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r^^RTH  American  Birds 

A QUARTERLY  JOURNAL  OF  ORNITHOLOGICAL  RECORD  PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  BIRDING  ASSDCIATIDN 


Volume  56:  No.2, 2002  • December  2001 -February  2002 


The  Winter  Season 


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CONTENTS 

The  Winter  Season  • December  2001  through  February  2002 

NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS  • AMERICAN  BIRDING  ASSOCIATION  • VOLUME  56:  NUMBER  2 • 2002 


131 


139 

140 


239 


246 


Plumage  variation  and  hybridization  in 
Black-footed  and  Laysan  Albatrosses 

Tristan  McKee  and  Peter  Pyle 

Editors’  Notebook 

The  Changing  Seasons 

Edward  S.  Brinkley 

Major  negative  impacts  of  early  intensive  cattle 
stocking  on  tallgrass  prairies:  The  Case  of  the 
Greater  Prairie-Chicken  ( Tympanuchus  cupido) 

Mark  B.  Robbins,  A.  Townsend  Peterson,  and 
Miguel  A.  Ortega-Huerta 

Bucking  the  trend:  Increasing  numbers  of 
Black-necked  Stilts  in  Canada 

Cheri  L.  Gratto-Trevor 


The  Regional  Reports 

148  Atlantic  Provinces 

Brian  Dalzeii 

151  Quebec 

Pierre  Bannon,  Samuel  Denault,  Yves  Aubry,  and  Normand  David 

154  New  England 

Pam  Hunt 

158  Hudson — Delaware 

Joseph  C.  Burgiel,  Robert  0.  Paxton,  and  David  A.  Cutler 

162  Middle  Atlantic  Coast 

Marshal!  J.  lliff 

165  Southern  Atlantic  Coast 

Ricky  Davis 

168  Florida 

Bruce  Anderson 

171  Ontario 

Hugh  G.  Currie  Y p ^ 

174  Appalachia 

Robert  C.  Leberman 

176  Western  Great  Lakes 

Jim  Granlund 

179  Middlewestern  Prairie 

Kenneth  J.  Brock 

183  Central  Southern 

C.  Dwight  Cooley 

187  Prairie  Provinces 

Rudolf  F.  Koes  and  Peter  Tayior 

Common  Redpolls,  along  with  much  smaller  numbers  of  Hoary  Redpolls,  descended  the  north  country  in  great  hordes  in  the  winter  of  2001-2002,  reaching 
points  as  far  south  as  about  latitude  36°  N — the  Central  Valley  of  California,  Utah,  Nevada,  eastern  Colorado,  Kansas,  Missouri,  southern  Illinois,  Kentucky,  south- 
ern Virginia,  and  the  Outer  Banks  of  North  Carolina.  Those  blessed  with  large  flocks  at  their  feeding  stations  found  their  spirits  (and  wallets)  the  lighter  for  it. 

This  Common  Redpoll  frequented  a feeder  at  Georgetown,  New  York,  where  it  was  captured  on  film  28  February  2002.  Photograph  by  Sean  S/me/Housewren. 


188  Northern  Great  Plains 

Ron  Martin 

190  Southern  Great  Plains 

Joseph  A.  Grzybowski 

192  Texas 

Mark  Lockwood,  Cliff  Shackelford,  \Willie  Sekula, 
and  Brush  Freeman 

196  Idaho — Western  Montana 

David  Trochteil 

198  Mountain  West 

Van  A.  Truan  and  Brandon  K.  Percival 

200  Great  Basin 

Ted  Floyd 

204  Arizona 

Gary  H.  Rosenberg  and  Mark  M.  Steven 

207  New  Mexico 

Sartor  0.  Williams  111 

210  Alaska 

Thede  Tobish 

212  British  Columbia — Yukon 

Donald  G.  Cecile 

214  Oregon — Washington 

Steven  Mlodinow,  Ray  Korpi,  and  Bill  Tweit 

218  Middle  Pacific  Coast 

Michael  M.  Rogers,  Steven  A.  Giover,  Don  Roberson, 
Scott  B.  Terrill,  and  Thomas  P.  Ryan 

222  Southern  Pacific  Coast 

Guy  McCaskie  and  Kimbail  L.  Garrett 

226  Baja  California 

Robert  A.  Hamilton,  Richard  A.  Erickson, 

Eduardo  Palacios,  and  Roberto  Carmona 

228  Mexico 

Hector  Gomez  de  Silva 

232  Central  America 

H.  Lee  Jones 

235  West  Indies 

Robert  L.  Norton,  Anthony  White,  and  Andrew  Dobson 

237  Hawaiian  Islands 

Robert  L.  Pyle  and  Peter  Donaldson 

252  Pictorial  Highlights 


MAY  t 3 1014 


American  Binding 

ASSOCIATION 

PRESIDENT 
Richard  H.  Payne 

VICE-PRESIDENT 
Wayne  R.  Petersen 

SECRETARY 
Ann  Stone 

TREASURER 
Dennis  H.  Lacoss 


BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS 
Kenneth  P.  Able 
David  M.  Bird 
Paul  Bristow 
Lynda  Brothers 
Jon  L.  Dunn 
Bettie  R.  Harriman 
John  C.  Kricher 
Michael  Ord 
Richard  H.  Payne 
Father  Tom  Pincelli 
Debra  Shearwater 
William  R.  Stott,  Jr. 
Harry  Tow 
Tony  White 
Gerald  J.  Ziarno 


EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR 
Paul  Green 

FINANCE  AND  ADMINISTRATION 
Lynn  Yeager 

CONSERVATION  AND  PUBLIC  POLICY 
Paul  J.  Baicich 

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) 
RECENT  PAST  JOURNAL  EDITORS 
Robert  S.  Arbib,  Jr.  ( 1970-1983) 
John  Farrand,  Jr.  (1984-1985) 
Susan  Roney  Drennan  (1985-1996) 
Kenn  Kaufman  (1997-1998) 
Michael  A.  Patten  (1999-2000) 


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 
contractions,  population  dynamics,  and  changes  in  migration  patterns  or  seasonal 
occurrence.  We  welcome  submission  of  papers  in  these  areas;  papers  and  other 
communication  should  be  sent  to  the  Colorado  Springs  address  below. 

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  (Chair),  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,  Roberto  Carmona,  Donald  G.  Cecile,  Alan  Contreras, 

C.  Dwight  Cooley,  Hugh  G.  Currie,  David  A.  Cutler,  Brian  Dalzell,  Normand  David, 
Ricky  Davis,  Samuel  Denault,  Andrew  Dobson,  Peter  Donaldson,  Robert  A.  Duncan, 
Lucy  R.  Duncan,  David  H.  Elder,  Walter  G.  Ellison,  Richard  A.  Erickson,  Ted  Floyd, 
Brush  Freeman,  Kimball  Garrett,  Steven  A.  Glover,  Hector  Gomez  de  Silva, 

Jim  Granlund,  Joseph  A.  Grzybowski,  Robert  A.  Hamilton,  Matthew  L.  Holder, 

Pam  Hunt,  Marshall  J.  Iliff,  H.  Lee  Jones,  Rudolf  F.  Koes,  Ray  Korpi, 

Greg  Lasley,  Robert  C.  Leberman,  Bruce  Mactavish,  Mark  Lockwood, 

Nancy  L.  Martin,  Ron  E.  Martin,  Blake  Maybank,  Guy  McCaskie,  Ian  A.  McLaren, 
Steven  G.  Mlodinow,  B.  Mac.  Myers,  Robert  L.  Norton,  Eduardo  Palacios, 

Robert  O.  Paxton,  Brandon  K.  Percival,  Simon  Perkins,  Wayne  R.  Petersen,  David  J.  Powell, 
Bill  Pranty,  Robert  D.  Purrington,  Robert  L.  Pyle,  Don  Roberson,  Michael  M.  Rogers, 
Gary  H.  Rosenberg,  Thomas  P.  Ryan,  Willie  Sekula,  Cliff  Shackelford,  Daniel  S.  Singer, 
Mark  M.  Stevenson,  Peder  Svingen,  Peter  Taylor,  Scott  B.  Terrill,  Thede  G.  Tobish  Jr., 
David  Trochlell,  Van  A.  Truan,  Bill  Tweit,  Phillip  A.  Wallace,  Sartor  O.  Williams  III 

GRAPHIC  DESIGN  PRODUCTION  & ADVERTISING  COORDINATOR 

Empact  Design  & Graphics  Bryan  Patrick 

CIRCULATION  TECHNICAL  REVIEWERS 

Linda  L.  Duggins  Bill  Pranty 

Steve  Mlodinow 
Marshall  J.  Iliff 


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. 


130 


North  American  Birds 


Plumage  variation  and  hybridization  in 
Black-footed  and  Laysan  Albatrosses 


Tristan  McKee 

RO.  Box  631 

Ferndale,  California  95536 
(email:  bertmckee@yahoo.com) 

Peter  ^le 

4990  Shoreline  Highway 
Stinson  Beach,  California  94970 
(email:  ppyle@prbo.org) 

INTRODUCTION 

Black-footed  {Phoebastria  ntgripes)  and  Laysan  (P.  immutahilis)  Albatrosses  nest 
side  by  side  in  dense  island  colonies.  Their  breeding  populations  center  in  the 
northwestern  Hawaiian  Islands,  with  smaller  colonies  scattered  across  the  subtrop- 
ical North  Pacific.  Both  species  visit  nutrient-rich  waters  off  the  west  coast  of  North 
America  throughout  the  year  to  forage.  Biack-footeds  concentrate  in  coastal  waters 
from  northern  California  to  southern  Alaska,  while  Laysans  frequent  more  offshore 
and  northerly  waters  in  this  region.  Birders  on  pelagic  trips  off  the  West  Coast  often 
encounter  significant  numbers  of  one  or  both  of  these  species,  and  searching  for 
other,  rarer  albatrosses  among  them  has  proven  to  be  a worthwhile  pursuit  in  recent 
years  (Stallcup  and  Terrill  1996,  Cole  2000). 

