively recently “outbreak,” a Yellow-billed Loon, Oklahoma’s 5th, was photographed 2-28 Apr at Sooner L., Pawnee, OK (JWA). Horned Grebes lingered until 20 & 21 May in Cimarron and Roger Mills, OK, respectively (JL et al.) Also among relative recent outbreaks were Red-necked Grebes noted 19 Mar-8 Apr in Tulsa (BC et al.) and 12 Apr in Sedgwick, KS (CG). Western Grebe numbers built to about 18,000 on 22 Apr at McConaughy (SJD). Formerly uncommon Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 187 Yellow-billed Loons have _'i '.jndency toward widespread dispersal in the continent’s interior in recent years; this bird was at Sooner Lake, Pawnee County, Oklahoma 7 April 2000. Photograph by James W. Arterburn. elsewhere in the Region, the high count for Westerns outside McConaughy was the 18 noted in Cimarron, OK 20 May (JM et al). Western Grebes again nested at Cheyenne Bottoms, with six pairs present 21 Apr (CG), one with a chick on its back 31 May (DG). Clark’s Grebes were found at Cheyenne Bottoms 21 Apr (CG), up to 2 in Morton, KS 19 Apr-9 May (EW, m.ob.), in Oklahoma 27 Apr (JAG), Dodge, NE 29-30 Apr (DP, JP), and Cimarron, OK 20 May (JM et al). Courting was seen in Sheridan, NE 19 May (WRS) and in Garden, NE 9 & 16 May (SJD, JG). Three additional Clark’s were present in Sheridan, NE 19 May (LR, RH). Single Neotropic Cormorants appeared in Douglas, KS 3-6 Mar (GP, CG), Oklahoma 27 Apr (JAG), Quivira 13 May (SS), and at Red Slough 14 May (DA). Anhingas seldom make it past the very se. county of Oklahoma, so one 23 Apr in Muskogee, OK (JM) was exceptional. Up to 5 were seen in McCurtain, OK 28 May (BH). Generally a rare post-season vagrant, single Tricolored Herons made it n. to Quivira by 23 Apr (LE), Alfalfa 22 Apr (JAG), Johnston, OK 27 Apr (MS), and Tulsa 3-4 May (LFr, JL, MK, GK). Two Yellow-crowned Night-Herons in Rock, NE 10 May (CHa) were quite northerly. Who would have imagined that from a Region where one White Ibis was noteworthy, the count of 2000 at Red Slough (19 Apr; DA) could occur? The first of this group to arrive were 4 on 23 Mar (DA). The ad. White Ibis seen briefly at L. Ogallala 17 May (AB, SJD), if accepted, would provide the 2nd documented for Nebraska. Continuing in a general pattern of increase for wading birds were reports for Glossy Ibis this season. Although certainly a challenge to identify, well-documented reports were received of singles at Red Slough 1 May (DA), Quivira 6 May (DS), Kingfisher, OK 11-30 May (JWA), and Major, OK 11 May (JWA). One Glossy Ibis with 15 White-faced Ibises in Clay, NE 6 May (JGJ) provided only the 2nd record for Nebraska. White-faced Ibises were first noted 14 Mar in Kingfisher, OK (JWA). This area eventually hosted 21-1- nesting pairs 30 May (JWA), only the 2nd known nesting area in Oklahoma. Rounding out the vagrant Ciconiid list were 13-14 Roseate Spoonbills (!) 22 May at (yes) Red Slough (BH, DA). Just wait until the vagrants really start arriving. The expansion of Black-bellied Whistling- Ducks continues, with 2-8 noted in Major, OK 28 Apr-25 May (JWA, JDo, JAG) and 2-4 at Red Slough 7 & 14 May (DA). The high count for Ross’s Goose was 410 on 25 Mar in Clay, NE (JGJ). Three of the very rare blue-morph Ross’s were noted in a flock of 50-1- in Hall, NE 18 Mar (SS) — not at all a common occurrence. A Eurasian Wigeon was identified in Clay, NE 5 Apr iftde LB). A hybrid wigeon was in Clay, NE 9 & 22 Apr (JGJ). This 3rd such doc- umented hybrid for Nebraska may indicate the mating complications of rarity- — and compli- cate the identification of presumed “pure” individuals in the Region. An American Black Duck in Linn, KS 18 Mar (MG) was the only report for the Region this season. Easterly were 2 Cinnamon Teal 1 Mar at Red Slough (DA) and one 9 May in Tulsa (MK, GK). The Tufted Duck that wintered on Keystone L, Keith, NE (the Region’s only) was last seen 29 Apr (SJD). Two female Surf Scoters were found there 22 & 29 Apr (SJD). An imm. male White-winged Scoter in Kimball, NE 26 Mar (SJD) rounded out a short list for this group. Four Long-tailed Ducks lingered to 23 Apr on Keystone L., with a male last observed there 29 Apr (SJD). Two ad. male and one ad. female Barrow’s Goldeneyes that wintered on Keystone L. were last observed 25 Mar (SJD). Among other lingering waterfowl was a male Common Goldeneye at L. Ogallala 17 May (SJD). A Hooded Merganser with 8 young at Linn, KS 2 May (MG) provided one of few breeding records for the Region. Raptors Through Terns An Osprey 19 Mar at Harlan, NE (GH,WH) was quite early. Bald Eagles have made a mar- velous comeback in the Region. There may now be 30 breeding pairs in Oklahoma {fide AJ), with at least 10 pairs breeding in Kansas {fide LM), much credited to the efforts of the G.M. Sutton Avian Research Center, Alan Jenkins in particular. The numbers of Peregrine Falcons reported in recent years is also encouraging, with 21 from Nebraska, 6 from Kansas, and at least 9 from Oklahoma this season, most windowing the primary migration period. Northern Goshawks, always a rare find, were in Rush, KS 13 Mar (SS), and Kay, OK 9 The first Tufted Duck documented for Nebraska was this male at Lake Ogallala, Keith County on 23 April 2000. Photograph by Stephen J. Dinsmore. 188 North American Birds Southern Great Plains Two (of up to eight) Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were found near Ames, Major County, Oklahoma this spring. This species is expanding its range into the Region. Photograph by James W. Merburn. Apr (GM). Among many extralimitals slightly beyond their range edges, a Red-shouldered Hawk was especially noteworthy 20 Apr in Morton, KS (PJ, AT). A dark-morph Broad- winged Hawk was reported in Omaha 29 Apr (JGJ). Golden Eagles were reported e. to Atoka, OK 18Apr(JH, JM et al.). Although many marsh species have shown prominent increases, for some, reports have been more modest. Up to 5 King Rails were noted at Red Slough, the earliest 23 Mar (DA). Virginia Rails on the other hand have been much more evident, with birds wintering n. to Phelps, NE (5 Mar; LR, RH). Three Black Rails were found in Comanche, KS 21 May (PJ), with one at Cheyenne Bottoms also 21 May (DW,TW). A Purple Gallinule was present 28 May at Red Slough (DA). An exciting event was the Common Crane near Prosser, Adams, NE 10 Mar-2 Apr (M&AC, J&MC, m.ob.), somehow Nebraska’s 6th! Interestingly, it associated with an apparent Lesser Sandhill Crane and 2 young birds that appeared to be hybrids {fide MU). [A similar situation has been noted in New Jersey; see the Hudson-Delaware Winter Season report, this issue. — Ed.] As go the marsh birds, so go the shorebirds, with higher numbers of most species being reported in recent years. The diversity in the Southern Plains Region rivals, perhaps even exceeds, that of many coastal areas. Record high counts for Black-beliied Plovers in the Region were the 469 in the Rainwater Basin of s.-cen. Nebraska 10 May, including 334 in Clay, NE (SJD). Snowy Plovers have become a regular rare spring visitor in s.-cen. Nebraska, with 6 recorded for the season {fide WRS). Piping Plovers continue to hang on as breeders in Nebraska, with five nests found at McConaughy 21 May (WRS). Nesting was underway by 30 May in Saunders, NE (MO) and Cass, NE (BP, LP). Mountain Plovers arrived at their lone Nebraska breeding area in Kimball on the record-early date of 26 Mar (SJD). Black-necked Stilt numbers continue their increases, with 18 reported from Nebraska {fide WRS). They appear to be establishing themselves in a series of playa ponds in Kingftsher/Major, OK (JWA, JAG) and Hackberry Flats, Tillman, OK (m.ob.). Exceptionally early were the 4 Long-billed Curlews in Seward, KS 10 Mar (LE). I can remember when reporting a single Whimbrel was significant. This season, there were up to 10 at McConaughy 9-15 May (SJD); 20 were recorded in Clay, NE 14-15 May (JGJ); and 29 in Meade, KS 21 May (PJ). Ten others were reported for the Region this season. The count of 264 Marbled Godwits at McConaughy 22 Apr, 196 in one group (SJD), was quite remarkable, inasmuch as that species is less given to aggregations of this size in our area. Thousands of Hudsonian Godwits staged at Cheyenne Bottoms {fide LM). The small groups of Buff-breasted Sandpipers reported from the Region this season were less impressive. The appearance of Dunlin at Quivira 31 Mar (6; MR, SS), and 8 Apr (12; CG) was puzzling given their nor- mally later migration window; however, this was not the first year for this to happen. The 3 Red Knots in Riley, KS 13 May (CHe), and one at Quivira, also 13 May (SS), were still excep- tional for spring. Sixty-six Short-billed Dowitchers in the e. Rainvtrater Basin of Nebraska 14 May were identified by voice (JGJ), part of the normal passage through the e, portions of the Region. Silcock tallied 20 Red-necked Phalaropes from e. Nebraska. The only others for Kansas or Oklahoma were one from Riley, KS 13 May (DB) and 5 at Quivira 18 May (GF et ai.). In comparison to shorebirding, gull-watch- ing was a little tepid this season but nonetheless interesting. Laughing Gulls managed to wander to Wagoner, OK 24 Apr & 1 May (JWA), and Cheyenne Bottoms 10 May (MR, m.ob.). A Little Gull in first-alternate plumage seen in the e. Rainwater Basin 6 May (JGJ) was only the 3rd spring record for Nebraska. California Gulls away from McConaughy included singles in SedgvAck, KS 4 Mar (JB), and Morton, KS 19 May (SP et al.). An ad. Mew Gull documented at L. Ogallala 1 Mar (SJD) was Nebraska’s 11th. Thayer’s Gulls, identification problems aside, appear to be increasing in the Region. Five were reported from Nebraska, including an ad. in Scotts Bluff 25 Mar (SJD). But the only report of Lesser Black-backed Gull this season was one in first-alternate plumage at McConaughy 30 Apr (SJD). A clear “zootie” was an Arctic Tern observed the afternoon of 26 May in Tulsa (BC, JL et al.), documented but not pho- tographed as the first for Oklahoma. And one must see a picture to know how impressive, as well as unusual, 348 Caspian Terns, observed 2 May in Wagoner, OK (JWA), can be. Dowes Through Waxwings A Band-tailed Pigeon 14-18 May in Scotts Bluff, NE (JC, fide AK) was only the 2nd for Nebraska. Eurasian Collared-Doves continue to increase in the Region. From 1995 to 1999, there was an approximate doubling of loca- tions at which they were being reported. We would thus expect them now at over 100 loca- tions in the Region. Some towns with higher numbers were Cherokee and Guymon, OK, Hugoton, KS, and Kearney, NE. Inca Doves and White-winged Doves are also increasing but still remain very localized and more southerly. Double-digit numbers of both species were reported from Lawton, OK (J&LM). Five Incas were seen in Meade, KS, and a single White-winged Dove was still pres- ent in Kearney, NE. From reading the email, I know the birders that found the Flainmiilated Owl in Morton, KS 20 May (SP, SS, MR, AP) were absolutely thrilled. This was a first for the Region. Nearly as stunning, a Lesser Nighthawk reported in Morton, KS 30 Apr (CH, SP) would be the 2nd for Kansas if accepted by the K.B.R.C. Demonstrating the early and warm March sea- son was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird 20 Mar in McCurtain, OK (BH). An ad. male Black-chinned Hummingbird noted in Morton, KS 20 May (SP, SS, MR) may be part of a general range expansion in this area. A Lewis’s Woodpecker in Ellsworth, KS 9- 1 1 May (LQ, MR) was unusual, especially given the sparse occurrences of this species in the Oklahoma Panhandle during recent years. Northerly was an Acadian Flycatcher identified Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 189 by song in Dixon, NE 24 May (JJ). Also identi- fied by song was a Dusky Flycatcher in Morton, KS 20 May (SS). A Hammond’s Flycatcher was in Kimball, NE 24 May (CLW), Nebraska’s 3rd in spring. Ash-throated Flycatchers are expanding their range into Morton, KS, with 12 pairs located 31 May (IR). Scissor-tailed Flycatchers arrived on exceptionally early dates: 5 Mar in Sedgwick, KS (CS), with 2 in Cowley, KS 14 Mar (GY). A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher made it to Omaha 3 May (JWH). Northern Shrikes were located in Riley, KS 2 Mar (LJ) and Cimarron, OK 12 Mar (JSt, JM et al.), and as late as 29 Mar in Rush, KS (SS). A number of early arrivals were noted among vire- os, including a Warbling Vireo and White-eyed Vireo 25 Mar in Sequoyah, OK (SB), and 2 Yellow-throated Vireos 26 Mar in McCurtain, OK (BH). Philadelphia Vireos made a poorer showing this season, with only 2 reported from Oklahoma, both in Tulsa 14 & 19 May (BC), and 3 in Nebraska {fide WRS). Adding to the list of early arrivals were a Bank Swallow 2 Apr (JW) and a Cliff Swallow 18 Mar (GK), both in Tulsa. The scattering of summer and nesting reports for Red-breasted Nuthatches in the Region has been curious. This year a pair with two fledglings was observed in Wichita, KS 27 May (HG). Although possibly a very late migrant, a Winter Wren singing at Fort Niobrara N.W.R., Cherry, NE 23 May was sur- prising (CA ftde DR). Blue-gray Gnatcatchers continue to invade the s. Panhandle of Nebraska, with 7 in Banner/Scotts BlujfS May (SJD) being a high count. Two Veeries in Cedar, NE 18 May (BFH) were the only ones reported for Nebraska (fide WRS). Only casual in the Nebraska Panhandle was a Gray-cheeked Thrush in Garden 9 May (SJD). A pair of Mountain Bluebirds nesting 20 May in Cimarron, OK (JBo) may reflect the success of the nest box program. Warblers Through Finches Some might ask what the spring would be like without warblers. In general, they have been harder and harder to find in cen. and w. por- tions of the Region, but there were still a few around. Blue- winged Warblers were found 31 May in Adair, OK (DV, JM), where they likely breed. Only three migrants were reported, one in Johnson, KS 24 Apr (MG), one in Omaha 7 May (NR), and one quite far west in Scotts Bluff, NE 6 May (SJD). The 2 Blue-wingeds in Wyandote, KS 30 Apr-27 May (CH, m.ob.) may also be breeding. The 4 Golden-winged Warblers reported from e. Nebraska {fide WRS) and 6 from e. Kansas {fide LM) were about the expected number. Westerly was a Golden-winged in Sedgwick, KS 13 May (CG). Tennessee Warblers made it w. to L. Ogallala 16 May (SJD) and Scotts Bluff, NE 18 May (AK). This was an exceptionally slow year for Nashville Warblers across the Region, normally among the most abundant species. A Cerulean Warbler was noted in Jefferson, KS 13-19 May (RR), beyond the edge of its expected range. Seasonally exceptional, and possibly also geographically, was a very yellow Palm Warbler documented 19 Mar in Buffalo, NE (JV, RD). Among the early arrivals was a Yellow- throated Warbler 17 Mar in Tulsa (GK), with 5 in Leavenworth, KS 8Apr(JS). Among the exceptional eastern warblers west were Northern Parulas in Morton, KS 20 Apr (EW, BH, JL) and one singing in Hitchcock, NE 15 May (BP, LP). A Chestnut-sided Warbler was found in Scotts Bluff, NE 20 May (MB, DH, WRS). A male Prairie Warbler singing in Scotts Bluff, NE 6 May provided a major surprise (SJD). Hooded Warblers were found in Sedgwick, KS 1 May (CG), and even farther w. in Morton, KS 20 May (SP, SS, MR), and in Sheridan, NE 21 May (MB, DH). Western warblers east included MacGillivray’s Warblers in Sedgwick, KS 13 May (CG), and Stafford, KS, also 13 May (SS). An apparent first-year male Black-throated Gray Warbler in Otoe, NE 25 May (LF, CF) was the 2nd documented for Nebraska. Even more exceptional was a male Painted Redstart noted at Quivira 5 Apr (CFZ), currently under review by the K.B.R.C. Among the rarer warblers in the Region were Cape Mays in Riley, KS 13 May (PE) and Douglas, KS 19 May (GP, RA). Individuals of another “zootie,” Black-throated Blue Warbler, appeared in Linn, KS 5 May (MM), Sedgwick, KS 5-7 May (CS, HG, m.ob.), Shawnee, KS 13 May (JBr), and at L. Ogallala 15 May (JF, SJD). Five Cassin’s Sparrows wandered e. to Stafford, KS 13 May (SS, MR). The Brewer’s Sparrow in Morton, KS 19 May (SP, m.ob.) was on the edge of its migration corridor. Among those birds you just hope will hang in there were 2 Henslow’s Sparrows in Lancaster, NE 6- 31 May (KP, SJD). Others were reported from Linn, KS {fide LM), and Tulsa {fide JL). Always a good find, especially in the spring, was a Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow in Washington, NE 22 May (JT). Bachman’s Sparrows in Osage, OK 20 Apr (BG) and Atoka, OK 18 Apr (6; WAG et al.) provide data points for this very local species. A rare Gray-headed Junco in Sarpy, NE this winter made its final appear- ance 9 Mar (PS). Hopeful news for McCown’s Longspurs was the 2302 counted in sw. Kimball, NE 8 Apr (SJD), a record count. Certainly wandering considerably from their home bases were a male Pyrrhuloxia in Ford, KS 25 Apr (JD) and a female at Quivira 19 May (LW). Rose-breasted Grosbeaks wan- dered w. to Kimball, NE 17 May (SJD), Scotts Bluff, NE 20 May (DH), and in Sioux and Dawes, NE 20-21 May (m.ob.). A Baltimore Oriole was with 2 male Bullock’s Orioles in Scotts Bluff, NE 13 May (AK). A family group of Red Crossbills with three juveniles was in Banner/Scotts Bluff, NE 22 Apr (SJD); no direct evidence for breeding has yet been observed in Nebraska. A Common Redpoll (re)appeared in Scottsbluff 27 Mar-1 Apr {ftde AK), a rather late date. A pair of Pine Siskins was nest-building in Sumner, KS 14 Mar (MT), not a usual event. Cited observers (area editors boldfaced): KANSAS: Robert Antonio, James Barnes, Joanne Brier (JBr), Doris Burnett, Joyce Davis, Lisa Edwards, Pat Freeman, Greg Friesen, Dan Gish, Chet Gresham, Harry Gregory, Bonnie Heidy, Chris Hobbs, Chad Hedinger (CHe), Pete Janzen, Lowell Johnson, Jean Leonatti (JLe), Mick McHugh, Lloyd Moore, Sebastian Patti, Galen Pittman, Alexi Powell, Lee Queal, Richard Rucker, Mike Rader, John Rakestraw, Carolyn Schwab, Scott Seltman, John Schukman, David Seibel, Ann Tarver, Max Thompson, Edge Wade, Dave Williams, Lou Winterfield, Tracy Wohl, Gene Young, C. Fred Zeillmaker. NEBRASKA: Christopher Anderson, Laurel Badura, Mark Brogie, Jamalee Clark, Marty & Alex Colon, Jim & Michael Coury, Raymond Davis, Stephen J. Dinsmore, Carol Falk, Laurence Falk, Joe Fontaine, Joe Gubanyi, Carolyn Hall (CHa), John W. Hall, Robin Harding, Dave Heidt, Wayne Hoffman, Glen Hoge, Wanda Hoge, Bill F. Huser, Jan Johnson, Joel G. Jorgensen, Alice Kenitz, Mark Orsag, Babs Padelford, Loren Padelford, Don Paseka, Jan Paseka, Kevin Poague, Lanny Randolph, Neal Ratzlaff, Dave Rintoul, Scott Seltman, W. Ross Silcock, Phil Swanson, Jerry Toll, Mark Urwiller, John Vanderpoel, Christopher L. Wood. OKLA- HOMA: David Arbour, James W. Arterburn, Sandy Berger, Jane Boren (JBo), Bill Carrell, William A. Carter, John Dole (JDo), Lynda Fritts (LFr), Bonnie Gall, Joseph A. Grzybowski, Jim Harman, Berlin Heck, Alan Jenkins, George Kamp, Marty Kamp, Jo Loyd, Janet 8< Louis McGee, Jeri McMahon, Greg Mills, Michael Schummer, John Sterling (JSt), Don Varner, Jimmy Woodard. 190 North American Birds Southern Great Plains The Nesting Season 2000 Joseph A. Gny bowski 715 EImvrood Drive Morman, Oklahoma 73072 (grzybow@aix1 .ucok.edu) Summers can sometimes seem a lull from the migration periods, but with the trailing end of spring migration and the onset of fall migration, many shorebird species provide welcome additions to breeding waterbirds, particularly in such special areas such as Funk Lagoon in Nebraska, Quivira in Kansas, and Red Slough in Oklahoma. Curiously, some species- — such as Least Bittern and King Rail' — do not seem to be expanding into available wetlands as rapidly as some others, such as ¥/hite-faced Ibis and Black-necked Stilt. A number of Gulf Coast wading birds appear to be marching into southeastern Oklahoma — White Ibis and Wood Stork in particular. For landbirds, the summer account is more modest, very much so for Neotropical migrants and grassland birds. Black-capped Vireos continue to increase in the Wichita Mountains under cowbird and habitat man- agement, Ash-throated Flycatchers may be moving into the Plains. Abbreviatioiisi Cheyenne Bottoms (Cheyenne Bottoms W.M.A., Barton, KS); Hackberry (Hackberry Flats W.M.A, Tillman, OK); McConaughy (L. McConaughy, Keith, NE); Quivira (Quivira N.W.R. Stafford, KS); Rainwater Basin (pothole area in south-central Nebraska); Red Slough (Red Slough W.M.A., McCurtain, OK). Loons Through Ducks Quite unexpected was an ad. Pacific Loon in Scotts Blujf, NE 16 Jun (WRS), only the 6th summer record for the Region. The fall buildup of Western Grebes at McConaughy was underway by 31 Jul with 5700 present (SJD). Clark’s Grebes were noted in Harlan, NE 15-30 Jun (MB, GH, WH) and-27-28 Jun in Cimarron, OK (BH). Neotropic Cormorants continue to be observed farther n., with a post-breeding ad. at Pawnee, NE 20-23 Jul (WRS et al.). A small group of up to 5 was present at Red Slough (DA, BH). Least Bitterns maintain a spotty distribu- tion, with birds noted in Sarpy, NE 16 Jun (fide WRS), Phelps, NE 16 Jul (LR, RH), Red Slough 23 Jun & 6 Jul (DA), and Major, OK 7-19 Jul (JAG, DE, JWA). A Little Blue Heron wandered n. and w. to McConaughy 19 Jul (JF). Tricolored Herons appeared in Pottawatomie, KS 18 Jun (PO), Quivira 1 Jul (SF, CG, CM), with 2 at Red Slough 2-20 Jul (DA), and 2 in Alfalfa, OK 19 Jul (JAG). A Yellow- crowned Night-Heron in Sarpy, NE 3 Jun {fide WRS) was the only report for Nebraska this season. Ibises added accent to the season. Hundreds of White Ibis were present at Red Slough, where two nests were photographed 20 Jul on Ward L. (DA, JWA et al.), the first documented nesting for the Region. Glossy Ibises 12 & 20 Jul at Red Slough, 2 and one, respectively (DA), and one 11 May-25 Jul in Kingfisher, OK (JWA, JC, JAG) were well documented. In addition, a local collection of some 70-80 White-faced Ibises in Kingfisher, OK produced 40+ juvs. by 7 Jul (JWA), only the 2nd breeding site known in Oklahoma. Several Roseate Spoonbills were found among the ibises at Red Slough 20 Jun-23 Jul (DA, BH, m.ob.). Also here were up to 55 Wood Storks 7 Jun-23 Jul (DA, BH). A Wood Stork wandered far afield to Finney, KS 16-19 Jun (DB, CG). Vagrant summer waterfowl appear to be increasing. Among the more notable were 2 Greater White-fronted Geese in Phelps, NE 1 1 Jun (LR, RH) and one at Quivira 17 Jun (SS). While exceptional only a few years back, Black- bellied Whistling-Ducks made appearances in Kingfisher, OK (2-3 birds; JWA, JAG), Osage, OK 27 Jun (one bird; JL et al.), and Red Slough (2-4 birds; DA, BH, m.ob.). A Cinnamon Teal in the e. Rainwater Basin 30 Jul (JGJ) was easterly. Nineteen were pres- ent in Scotts Blujf, NE 15 Jun (WRS). One or 2 Green-winged Teal were noted in Phelps, NE 11-18 Jun (LR, RH), Red Slough (2) 23 Jun (DA), Major, OK (2) 5 Jul (JWA, JD), and Kingfisher, OK (3) 29 Jsl (JAG). One to 2 Gadwall and one Northern Pintail were observed south to Red Slough 29 Jun-23 Jul (DA). A Redhead pair produced two young by 5 Jul in Major, OK (JWA). Among seldom sum- mering waterfowl were a female Canvasback at Hackberry 6 Jul (JAG) and a female Bufflehead in Keith, NE 30 Jul (SJD). Although scattered records of nesting Hooded Merganser have emerged in recent years, the 7 reported from Nebraska were believed most likely to be pre- breeding yearlings {ftde WRS). A female Hooded was in Riley, KS 15 Jun (TF), with 3 Hoodeds in Johnston, OK 23 Jun (MS). Common Mergansers, only casual in summer away from McConaughy, were found at two locations in Harlan, NE 1 1 Jun (GH, V/H), and in Lancaster, NE 18 Jun-4 Jul (LEi, JGJ). Raptors Through Terns An Osprey in Keith, NE during early Jul (RK ftde SJD) was intriguing. Summer reports of Peregrine Falcon came from Otoe, NE 11 Jul (LF, CF); a juvenile was harassing shorebirds at McConaughy 30 Jul (SJD, JF). Reports of Gray Partridge from Nebraska continue to be sparse, possibly suggesting a continuation of a low population ebb. In con- trast, numbers of Northern Bobwhite were clearly up (fide WRS). King Rails were found at Red Slough 7 Jun- 12 Jul (DA), and Hackberry 17 Jun (JAG). The Red Slough W/.M-A., McCurtain County, Oklahoma has become an oasis for a number of southern waterbirds including these Neotropic Cormorants found 12 July 2000. Photograph by Steve Metz. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 191 This nest with three eggs, one of two observed 20 July 2000, provides the first docu- mentation of breeding of White Ibis for the Region — at none other than Red Slough W.M.A., McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Photograph by James \N. Arterburn. Black Rails continue to be found at Quivira and in Stafford, KS {fide LM), the apparent lonely outposts. Common Moorhens also made a few extra appearances this season, pro- ducing up to 11 young in Major, OK (JAG, JWA), 7 in Kingfisher, OK (JWA), 6 at Red Slough (DA), and at least one young in Barber, KS (PJ). Only the 2nd breeding record of Snowy Plover for Nebraska was provided by an ad. with a young chick 3 Jul on the s. shore of McConaughy (GWi, RK fide SJD). An ad. female was seen on the n. shore of McConaughy 31 Jul (CLW). About 20 pairs of Piping Plovers at McConaughy this season attempted 32 nestings {fide SJD). A Piping Plover was also noted at Quivira 12 Jun (CG), with a migrant appearing at Red Slough 19-20 Jul (JWA et ah). Two Mountain Plovers were noted from Kimball, NE 10 Jun (JS), the only report. Black-necked Stilt numbers continue to explode. In Nebraska, an ad. with a fledgling at the w. end of McConaughy 29-30 Jul (SJD, JF) provided the first breeding record for Keith. Four young in Meade, KS hatched before 13 Jun (LE), with young also noted in Barber, KS 23 Jul (DAn et al.). Remarkably, up to 40 Black-necked Stilts defended scattered young at Hackberry 6 Jul (JAG). Breeding also occurred in Major and Kingfisher, OK with at least 2 young produced at each location ( JWA, JAG). Other stilts (2-4 birds) were found in Wagoner, OK 1 Jun (JWA), Phelps, NE 11-18 Jun (LR et al.). Box Butte, NE 13 Jun (fide WRS), Scotts Bluff, NE 27 Jun (PL), and Red Slough 7 Jun-23 Jul (DA). The status of Long- billed Curlews found in Meade, KS 10 Jun (TF), Sedgwick, KS 11 Jun (PJ), Seward, KS 15 Jun (5 birds; LE) and Edwards, KS 5 Jul (MR) might be open to several interpreta- tions— from breeders to vagrants to migrants. Tardy were 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers in the e. Rainwater Basin 4 Jun (JGJ) and 4 in Phelps, NE 11 Jun (LR, RH). Two Semipalmateds at the latter 25 Jun (JGJ) may simply have extended their stay or were very early return- ing fall migrants. Also tardy were a Dunlin in Phelps, NE 1 1 Jun (LR, RH), 4 Stilt Sandpipers in Phelps, NE 11 Jun (LR, RH), with one in Lancaster, NE 18 Jun (LEi). More exceptional early returns among shorebirds included a Semipalmated Plover in the e. Rainwater Basin 16 Jul (JGJ), Greater Yellowlegs in Scotts Bluff, NE 15 Jun (WRS), a Marbled Godwit at Quivira 25 Jun (SF, CG), and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper 20 Jul at Red Slough (JWA et al). Summer vagrants (late spring migrants or failed nesters already mov- ing south) were a Whimbrel at Quivira 25 Jun (SF, CG), a Hudsonian Godwit (in high alter- nate plumage) in Phelps, NE 11 Jun (LR, RH), and Pectoral Sandpipers in Clay, NE 25 Jun & 2 Jul (JGJ), and Hackberry 27 Jun (JAG). Although several thousand can be seen on occasion in the Region, the 5642 Baird’s Sandpipers individually counted at McConaughy 30 Jul (SJD, JF) was a record by far. A Short-billed Dowitcher was found 27 Jun at Hackbery (JAG), with 3 in the e. Rainwater Basin 9 Jul (JGJ). A Common Snipe was a vagrant or an early migrant in the e. Rainwater Basin 30 Jul (JGJ). Suggestive of breeding were reports of 17 Wilson’s Phalaropes from Phelps, NE 18 Jun (LR, RH) and the 5 from the e. Rainwater Basin 3 Jul (JGJ). A Laughing Gull in second-alternate plumage at McConaughy 19 Jul (CLW, JF) was the 4th documented summer record for Nebraska. Another was in Wagoner, OK 22 Jul (JWA). An ad. California Gull apparently sum- mered in Wagoner, OK (JWA). Quite unusual was a second-year Herring Gull at McConaughy 29 Jul, joined by a juv. Herring the next day (SJD). Ad. Common Terns report- ed in Hitchcock, NE 22 Jul (WRS) and Lincoln, NE 30 Jul (SJD, JF) were likely failed breeders. Doves Through Finches Continuing the Eurasian Collared-Dove saga, reports have almost been doubling annually since 1995, when the first was reported in Muskogee, OK. A small group in Cass, NE pro- duced young observed 25 Jul (GW), the 3rd breeding site identified in Nebraska. Other reports came from Washington and Keith, NE {fide WRS), Crawford, Douglas, Edwards, Pratt, and Sedgwick, KS {fide WRS), and Alfalfa, Blaine, Cimarron, and Wagoner, OK. A White- winged Dove was found 8 Jul in Chase, NE (FR), the 10th for Nebraska. A pair of Inca Doves was present 9 Jul in Pushmataha, OK (D&GG). Few Black-billed Cuckoos have been report- ed of late. Reports this season included singles in Harvey/McPherson, KS 3 Jun (GF), Sedgwick, KS 1 1 Jun (CG, PJ), Dixon, NE 13 Jun (JJ), and Otoe, NE 21-29 Jul (LF, CF). A White-throated Swift in Sioux, NE 10 Jun (AK) was unexpected; even more so was one documented at the w. end of McConaughy 29 Jul (SJD, JF). The only reports of Rufous Hummingbird came from Pinney, KS 19 & 28 Jul (T8cSS, L8cBR), Seward, KS 28 Jul (LE), and Kimball, NE 29 Jul (SJD, JF). An exceptional find was a Calliope Hummingbird in Einney, KS 28 Jul (L8cBR). Among those species creeping northward was an Acadian Flycatcher pair nesting in Thurston, NE 4 Jul (BFH), the 2nd known nesting in Nebraska. A Dusky Flycatcher cred- ibly documented in Lincoln, NE 21 Jul (WRS) will be reviewed by the state records commit- tee. Cordilleran Flycatchers have become more common (or more apparent) in the w. Pine Ridge Canyons of Nebraska in recent years; a count of 11 was made in Sowbelly Canyon, Sioux, NE 20 Jul (JF). A record of an Ash- throated Flycatcher heard calling in lower Sowbelly Canyon 20 Jul (CLW,JF), a possible 2nd for Nebraska, will require records com- mittee review. An Ash-throated wandered through a site in Blaine, OK 10-12 Jun (JAG). A Cassin’s Kingbird managed its way e. to Morton, KS 2 Jun (JB). Black-capped Vireos under management continue to increase in the Wichita Mountains; about 450 territories were mapped (JAG, RW, DF), up from about 60 in 1988. However, only nine females could be located in Blaine, OK (JAG). Four Plumbeous Vireos were in Sioux, NE 1 1 Jun (JS), with 3 more seen at a separate locality 20 Jul (JF). The Region flirts with two Warbling Vireo forms. A nominate type was identified as far w. as Dundy, NE 22 Jul (WRS). The westerly swainsoni form is known to breed only in far nw. Nebraska {fide WRS). Unexpected were 2 Pinyon Jays in Kimball, NE 17 Jun (WRS). Bank Swallow concentra- tions built to 10,000 flying over marshes in 192 North American Birds Southern Great Plains-Texas Phelps, NE 30 Jul (LR, RH). Intriguing were reports of juv. Cave Swallows, one & 2 birds 29 Jun and 2 Jul at Red Slough (DA), and one to 2 birds at Hackberry 20 Jul (JAG); these are under review by the Oklahoma Bird Records Committee. Unusual was a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches that fledged 2 young in Sedgwick, KS by 27 Jun (H&SG). Other errant Red- breasteds, possibly early migrants, were one in Kimball, NE and 2 in Banner, NE, both 29 Jul (SJD). Another species with multiple subspecies in the Region is the White-breasted Nuthatch. The eastern form (cookei) summers in the Platte Valley w. to the Kearney area. One in Scotts Bluff/Banner, NE 3 Jul (AK) was only the 3rd summer report in the WOdcat Hills, but it was of undetermined race. Those taped in Sioivc, NE are the Rocky Mountain form {nelsonr, CLW). Apparently the first summer record of Winter Wren for Nebraska was of a territorial bird taped singing in Cherry, NE 23 May-13 Jun (CA). Unexpected was a Swainson’s Thrush heard singing in Harlan, NE 6 Jul (GH, WH). Possibly an early migrant was a Sage Thrasher in Kimball, NE 29 Jul (SJD, JF). There was only a handful of warbler records upon which to comment — hopefully not an ominous sign. A surprise was a Blue-winged Warbler w. in Cherry, NE 5-6 Jun (CA). Tardy were a Tennessee Warbler in Seward, NE 10-11 Jun (JG), and a Chestnut-sided Warbler in Washington/Donglas, NE 8 Jun (JBr). The small population of Cerulean Warblers in Omaha, NE area was reduced to 2 single males (BP, LP). Wandering w. was a Northern Parula 1 Jul in Butler, KS (PJ). Pine Warblers fledged young in Tulsa (BC), an outlying site. Yellow-breasted Chats, now casual in e. Nebraska, were seen in Saunders 21 Jul (MO). A recent fledgling was found in Scotts Bluff, NE 3 Jul (AK). South of typical range was a Spotted Towhee in Pawnee, KS 18 Jun (SS). A Brewer’s Sparrow carrying food in Dundy, NE 21 Jul (WRS) provided a first apparent breeding record for this county. Henslow’s Sparrows were detected at four locations in se. Nebraska (fide WRS), with a singing male seen west to Clay, NE (JGJ). A Bachman’s Sparrow, a species with a very local distribution in e. Oklahoma, was noted 4 & 9 Jun in Osage, OK (BG). Generally spotty in distribution s. of the Platte Valley, a male Bobolink was in Phelps, NE 18 Jun (GH, WH). A prairie in Buffalo, NE hosted at least 26 on 3 Jul (LR, RH). Certainly a surprise was a Pine Grosbeak seen briefly at Texas feeders in Scotts Bluff/Banner, NE 10 Jun (JS). Lesser Goldfinches visited feeders in Scotts Bluff, NE 12-15 Jun (JGl/ideAK); at least one was a green-backed male (/ide WRS). Cited observers (area editors boldfaced): KANSAS: Dennis Angle (DAn), Daniel Baffa, James Barnes, Lisa Edwards, Suzanne Fellows, Tom Flowers, Gregg Freisen, Harry 8c Sharon Gregory, Chet Gresham, Pete Janzen, Cheryl Miller, Lloyd Moore, Peter Oviatt, Mike Rader, Leonard 8c Betty Rich, Scott Seltman, Tom and Sara Shane. NEBRASKA: Christohper Anderson, John Brenneman (JBr), Mark Brogie, Jamella Clark (JCl), Stephen J. Dinsmore, Larry Einemann (LEi), Carol Falk, Laurence Falk, Joe Fontaine, Joe Gubanyi, Robin Harding, Glen Hoge, Wanda Hoge, Bill F. Huser, Jan Johnson, Joel G. Jorgensen, Alice Kenitz, Roger Knades, Paul Lehman, Mark Orsag, Babs Padelford, Loren Padelford, Lanny Randolph, W. Ross Silcock, John Sullivan, Gabriel Wilson (GWi), Chris L. Wood, Gertrude Wood, Merlin Wright. OKLAHOMA: David Arbour, James W. Arterburn, Bill Carrell, Jeff Cox, John Dole, David Elmendorf, Dan Farrell, Bonnie Gall, David and Gere Gill, Joseph A. Grzybowski, Berlin Heck, Jo Loyd, Michael Schumner, Rob Wood. Chuck Sexton 101 E. 54th St. Austin, Texas 78751 -1 232 (cwsexton@onr.com) (2|IAVe actually had a winter!” was the sur- ■ 11 prised refrain of several observers, reflecting the memory of mild conditions of recent years. There were repeated cold snaps through December and January, and the period was quite wet over most of the state. Yet we seemed to have just the right combination of timing and pattern of fronts to hold many lin- gering birds in the shelter of the coastal zone while pushing winter’s usual visitors a bit far- ther coastward. The montane/western invasion of the fall was a conspicuous theme in the west- ern half of the state, and it sent many ambassa- dors well to the south and east. Drought condi- tions still plagued deepest south Texas, but most of the Trans-Pecos was wet enough to anticipate a marvelous late winter wildflower bloom of immense diversity. The latter area still lacked a good seed crop for grassland species, however. Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 193 This Yellow-billed Loon near Port Isabel in southernmost Texas became a regular fixture after late February, providing a first Gulf of Mexico record. Photograph from video by Scarlet & George Colley. due to the earlier dry conditions. Perhaps for similar reasons, grassland birds were also very sparse in the Panhandle. Seedeaters, including towhees, sparrows, buntings, and longspurs among others, had clearly shifted into the east- ern portions of the state. With this column we bring Dr. Mark Adams on board as Trans-Pecos subregional editor. Mark is a well-traveled and enthusiastic student of birds and everything else under (and beyond) the sun (...when not chasing birds. Dr. Adams is also Superintendent of the University of Texas’s McDonald Observatory). We’ll now expect our long-time friend and colleague Kelly Bryan to quit goofing off, get out there, and find some really interesting birds for us! Many thanks to KB for years of great reporting. Abbreviations; L.R.G.V. (Lower Rio Grande Valley); T.B.R.C. (Texas Bird Records Committee); T.C.W.C. (Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection; Texas A & M Univ.); T.P.W.D. (Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.); U.T.C. (Upper Texas Coast). The following are short- ened names for the respective county, state, or national parks and wildlife refuges, etc.: Anahuac, Aransas, Balcones Canyonlands, Bentsen, Big Bend, Big Bend Ranch, Buffalo Lake, Choke Canyon, Hueco Tanks, Richland Creek, Sabal Palm, and San Bernard. Loons Through Herons Two or 3 Red-throated Loons were seen at two Trans-Pecos reservoirs periodically, most reg- ularly at Imperial Res., Pecos (MAd et al.). At least 11 Pacific Loons were scattered around the state, mostly in e. and coastal Texas, but also including a bird at Imperial Res., Pecos and singles in the South Plains in Dec and Feb. A Yellow-billed Loon discovered by the Colleys in the Brownsville Ship Channel 22 Dec represented the 5th Texas record and a first for the Gulf of Mexico (ph., fto TBRC). The bird went undetected again until 25 Feb, when it began to be seen regularly. Although occasionally viewed from shore, regular boat- ing trips were the best opportunity dozens of birders had to find this rarity; it remained through the season. A Red-necked Grebe pro- vided a very rare Trans-Pecos record at Imperial Res. 22 Dec (M & AC). A great find by Noreen Baker and George Saulnier was a Red-necked Grebe on L. Austin, Travis 18 Dec- 14 Jan, a first Austin record. Almost as rare was a Clark’s Grebe in Lubbock 16 Dec (CSt, BPh). Numbers of both Clark’s and Western Grebes are still on the increase in the Trans-Pecos; most unexpected were young Clark’s chicks at McNary 14 8c 17 Dec (ph. BZ). A Band- rumped Storm-Petrel was brought to a reha- bilitator in early Mar; the bird had crashed into a fishing boat off Port Isabel 27 Feb {fide RWe). This is one of very few winter records of the species in the Gulf of Mexico. An imm. Brown Pelican was another unexpected find at McNary 21 Feb (JZ). A Neotropic Cormorant was in Nacogdoches 15-27 Feb where they are quite rare (JFa, DW, MW). An Anhinga was unexpected away from the coast 19 Feb in Bastrop (BFr). As many as 3 Reddish Egrets were at L. Balmorhea, Reeves through the peri- od, and another 2 were at nearby Imperial Res. (m.ob.). A mixed flock of 2 Black-crowned and 7 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons on Barton Creek 31 Jan was unseasonal for Austin (MW). Waterfowl Through Raptors A pair of swans on a small pond in Hemphill 1 8c 10 Dec proved to be Trumpeters (ph. BPi, et al.); the pond soon froze and the swans depart- ed, but the landowner reported their apparent return later in the winter. Four Tundra Swans were on a private lake in Burleson 30-31 Dec {fide BeF); 2 more were reported in Burnet 3 Jan (DY). A “wigeon with a red head” reported at a hunter check station in Brazoria may rep- resent a first county record of Eurasian Wigeon if researchers can ever catch up with that hunter to verify the record! Three White- winged Scoters were reported on the U.T.C. ; of more significance was a pair of White-wingeds on a small lake at Balcones Canyonlands near Austin 29 Nov (KBo), a first Refuge record. There were an unusual number of Long-taOed Ducks in e. Texas: up to 3 were at various L. Tawakoni sites from late Nov into early Dec, and others were on L. O’ the Pines 28-30 Dec; on the coast, single Long-taileds were seen at Bolivar Flats 5-6 Feb and at San Luis Pass 28 Feb (m.ob.). Both Common Goldeneye and Common Mergansers were seen in e. Texas and far w. Texas in increased numbers compared to an average winter, presumably due to frozen water to the north. White-tailed Kites were rare finds in Milam 19 Dec (CM), Grimes 27 Jan (S 8c DWi), and Nacogdoches Feb-Mar (JF). A Bald Eagle in El Paso 2 Dec-t- was one of very few records there (JSp, BZ). Zimmer discovered an imm. Northern Goshawk at Hueco Tanks 21 Feb, only the 2nd documented El Paso record. A Harris’s Hawk in the c. Edwards Plateau in Mason 20 Dec was unusual (BoF, DFu), as was another on the Anahuac C.B.C. 28 Dec (JSt). Well to the n., a Harris’s graced Channing, Hartley in the Panhandle 2 Feb (MCa, AF). A Roadside Hawk was discovered 11 Dec at Bentsen and seen at least through 15 Dec (ph. J 8c PC). As has often been the case, the bird was very elusive and was glimpsed by few other observers through early Feb. This is only the 4th documented record for Texas and the United States. A Red-shouldered Hawk was a rare find near Fort Davis 11-31 Dec (KB et al.). There were two cen. Texas reports of White- tailed Hawks: one at L. Buchanan 12 Dec (MxH), and another near Manor 21 Jan ( JMu). Quail Through Terns Gambel’s Quail appeared to be increasing in far w. Texas sites such as at Hueco Tanks {fide BZ). Droughty conditions were blamed for Yellow Rails being tough to come by in their usual U.T.C. haunts. A Black Rail was a com- plete surprise in Lubbock 16 Dec (PK). Sandhill Cranes wintered in unexpectedly large numbers in the cen. Brazos Valley and Post Oak Savannah region of Texas {fide BeF). The wintering Whooping Crane population in 194 North American Birds Texas the Aransas area peaked at 180 birds (TSt). A Piping Plover survey from Jefferson to Matagorda produced a count of only 121 birds in the first two weeks of Feb {fide PG), down fi-om 404 in 1991 and 176 in 1996 for the same stretch of beach. The Williamson wintering population of Mountain Plovers peaked at 67 on 20 Jan (TF). Six Mountain Plovers in Lee 14 Dec were a first county record (CHam). A Long-billed Curlew in Gregg 16 Dec (GLu) and 3 Pectoral Sandpipers in Henderson 29 Dec (TrP) provided very rare inland winter records. Two Dunlin at Midland 5 & 15 Feb provided first Vidnter records there (FR, RMS). A Ruff was at El Canelo Ranch, Willacy 29 Dec-1 Jan {fide BMc, ph. SBe). The previously reported Finnish-banded Black-headed Gull in n. Texas departed early with Bonaparte’s 21 Dec {fide MRe). Three Mew Gulls (including 2 ads.) were on the U.T.C., another 3-4 were at L. Worth (MRe), and another ad. Mew provided a 2nd El Paso record 13 Jan (JPa). There was a glut of California Gulls on the coast, with over a dozen reports. An imm. Thayer’s was on Galveston’s East Beach periodically from mid- Dec to late Jan (m.ob.), and an ad. was there 30 Jan 8c 4 Feb (MAu, JO). An ad. Thayer’s Gull was at the Corpus Christ! landfill, Nueces 24 Feb (vt. J 8c BRi, WS). Three more Thayer’s were reported in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area (fide MRe). Along with a slew on the coast, a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also noted in Austin (CM, TF et al.) and at L. Worth (MRe). Most notable was an ad. Lesser Black- backed at Richland Cr. 18 Feb (PBa), which provided a first Freestone record. An imm. Black-legged Kittiwake was at the L. Livingston spillway, San Jacinto/Polk 9-11 Dec (DCa et al.). A very rare winter sighting of Sooty Tern was made at Arroyo City, Cameron 24 Feb (BCo). Doves Through Nightjars Eurasian Collared-Doves settled into the L.R.G.V. with one reported at Rancho Viejo, Cameron 3 Feb (BMc); just to the n., over 20 had been seen at grain elevators in Kleberg in early Jan (MAn). There was the first Brewster record of Eurasian Collared-Dove at Alpine 11-13 Dec (BC), and a small colony was dis- covered in El Paso in mid-Feb, a 2nd county record (BZ). Six more counties can be added to those hosting Collared-Doves in the Panhandle: Dickens, Donley, Foard, Hartley, Hutchinson, and Moore. Indicative of numbers up north were 50 or so in Texline, Dallam 8 Dec (CS). A count of 33 Common Ground- Doves at San Bernard 20 Jan was exceptionally high for the U.T.C. (DV); another unusual find were two Ground-Doves in San Augustine 3 Jan (DW et al.). Two campers at the Thompson Grove near Texline, Dallam heard a calling Western Screech-Owl 2 Feb (MCa, AF), pro- viding only the 2nd Panhandle report. Up to 9 Burrowing Owls wintering in the Granger L. area suggested a good influx into cen. Texas (TF). A Long-eared Owl found on the Freeport C.B.C. 17 Dec constituted only the 2nd Brazoria record (JBr et al.). The number of Northern Saw-whet Owls in the Panhandle and w. Texas was unbelievable: an injured Saw- whet were recovered in Lubbock 5 Dec, reha- bilitated, and released (CMi); an imm. Saw- whet was in a Randall neighborhood 8 Dec, followed by an ad. at the same site 10 Dec (J 8c MHi); Kelly Bryan salvaged a specimen Saw- whet at Davis Mts. SP 4 Jan; single Saw-whets were heard calling at Big Bend Ranch 27 Jan (BG) and at Amarillo 9 Feb (KS; f to T.B.R.C.); at a different Amarillo location, a 3rd specimen was obtained from the same yard 10 Feb where 2 others had been “collected” by a pet dog in the fall (ACa; * to T.C.W.C.); and finally, yet another was in Lubbock 14 Feb (KD, RKo; ph. to T.B.R.C.). Hummingbirds Through Woodpeckers A Green-breasted Mango was discovered in McAllen 1 Feb (fide BMc) and photographed 8 Feb (ph LBe, t RBe). Wintering Anna’s Hummingbirds made appearances in Llano and Hays. A single report of Costa’s Hummingbird, at Terlingua Ranch, Brewster 10 Dec was received (COK). An amazing 4 Calliope Hummingbirds were at feeders in the Austin area in Dec and Jan (m.ob.); a single Calliope was also at L. Jackson, Brazoria, 3-4 Jan (T 8c SCo), and another 2 wintered in El Paso (BZ). A Rufous Hummingbird lingered in Amarillo 13 Nov-4 Dec (TP), a new winter record. Curiously only a single unidentified wintering hummingbird was reported at Big Bend, and none lingered in the Davis Mts. (MF, KB). Hill Country Ringed Kingfishers included one in Austin 16 Dec-4 Jan. (SDa, m.ob.) and another on the Frio R., Uvalde in early Feb (OC). A seriously misplaced Ringed Kingfisher was at Imperial Res., Pecos 3 Feb (RKo, FR), a new county record. Of the invad- ing Lewis’s Woodpeckers, some seemed to linger, while others seemed to bounce around; Lewis’s were reported at four Trans-Pecos sites, as well as Midland, Lubbock, Abilene, and Del Rio; the southernmost Lewis’s at Choke Canyon, McMullen was around until at least 1 Jan (JJa). Nice winter finds were single Acorn Woodpeckers in Lubbock 16 Dec (RE) and in El Paso in January (JZ, RR, BZ). A Red-bellied Woodpecker in Dallam 25 Jan was a new coun- ty record (BG, MI). A Red-naped Sapsucker was in Corpus Christ! 9 Dec (GB), but of much greater interest was a Red-breasted Sapsucker seen by Kelly Bryan and a seminar group 3 Dec at Big Bend Ranch, Presidio; this is only the 2nd Texas report of the species. A wandering Downy Woodpecker approached the Rio Grande at Quemado, Maverick 15 Dec (JA). Flycatchers Through Corvids An Alder Flycatcher seen and heard on w. Galveston 1. 4 Dec was likely the first winter record for the U.T.C. (DiP). The C.B.C.s pro- duced a good handful of flycatcher reports on the U.T.C. with several Empidonax, as many as 13 Ash-throated Flycatchers at various areas, a Say’s Phoebe, and a Great Kiskadee (at Attwater), along with small numbers of Couch’s and Western Kingbirds and Scissor- tailed Flycatchers. Another far-flung Say’s Phoebe was an extreme rarity in e. Texas in Harrison 22 Oct-29 Jan (ER, GLu et al). Two Dusky-capped Flycatchers graced the L.R.G.V.: one at Bentsen was discovered 21 Dec and seen a few times subsequently; a bird at Sabal Palm 28 Dec-1- (ph. BMc et al.). A Brown-crested Flycatcher in Brazoria 23 Feb was extralimital (C 8c OB). The 2 Great Kiskadees that showed up last Thanksgiving at Imperial Res. contin- ued into early Feb (m.ob.). A Couch’s Kingbird on the Austin C.B.C. 16 Dec was way inland (LB). A Cassin’s Vireo was at Big Bend’s Cottonwood Campground 18 Dec-23 Feb (m.ob.), where it could be considered expect- ed. Cassin’s reported at other locations in s. and coastal Texas were greeted with much skepticism and head-scratching; more than a few observers are not comfortable with the current field marks, or, rather, with the curious easterly reports of this species based on sight records identified with the aid of the current suite of field guides. A smattering of Hutton’s Vireo records in cen. Texas caused a debate whether these are winter wanderers or a sparse resident population: Singles were in two differ- ent locations on Balcones Canyonlands 14-16 Dec (in Burnet, BRe, CS) and 22 Feb (in Travis, BRe); another was in nw. San Antonio 4 Jan (JHy, BBa); and Lockwood found a Hutton’s e. of the escarpment in Bastrop 25 Feb. Steller’s and Western Scrub-Jays invaded El Paso. A great find was a Steller’s Jay in DaUiart, Hartley 3 Feb (MCa, AF). Up to 3 Western Scrub-Jays were seen periodically all winter in Midland (m.ob.), an area where they are not resident. A Mexican Jay discovered by Zimmer in El Paso 24 Jan was an astonishing first county record; the bird was seen the following day (ph. BZ, MSc). Based on the pale blue color of the head and upperparts, its yellowish gape mark, and Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 195 dull gray throat, it is believed that this bird is of the arizonae race, a first for Texas. A flock of up to 30 Pinyon Jays in Midland for the season was a clear indication of the lingering invasion (D & JMe); others were in El Paso, Fort Davis, and Alpine. A single Pinyon was photographed near Canyon, Randall, 23 Dec-4 Jan (EK, m.ob.). New county records of Common Raven were obtained in Briscoe 24 Jan (BBeh, SDa) and Ochiltree 4 Feb (MCa, AF). Chickadees Through Warblers A real delight were Mountain Chickadees found at 5 locations in the Panhandle (m.ob.). Even more surprising was the number of Juniper Titmice — first records for the Panhandle: up to 6 were in a Dalhart neigh- borhood 3 Dec- 19 Feb (CS et ah), up to 4 were in TexJine 8 Dec-25 Jan (CS, BG, MI), and up to 5 were at various Amarillo locations from mid-Nov-l- (DMc, CSa, BPi, m.ob.). Juniper Titmice were also unexpected at El Paso, Hueco Tanks, Fort Davis, and in the nearby Davis Mts. (m.ob.). Pygmy Nuthatches joined the chickadees and titmice in the Panhandle: 3- 7 were in Dalhart 5 Dec-19 Feb (KS et ah). Although not a conspicuous member of the fall invasion, single Western Bluebirds nonetheless made it to Limestone 6 Feb (TJC) and Bastrop 11 Feb (BFr). The push of Mountain Bluebirds sank deep into s. Texas: most notably up to 500 were near Quemado, Maverick 15 Dec (JA) and a single bird was at Rockport on the Central Coast 13 Feb (MM). Mountain Bluebirds were tolerably numerous in the Hill Country, and a few made it as far e. as Bastrop (BFr, TF). There were scattered reports in the L.R.G.V. of Clay-colored Robin; most prominently, a Clay-colored approached the coast at Laguna Atascosa 10 Feb (TBr). A beautiful Rufous-backed Robin was pho- tographed at Big Bend’s Rio Grande Villiage 30 Dec (ph. J & KR), a first winter record for the park and about the 10th Texas record. Single Varied Thrushes were reported at Davis Mts. S.P. 1 Dec (KB, DO, GW) and at Marathon, Brewster 5 Dec (fide DO). Sprague’s Pipits were more numerous wintering in the cen. prairie areas (e.g. Williamson, Brazos, Burleson), as well as grasslands in far w. Texas; a single Sprague’s at White River L., Crosby 30 Dec was well to the north (AF). A Bohemian Waxwing was reported in Crosby in late Dec by two observers, but we have not seen details on it. At least 15 species of warblers lingered late enough to be tallied on the C.B.C.s on the U.T.C. It was curious to find Northern Parulas at Big Bend 29 Dec (NBl) and at Midland 19 Jan (RMS, FR). An imm. Cape May Warbler lingered at Odem, San Patricio for the Corpus Christi C.B.C. on 16 Dec (WS). Pine Warblers wintered w. to Brewster, Midland, and Uvalde and n. to Lubbock and Plainview in the Panhandle. A Pine Warbler in El Paso 9 Dec was a first county record (SalH, JPa). A Palm Warbler was late in Austin 8-10 Dec (RF, JHan), and another at Tornillo Res. in far w. Texas 10 Jan (ph. BZ) was resighted nearly a month later (RR). Another nice winter resident was a male Hooded Warbler at Big Bend’s Rio Grande Nature Trail 21 Dec-21 Jan (m.ob.); a female Hooded was in El Paso for a week starting 15 Jan (JPa, ph. BZ). A Wilson’s Warbler (or 2) also in El Paso in Jan was almost as rare (BZ). Tanagers Through Finches Lingering with the late warblers, at least 8 Summer Tanagers remained on the U.T.C. until the C.B.C. season and some stayed into Feb. In a poor sparrow year in w. Texas, nice finds included single Harris’s Sparrows 5 Jan in Hudspeth (JZ, MSc) and in Presidio 10 Feb (KB). A Harris’s Sparrow was s. of its regular range on S. Padre L, Cameron 6 Dec (BMu). Perhaps reflecting brutal winter conditions farther to the n., single American Tree Sparrows were found on the San Antonio C.B.C. 17 Dec (WS, J 8c BR; the same bird or another refound on 24 Dec, DGo), on the Freeport C.B.C. the same day (and 18 Dec; WP, GCa), and at Granger L., Williamson 31 Dec (ByS). A Le Conte’s Sparrow was well to the n. at Wolf Creek Park, Ochiltree 24 Jan (MCa, AF). Continuing a remarkable trend from the fall, several Gray-headed Juncos appeared in cen. and e. Texas: one was in Bastrop 11-12 Dec (LS); up to 3 were in Smith 16 Dec-l- (JMc); one was in Atlanta, Cass 11-12 Jan (ph. BN, SL); and a final one was in Nacogdoches in mid-Jan (MHW, DW). Zimmer’s White-winged Junco in El Paso from late Nov was also seen 1 Dec.; an amazing 3 White-winged Juncos were doc- umented in the Panhandle: Amarillo, Potter 5 Jan (tKS); and at Palo Duro L., Hansford, and Wolf Creek Park, Ochiltree, both 24 Jan (ph. BG, MI). Longspurs, while sparse in the Panhandle, apparently moved farther s. and e.; 3000-1- Laplands were in Williamson 30 Dec (TF) and up to 6000 were in Guadalupe e. of New Braunfels 26 Dec (BD). On Christmas Day, Brush Freeman also had 120 Smith’s Longspurs in the latter area, numbers unprece- dented for cen. Texas. A Black-headed Grosbeak showed up at a feeder at L. Tanglewood, Randall 27 Dec after a heavy snow storm (S & TLJ), a first winter record for the Panhandle. Who could explain 2 Lazuli Buntings at L. Buchanan in the Hill Country 2 Jan (DY)? Along with a few scattered flocks of Indigo Buntings, 2 Painted Buntings were found in Brazoria during Feb (IH, CRi et al.); single Painteds were also at feeders in Brazos in late Jan (fide MMn). There was a scattering of Rusty Blackbirds, more than normal, in cen. and e. Texas, with birds dispersed as far w. as Lubbock and Hansford and a truly lost bird at McNary, Hudspeth 17 Dec (JPa et al.). It was a fairly good season for Purple Finches in e., n., and cen. Texas; scattered reports deep in e. Texas piqued observers’ interest; the species had not been seen for years here. Heindel had a Purple Finch in San Antonio 6 Dec, and sev- eral birds were seen in Midland and Lubbock late Dec-Feb (m.ob.). Cassin’s Finches were also very notable at several Trans-Pecos loca- tions, at up to 5 Panhandle and High Plains sites, in Midland, and (briefly) at Kerrville. Along with reports in various Trans-Pecos locales and four Panhandle counties. Red Crossbills were seen in Abilene 29 Jan (TxB), and in Johnson in early Feb (CE); up to 5 Red Crossbills were seen and/or heard on upper L. Sam Rayburn, Angelina, 12-30 Jan (NBi et al.). There was an intriguing report of 2 Common Redpolls that spent a few hours at a feeder in Atlanta, Cass 8 Jan (BN, SL), but unfortunate- ly no photos were obtained of this great rarity. In parts of e. and c. Texas, this was the best winter for Pine Siskins in at least five years. What a male Lesser Goldfinch was doing at Buffalo L., Randall 23 Dec (KS et al.) is uncer- tain. Cited Observers (subregionaleditors in boldface): John Adams, Mike Adams, Mark Adams (MAd) (HC75, Box 1337-B, Fort Davis, TX 79734-5016. email: mta@astro.as.utexas.edu), Tony Amos, Michael Anderson (MAn), Jack Anding, Keith Arnold, John Arvin, Mike Austin (MAu), Helen Baines, Noreen Baker, Barbara Ballentine (BBa), Peter Barnes (PeB), Ken Bashaw, Jean Beck, Bob Behrstock (BBeh), Lynn Beiber (LBe), Ray Beiber (RBe), John & Brenda Bell, Steve Bensten (SBe), Billie Bernard, Ray Berry, Nancy Bird (NBi), Gene Blacklock, Nick Block (NBI), Colin Bludau, Hazel Bluhm, Ken Boucher (KBo), David Bradford, Tim Bradie, Scott Brandes, Fred 8c Mary Brandt, Erik Breden, John Bregar (JBr), John Brotherton, Sarah Brotherton, David Brotherton (DBro), Charles 8c Olivia Brower (C 8c OB), Tim Brush (TBr), Kelly Bryan, Lawrence Buford, Frank Bumgardner (FBu), Winnie Burkett, Joy Butts, Gardner Campbell (GCa), Marty Campbell (MCa), Kristin Carcia, Damien Carey (DCa), Anette Carlisle (ACa), Traci Jean Carlson, Oscar Carmona, Larry Carpenter, Eric Carpenter (ErC), Brian Cassell, Greg Catch, Al Clarke, Gail Cole, Scott Cole, 196 North American Birds Texas Dan Coleman, Scarlet & George Colley, Chris Collins, Fred Collins, Bruce Collins (BCo), Tom & Sherry CoUins (T & SCo), Arlie & Mel Cool(^ey (A & MCo) (South Texas: 15825 Socorro Loope, Corpus Christi, TX 78418. email: cybrbrdr@electrotex.com), Mike Creese, Claudia de la Cruz, Jim & Pat Culverson, Vic & Marion Czaja, David Dauphin, Seth Davidson (SDa), Louis Debetaz, Jean Defries, Evelyn Delzell, Nancy Devlin, Cindie Dillard, Ruth Dillard, Sandy Dillard, Steve Dinsmore, Ken Dixon, Bob Doe, Andy Donnelly, Joan Dziezyc, Charles Easley (CE), Marc & Maryann Eastmann (M & MEa), Gordon Ellison, Sandi Elsik, Chuck Ely (CEl), Rosemary English, Jesse Fagan (JFa), Tim Fennell, Rob Fergus, Mark Flippo, Anthony Floyd, Jim Flynn, Bobbye Frazier (BoF), Brush Freeman (BFr), Bert Frenz (BeF)(East Texas: 221 Rainbow Dr., PMB 12190, Livingston, TX 77399-2021. email: bert@bafrenz.com), Gary Fritcher, Dixie Fueurbacher (DFu), Shearle Furnish, Corbett Gaudlin, Heinz & Julie Gaylord, Dita Geary, Brian Gibbons, Graham Gipps, PhU Glass, Dave Goodrich (DGo), Mike Gray, Chris Gregory, Steve Gross, Georgette Guernsey, Carol Gutberlet, Ron Gutberlet, Gladys Guthrey, Ron Haaseth, Jim Hailey, Chuck Hamilton (CHam), James Hamous, Jeff Hanson (JHan), Peggy Harding, Jim Hargrove, Daniel Harris, Tyson Hart, Dale Hartsfield, Ian Hartzler, Max Heath (MxH), David & Linda Hedges, Matt Heindel, Ruth Heino, Darlene Henderson, Jack Henschal, Toby Hibbitts, Phillip Hight, Derek Hill, Jerry & Marilyn Hill (J & MHi), Petra Hockey (PHo), Gary Hodne, Andrea Holman, Sally Homan (SalH), Barbara & Sam Howe, BUI Howe, Lee Hoy, Roger & Shirley Hughes, P.D. Hulce, Ed & Lynn Hunter, David Hurt, JaneUe Hutchinson, Jeremy Hyman (JHy), Marshall Iliff, James Ingold, Jimmy Jackson (JJa), Denis James, Susan 8c Thomas L. Johnson (S 8c TLJ), Jim Joiner, Ray Jordan, Thomas L. Jordan, John Karges, Alvin 8c Donna Kelly, Tracy Keltonic, Philip Kite, Karl Kosciuch, Rich Kostecke (RKo), Ed Kutac, Helen Lane, Greg Lasley, Greg Levanowski, Cathy LUes, Llano Estacado Audubon Society, Mark Lockwood, Sonny Long, Robert 8c Kay LookingbUl, MUce Lovell, Guy Luneau (GLu), Bill Lybarger, Donna Maddox (DMa), Mike Manson (MMn), Michael Marsden, Heather Mathewson, JUl McAfee (JMc), Don McColl (DMc), Bill McKinney, Brad McKinney (BMc), Don McSparren, Chris Merkord, Don 8c Joann Merritt (D & JMer), Dorothy Metzler, Robert Metzler, Paul MUiotis, Trent Miller, Toni-Ann Mistretta, Carol Mitchell (CMi), Ken Moseley, Brennan Mulrooney (BMu), Brenda Muncrief (BMu), Jeff Mundy (JMu), Jeffrey Musser, Beverly Nichols, Gordon Nunn, John O’Brien, Dale Ohl, Carolyn Ohl- Kolb, Jerry Oldenettel, Elaine Owens, Jim Paton (JPa), Bob Patten, Dick Payne, Daniel Peak (DaP), Dwight Peake, Dick Peake (DiP), Danny Perkins, Betty Jo Peters, Arnold Pffommer, David Phalen (DPh), BUI Phelan (BPh), Carol Pierce, Terry Pierce, Barrett Pierce (BPi), Randy Pinkston, Melissa Powell, Truman Powell (TrP), Sumitra Prasad, Warren Pruess, Habib Rahman, Shane Raidal, Bob Rasa (BRa), Ross Rasmussen, Ellen Ratoosh (ElR), Eddie 8c Nancy Ray, Kathy Reeves, Robert Reeves, Martin Reid (MRe), Jennifer Reidy, BUI Reiner Jr. (BRe), Roy Reinharz Jr., Michael Retter, John 8c Barbara Ribble (J 8c BRi), Cecilia RUey (CRi), Jan and WUl Risser, Paul Roberts, James 8c Krista Roche, Ellen Roots, Bron Rorex, Forrest Rowland, Sue Ruotsala, Leigh Sanders, Clint Sare (CSa), Dave Sarkozi, George Saulnier, Ed Scearce, Rick Schaefer, Bob Scott, Marcy Scott (MSc), Rosemary Scott (RSc), Willie Sekula (Central Texas: 7063 Co. Rd. 228, Falls City, TX 78113- 2627. email: wsekula@the-cia.net). Chuck Sexton, Ken Seyffert (Panhandle: 2206 S. Lipscomb, Amarillo, TX 79109), Cliff Shackelford, David Shackelford, Gael Simons, Terry Smith, Walter 8c Aletha Snowden, Sylvestre Sorola (SSo), John Sproul (JSp), Ruth Starr, Tom Stehn (TSt), Darlene Stevens, Jim Stevenson (JSt), Cliff Stogner, Byron Stone (ByS), Russell Storemski, Rose Marie Stortz, Mary Storz, Ken Sztraky, Helen Telfry, TexBirds Discussion List (National Audubon Society; TxB), Carol Thompson, Robert Tizard, Randy TreadweU, Peggy Trosper, Robert Truss, John 8c Gloria Tveten, Don Verser, Darrell VoUert, Margaret Wallace, Beatrice Ware, Peggy 8c Charles Watts, Ro Wauer (RWa), David Weaver, Ron Weeks (RWe)(UTC: 110 Indian Warrior, Lake Jackson, TX 77566. email: igarapet@brazosport.cc.tx.us). Matt White (MWh)(N.C. Texas: 882 Hwy 50, Campbell, TX 75422. email: MWHITE@ssisd.net), John Whittle (JWh), Sue 8c Egon Wiedenfeld, Shirley 8c Dan Wilkerson (S 8c DWi), Greer WUlis, Jennifer WUson, Mary Dabney WUson, Allen Wimple, Jack Windsor (JaW), Judy Winn, David Wolf, Mimi Hoppe Wolf, Charlotte Woods, Margie Young, Dottie Yturri, Jimmy Zabriskie, Bernie 8c Petrei Zelazny, Barry Zimmer. /) Visit tke ABA weksite: kttp ://americanLirclin^. org ABA Directory pf Volunteer Opportunities for^Birders" The ABA Volunteer Directory is published annually in cooperation with the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the support of the other agencies and organ- izations offering short- and long-term opportunities for volunteers. No matter what level of birding skills you enjoy, you will be able to find a project that needs your help and offers you a splendid learning opportunity. Available from ABA Sales for $2.00; call 800/634-7736 Online at: http://americanbirding.org/opps/voldigen.htm Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 197 Idaho-Western Montana David Trochleli 1 931 Tallwood Lane Boise, Idaho 83706 (dtrochle@qwest.net) Winter 2000 temperatures were normal to slightly colder than usual across the Region. There were few subzero days, but the season seemed especially long because of the very cold late fall. At most locations, an absence of expected late winter thaws meant that November’s snowfalls persisted until March. Perhaps more significantly, the season was unusually dry — the sixth driest ever recorded in Idaho, in fact. Expected Pacific storms never reached the Region, so mountain snowpack was very low. As a result, drought, fires, and diminished streams and reservoirs are predicted for the coming months. Despite the long, cold season, good num- bers of semi-hardy birds lingered or overwin- tered. Winter finches were scarce or absent, fol- lowing the trend of the past three winters. Avian highlights of the period included the Region’s first Eurasian Collared-Doves and second Lesser Black-backed Gull. Abbreviations: A.ER. (American Falls Res., by American Falls, Idaho); D.F. (Deer Flat N.W.R., Canyon, ID); Latilong (area encompassed by one degree latitude and one degree longitude, used in mapping bird distribution in both Idaho and Montana); L.M. (Lee Metcalf N.W.R., Ravalli, MT). Loons Through Gulls Best Gavia of the period was a Pacific Loon at C.J. Strike Res., Owyhee, ID 30 Dec (DH). Pied-billed Grebes stayed farther n. than typi- cal, with unusually high counts of 7- 1 1 at L.M. 6 Jan-2 Feb (WT) and 24 in Kootenai, ID 17 Dec (SS). Also unseasonal were 3 Eared Grebes at D.F. 23 Dec (JG) and C.J. Strike Res., ID 30 Dec (JG), another Eared at L.M. 8 Dec-16 Feb (WT), and a Clark’s Grebe at C.J. Strike Res. 30 Dec (JG). Reports of Great Egrets in sw. Idaho were down by half from last year, with singles in Gooding 8-30 Dec (JC, KF) and Canyon 8 Jan-25 Feb (m.ob.). A record count of 96 Trumpeter Swans at A.F.R. 23 Dec (CT) suggested an increasing population. Fewer than usual white geese lingered in sw. Idaho, with only 2 Greater White-ffonteds, 5 Snows, and 4 Ross’s Geese reported. The American Black Duck in Nez Perce, ID persisted until 10 Dec. An odd find was a Mallard x American Wigeon hybrid at L.M. 20-23 Dec (fWT). Six Eurasian Wigeon noted in Idaho were about average for the period. Diving ducks were plentiful in the Region’s n., but counts of 12,000 Redheads and 6000 Lesser Scaup near Sandpoint, ID 16 Dec were especially impres- sive. Usually absent in winter. Long-tailed Ducks were at A.F.R. 23 Dec (CT) and Lewiston, ID 28 Jan-18 Feb (KD). Three reports of Red-breasted Mergansers from n. Idaho were more than usual. An extremely late Osprey in Boise, ID 2 Dec (DT) provided a winter first for Latilong 17. Gyrfalcons were scarce, with only two reports from each state in Dec. Newsworthy were several Prairie Falcons that wandered far n. to Bigfork and Kalispell, MT in mid- to late Dec (DC). Single Sandhill Cranes lingered in Owyhee, ID 13 Dec (JCu) and near Bigfork, MT 16 Dec (MR). Also tardy were 2 Greater Yellowlegs at D.F. 3 Dec (BC) and 2-7 Least Sandpipers near Boise, ID 9 & 23 Dec (DH, RLR). Up to 3 Dunlin at Mann L., Nez Perce, ID 3 Dec & 2-4 Feb (m.ob.) were unseasonal but not unprecedented, but the Dunlin at L.M. 6 Jan ( WT) provided a first winter record for Montana. Out of place and season was a Franklin’s Gull near Libby, MT 16 Dec (AB). The rare-but-expected gulls made a good showing, with 3 Mews, 9 Thayer’s, 6 Glaucous- winged, and 5 Glaucous GuUs reported. The best larid of the season was a Lesser Black- backed Gull in Boise 5 Jan-2 Feb (f, ph. DT) that provided Idaho’s and the Region’s 2nd record. Doves Through Waxwings Mourning Doves continue to winter farther northward, but 393 in Kalispell, MT 31 Dec was a local record. This season was Idaho’s turn in the Eurasian CoUared-Dove invasion. One that stayed in Soda Springs 3 Aug-26 Feb (ph. GD) and up to 3 near American Falls 13 Jan-28 Feb (ph. MJ, CT) provided the Gem State’s 1st and 2nd records. The season’s owl highlights featured 3 Snowies in nw. Montana (DC) and a Barred that wintered in Boise for the 2nd consecutive winter (DT). For the 3rd 198 North American Birds Idaho-Western Montana Only the second in the Region, a second-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull was at Boise for most of January. Photograph by David Trochlell. Now in Idaho: the advance of Eurasian Collared-Dove continued this season, with Idaho’s first and second records established. This bird was one of three at American Falls, photographed 1 March 2001 . Photograph by Marlin Jones. year in a row, single Lewis’s Woodpeckers win- tered in Boise, ID (DT) and Ravalli, MT (CP). Even more unusual was a very tardy Red- naped Sapsucker filmed in the mts. of Adams, ID 13 Dec (MC, FK). Unlike the past few win- ters, the only Say’s Phoebe reported was s. of D.F. 20 Jan (CLo). Idaho reported only 6 Blue Jays, close to last winter’s dismal total. Montana fared better, with at least 38, includ- ing a record count of 20 in KalispeU 31 Dec (DC). The 2 Blue Jay x Steller’s Jay hybrids found in Coeur d’Alene, ID last fall stayed through the period (BG). Reports of extralim- ital jays featured Western Scrub-Jays in Twin Falls, ID 25 Dec-28 Feb (B&SM) and Gooding 24 Feb (KF) and at least 15 Pinyon Jays that wintered in w. Montana’s Bitterroot Valley (JM). Horned Larks made a good showing throughout w. Montana, but an estimated flock of 700 in Ravalli 31 Dec (DC) was unprecedented. An apparent Black-capped x Mountain Chickadee was described near KalispeU, MT 31 Dec (DC). A White-breasted Nuthatch in Pocatello, ID 16 Dec (CT) and Bewick’s Wren in Canyon, ID 24-28 Feb (m.ob.) were also rare strays. Small numbers of bluebirds now winter in sw. Idaho, but 5 Mountain Bluebirds in Owyhee, ID 7 Jan (CS) were still noteworthy. Much more unusual were 4 Western Bluebirds in Kootenai, ID (CL) and 4 Mountain Bluebirds in Lake, MT 4 Jan (ED). American Robins invaded the Region in unprecedented numbers, with counts of 700- 2500 at many locations in s. Idaho in mid-late Dec and an impressive 148 in KalispeU, MT 31 Dec. Unlike the past few winters, Hermit and Varied Thrushes were scarce in s. Idaho, with only 5 Hermit and 3 Varied Thrushes report- ed. More interesting was the Hermit Thrush in Missoula, MT 16-27 Dec (MB, HW), where few winter records exist. Although especially rare in winter, single Idaho Northern Mockingbirds were discovered in Canyon 8 Dec-16 Feb (RLR), Pocatello 16 Dec (DM), and Nampa 4 Feb (CLo). Both waxwing species also staged major invasions in parts of the Region, with record counts of 5964 Bohemians in Flathead, MT 31 Dec and 2165 Cedars in Owyhee, ID 30 Dec. Warblers Through Qoldfinches A few Orange-crowned Warblers now winter in sw. Idaho, but this season’s 8-1- in Canyon and Gooding more than doubled last year’s total. Even more unusual was the Common Yellowthroat in Boise 19-21 Jan (DT) that provided a winter first for Latilong 17 and Idaho’s 1st or 2nd winter record. Another 2nd winter record was provided by a Rose-breast- VoLUME 55 (2001), Number 2 199 Mountain West ed Grosbeak in Boise, ID 10-15 Jan (LG). A surprising variety and number of seasonally rare sparrows were found in both states. These included a Green-tailed Towhee that wintered below A.F.R. dam (DB), several Spotted Towhees in w. Montana, 4 Savannah Sparrows in Canyon, ID, 14 Jan (HK), a Chipping Sparrow in Pocatello, ID 11-30 Dec (MCr), several Fox Sparrows in both states, and 6 Lincoln’s Sparrows in Idaho. The only Swamp Sparrow of the period visited Pocatello, ID 16- 28 Dec (CT). Reports of rare Zonotrichia spar- rows were up from last year, with a total of 6 White-throated, one Golden-crowned, and 26 Harris’s Sparrows. Snow Buntings made a spectacular inva- sion, with 225 in Lake, MT 17 Dec (m.ob.), 240 in Bonneville, ID 1 Jan (DCl), 400+ in Idaho Falls, ID 4 Feb (GR), and 400+ in Sanders, MT 10 Feb (JM, CO). Rusty Blackbirds also had an unusually good show- ing, with 3 in Idaho and at least 11 in Montana. Idaho’s Great-tailed Crackle news featured 22+ that persisted in Owyhee (JG), 5 that wintered in Minidoka (JC, ES), and one that strayed to Meridian 17 Dec (RE). Three Common Crackles were reported in Montana, about average for the season. Two Purple Finches were in Libby, MT 16 Dec (AB); they are rare but increasingly reported in nw. Montana. Especially rare in a poor season for redpolls were 2 Hoary Redpolls near Bigfork, MT 16 Dec (DC). Lesser Goldfinches success- fully wintered in Idaho again, with one below A.F.R. (DB) and up to 4 near Boise (DT). Contributors (subregional editors in bold- face): IDAHO: Dave Burrup, Jay Carlisle, Darren Clark (DCl), Marty Collar (MCr), Mark Collie, Brian Cooper, Jon Curd (JCu), Griff Davis, Kas Dumroese, Ron Elam, Kent Fothergill, John Gatchet, Laurie Goodrich, Bill Gundlach, Dave Hazelton, Marlin Jones, Florence Knoll, Merlene KoHner, Harry Krueger, Cindy Langlitz, Candice Lowther (Clo), Dave Mead, Bob & Shani Murray, Greg Rice, Hadley Roberts, R.L. Rowland, Emily Stoddard, Shirley Sturts, Colleen Sweeney, David Trochlell, Chuck Trost, Poo Wright- Pulliam. MONTANA: A1 Bratkovich, Milo Burcham, Dan Casey, Erv Davis, Deb Goslin, Jeff Marks, Chad Olson, John Parker, Colleen Powell, Mo Rost, Don Skaar, Wayne Tree, Hedwig Wright. Van A. Truan 1 901 Court Street Pueblo, Colorado 81 003 Brandon K. Percival 835 Harmony Drive Pueblo West, Colorado 81 007-2632 (mt.w.region_nab@juno.com) The Region experienced cold weather early, and most areas remained cold. Lakes became frozen early but appeared to open ear- lier than normal. The fall mountain species’ invasion onto the plains continued through the season. AH locations in this report are from Colorado unless otherwise noted. Abbreviations: Barr (Barr Lake State Park, Adams); Chatfield (Chatfield Reservoir, Jefferson/Douglas); C.B.R. (Chico Basin Ranch, El Paso/Pueblo); C.C.R. (Cherry Creek Reservoir, Arapahoe); C.V.C.G. (Crow Valley Campground, Weld); F.C.R.P. (Fountain Creek Regional Park, El Paso); G.V. (Greenhorn VaUey, near Colorado City and Rye, Pueblo); J.M.R. (John Martin Reservoir, Bent); S.L.V. (San Luis Valley, in south-central Colorado); W.R.G. (Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, Jefferson). Loons Through Raptors Most of the Region’s loons were at Pueblo Res.: Pueblo had a Red-throated 13-16 Dec (fBKP, MJ), one to 2 Pacifies stayed to 13 Jan (BKP), and one to 5 Commons aU season. Trinidad L., Las Animas had a Pacific and a Common 13 Dec (VAT). Single Red-necked Grebes were in Boulder 4 Dec (LS) and Pueblo 16 Dec (fDSi). Late American White Pelicans included 2 at J.M.R. 3 Dec (BKP, MJ, DN) & one there 15 Jan (DAL) and early spring migrants were in Otero & Crowley on 25 Feb. A Great Egret at Totten Res. 6 Dec (SA, DF) provided one of the few winter records for the state. In w. Colorado, 7 Ross’s Geese were in Mesa 17 Jan (TL, RLv) and 3 in Delta 3 Feb (LS). A Black Brant was at Greeley 15-21 Jan (DB, fPG). Three Trumpeter Swans wei'e seen at Ft. CoHins 30 Dec (RKl). Two ad. Tundra Swans were in Otero & Crowley 19-25 Feb (MJ, BKP, SO). In Greeley, observers noted a Gadwall x MaUard hybrid 18-21 Jan (DAL, PG) and a probable American Black Duck X MaUard 18-30 Jan (DAL, LS). Three Greater Scaup were at MePhee Res. in sw. Colorado 6 Dec (DF). An unexpected female Harlequin Duck was in Durango, La Plata along the Animas R. 12 Jan-28 Feb+ (M&DH, fm.ob.). A female White-winged Scoter was in 200 North American Birds Idaho -Western Montana-Mountain West A Black Brant, quite rare in Colorado, spent mid-January at Greeley. Photograph by Steve Messick. A female Harlequin Duck spent the latter part of the winter in Durango along the Animas River, Colorado. It was pho- tographed there 1 4 February 2001 . Photograph by Joey Kellner. Boulder 4 Dec (LS). Rarely reported from w. Colorado, a Long-tailed Duck was at Totten Res. 6 Dec (DF) and one s. of normal at Trinidad L. 13 Dec (VAT). Single female Barrow’s Goldeneyes were in La Plata 8c Montezuma 5-6 Dec (DF), and the farthest se. was a male in Otero 12 Dec (VAT). Fligh counts of Hooded Mergansers from sw. Colorado were 32 in Archuleta 5 Dec (DF) and 24 in Montezuma 6 Dec (DF). Hoodeds appeared in quite high numbers this season in e. Colorado also. High counts of Bald Eagles were 61 at J.M.R. 15 Jan (DAL) and 17 in Moffat 4 Feb (LS). An ad. Northern Goshawk was at J.M.R. 21 Feb (VAT). A juv. Red-shouldered Hawk was in Otero 3 Dec (MJ, BKP). Fourteen Golden Eagles in Moffat 4 Feb (LS) made an impressive count. Coots Through Gulls Truly amazing, a Common Moorhen x American Coot hybrid was at J.M.R. 4 Feb (MJ, BKP). Three Greater Yellowlegs were seen in Adams 30 Dec (fBK) and one in El Paso 22 Dec- 17 Feb (fAV, KP). An American Woodcock was heard calling at L. Henry, Crowley 19 Feb (MJ, fBKP). A late Franklin’s Gull was in Otero 15 Dec (CLW). A first-basic Mew Gull was at Pueblo Res. 2 Dec (BKP), and an ad. was in Littleton Historic Park 17 Dec (AS). Thayer’s Gull num- bers were considerably reduced this year. Single ad. Lesser Black-backed Gulls were at Standley L., Jefferson 12 8c 23 Dec (LS) and Pueblo Res. 31 Jan-2 Feb (BKP). A first-basic Glaucous- winged Gull was at Pueblo Res. 25 Feb (fVAT). Five Glaucous Gulls were reported from ne. Colorado 16 Dec-15 Jan. The ad. Great Black- backed Gull found during the fall at C.C.R. stayed to 7 Dec (BB) and probably the same bird appeared at Pueblo Res. (for its 8th win- ter), 15 Dec-26 Feb (BKP). Doves Through Woodpeckers Eurasian Collared-Doves reached new areas and are increasing at known sites; new areas include the S.L.V., Greeley, Sterling, and Ovid, all in ne. Colorado, as well as and Canon City. Up to 5 Inca Doves resided in Rocky Ford, 1 Dec-1 Jan (SO), and one was in Ft. Collins, 20 Dec- 11 Feb (LZ, fTL). Greater Roadrunners appeared to be in higher numbers in Pueblo and Fremont, and one provided the first S.L.V. record near Alamosa, 6 Dec-1 Jan (tBMr). A Northern Pygmy-Owl was at Bates Hole, Natrona,'WY 1 Jan (CEM). High counts of owls in Colorado included 18 Northern Pygmy-, 47 Long-eared, and 14 Short-eared. A Boreal Owl was n. of Mancos 27 Dec (G8cMS) and another near Gould 18 Feb (BS). Plains Northern Saw- Voi, UME 55 (2001), Number 2 201 whet Owls included singles at Pueblo Res., Canon City, C.V.C.G., and Colorado Springs. A hummingbird thought to be an imm. male Black-chinned was at Grand Jet. to 10 Dec (tLA). A male Acorn Woodpecker was found on Ft. Carson, El Paso 12 Jan-28 Feb-i- (BMy). Rarely staying the winter in Colorado, single Williamson’s Sapsuckers were reported in Pueblo 2 Dec (BKP) & 7 Jan (BKP, MJ); Colorado City 14 Dec (DSi); and Canon City, 17 Dec (CLW, BKP). Flycatchers Through Waxwings Single Say’s Phoebe-s were reported from Pueblo, Rocky Ford, and Colorado City. Six Bushtits were at Coal Mt., Natrona, WY 16 Dec (J&GL); several were in n. Colorado. Two east- ern race White-breasted Nuthatches were at Cope 7 Jan (JK, AS, TL). Up to 8 Pygmy Nuthatches wintered in Rocky Ford 18 Dec (SO, BKP, MJ). A Carolina Wren was in Colorado Springs 24 Dec (fDSm). At least 5 Eastern Bluebirds wintered in w. Colorado, near Redlands, Mesa (TL, RLv). Single Gray Catbirds were at Colorado City 29 Dec (DSi), Aurora 1 Jan (RLn), and Two Buttes Res. 12 Jan (DAL), and single Brown Thrashers in Pueblo 16 Dec (BKP), W.R.G. 31 Dec-4 Feb (IS, TE, KS), and Rocky Ford 15-25 Feb (SO, MJ, BKP). Bohemian Waxwings invaded n. Colorado in Larimer, Boulder, Douglas, and El Paso; also sin- gles were s. to Colorado City 1-30 Dec (BBH) and Pueblo 16 Dec (CLW, BKP). Warblers Through Finches A Cape May Warbler was photographed at the Denver Zoo 25 Feb (fM&KR). Single Common Yellowthroats appeared at J.M.R. 3 Dec (BKP, MJ, DN), Pueblo 16 Dec (CLW), and W.R.G. 4 Feb (KS). Rare in winter, a Green-taUed Towhee was at a Boulder feeder 25 Dec-22 Jan (RB, RF). A Savannah Sparrow was in the J.M.R. w. wetland 15 Jan-4 Feb (DAL) along with 3 Le Conte’s Sparrows 15 Jan (DAL). Single schis- tacea Fox Sparrows were at Colorado City 9 Dec (DSi) and Chatfield 23-29 Dec (fRKr, JK, CLW). Single Harris’s Sparrows were in nw. Colorado at Craig 2 Jan (FL) and Kremmling 18 Jan (FL). Two Golden-crowned Sparrows were noted, one at C.C.R. 26 Dec-9 Jan (BB) and one at B.L. 26 Jan (DF). Four Chestnut-col- lared Longspurs were at C.B.R. 15 Dec (TL). A Snow Bunting was in Mojfat 2 Dec (FL), 6 in Garfield 10 Dec (VZ), and 5 in Cheyenne 14 Dec (CLW). Three Northern Cardinals were in Prowers and one in Baca 12 Jan (DAL). A Rose- breasted Grosbeak was photographed at Como, Park 1-7 Dec. A male Lazuli Bunting was at Garden of the Gods, El Paso 17 Jan (tDSn). A possible wintering Yellow-headed This Cape May Warbler was at the Denver Zoo 25 February. Photograph by Mary & Ken Rush. Blackbird was near Barr L. 30 Dec-1 Jan (TL). Rusty Blackbirds appeared in more locations this season: 4 were in Pueblo, 4 at Barr, 2 in Boulder, 2 at Chatfield, and singles were in Ft. CoOins and at L. Meredith. High counts of win- tering Great-tailed Crackles included 249 near Barr 30 Dec (TL) and lOO-l- in Ordway 25 Feb (MJ, BKP). For the 2nd winter, a male Bullock’s Oriole was observed in Brighton 1-3 Jan (TL, DF). Rosy-Finches were in higher numbers all around Colorado. At Chapman’s Rye feeders 30 Dec, 856 Gray-crowned, 48 Black, and 67 Brown-capped were counted (SC, BKP), and on 27 Feb an amazing 142 Blacks were seen (SC). A female-type Purple Finch was at Las Animas, Bent 30 Jan-8 Feb (DN) and another in Eagle 28 Jan. (JMe). At the same feeder in Las Animas, at least 4 Cassin’s Finches were seen 21 Feb-4 Feb (DN). A White-winged Crossbill was reported on the Cheyenne, WY C.B.C. The only Common Redpolls were 5 at Cheraw 15 Dec (CLW) and one sw. of Casper, WY 15-28 Feb (HS). A late Lesser Goldfinch was in Colorado City 9 Dec (DSi). Cited observers (contributors in boldface type): Susan AUerton, Larry Arnold, David Bolton, Bob Brown, Robin Byers, Sherry Chapman, Mary Colyer, Tammy Ellsworth, Doug Faulkner, Robert Fiehweg, Peter Gent, B.B. Hahn, Mona & Dean HiU (M&DH), Mark Janos, Bill Kaempfer, Joey Kellner, Rachel Kolokoff (RKl), Ray Korpi (RKr), Jim & Gloria Lawrence, David A. Leatherman, Tony Leukering, Randy