Albatrosses  identified  as  Black-footed  x Laysan  hybrids  have  been  seen  and 
studied  on  Midway  Atoll  and  other  northwestern  Hawaiian  Islands  since  the  late 
1800s  (Rothschild  1900,  Fisher  1948, 1972).  In  addition,  considerable  variation  in 
appearance  is  found  within  both  species,  individuals  with  strikingly  aberrant 
plumage  and  soft  part  colors  occasionally  being  encountered  (Fisher  1972,  Whittow 
1993a).  Midway  Atoll  hosts  approximately  two-thirds  of  the  world’s  breeding 
Laysan  Albatrosses  (Fig.  1)  and  one-third  of  the  world’s  breeding  Black-footed 
Albatrosses.  These  populations  have  provided  us  with  many  opportunities  to  study 
and  photograph  presumed  hybrids  and  unusual  individuals.  In  this  paper,  we  dis- 
cuss variation  in  the  plumages  of  both  species  and  the  appearances  of  aberrant 
individuals  and  probable  hybrids,  as  v/ell  as  the  potential  pitfalls  to  identification 
that  such  birds  may  pose.  Our  observations  are  based  on  a collective  21  months  on 
Midway  from  1997  to  2000,  in  addition  to  the  study  of  thousands  of  Black-footed 
and  hundreds  of  Laysan  Albatrosses  at  sea  off  California. 


Figure  1 . Midway  Atoll  hosts  significant  portions  of  the  breeding  populations  of 
both  Black-footed  and  Laysan  Albatrosses.  Presumed  hybrids  and  aberrant  indi- 
viduals are  found  regularly  in  these  dense  colonies.  Photograph  by  Peter  Pyle. 


A presumed  hybrid  Laysan  x Black-footed  Albatross  tends  a chick  at  Midway 
Atoll,  1 4 February  2000.  Photograph  by  Peter  Pyle. 


BLACK-FOOTED  ALBATROSS 

Worldwide,  the  Black-footed  Albatross  is  the  less  common  of  the  two  species,  with 
population  estimates  ranging  from  200,000  to  300,000  individuals  (Whittow  1993a, 
Cousins  & Cooper  2000).  Adults  arrive  at  colonies  in  late  October,  fledging  takes 
place  in  late  June  and  July,  and  adults  have  an  incomplete  to  complete  molt  during 
April  (non-breeding  individuals)  or  July  (breeders)  through  October.  This  species 
is  largely  dark  brown  at  all  ages,  with  white  shafts  to  the  outer  primaries.  Juveniles 
have  whitish  bases  to  the  feathers  encircling  the  bill  and  to  those  feathers  in  a cres- 
cent immediately  under  the  eye.  The  resulting  pale  areas  are  obscured  at  fledging, 
resulting  in  wholly  dark  plumage  (Fig.  2)  but  quickly  become  visible  with  wear. 

Fledglings  usually  show  well-developed  white  areas  on  the  face  by  the  time  they 
reach  North  America  in  late  summer.  We  have  seen  one  or  two  breeding  adults  that 
lacked  the  eye  crescent  and  showed  limited  white  around  the  bill,  but  these  features 
are  obvious  on  the  vast  majority  of  individuals  after  fledging.  Feather  edges  on  the 
head  become  very  frayed  and  bleached  on  birds  of  all  later  ages  in  the  summer,  and 
the  white  area  can  encompass  most  of  the  head  on  some  birds  in  this  state  (Fig.  3). 
Adults  with  heavily  bleached  heads  from  April  to  August  likely  represent  breeding 
individuals  that  have  spent  significant  time  at  subtropical  latitudes,  whereas  those 
showing  less  bleaching  probably  are  prebreeders  (ages  2-10  or  more  years)  or  birds 
that  skipped  breeding  that  year  and  remained  at  temperate  or  subarctic  latitudes, 
thus  being  exposed  to  less  intense  sunlight.  Feather  edges  throughout  the  neck  and 
underparts  also  become  bleached  and  frayed,  and  on  many  birds  the  edges  contrast 
distinctly  with  dark  feather  bases  and  create  a scalloped  look  of  tan  on  brown  (see 
MiEer  1940). 

White  feathering  develops  on  the  rump,  uppertail  coverts,  lower  belly,  vent,  and 
undertail  coverts,  and  its  extent  has  been  linked  to  age  and  sex  (Streets  1 877,  Bourne 
1982,  Pyle  unpubl.  data),  old  males  being  whitest.  Birds  showing  areas  of  white 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


131 


Figure  2.  Juvenile  Black-footed  Albatross  near  fledging.  Pale  areas  are 
already  developing  on  the  face,  before  all  the  down  is  lost.  Midway  Atoll, 
June  1 999.  Photograph  by  Peter  Pyle. 


Figure  5.  A leucistic  Black-footed  Albatross  on  Tern  Island,  Hawaii,  January 
1993.  Documented  details  of  the  wing  and  tail  pattern  indicate  that  this  is 
the  same  individual  as  presented  in  Figure  4,  photographed  several  years 
earlier.  Photographs  from  U.  S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service  files. 


Figure  3.  An  exceptionally  worn  and  bleached  adult  Black-footed  Albatross. 
The  bill  is  near  the  pale  extreme  for  the  species.  Photographed  in  Monterey 
Bay,  off  Santa  Cruz,  California,  1 5 October  2000.  Photograph  by  Michael 
Donahue. 


Figure  4.  A striking  leucistic  Black-footed  Albatross  in  Monterey  Bay, 
California,  18  September  1988.  The  bill  shape  eliminates  Southern  Giant- 
Petrel  and  Laysan  Albatross;  the  bird  also  shows  a shadow  of  the  Black-foot- 
ed’s  facial  pattern.  Photograph  by  Serge  LaFrance. 


Figure  6.  Leucism  often  appears  in  patches,  as  in  this  Black-footed  with 
white  outer  primaries  and  a white  strip  across  the  belly;  note  also  the  pale 
splotching  on  the  feet.  The  facial  pattern  is  typical  of  adults.  Midway  Atoll, 
23  June  2000.  Photograph  by  Peter  Pyle. 


132 


North  A. m erica  n Birds 


Black-footed  and  Laysaii  Albatrosses 


elsewhere  on  the  body  due  to  leucism  are  very  rare  but  have  been  photographed  in 
several  locations  (e.g.,  Figs.  4, 5,  and  6).  In  extreme  cases,  such  as  the  mostly  white 
bird  in  Figures  4 and  5,  this  can  create  an  appearance  reminiscent  of  a light-morph 
Southern  Giant-Petrel  (Macronectes  giganteus).  The  distinctive  bill  structure  of 
Macroneaes,  with  external  nasal  tubes  atop  the  culmen,  consistently  distinguishes 
this  genus  from  all  albatrosses  (Harrison  1983).  Roberson  (1980)  mentioned  white 
in  the  rectrices  and  light  dusky-yellow  feet  on  some  birds.  We  have  seen  pale  col- 
oration in  these  areas  only  on  obviously  leucistic  Black-footeds,  so  it  does  not 
appear  to  be  age-related.  Similarly,  pale  underwings  apply  only  to  presumed 
hybrids  and  leucistic  birds  in  our  experience.  Such  birds  were  noted  by  Stallcup 
( 1976),  who  felt  that  it  was  age-related,  and  by  Roberson  (1980),  who  considered  it 
a feature  of  aberrant  birds  or  hybrids.  The  appearance  of  indistinct  pale  areas  can 
also  be  created  by  the  exposure  of  feather  bases  of  birds  in  heavy  molt  in  early  sum- 
mer. 

The  Black-footed’s  bill  is  blackish,  usually  with  a pinkish  tinge  of  varying  inten- 
sity at  the  base.  This  color  is  weE  developed  in  some  individuals  of  both  sexes,  mak- 
ing the  bEl  appear  fairly  bright  pink  with  a blackish  or  dark  gray  nafl  (Fig.  3),  espe- 
cially in  bright  sunlight.  Pink-bEled  birds  may  cause  confusion  with  juvenEe  Short- 
tailed Albatross  {R  albatrus),  which  has  a considerably  larger  bfll.  The  bfll  of  Short- 
tailed is  dark  at  fledging  (H.  Hasegawa,  pers.  comm,  to  Pyle),  but  eventually  it  devel- 
ops a bright  pink  base  and  pale  blue  tip.  The  timing  of  this  change  is  unknown. 
Largely  dark,  pink-bflled  birds  photographed  off  California  in  October  to 
December  have  been  regarded  as  juveniles  (e.g.,  StaEcup  and  TerriE  1996,  N.A.B.  52: 
203),  but  these  birds  show  worn,  retained  feathers,  suggesting  that  the  second  pre- 
basic  molt  has  taken  place.  Pink-bEled  birds  photographed  in  Oregon  in  March 
{N.A.B.  55: 506)  and  California  in  January  (McKee  and  Erickson,  in  press)  may  in 
fact  be  juveiules,  but  ageing  criteria  in  this  species  are  stEl  unclear. 

Short-tailed  Albatrosses  slowly  acquire  an  extensively  white  adult  plumage  (cf. 
Roberson  1980,  Erickson  and  Hamflton  2001).  Pale  areas  on  the  upperwing  coverts 
can  be  among  the  first  signs  of  this  transition  in  Short-taEed,  but  it  should  be  noted 
that  the  innermost  greater  coverts,  tertials,  and  humerals  on  Black-footed 
Albatrosses  have  paler  inner  webs.  When  worn,  this  patch  of  feathers  can  contrast 
vdth  the  remainder  of  the  upperwing,  creating  an  appearance  simEar  to  Short- 
taOed.  Leg  and  foot  color  of  Black-footed  usually  is  blackish  or  dark  gray.  We  have 
found  several  individuals  with  irregular  pale  splotching  on  the  legs  and  feet  (e.g., 
Fig  6;  these  birds  often  show  leucistic  plumage  as  v/ell),  but  in  no  case  was  this 
extensive  enough  to  resemble  the  entirely  pink  feet  of  juvenEe  Short-taEeds. 