Lentz (RLn), Rich Levad (RLv), Forrest Luke, Bernnie Madrid (BMd), Linda Martin, Bill Maynard (BMy), Jack Merchant, Chris E. Michelson, Duane Nelson, Stan Oswald, Ken Pals, David Pantle, Brandon K. Percival, John J. Rawinski, Mary & Ken Rush, Joe Rigli, George & Melodic San Miguel (G&MS), Ira Sanders, Bill Schmoker (BS), Karleen Schofield, Hustace Scott, Larry Semo, David Silverman (DSi), Drew Smith (DSm), Andrew Spencer, David Snider (DSn), Van A. Truan, Alan Versaw, Christopher L. Wood, Vic Zerbi, Laurie Zuckerman. THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND BIRDS CATS INDOORS! The CAAiPAIGN FOR SAFER BIRDS & CATS We all know that cats don’t have nine lives. But here are three other myths to dispel. ■ “Belled” cats do kill wildlife. Cats with bells on their collars can silently stalk their prey. Even if the bell rings, birds and other wildlife do not necessarily associate the sound with danger. ■ Even well-fed cats kill wildlife. The urge to hunt and the urge to eat are controlled by different portions of a cat’s brain. ■ Cat-injured wildlife seldom survive, even if they appear to have escaped. Infection from a cat’s teeth or claws results in death unless antibiotics are given immediately. PROTECT CATS, BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE BY KEEPING CATS INDOORS* For more information, contact: AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY Cats Indoors! The Campaign for Safer Birds and Cats 1250 24th Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20037 Phone: 202-778-9666; Fax: 202-778-9778; E-mail: abc@abcbirds.org 202 North American Birds Mountain West-Great Basin Great Basin NEVADA Pyramid LaJx \ ‘ I Reno ' iMks mCMSoiLike [Tahoe Elko ^ c^n RubyiBke mm mmoe ■ . ■ Wx -MilmRestSiop "*Tcnopah Sierra Hetrada Tomnce Ranch BearRiwr ,• NWR^ L°9an SabLak^ • Salt ^ Lake . ' Cit# Fish Springs ^ NWR ^ Vernal UTA« St George ■ hike Powell Spring Mountains hike Mead Colorado River Ted Flof d Great Basin Bird Observatoi!? One East First Street, Suite 500 Reno, Nevada 89501 (gbbo@altavista.com) Wlark Stackhouse Westwings Inc., 1432 Downingtown Avenue Sait Lake City, Utah 84105 (westwings@sisna.com) The winter was mild and fairly dry in north- ern NcYada and Utah, which boosted the Truckee Meadows, Pyramid Lake, and Carson City Christmas Bird Counts to all-time record highs. The downside of the mild weather was that visitors from the north were in short sup- ply. In the southern part of the Region, tem- peratures were about average and precipitation was somewhat above average. As in the north, the general pattern in southern Nevada and Utah was primarily toward lingering winterers and early migrants. Abbreviations; H.B.V.P. Henderson Bird (Viewing Preserve Clark, NV); W.B.L. (West Bountiful Landfill Davis, UT). Christmas Bird Counts referred to in this report include: Elko {Elko, NV), 30 Dec; FaUon (Churchill, W/}, 15 Dec; Pyramid Lake (Washoe, NV), 1 Jan; Salt Lake City (Salt Lake, UT), 17 Dec; Truckee Meadows (Washoe, NV), 16 Dec; Walker Lake (Mineral, NV), 29 Dec; Nevada Bird Records Committee (N.B.R.C.); Utah Bird Records Committee (U.B.R.C.). Loons Throygh Ducks Up to 4 Pacific Loons were at L. Mead, Clark, NV 6 Dec-25 Feb (RS et aL), 3 were at Katherine’s Landing, Clark, NV 15 Jan (MSm), and one was at Quail L. Res., Washington, UT 14 Jan (SS). A Yellow-biUed Loon at Nelson’s Landing, Clark, NV 3 Dec (MC, JCr) was reported without details by two very experi- enced observers. Small numbers of Horned Grebes were reported from four Nevada loca- tions, and a Red-necked Grebe was at L. Mead, Clark, Wd 26 Jan-10 Feb (ph. CT, RS et al.). An American Bittern made the Walker L. C.B.C., and one was at Farmington Bay W.M.A., Davis, UT 13-24 Jan (v.o.). A Great Egret returned to Reno 16 Feb (LW), and a Green Heron was at H.B.V.P. 26 Jan (RS). A few White-faced Ibis lingered until the Fallon C.B.C. An impressive concentration of 1580 Tundra Swans was noted at Lemmon Valley Marsh, Washoe, NV 13 Jan (TF et al). A Bewick’s Swan also was reported from this location on the same date (fNB) but could not be confirmed during subsequent visits to the marsh. Although the record must remain hypothetical, it was leant some credibility by the large number of swans and other surface- feeding waterfowl in the area, as well as by the observer’s brief but diagnostic written description. The only Trumpeter Swan report was of a single bird at South Fork Res., Elko, NV 2 Dec (MP, LP). Greater White-fronted Geese were reported from five Nevada and two Utah locations with a maximum of 9 at H.B.V.P. 13 Feb (TF). A Blue Goose was seen in Reno 23 Dec (MM), and single Ross’s Geese were reported from several spots in Reno 16 Dec-17 Feb (v.o.). Canada Geese of one or more of the small races were found at 3 n. Nevada locations, with a top count of 8 at Reno 17 Feb (TF, MM). Wood Ducks were present at the usual spots in Churchill and Washoe, NV, and the top count was 15 at Reno 17 Dec (TF); the top count in Utah was 12 at Provo, Utah 22 Jan (BP). Drake Eurasian Wigeon were found at Provo, Utah, UT 18-24 Jan (v.o) and at the following Nevada locations: Reno 16-23 Dec (DM et al.); Fort Piute Reservation, Clark 15 Jan (MSm); Genoa, Douglas 3 Feb (TF et al.); and the Clark County Sanitation District ponds 30 Jan (CT et al.). The first date for Cinnamon Teal in n. Nevada was 17 Feb in Reno (TF, MM). Greater Scaup at two Utah and four Nevada locations were led by 12 at H.B.V.P. 13 Feb (TF). A White-winged Scoter was at Pyramid L. 13-21 Jan (LW, JW). Single Long- tailed Ducks were noted at Farmington Bay WMA, Davis, UT 27 Dec (BF) and at Deer Creek Res., Wasatch, UT 1 Jan (JBe). Barrow’s Goldeneyes were reported from six Nevada and six Utah locations, and the top tally was 6 at Lemmon Valley Marsh, Washoe 17 Feb (FP, GP). In addition to the usual reports in far w. Nevada, a single Hooded Merganser was at Floyd Lamb S.R, Clark 18 Feb (RS). Red- breasted Merganser sightings came from three Nevada and two Utah locations, and the best count was 10 at L. Mead, Clark 12 Jan (RS). Raptors Through Woodpeckers Reports of wintering Ospreys, all from Clark, NV, included one at Big Bend State Recreation Area 12 Jan (RS), 2 at Las Vegas Wash 30 Jan (CT et al.), and one at Fort Mojave Indian Reservation 23 Feb (RS). Bald Eagles were reported in small numbers from at least 17 Nevada locations (v.o.), and the top count was 6 in the Carson Valley 25 Feb (JW et al.); in Utah, massive numbers staged at Farmington Bay WMA, Davis, UT, and the top count exceeded 300 birds (m.ob.). Single Red-shoul- dered Hawks were at Provo, Utah, UT 16 Dec-13 Jan (v.o.) and at four Nevada locales during the period (v.o.). Multiple Merlins were present in Reno all period (v.o.), and sin- VoLUME 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 203 gle birds were noted at 3 other n. Nevada loca- tions; in Utah, a bird of the black race was seen at St. George, Washington 15 Jan (KW, RF). A Common Moorhen lingered at Fallon, Churchill, NV until 1 Dec (BH), and up to 5 were at H.B.V.P. 1 1-19 Feb (CN et al.). At least 20 American Avocets lingered for the Fallon C.B.C., and 4 were still at Farmington Bay WMA, Davis, UT 13 Jan (HG et al); the earli- est return was a single bird at Reno 16 Feb (LW). A Greater Yellowlegs remained in Reno until 19 Dec (TL), and the first spring arrival was a single bird at Washoe L., Washoe, NV 23 Feb (JW). A Spotted Sandpiper was at Fort Mojave Indian Reservation, Clark 23 Feb (RS); the species is occasional during the winter months in Nevada. Least Sandpipers were present at five widely scattered Nevada loca- tions during the season, with a high count of 200-1- on the Fallon C.B.C. Lingering Dunlins included 77 on the Fallon C.B.C. and 7 on the Walker L. C.B.C. A small flock of Long-billed Dowitchers was present throughout the period at the rather northerly locale of Reno (v.o.), and a single bird at H.B.V.R 13-17 Feb (TF et al.) was at a more expected location. It was an undistinguished winter for gulls in Nevada, but Utah produced some good records. The only Bonaparte’s Gull in Nevada was a single bird at L. Mead 9 Dec (MC, JCr), whOe the top count in Utah was 50-f at the Antelope Island Causeway, Davis 3 Dec (AR). Single Thayer’s Gulls were reported from L. Mead 16-29 Jan (MSm et al.) and from Fort Mojave Indian Reservation 23 Feb (RS), while 2 were at W.B.L. 27 Dec-2 Jan (v.o.). A well- studied possible Iceland Gull was at W.B.L. 22 Dec-6 Jan (fDSh et al); the possibility of a hybrid or an aberrant Thayer’s Gull could not be ruled out, however. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was at W.B.L. 2-6 Jan (fCNe et al.). Single Glaucous-winged Gulls were reported from W.B.L. 4-9 Jan (JBe et al.) and from Nevada at Pyramid L., Washoe 10 Feb (TF et al), L. Mead 11 Feb (MC, JCr), and the Walker L. C.B.C. Single Glaucous-winged x Western Gull hybrids were found on the Walker L. and Pyramid L. C.B.C.s; the Pyramid L. bird remained throughout the reporting period (v.o.). At least 3 Glaucous Gulls were at W.B.L. 6 Jan (MS, DW), and one was at Utah Lake State Park, Utah, UT 13-22 Jan (v.o.). A northerly V/hite-winged Dove lingered at Fallon, Churchill, NV until 16 Feb (v.o.). At unexpected locations were a Western Screech- Owl at Las Vegas 9 Jan (CT et al.) and a Northern Pygmy-Owl on the Fallon C.B.C. At least 10 Anna’s Hummingbirds wintered at six Las Vegas area feeders (v.o.). Single Costa’s Hummingbirds were at North Las Vegas, Clark, NV 30 Dec-18 Feb (RS) and at Boulder City, Clark, NV until 20 Jan (SG). The only Lewis’s Woodpecker report was of 2 birds at the Gilcrease Ranch, Clark, NV 6 Jan (MC, JCr). A Yellow-shafted Flicker was at Salt Lake City 13 Dec (JBe). Flycatchers Through Finches The status of Black Phoebe in n. Nevada remains poorly understood; this winter, reports of single birds came from Mason Valley W.M.A., Lyon 3 Feb (DS) and from Carson City 19 Feb (JWa). Northern Shrikes were reported from two Nevada and six Utah locations (v.o.). Single Western Scrub- Jays at H.B.V.R 19-24 Feb (NB, JC) and at Las Vegas Wash, Clark, NV 13 Feb (CT et al.) were far from the moun- tains. Lowland Pinyon Jays included 1 at H.B.V.P. 16 Dec (RSa) and lOO-l- at Carson City 24 Feb (NB). Swallows occur so early in the year in s. Nevada that it is hard to know whether they are migrants or winter residents. Some 100-t- Tree Swallows were at Big Bend, Clark 15 Jan (MSm), and a Rough-winged Swallow was at Las Vegas Wash, Clark 9 Jan (CT et al.). Meanwhile, Barn Swallows were back at Las Vegas Wash, Clark 13 Feb (CT et al). A hand- ful of Mountain Chickadees on the Fallon C.B.C. were far from the highlands and foothills in which they are normally resident. Single Winter Wrens at Provo, Utah, UT 16 Dec-12 Jan (v.o.) and on the Walker L. C.B.C. were the only reports. A Black-tailed Gnatcatcher at Big Bend, Clark was carrying nest material on the early date of 15 Jan (MSm). More than 100 Mountain Bluebirds gath- ered at Indian Lakes Road, Churchill, NV 13 Dec (AC). Single Varied Thrushes were reported from the following locations: Provo, Utah, UT 6-22 Jan (MMo et al.); Pyramid L. 29 Dec (fide JT); Walker L. C.B.C.; Ogden Nature Center, Weber, UT 11 Jan (LS, PS); and Alamo, Lincoln, NV 8 Feb (SG). A flock of 10 Bohemian Waxwings was at Elko 25 Dec (MP, LP), and 18 were present for the Elko C.B.C. A northerly Orange-crowned Warbler showed up at Reno 30 Jan and was present until the end of the reporting period (LW et al.). Myrtle Warblers were reported from the Fallon and Truckee Meadows C.B.C.s; the wintertime status of this bird in Nevada is not well known, and further study is needed. A Yellow Warbler at H.B.V.P. 1 Dec. was quite late (RS), and a Black-and-white Warbler was at Mathis Park, Washington, UT 21 Dec (RF). Tardy or wintering Common Yellowthroats were noted on the Salt Lake City C.B.C., at Tonaquint, Washington, UT 23 Dec (RF), and at H.B.V.P. 24 Feb (JC). A Rufous-crovmed Sparrow at Red Rock Canyon, Clark, NV 8 Jan-11 Feb (CT et al.) was a surprise. The Fallon C.B.C. produced two late Vesper Sparrows. White-throated Sparrows were noted at three Utah locations 10 Dec-13 Jan (v.o). The only Nevada Harris’s Sparrow was reported from Tonopah 1 1 Dec (JB), but Utah reports came from three loca- tions 13-23 Dec (v.o.). Away from the Sierra foothills (where they are expected), Golden- crowned Sparrows were observed on the Fallon C.B.C., at Numana, Washoe, NV 13 Jan (LW), at Red Rock Canyon, Clark, NV 15-18 Jan (RS et al.), and at Red Cliffs Preserve, Washington, UT 20 Jan (RD). Pink-sided Juncos were reported from nine widely scat- tered Nevada locations, and Slate-colored Junco from six (v.o.). A flock of 4 Snow Buntings was at the Provo Airport, Utah, UT 4 Jan (RSt). Yellow-headed Blackbirds lingered for the Fallon and Salt Lake City C.B.C., and a Hooded Oriole was present all winter in Las Vegas (BS). The best Gray-crowned Rosy- Finch counts were 28 1 on the Elko C.B.C. and 300 at Wallsburg, Wasatch, UT 7 Dec (GJ fide DSh). Upwards of 1000 Black Rosy-Finches were estimated at Antelope Island, Davis, UT 15 Jan (DC). The top Red Crossbill count was 71 on the Salt Lake City C.B.C. Small flocks of Evening Grosbeaks were reported from two Nevada and three Utah locations (v.o.). Cited observers; Joe! Beyer (JBe), Nancy Bish, John Brack, Ali Chaney, Jack Cochran, Rob Dobbs, Bill Fenimore, Ted Floyd, Rick Fridell, Hugh Gillilan, Shawn GoodchEd, Dana Green, Bill Henry, Grant Jense, Tim Lenz, Dave McNinch, Martin Meyers, Milton Moody (MMo), Colby Neuman (CNe), Christina Nycek, Bob Parsons, Fred Petersen, Gayle Petersen, Lois Ports, Mark Ports, Alan Rogers, Mike San Miguel (MSm), Rick Saval, Betty Seebeck, Dennis Serdehely, Dennis Shirley (DSh), Lee Shirley, Paul Shirley, Steve Sommers, Mark Stackhouse, Reed Stone (RSt), Jane Thompson, Carolyn Titus, Jack Walters, John Warpeha (JWa), David Wheeler, Kevin Wheeler, Larry WEliams. 204 North American Birds 33^ I for American Birding Association Members ^ ■'■" like you. Need a hand with your luggage? Ask us. We’ll be happy to help, so you can get on your way quickly and easily. It’s one of the many ways we try harder at Avis to serve American Birding Association members bet- ter. And here’s another way. Mention your Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number A843000 when you or your travel agent call our toll-free number. Our reservations agents know your Avis membership benefits inside-out, and will see to it that you receive the very best rates to which your membership entitles you. Helpful employees. Special member rates. Two ways Avis makes your American Birding Association membership more rewarding. For reservations, call your travel consultant. Avis at 1-800-831-8000, or reserve your car online at www.avis.com AVfS -WettTf. harder. Avis features GM cars. © 1999 Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 205 Arizona Gary H. Rosenberg RO. Box 91856 Tucson, Arizona 85752-1 856 (ghrosenberg@theriver.com) Roy M. Jones 2237 North Sunset Drive Tempe, Arizona 85281 (barbet@primenet.com) In general, it was a relatively mUd and wet ven- ter, which was certainly reflected by the pres- ence of a number of species that normally have a difficult time wintering in Arizona, such as warblers (Yellow, Wilson’s, Townsend’s), hum- mingbirds (Calliope, Rufous, and Broad- tailed), and orioles. On the heels of last fall’s major inva- sion of montane species into s. Arizona, several species lingered well into the winter, with large numbers of some present locally (such as Townsend’s Solitaires and Steller’s Jays). Other species were late arriving, such as Red Crossbills and Slate-colored Fox Sparrows. Perhaps the single defining event of this winter was the major invasion of White-winged Juncos, the first such movement into Arizona since the win- ter of 1936-1937. Another interesting event was a serious movement of Rough-legged Hawks, normally a casual visitor, into southern Arizona. Abbreviations: Hassayampa River Preserve (H.R.P.), San Pedro River (S.P.R.), Sewage Treatment Plant (S.T.P.), Sulfur Springs Valley (S.S.V.), Tempe Town Lake (T.T.L.), Bill Williams Delta (B.W.D.), Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area (W.W.D.) Loons Through Mergansors A rare winter visitor, a Pacific Loon was at Katherine Landing 15 Jan (MSM), while the only Common Loon of the season was at T.T.L. 7-13 Jan (SG). Horned Grebes are always inter- esting when found away from the Colorado R.; therefore 2 at Canyon L. 13 Dec (SG) were note- worthy. The only Western and Clark’s Grebes reported from the se. were individuals at Patagonia L. 14 Jan (PL) and at Tucson 1 Dec (DW), respectively. Neotropic Cormorants have become regular winter residents at both Patagonia L. and in Maricopa along the conflu- ence of the Salt and Gila Rivers in the last two decades; high counts this season were 3 at Patagonia L. 22 Jan (JD) and up to 15 along the Salt and Gila throughout the period (TC, SG, RMJ). Notable concentrations of White-faced Ibis included 30 w. of Phoenix 21 Dec (RWtz, DT), 50 a little farther w. along the Gila R. late Dec-early Jan (TC), and 135 even farther w. near Arlington 8 Feb {fide SG). A Turkey Vulture near the junction of US 89 and AZ 69 on 1 1 Jan (CT) was the first winter record for the Prescott region. Greater White-fronted Geese were reported in above-average numbers this winter, with 3 on the Salt Verde C.B.C. 14 Dec (JoB), 3 at W.W.D. 3 Jan (CB), and 4 at the S.S.V. 21 Jan (JD). High concentrations of Snow Geese were 50 at Arlington 10 Dec (MB), 150 at W.W.D. 3 Jan (CBe), and 190 at the S.S.V. 21 Jan (JD). This was an incredible year for Ross’s Geese, with a total of 56 individuals reported from nine dif- ferent locations, high counts including 10 seen off and on at the Avra Valley S.T.P. 2-12 Dec (JH, MMS), 20 at W.W.D. 3 Jan (CBe), and another 10 at the S.S.V. 21 Jan (JD). Wood Duck reports came in from the Gila R. C.B.C. 27 Dec (BG), Agua Caliente Park, Pima 31 Dec (KK), and 4 were found at St. David 19 Feb (ST). A male Eurasian Wigeon was found at its usual haunts in s. Scottsdale by 23 Dec (PM); other single males were at Watson L. 29 Dec (MP) and Fort Mohave, Mohave 15 Jan (MSM), and an interesting Eurasian x American hybrid spent its 2nd winter at WiUcox (CG). Two very large concentrations of Greater Scaup were reported, 16 near the Prescott Airport during January (CT) and up to 65 at Lee’s Ferry on the Colorado R. 3 Feb (MMS, PL, JO). Casual in the state. Long-tailed Duck was well represented this vnnter, with individuals found at Page 16 Dec (MMS, v.t. GHR), at Tucson 22 Dec (BS), at Lee’s Ferry 3 Feb (PL et al.), and B.W.D. 17 Feb (CB, SS). This was also a strong year for Common Goldeneye, with 26 individuals reported from fourteen different locations, while at their more traditional locations as many as 500 were coimted along the Colorado R. at Parker Dam during Feb (DC). Barrow’s Goldeneyes seemed to be rather sparse this year. We received only two reports: 2 were all that could be found at Parker Dam 1 Jan-t- (BH, SH), while the other was a first county record for Apache at Lyman L. 14 Jan (MMS, v.t. GHR). Always interesting away from the Colorado R., a single male Red-breasted Merganser was at L. Montezuma 25 Jan (CT). Kites Through Woodpeckers There was a scattering of White-tailed Kites reported in s. Arizona: one was at the San Rafael Grasslands 9 Dec (RH), 2 at the S.S.V. 5 206 North American Birds Dec (MMS, RH, WR), one at Bog Hole Wildlife Area 28 Dec (DW), one near Friendly Corner 21 Jan (JM), another at Hereford 2 Jan (JK), and 2 were were seen off and on at the Sonoita Grasslands during Dec and Jan (JR, DK). Casual anywhere in the state, a single Red- shouldered Hawk was at Tuba City 16 Feb (AH), while the pair that has taken up residence at H.R.P. was back on territory by late Feb (NL; ph. MMS). A very late Zone-tailed Hawk was at Green Valley 20 Dec (SJ), and another winter- ing or very early migrant was in Tucson 7 Feb (RG). Rough-legged Hawks invaded s. Arizona this winter; individuals were at Buckeye 31 Dec (SG, TC, MB), w. Phoenix 11 Feb (MB), n. of Sunizona 5 Dec (MMS, RH, WR), Tucson 25 Dec (BM), Harshaw Road 28 Dec (JL), Patagonia 28 Dec (DW, M. ob.), and 2 were found along Stateline Road near Portal 1 Dec (DJ), with another 2 near Elffida 6 Dec (v.t. GHR). Both rare winter visitors, single Snowy and Semipalmated Plovers were present on a pond s. of Arlington throughout Jan and Feb (AS et al). It should be good news for folks in the n. plains region that Mountain Plovers were found in s. Arizona in strong numbers this win- ter: as many as 50 were on the Western Sod Farms (NB, m.ob.), 80 were w. of Casa Grande 7 Jan (NB), and 75 were at Essary Hay Sales 14 Jan (JD). Another rare winter visitor, a single Lesser Yellowlegs was at the Water Ranch Ponds 24 Feb (SG). Herring Gulls are always a nice find; individuals were at Lyman L. 14 Dec (MMS, GHR) and Many Farms L. 15 Dec (MMS, GHR). Eurasian CoUared-Doves continued at two s. Arizona locations; one was along the Upper San Pedro R. 1 1 Dec (CA), and 4 remained at Willcox until at least 3 Dec (RH). Ruddy Ground-Doves have certainly dropped off from the high winter numbers of a few years ago. This year saw only 4, with 2 at Arlington 27 Dec (MC, BWtz, et al) and another 2 at Tacna 12 Jan (PL). Northern Saw-whet Owls invaded the lowlands during mid-winter. As many as 4 were in the Phoenix area during Jan, one was pho- tographed in Sabino Canyon 28 Dec (ph. K and P Kynion), a single was in Bisbee 26 Jan (JW), and yet another was at Hereford 28 Jan (WW). A Calliope Hummingbird wintered at the Tucson Audubon Society offices in Tucson 15 Dec+ (S. Birky et al.; ph. MMS), providing what is likely only the 2nd winter record for the state. Other interesting winter hummingbirds included a Broad-tailed Hummingbird in Tucson 6 Dec+ (ph. DS) and individual Rufous Hummingbirds in Hereford 5 Jan (M. Pretti) and in Tucson 7 Jan (K. Roche). Lewis’s Woodpeckers were widely reported in s. part of the state this winter. Williamson’s Sapsuckers also staged an impressive invasion this year, with as many as 10 individuals found at lower-than-normal elevations. It’s widely known that Arizona is a prominent wintering ground for hybrid Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsuckers, and even though redder-than-nor- mal Red-napeds usually end up in the hybrid category, it is far from impossible for a pure Red-breasted to be found. We encourage observers to scrutinize each individual closely and to forward all documentation (especially photos) to the A.B.C. so that we can learn from these interesting birds. This winter saw 7 of these sapsuckers reported, with at least one in e. Tucson 18 Feb (fMMS et al.) and another at Cook’s L. 5 Jan (TC) that suggested pure Red- breasted. Casual in Arizona, 2 Northern Flickers of the yellow-shafted race were found this year, one at Many Farms L. 15 Dec (MMS, GHR), the other at Scottsdale 20 Jan (RD). Flycatchers Throygh Pipits At least two different Western Flycatchers were found this winter, one at the H.R.P. near Wickenburg 6 Dec (DS, MMS, CDB), and the other along the Santa Cruz R. in Tucson 28 Feb (RH); aU of the definitively identified individu- als of this complex in Arizona during the winter in the past have referred to Pacific-slope Flycatcher, and there are no documented winter records of Cordilleran Flycatcher from the state. It was an above-average winter for Eastern Phoebe in the state, with at least six different reports received. A VermOion Flycatcher in Prescott 15 Dec-9 Jan (CT) was north of this species’s normal winter range in Arizona. Most unusual for winter was a Bell’s Vireo found at the H.R.P 6 Dec (DS); there are very few documented winter records of the state. It was an above-average winter for Plumbeous Vireo, with no fewer than 13 reports through- out s. Arizona. Cassin’s Vireos were less numer- ous this winter, with one reported from Reid Park, Tucson 8 Dec (MMS) and another found in Warsaw Canyon 16 Dec (BA). Good num- bers of Steller’s Jays lingered in the lowlands of s. Arizona after last fall’s major invasion of montane species; more unusual were at least 40 found in the Portal area throughout the period (DJ). V/estern Scrub-Jays also lingered well into the winter at a variety of lowland locations. At least 3 Clark’s Nutcrackers were present at Rustler Park, Chiricahua Mts. 1 Jan (JO), where this species is only a sporadic win- ter visitor. Away from normal wintering areas in s. Arizona, and most likely a result of the montane invasion, up to 6 American Crows were present at Arlington, w. of Phoenix, 26 Dec-21 Jan (TC, RMJ, SG). Crows were once again found wintering in the Sulphur Springs Valley, with at least 250 present e. of Elfrida much of Jan (CDB et al). Four Purple Martins were reported from Tucson 18 Feb (B. Nicholas), which is at least two weeks earlier than the usual first arrivals of this species in Arizona. Barn Swallows lingered at several lowland locations through Dec, and individuals were reported at Picacho Res. 1 Jan (NB), at Roll 12 Jan (PL), and in Tucson 13 Jan (B. Nicholas); this species is casual at best in s. Arizona during the winter. After the report of Black-capped Chickadees along Short Cr. in Colorado City in the fall, another 2 were located along the wash at Teec Nos Pos 7 Dec through Feb (TC, CL, m.ob.; ph. MMS v.t. GHR); there are stiU fewer than ten records from the state. Mountain Chickadees also lingered at a variety of lowland locations after the fall invasion, but 2 at Portal 17 Dec-1 Feb (DJ) were more unusual. Amazingly, the Carolina Wren that was found at Cook’s L. along the lower S.P.R. during the summer of 1999 was still present throughout the winter (TC); this remains the only record of this species from Arizona. It was certainly one of the best (or worst depending on one’s perspective) winters in Arizona for Townsend’s Solitaires, with indi- viduals found at a variety of lowland locations; more impressive were at least 27 found on the Atascosa C.B.C. 16 Dec {fide K. Kertell), and 50- 75 present all winter at Portal (DJ), both local records. Rufous-backed Robin reports were as follows: the individual found at H.R.P. during the fall season was seen through 7 Jan (SG, ph. DS), one was along lower Sonoita Creek 16 Dec (M. Bissontz), and one was found in downtown Phoenix 27 Dec+ (J. McKay et a!.). The Varied Thrush that was found at H.R.P. during the fall remained until at least 6 Jan (B. Demaree et al.), while another was located at Whitlow Dam 13 Dec (J. Bartley), and a third was found at Patagonia L. 5 Mar (S. Turner); this species is a casual fall and winter visitor to Arizona. Another casual visitor to the state, Brown Thrashers put in a better-than-average showing this winter, with individuals at the B.T.A. 1 Dec+ (m.ob.), along the lower S.P.R. 5 Jan (GHR), and at Page Springs 25 Jan-11 Feb (CT). Although regular as a winter bird in se. Arizona, there are very few Sprague’s Pipit reports from elsewhere in the state; one found s.w. of Arlington 26 Dec-8 Feb (TC et al.) pro- vided one of the few recent Maricopa records. Warblers Tbrough Goldfinches A Northern Parula found along the Salt R. in sw. Phoenix in early Nov remained there through 1 1 Feb (m.ob.). Another parula was at Wahweep on L. Powell 3 Dec (J. Saba), while another was at the Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson through Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 207 Arizona 15 Jan (MMS). Surprisingly more unusual in winter, single Yellow Warblers were in Tucson 1 7 Dec (RH), at Central Arizona College near Casa Grande 1 Jan (NB), and in sw. Phoenix 21 Jan (SG, RMJ). The Chestnut-sided Warbler that was found at the Phoenix Zoo during Nov was still present 6 Dec (RMJ), and another was located near Tolleson 10 Dec (BG); this species remains a rare but regular late fall and early winter visitor to s. Axizona. Certainly one of the better warblers to be found this winter in Arizona was a Magnolia Warbler located in Continental 15 Feb-f (fS. Johnsen; fMMS et a!.), providing the first winter record for the se.; there was only one previous winter record for the state, a bird along the Bill Williams R. Dec-Jan 1978. A male Black-throated Blue Warbler was reported from Madera Canyon 10 Dec (B. Mulrooney) but was not relocated. The Palm Warbler found in Gilbert in Nov lingered until at least 8 Dec (R. Ferguson); this species is accidental in the state during winter. Four Black-and-white Warblers, perhaps slightly above average, were found during the winter, with one at Tolleson 10 Dec (BG), one in California Gulch 16 Dec (K. Graves), one at the H.R.P. 3 Jan (E. Archer), and one at Pena Blanca L. 3 Mar (WR). The only American Redstart reported this winter was one in Scottsdale 7-20 Jan {fide SG). Similarly, the only Northern Waterthrush reported to us this winter was one near Arlington 24 Dec (TC). More interesting were 2 different Louisiana Waterthrushes, stiU considered a casual winter visitor to the state, one along the upper S.P.R. near JCingfisher Pond 30 Dec (DK et al.) and one along Sonoita Cr. above Patagonia L. 3 Feb-h (WR et al.). A male Wilson’s Warbler was at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson until at least 18 Feb; this species is casu- al at best during the winter anywhere in the state. For the 5th year in a row, a Painted Redstart returned to the Camp Creek area near Carefree 29 Dec (TC), and one was well n. of its normal winter distribution in Arizona at Oak Creek Canyon 20 Dec-9 Jan (M. Medina, T. Ellis, D. Creek). The Rufous-capped Warbler that was first located in French Joe Canyon last winter, and persisted there through the faO sea- son, was present all winter {fide MMS). An ad. female Western Tanager, casual in the state during the winter season, lingered at a Tucson feeder 10 Dec (B. Bates). The only Clay- colored Sparrow report of the winter was one at the San Pedro House, upper S.P.R. 22 Jan (JLD). Although regular in s. Arizona during the win- ter, a Sage Sparrow n. of Prescott 14 Jan (CT) provided a first local winter record. At least 10 different Fox Sparrows were found around the state this winter, with all but one pertaining to the Slate-colored form of the Rocky Mts.; one seen along the upper S.P.R. near Hereford 28 Jan (JWh) was one of the Red types. Swamp Sparrows were more numerous this winter and reported from a variety of s. Arizona locations, as was White-throated Sparrow. The only Harris’s Sparrow report this winter was of one near Claypool, Gila 1 Jan (J. Holloway). Single Golden-crowned Sparrows were at Power’s Butte Wildlife Area until 10 Dec (M. Baker) and at the Patons’ in Patagonia 2 Feb (S. Healy). The birding event of the season was the invasion of White-winged Juncos into Arizona. It began with one individual found at Mormon L. 3 Dec-i- (I. Tomlinson, CL et al, ph. RH), followed by a 2nd bird at Chinle Wash near Many Farms 15 Dec (GHR, fMMS; v.t. GHR), and quickly escalated from there. By the end of the period at least 12-14 individuals were located at Flagstaff, and at least 7 Individuals were found around Prescott (many of these coming to feeders). In s. Arizona, one was found at Evergreen Cemetery, Tucson 19 Dec-(- (K. Kroeson, fMMS et ak; ph. MMS, v.t. GHR), while another was located in Molino Basin, Santa Catalina Mts. 8 March+ (fMMS; ph. GHR). This form, which breeds in the Black HiUs of South Dakota, and normally winters due s. of there, was known previously in Arizona from a simOar invasion during the win- ter of 1936-1937, and from a couple of sight reports in 1971. White-wingeds were not the only form of junco on the move: Slate-coloreds were more numerous than usual in and around Arizona, and indvidual Red-backed Juncos (/. h. dorsalis), a form that is usually sedentary in the mountains of e. Arizona, were found at Molino Basin 30 Dec (K. Kertell), at Madera Canyon 18 Jan (PL), and at Miller Canyon 22 Jan (JLD). Two Lapland Longspurs, stiU considered casual anywhere in the state, were reported from the Empire Cienega Ranch 1 1 Jan (A. Guthrie), and another was in the Sulphur Springs VaEey n. of Elfrida 14 Jan (JLD). After the report of 6 Chestnut-collared Longspurs at the Western Sod Farm during the fall, another was located there 21 Dec (G. Seegert). A female Black-headed Grosbeak, very casu- al in the state during winter, was found near Double Adobe 3 Jan (CDB). Perhaps more exciting was the discovery of a Common Grackle at Apache L. ne. of Phoenk 27 Feb-l- (ph. tRMJ, m.ob; ph. MMS); there were fewer than 10 previous records from s. Arizona. Yet another Streak-backed Oriole was found win- tering at Cook’s L., lower S.P.R. 5 Jan-t (TC, D. Laush); although this species probably breeds in small numbers along the river to the n. of this area, it has been found during multiple winters wintering at Cook’s L. perhaps pertaining to the same individuals. A male Bullock’s Oriole, casu- al in the state during winter, was at Continental 25 Dec (D. Flower). The 65 Black Rosy-Finches Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime event was the genuine invasion of White-winged Juncos into the Southwest and as far as California. This beauty was photographed 1 1 March 2001 in the Molino Basin of Arizona’s Santa Catalina Mountains. Photograph by Gary Rosenberg. 208 North American Birds Arizona-New Mexico located along the Echo Cliffs s. of Page in Nov were seen in decreasing numbers during the winter, with only 2 individuals seen 3 Feb (MMS, PL, JO). Red Crossbills were very prevalent at a number of lowland s. Arizona locations in Jan and Feb (m.ob.). Lawrence’s Goldfinches had a better-than-average show- ing in s. Arizona this winter, with a high count of 170 present along the Santa Cruz R., Tucson 10 Dec (MMS). Contributors: Bob Ambrose, Craig Anderson, Eldon Archer, Charles Babbitt, Mike Baker, Chris D. Benesh, Ned Boyajian, Dale Clark, Greg Clark, Troy Gorman (Arizona Atlas Program), Rich Ditch, Jon L. Dunn, Steve Ganley, Tom Gatz, Rich Glinski Clive Green, Bill Grossi, Amy Hahn, Jay Hand, Bill Hayes, Stuart Healy, Rich Hoyer, Dave Jasper (Portal), Sally Johnsen, Ken Kertell, Dave Krueper (San Pedro River), Paul Lehman, Jan Lloyd, Nancy London, Bill Massey, Janine McCabe Mike San Miguel, Pete Moulton, Jerry Oldenettel, Marilyn Petrich, Steve and Ruth Russell, Will Russell, Janet Ruth, Bill Scott, Andy Spencer, John Spencer, Sig Stangeland, Dave Stejskal, Mark M. Stevenson (Southern Arizona), Donald Tiller, Dick Todd, Carl Tomoff (Prescott), Sandy Turner, Anita Van Auken, Wezil Walraven, David West, Jack Whetstone, Bob Witzeman, Janet Witzeman (Phoenix). New Mexico Sartor 0. Williams III New Mexico Department of Game and Fish P.O.Box 25112 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504 (sowilliams@state.nm.us) Winter 2000-2001 began dry, but wide- spread and frequent precipitation by Christmas improved conditions nearly statewide. Continuing a trend, many species lingered late or overwintered north of usual, while several southern species continued to push north. The season was marked by signifi- cant submontane movements by several groups, including jays, parids, nuthatches, and finches, but sparrows were conspicuously scarce. Meanwhile, a long-awaited Mexican species was added to the state list. Abbreviations: B.L.N.W.R. (Bitter Lake N.W.R.); Bosque (Bosque del Apache N.W.R.); E.B.L. (Elephant Butte Lake); L.V.N.W.R. (Las Vegas N.W.R.); Maxwell (Maxwell N.W.R.); R.S. (Rattlesnake Springs, Eddy); R.G.N.C. (Rio Grande Nature Center, Albuquerque); R.G.V. (Rio Grande Valley); Zuni (Zuni Indian Reservation). Loons Through Waterfowl Continuing from Nov was an imm. Yellow- billed Loon at Farmington L. 1 Dec-29 Jan (phs. TR, JO), New Mexico’s ilth in 11 years. Elsewhere on the loon front, single Pacifies were at L.V.N.W.R 4 Dec (DC) and Brantley L. 18 Dec & 3 Feb (SW). Among the few Horned Grebes was one n. to Farmington L. 3 Dec-3 1 Jan (TR, CR). Some 200 Clark’s Grebes were among 900 Westerns at Caballo L. 30 Dec (BZ), where both species remained into mid- Jan (GE). Notably n. for the season were 2 American White Pelicans at Sunmer L. 26 Jan (WH). An American Bittern at B.L.N.W.R. 8 Dec & 5 Jan (GW) provided the only report for this now rare species. Late for the n. was a Sno^vy Egret at Farmington 16 Dec (AN), and another Snowy lingered at Bosque unitl 30 Dec (JEP); the only Jan report was of one at Six Mile Dam, Eddy 7-10 Jan (JO, WW, JN-M). A Green Heron was n. to Corrales 8 Jan (HS), where unusual in winter. Turkey Vultures do not winter in New Mexico, so surprising was one at Corrales 4 Jan (RG); notably early were singles at Percha 7 Feb (WW, JN-M), Salem 14 Feb (MS, JZ), and Carlsbad 25 Feb (SW). A Black-bellied Whistling-Duck made a brief Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 209 New Mexico and unexplained visit to Maxwell 4 Dec (L. Neely). Greater White-fronted Geese where seldom (if ever) reported included 5 at Clayton 28 Dec (CR), one at Corrales 6 Jan (WH), and up to 13 at Brantley L. 8 Jan-3 Feb (JO, CR, SW). Two Black Brant at Brantley L. 18 Dec (SW) furnished an Eddy first; there are but four previous New Mexico records. A good swan season was highlighted by 2 ad. Trumpeter Swans at Clayton L. 24 Dec-2 Jan (ph. JO; CR, MW); Tundras included 7 at Maxwell 1 Dec-17 Feb (v.o.), one at Clayton L. 24-28 Dec (ph. JO; CR), 1-3 at L.V.N.W.R. 4-17 Dec (v.o.), and 6 near Roswell in Jan (SB). Wood Ducks continued to increase in range and numbers, including 4 at Pena Blanca 23 Feb (WH), 5 near Cliff 30 Dec (RS), and 8 each at Casa Colorado 18 Feb (CR), E.B.L. 4 Jan (MW), and Tularosa 20 Jan (JO). A male Eurasian Wigeon visited R.G.N.C. 13 Dec-3 Feb (v.o.; phs. JO, BZ). Earliest Cinnamon Teal were one at Navajo Dam 2 Feb (PL) plus 3 at Bosque (JEP) and 2 at Holloman L. (GE) 3 Feb. Always a treat, single Long-tailed Ducks were at Farmington L. 1 Jan (ph. TR), Stubblefield L. 1-3 Dec (DC), and Conchas L. 8 Dec (ph. WH). The few Barrow’s Goldeneyes were restricted to Navajo L. and the San Juan R. (TR, CR, JO). Raptors Through Gulls Unexpected in winter was an Osprey at Caballo L. 3 Dec-21 Jan (v.o.). As previously reported. White-tailed Kites have recently occupied s. New Mexico; this season found 2-3 in Hidalgo 10 & 28 Jan (AC, NM-C, S. Smith), up to 8 in Luna Jan-Feb (v.o.), and singles at Bosque 26 Jan (J & MH), Tularosa 27 Dec-1 Jan (J.Mangimeli), and Roswell 26 Jan (SB). Demonstrating unwavering faith in the future was a female Bald Eagle tight on her nest in snow-covered Colfax 10 Feb (SOW, PM); on a sad note, 2 Bald Eagles died of lead poisoning at Farmington in Feb (TR). Suggestive of a good flight year were single Northern Goshawks at 9 sites from the R.G.V. east, including at B.L.N.W.R 2 Feb (ph. GW) and R.S. 16 Dec (SW). A possible Red-shouldered Hawk at Turn, Valencia 18 Feb (CR) could not be relocated. Ferruginous Hawks were well- represented on C.B.C.s, with 52 birds in 16 cir- cles, while Rough-leggeds, once considered rare near the Mexican border, were at seven sites in Hidalgo, Luna, Dona Ana, Otero, and Eddy Dec-Jan (v.o.). Merlins saturated the w. two-thirds of New Mexico Dec-Feb (m.ob.); a dark Merlin was at La Joya 22 Dec (vt. JO). The pair of Aplomado Falcons present in s. New Mexico since Oct was observed in courtship and prenesting behavior 20 Feb (RM). A few Peregrine Falcons lingered into Dec; notewor- thy were singles at Madrid 16 Jan (LS) and near Columbus 21 Jan (SW, R. West). High counts for Montezuma Quail were 12 in Clanton Canyon 29 Dec (JO) and 16 at Ruidoso 16 Dec (A. Powell). Late for the n. were a Virginia Rail at Espanola 31 Dec (BF) and a Sora at Santa Fe 23 Dec (BF). The experimental Whooping Crane flock that winters in New Mexico was down to 2 birds Dec-Feb (J. Taylor). Several shorebirds lingered unusually late, including 4 Black-bellied Plovers at B.L.N.W.R 1 Dec (GW) and one at L. Avalon 18 Dec-7 Jan (SW, ph. JO) plus single Snowy Plovers near Bottomless Lakes 6 Jan (SB) and near Loving 23 Dec (SW). Very early was an American Avocet at Holloman L. 6 Feb (CR, SOW). Lingering n. of expected were single Spotted Sandpipers at Questa (RW) and Albuquerque (D. Stahlecker) 17 Dec. Unusual for winter were 2 Long-billed Curlews at Artesia 12 Jan (JEP) and one near Otis 2 Jan (SW). High count for wintering Dunlins was 10 at B.L.N.W.R 11-12 Jan (GW, JEP). Single ad. Mew Gulls were described