LAYSAN  ALBATROSS 

Although  about  ten  times  more  numerous  than  the  Black-footed  Albatross,  with  a 
world  population  estimated  at  2.5  mfllion  birds  (Whittow  1993b),  the  Laysan 
Albatross  is  not  encountered  as  frequently  close  to  the  North  American  continent. 
Laysans  also  arrive  at  breeding  colonies  in  November,  fledge  young  in  July  and  early 
August,  and  have  an  annual  incomplete  to  complete  molt  from  AprE  to  October. 
This  species  was  named  immutabilis,  meaning  unchangeable,  because  of  its  lack  of 
obviously  different  immature  and  adult  plumages  (Jobling  1991).  WhEe  it  is  true 
that  age-related  variation  is  subtle,  this  species  nonetheless  shows  a considerable 
amount  of  individual  variation. 

Laysans  at  fledging  are  white  throughout  the  head  and  underparts,  with  a small 
black  patch  surrounding  the  eye  (Fig.  7).  They  lack  the  gray  wash  across  the  auric- 
ulars  of  adult  birds  (Fig.  8).  The  exact  time  at  which  gray  in  the  face  develops  is 
unknown.  Procellaruformes  typicafly  do  not  molt  between  fledging  and  the  second 
prebasic  molt  (see  HoweB  and  Corben  2000)  during  the  Mowing  breeding  season, 
so  gray  auriculars  are  not  likely  acquired  before  then.  Our  observations  off 
California  confirm  that  juvenfles  can  remain  white-faced  at  least  untfl  December. 
The  gray  wash  normally  is  quite  evident,  though  variable,  by  the  tune  bkds  return 
to  colonies,  many  of  which  are  three  to  four  years  old  (bands  examined).  Ageing  is 
not  always  straightforward  at  sea,  because  the  gray  wash  of  adults  can  be  difficult  to 
discern  in  bright  sunlight.  Its  extent  also  is  reduced  by  wear,  and  some  birds  take  on 
a facial  pattern  Hke  that  of  the  juvenEe  by  late  summer,  just  before  the  prebasic  molt. 
The  heavfly  worn  mantle  feathers  of  these  birds  readEy  distinguish  them  from  fresh 


Figure  7.  Juvenile  Laysan  Albatross,  showing  white  auriculars;  adult  bill  color 
begins  to  develop  near  fledging.  Midway  Atoll,  June  1999.  Photograph  by 
Peter  Pyle. 


Figure  8.  A Laysan  with  rather  pale  underwings,  showing  narrow  black 
margins.  Midway  Atoll,  May  1999.  Photograph  by  Tristan  McKee. 


Figure  9.  A Laysan  toward  the  dark  end  of  the  spectrum,  with  black  areas 
merging  on  the  underwings.  Midway  Atoll,  February  2000.  Photograph  by 
Tristan  McKee. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


133 


Figure  1 0.  A leucistic  Laysan  Albatross,  near  fledging  at  Midway  Atoll  25 
June  1999.  One  or  two  mostly  white  chicks  are  found  almost  every  year  on 
Midway.  Photograph  by  Peter  Pyle. 


Figure  1 1 . Laysan  Albatross  chicks  showing  a scaly  or  barred  pattern  to  the 
upperparts,  another  regular  occurrence  in  large  colonies.  The  bird  on  the  left 
was  photographed  at  Midway  Atoll,  21  May  1997,  the  bird  at  right  30  May 
1 993.  Photograph  by  Peter  Pyle  (left)  and  from  U.  S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service 
files  (right). 


Figure  1 2.  Aberrant  Laysan  Albatross.  Such  birds  can  show  a pale  gray  shadow 
of  the  typical  Laysan  underwing  pattern  of  dark  margins  and  humerals.  Midway 
Atoll,  April  1993.  Photograph  from  U.  S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service  files. 


juveniles.  All  ages  have  a dark  brown  back,  upperwings,  and  rectrices  and  show 
white  shafts  to  the  outer  primaries.  The  bill  is  dark  grayish  on  young  chicks,  but  a 
dull  pink  base  and  bluish-gray  nail  begin  to  develop  before  fledging. 

The  underwing  pattern  of  this  species  usually  is  distinctive,  but  there  is  substan- 
tial variation  in  the  amount  of  black  versus  white  (National  Geographic  Society 
1999,  Sibley  2000).  Preliminary  observation  of  known-age  birds  on  Midway  has 
indicated  that  underwing  variation  is  not  strongly  related  to  age,  but  more  study  is 
needed  to  confirm  this.  Black  is  present  on  the  leading  edge  of  the  underwing,  the 
flight  feathers,  the  primary  coverts,  and  usually  in  a triangular  patch  on  the  humer- 
als. Near  the  palest  extreme  for  birds  that  otherwise  appear  normal  (but  cf.  leucis- 
tic birds),  the  black  borders  are  very  narrow  and  the  humeral  patch  limited  to  a few 
blackish  streaks  or  a grayish  shadow.  The  humeral  patch  is  absent  or  invisible  in  the 
field  on  a few  birds,  which  appeared  to  represent  less  than  0.01%  of  the  overall  pop- 
ulation at  Midway.  They  could  create  confusion  with  the  Shy  Albatross 
( Thalassarche  cauta)  complex  (Cole  2000),  but  size,  structure,  and  bill  shape  differ- 
ences are  easily  visible  and  should  be  used  to  confirm  any  Shy  Albatross  in  the 
North  Pacific. 

Toward  the  darker  side  of  the  underwing  spectrum,  the  black  areas  merge,  some- 
times to  the  extent  that  white  is  limited  to  the  outer  secondary  coverts  (Fig.  9,  cf. 
Fig.  20).  A few  individuals  show  no  white  on  the  underwing,  with  either  a gray 
shadow  of  the  latter  pattern  or  entirely  dark  underwings.  It  is  not  known  whether 
these  are  at  the  dark  extreme  for  the  species  or  if  this  is  strictly  the  result  of  intro- 
gression  with  the  Black-footed  Albatross  (see  below).  The  amount  of  dark  on  the 
rump  is  also  variable  and  often  loosely  mirrors  that  of  the  underwing.  The  darkest 
birds  have  a dark  rump  with  only  a thin  U-shaped  white  area  on  the  uppertaO 
coverts,  contrasting  with  the  dark  tail,  while  the  palest  show  a straight  line  of  con- 
trast, even  with  the  trailing  edge  of  the  wings,  between  the  dark  back  and  an  entire- 
ly white  rump.  Most  birds  fall  between  these  two  extremes,  showing  a patchy  dark 
area  extending  into  the  center  of  an  extensively  white  rump  (Fig.  20).  Laysans  show 
a variable  amount  of  dark  smudging  around  the  thighs,  which  is  discussed  below. 

As  in  Black-footeds,  leucism  and  other  plumage  aberrancy  is  occasionally  noted 
in  Laysans.  One  or  two  mostly  white  chicks  (e.g.,  Fig.  10)  are  found  on  Midway 
almost  every  year,  and  some  have  been  followed  to  fledging,  but  none  have  been 
known  to  return  as  adults.  These  birds  again  could  cause  confusion  with  giant- 
petrels  until  bill  structure  is  noted.  Bill  structure  also  is  an  important  feature  for 
determining  which  of  the  Phoebastria  is  involved  when  dealing  with  leucistic  birds: 
with  experience,  the  shorter,  thicker  bill  of  Black-footed  is  distinguishable  in  the  field 
from  the  relatively  slimmer  bill  of  Laysan,  which  shows  a more  concave  culmen  (cf. 
Figs.  6 and  13).  Figures  11,  12,  and  13  illustrate  some  of  the  other  ways  leucism 
and/or  other  types  of  plumage  aberrancy  can  be  manifested  in  this  species.  A vari- 
able amount  of  gray  or  whitish  in  the  mantle  feathers,  often  in  a uniform  pattern,  is 
the  most  commonly  encountered  example.  This  can  involve  a scaly  pattern  of  con- 
trasting feather  edges,  various  internal  bars,  or  dark  anchor-shaped  markings  on 
pale-based  feathers.  Fisher  ( 1972)  described  such  birds,  and  we  have  found  a small 
number  regularly  on  Midway.  Such  plumages  may  be  caused  by  schizochroism  (the 
lack  of  a pigment  throughout)  or  dilution  (reduction  in  quantity  of  a pigment),  but 
the  specific  cause  is  difficult  to  determine  without  precise  genetic  information 
(Buckley  1969;  P.  A.  Buckley,  pers.  comm.). 

Indistinct  white  bars  on  dark  feathers  are  particularly  common  in  chicks  (Fig.  1 1 ) 
and  may  be  exaggerated  growth  bars  resulting  from  metabolic  changes  during  feath- 
er growth  (see  Michener  and  Michener  1938).  The  adult  in  Figure  12  takes  gray  in 
the  mantle  to  the  extreme.  Several  aberrant  Laysans  on  Midway  have  returned  to 
specific  areas  year  after  year,  retaining  the  same  patterns  of  abnormal  pigmentation 
through  repeated  molts. 

The  unusual  coloration  of  the  bird  in  Figure  13  is  evident  in  both  the  plumage 
and  the  soft  parts.  The  bl  is  exceptionally  bright  pink,  the  gray  wash  is  lacking  on 
the  face,  and  the  upperparts  show  a considerable  amount  of  white.  This  bird  super- 
ficially resembles  a near-adult  Short-tailed  Albatross  in  coloration,  but  size  and 
structural  features  identify  it  readily. 


134 


North  American  Birds 


Black-footed  and  Laysan  Albatrosses 


HYBRIDS 

In  1997-2000,  we  observed  up  to  20  different  presumed  first-generation  (Fj) 
hybrids  on  Midway.  Although  no  hybrid  between  these  species  has  yet  been  con- 
firmed genetically  or  through  parentage,  presumed  hybrids  are  intermediate 
between  Black-footed  and  Laysan  in  plumage,  soft-part,  behavioral,  and  vocal  char- 
acters (Fisher  1972),  and  they  would  be  difficult  to  explain  as  resulting  from  varia- 
tion in  either  parental  species.  As  also  reported  by  Fisher  (1972),  aE  presumed 
hybrids  we  observed  were  interacting  with  Laysan  Albatrosses,  many  being  found 
among  the  pure  Laysan  populations  in  the  central  portions  of  the  islands.  We  have 
witnessed  male  Black-footed  Albatrosses  involved  in  “rapes”  (Fisher  1971)  of 
female  Laysans,  and,  contra  Fisher  (1948, 1972),  we  believe  that  hybrids  between  the 
two  species  are  most  likely  products  of  these  extra-pair  copulatory  events  rather 
than  of  naturally  occurring  mixed  pairs,  something  we  have  seen  no  evidence  of  on 
Midway.  This  would  explain  why  hybrids  seemed  to  be  imprinted  upon  Laysan 
rather  than  Black-footed  Albatrosses:  they  were  likely  raised  by  a pair  of  Laysans, 
the  male  unwittingly  not  the  father.  We  have  seen  occasional  attempts  at  interspe- 
cific courtship  dancing,  but  these  rarely  lasted  more  than  a few  seconds  (see  also 
Whittow  1993b).  It  should  be  noted,  however,  that  Fisher  ( 1971 ) examined  Laysans 
after  intraspecific  extra-pair  copulation  and  found  no  physical  evidence  of  success- 
ful copulation. 

Because  of  the  intermediate  nature  of  their  displays,  most  attempts  of  hybrids  at 
courtship  with  Laysans  appear  unsuccessful.  We  observed  two  presumed  hybrids 
incubating  eggs  and  raising  chicks  with  Laysan  mates  during  the  1999-2000  season 
(frontispiece);  hybrids  have  been  observed  on  eggs  on  several  other  occasions.  The 
chicks  from  these  pairings  appeared  to  have  thicker  bills  and  darker  first-basic 
plumage  than  Laysan  chicks  from  adjacent  nests.  Blood  from  hybrids  and  these 
apparent  F2  (second-generation)  back-crosses  has  been  taken  by  U.  S.  Fish  and 
Wildlife  biologists  for  DNA  sampling  (N.  Hoffrnan,  pers.  comm.).  If  confirmed, 
this  would  represent  the  first  documented  record  of  a hybrid  albatross  successfully 
breeding  (cf.  Whittow  1993b),  although  our  observations  of  suspected  back-cross- 
es (see  below)  indicate  that  this  probably  has  occurred  before.  Actual  parentage  is 
difficult  to  confirm  in  the  field  because  “adoption”  of  various  objects,  including  dis- 
placed eggs  and  young  chicks,  is  common  in  these  dense  colonies. 

Most  presumed  Fj  hybrids  are  quite  distinctive,  vnth  strong  gray  tones  setting 
them  apart  from  both  species  (Figs.  14, 15, 16,  17).  Structural  and  behavioral  fea- 
tures, soft  part  colors,  courtship  displays,  and  vocalizations  are  variably  intermedi- 
ate. The  head  and  neck  are  gray  on  most  birds,  varying  from  a pale  pearl  gray  to  a 
dark,  smoky-brown  color.  White  areas  around  the  bifl  and  under  the  eye  are  often 
more  extensive  and  diiftised  at  the  edges  than  on  fresh  Black-footeds,  giving  the  face 
a frosty  appearance.  The  gray  wash  on  the  neck  can  give  way  to  white  on  the  breast 
or  continue  down  onto  the  lower  breast,  sides,  and  flanks.  The  undertail  coverts  and 
lower  flanks  often  show  some  dark  gray,  even  on  pale  hybrids.  A large  white  area 
remains  on  the  belly,  usually  more  extensive  than  on  Black-footeds. 

The  grayish  head  and  underpart  color  of  even  most  dark  hybrids,  such  as  the 
bird  in  Figure  16,  is  distinguishable  from  the  dark  brown  of  Black-footed.  Figure  19 
shows  the  only  hybrid-like  bird  we  have  on  record  in  which  the  distinction  from 
Black-footed  was  unclear.  Without  behavioral  information,  this  bird’s  identification 
must  be  left  unresolved.  The  line  between  pale  hybrids  and  Laysans  is  less  dear.  We 
have  encountered  a small  number  of  adults  that  appear  to  be  intermediate  between 
hybrids  and  typical  Laysans.  Individuals  such  as  the  one  depicted  in  Figure  18, 
which  showed  extensive  dark  smudging  on  the  flanks,  a very  faint  gray  wash  on  the 
head,  and  very  dark  underwings,  may  be  F2  back-crosses.  In  2000,  we  were  able  to 
follow  one  of  the  chicks  attended  by  an  adult  hybrid  and  a pure  Laysan  through  to 
fledging,  and  it  resembled  the  bird  in  Figure  18  in  its  extent  of  extralimital  dark- 
ness. On  the  other  hand,  such  birds  could  represent  anomalous  plumages  or 
extremes  in  variation  among  pure  birds  or  hybrids.  We  have  observed  similar  indi- 
viduals with  more  extensively  dark  bellies  or  slightly  darker  heads  than  this  bird,  so 
there  is  no  clear  line  separating  “typical”  gray  hybrids  from  paler  individuals.  We 
have  also  seen  birds  that  are  slightly  paler  and  more  Laysan-like  than  the  bird  in 
Figure  18,  making  the  dark  extreme  in  “pure”  Laysans  difficult  to  pinpoint.  The 


Figure  13.  This  Laysan  shows  reduced  pigment  in  both  the  plumage  and  soft 
parts;  note  the  superficial  resemblance  to  a subadult  Short-tailed  Aibatross. 
Midway  Atoll,  8 February  2000.  Photograph  by  Peter  Pyle. 


Figure  14.  This  is  a "classic"  hybrid  with  a contrasting  gray  head  and  breast  and 
extensively  white  underparts.  This  bird  shared  incubation  duties  with  a Laysan 
Albatross  in  December  1999  at  Midway.  Photograph  by  Jennifer  W.  Schramm. 


Volume  56  {2002),  Number  2 


135 


Figure  1 5.  Presumed  hybrids  typically  associate  with  Laysan  Albatrosses. 
This  bird  shows  a fairiy  even  gray  wash  through  the  head  and  underparts. 
Midway  Atoll,  March  1 999.  Photograph  by  Tristan  McKee. 


Figure  16.  Although  this  presumed  hybrid  is  at  the  dark  extreme,  the  grayish 
cast  to  the  head  still  distinguishes  it  from  Black-footed.  Midway  Atoll,  March 
2000.  Photograph  by  Tristan  McKee. 


Figure  17.  A much  paler  presumed  hybrid,  showing  a pearl-gray  wash  on  the 
head  and  breast.  Midway  Atoll,  March  2000.  Photograph  by  Tristan  McKee. 


amount  of  dark  smudging  on  the  thighs,  flanks,  and  undertail  coverts  of  Laysan 
shows  a considerable  amount  of  variation.  Unlike  Whittow  (1993b),  we  have  found 
no  evidence,  based  on  examination  of  known-age  birds,  that  this  smudging  is  more 
extensive  on  juveniles  than  adults.  There  appears  to  be  a continuous  gradation  or 
overlap  between  typical  Laysans  and  suspected  back-crosses  in  both  flank  color  and 
underwing  pattern  (Fig.  20),  and  the  increased  pigmentation  of  most  notably  dark 
individuals  is  evident  in  both  areas.  Birds  retaining  the  pure  white  head,  belly,  and 
upper  flanks  and  some  pattern  on  the  underwing  probably  fall  within  the  range  of 
variation  of  pure  Laysans,  but  those  showing  more  extensive  darkness  are  difficult 
to  categorize. 

Hybrids  also  present  a potential  source  of  confusion  with  other  albatross  species. 
George  Watson  (in  Wahl  1970)  discussed  the  identification  of  these  birds  in  com- 
parison with  an  immature  Short-tailed  Albatross  photographed  off  Washington, 
citing  white  feathers  on  the  underwings  and  the  darker  bill  and  feet  of  hybrids  (see 
also  Roberson  1980).  Older  Short-taOeds  develop  pale  underwings,  but  like  Black- 
footed, they  always  lack  the  distinctive  gray  cast  of  hybrids.  Size  and  structural  fea- 
tures are  also  diagnostic.  Although  Wahl  later  expressed  doubts  about  the  identity 
of  the  Washington  bird  (Helm  1980,  Roberson  1986),  we  feel  that  the  plumage  pat- 
tern and  structural  features  visible  in  the  photograph  strongly  support  his  original 
conclusion.  On  the  other  hand,  we  concur  that  the  photograph  published  in  Helm 
(1980),  originally  identified  as  a Short-tailed  but  later  as  a Black-footed  or  Black- 
footed X Laysan  hybrid  (Roberson  1986),  is  a worn  Black-footed.  This  bird’s  neck. 


Figure  18.  This  bird  shows  a very  faint  gray  wash  to  the  head  and  extensive 
dark  smudging  on  the  fianks;  it  may  be  an  F2  backcross.  Determining  the 
dark  extreme  for  pure  Laysans  is  problematic.  Midway  Atoll,  April  1999. 
Photograph  by  Tristan  McKee. 


Figure  19.  Unidentified  albatross  on  Laysan  Island,  February  1995.  This  bird 
superficially  resembles  other  suspected  hybrids,  but  the  head  and  neck  are 
brownish,  closer  in  color  to  Black-footed.  The  bluish  bill  tip,  pale  feet,  and 
extent  of  white  on  the  belly  are  unusual  in  our  experience  for  Black-footed  but 
might  appear  on  a leucistic  bird.  Note  also  the  lack  of  gray  in  the  auriculars, 
normally  present  in  adult  Laysans  and  presumed  hybrids.  Photograph  from 
U.  S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service  files. 