from Conchas L. 24 Jan (WW, JN-M) and Sunland Park 18 Jan (JNP, MS, JZ); a possible Mew was at Carlsbad 3 Feb (CR, SW). A first-winter Thayer’s Gull was at Brantley L. 8-27 Jan (JO, WW, JEP); a possible Thayer’s at E.B.L. 10 Feb (JO) provid- ed the only additional report. The gull of the season was an ad. Glaucous Gull at Cochiti L. 23-24 Feb (’WW, WH, JEP, ph. JO), the state’s first since 1998. An imm. Black-legged Kittiwake remained at Six Mile Dam 23 Dec-31 Jan (SW, WW, JN-M, JEP, ph. JO). Doves Through Woodpeckers Eurasian Collared-Doves pushed n. to Clayton, with up to 33 there 24-28 Dec (CR, ph. JO) while w. were 2 at Columbus 2 Dec (JEP, ph. JO); this invading species maintained its strong presence in the Pecos Valley while new R.G.V. locales were established with up to 13 at Arrey 30 Dec-11 Jan (v.o., phs. JO, BZ) and 1- 3 at Hatch 21-22 Dec (phs. JO, BZ). White- winged Doves were found on 12 C.B.C.s, and outnumbered Mourning Doves on 7 of them, including Silver City, Santa Fe, and Roswell, while the 10,213 tallied at Las Cruces 16 Dec (GE) established White-wingeds as the most numerous bird species there; 6 were at Grants 4 Feb (JO). A Common Ground-Dove at Rodeo 31 Dec {fide AC) furnished the only report. A Greater Roadrunner was n. to Maxwell 15 Dec (L. Mowbray). High count for Barn Owls was 5 leaving a saltcedar roost at Sunland Park 8 Jan (MS, JZ); highs for Long- eareds were 8 at Dripping Springs 6 Jan (MS, JZ) and 10 near Loving 19 Feb (SW). Single Short-eared Owls were at B.L.N.W.R 5-10 Jan (GW et al.) and near Hermanas 18 Jan (C. Hayes). White-throated Swifts enjoying s. New Mexico’s climate included one in the PeloncOlo Mts. 31 Dec (A. Moorhouse), 30 at Palomas 30 i Dec (GE), and 20 in s. Dona Ana 6 Jan (MS, JZ). It was generally quite on the hummingbird front, highlighted by a Broad-billed at Carlsbad since Nov that remained there through 7 Jan (E. Pierce, SW, ph. JO). Undetailed were single Magnificents and Black-chinneds at Silver City 16 Dec (RS), one ' to 2 Anna’s at Las Cruces 16 Dec (TS) and 6 Jan (JO), and a Rufous near Carlsbad 18 Dec ; (TH). Lewis’s Woodpeckers far s. of usual included one near Deming 27 Dec-17 Feb ;; (LM, JO, CR) and one to 2 each at Las Cruces ' 16 Dec-11 Feb (v.o., ph. BZ) and Tularosa 13- | 20 Jan (JO et al.). An Acorn Woodpecker visit- ; ed a Sandia Park feeder 28-31 Dec (ph. B. | Guertin). Unusual for the season was a Red- naped Sapsucker n. to Espanola 31 Dec (BF). Single apparent Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were at 9 sites from the R.G.V. east Dec-Feb (v.o.). j Peripherial Downy Woodpeckers were singles | e. to Clayton 28 Dec (CR) and s. to Caballo 30 1 Dec (BZ). Flycatchers Through Nuthatches Always a challenge, single Empidonax flycatch- ers lingered in the Gila Valley 22 8c 30 Dec (RS) and at Hatchet Gap 5 Jan (SOW). Eastern Phoebes were well-represented in the Pecos and Rio Grande valleys; w. were singles near Riverside 16 Feb (RS) and in the Peloncillo Mts 31 Dec (EL). Late for the n. were 2 Black Phoebes at Espanola 31 Dec (BF), as were 1-2 Say’s at Farmington 16 Dec (AN), Algodones 29 Dec (LS), and near Las Vegas 7 Jan (JT). A Vermilion Flycatcher strayed n. to Albuquerque 17 Dec (CB). The Great Kiskadee present at R.S. since 27 Jul remained Dec-Jan (v.o., ph. JO) and was last seen 1 Feb (SW). A Northern Shrike was s. to Las Cruces 10-14 Dec (GE) and another reached Bosque 10 Dec (vt. JO); elsewhere, one to 2 Northerns were at Farmington L. (TR), Chaco Canyon (H. Smith), near Taos (JEP, JO), Questa (RW), Espanola (BF), and Trujillo (WW, JN-M) 13 Dec-17 Feb. Unexpected were single Hutton’s Vireos at three Las Cruces sites on various dates 16 Dec-1 1 Feb (GE, JNP, MS, JZ); anoth- er was at Deming 2 Dec (JEP). Steller’s Jays ■ were conspicuous in many lowland areas, par- ticularly the R.G.V. from Albuquerque s. to Sunland Park, and in the sw. in the GOa Valley from Cliff to Virden, the Peloncillo Mts., and at Rodeo and Deming (v.o.); e. were singles at Santa Rosa 31 Dec (WW) and Fort Sumner 1 Feb (JQ, PL). Blue Jays w. to the R.G.V. includ- 210 North American Birds New Mexico ed 2 each at Espanola 3 1 Dec (BF) and Santa Fe 23 Dec (P. Insley) and one at Caballo 30 Dec (BZ). Western Scrub-Jays joined in the lowland invasion; noteworthy were 4 at Deming 2 Dec (JO), while far e. were 3 at Clayton 28 Dec (CR) and 2 on the Texas line at Glenrio 8 Dec (WH). Pinyon Jays far e. of usual included 50 at Sumner L. 26 Jan (WH) and 58 in pecans at Artesia 3 Feb (SW). A Black-billed Magpie in s. Albuquerque 1 Dec (JEP) was at the current s. limit of the species’s R.G.V. range. Wintering American Crows continued to expand; note- worthy were 53 at Clayton 28 Dec (CR), 1 1 n. of Roswell 7 Feb (WH), and 200 in pecans at Tularosa 5 Feb (SOW). Several Tree Swallows lingered late or overwintered, including 2 at Albuquerque 17 Dec (TB) and one there 31 Dec (DM), 47 at Palomas 30 Dec (GE), one in s. Dona Ana 14 Jan (MS, JZ), and 2 at Brantley L. 31 Jan (PL). Also late were 3 Northern Rough-wingeds at CabaUo 30 Dec (BZ), as were one to 2 Barns at R.G.N.C. 13-17 Dec (v.o.) and 2 at Corrales 3 Jan (RG). Mountain Chickadees and Juniper Titmice flooded low- land areas in all quadrants of the state. Less numerous, but widespread and conspicuous nonetheless, were Brown Creepers and Red- breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches; White-breasteds were detected on 24 of 26 C.B.C.s, with a high 79 at Albuquerque 16 Dec (HS). Wandering Pygmy Nuthatches included 2 in Clanton Canyon 29 Dec (JO) and one at Deming 2 Dec (SW). Wrens Through Phainopepia Carolina Wrens maintained their middle R.G.V. presence, with one at Luis Lopez through 10 Feb (JO). The wintering status of House Wrens is poorly understood; this season brought reports of singles at Caballo 30 Dec (BZ), Las Cruces 11 Feb (MS, JZ), Sunland Park 2 Jan (MS, JZ), and Carlsbad 14 Jan & 14 Feb (SW). Compared to recent years, Winter Wrens were scarce, with singles only at Las Vegas 30 Dec (GB), Corrales 9 Dec (HS), and Malaga 23 Dec (TH). Not to be left behind, Golden-crowned Kinglets joined in the sub- montane invasion, especially in the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys. Untangling the sta- tus of wintering gnatcatchers was further com- plicated this season, with vague reports of both species — often from the same locale (e.g.. La Joya) — the rule rather than the exception. Nicely detailed was a late Blue-gray at Petroglyph N.M. 17 Dec (NV) and another Blue-gray was among 15 Black- taileds counted at Las Cruces 16 Dec (K. Stinnett, GE); note- worthy for the SW. were 5 Black-taileds near Rodeo 31 Dec (AC). Eastern Bluebirds were plentiful in the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys; farther w., the 35 Easterns in the Peloncillo Mts. 31 Dec (AC) furnished a statewide high, as did the 1081 Mountain Bluebirds there 31 Dec (AC). A Varied Thrush at Belen 20 Dec (C. Brandt) continued the recent proliferation of reports of this rare species. Notably late was a Gray Catbird at Mesilla 16 Dec (C. Benkman, T. Lawton). Typically rare, or overlooked, in n. New Mexico in winter, a Northern Mockingbird was at Clayton 24-28 Dec (JO, CR); another lingered at Zuni 16 Dec-2 Jan (ph. DC). Single Brown Thrashers were w. to Corrales 16 Dec-20 Jan (WH) and Socorro 30 Dec-3 Feb (JEP, J. Shipman); elsewhere were one at Santa Rosa 31 Dec (WW) and up to 5 at Carlsbad Caverns N.P and adjacent R.S. Dec-Jan (SW, JEP). Crissal Thrashers were singing at Carnuel 13 Feb (WW) and a just- completed nest was at Petroglyph N.M. 22 Feb (HS); the 55 Crissals in the Peloncillo Mts. 31 Dec (AC) furnished an usually high count. Surveys for grassland sparrows in s. Luna dis- covered 25 migrating Sprague’s Pipits 1 Dec (RM); a Sprague’s in the s. Animas Valley 10 Jan (NM-C) suggested local wintering. A Bohemian Waxwing at Raton 17 Feb (JEP, ph. JO) provided the state’s first report since 1990. Cedar Waxwings were unusually numerous and widespread Dec-Feb, with a high 298 at Farmington 16 Dec (AN). Far ne. was a Phainopepia at Roswell 20 Jan (SB). Warblers Through Pyrrhuloxia Out of range were single apparent Olive Warblers in the Organ Mts. at Dripping Springs 1 Jan (MS, JZ) and Aguirre Springs 26 Jan (MS, JZ); another was reported in Skull Canyon, Peloncillo Mts. 31 Dec (D. jasper fide AC). Continuing a trend, Orange-crowned Warblers wintered in the lower Rio Grande and Pecos valleys; n. was one at Bosque 18 Feb (DC), while 6 at Mesilla 1 1 Dec (CR) provided a high count. A Northern Parula was late at Roswell 16-17 Dec (SB). Other rare warblers included a Yellow-throated Warbler at Las Cruces 16 Dec-10 Feb (v.o., ph. JO) and a Palm Warbler at Palomas 20 Jan (J 8c MH). Surprising if accurate were single undetailed Northern Waterthrushes at R.G.N.C. 3 Feb (J. Arnold) and Bosque 10 Feb (GE). Far n. for the season was a Common Yellowthroat at Rio Rancho 17 Dec (CB). Like many other migrant sparrows, Green-tailed Towhees were notably scarce; n. was one at Albuquerque 17 Dec (S. Williamson). Far e. was a Canyon Towhee at Hobbs 4 Feb (CR); a remarkable 304 Canyons were tallied in the Peloncillo Mts. 31 Dec (AC). Single American Tree Sparrows ventured s. to Zuni 13 Dec (JAT), Petroglyph N.M. 17 Dec (sketch NV), and Roswell 16 Dec (SB). In sharp contrast to last year, wintering sparrows were spectacularly scarce, with Chippings, Brewer’s, and Vespers conspicuous by their absence. Single Field Sparrows put in appear- ances at Bosque 10 Feb (JEP, JO), Garfield 13 Jan (JNP), and Brantley L. 7 Jan (JO). Unusual was a Black-chinned Sparrow n. to Albuquerque 30 Dec (NV), as was a Black- throated n. to San Juan 5 Jan (TR). Noteworthy were 2 White-throated Sparrows ne. to Clayton 28 Dec (CR). Always nice, 2 Harris’s Sparrows were at Albuquerque 17 Dec (TB, D. Buckley), while another wintered at Las Cruces 1 Dec-28 Feb (v.o., ph. TS). Single Golden-crowneds were at Bosque 19 Feb (WW, NV), Garfield 11 Jan (MS, JZ), and B.L.N.W.R. 23 Dec-6 Feb (v.o., phs. GW, JO). Among the several White- winged Juncos in the R.G.V. was one s. to Las Cruces 2 Dec-6 Jan (v.o., ph. TS). A Yellow- eyed Junco in P.O. Canyon Dec-Jan (R. Scholes) was the first ever to overwinter there. One to 2 Pyrrhuloxias were n. in the R.G.V. to Los Lunas 8 Dec (JO), Jarales 25 Feb (JO), and La Joya 20 Dec-14 Jan (CR, JO). Blackbirds Through Finches Rusty Blackbirds staged a surprising showing, with one at Taos 17 Feb (JEP, ph. JO), 6 at Clayton 28 Dec (CR), 2 at Bosque 1 Dec-7 Jan (NV, WH, RG, ph. JO), and 3 at L. Avalon 4 Jan (SW). Common Crackles continued to be reported among the more numerous Great- taileds; notably late in the n. were one at Clayton 28 Dec (CR) and 20 at Las Vegas 30 Dec (GB), while presumably early were one at R.S. 26 Jan (JEP) and 4 at Albuquerque 28 Jan (JEP). Unusual in winter, a Bronzed Cowbird was at Las Cruces 16 Dec (TS); northerly Brown-headeds were one at Las Vegas 7 Jan (JT) and 69 at Clayton 28 Dec (CR). The bird of the season was an imm. Streak-backed Oriole at Corrales 9 Dec-28 Jan (P. Perkins et al., phs. & vt. JO, S. Cox), which furnished the first verified New Mexico record. A memorable season for rosy-finches found mixed-species flocks numbering about 60 at Taos 20 Feb (P. Kaestle), 50 (mostly Brown-cappeds) at Questa 17 Dec (RW), 80 (mostly Blacks) at Madrid 6- 17 Feb (WW, CR, PS), and 90 (mostly Blacks but including at least one Hepburn’s) at Sandia Crest 30 Dec-15 Feb (v.o., phs. JO, MS, JZ); a single Black was at Eagle Nest 17 Feb (JEP, JO), while Gray-crowneds included 2 on Johnson Mesa, Colfax 11 Feb (SOW, PM), one at Eldorado 13 Dec (L. Owens), and 75-100 at Corral Canyon, Jemez Mts. 11 Feb (C. & T. Jervis). A Pine Grosbeak at Blackrock 14 Dec (JAT) furnished a Zuni Pueblo first, while 5 in the Zuni Mts. 16 Dec (JAT) were the first for that range in some 30 years; one to 4 were at Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 211 New Mexico-Alaska Alaska Sandia Crest 21-26 Jan (K. Schneider et al.), where irregular. Cassin’s Finches continued very much in evidence in lowland situations in the w. two-thirds of New Mexico, as did Red Crossbills, which also spread into s.e. lowlands; as in previous years, crossbills in the s. were often associated with pecan orchards. Once again. Lesser Goldfinches lingered late or over- wintered n. of usual, and were particularly prevalent n. to Farmington (AN) and Albuquerque (HS) in Dec; noteworthy were one at Zuni 1 Jan-24 Feb (DC), 8 at Corrales 6 Jan ( WH), and several at Albuquerque Jan-Feb (DM). Evening Grosbeaks rounded out the carduline invasion, and were especially numer- ous in the San Juan, Zuni, Rio Grande, and Gila valleys but were scarce in the far s.; one at R.S. 10 Jan (WW, JN-M) furnished the lone se. report. Initialed Observers: Sherry Bixler, George Blanchard, Terry Brownell, Celestyn Brozek, David Cleary, Alan Craig, Gordon Ewing, Bernard Foy, Rebecca Gracey, Tom Hines, John & Marty Hirth, William Howe, Paul Lehman, Eugene Lewis, Larry Malone, Patricia Mehlhop, David Mehlman, Raymond Meyer, Narca Moore-Craig, Alan Nelson, Jim Nelson- Moore, Jerry Oldenettel, John E. Parmeter, James N. Paton, Timothy Reeves, Christopher Rustay, Lawry Sager, Hart Schwarz, Marcy Scott, Tara Shelton, Roland Shook, Patricia Snider, Joyce Takamine, John A. Trochet, Nick Vaughn, Gordon Warrick, Mark Watson, Robert Weber, Steve West, WiJliam West, S. O. Williams, James Zabriskie, Barry Zimmer. Place names that are frequently men- tioned, but very long, may be abbrevi- ated in a form such as “C.B.B.T.” or “W.P.B.O.” Such local abbreviations will be explained in a key at the begin- ning of the particular regional report in which they are used. In most regions, place names given in italic type are counties. Standard abbrevia- tions that are used throughout North American Birds are keyed on page 143. Thede Tobish 251 0 Foraker Drive Anchorage, Alaska 99517 (tgt@alaska.net) Weatherwise, winter 2000-2001 barely happened, at least where birds and winter movements are feasible, i.e., south of the Brooks Range. Freeze-up protracted well into December across the Region, while the Bering Sea icepack reached south barely to St. Matthew 1. Snowpack volume also fell way short of mid-season averages and enough patches of open water existed to likely have sig- nificantly modified waterbird populations and distribution, at least in the Region’s southern portions. Waterbird concentrations were uni- formly below average at all sites, but surpris- ingly, the mild season provided few passerine surprises, and semi-hardy forms were mostly at or near modern averages. All area reports included mention of lengthy periods of warm, storm-free conditions, e.g. the Anchorage area never registered below zero degrees F all sea- son. Abbreviations: ABO (Alaska Bird Observatory); North Gulf (North Gulf of Alaska); SE (Southeast Alaska); SC (Southcoastal Alaska); SW (Southwest Alaska); UCI (Upper Cook Inlet); Y-K Delta (Yukon- Kuskokwim River Deltas); Referenced details (t), specimens (*), photographs (ph.), and videotape (v.t.) are on file at the University of Alaska Museum. Italicized place names denote especially unusual locations for the noted species. Loons Through Rails Most of the standard loon concentration areas produced unremarkable numbers this winter. Two Pied-bUled Grebes appeared sporadically in saltwater habitats near Ketchikan 5 Dec- 19 Feb+ (AWP, SCH), the winter’s only account. The season’s Western Grebe winter peak totaled 270 19 Feb (SCH, AWP), again from the Ketchikan passes. Building on results from the past few winters, both Laysan and Black-footed Albatross were regular in near-record winter numbers on Continental Shelf waters mainly e. of Kodiak. Several observers averaged about 10 Laysans and 5 Black-footeds per day between 2 Jan and 28 Feb -I- (AS, LC, RAM et al.). Such numbers for either were unknown, and both species were considered casual in the North Gulf ten years ago. The Ketchikan crew contin- ued to find Brandt’s Cormorants, inshore and from the road system, with at least 6 identified between downtown and Mountain Pt. 15 Jan -19 Feb (SCH, AWP, TS). Kodiak’s high count for wintering Emperor Goose peaked at an aver- age 335 on 21 Jan (RAM, JBA). Even absent reports from traditional sites in the greater Stikine R.-Kupreanof 1. range, SE observers con- structed an excellent picture of the winter Trumpeter Swan distribution. Highlighted by an aerial survey of 21 7 Trumpeters on Prince of Wales 1. 19 Jan (EL fide SCH), other counts 212 North American Birds This pair of Wood Ducks remained in warm Ketchikan through the winter, here photographed New Year’s Day. Photograph by S. C. Main. included at least 21 near Sitka, a near-record for there, 17 Dec + (MLW, MET), up to 6 tardy migrants near Juneau 2 Dec (GW), and scat- tered family groups elsewhere in the greater Ketchikan area 12 Dec-17 Jan (MAW). Farther north, another imm. Trumpeter spent most of Dec with Tundras at Kodiak, where casual (JB, RAM), while a single in spring-fed waters near Eagle River 16 Jan (DL fide RES) constituted UCTs 3rd winter record. Given the obvious dis- persal and open habitats for winter waterfowl, this season’s highlights were above par, high- lighted by: a pair of Wood Ducks in Ketchikan 16 Dec + (SCH ph.); a season estimate of 425-t- Gadwall from the Kodiak area, well above aver- age there (RAM); scattered Eurasian Wigeon from SE and SC sites, with a peak of at least 3 at Kodiak 10 Dec-25 Feb (RAM, MY), and an unusually high winter tally of 53 Am. Wigeon on Kodiak freshwater 19 Feb (RAM); only 2 Redhead in SE at Sitka (MLW, MET) aU season, where nearly annual; an imm. female Steller’s Eider near Ketchikan 11-28 Feb-t (fSCH ph., tAWP ph., JFK, TG), a first for the area and one of only a handful from SE, especially for s. of Mitkof I. sites; and a decent winter peak of 14 Hooded Mergansers from Juneau from 16 Dec+ (MCS). UCTs notable waterfowl finds included a repeat Green-winged Teal from last winter (q.v.), a single Northern Pintail, a single drake Harlequin Duck, and 2 Bufflehead, all from coastal Anchorage sites (RLS, DWS, DFD, TT), and all now more or less annual where and when habitats are available. Bald Eagles seemed to be thriving at or near their n. limits in UCI, with daily counts between Wasilla and Anchorage producing 30-50-1- indi- viduals regularly, about double normal winter numbers. Although unreported elsewhere, min- imal snow cover in Anchorage no doubt allowed 2 Northern Harriers to linger on the out migra- tion 31 Dec (NA, DR fide RLS). These are the first in winter for UCI and one of the northern- most for the Region beyond Nov. At least as rep- resented in C.B.C. data. Northern Goshawks were doing well this season, with count totals collectively over double (52) the past ten-year averages (20+; fide RLS). Two American Coots at Sitka to 13 Dec (MLW, MET) were the sea- son’s sole report. Plovers Through Woodpeckers Piston and Heinl were more than a little sur- prised to not only find a Pluvialis plover in intertidal habitat at Ketchikan 13-14 Jan, but then to see that this bird had a fine whitish wing bar and clean white axillars and underwing coverts. This European Golden-Plover (fSCH tAWP ph.) became Alaska’s, and apparently, the Pacific Basin’s first ever. Essentially aU Pacific Coast North American winter golden-plovers have been identified as Pacifies, with records as close to Ketchikan as sw. British Columbia, including a few recent site records from the Queen Charlotte Is. {NASFN 52:244, 1998). There are no Alaska winter records beyond extreme late migrants from perhaps early Dec. Additional details wiU be published elsewhere. Beyond the Ketchikan plover, shorebird high- lights focused on semi-hardy/irregular species in otherwise above-average numbers, including: 3 Killdeer in Ketchikan 28 Jan (AWP) and at least iO from the Juneau C.B.C. 16 Dec (fide SZ, GVY); an unusual count of 1000 Black Turnstones in Juneau from 15 Jan (PS); and up to 1000 Rock Sandpipers in the Juneau area 15 Jan + (PS), often seen with good counts of Dunlin there as well, e.g. 400-!- 16 Jan (GW). Gill’s UCI Rock Sandpiper (mostly nominate birds) summaries included season peaks of 13,657 (Jan 1) and 12,608 (Feb 1) from the inlet’s standard nw. corner near Trading Bay (REG). These midwinter numbers were an increase over last winter but still below 1996-1998 historic counts of 18,000. This winter’s Larid highlights came in from the standard coastal hotspots, with Bonaparte’s Gulls, casual after Dec most years, in Ketchikan into Feb, including lO-l- from Dec-17 Feb (SCH, AWP), exceUent winter concentrations of Mew Gulls, highlighted by daily maxima of 7500 around Kodiak 2 Feb (RAM) and 1000 on the Ketchikan waterfront 8 Feb (SCH, AWP), an above average total of 50 Thayer’s GuUs n. of Juneau 28 Dec (PS), and an ad. Western Gull again documented near Ketchikan 20 Jan-i- (tSCH, AWP ph.). The season’s only Slaty- backed Gull mentioned was a single fourth-year bird in Juneau 8-29 Jan (GW, PS, DWS et al.). The mild season and a lack of sea-ice cover in UCI allowed Glaucous-winged Gulls to remain in downtown Anchorage, where a few single first-year birds lingered irregularly to about 15 Dec (TT). A mid-season warming trend and a warm s. flow produced a few other singles in Anchorage 15-17 Jan (TT), UCTs first in mid- winter since the Anchorage landfill closed in the early 1980s. Southern SE Marbled Murrelets again spent much of the winter concentrated in the Ketchikan area, with a peak 910 counted from the road system 19 Feb (SCH, JFK). Notable reports for semi-hardy or otherwise irregular wintering owls included a Snowy at Sitka 1-16 Dec-l- (fide MLW) and at least 3 Short-eareds in Kodiak, where not annual, 21 Dec-late Feb (IM, JD, SD). Northern Pygmy- Owls faded to show in SE sites where they had become regular. At least 2 Northern (Red- shafted) Flickers were noted n. to Juneau 10 Dec into Feb (GW, MCS), where they are casual after Nov, while the Ketchikan area produced at least 9 through the season (SCH, AWP), which was considered a normal number. Nuthatch Through Finches Red-breasted Nuthatches made strong show- ings, at least through the December C.B.C. peri- od in Anchorage and Juneau, both sites where contemporary numbers of this species, which is quite tenacious at feeding stations, continue to grow. Mild conditions and an excellent berry crop were favorable for late and out-of-range Townsend’s Solitaires in UCI, where at least 6 were accounted for in Dec (fide RLS), but only 2 Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 213 Alaska lingered through the season in Anchorage (AE, RLS, DFD). Solitaires have become irregular late migrants and occasionally attempt and success- fully overwinter in UCI. Probably tardy migrant Hermit Thrushes included singles at Sitka 11 Dec (MLW, MET) and at Seward 30 Dec (BA fide RLS), one of SC’s latest ever. American Robins were about average or only marginally more common at most coastal sites, except in UCI, where easily 30 spent most of Dec to early Jan in downtown Anchorage and another 15 were noted from farther n. in Eagle River 15 Jan-l- {fide RLS). For the first time ever, a wagtail wintered in the Region. The bright immature bird, considered by most reviewers to be a Black-backed, was present at least 16 Dec-7 Mar at King Cove (JS ph., MS), out the w. end of the Alaska Pen. I know of no White/Black-backed Wagtail reports in Alaska after the first week of Oct — there are about five White/Black-backed records in SC and SE. Two American Pipits, casual in winter at coastal microhabitats, in Juneau 23 Dec (PS, GW) may have been late migrants, but another there 21-22 Jan-l- (GW) was clearly wintering. Warblers made unusual winter news. A celata Orange-crowned found enough sustenance in downtown Juneau to winter through at least 20-24 Jan-l- (PS, GW). Single YeUow-mmped Warblers were also in Juneau 20-24 Dec and 22 Jan-l- (GW^) and from the outer coast at Sitka Dec 13-1- (MLW, MET). The January Yellow- rumped Warbler represents about the 5th “true” winter record for Alaska, while the Orange-crowned is approximately the Region’s 3rd in midwinter. Semi-hardy and sporadic wintering spar- rows were slightly above average from most sites, highlighted by a casual Savannah Sparrow at Kodiak Dec-1 1 Feb-f (RAM ph.), a season high 22 Fox Sparrows {insularis) from the Kodiak feeder system (RAM), only two Lincoln’s Sparrow reports, from Kodiak 2 Dec-Jan (RAM), 2 and one each White-31 Dec-20 Jan (SCH, AWP) and Wrangell 16 Dec (tCLR), and single daring White-throated Sparrows from Ketchikan crowneds from Tok 20 Dec and Fairbanks 30 Dec {fide RLS). Any sparrow n. of the Alaska Range past 1 Dec remains noteworthy. Two Red-winged Blackbirds from Juneau wetlands to 25 Dec (PS) were getting late but expected somewhere in this season’s mild conditions. A Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (SE littoralis) from the Ketchikan dump 4 Feb (SCH, AWP) was only the 2nd local record and the first in winter — SE winter Rosy Finches are very scarce. Details came in for only one Purple Finch, a male at Ketchikan 14-15 Dec (tSCH, TG) where most of the Region’s winter records emanate, while 2 Evening Grosbeaks appeared in downtown Juneau 17- 18 Jan (GW), the source for most of Alaska’s winter reports. Both crossbill species were irreg- ularly noted or scarce, with White-wingeds reported as common and local only in Turnagain Arm by late season (TT). Q A The end of winter was distinctly 0/”\.punctuated with a Eurasian Bullfinch report from Fairbanks. An ad. female of the cassinii form was the first confirmed sighting for the e. Interior and Fairbanks when it first appeared at a feeder 24 Feb and was seen almost daily for 38 straight days (VB). The feeder was located at a cabin in a Black Spruce forest along the Tanana R. floodplain just s. of town. With clear views of the bird at 10-12 feet from the living room, this gaudy bird attracted over 90 birders, 30 of whom traveled from outside Fairbanks and 17 from out of state. Many excellent photographs were obtained to document this rare visitor (VB et al, ph.). The cassinii race of this bullfinch ranges throughout much of Russia e. to Kamchatka. Interestingly, cassinii was first described by Dali and Bannister (1869) from a bird collected in the w. Interior at Nulato in 1867. It was believed that a New World population had been discovered, but as no subsequent birds were foimd, this theory was proven incorrect. Even with sporadic contemporary records, Eurasian Bullfinch remains casual in the Region, with most reports from the w. Aleutians and the Bering Sea Is. The maximum count for Alaska is a flock of 7 in spring from Gambell, and most sightings are of single birds. Mainland Alaska accounts are scarce, with the Fairbanks record making the 10th. The last known observation of the Fairbanks bird was 3 Apr. (Contributed by Valerie Baxter) Contributors and observers: ABO (N. DeWitt et al.), B. Agler, J. B. Allen, B. Andres, N. Arneson, V. Baxter, R. Berns, J. Blackburn, L. Chilton, M. R. Dalton, D. F. Delap, J. 8c S. Doyle, A. Eash, D. D. Gibson, R. E. Gill, R. J. Gordon, T. Goucher, S. C. Heinl, J. F. Koerner, E. Lance, D. Lloyd, 1. Macintosh, R. A. Macintosh, L. J. Oakley, A. W. Piston, P. Pourchot, D. Rosenberg, C. L. Ross, S. Savage, T. Schantz, R. L. Scher, M. A. Schultz, W. Schwan, N. Senner, S. D. Smith, D. W. Sonneborn, J. 8c M. Staab, P. Suchanek, P. Sunberg, M. E. Tedin, T. Tobish, G. Van Vliet, M. L. Ward, M. A. Wood, M. York, S. Zimmerman. SHADE-GROWN COFFEE SAVES TREES FOR MIGRATING BIRDS SONG BIRD COFFEE saves critical bird habitat AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION helps to fund ABA programs, including support for Partners in Flight. TO ORDER FROM ABA SALES: 800/634-7736 www.americanbirding.org/ programs/conssbcofl.htm It talc es more tkan luclc. u to preserve, protect, ond restore our Iierita3e ■ It takes you. Call us at 415.403.3850 or visit us at www.alcnet.org AMERICAN LAND CONSI iRVANOY A non-pri Dfit organization. 456 Montgomi San Fran 3ry Street, Suite 1450 cisco, CA 941 04 214 North American Birds British Columbia-Yukon Donald G. Cecile 7995 Wilson-Jackson Rd. Vernon, British Columbia VI B 3N5 (dcecile@sd22.bc.ca) Another winter without a winter for the West, by and large, as the East got the brunt of the cold and snow this year. The only significant series of Pacific storms made landfall in the first few days of December. After this, the flow turned northerly, and the only real cold snap of the winter held sway right out to the coast through the second week, although there did not seem to be much effect on the early C.B.C.s. It was a mbced bag of cold and warm until the Pineapple Express rewed up again by early January, push- ing the storms’ tracks across the center of the province. Mild and dry weather prevailed over the south, whereas the north coast received copious rainfall. Several significant snowfalls occurred across the central Interior during the month, but snowpacks remained below normal at the end of the month. February was a cool month overall, moreso for Interior regions, but definitely a dry one due to the virtual absence of any significant storms. Abbreviations: Chichester (Chichester Bird Sanctuary, Kelowna), C.I.P. (Cottonwood Island Park, Prince George), F.F.T.W. (Forests for the World, Prince George), Whse. (Whitehorse, Yukon). Cited C.B.C.S: Abbotsford 29 Dec, Comox 23 Dec, Duncan 30 Dec, Kelowna 16 Dec, Ladner 23 Dec, Nanaimo 30 Dec, Oliver-Osoyoos 30 Dec, Pitt Meadows 30 Dec, Prince George 19 Dec, Princeton 29 Dec, Revelstoke 16 Dec, Salmon Arm 19 Dec, Skidegate 16 Dec, Smithers 30 Dec, Sooke 23 Dec, Sunshine Coast 16 Dec, Vancouver 17 Dec, Victoria 16 Dec, and White Rock 30 Dec. Loons Through Waterfowl Potentially British Columbia’s first documented Arctic Loon was seen 7 Feb (fGLM, CB) near LantzviUe, Van. I. While the usual fall Interior trickle of Pacific Loons had occurred, there was only one winter report on the Osoyoos-Oliver C.B.C.. Although no YeUow-billed Loons were reported away from the coast, 4 on the Masset C.B.C., Q.C.I. was the highest single-day report this season. Pied-billed Grebes made a good showing on both interior and coastal C.B.C.s; Oliver-Osoyoos had 58, while Vancouver and Victoria had 44 and 64, respectively, with the most northerly seen 16 Dec at Williams L. (PR). A Northern Fulmar made a rare appearance on the Victoria C.B.C. (fDA). An imm. Double- crested Cormorant was on Swan L., Vernon 2 Dec (DGC), and another imm. remained near Nelson until 16 Dec (fBD), the only Interior reports this winter. Greater V/hite-fronted Geese have become expected annually in vdnter in the cen. Okanagan, with 2 present in Kelowna 1-23 Dec (CC, RT). In the Cariboo-Chilcotin, 5 imm. birds that had arrived two months earlier remained until 9 Dec and furnished the first winter record for Williams L. (PR). The 22,107 Snow Geese reported from the Ladner C.B.C. (all-time highest Canadian C.B.C. count total) included a single individual of the blue form, an unusual find (tRTo, DM). Winter 1985 was the last time numbers of this magnitude were recorded in midwinter. Trumpeter Swans were well represented at a few coastal locations: 1010 on the Abbotsford C.B.C., 1904 on the Comox C.B.C., 996 on the Duncan C.B.C., and 810 on the Ladner C.B.C., with most other counts in the single and double-digits. The relatively mUd winter weather also provided the Yukon with a rare winter record, an adult Tundra Swan that lingered on the Yukon R. at Whse.-Pineridge until 15 Dec (HH, HG). A Bewicks Swan, a rare visitor to w. North America, was reported in Kilby P.P. along the Harrison River in sw. British Columbia from 1-12 Dec (MB, DTy). During the mid-Dec freeze-up, as ducks were forced south, some of the rarer wintering ducks found refuge in creeks and rivers where there was moving water. A female Northern Pintail 16 Dec (DGC) was doing just that along the creek that feeds Swan L. in Vernon, and one to 3 males sought refuge at Chichester, Kelowna 1 Jan-early Feb (RT, CC). Eurasian Wigeons continue to increase, with no fewer than 260 individuals reported around the province, the highest count being 108 on the Ladner C.B.C. (by far the high- est North American C.B.C. total this season and the Canadian all-time high count). There was only one Interior report of a male in Kelowna 1 Jan-28 Feb+ (RT et al.). Tofino’s American Wigeon flock grew to a peak of 4000 on 1 Jan Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 215 British Columbia- Yukon (AD), a good count for the west coast of Van. L, although this pales in comparison to the 50,871 on the Ladner C.B.C. (Peace Valley CA was the only C.B.C. to have a higher tally). American Black Ducks totalled 12 on the Nanaimo C.B.C., and a male showed up at the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty on 14 Dec (JI) and again on 23-28 Feb (m.ob.). The only report of Cinnamon Teal was a lingering male at Iona Island, Richmond until 17 Dec (RW). Fewer Tufted Ducks were report- ed than usual with one female at Vancouver’s Lost Lagoon i Dec-16 Jan (RTo, RTy). Other rare wintering ducks seeking open water includ- ed an imm. male Common Goldeneye 10 Dec (PR) at Williams L., a female Barrow’s Goldeneye at this same locale (PR), another female Barrow’s on the Yukon R. at Whse. mid- Dec-28 Feb-i-(HG et al.), and an unsexed bird on the Kathleen R. in sw. Yukon 27 Dec (GK, LK). Vancouver’s 2816 Barrow’s Goldeneyes was this year’s highest C.B.C. tally in North America. Raptors Throygh Doves Two resident ad. Bald Eagles were at McIntyre Cr. wetlands on the V/hse. C.B.C. 26 Dec (CE). This is the only known location where Bald Eagles regularly overwinter in the territory. A young Northern Harrier took an unsuccessful run at a Starling at a Quesnel feeder in cen. British Columbia 17 Dec (SCM), a sure sign of a hungry hawk, while a record total of 5 was tallied on the Prince George C.B.C.. A Cooper’s Hawk 20 Dec (KO) at F.F.T.W. near Prince George was a good local find. There v/ere four reports of the Harlan’s race of Red-tailed Hawk in the south; Kelowna C.B.C., Pitt Meadows C.B.C., Vancouver C.B.C., and 24-28 Feb-H on the Vernon Commonage (ph. DGC). Rare in the Yukon was a late migrant ad. Golden Eagle at McIntyre Cr. wetlands on the Whse. C.B.C. 26 Dec (CE). Although only 9 Gyrfalcons were reported on C.B.C.s in British Columbia, it was clear that the cen. and n. Okanagan were their preferred sites, with 4-5 birds reported there. Gyrs that frequented bovine feedlots were the most sedentary and long-staying, such as the imm. gray-morph bird at Marshall’s feedlot, Kelowna mid-Nov-7 Jan (TF et al.). The mid-Dec cold snap, having occurred prior to the Interior C.B.C.s, sent Virginia Rails packing. In Kelowna, for example, 6 birds had been known to be huddled at Chichester. None were found on the C.B.C., and only one bird was found on 1 Jan (RT). Remarkable, then, was an individual that managed to winter from 30 Dec-12 Jan (LD) along the Chflcotin R. at Riske Creek and furnished a first winter record for the area. A lingering SandhUl Crane remained in the Victoria area to 25 Feb (JL, DTy), furnishing one of only a few winter records. The most norther- ly KiUdeer reported this season was a single bird 22 Dec (EL) at C.I.P. near Prince George where 2 had been present prior to the cold snap (AB). Greater Yellowlegs lingered in good numbers along the coast and lower mainland, with the highest tally of 75 birds found on the White Rock C.B.C.. A Ruddy Turnstone, casual in win- ter along the coast, overwintered at the White Rock pier to 28 Feb-l- (fide HNM). Western Sandpipers, rare but apparently regular in win- ter, were recorded from three coastal locations: 6 were on the Ladner C.B.C., 17 on the Vancouver C.B.C., and 3 on the White Rock C.B.C.. Ladner’s whopping 60,493 Dunlin was by far this winter’s largest C.B.C. count for North America. The only Red Phalarope reported this season was on the Sooke C.B.C. (DS) and was a good find, inasmuch as only 164 were seen on aU of the continent’s C.B.C.s combined. A Black-headed GiiU, a vagrant to the s. coast, furnished Vancouver’s 4th record and 2nd winter record 28 Dec-28 Feb-(- (MT, m.ob.). This basic-plumaged ad. was first discovered in a field with Mew Gulls in Delta. It frustrated many birders by not staying in any one location for long. Reports of Iceland Gulls continue to increase, with four reports this season: a first- basic bird on the Victoria C.B.C. 16 Dec (fBW), an unaged bird in Delta 1 1 Feb (RTo), a third- basic bird at Iona 17 Feb (RTo), and a basic ad. in Vernon 28 Jan-28 Feb-t- (f, ph. DGC, PC, m.ob.). An unaged Le^r Black-backed Gull, potential- ly Vancouver’s first and the province’s 3rd, was seen in Delta on 25 Jan (RTo). Just about every winter for the past 1 1 years, Slaty-backed Gulls have turned up in the Vancouver area. This year was no exception, with an ad. seen rather reliably from Burns Drive in Delta 24 Dec-18 Feb (RTo, m.ob.), and likely a different individual was seen from the Iona Jetty 17 Feb (RTo). A \¥Mt€- wiHged Dove frequented a feeder in Victoria 14 Jan-8 Feb (m.ob.) and moved to another feeder in the area upon apparent harrassment by a pho- tographer. There appears to be a pattern of vagrancy to the sw. corner of British Columbia, although it is not always possible to rule out cap- tive origins in these sightings. Owls Wintering Barn Owls away from the coast were reported as follows: a single bird on the Oliver- Osoyoos C.B.C., one on the Salmon Arm C.B.C., and a pair in Kelowna 16 Dec (BT), but unfortu- nately one of the birds was hit by a car in Feb. A Great Horned Owl of the subarctkus race moved s., presumably from n. British Columbia, to fur- nish one of very few winter records for the s. Interior. It remained at Chichester, Kelowna 13 Jan-24 Feb (RT, ph.DGC, CC, CoC), where it was easily found roosting during the daylight O A This was a winter of owls. Most Ox k.owls other than Snowy and Long- eared were well reported this season. The owl that stole the show, however, was the Northern Hawk Owl, whose unprecedent- ed invasion of the Interior involved no fewer than 75 individuals. The first sign of a significant southward movement came in mid-Nov as individuals began appearing in the c. Interior. By mid-Dec, the irruption had spread to the s. Interior. The most southerly reported individual rame from Anarchist Mountain near Osoyoos in the s. Okanagan, and the most easterly was in Creston. Very few individuals approached the coast: one was in V/histler on Blackcomb Mtn. Presumably, a successful reproductive year- encouraged this move- ment, and the reduced snow cover may have assisted their success. Often when such invasions occur, there is also a high incidence of injured or starving birds, but this was not the case in 2000-2001. Not only was there a lack of such reports, but birds that were closely observed were noted to have been highly successful at capturing prey, even along busy streets. Considering how Great Gray Owls and Short-eared Owls were well represented in the north, this would seem to lend support to the notion that lack of prey was not the pri- mary cause for the invasion. Due to the size and extent of this invasion, local nestings away from traditional breeding sites axe a distinct possibility. See Table 1 on page 217 for locations of sightings. hours. With all of the owl excitement this winter, one species that was notably absent was Snowy Owl. Only 7 birds were reported: one at Westham L, Richmond 17 Jan-28 Feb-l- (MMc), one at Vancouver International Airport 17 Dec-28 Feb-t (m.ob.), 2 on the Skidegate, Q.C.I. C.B.C., one from 12-28 Feb (MW) at Sunset Beach, Vancouver, and one from Rose HiU, se. of Kamloops, tliroughout the period. Not only was the small number of Snowys unusual, but many of these birds were wanderers as weU; more often than not, once Snowy Owls choose their winter- ing site, they remain nearby. Northern Pygmy- Owls were well reported across the province, with a high of 12 on the Smithers C.B.C. Great Gray Owls staged their best showing in recent memory this winter. Sightings included singles at Mendenhall, sw. Yukon, through Dec (SK, m.ob.), near Haines Junction 27 Dec (GK, LK), on the 5 Mile Road near the Klondike Hwy. nw. of Whse. 31 Dec-1 Jan (NJ), near Mayo from 216 North American Birds Location Tablet. Date(s) Regional Hawk Owl sightings for the winter of 2000-200t. All sightings are single birds unless otherwise specified. Obsirver(s) Ksoieftavs (11) Coastal (1) Meadow Creek 14 Dec-4 Mar G. Spider Whisder Ski Village 19 Dec fideCC Castlegar Airport 26 Jan-4 Feb R.Wege Kamloops/Menit^uswaB (9) Anarchist Mtn. summit 3i |an S. Clow Greenstone Mtn. 15 Oct fideCC Creston 8 Ian-23 Feb M. Beaucher Thynne Mtn (Merritt) 7 Nov fideCC Red Mountain Ski Area 12 Dec G. Nicol Knutsford 18 Dec fideCC Nelson 19 Ian J. Arndt Peterson Creek. 26 Dec fideCC Brouse, near Nakusp 5-12 Jan GSD, M. Allard Peterson Creek early Jan fideCC Trail 19 Jan S. Bennett Sugarloaf Hill 23 Jan fideCC Whitewater Ski area near Nelson mid- to late Sep U. Lowrey Ussher Lake 3 Feb fideCC Cherryville 28 Jan-8 Mar M. Collins Rosehill Rd. 10 Dec fideCC Grizzly Creek, Slocan Valley 21 Jan S. Bennett Sicamous 4 Feb- 12 Mar J. Olfert Okanagan Valley Area (5) Central B.C. (25) Kelowna 12 Feb-26 Feb R. Gee, 1. Walker Quesnel 4 Nov M. Roschitz Vernon 17 Dec G. Stewart Newlaads 4 Nov C. Antoniazzi Falkland 15 Jan-Feb 16 M. Gebauer, DGC Tyner Bivd. 21 Nov fide K. Otter Big White Ski Mountain 1 Mar D. Wilson Giscome 26 Nov C. Antoniazzi Okanagan Falls 27 Mar fide A. Bezener Upper Fraser R. (P.G.) 26 Nov fide J. Bowling Garib£»-^hilcotin(22) Pineview (P.G.) 30 Nov J. Fenneman near Gang Ranch 19 Oct R Ranson McBride (2) 8 Dec E. Stanley Wldwood 1 Nov P. Ranson Willow River Hill (P.G.) 9 Dec C. Antoniazzi Springhouse (2) 5 Nov P. Ranson Hixon 13 Dec J. Fenneman WestwickLake 5 Nov R Ranson 15 km s. of Kersley 21 Dec ). Bowling Anahim Lake 8 Nov P. Ranson Fort St. James (2) 30 Dec m. obs. Dog Creek 1 Dec P. Ranson Jail in P.G. 1 Jan-23 Feb C. Antoniazzi Kersley 21 Dec P. Ranson Veekens Rd. (P.G.) 7 Jan fide J. Bowling Riske Creek 3 Jan P. Ranson Pinko Rd. (P.G.) 7 Jan fide J. Bowling Farwell Canyon Rd. 5 Jan Roberts Vanderhoof (3) 14 Jan H. Antoniazzi Hanceville 7 Jan Koot Salmon Valley (3) 11 Feb V. Bopp McDonald s Ranch 14 Jan P. Ranson P.G. Secondary School 26 Dec- 1 Feb C. McGee Fox Moimtain 19 Jan P. Ranson Wells Gray (2) 7 Feb V. Bopp Horsefly Rd. (3) 21 Jan P. Ranson Peace River -(2) Big Lake 27 Jan Koot Hwy 97 near Dawson Creek 1 Mar P. Sherrington Lone Butte 28 Jan Koot Dawson Creek CBC 30 Dec fide M. Phinney Rose Lake 3 Feb ndeCC 128 Mile 4 Feb Howard Wingdam 7 Feb Bopp 150 Mile 4 Mar fideCC mid-Dec {fide MO’D), on the 27 Dec Watson Lake C.B.C. {fide TM-K), and at the lower Rancheria R. 20 Feb (MG). Considerably higher numbers were reported along the Alaska Hwy. in n. British Columbia, with 17 tallied from Dawson Cr. to the Fort Liard Hwy. 29 Jan (MC), and an additional 4 tallied from the Fort Liard Hwy w. to 18 km w. of Steamboat on the same day (HG), and one at Logjam Cr. w. of Swift River 18 Feb (MG). Short-eared Owls remained north, with more than 50% of this winter’s sightings coming from the Prince George area where 30 individuals were found on their C.B.G., shattering previous high counts and being this season’s highest w. North American C.B.C. count. An unusual number of Boreal Owls came out of the woods this winter, with sightings of singles in Whse. 16 Jan (NH), at Haines Junction 26 Jan (LF), at the McClintock R. 13 Feb (MG), in downtown Whse. 17-18 Feb (MS, PS; RC), and in Whse.-Porter Creek 17 Feb (CE, PS). One was heard at Whse.-Pilot Mountain 1 Feb (BD). Hummingbirds Through Finches Three noteworthy reports of Anna’s Hummingbirds came from the Interior: a single male at a Prince George feeder 17 Nov- 10 Dec (TG) furnished a 2nd winter record for the area, but it succumbed to overnight temperatures of - 25 to -30 degrees C: a cooperative male in the Crawford Estates area of Kelowna from Nov-8 Dec (TFr, ph. DGC, m.ob.); and one at Carr’s Landing on Okanagan lake between Kelowna and Vernon Nov-7 Feb (DS, m.ob.). One of British Columbia’s most sought-after birds. White-headed Woodpecker, was reported from Anarchist Mtn. near Osoyoos 26 Feb (DB). Extremely rare in the Yukon in winter was a Pileated Woodpecker at Upper Liard 18 Dec (MG). An early Say’s Phoebe was along Black Road in Kelowna 28 Feb (TF). An Ash-throated Flycatcher was reported from Reifel 1. 18-28 Dec (tJI, m.ob.) furnishing the Region’s first winter record. Few Blue Jays were reported from the Interior, with 2 birds in the Glenrosa area of Westbank 2 Dec-7 Feb (AF, et al.) and a single bird at Okanagan Landing area in Vernon 18 Nov-28 Feb-i- (DGC, PG et al.). Blue Jays were also reported on Revelstoke (2), Sunshine Coast (1), and Penticton (1) C.B.C.s. The Victoria C.B.C. turned up 125 Sky Larks, a respectable total for this small but stable population. Barn Swallows are rare but regular in winter along the lower mainland; 2 such overwinterers were seen Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 217 British Columbia- Yukon over Canoe Pass, Westham I. 2-3 Feb (JI). Ruby- crowned Kinglet, rare in winter in the s. Interior, was reported along Mission Cr. in Kelowna 3 Dec (DGC) and 2 Jan (RT). Also rare in winter were 4 Mountain Bluebirds on the Oliver-Osoyoos C.B.C. American Robins were especially numer- ous in the Interior this winter, perhaps due to the combination of a milder winter, reduced snow- fall, and an abundance of berries. Many Okanagan C.B.C. counts had numbers that rivaled coastal totals. The highest count in the Region came from the Pentiction C.B.C., where 2893 were tallied. Also noteworthy was one bird reported from Whse.-Riverdale through the sea- son, where rare but regular in winter (CE, HG et al.). The American Robin C.B.C. total for the province — 1 9,448 — easily outnumbered Bohemian Waxwings, of which a mere 16,661 were counted. Perhaps the first coastal winter record of Gray Catbird came from Cowichan Bay late Nov-28 Feb+ (DM), where it provided the first overwintering record for the Region. A Northern Mockingbird overwintered in Ucluelet 3 Dec-28 Feb (AA), and another individual was sighted in Victoria on 18 Jan (m.ob.). Cedar Waxwings appeared to fare as well as the robins, with the highest C.B.C. total of 73 from Kelowna, followed closely by Penticton’s 68. Ladner, Nanaimo, and White Rock each reported an Orange-crowned Warbler on their C.B.C.s. A male Black-throated Blue Warbler, the Region’s 7th, visited a Balfour feeder, West Kootenays 20 Nov-28 Feb-l- (GDe, m.ob.). The only Interior winter report of Yellow-rumped Warbler came from Kelowna’s Rotary Marshes 13 Jan (RT). The best location in the province to find Yellow- rumped Warblers in winter is assuredly Stubbs I. off Tofino, where 16 Myrtles were found on 6 Jan (AD), likely subsisting on Pacific Bayberry and associated insects. Single Palm Warblers, rare but regular winterers in the sw. comer of British Columbia, were reported from Granville Island, Vancouver 17 Dec (SO), Deering Island Park, Vancouver 3 Dec-28 Feb (RTo, JAM), and anoth- er on the Victoria C.B.C. The region’s 2nd winter record of MacGillivray’s Warbler was an imm. at the foot of Roger St. Vancouver on 17 Dec (fVO). This bird had a broken leg, the likely cause of its failure to depart. A WOson’s Warbler, casual in winter, was at Deering Island Park, Vancouver on 1 Dec (DTy). A Clay-colored Sparrow 3 Dec (RW) in Ucluelet, on the west coast of Van. I. furnished one of very few winter records for the Region. A Vesper Sparrow, acci- dental in winter in sw. British Columbia, provid- ed the region’s 2nd winter record and first suc- cessful overwinterer 7 Dec-7 Feb (RTo et al.) at Kilby P.P. in Harrison Mills. A Savannah Sparrow furnished Tofino’s 2nd winter record 5 Feb (AD). Following an exceptional autumn showing of Harris’s Sparrows in the Okanagan, it was little surprise that as many as 7 were in the Kelowna area this winter {fide CC). A rare winter report of Rose-breasted Grosbeak was received from Cedar, near Nanaimo 30-31 Dec (fSB et al.) where it had been visiting local feeders. A male Yellow-headed Blackbird was located on the Ladner C.B.C. (fTP et al.), where casual in win- ter, and another male was found on the Kamloops C.B.C. (fide RH). Kelowna’s male Great-tailed Graclde, the Region’s 3rd, that was first found in early May 2000, managed to subsist on leftovers from fast food oudets to 28 Feb-l- (CC ph. DGC, m.ob.) Typical winter birds such as Snow Buntings, crossbills, redpolls, and other winter finches were scarce throughout the Region. Vancouver’s 3rd Hooded Oriole and the Region’s 7th, was an ad. male that frequented a hummingbird feeder in Richmond 9 Jan-28+ Feb (KL et al.). One of Tofino’s 2 late Bullock’s Orioles stayed on through the winter. While both birds had been feeding on local ftiscia flowers, the overwintering bird learned to husk sunflower seeds at a feeder 2 Dec-28 Feb (AD). This sea- son’s only reported Brambling stayed in N. Vancouver 20 Jan-28+ Feb (QB). A complete lack of Hoary Redpoll sightings in the Yukon and exceptionally low numbers of Common Redpolls everywhere was most unusual. Contributors (subregional editors in bold- face): Arti Ahier, David AUinson, Steve Baillie, Andra Bismanis, Jack Bowling (Prince George and weather summary), Candace Boyle, Doug Brown, Murray Brown, Quintin Brown, Dick Caimings (s. Okanagan and provincial C.B.C. compiler), Chris Charlesworth (Kelowna), Connor Charlesworth, Mark Connor, Larry Cowan (Vancouver), Gary S. Davidson (Kootenays), Brian Deon, Gene DeMott, Adrian Dorst (Tofino-Ucluelet), Linda DurreU, Cameron Eckert (Yukon), Trevor Forder, Tammy Fraser (TFr), Phil Gehlen, Tammy Godfrey, Marie Gordon, Helmut Griinberg (Yukon), Heidi Hehn, Rick Howie, John Ireland, Greg Kubica, Lee Kubica, Kay Lackner, Elise Lafreniere, John Luce, Jo Ann Mackenzie (JAM), Hue N. Mackenzie (HNM), Derrick Marven, Guy L. Monty (GLM), Murray McDonald, Sherry Clark-Mallow (SCM), Steve Ogle, Ken Otter, Viveka Ohman, Thomas Plath, Phil Ranson (Cariboo-Chilcotin), Diane Smith, David Sterling, Marcus Thomlinson, Ryan Tomlinson, Danny Tyson (DTy), Rick Toochin (RTo), Rick Tyson (RTy), Mark White, Bruce Whittington, Rob Worona. A BIRD SLIDES Nearly 6,000 species worldwide Over 90,000 slides available SLIDE SETS Familiar Birds, Eastern Warblers, Raptors, Owls, Endangered Species Bird Behavior, Bird Familes of the World, Neotropical Migrants & more Individual slides Request our free North American catalog or send a custom list indicating age, sex, behavior, or color morph. Catalog slides $3.00 Custom slides $5.00 Minimum order $15.00 Allow 4 weeks for delivery. These slides are for non-profit lectures only and may not be duplicated. For publication or other reproduction rights, please call us. VIREO (Visual Resources for Ornithology) The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 299-1069 www.acnatsci.orgATREO 218 North American Birds Oregon- Washington Steven IVliodinow 4819 Gardner Avenue Everett, Washington 98203 (SGMiod@aoLcom) Bill Tweit RO. 60X1271 Olympia, Washington 98507-1271 (Sebnabgiil@aol.com) The weather this winter was DRY, with drought or near-drought conditions through much of the Region. The snowpack in virtually all of Washington was below 70% of normal, and rainfall in western Washington was about 50% of normal. Temperatures were also generally subnormal, but the increased sunshine lent to an overall perception of mfld- ness that seemed to lead to increased birder activity and perhaps bird survival. The winter was a good one for finding less hardy species. Indeed, there were 1 1 species of warblers, four swallows, and two tanagers recorded, and sometimes shorebirding seemed more spring-like than wintery. There was also a good number of birds rare for any season, the top of which has to be Washington’s first White Ibis, though few would turn up their noses at Arctic Loon, Short-tailed Albatross, or Whooper Swan. Some trends from the fall also continued, including excellent numbers of tubenoses from shore, the continuing irruption of Red-shouldered Hawks, and even more Northern Hawk Owls. On the downside, duck numbers seemed quite low, perhaps due to the relative scarcity of wetlands this winter. Finally, almost certainly relating to observer effort, a wide array of hybrids were reported — from geese to sapsuckers to buntings. Abbreviations: F.R.R. (Fern Ridge Reservoir, Lane); Malheur (Malheur N.W.R., Harney); N.S.C.B. (N. Spit Coos Bay, Coos); O.S. (Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor); RN.P. (Pt. No Pt., Kitsap); Ridgefield (Ridgefield N.W.R., Clark); W.W.R.D. (WaUa Walla R. delta, Walla Walla); Y.R.D. (Yakima R. delta, Benton, WA). Eastside and westside = east and west of the Cascade crest, respectively. Loons Through Raptors One of the season’s grand questions was “How many Arctic Loons were there in Washington?” Two Arctic Loons were at P.N.P. 9-10 Dec (tEH, G. Gerdts, tBLb), with one being seen intermittently there until 19 Jan (VN). An Arctic was also at Edmonds, Snohomish 29 Jan-4 Feb (DB, DD) and at Port Angeles, ClaUam 7 Feb (fBS). Edmonds is only 10 mi from P.N.P. as the loon flies, but Port Angeles is nearly 70 mi away; the presence of at least 3 birds seems likely. Yellow-biled Loons are very rare on the eastside, so singles at Wallowa L., ¥/allowa 17-20 Jan (CC, JC) and at Priest Rapids L., Yakima 30 Dec (AS) v/ere notewor- thy. On the westside, Yellow-billeds appeared in near normal numbers, with 2 near Sequim, ClaUam 18 Dec (E. Kridler, BLb), and singles at Cape Meares 5 Dec (M. Burke, P. Sher), Netarts Bay 16 Dec-20 Jan (HN), and Tacoma to 10 Dec (BLb). Three Clark’s Grebes from w. Oregon and 5 from w. Washington furnished an average winter’s total for the westside, but one near Clarkston, Asotin 2 Dec provided a very rare eastside winter record (M. Koliner). A Westport pelagic trip 27 Jan had an imm. Short-tailed Albatross and about 5 Laysan Albatross, but shockingly, only one Black-foot- ed Albatross (tBLb); the Short-tailed was the 9th for the Region since 1950. Northern Fulmars continued near shore in unusual num- bers, with a peak in Oregon of 1500 at Boiler Bay, Lincoln 22 Dec (PP) and in Washington of 150 at Cape Flattery, Clallam 3 Dec (SM, DD). Pink-footed Shearwaters are not annual during winter, especially from shore, so 2 at Bandon, Coos 30-31 Dec were exceptional (AC, D. Irons). A BuMer’s Shearwater seen off Curry 7 Jan by experienced observers was the Region’s first winter record (A. Barron, TJW). A tally of 300 Short- tailed Shearwaters at Boiler Bay 12 Dec provided an exceptional from-shore count (PP). Two others were in Tacoma 17 Dec (R. Romea), and a Short-tailed/Sooty' Shearwater was over freshwater at Capitol L. in Olympia 23 Dec (K. Brady)! Short-taileds are more com- mon during winter than Sooties, but they are still not quite annual in the Puget Sound region. Westside Aunerican White Pelicans included 2 at F.R.R. throughout the winter (D. Pettey) and 2 at Sauvie 1. 11 Feb (M. MichaJchcyk). Several Brown Pelicans lingered into Jan on the Oregon coast, a regular phenomenon during the last few years, but one found moribund at Miiwaukie, Clackamas 4 Feb was extraordinary for date and inland location {fide HN), and another near Florence, Lane 1 Feb was also late (B&Z Stotz). Two Great Egrets at Ringold, Franklin 5-6 Jan were in e. Washington, where Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 219 Oregon-Washington very rare during winter (L. Ness, M. Hollen). The only Cattle Egrets this winter were 2 at Burbank Heights, Walla Walla 2 Dec (MD, MLD) — a below-average showing. Washington’s first White Ibis was at Bay Center, Pacific 30 Dec and then relocated 8-17 Jan near Raymond, Pacific (ph. CH, BSh); this subadult was possi- bly, but not definitely, the same bird seen during Nov near Newport, Oregon. A Turkey Vulture near Carlsborg, Clallam 28 Jan was two to three weeks early (B. Davies). “Old Stumpy,” the Port Angeles Emperor Goose, remained throughout the winter (vt. SM), while singles were also present at Sauvie I./Ridgefield throughout the winter (HN) and in Polk 3 Dec (M. Lippsmeyer). Single Ross’s Geese were near Dayton, Yamhill (FS), Grants Pass, Josephine (DV), Warrenton, Clatsop (MD, MLD, MP), Finley N.W.R., Benton (HH), and White City, Jackson (N. Barrett); this is about average for recent winters but would have been unthinkable a decade ago. Inland Brant, always rare, included one at Sauvie I./Ridgefield throughout the winter (HN) and 2 at Canby, Clackamas, 9-16 Feb (ES, TS, EM). The Whooper Swan (with 3 young, possibly hybrids) wintering in Lower Klamath N.W.R., California, wandered n. into the Oregon side of the refuge 18 Feb (ph.KS, EM); this is likely the same family group that visited Summer L. in Nov. Four Eurasian Wigeon were reported from the eastside, 3 in Benton (BW, BL, NL) and one at Orondo, Douglas (PtS). A Common Teal at Richland, Benton 17-28 Feb was on the eastside, where extremely rare (ph. BL, fRF); on the westside, the seasonal total of 12 Common (Eurasian form of Green-winged) Teal plus one Common x Green-winged hybrid was probably a Regional record. Tufted Ducks included a female at Everett, Snohomish 6 Dec (vt. SM), the overwintering male at Bingen, Klickitat (WC, tCH), a female at Bingen 20 Feb (fT. Love), a male at Astoria, Clatsop 3 Feb-Mar (MP, ph. J. Woodhouse), and a male in Issaquah, King, 24 Feb (tCH); the Region averages about 2 per winter. Garfield’s first White-winged Scoters were 2 at Lower Granite Dam 28 Jan (J. Lipar); the only other eastside report was one at Wanapum Pool 14 Feb (BF). Eight Long-tailed Ducks on the eastside this winter was well above normal. Questions as to the origin of a male Smew, well inland at Malheur 26-28 Feb, will undoubtedly vex the O.B.R.C. (m.ob.); there is only one previous Oregon record. There were a number of unusual hybrid waterfowl this win- ter including a Canada (probably Cackling) x Greater White-fronted Goose at Ridgefield 14 Dec (tTA), 2 male Northern Pintail x Mallards at Spencer L, Snohomish 17 Dec (SM) and 2 more at McNary N.W.R., Walla Walla 22 Dec Washington had eight Red-shoul- dered Hawks this winter. To fully comprehend the importance of this occur- rence, consider that Washington’s first was during Dec 1979 and that state’s 3rd was found as recently as Apr 1992. The expan- sion of this species’s range into the Region began during 1971 in sw. Oregon (Henny and Comely 1985, Murrelet), and it has continued steadily since then. Red-shoul- dereds have been annual in Washington since 1992. Nonetheless, this winter’s irruption was well beyond expectations. Immatures this winter included 2 at Ridgefield until 14 Feb (tTA, JE) and sin- gles at Everett throughout the winter (vt. SM), at NisquaUy N.W.R. 17 Dec-mid-Feb (S. Nord, BSh, ph. RS), near Brady, Grays Harbor 15 Jan-Feb (GT, ph. RS), and at Steigerwald L., Clark 24 Jan (WC). Single ads. were at Ridgefield 10 Dec (JE) and Woodland, Cowlitz 11 Dec (JE). Will this species soon breed in Washington? (MD, MLD), and a male Common x Barrow’s Goldeneye at Ediz Hook, Clallam 15 Feb (tTA). Winter Ferruginous Hawks are very rare on the eastside away from se. Oregon, and they are casual on the westside. This winter, on the west side, one was at Fernhill Wetlands, Washington 5 Jan (HN), and possibly the same bird was at nearby Cornelius 20 Jan (D. Lusthoff), while another was at Ridgefield 15 Jan (tRK). On the eastside, one was at Enterprise, Wallowa 10 Dec (PaS), and another wintered near Kahlotus, Franklin (TA). Fifteen Gyrfalcons were report- ed, including one exceptionally far s. near Klamath Falls, Klamath throughout the winter (KS); the Region averages about 11 per winter. Fifteen Prairie Falcons on the westside, 8 in Oregon and 7 in Washington, was also well above average. Plovers Through Woodpeckers A number of wintering shorebirds was present in above-average to record numbers at Washington’s Willapa Bay, perhaps a reflection of the relatively mUd winter or possibly due to increased coverage (Table 1). A Mountain Plover at Ilwaco, Pacific 22 Dec-6 Jan was Washington’s 3rd and the Region’s 11th (fG. Fredericks, ph. RS, vt. SM, fEH, fCH); most previous Regional records have been on the westside between Nov and Mar. Lesser Yellowlegs have become virtually annual during winter in Oregon but are still casual in Washington, with only one record during the previous eight winters. This winter in Washington, up to 2 were near Raymond, Pacific, 28 Dec-13 Jan (vt. SM, MD, MLD) and up to 3 were near Marysville, Snohomish 11 Feb- 10 Mar (DB, DD, SM); in Oregon, one was at Coos Bay, Coos 16 Dec-4 Jan (AC, HH, TR). 220 North American Birds Tablet : Peak counts of wintering shorebirds along Willapa Bay. Species Maximum Location Date Observers Black-bellied Plover 2700 Leadbetter Point 7 Feb TA, SG Snowy Plover 32 Midway Beach 10 Feb PtS Semipalmated Plover 25 Midway Beach 20 Jan PWS Greater Yellowlegs 88 Nemah 4 Jan SM, TA, SG WiUet 12 Tokeland 28 Dec SM Marbled Godwit 585 Tokeland 4 Mar SM, DD, RTS Western Sandpiper 690 Leadbetter Point 4 Jan SM, TA, SG Least Sandpiper 260 Tokeland 4 Mar SM, DD, RTS Dunlin 55,000 Leadbetter Point 7 Feb TA, SG Single Spotted Sandpipers, casual during winter in e. Washington, were near Pasco, Franklin 27- 28 Jan (C&J Johnson) and at Prosser, Benton 3 Feb (BW). The Blaine, Whatcom Long-bOled Curlew remained until 10 Dec (SM, DD); this species is very rare during winter away from the outer coast. Two Marbled Godwits remained at Blaine until 28 Dec (TA), and up to 2 were near Sequim, Clallam 9-18 Dec (BN, G. Gerdts); this species is rare during winter away from the outer coast. Red Knots are not annual during winter, so one at Blyn, Clallam 17 Dec was note- worthy (BB). Least Sandpipers, very rare during winter in e. Washington, overwintered at Y.R.D., with a maximum of 10 on 5 Jan (BL, NL). The nominate-race Rock Sandpiper remained at O.S. throughout the winter (TA, RTS). Dunlin, very rare during winter in e. Washington, over- wintered at Y.R.D. and W.W.R.D., with a maxi- mum of 143 at W.W.R.D. 29 Dec (MD, MLD). Single Short-bOled Dowitchers were found at Tillamook 16 Dec (JG) and Nemah, Pacific 25 Dec (PtS); they are now almost annual during winter. A Franklin’s Gull at Scappoose Bottoms, Columbia 27 Jan was about the 9th winter record for Oregon (MD, MLD). A first-year Little Gull was at Everett, Snohomish 2 Dec (tEH), and perhaps the same bird was at P.N.P. intermittently from 12 Dec to 1 Mar (VN); a second-year bird was at Tacoma, Pierce 14 Jan ( J. Tangren). Three Heermann’s Gulls were at Boiler Bay, and one was at Cape Foulweather, Lincoln 12 Dec (PP); they are now rare but annual during winter. A gathering of 3 Mew Gulls at Two Rivers Park, Benton 22 Dec was unusual for the eastside (DR). The Lesser Black-backed Gull returned to W.W.R.D. 29 Dec-12 Feb (MD, MLD) but wandered briefly to Groves Park, Benton 8 Jan (fBW, NL, DR); this bird provided Washington’s first record last winter. A paltry 13 Glaucous Gulls were report- ed; the Region averages about 24 per winter. A remarkable 1500 Black-legged Kittiwakes passed Boiler Bay 25 Feb (PP). Ancient Murrelets numbers were exceptional off the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas during Dec, with a maximum of 1878 near Sequim, Clallam 18 Dec {fide BN). Snowy Owls appeared in above-average numbers, but this was definitely not an irrup- tion year. Eleven were in w. Washington, 7 were in e. Washington, and 5 were in w. Oregon, the southernmost of which was at Eugene, Lane 27 Dec {fide TM). The Northern Hawk Owl inva- sion continued in Washington with singles near Custer, Whatcom 30 Dec-24 Feb (vt. SM) and near Bickleton, Klickitat 2 Feb (ph. BL, NL); prior to fall 2000, there were only about 11 Washington records, and the Whatcom bird was the first w. Washington record since 1924! Single Burrowing Owls in w. Oregon included one wintering near Salem, Marion (SD), another wintering at Baskett Slough, Polk {fide HN), and one at Medford, Jackson 26 Jan (DV); this repre- sents a fairly typical winter. In e. Washington, where rare during winter, single Burrowing Owls were at Pasco, Franklin 7 Jan (PtS), Othello, Adams 21 Jan (BF), Pullman, Asotin 8 Feb (BW), and Rancho Reata 13 Feb (NL). Very rare during winter on the eastside, Anna’s Hummingbirds were at Bend, Deschutes 18 Feb (DT) and Wenatchee, Chelan early Dec-mid- Feb (M & D Baker). The hybrid Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsucker returned to Ridgefield 17 Dec (TA). Red-naped Sapsuckers were at Dundee, Yamhill 25 Jan (S. Rinard) and near Williams 20 Dec (DV); they are rare during winter anywhere away from Klamath and are very rare w. of the Cascades at any time. Flycatchers Through Mimids Black Phoebes continue their range expansion with singles at Milwaukie, Clackamas through- out the winter, near Dayton, Yamhill 21 Jan-18 Feb (FS), and near Klamath Falls, Klamath 6 Dec (FM); the latter bird provided the first east- side winter record in at least eight years. Ten Say’s Phoebes in w. Oregon was more than twice the usual total. Single Tropical Kingbirds, holdovers from this fall’s invasion, were at Floras L., Curry 3 Dec (TJW), near Port Orford, Curry 4 Dec (TJW), and at O.S. 4 Dec (BN); there are only two previous Regional winter records, both from s. Oregon during Dec 1997. Loggerhead Shrikes, very rare during winter on the westside, were at the Sixes R., Curry throughout the winter (TJW) and at Brownsville, Linn 28 Jan (D. Copeland). Loggerheads are also rare during midwinter in e. Washington, so one along Crab Creek, Grant 24 Jan was noteworthy (BF, RH). Two Blue Jays were in e. Oregon, and 7 were in e. Washington, including 4 in Spokane during late Jan (S. Hagen); the Region averages 7 per winter. First found during Nov, the Black-billed Magpie at Monmouth, Polk remained through the winter ( J. Geier); magpies are very rare on the westside. A Tree Swallow at Wilson State Wildlife Area 26 Jan was a couple weeks early (D. Budeau). Two Rough-winged Swallows at Ankeny N.W.R., Marion 10 Dec (NW) were more than two months late, while one at Albany, Linn 3 Feb was about two months early (J. Geier). Four Barn Swallows were in w. Oregon and 9 in w. Washington; this species is surprisingly regular during winter, even in Jan and Feb. More than 20 Mountain Chickadees remained in w. Oregon after this fall’s irruption. A Rock Wren, extremely rare during winter on the westside, was at Newport, Lincoln throughout the winter (J. Metzler). Continuing this species’s range expansion on the eastside, a Bewick’s Wren near Clarkston, Asotin 24 Feb was nearly in Idaho (M. Koliner). Two American Dippers were near Pasco, Franklin 18 Dec-29 Jan (MD, MLD); though widespread in the Region, this species has only been seen twice before in the well-bird- ed Lower Columbia Basin. The Cutler City, Lincoln Blue-gray Gnatcatcher remained until 6 Dec (A. Scmierer, SD), and another was found in Portland 21 Dec (S. Replin); gnatcatchers are very rare during winter in the Region, and both birds were nw. of the this species’s breeding range. Mountain Bluebirds are rare during mid- winter in e. Washington, so 4 along Crab Creek, Grant 24 Jan were noteworthy (BF, RH). Washington Northern Mockingbirds were in W. Richland, Benton 10 Jan-1 Feb (R. Hinz) and near Chehalis, Lewis 30 Jan (fide BSh); 7 more were in w. Oregon, representing an above-aver- age winter. Warblers Through Finches Single Nashville Warblers, very rare during win- ter, were at Riverside, Coos 31 Dec (D. Irons) and Central Pt., Jackson 10 Feb (N. Barrett). A Yellow Warbler at Neah Bay, Clallam 3 Dec provided Washington with its 2nd winter record (SM, DD). A Cape May Warbler at Gold Beach, Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 221 Oregon-Washington Curry 4 Feb into Mar was about the 12th for Oregon and the first for winter (N. Barrett, CD, ph. DT). A Black-throated Gray Warbler was at Floras L., Curry 25 Feb (C. Lawes, M.A. Sohlstrom); the Region averages about one every other winter. Even rarer was a Hermit Warbler at Astoria, Clatsop 24 Dec-13 Jan (TT) and anoth- er at CorvaUis, Benton 19 Jan-Mar (A. Ansell). A Townsend’s x Hermit Warbler at Sumner, Pierce 31 Jan may be the first ever in the Region during winter (fC. Wright). PaJm Warblers are not annual away from the outer coast, so one in Seattle that overwintered was noteworthy (KA). A Common Yellowthroat overwintered at Everett, Snohomish (DB), another was at Bay Center, Pacific 31 Dec (RTS), and one was near Snohomish 27 Jan (D. Froehlich); yellovAhroats are very rare in Washington after Dec. Three Wilson’s Warblers were found this winter, below last winter’s 5, but well above average: Sauvie I. 10 Dec (DMa), Grants Pass, Josephine 18 Dec (DV), and Monmouth, Polk 4 Jan (M. Meikle). A Summer Tanager at Cedar Mill, Washington 10 Jan-Mar was about the 10th for Oregon and furnished the 2nd Regional winter record (M. Conners, K. Kopacek, ph. DT). Single Western Tanagers in Seattle 4 Jan (KA) and near Sequim, Clallam 9 Dec (E. Kridler) provid- ed Washington’s 4th and 5th winter records. A Green-tailed Towhee at Ledgewood Beach, Island, 16 Dec-1 Jan furnished Washington’s 3rd winter record and was also the 3rd for w. Washington (fK. Barker, vt. SM). American Tree Sparrows are not quite annual in w. Oregon, so one at Baskett Slough, Polk 2 Dec (K. Patterson) and 2 at F.R.R. throughout the winter (L. McQueen, A. Prigge) were noteworthy. A winter record 13 Chipping Sparrows were near HUlsboro, Washington 11 Jan (PaS), while a sin- gle was near Corvallis, Benton 5 Feb (M. Cutler, PV); Chippings are barely annual during winter. A Clay-colored Sparrow at Frenchman’s Bar, Clark 14-30 Dec provided w. Washington with its 14th record (TA, BSh). In Oregon, singles were near Dayton, Yamhill 2 Dec (FS), at Warrenton, Clatsop 17-25 Dec (TT), and near Newport, Lincoln, 25 Dec (C. Philo); there are now about 40 winter records for the Region, nine of which accrued during the last two win- ters. Single Lark Sparrows were near Monmouth, Polk 26 Dec (M. Cutler, PV) and at Salem, Marion, 6 Jan (SD); they are very rare during winter away from the Rogue R. valley. Probably setting a record early arrival date for Washington were 2 Sage Sparrows at Saddle Mountain and one at Wahluke Slope, both Grant, 3 Feb (H. Brunkal, M. Jacky, BF); the first are usually found in late Feb. A concentration of 125 Savannah Sparrows near Vancouver, Clark 14 Dec set a new Washington winter record (TA). A Grasshopper Sparrow at Provolt, Josephine 23 Dec provided about the 4th Regional winter record (DM, J. Bischoff). Slate- colored Fox Sparrows are very rare at best dur- ing winter, so singles at Bateman I., Benton, 7-8 Dec (NL, BW, BL) and at N. Richland, Benton throughout the winter (BW) were noteworthy. Swamp Sparrow numbers were very low, with only 8 in Oregon and 3 in Washington; Washington reports included singles near Snohomish 9 Dec (SM), at Snohomish 16-17 Jan (K. ICnittle, TA), and at Bingen, Klickitat 27 Jan (BL). White-throated Sparrow numbers were above average, with 29 reported from Washington. Twelve Harris’s Sparrows were recorded in Washington, and 10 were found in Oregon; the Region averages about 15 per win- ter. Six McCown’s Longspurs at Lower Klamath N.W.R. 19 Feb-Mar furnished Oregon’s 5th record and the first since 1990 (N. Barrett, FM, fCMScMM); three of the previous records were also from Klamath. A bird closely resembling a Snow x McKay’s Bunting was among a flock of 30 Snow Buntings at Midway Beach, Pacific 13 Feb (ph. S. Mills); there are three records of apparently pure McKay’s from Washington. Single Black-headed Grosbeaks were in Portland throughout the winter (A. Shalas) and at Brookings, Curry 8 Jan (DM); there are fewer than 10 Regional winter records. A male Tricolored Blackbird near Vancouver L., Clark 13 Dec was likely one of the 3 seen there in Nov (TL). A Yellow-headed Blackbird was near Vancouver L., Clark 31 Dec (BSh), 45 were at McNary N.W.R., Walla Walla 10 Dec (L. Fritz, W. Heinz), and 14 were at Iowa Beef, Walla Walla 31 Dec (MD, MLD); they are barely annual during winter in Washington. A Rusty Blackbird at Gold Beach, Curry 2 Feb-Mar was only about the 11th for Oregon (CD), but one at Iowa Beef 31 Dec was in se. Washington, where nearly annual (MD, MLD). Washington’s long overdue 2nd Great-tailed Grackle was at Stanwood, Snohomish from 7 Jan-Mar (fAK, M. Donahue, vt.SM); later evidence revealed that this bird had actually been photographed on 2 Sep 2000 (ph. R. Canniff). Washington’s first v/as found eating french fries in Yakima during May 1987 (Stepniewski 1999, The Birds of Yakima County). Bullock’s Orioles are not annual during winter, so singles at Brookings, Curry in late Dec (NW) and in Portland during Jan (D. van den Broek) were noteworthy. Eight White-winged Crossbills at Santiam Pass 23 Feb were the only members of this erratic species seen in Oregon (SS), while 5 at Mt. Spokane, Spokane 27 Feb (M. Moskwik) and one at College Place, Walla Walla 10 Feb {fide MD) were the only ones in Washington. Addenda A recent meeting of the Washington B.R.C. added these sightings to the Washington record-book: A subad. Sbort-tailed Albatross off Edmonds, Snohomish 21 Apr 1997 was Washington’s 2nd in modern times and is still the only one from near shore (fDD). An alter- nate-plumaged Long-billed Murrelet was found by Marbled Murrelet surveyors at the Elwha R. mouth, Clallam 16 Aug 1995 (fM. Nixon); notably, these observers, who are exquisitely familiar with Marbleds, described this bird’s call as being “higher pitched” and “more singular — not a drawn out ‘keeer’ like a Marbled.” There are now 5 Washington records of Long-billed Murrelet. A Horned Puffin was close to shore at Dungeness Spit, Clallam 21 Aug 2000 (fE. Sigda); most Regional summer records are near shore. Washington’s 2nd Yellow Wagtail, apparently an ad., was at O.S. 14 Sep 2000 (tR. Simons); the timing of this record fits well with others from s. of Alaska but may be only the 2nd such ad. (Heindel 1999, Birders Journal 8:182-193). A Tennessee Warbler at Skagit W.M.A. 7 Sep 1997 was about Washington’s 9th (fSA). Initialed observers (subregional editors in boldface): Kevin Aanerud, Jim Acton, Eric Anderson, Scott Atkinson, Tom Aversa, David Beaudette, Bob Boekelheide, Trent Bray, Wilson Cady, Alan Contreras, Craig Corder, Judy Corder, Merry Lynn Denny, Mike Denny, Colin Dillingham, Steve Dowlan, Dennis Duffy, Joe Engler {Clark), Duncan Evered, Darrell Faxon, Ruth Fischer, Bob Flores, Roy Gerig, Steve Gerstle, Jeff GiUigan, Greg GiUson, Jeff Harding, Carl Haynie, Hendrik Herlyn, Randy Hill, Wayne Hoffman, Stuart Johnston, Ken Knittle, Alan Knue, Ray Korpi, Bruce Labar (BLb), Bill LaFramboise (lower Columbia Basin), Nancy LaFramboise, David Lauten, John Lundsten, David Mandell (DMa), Frank Mayer, A1 McCie, Ed McVicker, Tom Mickel {Lane), Craig Miller, Marilyn Miller, Steven Mlodinow, Don Munson, Harry Nebls (Oregon), Vic Nelson, Bob Norton (Olympic Pen.), Hal Opperman, Michael Patterson, Phil Pickering, Dennis Rockwell, Tim Rodenkirk, Russell Rogers (Washington), Floyd Schrock, Tom Sellers, Ryan T. Shaw (RTS), BUI Shelmerdine (BSh), Steve Shunk, P.W. Smith (PWS), Elmer Specht, Kevin Spencer, Dan Stephens {Chelan), Patrick Sullivan (PtS), Paid Sullivan (PaS), Ruth Sullivan, Bob Sundstrom, Todd Thornton, Greg Toffic, David Tracy, BUI Tweit (BTw), Paula Vanderheul, Dennis Vroman, Terry J. Wahl, Terry R. Wahl, Nathaniel Wander, Bob Woodley. 222 North American Birds Middle Pacific Coast Steven A. Glover (Doves to Wrentit) 6526 Conestoga Lane Dublin, CA 94568 (Sgloverccc@aol.com) Scott B. Terrill (Loons to Frigatebirds, Larids to Aicids) H. I Harvey & Associates 3150 Almaden Expwy., Ste. 145 San Jose, CA 951 1 8 (sterrill@harveyecology.com) Daniel S. Singer (Herons to Shorebirds) c/o Arroyo & Coates 500 Washington St., Ste. 700, San Francisco, CA 941 1 1 (dsg@isp.net) Don Roberson (Thrashers to Finches) 282 Grove Acre Ave., Pacific Grove, CA 93950 (creagrus@montereybay.com) The first New World occurrence of Greater Sandpiover dominated the avian news, but Whooper Swans and a Black-backed Wagtail also made headlines, giving a decided Old World flavor to this Winter’s season on the mainland. Among seabirds, Greater Shearwater and Red-legged Kittiwake repre- sented genuine highlights. Abbreviations: C.B.R.G. (Galifornia Bird Records Committee); C.V. (Central Valley); N.S. (National Seashore); S.R (San Francisco); R.R (Regional Park); R.S. (Regional Shoreline); S.R. (State Reserve); W.A. (Wildlife Area). Glover pulled a double load this Season by drafting the entire landbird text during Roberson’s absence overseas; many thanks. Reports of exceptional vagrants submitted without documentation are normally not pub- lished. Observers wishing C.B.R.G. review should also send documentation to Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, San Diego CA 91933. Loons Through Storm-Petrels Very rare inland, a Pacific Loon at Crowley L. 9 Dec OLD) was only the 2nd Dec record for Mono; one at Black Butte Res. 17 Dec (BED) likely represented a 2nd for Tehama; and one present since last fall was still in Redding, Shasta through the period (fide BY). A juv. Yellow-billed Loon was off Pt. Pinos, Monterey 18 Dec-15 Jan (DLSh, ph. CKf, ph. SBT, ph. Eric Preston). This species has been annual in winter in this area in recent years. A Red- necked Grebe was at Hayward R.S., Alameda 15 Jan (RJR). This species is quite scarce inside the Bay. Laysan Albatrosses were present in good numbers, with 32-40 over 30 mi w. of Ft. Bragg Mendocino (DLSh). Northern Fulmars were unusually numerous off S.F., with hundreds on 23 Jan; one made it inside the Bay at Emeryville, Alameda 22 Feb (ph. DSW). A Greater Shearwater was off Pt. Pinos, Monterey 13-15 Jan (RT, fErik Hendrickson, tBill & tCheryl Schreier, fSBT, DLSh, ADeM et al.). There are two previous North Pacific records of Greater Shearwater, both from Monterey Bay. One was photographed during 1-2 Oct 1994 (Field Notes 49:95) and has been accepted by the C.B.R.G., but a 24 Feb 1979 sight record (American Birds 33:309) has been variously accepted (Western Birds 14:2; Roberson, 1985, Monterey Birds) or questioned (Western Birds 27:116). This Jan 2001 record adds credence to its occasional winter occur- rence in the North Pacific. A Sooty/Short-tailed Shearwater was inside S.R Bay at Pt. Isabel, Richmond, Contra Costa during a major storm 24 Feb (SAG). Up to 2-3 Manx Shearwaters were present off Monterey 15 Jan (SFB, fSBT et al.). Typically a bird of far offshore waters, remarkable was Contra Costa’s 2nd Leach’s Storm-Petrel driven inside the Bay by strong storms 24 Feb (RJR). Herons Through Raptors Winter reports of Cattle Egret continued to decline in the Region, with only 26 tallied. Small concentrations were in Contra Costa, with 16 at the Holland Tract 23 Dec (SAG et al.) and in Humboldt with 7-8 in Areata 16 Dec-1 1 Feb (m.ob.). Aside from a long-return- ing individual at Lake Merritt, Alameda, the only coastal report was of one that lingered from autumn until 15 Jan near Moss Landing, Monterey (Yohn Gideon). An impressive 3460 White-faced Ibis were ne. of Marysville, Yuba 14 Dec (fide TDM). A Turkey Vulture at Hammil Valley, Mono 17 Feb was very early e. of the Sierra (J&DP). More than 100 white geese flying over Skyline Blvd. 16 Dec were the most seen in San Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 223 Middle Pacific Coast Mateo in over 50 years (Werner Schuman). Large numbers were said to be seen in Santa Cruz the same day (fide PJM, DLSu). A Brant in early Feb on Sherman Is. was believed to be Sacramento’s first (JTr). Two ad. Trumpeter Swans were seen with Tundras ne. of Marysville, Yuba 14 Dec (fBED et al.). An imm. Trumpeter reported 14-16 Dec at L. Combie, Placer lacked details. Five Wliooper Swaas at Lower Klamath N.W.R., Siskiyou included one ad. 1 Jan-10 Mar (RE, Dave Menke, tJM) and another ad. accompanied by three imms. 10 Jan-10 Mar (ph. Dave Menke, m.ob.). One of the ads. was presumably the same individual seen most years since 1991. Whether or not the 5 constituted a family group remains a mystery (one observer specu- lated the young were a result of a pairing with Tundra Swan, but photographs suggested oth- erwise). An imm. male King Eider was off outer Point Reyes, Marin 23 Dec-Mar (Sandy Koonce; tCLu, fLLu, ph. EDG, m.ob.). Up to 135 Barrow’s Goldeneye at the Carquinez Straits, Contra Costa from at least 30 Nov-12 Dec (Kirk Swenson) was one of the largest flocks ever reported in the S.E Bay area. A Swainson’s Hawk at Castroville, Monterey 16-18 Dec was late (Tim Amaral, Bruce G. Elliot), but there are recent winter precedents from Santa Cruz and San Mateo. Rough-legged Hawks were considered abundant in Humboldt throughout the winter. Individuals were wide- ly noted but not numerous around the S.F. Bay area, while numbers were down significantly in Sierra Valley from, last year. Silorebirds A Semipalmated Plover at Rodman Slough 18 Jan (JRW) was a very rare winter record for Lake. Ten Rock Sandpipers at the n. jetty of Humboldt Bay, Humboldt 16 Dec-5 Jan (BED, EE, m.ob.) were the largest numbers reported to us in many years. A Stilt Sandpiper at Merced N.W.R., Merced 16 Nov-2 Feb (PJM et al.) was an exceptional winter record for the Region. Sufis Through Aicids The Lesser Black-backed Gull returned to L. Cunningham, Santa Clara for the 5th consecu- tive winter (fide WGB). A Mew Gull at Folsom L. 16 Jan (LkC, EPdf) represented one of the few records for Placer. Western Gulls, rare inland, made a good showing, with an ad. at Redbud Park, Lake 16 Dec (JRW); one to 3 first-winter birds reported 3-12 Jan at Folsom L. (JKn), likely a 2nd Placer record; a 5th for Shasta at Kutras Lake (BED, BY); one at Davis, Yolo 30 Dec (SCH); 2 at Nimbus Fish Hatchery, Sacramento 2 Dec (JKn, EPdf); and one Q A A Greater Sandplover Charadrius £\leschenaultii discovered 29 Jan at Bolinas Lagoon, Marin (Sue Abbott, SNGH, tPP, t JM, vt. LLu) and still present 6 Apr was an unexpected first for the Western Hemisphere, Debate over its identity ensued (Greater vs. Lesser C. mongolus, a.k.a. Mongolian Plover), while a consensus gradually formed during the next few weeks, based on a suite of charac- ters, that the bird was indeed a Greater. An identification paper by E. Hirschfeld, C. S. Roselaar, and H. Shirihai in British Birds 93:162-189 (Apr 2000) was of great value in reaching this consensus, as was Erik Hirschfeld’s positive review of Internet- posted photos. Confirmation was obtained 15 Mar when the bird was cap- tured and measured. ‘Tt is clear by all measurements that the Stinson Beach bird was a Greater Sandplover, most likely of the nominate subspecies” (Peter Pyle). While “astonishing” seems as good a word as any to describe this remarkable record, the nominate subspecies of Greater Sandpiper breeds to ne. China and migrates as far as Madagascar and South Africa. With at least 66 vagrant records in Europe, it might have been anticipated to eventually reach the New World. remaining from the fall period at Eagle L., Lassen (TM, AM, Lew Oring). An ad. Red- legged Kittiwake found alive 13 Feb at Ross, Marin (fide ph. RS) died that night despite efforts to save it f^Calif. Academy of Sciences). Another ad. was well studied on the water 26 Feb about seven mi. w. of Davenport, Santa Cruz by seabird biologists very familiar with this species (fLSp, DGA). There is only one previous record for California. Quite rare inside S.F. Bay, a storm-driven Cassin’s Auklet flew from Contra Costa (first county record) to Alameda waters (3rd record) 24 Feb (tSAG), and a Rhinoceros Auklet at Brooks 1. 