136 


North  American  Birds 


Black-footed  and  Laysan  Albatrosses 


Figure  20.  Underwlng  and  rump  patterns  of  Laysan  Albatrosses  and  presumed  hybrids.  Laysans  that  are  apparently  “pure”  can  show  any  of  these  undewing 
patterns,  although  (1)  is  extremely  rare  and  (4)  may  suggest  introgression  with  Black-footed  in  some  cases.  Most  presumed  F,  hybrids  show  patterns  similar 
to  (3)  and  (4)  or  even  darker.  All  three  rump  patterns  are  common  in  Laysan,  while  hybrids  tend  to  be  closest  to  (C).  Sketch  by  Tristan  McKee. 


breast,  and  upper  belly  are  considerably  darker  than  any  hybrid  we  have  encoun- 
tered, and  the  bill  color,  head  pattern,  and  extent  of  white  on  the  lower  underparts 
appear  to  be  within  the  range  of  variation  of  Black-footed. 

At  first  glance,  hybrids  may  recall  gray-headed  forms  of  the  Shy  Albatross  com- 
plex, but  their  underwing  patterns,  as  weE  as  size  and  structure,  should  prevent  con- 
fusion. More  criticaEy,  many  presumed  hybrids  show  a superficial  resemblance  to 
immature  Black-browed  [Thalassarche  melanophrys)  and  Gray-headed  (T  chrysos- 
toma)  Albatrosses.  The  tmderwing  pattern  of  some  hybrids  maintains  a recogniza- 
ble resemblance  to  the  “average”  Laysan  pattern,  but  others  retain  only  an  indistinct 
pale  strip  on  the  underwing  coverts  (e.g.,  see  Fig.  2 in  Fisher  1972),  appearing  near- 
ly identical  to  dark  immature  Black-browed  and  Gray-headed  Albatrosses  in  this 
respect.  The  head  pattern  of  hybrids  can  be  a close  match  for  these  species  as  weH, 
although  the  two  southern  species  are  more  likely  to  retain  a dark  partial  collar, 
whfle  hybrids  usually  show  some  suggestion  of  the  Black-footed’s  facial  pattern. 
Thalassarche  species  differ  noticeably  at  sea  from  Phoebastria  in  their  greater  caudal 
projection,  that  is,  longer  projection  of  body  and  taE  behind  tlie  trafling  edge  of  the 
wings  (S.  N.  G.  Howell,  pers.  comm.).  The  feet  of  the  former  do  not  extend  notice- 
ably beyond  the  tafl  tip.  The  feet  of  North  Pacific  Phoebastria  project  well  beyond 
the  tad  tip  when  they  are  extended,  but  these  species  often  fly  with  the  feet  tucked 
info  the  contour  feathers.  Another  important  feature  is  rump  color,  which  is  pure 
white  in  Black-browed  and  Gray-headed  (Morlan  1985,  Marchant  and  Higgins 
1990).  Only  the  palest  Laysans  show  this  pattern,  and  we  have  never  seen  a hybrid 
without  a noticeable  intrusion  of  dark  onto  the  upper  rump  (cf.  Fig.  20). 
Considering  that  old  male  Black-footeds  can  also  be  white-rumped,  however,  this 
pattern  is  not  inconceivable  on  hybrids. 

Other  potentially  useful  features  to  examine  on  confusing  birds  are  exact  biE  and 
tail  colors.  Very  young  Black-browed  and  Gray-headed  Albatrosses  initiaEy  show 
blackish  bEIs,  but  birds  of  this  age  are  unlikely  to  be  encountered  in  North  America. 
The  bill  of  Black-browed  quickly  develops  a dull  pinkish  cast  at  the  base,  before 
changing  to  yeEowish  or  horn  with  a dark  tip  (S.  N.  G.  Howell,  pers.  comm.;  cf. 
Patteson  et  al.  1999).  During  the  brief  period  when  dull  pink  is  evident,  the  biE 
appears  very  simflar  to  that  of  presumed  Black-footed  x Laysan  hybrids. 
Developing  yeHow  or  horn  coloration  is  indicative  of  Black-browed,  but  beware  of 
hybrids  iEuminated  by  low-angle  sunlight,  which  can  appear  to  have  yellow  tints  to 
their  bEIs.  Gray-headeds  develop  yellowish  or  horn  coloration  along  the  culmen 
and  at  the  tip  of  the  maxflla,  a pattern  that  is  easEy  distinguished  from  that  of 


Phoebastria  species.  The  tails  of  Black-browed  and  Gray-headed  are  grayish  when 
fresh  (Marchant  and  Higgins  1990),  whfle  hybrids  share  the  dark  brown  tafls  of 
Black-footed  and  Laysan.  Worn  birds  of  both  genera  have  simEarly  dark,  brownish 
tafls.  Good  views  of  a combination  of  these  features  should  aEow  the  identification 
of  nearly  all  birds.  Observers  are  strongly  encouraged  to  photographicaEy  docu- 
ment any  “gray-headed”  albatrosses  appearing  off  North  America,  including  suspect- 
ed Black-footed  x Laysan  hybrids,  which  to  our  knowledge  have  not  yet  been  docu- 
mented near  the  continent. 

Despite  being  large  and  generally  easy  to  identify,  albatrosses  show  complex  age- 
related  and  geographic  variation  in  their  plumages.  This  can  cause  confusion,  espe- 
ciaEy  when  encountered  in  their,  but  not  our,  element:  rough  seas.  It  does  not  help 
that  two  of  the  more  genetically  stable  species,  the  Black-footed  and  Laysan 
Albatrosses,  show  extensive  individual  variation,  which  is  further  complicated  by 
apparent  hybridization.  We  hope  this  paper  will  stimulate  others  to  continue  to  doc- 
ument and  understand  variation  in  albatross  plumages  throughout  the  seven  seas. 

Acknowiedgmente 

We  extend  special  thanks  to  the  people  of  Midway,  including  U.  S.  Fish  and  Wildlife 
Service  personnel  Rob  ShaEenberger,  Ken  Neithammer,  Nanette  Seto,  Nancy 
Hoffrnan,  Keith  Larson,  and  Aaron  GaEagher,  as  weO  as  Birgit  Winning  of  the 
Oceanic  Society,  who  afl  facilitated  our  presence  and  work  on  the  atoll.  We  are 
indebted  to  Debra  Shearwater,  who  has  made  it  possible  for  us  to  spend  a consid- 
erable amount  of  time  offshore  California  studying  albatrosses  on  Shearwater 
Journeys  trips;  she  also  provided  valuable  photos  for  use  in  this  paper.  We  thank 
Rich  StaEcup,  Michael  Donahue,  Jennifer  Schramm,  James  Aliberti,  and  the 
Northwestern  Hawaiian  Islands  National  Wildlife  Refuge  for  contributing  useful 
photographs  and  permission  to  publish  them,  and  we  are  most  grateful  to  Cindy 
LaFrance  for  granting  permission  for  us  to  use  the  photograph  of  the  late  Serge 
LaFrance.  KimbaE  L.  Garrett,  Steve  N.G.  Howell,  Hiroshi  Hasegawa,  and  Joseph 
Smith  have  added  helpfiil  and  interesting  discussion  or  information  relating  to 
these  species.  Steve  N.  G.  HoweE  and  R A.  Buckley  reviewed  drafts  of  the  manu- 
script and  added  many  helpful  suggestions. 

Literature  cited 

Bourne,  W.R.R  1982.  The  color  of  the  tail  coverts  of  the  Black-footed  Albatross. 

Sea  Swallow  31: 61. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


137 


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Cole,  L.W.  2000.  A first  Shy  Albatross,  Thalassarche  cauta, 
in  California  and  a critical  re-examination  of  Northern 
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Cousins,  K.,  and  J.  Cooper.  The  population  biology  of  the 
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by  longline  fishing.  Western  Pacific  Regional  Fishery 
Management  Council,  1164  Bishop  St.,  Honolulu,  HI 
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Erickson,  R.A.,  and  R.A.  Hamilton.  2001.  Report  of  the 
California  Bird  Records  Committee:  1998  Records. 
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Fisher,  H.I.  1948.  Interbreeding  of  Laysan  and  Black- 
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Fisher,  H.I.  1971.  The  Laysan  Albatross:  its  incubation, 
hatching  and  associated  behaviors.  Living  Bird  10; 
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Fisher,  H.I.  1972.  Sympatry  of  Laysan  and  Black- footed 
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Harrison,  P.  1983.  Seabirds,  An  Identification  Guide. 
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molt  and  plumage  terminology:  implications  from  the 
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Oxford  University  Press,  Oxford. 

Marchant,  S.,  and  P.J.  Higgins,  co-ordinators.  1990. 
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McKee,  T.,  and  R.  A.  Erickson  In  press.  Report  of  the 
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feathers.  T?ie  Condor  40:149-160. 

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Morlan,  }.  1985.  Eighth  report  of  the  California  Bird 
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Washington,  D.  C. 

Patteson,  J.  B.,  M.  A.  Patten,  and  E.  S.  Brinkley.  The  Black- 
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231. 

Roberson,  D.  1980.  Rare  Birds  of  the  West  Coast.  Woodcock 
Publications,  Pacific  Grove,  California. 

Roberson,  D.  1986.  Ninth  report  of  the  California  Bird 
Records  Committee.  Western  Birds  17: 49-77. 

Rothschild,  W.  1900.  The  avifauna  of  Laysan  and  the 
neighboring  islands,  with  a complete  history  to  date  of 
the  birds  of  the  Hawaiian  possessions.  Porter  Ltd., 
London. 


Sibley,  D.  2000.  The  Sibley  Guide  to  Birds.  Alfred  A.  Knopf,  New  York. 

Stallcup,  R.W.  1976.  Pelagic  birds  of  Monterey  Bay,  California.  Western  Birds  7: 113-136. 

Stallcup,  R.,  and  S.  Terrill.  1996.  AJbatrosses  and  the  Cordell  Bank.  Birding  28: 106- 1 10. 

Streets,  T.  H.  1877.  Contributions  to  the  natural  history  of  the  Hawaiian  and  Fanning  islands  and  Lower 
California.  Bulletin  of  the  United  States  Natural  History  Museum  7:1-172. 

Wahl,  T.  R.  1970.  A Short-tailed  Albatross  record  from  Washington  State.  California  Birds  1: 113-115. 
Whittow,  C.  1993a.  Black-footed  Albatross  (Diomedea  nigripes).  In:  The  Birds  of  North  America,  No.  65 
(A.  Poole  and  F.  Gill,  eds.),  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  and  the  American 
Ornithologist’s  Union,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Whittow,  C.  1993b.  Laysan  Albatross  (Diomedea  immutabilis).  In:  The  Birds  of  North  America,  No.  66  (A. 
Poole  and  F.  Gill,  eds.),  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  and  the  American  Ornithologist’s 
Union,  Washington,  D.  C. 


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138 


North  American  Birds 


Editors’  Notebook 


Balance 

In  striving  to  meet  our  goals  of  geographic,  taxonomic,  and  methodolog- 
ical diversity  in  the  journal,  we  present  three  articles  in  this  issue  whose 
subjects  hail  from  southern  Canada,  from  the  Flint  Hills  of  Kansas,  and 
from  Midway  Island  in  the  tropical  Pacific  Ocean — species  of  albatross, 
stilt,  and  prairie-chicken  occupy  the  present  issue. 

The  plight  of  the  prairie-chicken  in  the  very  core  and  stronghold  of  its 
range  should  concern  us  all:  the  bird  is  in  dire  straits,  another  testimony 
to  the  need  for  rapid  assessments  of  such  species  by  scientists  working  in 
conservation  and  population  ecology.  In  this  case,  the  birds’  habitat  is 
threatened  by  a relatively  recent  form  of  cattle  ranching  in  the  area,  as 
demonstrated  by  Mark  Robbins,  Miguel  A.  Ortega-Huerta,  and  A. 
Townsend  Peterson.  To  underscore  the  urgency  of  the  situation,  the 
birds — and  this  team’s  research  results — were  featured  in  the  New  York 
Times  on  28  May. 

Also  of  conservation  concern,  but  a bit  brighter  story,  is  the  recent, 
rapid  consolidation  of  Black-necked  Stilt’s  breeding  range  into  the  prairie 
country  of  southern  Canada,  especially  in  Alberta.  One  might  rightly 
wonder  whether  some  connection  to  global  warming  is  possible  here. 
Cheri  Gratto-Trevor  and  assistants  were  actually  studying  Willets  and 
godwits  when  they  came  across  these  stilt  nests,  and  we’re  delighted 
they’ve  provided  us  with  a paper  on  a species  peripheral  to  their  primary 
research! 

Our  lead  article  by  Tristan  McKee  and  Peter  Pyle  explores  the  little- 
known  appearances  of  aberrant  individuals  and  hybrids  of  two  very 
numerous  species,  Laysan  and  Black-footed  Albatrosses.  Though 
numbering  in  the  hundreds  of  thousands,  both  albatrosses  presently  incur 
heavy  losses  in  the  long-lining  fishery.  In  this  case,  it  is  possible  for  us  to 
act  decisively  and  quickly  to  stop  this  slaughter  consult: 
http;//wvm.abcbirds.org/policy/seabirds.htm  to  learn  more  about  the 
problem  and  possible  remedies. 

Huitiil? 

More  and  more  readers  are  sending  in  bird  records  to  our  newest 
regional  and  subregional  editors  south  of  the  border — for  which,  thank 
you.  Fans  of  Mexico’s  great  avifauna  will  want  to  check  out  a fine 
new  Internet  offering,  the  on-line  journal  called  Huitzil 
(http://virww.huitziLorg).  Here  one  finds  timely,  scholarly  articles  on 
basic  bird  distribution  in  Mexico  written  by  some  of  the  most  active 
birders  and  ornithologists  in  the  country;  all  of  the  articles  are  down- 
loadable in  “pdf”  form  to  facilitate  their  circulation. 

Another  marvelous  milestone  for  Mexican  birding  has  been  the 
A.B.A.’s  publication  of  Birds  of  the  Baja  Peninsula:  Status, 
Distribution,  and  Taxonomy  edited  by  Richard  Erickson  and  Steve  N. 
G.  Howell  (a  regional  editor  and  a longtime  contributor  of  bird  records 
and  articles  to  this  journal).  The  book,  part  of  the  ABA  Monographs  in 
Field  Ornithology  series  edited  by  Kenneth  P.  Able  (yet  another  long- 
time North  American  Birds  editor  and  contributor!),  brims  with  color 
photographs  and  sketches  documenting  many  of  the  uncommon  and 
rare  birds  observed  recently  in  the  states  of  Baja  California  and  Baja 
California  Sur,  as  well  as  summarizing  the  status  of  many  species 
known  to  have  occurred  there  historically.  Birding  the  Baja  is  catching 
on  rapidly  among  avid  California  birders,  as  well  as  among  local  bird- 
er-ornithologists, and  this  book  will  surely  whet  the  appetite  for  a jun- 
ket south  of  San  Diego! 


Trumpeter  Swans  have  been  showing  up  far  to  the  south  and  east  of  typical 
winter  range  in  recent  winters;  three  in  Tennessee  this  season  were  the  first 
since  Audubon’s  time.  Of  the  two  that  made  their  way  to  Texas,  one  was  in 
the  Panhandle,  while  this  Trumpeter  was  on  the  Upper  Texas  Coast  in  Brazoria 
County  2 January  2002.  The  Tennessee  birds  were  neck-collared  and  known 
to  come  from  a reintroduction  program  in  Wisconsin.  Neither  Texas  swan  was 
so  marked,  and  their  provenance  is  unknown.  Photograph  by  Don  Fry. 

Moltings 

We  offer  our  gratitude  here  to  outgoing  Regional  Editors,  to  Theo 
Hoffman  of  Ontario  and  to  Roy  Jones  of  Arizona,  who  did  thoughtful, 
diligent,  and  precise  work  during  their  time  at  the  helm.  They  will  be 
replaced  by  Matthew  L.  Holder  (spring  season)  and  Mark  M. 
Stevenson  (all  seasons),  respectively,  both  active  birders  with  a keen 
eye  for  detail  on  the  page,  as  well  as  in  the  field.  Please  do  give  them 
every  assistance  by  sending  in  field  notes  and  photographs  promptly. 
Matt  Holder  is  well  known  to  Ontarians  as  a fine  all-around  field  nat- 
uralist (with  a great  interest  in  dragonflies)  and  birder;  his  father  Phil 
edits  a regional  report  for  Birders  Journal  as  well!  To  contact 
Matt,  write  to  him  at  Jacques  Whitford  Environment  Limited, 
1200  Denison  Street,  Markham,  Ontario,  Canada,  L3R  8G6  (mhold- 
er@jacqueswhitford.com).  Mark  Stevenson  is  a likewise  very  active 
field  naturalist  in  Arizona,  with  a strong  foundation  in  avian  distribu- 
tion in  the  state.  He  will  be  covering  the  “non-passerines”  beat,  while 
Gary  Rosenberg  will  continue  to  do  the  passerines.  Contact  Mark  at 
4201  East  Monte  Vista  Drive  #J207,  Tucson,  Arizona  85712-5554 
(drbrdr@att.net). 

In  the  Great  Basin  region,  we  have  a different  sort  of  news.  Our  tire- 
less Regional  Editor  Ted  Floyd  will  be  taking  on  the  editorship  of 
Birding  magazine  at  the  A.B.A.  Congratulations  to  Ted,  who  will  be 
moving  to  Colorado  very  shortly  to  begin  his  tenure!  In  his  stead  at 
North  American  Birds,  Steve  Summers  (summers@cedarcity.net)  and 
Rick  Fridell  (rfridell@redrock.net)  will  serve  as  new  Regional  Editors 
of  the  Great  Basin  region.  Rick  and  Steve  are  active  birders  in  both 
Nevada  and  Utah — and  have  been  very  faithful  contributors  to  the 
Great  Basin  regional  report.  Instructions  for  contributors  to  this 
report  can  be  viewed  on  line,  via  links  from  both  the  Utah  Birds 
<http://www.utahbirds.org>  and  Great  Basin  Bird  Observatory 
<http://www.gbbo.org>  web-sites.  A 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


139 


The  Changing  Seasons:  Broken  Records 


After  the  first  Barnacle  Goose  showed  up  in  Moncton,  New  Brunswick,  Canada  3 November  2001 , about  eight  Barnacle  Geese  turned  up  over  the  winter  in  the 
eastern  United  States,  in  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Virginia  (with  an  unconfirmed  report  of  multiple 
birds  in  Maryland).  All  of  these  birds  arrived  with  wintering  Canada  Geese  and  departed  with  them,  mostly  before  or  at  the  end  of  the  reporting  period.  It  might 
have  been  interesting  to  put  a satellite  tracking  device  on  one  of  these  birds — to  find  out  where  it  considers  home,  at  least.  But  without  such  clues,  the  origin 
of  all  these  geese  remains  a mystery.  This  photograph  was  taken  1 3 February  2002  at  Bill  Brenman  Park,  Alexandria,  Virginia.  Photograph  by  the  editor. 