27 Feb was a first for Contra Costa (RJR). Owls Throuih Ffycatchers Unusual in the C.V. was a Northern Saw-whet Owl 20-21 Feb at Hanford, Kings (Christy Uhor, Mark Stacy). Early Selasphorus hum- mingbirds included a male Allen’s in Seaside, Monterey 29 Dec (Chris Hartzeli) and an unidentified male at San Pablo Res., Contra Costa 4 Jan (JTz). Lewis’s Woodpeckers in unusual locales included one at Manchester S.B., Mendocino 2 Dec (ADeM), one at Crystal Springs Res., San Mateo 16 Dec-27 Feb (Sue James et al.), and 2 at Round Valley R.P 17 Dec-28 Feb, the first to winter in Contra Costa in over a decade (Otto Haubensak et al). Three Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, about the recent average, were noted: w. Sonoma 30 Dec (ftde RAR); Elk River near Eureka 31 Dec (TWL) and Ferndale, both Humboldt, 31 Dec (GSL). S.F.’s male Williamson’s Sapsucker was last reported 17 Dec (JM, DSg); another male 30 Dec in e. Humboldt was just the 4th for that county (Dick Norton). A Pileated Woodpecker along Green Valley Rd. was a rarity for Solano and a first for the Benicia C.B.C. (Jo Maillard, Fran Scarlett). Wintering Empidonax flycatchers consisted of 3 Hammond’s, one probable Dusky near Sheridan, Placer 16 Dec (BDW), one Pacific- slope 24-29 Dec at Merced N.W.R., Merced (singing male; RbF, PJM), and a Western in Carmel, Monterey 29 Dec (SRv, JCS). Three Eastern Phoebes wintered: a continuing fall bird at Merced N.W.R., Merced to at least 2 Feb (PJM); one at Big Sur R. mouth, Monterey 29 Nov-7 Dec (JBo, Jason Scott, DR); and a dif- ferent bird a bit farther upstream 7 Dec-20 Jan (Jason Scott; likely returning for a 2nd winter). A Say’s Phoebe in Sierra Valley, Plumas 13-16 Feb was unusually early (MMC, Eric Sorenson). A pair of Vermilion Flycatchers near Lemoore 13 Jan-28 Feb provided a rare regional record, particularly in winter, and were the first for Kings (Christy Uhor, Mark Stacy, m.ob.). Three Tropical Kingbirds win- tered: 2 in S.F. into spring (Steve Snyder, MMcC, m.ob.) and one at Bayside Park, San Mateo 23 Jan-10 Feb (RSTh). San Mateo’s TMck-feilled Kingbird was still present at Half Moon Bay through at least 27 Feb (Gary Deghi, m.ob.). No reports of Northern Shrikes in the C.V. were submitted; all 7 were at usual locations in Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Mono. Unseasonal Loggerhead Shrikes were at Crowley L., Mono 6 Jan (3; Thomas Miko) and Alton, Humboldt 7-18 Feb (PAH, RHw). Vireos Through Wagtails Records of wintering “Solitary” Vireo have numbered from four to seven the past three winters, yet this winter not a single report was received. A Steller’s Jay at Hickey Park, Kings 7 Feb (ADeM) was one of few ever found in the San Joaquin Valley. Mountain Chickadees appeared to have staged a minor incursion into the foothills of the Sacramento Valley, includ- ing 10 on the Auburn C.B.C. 16 Dec (first since 1983) and 5 at the Oroville Fish Hatchery, Butte 10 Dec (BED et al.), but the only bird recorded on the C.V. floor was at Cosumnes R. Preserve, Sacramento 11 Dec (JTr). Single Brown Creepers 7-17 Feb in the C.V. around 224 North American Birds Hickey Park near Hanford were rarities for Kings (ADeM, LkC, SAG). An American Dipper on the Cosumnes R- at Michigan Bar 16 Jan was a rarity for Sacramento (JTr). Townsend’s Solitaires at Coal Mine Ridge 18 Dec (Sue & Jerry James) and Crystal Springs 19 Dec (ADeM) provided rare records for San Mateo. A Swainson’s Thrush picked up dead at Humboldt State University, Areata 2 Jan (Anthony Desch) pro- vided Humboldt’s 2nd winter record and is one of few ever found this time of year in our Region. American Robins rarely receive men- tion here but 53,196 (not a roost count!) on the Willow Creek C.B.C., Humboldt seems noteworthy (GSL). The landbird highlight of the season was an adult Black-backed Wagtail 17 Dec-7 Apr on non-public salt ponds at Alviso, Santa Clara (David McIntyre, ph. MMR, m.ob.). This is our 7th Regional record but the first to winter (another Black-backed wintered in s. California in 1996; at least 7 White Wagtails have wintered in w. North America). Warblers Throygh Sparrows Wintering warblers, including the now-expect- ed e. and s. warblers, were found in low or average numbers: Tennessee (2), Nashville (14), Yellow (5), Palm (24), Black-and-white (7 including one on 27 Dec at Merced Falls, Merced; PJM), American Redstart (3), Northern Waterthrush (1), MacGillivray’s (2), and Wilson’s (3). A Lucy’s Warbler was at Arroyo Leon, San Mateo 11 Feb (RSTh). A Chestnut-sided Warbler was found at Bayside, Humboldt 16 Dec (DFx, JCP, Colin Dillingham, Brooke McDonald). A Magnolia Warbler at El Granada 16 Dec was thought to be the first winter record for San Mateo, although (as with, many Dec records) it was never seen again (RSTh). A much-seen male Cape May Warbler, first found 1 Jan at Stinson Beach, Marin, continued into Mar (ph. RS; ph. WEH, m.ob.). Most unusual was a Kentucky Warbler 1 Jan at Pfieffer-Big Sur S.P. (fThomas C. Wood; first Monterey record for winter). Significant records of Common Yellowthroat included one near Lincoln, Placer 16 Dec (first for Auburn C.B.C.; BDW), one at the Eel R. Delta, Humboldt 31 Dec (JTz), and one at Wilson Cr., Mono L. 22 Dec, the first in winter for Mono (Sally Miller, Paul McFarland). Single Hooded Warblers were at Bodega Bay, Sonoma 13 Jan (Shirley Jewel) and Rossmoor, Contra Costa 15 |an-18 Feb (Jim Jardine et al.). The region’s lone wintering Summer Tanager was last noted at Forestvilie, Sonoma 1 Feb (Mike Heffernon). Of 11 Western Tanagers, 8 were inland, 2 were semi-coastal, and just one was coastal. A Green-tailed Towhee 22 Dec at Wilson Cr., Mono L. was just the 3rd Dec record for Mono (Sally Miller, Paul McFarland). Four American Tree Sparrows were found, but none may have wintered: Ano Nuevo S.R., San Mateo 3-30 Dec (RSTh, Cindy Reed); Kehoe Marsh 16 Dec (fKirk Swenson) and McClures Beach 17 Dec (LLu, CLu), both Pt. Reyes N.S., Marin; and Bayside, Humboldt 20-22 Dec (fDFx, JCP). A Chipping Sparrow at Yreka 21 Dec may have been the first in win- ter for Siskiyou, although the bird was never refound (MFRb). Of 5 Clay-colored Sparrows, 3 were coastal from Humboldt to San Mateo, one was near-coastal at Shoreline Park, Santa Clara iO-13 Dec (Dick Stovel, AME, MMR et al.), and one was truly inland at Bartlett Park, Tulare 30 Dec-Mar (fLLu, CLu et al.). The lone Lark Bunting in a poor winter for them was near Watsonville, Santa Cruz 1-2 Jan (Randy Morgan, tPJM, ADeM, CCb, LHg). Of 17-1- Swamp Sparrows at least 15 were coastal, primarily in Monterey and Humboldt, with inland birds only at Merced N.W.R., Merced 2 Dec (PJM) and Concord, Contra Costa 16 Dec (first for the Contra Costa C.B.C.; JCR, SAG). Five Harris’s Sparrows was a bit below average: 16 Dec at Millbrae, San Mateo (ad.; Joe Macho, ADeM); through 28 Feb at Cotati, Sonoma (ad.; Richard Merriss); 4-17 Dec at Areata, Humboldt (Kerry Ross, Mark & Stephanie Morrissette); 15 Feb near Beale A.F.B., Yuba (jeS); and, where more expected, at Tule Lake N.W.R., Siskiyou 19 Dec (RE). Longspurs Through Finches At least 2 McCown’s Longspurs returned to last winter’s site on Browning Rd., Colusa through at least 12 Feb (fBDW), but this was overshad- owed by one on Gloria-Camphora Rd. 3-4 Dec, which provided a long-awaited first for Monterey (tTEa; SFB, fDR et al.). A male Lapland Longspur s. of Benton, Mono 17-24 Feb was well into alternate plumage (MSanM, NBB, DR). A Snow Bunting near Benton 10-11 Feb was Mono’s first and one of few to have ever wintered in the interior of the Region (fChris Brady, Debbie House). Of wintering Pheucticus grosbeaks, 8 were Rose-breasteds and 3 were Black-headeds, with one Black- headed 21 Jan on McClellan Ranch, Santa Clara being the only bird away from the immediate coast (Kay Partelow). An ad. male Indigo Bunting 11 Feb at Arroyo Leon, San Mateo provided a rare winter record (RSTh). Unseasonal or out-of-place Yellow-headed Blackbirds included a female at Ukiah, Mendocino 5-7 Dec (GEC, MMtt, CEV), one in Sierra Valley, Plumas 16 Dec (Bob & Jim Battagin), and a female at Pacifica, San Mateo 28 Dec (Calvin Lou). A flock of 445-1- at Holland Tract 23 Dec was easily the largest ever found in Contra Costa (John Ascher, SAG). A male Great-tailed Crackle, present at Tule Lake, Siskiyou 15 Dec into spring was thought to be the same bird there in July 2000 (KS, RE). It was a poor year for wintering orioles, with just one Orchard, 4 Hoodeds, and 4 Bullock’s. The male Orchard was at a feeder near Elkhorn Slough, Monterey 7 Feb (RF); amongst the Hoodeds were 2 videotaped in a Redding, Shasta yard 1 1 Feb (Bea & Bob Currie). A male Black Eosy-Finch at Benton Hot Springs, Mono 16 Feb-2 Mar (fMSanM, NBB; fDR et al.) was our 4th Regional record and the 3rd in winter; this taxon may be more reg- ular in this little-worked corner of the Great Basin than current data suggest. Prior Mono records are a Jan 1904 specimen and a 31 Mar 1980 sighting, but two 1941 specimens attrib- uted to Lassen were actually just over the Nevada state line {contra Small, 1994, California Birds). Finches were otherwise rarely noted this season. Evening Grosbeaks of note were 3 at Bloomfield, Sonoma 30 Dec (Fred Jacobs); up to 10 at San Gregorio 30 Dec-i8 Jan (Pat Pauch, ADeM) and 4 at Pescadero 18 Jan (ADeM), both San Mateo; one at Olive School Ln., Solano 7 Jan (Roger Muscat); one at a feeder in Napa, Napa 9 Jan-Mar (Denise & David Hamilton); and sin- gles in Auburn, Placer 13 & 25 Feb (Deren Ross, Joan Jernegan). Exotics The spread of Eurasian CoUared-Dove across North America has been a topic of some inter- est in this journal’s pages over the past decade, with most observers opining that an exploding range expansion accounts for far-flung reports (see a fine 1999 summary by C. Romagosa & T. McEneaney, NAB 53:348-353). In our Region, however, a growing population first discovered in King City, Monterey in spring 1999 is not an influx from s. California (these doves are breeding in Morro Bay in the next county s. of Monterey). Rather, the original 3 were traced to an intentional release by a neighbor; those released birds have now grown into a popula- tion of 24 (J&HBa). Corrigenda Chestnut-collared Longspur was inadvertently missing from our Spring report {NAB 54:325). The opening sentence about longspurs was not solely about McCown’s but should have read “The Winter’s invasion of C.V. longspurs con- cluded with up to 6 McCown’s along Browning Rd., Colusa to 16 Mar (LLu, CLu et al.) and up Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 225 Middle Pacific Coast-Southern Pacific Coast Southern Pacific Coast to 30 Chestnut-collareds in n.e. Yolo to 1 Apr (EDG et al.).” We thank EDG for bringing this error to our attention. Cited observers (county coordinators in boldface): David G. Ainley, Stephen F. Bailey, Jim & Helen Banks, Jim Booker, William G. Bousman [Santa Clara), N. Bruce Broadbrooks, Penelope K. Bowen [Alpine & Calaveras), June Buntin, Rita Carratello, George E. Chaniot, Luke Cole [Kings), Chris Corben, Hugh Cotter [S.F. city), Al DeMartini, Bruce E. Deuel [n.C.V. counties), Jon L. Dunn, Todd Easterla, Mark Eaton, Alan M. Eisner, Ray Ekstrom [Siskiyou), Elias Elias, David Fix [Humboldt), Rick Fournier, Rob Fowler, James H. Gain ( Stanislaus)^ Steven A. Glover ( Contra Costa), Edward D. Greaves, Steve C. Hampton, W. Ed Harper, Pablo A. Herrera, Rob Hewitt, Bill Hill, Steve N.G. Howell, John E. Hunter ( Trinity), Lisa Hug, Alvaro Jaramillo, Robert J. Keiffer [Mendocino), Clay Kempf, Jon King, Robin L.C. Leong [Napa & Solano), Tom W. Leskiw, Gary S. Lester, Cindy Lieurance, Les Lieurance, Michael J. Mammoser, Ann Manolis, Timothy D. Manolis [Sacramento & Yolo), Matthew Matthiessen, J. Mac McCormick, Peter J. Metropulos [San Mateo & Mono), Joseph Morlan, Ed Pandolfino [Placer), Jim & Debby Parker, Jude C. Power [Humboldt), Peter Pyle [F.I.), Jean C. Richmond, Robert J. Richmond [Alameda), Michael F. Robbins, Don Roberson [Monterey), John C. Robinson, Michael M. Rogers, Steve Rovell, Ruth A. Rudesill [Sonoma), Ken Salzman, Mike San Miguel, Debra L. Shearwater, Dan Singer, Larry Spear, Rich Stallcup, John C. Sterling, David L. Suddjian (DLSu; Santa Cruz), Richard Ternullo, Scott B. Tereill, Ronald S. Thorn, Jim Tietz, John Trochet, Chuck E. Vaughn, Kent Van Vuren [Merced & San Benito), Jerry R. White [Lake), Brian D. Williams, Denise S. Wight, Bob & Carol Yutzy [Shasta), m.ob.= many observers. Many more observers were not specifically cited and all are appreciated. Guy McCaskie 954 Grove Avenue Imperial Beach, California 91932 (guymcc@pacbell.net) Kimball L. Garrett Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90007 (kgarrett@nhm.org) The Region experienced a cooler winter than normal, and although precipitation equaled or exceeded average in most of the area, virtu- ally all the measurable participation occurred in February. Some indications remained of the fall’s invasion of corvids and certain other montane or Great Basin species. Highlights included the Region’s first Eurasian Dotterel, found with Mountain Plovers in the Imperial Valley, the Nutting’s Flycatcher in Irvine continuing from November, and the Region’s second White- winged Junco in the Owens Valley. Abbreviations: C.L. (China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, extreme ne. Kern); F.C.R. (Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley National Park, Inyo); G.H.P. (Galileo Hill Park, extreme e. Kern); N.E.S.S. (n. end of the Salton Sea, Riverside); S.E.S.S. (s. end of the Salton Sea, Imperial); S.F.K.R.P. (South Fork Kern River Preserve near Weldon, Kern); S.M.R.E. (Santa Maria River Estuary near Santa Maria, Santa Barbara); V.A.F.B. (Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, Santa Barbara). Because virtual- ly all rarities in s. California are seen by many observers, only the observer(s) initially finding and identifying the bird are included. Documentation for species on the California Bird Records Committee (C.B.R.C.) review list is forwarded to the C.B.R.C. Secretary and archived at the Western Foundation for Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo. Albatrosses Through Ducks A Laysan Albatross at the Santa Lucia Escarpment wsw. of Pt. Buchon, San Luis Obispo 13 Jan (BKS) and 2 there 20 Jan (BKS) were in an area where expected in small num- bers. At least 75 Northern Fulmars seen during a pelagic bird trip off San Luis Obispo 13 Jan (TME) and a count of 55 from La Jolla, San Diego 10 Mar (SW) suggest that greater-than- normal numbers were off s. California this winter. Unexpected was a Flesh-footed Shearwater seen from shore at La JoUa 13 Feb 226 North American Birds This immature Zone-tailed Hawk was one of three (two immatures and one adult) that spent the winter in El Centro, Imperial County, California, here photographed 21 February 2001 . Photograph by Kenneth Z. Kurland (BS). A female Magnificent Frigatebird over Cardiff, San Diego 1 Mar (RT) was most unusual, as virtually all sightings for California occur between mid-Jun and mid-Sep. The Tricolored Heron at the Tijuana R. mouth, San Diego since 24 Aug was present through 10 Jan (SK), and the ad. Reddish Egret at that same location since 26 Aug remained through 24 Jan (RPo); an imm. Reddish Egret at the San Diego R. mouth 1 Jan+ (MH) was the only other one reported. A Wood Stork at the Wild Animal Park near Escondido, San Diego 30 Dec (KW) was a wild bird that arrived more than 10 years ago and never left. The Brant found at C.L. 13 Nov remained through 3 Feb (SS), providing the first winter record for Kern. Two Tundra Swans at Sand Canyon Res. in Irvine, Orange 1 Jan-21 Feb (GET) were the southernmost this winter. Sixty Blue-winged Teal at the San Diego R. mouth 9 Jan (REW) and 50 in Norco, Riverside 17 Dec (SJM) were large numbers for anywhere in California. Single male Eurasian Green-winged Teal v/ere at Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo 19-24 Feb (WAR), in Goleta, Santa Barbara 10 Dec+ (GBW), and at the San Diego R. mouth 13 Jan-Feb 17 (PEL). A male Tufted Duck on L. Perris, Riverside 2 Feb-4 Mar (EAC) was the only one in the Region. The male Harlequin Duck found n. of Arroyo Laguna, San Luis Obispo 12 Nov remained through the period (TME), another was at Carlsbad, San Diego 16 Feb- 14 Mar (EW), and a 3rd was on Mission Bay in San Diego 4-10 Mar (DSe). A. Surf Scoter at Salt Creek on the e. shore of the Salton Sea, Riverside 6 Feb (CMcG), and single birds at S.E.S.S. 25 Nov-31 Dec (MMP) and 15 Feb (KZK), and 2 White-winged Scoters at S.E.S.S. 19-24 Dec (GMcC) were inland where unusual. A Black Scoter, much rarer than the previous two species in s. California, was inland at N.E.S.S. 10 Jan (SC), and up to 2 were at S.E.S.S. 25 Nov-19 Dec (MMP, KZK). A Long-tailed Duck at Klondike L. near Big Pine, Inyo 21 Jan (JP, DP) and anoth- er at N.E.S.S. 30 Dec (HK) were inland where rare. A female Barrow’s Goldeneye at Pleasant Valley Res. near Bishop, Inyo €-27 Jan (JZ), joined by a male on the last date (NH), was in the extreme ne. corner of the Region, where small numbers probably occur annually. Hawks Through Terns A Northern Goshawk at Whitney Portal, Inyo 17 Dec (M & NP) was in an area where probably resident, but one in Ridgecrest, Kern 14-26 Jan (JN) was far outside the species’s normal range. Harris’s Hawks continue to hang on in e. San Diego, with up to 2 at Borrego Springs (PJ) and up to 7 near Boulevard (PU) during the period. Exceptionally late fall migrant Swainson’s Hawks were near Calipatria, Imperial 8 Dec (GMcC), near El Centro, Imperial 14 Dec (KZK), and over San Diego 19 Dec (MAP), and two early spring migrants were near El Centro 19 Feb (KZK), suggesting wintering far n. of known wintering areas in Argentina, single birds near Calipatria 11 Jan (AB) and near Ft. Mugu Naval Air Station, Ventura 23 Jan (WW) were almost cer- tainly wintering locally. Along the coast, single ad. Zone-tailed Hawks were in Santa Barbara/Goleta, Santa Barbara all winter (DMC), Rancho Santa Margarita, Orange 17 Dec-31 Jan (GLT, MSanM), and near Ramona, San Diego 3 Jan (PU), and 2 ads. were around Escondido throughout the period (PAG); inland, where much rarer, up to 3 (2 imms. and an ad.) were near El Centro 13 Dec+ (KZK). A Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk, rare in s. California, was in Round Valley, Inyo 23-25 Dec (JLD). The southernmost Rough-legged Hawks were single birds near Los Alamos, Santa Barbara 20 Dec-26 Jan (CA), near Lakeview, RiversidelS Jan-17 Feb (TliM), near Calipatria 2-28 Dec (GMcC), and near Holtviile, Imperial 18 Dec (GMcC). A Pacific Golden-Plover on Morro Bay 16-31 Dec (RWH) and 2 near Guadalupe, Santa Barbara 3 1 Dec (DMC) may have been very late fall migrants, but one at Imperial Beach, San Diego 16 Dec+ (CGE), one to 2 at Boisa Chica, Orange 1 Oct-11 Feb (AL), and up to 4 at Seal Beach, Orange 28 Sep-10 Mar (SK) were clearly wintering. A Snowy Plover at Owens L., Inyo 19- 20 Dec (REM) was late for this area. Eleven Mountain Plovers at V.A.EB. 17-29 Dec (BH), one at the S.M.R.E. 27 Dec (WW), and 25 at Seal Beach 21 Jan (JFt) were the only ones along the coast. A Eurasian Dotterel was photographed with wintering Mountain Plovers inland near Calipatria 22-23 Jan (AB); this is the first to be found in s. California and the first in the state in winter, though one was in n. Baja California during the winter of 1997-1998 (Field Notes 52:257). The Solitary Sandpiper found near Chino, San Bernardino 17 Oct was still present 13 Mar (JEP), providing us with one of a very few winter records for this species in California. A Wandering Tattler at S.E.S.S. 29 Dec-2 Feb (RB) was probably the same bird present at this Volume 5 5 ( 2 00 1 ), Number 2 227 Southern Pacific Coast location last winter. A Whimbrel, most unusual inland after Oct, remained at S.E.S.S. to 2 Dec (GMcC). Up to 5 Ruddy Turnstones remained inland at S.E.S.S. from Sep to 19 Dec (GMcC). A Red Knot inland at Salton City, Imperial 8 Dec (GMcC) may have been attempting to winter locally. A Stilt Sandpiper near Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station 7-22 Jan (WW) is one of a very few recorded along the coast in winter. An ad. male Ruff near Brawley, Imperial 5 Nov-24 Feb (GMcC) was the same bird present here last winter, and a female was near Calipatria 2 Dec (GMcC). A Wilson’s Phalarope near Goleta 23 Nov-1 Dec (FS) provides the only record for Santa Barbara at this time of the year. About 250 Red Phalaropes seen during a pelagic bird trip off San Luis Obispo 20 Jan (BKS) and at least 5000 off La Jolla 1 fan (SW) were high numbers for winter. A Franklin’s Gull in Placentia, Orange 12-29 Dec (SA) and what was probably the same bird in nearby Anaheim 6 Jan (JEP) was probably a very late fall migrant. An ad. Little Gull on L. Perris 28 Jan- 15 Mar (MF) may have been the same bird that spent the winter of 1998-1999 on adjacent Mystic L. An ad. Black-headed Gull, a casual straggler to California, was at Goleta 10 and 31 Dec (GBW, DVP). Single ad. Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the Whitewater R. mouth 10 Jan-6 Feb (SG) and near North Shore 26 Jan-25 Mar (DhP) are believed to be the same individuals at these two locations at N.E.S.S. each of the past three winters. An ad. Glaucous Gull was at 30° 32’ N, 121° 51’ W (200 mi. off San Diego) 15 Dec (PL); first-year birds were at in San Pedro, Los Angeles 27 Feb (ThM) and Imperial Beach 4-11 Mar (HY), and inland at N.E.S.S. 30 Dec (EAC) and S.E.S.S. 2-10 Feb (JMcI, BM). Black-legged Kittiwakes were more numerous than normal off s. California as indicated by about 250 seen during a pelagic bird trip off San Luis Obispo 13 Jan (TME), 800 seen during a pelagic bird trip out of Santa Barbara 20 Jan (BKS), and 142 counted during 3 1/2 hours at La Jolla 13 Feb (BS); in addition a first-year bird, most unusual inland, was at N.E.S.S. 30 Dec (SJM). Two Elegant Terns in Coronado, San Diego 16 Dec (RPa) were unusually late. Doves Through Woodpeckers Single White-winged Doves were along the coast, where rare in winter, in Santa Barbara at Santa Barbara 13 Jan (GBW) and Carpinteria 27 Jan (DMC), and in Ventura, Ventura throughout the period (WW), but up to 4 in Calipatria 19 Dec-21 Mar (A & VH) and one near Blythe, Riverside 14 Feb (DSh) were in areas where vir- tually unrecorded in winter. Two Lesser Nighthawks remained at Finney L. near Calipatria, where this species is proving to win- ter in small numbers, through the season (GMcC). A Common Poorwill near Santa Ysabel, San Diego 8 Dec (GCH) was probably wintering locally. Forty Vaux’s Swifts near Oceanside, San Diego 14 Dec (PAG) and 15 there 23 Dec (PU) were in an area where this species is regular in winter, but 5 Chaetura swifts over Montecito, Santa Barbara 23 Feb (MBH) were unexpected. A migrant male Allen’s Hummingbird near El Centro 15-19 Feb (KZK) provides one of a very few records in Imperial. Lewis’s Woodpeckers were far more numer- ous and widespread than normal in the moun- tains and along the coast this winter, and 20 were at EC.R. 17 Feb (T & JH). A Williamson’s Sapsucker at Round Valley 28 Jan (T & JH), 6 at S.F.K.R.P. 30 Dec-21 Feb (RAB), and single birds w. of the mountains at Rancho Santa Margarita 10 Dec-11 Feb (GLT) and in Silverado Canyon, Orange 17 Dec (BED) were all away from areas of expected occurrence. A White-headed Woodpecker in Bishop 16 Dec-^ (NH) was away from any area of normal occur- rence. This winter at least 3 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were in Kern, along with 9 more along the coast between Lompoc and Imperial Beach, suggesting more than the expected few were present. A Ladder-backed Woodpecker at Live Oak Springs, San Diego 13 Jan (PU) was on the coastal slope where most unusual. A Dovmy Woodpecker in Inyokern, Kern 17 Feb (TeM) was outside the species’s normal range. Flycatchers Through Corvids A Greater Pewee in Bonsall, San Diego 2 Dec (PAG) was the only one reported, and appar- ently it did not remain to winter. Wintering Empidonax, in addition to small numbers of the expected Gray and Western (most or all Pacific-slope), included a Least Flycatcher in Carpinteria 1 1 Jan-l- (RAH); a Hammond’s in Malibu, Los Angeles 17 Dec (KLG) and 2 near Irvine 13 Nov-12 Mar (KLP) and 17 Feb-10 Mar (JFs); and 5 Duskies: El Monte, Los Angeles 16 Dec (MSanM); Pasadena, Los Angeles 20 Nov-mid-Dec (TEW); H.C.P. 3 Nov-24 Mar (JEP); Lake Forest, Orange 10 Dec (JEP); and Lompoc, Santa Barbara 20 Dec-21 Feb (BKH). A total of 6 wintering Eastern Phoebes was found in Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange, with 2 additional mid- Dec birds in San Diego. At least 20 Vermilion Flycatchers were found during the period, n. to EC.R. where one wintered 19 Dec-17 Feb (BHu). California’s first Nutting’s Flycatcher, originally found in Irvine 11 Nov, remained until 26 Mar (LDT) and was well documented with photographs and voice recordings. A Dusky-capped Flycatcher in Santa Barbara 10 Dec-6 Jan (DMC) was the only one reported. A Cassin’s Kingbird in Lamont 12-14 Jan (JCW) was the first winter record for Kern, and one in Niland, Imperial 19 Dec-2 Feb (PAG, GCH) was also in an unusual locality. Four Tropical Kingbirds along the coast was about normal, but up to 3 (possibly 4) Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in Irvine between 21 Dec and 17 Feb (BEE, LDT, BED, KLP et al.) was an excep- tional concentration for California. A Northern Shrike at Newberry Springs, San Bernardino 22 Jan-20 Feb (BD, KLP) was the only one reported south of Inyo. A Blue- headed Vireo, casual in California, was near Pt. This is one of up to four Scissor-tailed Flycatchers found in Irvine, Orange County, California during the winter season, the Region’s largest concentration ever. This photograph was taken 20 January 2001 . Photograph by Mark Billings. 228 North American Birds Hueneme, Ventura 11-18 Feb (DaP); 12 Plumbeous Vireos during the period was about normal, but with only four sightings, Cassin’s Vireos were probably under-reported. Most unusual was a Warbling Vireo in Coronado 25 Nov-3 Jan (EC); one in El Centro 27 Feb (KZK) was an early spring migrant. The fall’s invasion of corvids had largely run its course by Dec, though up to 30 Pinyon Jays remained in the Cuyamaca Mtns., San Diego into Mar. An American Crow at S.F.K.R.P. 17-26 Feb (RAB) was one of the few ever recorded there. Titmice Through Warblers An Oak Titmouse in Ridgecrest 1 Dec-17 Feb (AM) was well out of range. Two Bushtits at G.H.P. 2 Dec-7 Jan (KSG) were felt to be of the interior plumheus group. Red-breasted Nuthatches were found widely in small num- bers, an aculeata White-breasted Nuthatch was out of range in the Borrego Valley, San Diego 17 Dec (PU), and Pygmy Nuthatches were noted near Santa Barbara to 30 Dec (J&GH) and in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara 8 Feb (CA). A Winter Wren at G.H.P. Nov-17 Feb (TEW) was the first to v/inter in e. KBrn. Golden-crowned Kinglets were considered widespread through the winter. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher near Lancaster, Los Angeles 16 Dec (KLG) v/as the first to be found in winter in the Antelope Valley. Western and Mountain Bluebirds were far more abundant and widespread this winter than average. Small flocks of Westerns were noted in the Imperial Valley, Imperial 18 Nov+ (e.g., 27 on the 19 Dec Salton Sea South C.B.C.), and 2 were at F.C.R., where very rare, 19 Dec (JLW). Concentrations of Mountain Bluebirds on the coastal slope included 100 in Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara 25 Feb (PR), up to 40 in Irwindale, Los Angeles 13 Dec-6 Jan (MSanM), and 20 in Irvine 8 Dec (BED); some 1,000 were found in San Diego (mainly in the interior), and 1,174 were recorded on the Salton Sea South C.B.C. 19 Dec. Mid-winter Sage Thrashers are hard to classify, as spring migrants may appear by late Jan; wintering, or facultatively migrating, were birds in Saline Valley, Inyo 11 Dec (REM), Round Valley 12 Jan (JP, DP), near Weldon, Kern 31 Dec (4; NJS), and e. of Lancaster 30 Dec (KL). A dead Brown Thrasher was found e. of the Ibex Dunes, Death Valley N.P., Inyo 7 Jan (C&TB). Scarce but regular wintering wood-warbler species included a Tennessee in Goleta 25 Dec (DMC); a Lucy’s in Goleta 31 Dec-10 Feb (RAH) and Fountain Valley, Orange, 1-25 Feb (DP); the continuing Northern Parula at S.E.S.S. through the end of the period (GMcC); 5 Chestnut-sideds on the coast; a Black-throated Green for its 4th winter in National City, San Diego (DWA); 8 Palms along the coast from Santa Barbara to Orange, plus one in Niland 22 Dec (GMcC); 6 Black- and-whites on the coast and one at S.E.S.S. 15 Dec-8 Feb (BM); and 8 American Redstarts on the coastal slope plus at least 10 in the Imperial Valley. Four Northern Waterthrushes were found from Ventura to Orange, including one returning for its 3rd winter in Malibu, Los Angeles (WS). A Yellow-breasted Chat in Goleta 11 Dec-2 Feb (C&DR) was the first to winter in Santa Barbara. Among the rarer wood-warblers, the fall’s Golden-winged Warbler in Lompoc remained to 19 Feb (BKH). A Yellow-throated Warbler of the white-iored subspecies albilora was in Sorrento Valley, San Diego 24 Jan-21 Mar (TRC); winter records of this species are roughly equally divided between white-iored and yellow-lored birds. Two Pine Warblers, including one returning bird, were in Long Beach, Los Angeles to at least 29 Dec (KSG), and one was in Santa Ana, Orange 28 Dec-3 Mar (DRW). A Prairie Warbler, casual in win- ter, was in Goleta 9-16 Dec (GBW). Two Worm-eating Warblers were along the n. coast 26 Dec: one in Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo (MTH) and one in Montecito (JEL). The Louisiana Waterthrush first found in Lompoc 23 Nov (BKH) was last seen 6 Dec. Tanagers Through Finches The Hepatic Tanager found in Laguna Woods, Orange in the fall continued to at least 18 Jan (DRW). A Summer Tanager in Ridgecrest 22 Nov- 18 Dec (DM), was the latest fall record for Kern; another inland bird was near Calipatria 9 Dec (MSanM), and 15+ were along the coast during the period. An American Tree Sparrow in Bishop 1 Dec (JP, DP) was not unexpected, but one at S.E.S.S. 17 Feb (GMcC) was one of the southernmost records for the state. Clay-colored Sparrows were in Irvine 28 Jan (BED), and in Escondido 20-22 Feb (BMu). A Black- throated Sparrow in Nipomo 15 Feb+ (CA) was only the 2nd record for coastal San Luis Obispo. The only Lark Buntings reported were 2 in the Temblor Range of e, San Luis Obispo 15 Jan (BW), 2 near Lakeview 17- 23 Feb (CMcF, CMcG), and one in Niland 19 Dec-10 Jan (GCH). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows were at “expected” winter localities at Morro Bay (WAB), Seal Beach (2; JF), and the Tijuana River Estuary (EWl). Large-billed Savannah Sparrow numbers continue to increase on the coast, with 47 at Seal Beach N.W.R. 12 Dec (RZ) being the highest coastal count in decades. In addition to 6 Harris’s Sparrows in Inyo 1-17 Dec (one present to 6 Jan; T&JH), single birds were in Irvine 21 Dec+ (LDT), Wheeler Canyon, Ventura 12 Dec-early Feb (R&GB), and S.E.S.S. 2 Dec-24 Jan (GMcC). An ad. White-crowned Sparrow of the dark-lored subspecies leucophrys or ori- antha was banded in Malibu 1 Jan (WS). A Golden-crowned Sparrow at S.E.S.S. 2 Dec-30 Jan (GMcC) was se. of its normal winter range. A TViiite-winged Jimco near Bishop 22 Dec+ (DP; ph.) was only the 2nd of this distinctive subspecies to be found in the Region (see Patten et al. 1998. Western Birds 29:41-48). Dickcissels, casual in winter, were in El Monte 15 Dec (MSanM) and Santa Paula, Ventura 24 Jan+ (DB). Pheucticus grosbeaks seemed under-reported during the period, with only one Rose-breasted and 8 Black- headeds being found (all coastal). A Blue Grosbeak near L. Henshaw, San Diego 12 Dec (PU) was very late. Female-plumaged Painted Buntings in Los Angeles late Nov-2 Dec (EB) and at Dana Point, Orange 12 Jan (DG) were likely escapees, as was a male in La Mesa, San Diego 19-20 Feb (LL). A female Rusty Blackbird accompanied Brewer’s in a Goleta shopping center parking lot 18 Dec-19 Feb (GBW); this species is still regular, though per- haps decreasing, as a fall and winter vagrant to California. Two Common Crackles in Long Beach 29 Dec+ (KSG) may have been return- ing birds from last winter. Single male Orchard Orioles in Mission Viejo, Orange 2 Feb (JEP) and Irvine 6 Dec-13 Jan (MD) were fewer than expected, but 14 Baltimore Orioles along the coast were more than average. Five Hooded Orioles along the coast from Santa Barbara to Orange was about average. Cassin’s Finches were present in larger than normal numbers in the highlands of San Diego, with flocks of up to 55 at L. Cuyamaca (PU); up to 15 in Upper Silverado Canyon 17- 27 Dec (BED, GCH) was a remarkable concen- tration for a species occurring only rarely in Orange. Small flocks of Red Crossbills occurred from the high desert of Kern and Los Angeles s. to San Diego. Up to 34 Evening Grosbeaks were near Lake Isabella, Kern 3 Nov-15 Feb (NJS); s. of there, the only report was of up to 10 in the Cuyamaca Mtns. of San Diego 6 Jan-4 Feb (GCH, BMu). Exotics A count of 16 Egyptian Geese at Tri-City Park, Placentia was the highest yet recorded (DRW). A Purplish-backed Jay {Cyanocorax beecheii) frequented feeders in Santa Ana, Orange from late Dec+ (AP). A Blue-winged Minla {Minla cyanouroptera, a sse. Asian babbler) accompa- nied a flock of bushtits, kinglets, and warblers in Lemon Heights, Orange 16 Dec (DRW). Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 229 Southern Pacific Coast-Baja California Peninsula Cited observers (County coordinators in bold- face): Douglas W. Aguillard, Steve Alter, Corinne Ardoin, Christi and Terry Baldino (C&TB), Robert A. Barnes, Robert Behrstock, William A. Bouton, Aaron Brees, Eric Brooks, Debby Burns, Ron and Ginger Burns (R&GB), Eugene A. Cardiff, Therese R. Clawson, David M. Compton {Santa Barbara), Daniel S. Cooper, Elizabeth Copper (San Diego), Brian E. Daniels, Maya Decker, Bill Deppe, Jon L. Dunn, Bettina E. Eastman, Tom M. EdeU {San Luis Obispo), Claude G. Edwards, Jon Fislier (JFs), John Fitch (JFt), Mary Freeman, Davm Garcia, Kimball L Garrett {Los Angeles), Karen S. Gilbert, Peter A. Ginsburg, Steven Glover, Robert A. Hamilton, Noah Hamm, Michael T. Hansen, Marilyn B. Harding, Joan and George Hardy (J&GH), Maijory Hastings, Gjon C. Hazard, Tom & Jo Heindel {Inyo), Brad K. Hines, Beclcy Hoban, Andrew and Vernon Howe (A & VH), Bob Hudson (BHu), Paul Jorgensen, Howard King, Sandy Koonce, Kenneth Z. Kurland, Kevin I^son, Andrew Lee, Paul E. I^liman, Joan E. I^ntz, Peter Lonsdale, Lynn Lunceford, Anna Martyn, Robert E. Maurer, Guy McCasMe {Imperial), Cathy McFadden, Chet McGaugh, Judy McIntosh, Terri Middlemiss (TeM), Thomas Miko (TliM), Bob Miller, Don Moore, Brennan Mulrooney (BMu), Stephen J. Myers, Jeff Novak, Jim Parker, Debby Parker, Michael A. Patten, Robert Patton (RPa), Audrey Pavia, Dharm Pelligrini (DhP), David Perelata (DaP), Kaaren L. Perry, James E. Pike, MoUy M. Pollock, Rob Power (RPo), Mike and Nancy Prather (M & NP), Dick L. Purvis, Paul Rosso, Carolyn and DarreO Rutherford (C&DR), Walt Sakai, Florence Sanchez, Mike San Miguel, N. Jolin Schmitt, Brad K. Sdiram, David Seay (DSe), Dave Shuford (DSh), Brian Sullivan, Susan Steele, Gerald L. Tolman, Larry D. Tripp, Richard Trissel, Pliilip Unitt, David Vander Pluym, Edge Wade (EWa), Stanley Walens, Ed Wallace (EWl), Kenneth Weaver, Bruce Webb, Richard E. Webster, Walter Wehlje {Ventura), Grant B. Weyburne, Judy L. Wickman, Douglm R. Willick ( Orange), John C. Wilson {Kem), Thomas E. Wurster, Herb Yoimg, Jerry Zatorsld, Richard Zembal. An additional 45+ observers who could not be individually acknowledged submitted reports this season. A Baja California Peninsula Robert A. Hamilton 34 Rivo Alto Canal Long Beach, California 90803 (robb.hamilton@gte.net) Richard A. Erickson LSA Associates Inc. One Park Plaza Suite 500 Irvine, California 92614 (richard.erickson@lsa-assoc.com) Eduardo Palacios Ecologi'a, Centro de Investigacion Cientffica y Educacion Superior de Ensenada Km 107 Carr. Tijuana-Ensenada 22860 Ensenada Baja California, Mexico U.S. mailing address: P.O. Box 434844 San Diego, California 92143-4844 (epa!acio@cicese.mx) We received reports this season from throughout the peninsula, but only for the months of December and February. Notable birds were nonetheless recorded, including a Downy Woodpecker, Prothonotary Warbler, a record-northerly Belding’s Yellowthroat, Common Crackle, and first state records of White Ibis (BC) and Swamp Sparrow (BCS). Abbreviations: Baja California (BC); Baja California Sur (BCS). Loons Through Terns Brown Boobies have increased dramatically off s. California and n. Baja California since the late 1980s and recently have been recorded annually at Islas Los Coronados. This year, one was there 17 Jan (ph. REW), with 4 there 11 Feb (GLR, PAG et aL). An imm. White Ibis on Estero San Jose 15 Dec (SNGH, vt. RAH) and two imms. there 24 Dec (AH, VH) were in Baja California, where previously unrecorded; the nearest population is 150+ km s. in the Estero La Bocana/Laguna San Ignacio area. Small numbers of Black-beUied Whistling- Ducks have been recorded in the s. Cape District since the early 1990s, but 8 at the La Paz sewage ponds 29 Dec (AH, VH) was a record count. Interesting geese included 3 Greater White-ffonteds at Guerrero Negro 15 230 North American Birds Dec (SNGH, RAH) and an imm. minima Canada near Ensenada Harbor 18 Dec (SNGH, vt. RAH). A female Greater Scaup, rare any- where on the peninsula, was far south at Guerrero Negro 16 Dec (t vt. RAH, SNGH). On 28 Dec, Ensenada Harbor held an imm. female Long-tailed Duck and a V/hite-winged Scoter (both SNGH, vt. RAH), while 5 Hooded Mergansers were nearby on the Maneadero Plain (vt. RAH, SNGH). An impressive group of raptors observed from a boat at s. island, Islas Los Coronados 1 1 Feb included singles of Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk, 2 American Kestrels, and 2 Peregrine Falcons (GLR, PAG et al.). A female Merlin near Ojos Negros 8 Feb showed characters of the “Prairie” race F. c. richardsonii (fCGE). Pacific Golden-Plovers are not known to vtrinter regu- larly anywhere on the peninsula (except possi- bly at Isla Guadalupe), and one at the Guerrero Negro sewage ponds 15 Dec (SNGH, vt. tRAH) may have been a late-moving migrant. Eight Wilson’s Plovers were at Laguna Manuela 16 Dec (RAH, SNGH); the species is not known to be regular north of there on the Pacific coast of Baja California. At least 20 Lesser YeUowlegs were at Guerrero Negro 15- 16 Dec (RAH, SNGH), where as many as 206 were reported on the saltworks in November 1996 (R. Carmona and G. Danemann. 