The  “Changing  Seasons”  lately  has  come  to  sound  like  a broken  record: 

this  past  winter’s  weather  was  warm,  almost  wanner  than  has  ever  been 
in  many  areas,  with  record-breaking  warmth  in  much  of  the  East.  (For 
those  who  have  come  up  in  the  time  of  CDs  and  DVDs,  a “broken  record” 
was  an  LP  [long-playing  vinyl  record  album]  with  a scratch  in  it,  which 
caused  a repeated  backskip  of  the  needle,  which  made  the  recording  repeat 
itself)  Did  I mention  the  season  was  warmt  I admit  that  1 did  compose 
one  of  those  long  introductions  about  the  Weather,  in  which  all  reporting 
regions  agreed  that  it  was  unusually  warm,  often  dry,  and  that  scores  of 
birds  not  usually  wintering  in  those  regions  did  so  successfully.  In  read- 
ing through  that  introduction,  I nodded  off  twice;  and  then  I highlighted 
the  two  pages  on  the  computer  screen  and  deleted  them.  (Much  cheer- 
ing.) 

If  the  concord  of  serious  scientists  isn’t  enough  to  convince  the  average 
skeptic  of  the  effects  of  the  global  destabilization  of  climate  (“global 
warming”  as  the  media  dubs  it),  then  perhaps  the  pages  of  this  winter’s 
regional  reports,  when  read  in  light  of  past  reports,  will  make  some 
impression.  Most  regional  reports  in  this  issue,  especially  but  not  only 
those  from  above  the  southernmost  tier  of  U.  S.  states,  are  filled  with 
another  sort  of  broken  record — filled,  that  is,  with  so  many  superlatives 
that  to  organize  and  repeat  them  here  would  require  more  pages  than  we 
can  devote  to  the  topic:  /irsf  winter  records; /rrsf  complete  overwinterings; 
farthest  northern  occurrences;  latest  departure  dates;  earliest  returning 
dates;  unprecedented  overwinterings  by  semi-hardy  (or  nonhardy!) 
species;  overwinterings  in  unprecedented  numbers.  In  reading  through 


many  of  the  Regional  reports,  we  wade  through  scores  of  Neotropical 
migrants  that  never  reached  the  tropics,  even  thriving  away  from  feeders, 
the  northern  areas  alive  with  birds  usually  far  to  the  south  in  winter,  while 
southern  birders  wait  in  vain  for  the  usual  numbers  of  waterfowl,  field 
birds,  and  blackbirds  to  show  up.  I exaggerate,  but  only  slightly.  Alaska 
was  cold  and  Buffalo  was  eventually  snowy;  and  climatologists  are  still 
widely  regarded  as  Chicken  Little  or  Cassandra,  at  least  as  far  as  global 
warming  is  concerned.  (Pay  no  attention  to  that  New- Jersey-sized  iceberg, 
ladies  and  gentlemen.) 

You  might  have  guessed  that  I tend  to  concur  with  researchers  who  have 
marshaled  evidence  for  the  anthropogenic  warming  of  earth’s  climate  in 
recent  years.  Even  the  Bush  administration  in  the  United  States  acknowl- 
edged in  early  June  2002  that  continued  production  of  “greenhouse”  gases 
will  “very  likely”  result  in  ecological  catastrophes  throughout  the  world; 
remarkably,  the  administration  is  taking  no  action  on  its  own  findings.  But 
of  course,  we  must  remain  cautious  in  connecting  these  ever-milder  win- 
ters to  the  ever-changing  patterns  of  bird  distribution  charted  in  this  jour- 
nal. (A  “leap  of  logic”  in  English  sounds  inviting;  the  awful  German 
“Gedankensprung”  sounds  like  you’ve  just  lost  an  axle  and  serves  as  a bet- 
ter deterrent.)  After  reading  through  the  first  of  our  31  regional  reports,  I 
imagined  a future  brochure  for  ecotourists  to  the  Atlantic  provinces  of 
Canada:  “Looking  for  Neotropical  migrants  in  December  and  January? 
Why  not  come  to  Nova  Scotia  or  St.  John’s,  Newfoundland?  While  enjoy- 
ing at  least  fifteen  species  of  warbler  last  winter,  birders  could  take  in  grand 
flights  of  Ivory  Gulls,  Bohemian  Waxwings,  and  Pine  Grosbeaks!” 


140 


North  American  Birds 


Changing  Seasons 


That  these  warblers  got  to  the  Maritimes,  some  perhaps  as  late 
migrants  or  reverse  migrants  (cf.  McLaren  et  al.  2000),  is  not  terribly  sur- 
prising, nor  is  the  fact  that  they  attempted  to  overwinter.  What  is 
remarkable  is  that  they  did  so  successfully  in  some  cases — I think  this  is 
where  we  see  the  effects  of  the  warm  winter.  If  we  have  enough  of  these, 
we  might  dare  to  say  “the  effects  of  global  climate  change.”  The  years  will 
tell.  The  brochures  on  “Hot  Winter  Birding  in  the  Maritimes”  will  hope- 
fully be  only  figurative:  despite  the  diversion  these  wintering  warblers 
provide,  none  of  us  want  the  predictions  about  global  warming  to  be  val- 
idated. But  a Tennessee  Warbler  in  New  York  in  February  surely  gets  one’s 
attention. 

Birders  around  the  continent  look  to  neighboring  regions  when  trying 
to  anticipate  changing  patterns  of  distribution  or  occurrences  of  linger- 
ers and  vagrants  in  their  own  areas.  Largely,  this  is  a logical  way  to  shape 
one’s  time  in  the  field:  if  Point  A to  one’s  north  and  Point  B to  one’s  south 
are  both  reporting  a bizarre  winter  influx  of  Barn  Swallows,  such  as  the 
entire  West  Coast  from  British  Columbia  to  California  experienced  this 
past  winter,  then  it’s  reasonable  to  go  out  immediately  to  a site  with  sim- 
ilar geography  in  one’s  area  to  look  for  small  flocks  of  Barn  Swallows. 
(N.  B.:  This  apparently  very  early  northbound  migration  occurred  in 
December,  January,  and  February,  see  the  S.  A.  columns  in  the  Middle 
Pacific  Coast,  Oregon — Washington,  and  British  Columbia — Yukon 
regions.)  The  Internet  gives  us  the  real-time  capacity  to  do  this;  and  in 
some  areas,  networks  of  birders  using  cell-phones,  pagers,  voicemail 
boxes,  and  the  like  can  communicate  even  more  effectively.  I still  find  the 
technological  changes  in  birding  dizzying,  but  1 heed  the  cell-phone’s 
buzz  when  it  comes  from  Cape  Hatteras  or  Cape  May  with  word  of  some 
avian  anomaly.  Eastern  birders  looking  to  their  north  and  south  this  win- 
ter would  have  read  Internet-posted  accounts  of  many  warblers  winter- 
ing or  attempting  to  winter  out  of  range:  14  species  in  New  England 
(called  “unremarkable”  by  Regional  Editor  Pam  Hunt),  10  in  New  York 
and  New  Jersey,  five  in  Virginia  and  Maryland,  and  10  in  Georgia  and  the 
Carolinas.  Florida,  where  wintering  warblers  are  less  startling,  recorded 
25  species  this  past  season — the  only  eastern  region  to  outperform  the 
Maritimes.  Hmmm. 

Assumptions  based  purely  on  proximity  can  easily  be  pitfalls.  Take,  for 
instance.  Broad-winged  Hawk,  a widespread  common  fall  and  spring 
migrant  in  the  East,  a Neotropical  migrant  that  largely  vacates  the  United 
States  in  winter.  There  is  no  doubt  that  other  species  are  misidentified  as 
Broad-winged  Hawks  on  Christmas  Bird  Counts  and  just  generally 
through  the  winter  (young  Red-shouldered  and  Cooper’s  Hawks  are  only 
some  of  the  culprits).  But  reliable  observers  have  been  seeing  real  Broad- 
winged Hawks  in  Nova  Scotia,  even  on  Cape  Breton  Island,  in  December 
and  January  in  recent  years — and  six  were  detailed  there  this  past  winter, 
2 December  200 1 through  1 3 January  2002.  One  would  then  assume  that 
New  England  might  have  recorded  eight  or  so,  the  Middle  Atlantic  states 
a dozen  or  more.  In  fact,  a single  bird  at  Cape  May  2 December  and  three 
“adequately  described”  birds  on  eastern  North  Carolina  C.B.C.s  on  16 
December  were  the  only  other  ones  reported  on  the  East  Coast  north  of 
Florida,  where  regular  in  winter.  (Others  were  noted  overwintering  in 
southern  Louisiana,  a relatively  recent  pattern,  while  one  at  year’s  end  in 
Colorado  was  without  precedent.) 

One  could  call  the  assumption  that  Neotropical  lingerers  such  as  the 
warblers  or  Broad- winged  Hawks  should  be  found  in  increasing  num- 
bers in  progressively  warmer  climes  the  “Latitudinal  Fallacy,”  even 
though  the  assumption  appears  to  hold  true,  by  and  large,  for  Blue-gray 
Gnatcatchers,  Blue-headed  Vireos,  and  those  winter  hummingbirds,  for 
instance.  For  those  of  us  who  look  forward  to  Christmas  Bird  Counts 
every  year,  we  have  to  be  on  our  guard  against  this  potential  error.  For 
instance,  for  the  Atlantic  Provinces,  I count  nearly  25  Yellow-breasted 


Chats  this  past  season.  And  out  on  Long  Island  and  Cape  Cod,  birders 
seem  to  come  across  a nice  number  of  winter  chats.  In  the  mid-Atlantic 
states,  we’re  lucky  to  scrape  up  two  or  three  chats  all  winter,  in  an  area 
with  hundreds  of  birders!  Nova  Scotia,  Cape  Cod,  and  Long  Island  are 
largely  surrounded  by  water:  for  a misoriented  fall  reverse-migrant,  such 
as  a chat  (or  a Broad-winged  Hawk),  overwintering  might  be  the  only 
apparent  alternative  to  a chilly  open-water  crossing,  which  both  would 
be  loath  to  do  in  a state  of  depletion.  Islands  and  peninsulas  both  trap 
and  concentrate  the  waifs  of  autumn,  but  not  in  a uniform  way,  and  it  is 
tough  to  say  why  Nova  Scotia  would  have  almost  twice  the  number  of 
Broad-winged  Hawks  as  the  other  eastern  provinces  and  states  com- 
bined— or  almost  three  times  the  diversity  of  warblers  of  the  Chesapeake 
Bay  region,  with  its  long  peninsula.  Perhaps  the  combination  of  imped- 
iments to  onward  migration  (geography,  prey  resources,  climate)  is  sim- 
ply more  dire  there  than  elsewhere.  In  any  case,  the  immature  Broad- 
winged Hawks  observed  here  in  the  early  winter  are  not  usually  observed 
toward  winter’s  end,  and  it  seems  probable  that  most  perish  here;  we 
should  take  note  if  these  birds  continue  to  be  seen  here  in  coming  win- 
ters and  survive  through  the  entire  winter  season. 