1998. Ciencias Marinas 24:389-408). A Red Phalarope at Presa El Carizo, sw. of Tecate, 28 Feb (RAH, RAE) was presumably storm-driv- en, and furnished the peninsula’s first inland record. Juv. Thayer’s Gulls were scattered at least halfway down the peninsula, with 3-4 at Guerrero Negro 15-16 Dec (SNGH, vt. RAH) and up to 2-3 at Ensenada Harbor 18 Dec-27 Feb (SNGH et al). More unusual was a juv. Glaucous GuU at Ensenada Harbor 18 Dec (SNGH, vt. RAH). Black-legged Kittiwakes were reported s. to Estero Punta Banda in Feb (CGE et al), with a maximum of 5 at Islas Los Coronados 11 Feb (GLR, PAG et al). Black Skimmers continue to increase in numbers; the highest count ever for the cen. peninsula was 250 at Laguna Manuela 16 Dec (RAH, SNGH). Doves Through Biackbirds Although unrecorded prior to 1990, the Ruddy Ground-Dove is now expected in the s. Cape District; a pair was at San Jose del Cabo 26 Dec (AH, VH). An imm Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Catavina 15-17 Dec (vt. RAH, SNGH) was as far south as this vagrant has been recorded on the peninsula. Although expanding in adjacent San Diego and now to be expected in extreme nw. Baja California female Downy This female Downy Woodpecker was photographed 27 February at Parque Morelos, Tijuana, only the third or fourth recorded in Mexico. Photograph from video by Robert A Hamilton. Woodpecker at Parque Morelos, Tijuana, 27 Feb (RAE, vt. RAH et al.) was only the third or fourth confirmed record for the peninsula, and all of Mexico. South of all previous peninsular records were 2 Red-shafted Flickers at Arroyo San Javier, north of Villa Jesus Maria, BC 15 Dec; 2-3 more were at Catavina the same day (all RAH, SNGH). Guerrero Negro was a new winter locale for the Western Flycatcher; one was there 15 Dec (SNGH). Thick-billed Kingbirds have been recorded fairly regularly in the Cape District in winter since the mid 1980s, but 2 at Santiago and one at Miraflores 26 Dec (AH, VH) provided a record seasonal total. Scarce and irregular rainfall on the peninsula is known to wreak havoc with the orderly nesting season experienced on most of the continent; a stub-tailed juv. Horned Lark at Guerrero Negro 15 Dec (RAH, SNGH) was but the latest example. Indicative of the higher-than-average num- bers of northern/montane landbirds in n. Baja California and s. California this winter were a Mountain Chickadee and Golden-crowned Kinglet in Ensenada 22 Dec (AH, VH) and a Brown Creeper at Parque Morelos, Tijuana 27 Feb (vt. RAH et al.). This was the first coastal record of the chickadee for the Region, and there are fewer than 10 peninsular records each for the other two species. Perhaps related, American Robins of the northern migratorius group of subspecies reached Baja California Sur, with one in Guerrero Negro 15-16 Dec (RAH, SNGH) and up to 2 with San Lucas Robins in the Sierra de La Laguna near San Antonio de la Laguna 4 Feb (PM). A female Varied Thrush was at El Rosario 17 Dec (RAH, SNGH). The park and residential areas of Guerrero Negro hosted quite a collection of warblers 15- 16 Dec (RAH, SNGH): 4 Yellows, 2 Townsend’s, a Black-and-white, 10 American Redstarts, an imm. female Profhonotary (f, first Regional winter record, and possibly one of 2 there in early Oct), 6-7 Northern Waterthrushes, one Wilson’s, and best of all, a male Balding’s YeMowthroat (t) that frequented a freshwater marsh on the s. edge of town. The yellowthroat had not been recorded previously n. of the San Ignacio area, ca. 140 km to the southeast. Another notable Belding’s Yellowthoat was a male at Santiago 27 Dec (AH, VH), where the species was feared extirpated (Rodriguez E. et al. 1999. Animal Conservation 2:77-84; Birdlife International. Threatened Birds of the World). Western Tanagers winter in numbers in coastal s. California (and the Cape District), but sur- prisingly enough a female in Punta Banda 18 Dec (SNGH) appears to have represented the first winter record for Baja California. However, note that unlike its n. neighbor, Baja California has not yet undergone the extensive transfor- mation of habitat (forests of ornamental plant- ings in what were once near-desert conditions) that makes s. California so attractive in winter to Neotropical migratory species like this. A male Spotted Towhee at Catavina 15 Dec (SNGH) may have been the same individual as one in similar plumage at almost the exact same spot 4 Sep. About 15 Song Sparrows at Arroyo San Javier, BC 15 Dec (RA.H, SNGH) were at a previously unreported location; the subspecific identity of mid-peninsular birds remains unresolved. A Swamp Sparrow at Guerrero Negro 16 Dec (tSNGH, fRAH) rep- resented the first documented state record. In typical fashion, Tricolored Blackbirds were recorded s. to Rancho El Descanso (8-10 on 17 Dec; RAH, SNGH) and a maximum of 200-1- was at Ojos Negros 8 Feb (CGE et al). Also at Rancho El Descanso 17 Dec was a female Common GracMe (SNGH, vt. tRAH); Mexico’s only previous record was nearby at El Rosario 9-21 Jan 1996. Exotics A free-flying Rufous-bellied Chachalaca in the e. Sierra de La Laguna 26 Dec (AH, VH) star- tled the observers, before it returned to a chicken coop. It serves to highlight the degree of commerce between the Cape District and the west Mexican mainland and potential mis- chief for avian biogeographers. Ckmtributors; Claude G. Edwards, Richard A. Erickson, Peter A. Ginsberg, Robert A. Hamilton, Andrew Howe, Vernon Howe, Steve N. G. Howell, Guy McCaskie, Pete Morris, Michael A. Patten, Kimberly A. Peterson, Geoffrey L. Rogers, Brenda D. Smith, Richard E. Webster. Volume 55 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 231 Baja California Peninsula-Hawaiian Islands Hawaiian Islands The Winter Season 1999-2000 Robert L. Pyle 1 31 4 Kalakaua Ave., #1 01 0 Honolulu, Hawaii 96826 (rlpyle@hawaii.rr.com) Peter Donaldson 2375 Ahakapu St. Pearl City, Hawaii 96782 (PDonaldson@hawaii.rr.com) Rainfall during December and January was above normal on the windward (east) sides of the islands. That brought some relief from the drought that has continued for three years across the main Hawaiian Islands. Unfortunately, the relief was short-lived. February 2000 was one of the driest Februaries on record. Abbreviations: H. (HawaiT I.); Hanalei (Hanalei N.W.R., Kaua‘i I.); Honouliuli (Honouliuli Unit of Pearl Harbor N.W.R., 0‘ahu I.); K. (Kauai Island); Kealia (Kealia Pond N.W.R., Maui Island); Kii (Kil Unit of Jas. Campbell N.W.R., 0‘ahu I.); Kilauea (Kilauea Point N.W.R., Kauai I.); M. (Maui I.); O. (O'ahu I.); Waiawa (Waiawa Unit of Pearl Harbor N.W.R., 0‘ahu Island). Albatross Through Ibises Three Short-tailed Albatross (Endangered) remained at Midway Atoll through the end of the season. About 18,000 active Black- footed Albatross nests were counted on Midway in Dec, down from about 20,000 a year earlier. A single Black- footed Albatross at Kilauea 8 Feb Hundreds of dead birds washed up on Kailua Beach, Oahu, after New Year’s Eve. The birds were mostly common introduced species such as Common Mynas and Java Sparrows. It is uncertain how the birds died, but it seems likely the deaths were related to New Year’s Eve fire- works. It is not unusual for Hawaiian fami- lies to set off hundreds of thousands of fire- crackers during New Year’s Eve celebra- tions. This year there were even more fire- works than normal. At midnight, the noise was deafening and thick clouds of smoke blanketed the island. The birds might have flown offshore after being terrified by the noise, become exhausted, and drovraed. An alternative explanation is that the birds died from breathing the toxic smoke. (CM) was the only one reported from any of the main islands. Up to 25 Laysan Albatross remained at Kilauea in late Feb, but nesting success was low. By 28 Feb, only two nests stUl contained chicks (CM). The first Wedge-taUed Shearwater of the season was found dead on a Maui road 27 Feb (LT). At least 27 Red-tailed Tropicbirds were seen soaring along the cliffs of Kahoolawe 27 Jan (LT). The first Red-tailed Tropicbirds returned to Kilauea 8 Feb with numbers building to 30 by 28 Feb. A Red-billed Tropkbird, very rare in Hawaii, joined the other tropicbirds at Kilauea on 18 Feb-(- (CM). This is almost certainly the same individual that has appeared the previous two springs. One imm. Masked Booby was seen at Kilauea 8 Feb and one ad. 28 Feb. Masked Boobies are seldom reported away from 0‘ahu in the main islands. A Brown Booby was found sitting on a newly hatched chick at Midway 14 Dec (JS), the first nesting record on the atoll. A White-faced Ibis was seen at Kealia 8 Dec (MN). One or 2 White-faced Ibises had been seen in Kona, H. for many months but had dis- appeared by 23 Aug 1999 (AE). One of these birds may have moved to Kealia, where it was seen 26-30 Jul 1999 (MN). There have been no more ibis reports since the 8 Dec sighting. Waterfowl Through Terns Peak counts for the more common ducks were: 39 Green-winged Teal at Keaha 17 Dec (MN), 177 Northern Pintail at Kealia 5 Jan (MN), 326 Northern Shoveler at Kealia 6 Dec (MN), 11 American Wigeon at Waiakea Pond, H. 28 Jan (TP), 5 Ring-necked Ducks at Waiakea Pond all season (TP), and 13 Lesser Scaup at Kii 30 Dec (PD). Numbers of Northern Shoveler, normally the most common migrant duck, were very low on Oahu. Peak counts were only 14 birds 19 8c 27 Feb (PD). One Brant was seen near Barking Sands, K. 1 Dec (DK), and 2 were present over the last three weeks of Jan (fide TT). A Brant was seen in Kona, H. 19 Dec-16 Jan (AJ, RD, JF). Three small, dark-breasted Canada Geese joined a 4th bird at Kii 19 Feb (PD). These 4 geese remained through the end of the season. Two small Canada Geese were at Hanalei all season (CM). There was one Blue- winged Teal at Hanalei 23 Jan-l-, and 10 were at Kealia 17 Dec (MN). One Eurasian Wigeon was seen at Waiakea Pond, H. 28 Jan (TP), one at Kealia 5-19 Jan (MN) and one on Midway 28 Feb (BC). A Canvasback was reported at Ohiapilo Pond, Molokai 4 Jan (KE, KU). Two Tufted Ducks remained at Midway all season (SC, NH). A lone Bufflehead was seen at Honouliuli 1 Dec (PD). One Osprey was reported 2 1 Dec at Hawi, H. (KE, KU), and one was seen at Waiakea Pond, H. 26 Jan (RD). A Northern Harrier on Oahu was seen over Kawainui Marsh 8 Dec (TC) and 16 Dec (DA) and at Kii 7 Feb (KP). One Peregrine Falcon remained on Midway all season and was seen almost daily (KL, m.ob.). More typical were Peregrines seen only once at Na'alehu, H. 9 Dec (DL), at Lanikai, O. 9 Jan (EV) and at Kealia 29 Feb (MN). The Na'alehu bird was plucking its prey while hovering over a sea cliff. The Lanikai bird was chasing Rock Doves. These three raptor species are rare but regular. One Black-bellied Plover was seen in the Kona area, H. 9 Dec (AJ) and one was seen at Kealia 14 Jan-11 Feb. Black-beUied Plovers have become scarce recently. A Killdeer fre- quented Kii and the nearby aquaculture ponds 232 North American Birds 9 Jan+ (RM, MSi, PD, v. ob.)- Kflldeer are rare in Hawaii. A single Whimbrel of the North American race and about 14 Bristle-thighed Curlews remained at Kii all season (PD, MSi). Up to 7 Long-billed Dowitchers and up to 3 Common Snipe were seen regularly at Kii through late Feb (PD, MSi). GuUs were rather scarce this season. Single first-winter Laughing Gulls were seen on Kaua'i at Kekaha 14 Dec (DK) and Barking Sands 22 Dec (PB). An imm. Laughing GuU was at the Kona S.T.P., H. 22 Jan (GK). An ad. Laughing Gull was seen on the far side of the Big Island of Hawai'i at Waiakea Pond 26 Jan (RD) and 28 Jan (TP). Single first-winter Ring-billed Gulls were seen in Kona, H. 21 Dec (AJ) and 22 Jan (GK). One to 2 were at Sand Island, 0. 7 Jan-13 Feb (MO, PD). A large, first-winter gull seen aroimd Kii since late Dec was thought by most observers to be a Herring Gull (RM, PD, MO, RPy). A first- winter Glaucous- winged Gull at Laie, O. flew into a fishing line and was turned into the Hawaii Humane Society 12 Jan (CC). First-winter Glaucous-winged Gulls were also reported in sw. Kaua‘i 4 Jan-5 Feb (DJ, v. ob.) and on Midway 2 1 -29 Feb (SC, KL) . An ad. win- ter-plumaged Black Tern at the Kona S.T.P., H., 21 Jan was carefully described (fRD). Passerines The most intriguing report of the season was a Phylloscopus warbler, possibly an Arctic Warbler, reported at Kilauea by an observer familiar with several Phylloscopus species (fCM, in litt.). Any migrant passerine is very rare in the Hawaiian Islands — a Phylloscopus warbler would be unprecedented. The observer had a camera, but the bird did not remain in view long enough to be photographed. The bird was not very vocal and was never relocated. At least 12 pairs of 0‘ahu ‘Elepaio live in the Honouliuli Preserve, O. Fourteen of these birds were found 10 Jan (EV). Two Greater Necklaced Laughing-Thrushes were spotted at Hanalei 15 Feb (CM). Although rather large and noisy, these birds are seldom reported. One Hawai'i Creeper was seen along Pu'u ‘0‘0 trail, H. 1 Dec (AJ). Up to 12 vermilion and black ‘Tiwi feeding on cherry blossoms in Koke'e, K. during Jan must have been spectacular (DK). Two ‘Tiwi were heard 18 Dec along Schofield- Waikane Trail on O'ahu, where ‘Tiwi are very rare (EV). Twenty-four Orange-cheeked Waxbills and 4 African Silverbills were found in Kaneohe, O. 19 Dec (EV). Both of these intro- duced species are seldom reported on O'ahu. Contributors: David Adams, Brenda Becker, David Bremer, Phil Bruner, Suzanne Canja, Bruce Casler, Chad Castle, Tom Coles, Reginald David, Jim Denny, Arleone Dibben, Peter Donaldson, Karen Evans, Jeff Foster, Norm Green, Nancy Hoffman, Dean Jamieson, Alvaro Jaramillo, Glenn Klingler, David Kuhn, Keith Larson, David Ledig, Richard May, Christian Melgar, Mike Nishimoto, Mike Ord, Rob Pacheco, Kurt Pohlman, Thane Pratt, Peter Pyle, Robert Pyle, Mike Silbernagle, Joe Smith, Margo Stahl, Donna Stovall, Lance Tanino, Tom Telfer, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Kim Uyehara, Eric ABA Events 2002 Mark your calendars now! 18-22 January Regional Conference - Miami, Florida Escape the winter doldrums, see some great birds, and get an early start on your 2002 “year list”. We’ll visit Everglades National Park, Loxahatchee NWR, and Shark Valley, plus many more prime birding areas! Program and registration will be in the August 2001 issue of Winging It; or call Nanci Hawley at 800-850- 2473 ext. 233; or register online at www.american- birding.org/convtours/convenreg.htm 10-16 June Annual Convention - Duluth, Minnesota Prime birding habitats include the Boreal Forests, grasslands and marshes, and mixed deciduous wood- lands. Kim Eckert, author of “A Birder’s Guide to Minnesota” and a VENT tour leader will be coordi- nating the field trips. As always, top field experts will conduct our programs and workshops, and we’ll enjoy entertaining informative evening programs. Program and registration will be published in the January 2002 issue of Winging It, or call Nanci Hawley at 800-850- 2473 ext. 233. VanderWerf, Michael Walther. Place names that are frequently men- tioned, but very long, may be abbrevi- ated in a form such as “C.B.B.T.” or “W.P.B.O.” Such local abbreviations will be explained in a key at the begin- ning of the particular regional report in which they are used. In most regions, place names given in italic type are counties. Standard abbrevia- tions that are used throughout North American Birds are keyed on page 143. Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 233 Hawaiian Islands The Winter Season 2000-2001 Robert L. Pyle 1 31 4 Kalakaua Avenue, #1 01 0 Honolulu, Hawaii 96826 (rlpyle@hawaii.rr.com) Peter Donaldson 2375 Ahakapu Street Pearl City, Hawaii 96782 (PDonaldson@hawaii.rr.com) After a wet November, weather turned dry over the main Hawaiian Islands. Rainfall was below normal at most locations in December and January. In January, record low amounts were recorded at several gages. Rainfall increased enough in February to bring totals near normal for the year over the wind- ward (northeast) sides of Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii, but most areas remained below normal. Some areas of 0‘ahu and Maui had less than 50 percent of normal rainfall for the year. Abbreviations: H. (Hawaii I.); Hanalei (Hanalei N.W.R., Kauai I.); Honouliuli (Honouliuli Unit of Pearl Harbor N.W.R., 0‘ahu I.); K. (Kauai Island); Kealia (Kealia Pond N.W.R., Maui Island); Kii (Kil Unit of Jas. Campbell N.W.R., 0‘ahu I.); K.P. (Kilauea Point N.W.R., Kauai I.); M. (Maui I.); O. Q A This season we were able to follow OXAIwo interesting examples of inter- island bird movements. A Black-tailed Godwit, first seen in late Oct on the n. shore of Maui, moved 6 miles to the s. shore in late Dec. After 22 Dec, the bird traveled 100 mEes to 0‘ahu, where it was spotted 6 Jan. The godwit remained there through the end of the season. A Caspian Tern, which had been on Kauai 26 Nov, was then seen 100 mi to the southeast, on 0‘ahu, 11 Dec. The tern remained on 0‘ahu tEl at least 1 Feb. The bird was then found 100 mEes farther southeast on Maui 7 Feb. The rarity of these two species in Hawaii and the lack of any overlapping dates makes it rather certain that only one individual of each species was observed. (0‘ahu I.); Waiawa (Waiawa Unit of Pearl Harbor N.W.R., 0‘ahu Island). Grebes Through Frigatebirds A Pied-billed Grebe was found in Mokuleia, O. 17 Jan (EV). A small population of this species had colonized the Kona coast, H. around 1985, but those birds died out over a year ago (RD), so the bird on 0‘ahu is probably a vagrant. A 3rd Short-tailed Albatross joined two others on Midway 9 Jan (GS, NH et ah). These rare albatross are seen regularly in very small numbers on Midway. Five Black-footed Albatross off the north shore of Kaua‘i 22 Jan (CM) were an unusuaUy large number for any of the main islands. Red-taEed Tropicbirds returned to KEauea 27 Feb (CM). The Red-bEled Tropicbird that spent the previous two summers at Kilauea did not appear this Feb. Ducks Through Falcons Numbers of migrant waterfowl increased from very low fall numbers but remained lower than normal. The highest counts of any species were 210 Northern Pintails and 185 Northern Shovelers at Kealia 4 Jan (MN). Highest counts of bay ducks were 12-14 Lesser Scaup and 2 Ring-necked Ducks at Waiakea Pond, H. (TP), 15 Lesser Scaup at Aimakapa, H. (CM, RD) and 20 Ring-necked Ducks at the Kona STP, H. 8 Feb (CM, RD). Bay ducks were very scarce on 0‘ahu — only single Lesser Scaup and Ring- necked Duck were reported (MSi, PD, v.ob.) A Brant was seen at Kealia 4 Jan-20 Feb (MN). Four Green-winged Teal on Midway all season included one Eurasian/Aleutian male (DS, KL, et ah). A single Garganey was found at Hanalei 4 Dec (GM). One Eurasian Wigeon remained at Midway all season (DS, KL et al.), and 2 were at Hanalei 19 Jan-25 Feb. A pair of Canvasbacks was seen at Kealia 17 Jan (MN), and single females were observed in Kona at the Kona S.T.P., H. 14 Jan (RD, SD) and Aimakapa Pond, H. 20 Feb (DK). These species are all uncommon in Hawai‘i. Two views of Hawaii’s first Black-tailed Goodwit, which island-hopped from Kaui to Maui. Photographs by Marshall J. Iliff. 234 North American Birds mrnm Submitting photographs to North American Birds The photographs that appear in the regional reports in North American Birds add much to the interest and information value of this journal. North American Birds does not pay for the use of photographs in this area, but we do provide the opportunity to share your photos with thousands of other active birders. In each issue, about some of the photos submitted with the regional reports are selected to be printed in color, in a feature called “Pictorial Highlights.” Generally these are very good photographs showing birds of exceptional interest — either very rare vagrants, or birds taking part in un- usual invasions or migrations. The best way to submit photos to North American Birds is to send them to the appropriate regional editor. To make things easier for these individu- als (and for us), please label ail photos clearly with the species, place, date, and your name. In particular, print your name legibly, as you would want it to appear in the photo credit. We also need to know the address to which photographs should be return- ed. All photos will be returned (to the regional editors or to the photogra- phers), but it may take several months from the time they were submitted. Either slides or prints can be reproduced in North American Birds, although given a choice we generally prefer slides. Photographs of either kind should be packaged so that they will not be bent or crushed in the mail. Prints should be labelled on the back, but not with ballpoint pen, which may damage the emulsion of the photograph. If felt tip pens are used for labelling, the prints should be separated with sheets of paper so that the ink from the back of one will not rub off on the face of another photo. ■w Single Ospreys, rare but regular in Hawai'i, were seen at Kealia 22 Dec (MN), at Kaloko Pond, H. 15 Jan (RD), at Kanaha Pond, M. 25 Feb (DK), and at Hanalei, K. 22 Jan-27 Feb (CM). The dates and locations of these reports suggest that there were at least 2 individuals. Peregrine Falcons were reported on four of the main islands. A dark brown, heavily streaked bird was at Kii 9 Dec (PD, v. ob.). A paler, grayer bird was reported in the Kilauea area, K. 22 Jan-27 Feb (CM). Peregrines were also spotted in Kona, H. 15 Dec (GK), in Waihe’e Valley, M. 16 Dec (MC, TG), and at Schofield Barracks, O. 23 Feb (RM). Peregrine Falcons are rare but regular in Hawai’i from fall through spring. Shorebirds Through Terns Single Black-bellied Plovers were observed at Kealia 20 & 28 Jan (MN) and 15 Feb at Hanalei (CM). One to 3 small plovers were seen regu- larly on Midway throughout the season (DS, KL, RD, V. ob.). One bird appeared to be a Semipalmated Plover (DS, RD). Observers could not tell if the other 2 were Semipalmated or Common Ringed Plovers (RD). One Killdeer was seen in a small pond in Waipahu, O. 1 Feb (PD, CM). By 18 Feb, the pond had dried up and the bird was gone (PD). A Lesser Yellowlegs was seen at Hanalei, K. 14 Dec-25 Jan (CM). A Curlew Sandpiper was seen briefly at the Kona S.T.P. 14 Jan (tRD, SD) but could not be relocated. A brown-backed Whimbrel of the North American race was at Kii through- out the period (MSi, PD, v. ob.). This is proba- bly the same individual that has appeared at Kii each fall since 1997. A pale-backed Old World Whimbrel stayed on Midway through the period (DS, KL, tRD, v. ob.). The Black- tailed Godwit (the first state record) discov- ered at Kanaha Pond, M., last fall turned up at Kii 4 Jan (MO). Two Sharp-tailed Sandpipers remained at Kii all season (MSi, PD, v. ob.). Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are regular fall migrants in Hawai’i but rarely overwinter. Dunlins were unusually widespread this win- ter. One bird was on Midway all season (DS, KL). At Kii one to 3 were reported 21 Dec-l- (MSi, MO, PD, KP et al.). One Dunlin was seen at Kealia 2 Feb (MN). At least 3 birds, and pos- sibly as many as 7, were found in the Kona area, H. 15 Jan (RD, SD). Single phalaropes, possibly Red-necked, were seen at sea off w. Maui 17-19 Feb (AL, RB). An ad. Slaty-back Gull lingered on Midway 1-17 Jan (vt RD, DS, KL, v. ob.). A Black-legged Kittiwake that arrived on Midway 10 Jan (DS, KL) was found dead the next day. Both species are very rare in Hawai'i. One to 3 first-winter Herring Gulls frequented Midway from late Oct through the season (DS, KL, et al.) A first-year Common Tern was observed at the Kona S.T.P 9 Jan (KP), 14 Jan (RD, SD), and 8 Feb (RD, CM). A Caspian Tern was seen at Kaua'i Lagoons, K. 26 Nov (CM). Both species are rare in Hawai'i. Doves Through Passerines Single Mourning Doves were seen in flight on Maui 24 Dec and 28 Jan (LT). On 22 Jan, 12 Rose-ringed Parakeets flew across the H 1 free- way in Honolulu, O. (PD). About 15 of the parakeets were seen in 0‘ahu Cemetery, O. 17 Feb (KP, PD). A Common Redpoll was studied closely on Midway 15 Dec by an observer who bands redpolls in Alaska (KL). He identified the bird as an after-second-year male. There is one prior record of a redpoll on Midway. We usually receive few reports on forest birds, but this season was better than most. Six Greater Necklaced Laughing-Thrushes were seen on a Kaua'i mountain known as the Sleeping Giant (CM). These introduced bab- blers have been established on Kaua’i for years but are seldom reported. One ‘Akohehohe was seen in Waikamoi Preserve, M. 3 Dec, plus 50 Maui ‘Alauahio, 30 ‘Tiwi, and 120 ‘Apapane (LT, CM, et al.). On a hike into the Alakai Swamp area, K. 6 Dec, 40 Kaua‘i ‘Elepaio, 5 Puaiohi, 50 Kaua'i ‘Amakihi, 25 ‘Anianiau, 1 ‘Akikiki, 7 ‘Akeke‘e, 20 T’iwi, and 100 ‘Apapane were seen (CM). Ten Hawai‘i ‘Elepaio, 5 Palila, and 20 Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi were found at Pu‘u La‘au, H. 9 Feb (CM, RD). Observers found 0‘ahu ‘Amakihi and ‘Apapane to be unusually scarce on some 0‘ahu forest trails (DB, MW). The introduced Yellow-faced Grassquit has also been scarce, especially in lower elevations. Only 3 were found along Manana Trad, O. 1 Feb (PD, CM). Perhaps the long drought is having an effect. Contributors; David Adams, Robin Baird, David Bremer, Chad Castle, Mark Collins, Reg David, Susan David, Jim Denny, Arleone Dibben, Peter Donaldson, George Fisher, Troy Gequerra, Glenn Klingler, David Kuhn, Keith Larson, Allen Ligon, Dan Lindsay, Richard May, Matt Medeiros, Christian Melgar, Michele Morris, Mike Nishimoto, Mike Ord, Rob Pacheco, Kurt Pohlman, Thane Pratt, Peter Pyle, Robert Pyle, William Rathman, Mark Rauzon, Eric Rosenfeld, Mike SUbernagle, Dan Small, Margo Stahl, Lance Tanino, Tom Telfer, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Michael Walther, Eric VanderWerf, Michael Walther, Abby Brown-Watson, David Watson. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 235 West Indies West Indies u Grand BAHAMA IS. oc^ Turks & Caicos Is. J* Ocreaf /nagua I DOMINICAN ATLANTIC OCEAN Grand Caymans JAMAICA ■05 Kingston CARIBBEAN SEA SlJohn PUBLIC s,,, s VIRGIN IS. Cto^o S^J^StCr^ H oAntgua PUERTO Montsenal- RICO -Vuta Curacao ^ CO«Bona/ra “9— S'. ^Guadetoupe QOom/ntoa Martntque^ St Lucia 0 a ^ ^ Barbados St Vincent Q 0 LESSER Grenada ANTILLES Robert L. Norton 8960 NE Waldo Road Gainesville, Florida 32609 (corvus0486@aol.com) Anthony White 6540 Walhonding Road Bethesda, Maryland 2081 6 (Spindalis@aol.com) The Region was more broadly represented this season than in recent years, with reports from Bermuda, the Bahamas (Andros, Grand Bahama, New Providence), Cuba, Haiti, and many of the Lesser Antilles (Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Barts, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Barbados). A report from Isle of Youth (once the Isle of Pines), Cuba during the second week of February (SN) is greatly appre- ciated. Larger than any of the islands east of Puerto Rico, the Isle of Youth’s isolation from mainland Cuba accounts for subspecific endemism in Cuban Lizard-Cuckoo, Cuban Pygmy-Owl, Bare-legged Owl, Cuban Trogon, Cuban Green Woodpecker, West Indian Red- bellied Woodpecker, Rufous-throated Solitaire, and Greater Antillean Crackle. Steve Mlodinow reports on a new record for Andros and Grand Bahama, and Hallet and Bracey found large numbers of gulls using the dump and pond nearby at Grand Bahama. The port at New Providence similarly attracts large concentrations of nearctic gull species, includ- ing many Lesser and Greater Black-backed Gulls (TW). The Barbados report contained many a West Indian rarity, including a vagrant gull and a Eurasian duck. Migrant warblers made an impressive showing through the peri- od, with large numbers and variety invading Bermuda and the northern Bahamas, but very few warblers were noted in the Lesser Antilles. At Haiti, a mix of high elevation forest cover (> 4,500 ft) and terraced slopes for fruit trees appears to harbor several neotropical migrant warblers during winter. Perhaps 20 years ago, reports of Eared Dove on Barbados would have been considered unusual, but C.B.C.s there have demonstrated an expansion and retraction of that species’s range in the Lesser Antilles. On a conservation note, EM conducted surveys and a late-night vigil in February on Dominica in search of a faint cry of Black-capped Petrels. The steep, wet slopes of Morne aux Diables, named for the sound of breeding devil-birds, was the last nest- ing site in the Lesser Antilles in 1882. Although unsuccessful this year, EM plans to keep trying. Abbreviations: Be. (Bermuda) E.E.R. (Edmond Eorest Reserve), S.P.L. (Syndicate Parrot Lookout); V.F.R. (Vermont Forest Reserve). Petrels Through Terns At Be., the Cahow remains found 2 Dec (DBW, MW) near the airport have conservation man- agers concerned; the predator is presumed to have been a Peregrine Falcon. Only once before, with a Snowy Owl in 1987, has there been documented predation on Bermuda Petrels. Three Cory’s Shearwaters were seen 2 mi off Great Guana Cay, Abaco (WB). On a crossing from Crooked Island to Long Cay, Bight of Addins, Bahamas, SL 8c ML counted as many as 100 Audubon Shearwaters off South Point, Long Island, Bahamas. Red-billed Tropicbirds were fairly evident around Anguilla’s Little Bay on 4 Feb, where nesting is likely at cliffs there (DJ). On a cruise from St. Martin to Anguilla, DJ noted a Masked Booby on 4 Feb. Masked Boobies were also noted near He Fourchue off St. Bath’s on 9 Feb (DJ). This species may be moving about in the n. Lesser Antilles. A medium-sized colony of 50 Brown Pelicans found at Fort Alexander, St. Martin had mostly fledged young, but three nests still had eggs and chicks on 11 Feb (DJ). A Great Cormorant first noted on 19 Dec at Mangrove Bay, Be. was present through most of the win- ter (AD). An American Bittern was seen at a small pond near the Grande Case airport, St. Martin 7 Feb (DJ) for one of the very few reports from the n. Lesser Antilles. A Least Bittern, rarely reported from the Lesser Antilles, was noted 17 Feb at Cabrits Swamp, Dominica (EM), where it may be breeding. Single Gray Herons were found at Golden Grove, St Philip, and Graeme Hall 1 Jan during the Barbados C.B.C. (EM ME). Remarkably, 22 Little Egrets were count- ed at Barbados that day as well. This is proba- bly the highest single-day count in the the New World. At least 4 imm. Black-crowned Night- Herons were present through the period at Stokes Point Reserve, Be. (PW). A White Ibis on 14 Dec at Buccaneer golf club was a good find at Grand Bahama (BH et al.). Crouse counted 300-400 Greater Flamingo at Trou Caiman, Haiti on 9 Dec. Approximately 200 Greater Flamingos were counted on 26 Feb at the Addins (JK). We invite the readers to Kurt and Cindy Radamaker’s website (at wrvw.javaswift.com/ floridabirds/Bahama%204.html), which has a narrative about their rescue of a family of West Indian Whistling-Ducks at Crossing Rock, Abaco. The continued loss of habitat and tak- ing of birds threaten the long-term survival of this species throughout the Bahamas and else- where in the West Indies. Six West Indian Whistling-Ducks were noted 20 Jan at Tarpon Ponds, Androstown, Andros (SM), and a Fulvous Whistling- Duck was found on the 236 North American Birds Grand Bahama C.B.C. on 15 Dec (TW). At Bahama Reef golf course, Lucaya, Grand Bahama, SM found 4 imm. Snow Geese 28 Jan. A single juv. hrota Brant, a hold-over from the fall period, remained at East End Dairy, Be. through Feb (LG, DBW, PW, AD, m.ob.). Three drake Wood Duck were noted on Jubilee Road, Be. 7 Jan. A pair of American Wigeon was noted at Tarpon Ponds, Androstown, Andros 20-24 Jan (SM). An imm. drake and 2 female American Wigeon were Gachet, Port-Louis, Guadeloupe (AL). A female Garganey in fresh plumage, a second Barbados record, was found at East Point, St. Philip 17 Dec (EM) and again 21 Jan (MF, EM). A drake Northern Pintail, initially found 27 Dec, shuttled between Seymour’s Pond and Spittal Pond, Be. over the period. A pair of Northern Pintail was at Androstown, Andros 21 Jan (SM). A Bufflehead remained at Seymour’s Pond, Be. through 7 Jan. As many as 8 Ring-necked Duck at Barbados 4 Dec into Feb was the largest win- ter count EM and MF have observed to date. A female Hooded Merganser was noted at Treasure Cay Golf Club on 3 Dec and remained through Jan. On 31 Jan, a Red- breasted Merganser was seen at Green Turtle Cay, Abaco (WB). A Masked Duck was located at Gachet, Port-Louis, Guadeloupe (AL). A Bald Eagle was reported many times at Abaco, Bahamas from 30 Dec to at least 20 Feb (RP. CJP, BB, YL, BN, fide WB), but it eluded being photographed. This species is extremely rare anywhere in the West Indies or on Bermuda. Common Black-Hawk was evident at V. F.R., St. Vincent, with a maximum of 8 on 8 Dec (DC). During the week 6-12 Feb, SN et al. recorded an impressive 35+ Crested Caracaras on the Isle of Youth, Cuba. A Peregrine was noted at Riviere Salee, Guadeloupe (AL) on 3 Jan. Also at the Gachet reservoir, Guadeloupe 26 Feb was a pair of American Coots with 2 chicks, providing the first breeding for that island (AL fitde FH). Purple Gallinules were seen regularly in winter this year at Pembroke (EA) and Devonshire Marshes (JM) and Jubilee Rd. (BL), Be., a tes- tament to their wandering ability. Two Piping Plovers were at Lucaya, Grand Bahama 29-30 Jan, and 4 were noted at High Rock, Grand Bahama 31 Jan (SM). The high count of 18 Piping came from Green Turtle Cay, Abaco 1 1 Feb (WB, BH). Unseasonable were 7 Least Sandpipers at Westover Farm, Be. 27 Dec (DBW). A Reeve 5-9 Dec and a Ruff 19 Dec and 19 Jan (EM, MF) were found at Barbados; they have become almost routine visitors in recent years. On 18 Feb, 6 Pomarine Jaegers and a Parasitic Jaeger were noted by Sperm Whale watchers off the w. coast of Dominica (MF, EM). Four Ring-billed Gulls were seen at Riviere Salee, Guadeloupe (AL) 22 Dec-3 Jan. A second-year Herring Gull at Canefield, Dominica 13 Dec may be the first reported from that island (DC). The gull of the season was an adult Kelp GiiM at North Point, St. Lucy, Barbados (MF, EM), the first record from the West Indies. More details are expected to be published elsewhere. Lesser Black-backed Gulls made an impressive move to the Bahamas. Forty Lesser Black-backeds were counted 13 Dec (WB, BH) at the Freeport dump site. Another Lesser Black-backed Gull, the 3rd record for Barbados, was found at Six Mens, St. Peter 7-22 Jan (EM, MF). On 26 Jan, SM found 14 at the Freeport dump. A Great Black-backed Gull was seen by SM at West End, Grand Bahama 2-3 Feb. A Common Tern was seen on 4 Feb at Treasure Cay, Abaco (WB). Two Forster’s Terns were at West End Harbour, Grand Bahama 14 Dec (BH), and another pair was noted at the Dockyard, Be. 19 Dec+. Two Black Skimmers were at Sandy Point, Abaco 2 Jan (WB) for one of the few reports from the Bahamas. Do¥es Throygh Orioles Three Plain Pigeons were noted near Gonaives, Haiti 23 Jan (JRC), one of the few reports of this threatened species in Haiti. The numbers of Eurasian Collared-Dove in the n. Bahamas is alarming. On the Grand Bahama C.B.C., 1163 were counted 15 Dec (TW), and 391 were counted on the New Providence C.B.C. on 17 Dec (TW). The expansion has reached as far s. as Dominica, where 10 were seen near Canefield airport on 13 Dec (JC), but it has yet to be recorded from Jamaica or Hispaniola. This large, somewhat aggressive dove could impact indigenous populations of columbi- forms. A White-winged Dove came to CW’s feeder at New Providence 19 Dec, and another at Orient Beach, St. Martin on i 1 Feb was a good find (DJ) this far e. of the Greater Antilles. The Barbados C.B.C. (EM, MF) reported 15 Eared Dove. Bond (1988) reported only two records from Barbados last cen- tury. Cuban Parrots (30) were noted at the Isle of Youth 6-12 Feb (SN). Eight Cuban Parrots of the Bahamian form were found 5 Feb at Abaco (WB). On the Coopers’ Lesser Antillean excursion, they managed to find four of the endemic parrot species: 30 Red-necked Parrots 11 Dec. at SPL, Dominica; 10 St. Lucia Parrots at E.F.R. 7 Dec; 20 St. Vincent Parrots at V.F.R. 9 Dec; 3 Imperial Parrots at S.P.L., Dominica 12 Dec (JC) & 15 Feb (EM, MF). A Cuban Screech-Owl was noted during 2nd week of Feb at the Isle of Youth (SN). A pair of Ringed Kingfishers was found regularly between Woodford Hill beach and Woodford Hill River, Dominica 4-18 Feb (EM, MF). Five Cuban Green Woodpeckers were seen at Isle of Youth (SN) during the 2nd week of Feb. Eastern Phoebes were good finds at Devonshire 30 Nov (DBW, ESB) and at Mid- Ocean Golf Course, Be. 22 Feb (IF, PW), but they were outdone by the continued presence of an Ash-throated Flycatcher at Southside, Be through Feb (MW, DBW, m.ob.). A Western Kingbird was noted at San Andros airport, Bahamas 23 Jan (SM). Five Western Kingbirds and 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were at New Providence 17 Dec (AB, TG, LH, BH), a nice late-afternoon addition to the C.B.C. there. A single Loggerhead Kingbird was seen at San Andros airport 23 Jan. Cave Swallows (12) were seen near St. Marc, near Port-au-Prince, Haiti (JRC) on 24 Feb, but it is not clear whether they were resident or migrant birds. A Northern Shrike was found at the Bermuda airport 27 Dec and remained through Feb (SD). A Blue-headed Vireo v/as seen at Taino Beach, Grand Bahama 3 1 Jan, and another was seen at West End on 2-3 Feb (SM). A Yellow- throated Vireo near Stokes Point Nature Reserve, Be. was a good record 1 Dec (B&MS). The St. Lucia form of the House Wren was seen on 6 Dec (DC) near Chaubourg Forest Reserve. This pale-colored form has become very scarce and is considered threatened. Golden-crowned Kinglets were noted at Port Royal golf course on 14 Jan (AD, BM) and apparently also overwintered at Spittal Pond, Be., where first found 30 Nov (ESB, DBW). This aduit Lesser Black-backed Gull was noted among others at Nassau, Bahamas, 18 December 2000. Photograph by Bruce Hallett. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 237 West Indies-Central America Rarely seen or reported, 3 Forest Thrushes were found at the Emerald Pool, Dominica 12- 13 Dec {fide FH). A White-breasted Thrasher was noted in dry forest along the Fox Grove Inn trail, St Fucia 6 Dec (JC). Three American Pipits were at Big Bird Poultry Farm, Treasure Cay, Abaco (WB). As AD points out, the neotropical migrant warblers that could not normally survive win- ters on the mainland at Bermuda’s latitude do so on Bermuda as a result of the milder climate afforded by the Gulf Stream. Therefore, Prothonotary (AD,BM), Orange-crowned (AD,BM), and Kentucky Warblers (JM) were among the 24 species of warblers recorded this winter. As many as 8 Cape May Warblers were noted at Guadeloupe 31 Dec-3 Jan (AL). Mlodinow recorded 14 species of migrant war- blers in the Bahamas during his visit to Andros and Grand Bahama 21 Jan-3 Feb, including Blue-winged, Orange-crowned, and Nashville (2), and a Swainson’s on North Andros. As many as 7 Wilson’s Warblers were studied at several locations on Grand Bahama, and 4 at New Providence were unprecedented (CG et al.). A Louisiana Waterthrush was noted at Fermanthe, Haiti, at 4500-ft elevation 16 Dec (JRC). On St. Vincent, the Coopers found 6 Whistling Warblers on the V.F.R. trail 9 Dec. A single bird of the Cuban endemic Yellow-head- ed Warbler was noted during the 2nd week of Feb on the Isle ofYouth (SN). Female and male American Redstarts were noted at Cabrits swamp, Dominica 17 (EM) 8c 19 (MF) Feb, respectively. A Yellow-breasted Chat was at Nicholls Town, Andros 24 Jan (SM). Summer Tanagers were seen at New Providence 17 Dec (BH et al.). Garden of Groves, Grand Bahama 26 Jan, and 2 at Taino Beach, and West End, Grand Bahama 3 Feb (TW). On the V.F.R. trail, St. Vincent, FH counted 3 Lesser Antillean Tanagers 9 Dec. Among the highlights of the Dominica visit was a single Antillean Euphonia seen feeding in mistletoe at Syndicate Estate 11 Dec (JFC). The “Patagonia Picnic Table Effect” was in force 3 Dec at Bermuda’s airport, where birders gathered to admire the Ash-throated flycatcher found one Vesper and one Grasshopper Sparrow (both rare on the island) among small numbers of Savannah Sparrows — as well as a nearby flock of 1 7 Snow Buntings (AD, DBW, FSB, MW, Field Guides, Inc. tour et al.)! Three other remarkable sparrow records at Be. were single Swamp Sparrows at the Biological Station 2 Dec (FSB et al.) and at Bartram’s Pond 1 Jan (AD), a Lincoln’s Sparrow at Warwick Pond 4 Jan (AD), and a Fox Sparrow (AD, BM) at Port Royal Golf Course 14 Feb. A Clay-colored Sparrow was seen near Owens Town, Andros (SM) as was as a Grasshopper Sparrow. A Lincoln’s Sparrow was noted at Fresh Creek Township dump, Andros, 21 Jan, with 2 at the dairy near Dover Sound Park, Grand Bahama 1 Feb (SM). Ten Cuban Eastern Meadowlarks were noted during the week at the Isle ofYouth 6-12 Feb (SN). To round out a remarkable two weeks in the Bahamas, SM found and described in fine detail a female Bullock’s Oriole at West End, Grand Bahama 2 Feb. This would represent the first report from the Bahamas and a new West Indian record. Addenda The Cuban Solitaires reported from Pinares de Mayari on 10 Apr should read Playa Pesquero 9 Apr {NAB 54: 332). Corrigenda A report of Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel {NAB 54: 329) should read “a possible Swinhoe’s Storm- Petrel.” Double-crested Cormorant and Red- billed Tropicbird reported in NAB 54: 223-224 on 24 Dec were actually noted 24 Feb 2000. SC H. Lee Jones P.O. Box 158 Punta Gorda, Belize U. S. address: 61 08 Wildwood Road Lake Isabella, California 93240 (buteo@attglobal.net) observed Little Egret at Puerto Rico, not Western Reef- Heron, as reported in NAB 54: 1 10. Contributors (sub-regional editors in bold- face): Eric Amos, Ailene Bainton, Betsy and Woody Bracey, Edward S. Brinkley, Sergio Colon, J. F. and Doreen Cooper, J. R. Crouse, Steven DeSilva, Andrew Dobson, Ian Fisher, Wendy Firth, Martin Frost, Judy and Tom Gire, Chris Goodwin, Lisa Greene, John Haas, Bruce Hallet, Floyd Hayes, Linda Huber, David Johnston, John Kraft, Sara Lewis, Monty Lewis, Anthony Levesque, Bruce Lohran, Ylva Lundquist, Bob Machover, Jeremy Madeiros, Eddie Massiah, Steve Mlodinow, Steve Nesbitt, Bill Nielsen, Mark Oberle, Kathy Oliver, Isaac Pady, Ron Pagliano, George Peterich, Carol Jean Pinder, Cindy 8c Kurt Radamaker, Bob 8c Martha Sargeant, David Wallace, Carolyn Wardle, Paul Watson, Martin Wernaart, David B.Wingate, Anthony (Tony) White. The winter season produced perhaps as many as five first, two second, and three third country records, yet one cannot help but won- der if 20 years from now someone will read this column and pronounce the 2000-2001 winter season rather uneventful. If Central America had the birding coverage of New York or California, for instance, many of these records Central America 238 North American Birds would no longer even qualify for review by a Bird Records Committee. But, for now, Central America is a new frontier with every bit the sense of discovery and excitement as New York in Ludlow Griscom’s day or California in the 1960s. We have come a long way since the days of Wetmore (Panama), Skutch (Costa Rica), Land (Guatemala), and Russell (Belize), but there is still an encyclopedia of knowledge on avian distribution and seasonality in Central America awaiting those who seek to write it. The 2000-2001 winter season produced no clear pattern of records, but perhaps that is because we do not yet know enough to recog- nize them. This may have been a better than average winter for gulls, terns, and waterfowl wandering south of their normal winter ranges. Or is the increase in numbers an artifact of more observers paying more attention to North American migrants? Time should tell. Abbreviations^ Aguacaliente (Aguacaliente LuHa National Park, Belize); Finca C.A.ER.O.S.A (in the Zona Protectora Las Tablas, Costa Rica); N.S.F. (Nova Shrimp Farm, Belize); O.T.S. (Organization for Tropical Studies, La Selva, Costa Rica); P.E.N.J. (Parque Ecologico Nuevo Juventud, Peten District, Guatemala); Peten (Peten District, Guatemala); Tikal (Tikal National Park, Peten District, Guatemala). Grebes Through Storks A Pied-billed Grebe with 3 recent hatchlings at Aguacaliente 14 Dec (LJ) established not only the first breeding record for southern Belize but perhaps one of the earliest for the species in N.A. and C.A. RB was quite surprised to see an ad. Masked Booby, only the 4th ever recorded in Belize, as it passed by his boat 6 km w. of Glovers Reef 19 Dec. The four records have aU been of adults, suggesting that more- likely-to-occur but more-difficult-to-identify immatures are being overlooked in Belizean waters. Reflecting the dramatic increase in numbers of American ¥/hite Pelicans in Belize in the past 20 years, 86 recorded at N.S.F. on the 17 Dec Belize City C.B.C. (LJ et al.) was 70 more than the previous high count obtained last year. The one to 2 Brown Pelicans at Lago Peten Itza in Feb ( JT, RAH) was apparently typ- ical for this coastal species at that inland locali- ty. An American Bittern at Aguacaliente 14 Dec (LJ) was unexpected, as this species is rarely seen in Belize. Likewise, a Least Bittern heard in the marshes at Lago Peten Itza near Santa Elena was also unexpected. Its seasonal status in the Peten and adjacent Belize is still unclear; it may breed locally, but this has yet to be confirmed. The Rufescent Tiger-Heron has always been considered a resident in Costa Rica, but proof did not come until 1 Dec, when BF found a nest with 2 young at Cano Palma. The Fasciated Tiger-Heron in Costa Rica is a resi- dent of the Caribbean slope, but an ad. at Finca C.A.F.R.O.S.A. 6 Jan (JRZ) and a juv. at Rio Jaba near San Vito 28 Feb (JRZ, GL) were on the Pacific slope where there are very few records, aU recent. On 3 Feb, JRZ counted 33 Jabiru, an exceptionally high number, feeding with about 2000 V/ood Storks on the drying Laguna Varillal in Palo Verde N.R, Costa Rica. One on Ambergris Caye 5 and 6 Dec (AJ) was at a Belizean locaMty v/here it had not been previ- ously reported. Vultures Through Waterfowl A flock of 60 Turkey Vultures moving south near Panama City on 7 Dec (DE) were consid- ered to be late migrants. In the tropics most people don’t think of the Turkey Vulture as migratory; however, large numbers move south through C.A. every fall. It is only in areas where the numbers of migrating birds are large enough to overwhelm the local resident popula- tions that this becomes evident. DE, LE, and K&RK had an impressive array of waterfowl at Las Macanas Marsh, Herrera Prov., Panama, on 19 Dec. While 5-1- Fulvous Whistling-Ducks were probably the same ones that have been there since July 2000, a female Green-winged Teal, only the second ever recorded in Panama, and a female-plumaged Ring-necked Duck were certainly not expected; nor were the 250- 300 Lesser Scaup — an impressive number this far south. A juv. male Ring-necked Duck on the San Pedro sewage ponds, Ambergris Caye 4 Dec (AJ) was at a locality in Belize where it had not been reported before. Totally unexpected were Belize’s first 3 Eed-breasted Mergansers. First was a female-plumaged bird seen in flight about 3 km n. of Belize City on 1 Dec (fTD). Unaware of the first record, LJ (f) found 2 female- plumaged birds at N.S.F. 17 Dec and was able to re-find one of them for a group of about ten birders who showed up later in the day. Raptors Spring migration begins early in C.A. for some species, so 2 Swallow-tailed Kites at Fila Las Cruces, Costa Rica 15 Dec (JRZ) were more likely exceptionally early “spring” arrivals than overwintering birds. Single Pearl Kites were reported on four occasions between 5 Dec and 17 Feb n. and ne. of San Vito (JRZ, DR, PK). The Pearl Kite has only recently colonized Costa Rica from Panama, and this area is probably the corridor of the original invasion, at least for those birds that wound up in the General Valley. A Long-winged Harrier {Circus buffoni), well seen at the El Real airstrip, Darien Prov., 1 Jan (fACh, NC) was only the 2nd for Panama and N.A. While not as rare, an ad. Cooper’s Hawk near Pijije, 15 km se. of Liberia, Guanacaste Prov. 8 Feb (JRZ) was noteworthy but not entirely unexpected, as most of the lowland records of this species in Costa Rica have come from this area. In with the migrating Turkey Vultures near Panama City 7 Dec was a Swainson’s Hawk (DE), most likely a late fall migrant and not an overwintering bird. Although the Crested Caracara has been reported in Belize on several occasions in the past, it was not adequately documented until 17 Dec (tJ&AC), when one was well studied while feeding with Black Vultures in a field between San Felipe and Blue Creek, Orange Walk District. Shorebirds Through Hummingbirds The American Avocet is a rare winter visitor in Belize, so 2 at N.S.F. on the 17 Dec Belize City C.B.C. (LJ et al.) were noteworthy. Similarly noteworthy was a Long-billed Curlew near Panama City 7 Dec (DE), as there are fewer than 10 records of this species from Panama. Even more unexpected was a Dunlin at N.S.F. 17 Dec (LJ) — only the 3rd ever recorded in Belize. Suggestive of a “mini-invasion” of Larids, both Ring-billed and Herring Gulls were reported with greater-than-normal frequency this winter in Belize, but the real surprise was a Bonaparte’s Gull that wintered in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye (MM). It was first seen 26 Feb and was still present 23 Mar. Lago Peten Itza had more than its usual share of terns this winter, with as many as 5 Royal, a Sandwich, and a Forster’s. The Sandwich Tern, seen 29 Dec (JE) and 26 Jan (RAH), was apparently only the 2nd for the Peten, whereas the Forster’s Tem, also seen 29 Dec (JE), was a first for the Peten. A Forster’s Tern at N.S.F. 17 Dec (LJ) was also noteworthy, but one in Punta Gorda 31 Dec (LJ) was the southernmost ever recorded in Belize. Also an apparent first for the Peten was a Mangrove Cuckoo at Ixcalab 18 Feb (JT). A male Black-crested Coquette on the Rio Grande near P.G. 14 Dec (MMu) was near the northern end of its range in southern Belize where it is seldom seen. Two male White-crested Coquettes observed together 22 Dec and 6 Jan at 1250 m in Las Alturas de Coton were at the highest part of their elevational range. The sea- sonal movements of this near Costa Rican endemic are still poorly known. Also at Las Alturas de Coton, which is near the Panama border, was a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird on 22 Dec (JRZ), a species that rarely reaches as far south as Panama. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 239 Central America Antbirds Through Becards A Western Slaty-Antshrike in a patch of ever- green forest along the entrance road to Santa Rosa N.R 13 Feb (IRZ) was far from the Caribbean lowlands where it is normally found, but this bird has been present at this Pacific coast locality for some time and seems to have found a home. The Bare-crowned Antbird is among the rarest of Belize’s resident birds, so one near Santa Anna, Toledo District 1 1 and 14 Dec (LJ, WRM) was a welcome find. A Mouse- colored Tyrannulet observed along the Rio Salto near Agua Buena 22 Feb ( JRZ) and 2 Mar (DR) was the first one recorded in Costa Rica outside a mist net. This species, a recent colonist from Panama, was first recorded in Costa Rica in Nov 1995 (JRZ). The Greenish Elaenia is a common resident on the mainland in Belize, but one on Ambergris Caye 6 Dec (AJ) was only the 2nd record for that virtual island location (Ambergris is actually a long, narrow peninsu- la). An Olive-sided Flycatcher 15 km e. of San Vito 23 Dec ( JRZ) was a rare winter visitor, but an Eastern Wood-Pewee carefully identified by call and plumage in Punta Gorda 14 Dec (PB) was a fall migrant. There are no Belize records in Jan or Feb for this abundant migrant. On the other hand, a Piratic Flycatcher heard at Playa Guapil, 5 km n. of Dominical, Costa Rica, 19 Jan (JRZ) was an early spring arrival. A Fork- tailed Flycatcher at Tortuguero 1 Dec (BF) was one of the few records from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and may have been an austral migrant rather than a stray from the resident population on the Pacific slope. A male Gray- collared Becard at El Remate, Peten 10-11 Feb (JT) was an unexpected treat, as this species is seldom encountered in this part of its range. Vireos Through Warblers Belize’s first confirmed Blue-headed Vireo was found in Belmopan 25 Dec (fLJ, PB, MC) and was seen again on the C.B.C. the following day. Now that the A.O.U. has recognized this and the resident Plumbeous Vireo as separate species, we can anticipate additional reports of this “expected” vagrant as more people become aware of the distinctive differences in these two taxa. On a par with Belize’s first Blue-headed Vireo was the Peten’s first Warbling Vireo, which was found in San Andres 17 Jan (RAH). Like Blue-headed, this species is rarely seen in the Caribbean lowlands of C.A. Five Black-chested Jays at Finca Loma Linda near Canas Gordas were the first ever recorded on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica and may be moving in from Panama following the ever- expanding tracts of second-growth forest in the Region. The Tree Swallow is a rare and irregular winter visitor in Costa Rica, so 2 at the Rio Tarcoles bridge in Carara 4 Feb (DR, PK) were noteworthy. Swainson’s Thrushes at Punta Gorda 24 Dec (LJ) and El Remate, Guatemala 11 Feb (JT) were at the northern limit of their winter range. In the other direction, 3 Gedar Waxwings at O.T.S., La Selva, Costa Rica 18 Jan (AD, EC), the first seen in a couple of years, were at the southern end of their normal winter range. A Cape May Warbler at Finca C.A.F.R.O.S.A. 11 Feb (DR, PK) and in Belmopan all winter (PB et al.) were outside their normal Caribbean winter range, as were Black-throated Blue Warblers in Guatemala at Baja Verapaz, El Ranchito del Quetzal, 3-4 Eeb (JT), and near San Andres 1 Eeb (RAH). The latter was only the 2nd record for the Peten. A male Hermit Warbler at Hidden Valley Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge 20 Feb (GC) was in the same locality as one seen last winter and probably the same individual. Prior to last year, this species had been reported only once in Belize. A Yellow-throated Warbler at Flor del Roble, 15 km ne. of San Vito, 10 Dec (JRZ) was at the southern terminus of its winter range. Likewise, a Prairie Warbler at Hacienda Los Reyes, Guacimo de Alajuela, Costa Rica 23 Jan (WO) was outside its typical Caribbean winter range. A bird thought to be a YeUow Palm Warbler was on Ambergris Caye 8 Dec (ph. AJ). This subspecies has been reported in Belize before but never adequately document- ed. Rarely seen in Panama was a Blackpoll Warbler in Soberania N.R 25 Dec (ACh). Swainson’s Warblers were recorded in two localities in the Peten where the species is rarely seen: one 18 Jan at P.E.N.J. (RAH) and one 26 Feb at Tikal (JT). Tanagers Through Mannikins Four Ashy-throated Bush-Tanagers 2 Feb at Bocas del Toro, Rancho Ecologico (WA) was the 7th report from Panama, all in this area. A male Rosy Thnisb-Tanager at Valle Azul near Canas Gordas from 21 Feb-9 Mar was the first report- ed in Costa Rica in many years (JRZ, DR). A female Blue Seedeater at Baja Verapaz, Biotopo del Quetzal 3 Feb (JT) may be the first con- firmed record for Guatemala, and a Lark Sparrow in s. Guanacaste Prov. 6 Nov (RH et al.) was only the 3rd record for Costa Rica. Puzzling was a Northern Cardinal on Caye Caulker, Belize 4 Jan (J8cDB). Several principal- ly resident species on Ambergris Caye, 10 km to the north, occasionally to regularly turn up on Caye Caulker, but the cardinal is not found on Ambergris Caye, suggesting that this individual was more likely an escaped cage bird. A female Giant Cowbird at Gutierrez-Braun 2 and 20 Dec was in an area of Costa Rica where this species is rare, but it may be moving in fol- lowing the recent colonization of Crested Oropendola. Less than one year after Costa Rica’s first record, JRZ found Crested Qropendolas nesting in four places in late Feb, all in the general vicinity of San Vito where it was originally found: one nest and up to 5 birds in Copal; 5 birds and 6 nests (2 still under con- struction) at San Bosco site A; 2 birds and 2 nests at San Bosco site B, ca. 600 m from site A; and 8 birds and 7 nests at Las Brisas. A small population of Chestnut Mannikins has recently become established in La Guinea along the Rio Tempisque 10 km e. of Filadelfia in Guanacaste Prov. The population has expanded from 3 adults in May 1999 to a maxi- mum of 1 2 adults and one juv. in Qct 2000. Qnly 4 adults and one juv. were recorded 10 Feb 2001 (JRZ), but exceptionally strong winds prevented a more accurate count. This is an area of high intensity agriculture, especially sugar cane fields (the spot they favor is about 200 m from a big cane processing plant). Qf concern, however, is a large rice producing area nearby. This species is reported to be a serious rice pest in its native s. Asia. For this reason, there has been some dis- cussion of collecting the entire population while it is still small, before it gets out of hand. Undocumented Rarities Quite unexpected, but unfortunately not inde- pendently confirmed, was a report of a male Black-headed Grosbeak along the road to Never Delay ne. of Belmopan on the 26 Dec C.B.C. (TR). The bird was described as similar to a male Qrchard Qriole but Rose-breasted Grosbeak size and shape with a thick-set bill, black and white body, and rusty orange under- parts. Cited observers (country coordinators in boldface): William Adsett, George Angehr (Panama), Philip Balderamos, Jim & Dorothy Beveridge, Rudi Burgos, Eric Castro, John 8c Agnes Caulfield, Allen Chartier (ACh), Nancy Chartier, Mick Craig, Glenn Crawford, Thomas Donegan, Adolfo Dovms, Josh Engel, Dodge Engleman, Lorna Engleman, Bob Frey, Robb A. I HamOton, Rich Hoyer, Alvaro Jaramillo, Lee Jones (BeUze), Peter Kaestner, Karl 8c Rosabel Kaufinann, Gary Luck, Martin Meadows, Mario Muschamp (MMu), Winefred Qrcutt, Wilfred Requena-Mutrie, Toni Rodriguez, Dennis Rogers, Jim Tietz, James R. Zook (Costa Rica). 240 North American Birds History of the Sage Grouse in Kansas Roger D. Applegate Research and Survey Office Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks P.0. 80x1525 Emporia, Kansas 66801 (rogera@wp.state.ks.us) A number of authors publishing on the range of the Greater Sage- Grouse {Centrocercus urophasianus) and Gunnison Sage-Grouse (G minimus; Young et al. 2000) have included southwestern Kansas in the known historical range for the genus (Cable et al. 1996, Braun 1998, Schroeder et al. 1999). The only known extant citations for the occur- rences of any sage-grouse in Kansas are those of Goss (1883, 1886) and Cable et al. (1996). Goss’s (1883, 1886) record for sage-grouse came from “the authority of Mr. Will. T. Cavanaugh, Assistant Secretary of State,” who reported observing and shooting sage-grouse near the southwestern part of Kansas during the 1870s. The southwestern part of Kansas is within 240 krn of the historic range of sage-grouse in Colorado (Young et al. 2000). Cable et al. (1996) cited observations of sage-grouse harvested in Morton County, Kansas, in the early 1930s. Anecdotal historical records such as those used by Goss pose prob- lems for understanding the past distribution of sage-grouse populations. Did Cavanaugh actually know where he was? This question is not as absurd as it may appear: southwestern Kansas was largely unsettled by European-Americans in the 1870s. There were no roads here, only the Santa Fe Trail and some military trails used by the U.S. Army. Most peo- ple knew their location only by geographic features and by the amount of time it took to travel between known points (and this, in turn, pre- sumed that both points were at known locations in respective states!). Of the three tall species of sagebrush closely associated with sage- grouse habitat, Big Sagebrush {Artemesia tridentata). Three-tip Sagebrush (A. tripartita), and Silver Sagebrush (A. cana), none are known to have occurred in Kansas (Stephens 1973). The dominant — and only — shrubby sage found in Kansas is the Sand or Sandhill Sage (A. ftl- ifoUa). This species is characteristic of the Astemesia filifolia Shrubland Alliance found in southwestern and south-central Kansas (Lauver et al. 1999). Vagaries in nomenclature also present problems in evaluating the his- torical literature. Captain Albert Barnitz, Seventh U.S. Cavalry, noted in an 1868 letter to his wife that he shot two “sage hens” while camped on Cavalry Creek in present-day Comanche County. Barnitz thought these birds to be “much like prairie chickens” (Utley 1977). It is quite likely that Barnitz’s two sage hens were Lesser Prairie-Chickens ( Tympanuchus pal- lidicinctus). Many rural Kansans still refer to this species as “sage hen” because of its affinity for Sandhill Sage. Isolated records of birds harvested, while always of general interest, do not necessarOy represent viable or wild populations. Biases of memo- ry and lack of skill in identification can also pose difficulties, and the inference of the presence of established populations from these old records may be untoward. Goss (1891) dropped the Sage Grouse from his later compendium on the history of Kansas birds. Thompson and Ely (1989) regard the genus as being of hypothetical occurrence in Kansas. Based on such sketchy his- torical evidence that populations of sage-grouse even occurred in the Sandhill Sage areas of southwestern and south-central Kansas, the genus should be considered hypothetical. Compilations of avian distribution (e. g. Schroeder et al. 1999) should not include Kansas as part of the his- torical range of sage-grouse unless better evidence is uncovered. Acknowledgments This work was supported by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ Small Game Management and Research Project. B. E. Flock gave useful suggestions on the manuscript. Literature Cited - Braun, C. E. 1998. Sage grouse declines in western North America: what are the problems? Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 78: 139-156. Cable, T. T. 1996. Birds of Cimarron National Grassland. U. S. D. A. Forest Service General Technical Report RM-GTR-281. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO. Goss, N. S. 1883. A catalogue of the birds of Kansas. Kansas Publication House. Topeka. . 1886. A revised catalogue of the birds of Kansas. Kansas Publication House. Topeka. . 1891. History of the birds of Kansas. George W. Crane and Co., Topeka. Lauver, C. L., K. Kindscher, D. Faber- Lagendoen, and R. Schneider. 1999. A classification of the natural vegetation of Kansas. Southwestern Naturalist 44: 421-443. Schroeder, M. A., J. R. Young, and C. E. Braun. 1999. Sage Grouse {Centrocercus urophasianus). In A. Poole and F. Gill, eds. The Birds of North America 425. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Stephens, H. A. 1973. Woody plants of the North Central Plains. University of Kansas Press. Lawrence, KS. Thompson, M. C., and C. Ely. 1989. Birds in Kansas. Vol. 1. Public Education Series 11, University of Kansas Museum of Natural History. Lawrence, KS. Utley, R. M. 1977. Life in Custer’s cavalry: diaries and letters of Albert and Jennie Barnitz, 1867-1868. Yale University Press. New Haven, CT. Young, J. R., C. E. Braun, S. J. Oyler-McCance, J. W. Hupp, and T. W. Quinn. 2000. A new species of sage-grouse (Phasianidae: Centrocercus) from southwestern Colorado. Wilson Bulletin 112: 445-453. — Received 9 March 2001; accepted 1 May 2001. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 241 Nominate Rock Sandpiper at Ocean Shores, Washington Tom Averse 305 m 75th St. Seattle, WA. 98117 {tom.aversa@zoo.org) Figure 1 . Nominate Rock Sandpiper (C. p. ptilocnemis), foreground, with an individual of Washington’s presumed wintering race (C. p. tschuktschomm]. Note the difference in bulk and color. Ocean Shores, WA. 1 8 November 2000. Photograph by Ryan Shaw. Abstraet This paper documents the first record of a nominate Rock Sandpiper {Calidris ptilocnemis ptilocnemis, the “PribOof” Rock Sandpiper) south of Alaska, a single bird at Ocean Shores, Washington, in November 2000 through February 2001. Results of a search of museums for similar southerly records, and a syn- opsis of recent discoveries regarding the typical wintering range of this form, are presented herein as well. Desoriptioti The early morning of 15 November 2000 was sunny but brisk when I arrived at the Point Brown jetty at Ocean Shores, Washington. Northeasterly winds made it feel colder than the thermometer’s 35° F, but the clear skies more than compensated for the cold. I noticed a good congregation of shorebirds near the base of the jetty’s north side. There were 150 birds present, and with these numbers, I was hopeful that I might locate a few Rock Sandpipers {Calidris ptilocnemis). There were at least 10 among the flock, which consisted primarily of Surfbirds {Aphriza virgata), with some Black Turnstones {Arenaria melanocephala) also present. The record high count for Rock Sandpiper in Washington is only 50, found at the same location on 26 March 1977 (Paulson 1993), but numbers of these birds have been much lower in recent years. One of the birds was much paler than its surrounding conspecifics, and its distinctly different appearance caused me to study it closely. Figure 2. Nominate Rock Sandpiper (C. p. ptilocnemi^. Note bronzy tones in scapulars. Ocean Shores, WA. 1 8 November 2000. Photograph by Ryan Shaw. 242 North American Birds Rock Sandpiper in Washington Figure 3. Nominate Rock Sandpiper (C. p. ptilocnemis) witli Surlbird {Aphriza Mirgata) in foreground. Ocean Shores, WA. 18 November 2000. Photograph by Ryan Shaw. Figure 4. Nominate Rock Sandpiper (C. p. ptilocnemi^ diplaying ertremely paie gray tones, particularly on the upper mantle. Breast streaks Vicould appear much darker on C. p. tschuktschorum. Pale edging on median coverts is indica- tive of a first-year bird. Ocean Shores, WA. 18 November 2000. Photograph by Ryan Shaw. Nominate birds are recognizable in winter plumage from the other three races of Rock Sandpiper by their larger size and paler gray plumage (Conover 1944, Paulson 1993). The Ocean Shores bird was clearly larger than the surrounding Rock Sandpipers, which were presumably of Washington’s usual wintering race, C p. tschuk- tschorum. The size difference was readily apparent when the birds were compared directly. The “Pribilof” bird was slightly greater in body length, but most obviously it was more bulky in appear- ance. It also had a slightly longer bill than the sur- rounding Rock Sandpipers, but this may have been due to individual variation. The bird’s paleness was striking. The light pearly gray head and upper man- tle (extending down to the area between the wings) stood out starkly in the field, and the rest of the upperparts were also pale. In his description of win- ter plumage for this race, Ridgway (1919) calls the color of the upper parts light gray, between “pale quaker drab” and “cinereous.” The Ocean Shores bird also showed a pro- nounced pale gray to whitish supercilium, which was slightly broken near the eye and extended to the forehead. Breast streaking was very sparse, only present on the upper breast and flanks and light gray, in sharp contrast to the heavy, dark streaking on the surrounding birds. The entirety of the underparts looked light relative to the other Rock Sandpipers. Characters such as supercOium defini- tion and breast streaking are variable on nominate basic-plumaged birds according to Bob Gill (pers. comm.). The scapulars and interscapulars were pale in comparison to the other Rock Sandpipers present, but upon closer inspection revealed a warm brown tinge, especially in their centers. Gabrielson and Lincoln (1959) and Ridgway (1919) describe these feathers as having a very faint purplish or bronzy wash in certain lights. The legs appeared the same pale yellowish-green color as the other birds, but the base of the bill had more yellow, with a complete yellow “saddle,” especiall.y when viewed from above. At no time did I confuse the pale bird with the others, as it was so obvious- ly different. The birds’ confiding nature made it easy to study the flock over a two-hour period from as close as 5 m. The bird remained in the area at least through February 2001. It was observed and photographed by Patrick Sullivan and Ryan Shaw (Fig. 1-4) on 18 November and seen by other birders after that. I returned and observed the bird on 6 December 2000 and 1 February 2001 and noted several addi- tional marks that separated it from the C. p. tschuk- tschorum, including the prominent white edging on its outer retrices, a wider white wingstripe, and mostly (if not entirely) white underwings. The lat- ter two marks are noted by Paulson (1993) and Hayman et al. (1986) as diagnostic characters for the nominate form. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 243 Discussion Shaw’s photographs on the Internet allowed Paulson (pers. comm.) to express the opinion that the bird was likely C. p. ptilocnemis, and further cor- respondence with Alaskans who viewed the photos confirmed the initial diagnosis. Bob Gill (pers. comm.) felt that it was a first-year bird due to faint buff edging on the median coverts. Although it is unfortunate that the bird could not be trapped and measured for verification, the plumage characters and visible size difference in direct comparison are believed to be sufficient to confirm the subspecific identification. This appears to be the first recorded occurrence of this subspecies anywhere south of Alaska. The nominate race breeds on the Bering Sea islands including the Pribilofs, St. Matthew, and Hall Islands (American Ornithologists’ Union 1957). Historically, however, the winter range was poorly known, and nominate Rock Sandpipers were thought to be largely sedentary, with a few wandering south to Juneau (A.O.U. 1957, Hayman et al. 1986). This view changed recently when Gill (1997) documented that close to 90 per cent of the nominate subspecies winters in Upper Cook Inlet, near the mouth of the Beluga River, where he counted 20,000 birds in late January 1997. More recently, records from south of Juneau by G. Van Vliet in December 1998 have been published in North American Birds (Tobish 1999). Michael Shepard, North American Birds Regional Editor for British Columbia, is not aware of records from the Pacific Northwest south of Alaska, and Paulson (pers. comm.) had checked several museums without locating any. A request posted to the AVECOL listserv for museum personnel failed to produce any valid nominate specimens that were collected south of Alaska (P. Sweet, pers. comm.). Acknowledgments Thanks to Dennis Paulson and Thede Tobish for confirming my initial identi- fication of the nominate Rock Sandpiper. Bob Gill was very helpful in provid- ing information on the subspecies, and Steve Mlodinow made many useful comments that improved an initial draft of this manuscript. Thanks also to Paul Sweet for posting my request to the AVECOL listserv, and to Paul, Nate Rice, and others for investigating specimens in their coEections. Thanks also Ryan Shaw and Ruth and Patrick Sullivan for photographing the bird and making their photos available to confirm the identification. Literature Cited American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU). 1957. Check-list of North American Birds. 5th ed. American Ornitholgists’ Union, Baltimore, MD. Conover, B. 1944. The north Pacific allies of the Purple Sandpiper. Zoological Series of Field Museum of Natural History 29( 11): 169-179. Gabrielson, I. N., and E C. Lincoln. 1959. Birds of Alaska. Stackpole. Harrisburg, PA. GEl, R. E. 1997. Contribution to Alaska Region: The winter season, ed. T. Tobish, Jr. National Audubon Society Field Notes 51: 786-787. Hayman, P., J. Marchant, and T. Prater. 1986. Shorebirds: An Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston, MA. Paulson, D. 1993. Shorebirds of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Seattle, WA. Ridgway, R. 1919. The Birds of North and Middle AmericaYol 8. Bulletin of the U.S. National Museum 50. Washington, D.C. Tobish, T. Jr. 1999. Alaska region: The winter season. North American Birds 53: 196-198. — Received 20 February 2001; Accepted 5 May 2001. The Clear Choke; Clearly Superior Optics. Guaranteed For Life. IVIore details. IWlore features. IWore ¥alue, tool Only the MINOX 10 x 52 BR offers birders aspheric lens technology for unparalleled contrast and sharpness. Sure, other brands may cost more, but it doesn't mean you'll get more. Trust your eyes look through a MINOX today and see for yourself. MINQil Armor-covered MINOX 10x52 BR. Bright. Sharp. Fog-proof & Waterproof. ^ 244 North American Birds Pictorial Highlights This male (West Indian) Yellow-faced Grassquit, a state fifth, was photographed at Eco Pond, Everglades National Park on 1 February 2001 ; it was present there from 20 January to 5 February. Photograph by Kevin T. Karlson. This "Brewer’s Duck,” as the hybrid Gadwall x Mallard was once known, appeared in Greeley, Colorado on 18 January (when this photo was taken) and remained until the 21st. Photograph by D. Leatherman. Mountain Chickadees dispersed widely from their montane haunts in the fall and winter, with records well into eastern Colorado, western Kansas, and the Great Plains generally, the Southvifest, the lowlands of the Great Basin in Nevada, the Sacramento Valiey, and the coast of Baja California. This individual was closer to home but smartly photographed at Alienport, Colorado on 20 January. Photograph by D. Leatherman. This Roadside Hawk, representing only the fourth for Texas (and the United States) was found 1 1 December at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, when this photograph was taken, and reported infrequently through February. Photograph byJ. E. Culbertson. Volume 5 5 ( 200 1 ), Number 2 245 Pictorial Highlights Appearing unexpectedly in the Mountain Region of Alabama, a Limpkin fur- nished a first state record at Smith Lake Park, Cullman County. Allowing study for nearly two months beginning 30 September 2000, the bird was pho- tographed here 17 November 2000. Photograph by LaDonna Nichols. This adult Black-backed Wagtail frequented salt ponds at Alviso, Santa Clara County, California from 1 7 December through the period, a seventh Regional record and the first in winter. Incredibly, another wagtail, also thought to be a Black-backed, overwin- tered in Alaska! Photograph by Michael M. Rogers. This female Eurasian Bullfinch of the cassM form (first described from Alaska) frequent- ed a feeder in Fairbanks for 38 days beginning 24 February (here 6 March). Photograph by Mike Endres. Part of a broad pattern of movement in the Southwest this winter, a White-winged Junco spent the winter near Bishop, Inyo County, California, establishing only the second record for the Southern Pacific Coast Region (and third for California) of this distinctive subspecies. It was photographed here on Christmas Day. Photograph by Larry Sansone. (i. * A - At Ketchikan, Alaska, it would be unheard of to see an American Golden-Plover or even a Pacific Golden-Plover in middle January, but a European Golden-Plover was completely unexpected.This bird was noted on Gauma island near the airport there and photographed 13 January. Photograph by Steve Hein!. 246 North American Birds This Red-billed Tropicbird, a straggler to Hawai'i, was seen at Kilauea from 1 8 February through the period; it was likely the same bird as seen here in 1998 and 1999. Photograph by Christian Melgar. A female Chuck-will’s-widow found in torpor on the Hatteras, North Carolina C.B.C. by Audrey Whitlock and Paul W. Sykes, Jr. 27 December provided firm evidence of the species’s presence here in winter. The maritime forest of Buxton Woods lies in close proximity to the Gulf Stream, which provides enough warmth for a microcli- mate that supports often large numbers of warblers such as Ovenbirds wintering well north of typical range. Photograph by Audrey Whitlock. This female Spotted Towhee was seen by many observers at a Beauport, Quebec feeder from 5 January through the winter’s end. Photograph by Michele Lafleur. In addition to the now (apparently) resident birds in Rocky Ford, Colorado, another Inca Dove showed up this winter in Fort Collins, where it was photographed 1 8 January. Photograph by D. Leatherman. - Volume 55 (2001), Number 2 247 California’s second documented Red-legged Kittiwake, an adult, was found alive 13 February in Ross, Marin County. In spite of diligent res- cue efforts, it succumbed the next day and is now a specimen at the California Academy of Sciences. Another was noted just off Santa Cruz County about two weeks later. Photograph by Rich Stallcup. Last autumn’s finest find in Texas may have been this Piratic Flycatcher, the state’s second, on an oil rig off Kenedy County 21-22 October. Photograph by Alan Wormington. This Black-tailed Gull, Maryland’s second record (first in 1 984), was found by Regional Editor Iliff and Jim Stasz on Assateague Island, just north of the Virginia line, 7 October. Why this species continues to turn up in small numbers on the Atlantic coast but not the Pacific is still a riddle. Photograph by Mark L. Hoffman. This Mexican Jay of the arizonae race, a first for Texas, was found and carefully studied by Barry Zimmer in El Paso 24-25 January. The pale blue color of the head and upperparts, yellowish gape mark, and dull gray throat distinguish this sub- species from the nominate form typically seen around Big Bend National Park. Photograph by Barry Zimmer. 248 North American Birds 820 Swift Audubon" 8.5X,44 - 24,6 oz, Armored, Waterproof. Wide Angle High Eye Relief Twist-Up Eyecups VIFT 849 NIGHTHAWK )MM - Waterproof ailable eyepieces: X,25X, 31X,50X. 75X, Z0-6OX Zoom SWIFT INSTRUMENTS, INC. 952 Dorchester Avenue, Boston, MA 02125 • Ph: 617-436-2960 In Canada: Vision Canada, Ltd., Pickering, Ont. LIW 3S1 •Swift Instruments, Inc. is a proud sponsor of: |B|RDSH Visit our web site: www.swift-optics.com Swift 830 Viceroy 10X,42 - 22 oz. Armored, Waterproof, Click-stop adjusting. Close focus 6.0 ft. Founded in 1926, Swift Instruments Inc. has sponsored* adventures in birding on many fronts. After extensive research with ornitholo- gists on the ideal characteristics needed for bird watching, Swift pioneered binoculars for birders with their Swift Audubon 8.5X,44 in 1960. This tradition has been expanded to create ideal optics for birders of all ages. Swift offers a complete line of quality binocu- lars and spotting scopes, utilizing the latest technological advances. 3 9088 01340 8240 VICTORY BINOCULARS MAKE BIRDS LOOK UP TO 7% BRIGHTER. Victory 8x40 Victory 10x40 W f/ Victory 8x56 Victory 1 0x56 SMtTHSONIAN INSmUTtON LIBRARiiS ZEISS Its twilight, with the sitting of a lijkime in range. Victory birwcuiars were made for this moment. Thanks pj patented lens oM- prism coating, they transmit more light to the eye. So birds appear brighter in low light. Ad four Victory modeh are backed ^ a lifetime warranty. ForaZeiss retailer near you, call 1-800-338-2984 or visit zeiss.com. ' ' . *BaseimMm»!diind^tmUghttmmmtssmttMslS.Datamfik.