The  White-rumped  Sandpipers  identified  annually  on  Nova  Scotia’s 
Cape  Breton  Island  might  represent  a different  situation,  one  not  con- 
sidered in  last  winter’s  Changing  Seasons  column,  namely  an  annual 
pocket  of  overwintering  birds  some  13,000  kilometers  out  of  typical  win- 
ter range.  As  far  as  is  known,  White-rumped  Sandpipers  winter  in  south- 
ern South  America:  they’re  there  to  bid  you  bon  voyage  at  the  head  of  the 
Beagle  Channel  as  you  set  sail  for  South  Georgia  or  Antarctica  in 
November.  Why  are  up  to  four  now  present  annually,  all  winter,  on  Cape 
Breton  Island?  And  why  isn’t  the  species  observed  north  of  Florida 
(where  winter  reports  are  not  yet  confirmed)  in  the  winter  otherwise? 
The  answer  here  seems  tempting:  that  these  birds  have  figured  out  that 
the  prey  resources  and  climate  are  sufficient  here,  in  the  extensive  mud- 
flats of  the  area,  to  permit  them  to  forego  most  of  their  extraordinary 
transequatorial  migration.  This  could  be  the  beginning  of  a wider  trend; 
or  it  might  just  be  a few  ailing  birds  per  year  that  cannot  make  it  from  a 
key  stopover  site  down  to  South  America.  Broad-winged  Hawks  spend- 
ing the  winter  in  Louisiana  is  impressive;  but  White-rumped  Sandpipers 
wintering  above  latitude  45°  N is  mind-blowing:  they  should  be  south  of 
the  Tropic  ofCapricornl  One  wonders  whether  these  birds  are  not  simply 
just  the  “dross,”  the  failures  in  otherwise  successful  migratory  strategies, 
or  whether  their  presence  at  this  remarkable  outpost  can’t  tel!  us  some- 
thing startling  and  new  about  broader  biometeorological  changes  on  the 
horizon.  If  double-digit  figures  of  White-rumpeds  are  seen  here  in  future 
years,  we  should  pay  attention. 

Whatever  sense  we  make  of  them,  if  any,  most  of  us  are  impressed  by 
these  “gee-whiz”  birds,  as  they’re  sometimes  called,  birds  that  are  genuine 
seasonal  “vagrants,”  though  they  might  be  very  common  at  other  times 
of  year.  Certainly,  they  attract  skepticism  (which,  politely,  one  must 
maintain  vis-a-vis  many  such  reports).  Certainly,  they  brighten  the 
Christmas  Bird  Count  season  and  make  the  long  hours  under  harsh  con- 
ditions seem  merry.  As  noted  in  many  a winter’s  “Changing  Seasons” 
column,  however,  they’re  hard  to  piece  together  into  evidence  of  anything 
in  the  single-seasonal  framework.  This  past  winter’s  bird  reports 
together  suggest  a reasonably  strong  correlation  between  unusual  linger- 
ers/overwinterers and  mild  weather  (or  climate),  as  most  of  the  recent 
winter  “Changing  Seasons”  columns  have  observed.  For  now,  we  will 
leave  it  at  that. 

WATERFOWL 

In  light  of  the  concord  of  regional  reports,  I elected  to  use  this  essay  not 
to  repeat  last  year’s  incredulity  about  wintering  hummingbirds  (how 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


141 


quickly  we  become  accustomed  to  the  astonishing)  but  instead  to  take  a 
look  at  a set  of  birds  I rarely  spend  quality  time  with:  waterfowl.  I like 
and  value  waterfowl,  but  I take  for  granted  that  their  identification  and 
distribution  have  been  worked  out — not  the  case  at  all,  of  course.  And 
when  it  comes  to  waterfowl  vagrancy,  my  response  has  been  a shrug. 
Modern  waterfowl  collectors  seem  to  keep  almost  everything,  and  these 
birds  too  often  fly  the  coop  (a  few  hours  perusing  on-line  offerings  of 
exotic  and  native  waterfowl,  and  much  else,  is  eye-opening).  Sour 
grapes?  Not  necessarily,  but  arguments  about  the  “wildness”  of  a given 
potential  vagrant  so  often  come  down  to  familiar  tete-a-tetes  between 
the  credulous  and  the  skeptical  (or  the  open-minded  and  the  spoilers, 
depending  on  your  point  of  view)  and  are  less  enlightening  after  one 
goes  through  a few.  When  asked  what  he  thought  of  the  provenance  of 
a certain  Pink-footed  Goose  found  on  local  turf,  a wizened  New 
Englander  quipped:  “I  don’t  know.  Why  don’t  you  ask  the  bird?”  In  most 
of  the  sections  that  follow,  human  interventions  and  accidents  feature 
prominently;  no  one,  apparently,  asked  the  bird. 

Barnacle  Oeese  (again) 

Once  bitten,  twice  shy.  Most  readers  remember  the  excitement  that 
accompanied  announcement  of  a flock  of  six  “countable”  Barnacle  Geese 
on  Cape  Cod  in  January  1991.  Air  tickets  were  booked,  and  the  geese 
were  dutifully  ticked  off.  Those  who  made  the  journey  can  thank 
Regional  Editor  Brian  Dalzell  for  dispelling  the  myth  of  their  wild  ori- 
gins. Brian  did  some  checking  around  and  found  out  that  these 
unmarked  geese  had  come  from  a rogue  collector’s  gallery  on  White 
Rock  Island,  near  Grand  Manan  Island,  New  Brunswick.  Two  adult 
Barnacle  Geese  had  been  released  in  1990  (along  with  other  waterfowl), 
raised  four  young  on  the  island  (A.  B.  45:  244),  migrated  with  them  in 
early  September  to  Cape  Sable  Island,  Nova  Scotia,  where  they  were 
counted  on  the  local  C.  B.  C.  and  remained  through  8 January  1991, 
thence  repairing  to  Osterville,  Cape  Cod,  Massachusetts,  where  they  win- 
tered at  least  18  January — 22  March.  In  the  spring,  they  returned  to 
Cape  Sable  Island  in  May  via  Bangor,  Maine  18  April  and  Hopkinton, 
New  Hampshire  20  April  (A.  B.  45:  416).  A perfectly  reasonable  and  civ- 
ilized thing  to  do,  from  the  goose  point  of  view:  after  all,  released  Canada 
Geese,  though  usually  more  sedentary,  had  been  making  up  their  own 
rules  for  decades. 

Since  that  time,  it  has  become  more  difficult  for  some  to  take  an  inter- 
est in  tracking  and  documenting  potentially  vagrant  Barnacle  Geese  (or 
any  other  waterfowl).  The  traffickers  in  captive  birds  tamper,  sometimes 
mindlessly  and  usually  unnecessarily,  with  ornithologists’  and  birders’ 
efforts  to  understand  movements  of  birds.  It  takes  a few  minutes  to  band 
a bird  to  indicate  captive  origin,  but  some  collectors  argue  that  it  “spoils” 
the  birds  aesthetically.  (Insert  your  reaction  here.) 

The  “parolee”  Barnacle  Geese  of  1991  stayed  together  as  a family 
group,  but  in  fall  and  winter  2001-2002,  rather  widely  separated  single 
Barnacle  Geese  in  company  with  Canada  Geese  were  the  rule.  To  the  best 
of  my  reckoning,  there  were  minimally  eight  Barnacle  Geese  present  in 
eastern  North  America  between  New  Brunswick,  Massachusetts, 
Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  and 
Virginia,  November  2001  through  April  2002  (Table  1),  more  than  in  an 
average  winter,  to  be  sure.  These  birds’  behaviors  differed  little  from  the 
locally  wintering  Canada  Geese  with  which  they  found  themselves,  and 
none  of  the  Barnacle  Geese  bore  bands  or  tags,  and  none  had  clipped 
haluxes  (good  waterfowl  collectors  typically  clip  captives’  haluxes). 

We  have,  in  short,  no  evidence  that  these  Barnacle  Geese  were  former 
captives;  nor  is  there  any  evidence  that  they  were  from  a wild  population, 
the  nearest  of  which  is  in  Greenland,  several  hundred  kilometers  from 
Canada.  Regional  editors  from  New  England,  Hudson-Delaware,  and 


Middle  Atlantic  opined  in  different  ways  about  the  origin  of  these  geese. 
In  Connecticut,  Pam  Hunt  notes  that  the  Barnacle  Goose  populations  in 
Greenland  are  expanding  (thus  the  supply  of  potential  vagrants  would  be 
increasing)  and  that  the  Connecticut  bird  accompanied  a flock  of 
Canada  Geese,  some  of  which  had  been  banded  on  Greenland  nesting 
grounds.  In  northern  Virginia,  an  adult  Barnacle  Goose  hung  around  a 
rather  docile  set  of  Canada  Geese,  one  of  which  was  banded  in  1999  as  a 
gosling  near  Peterborough,  Ontario,  which  Marshall  Iliff  cites  as  poten- 
tially problematic  for  a pro-vagrancy  argument. 

Of  course,  we  should  not  assume,  in  this  day  of  postmodern  land- 
scapes and  the  proliferation  of  vast  urban  goose  flocks  (that  in  the  cold 
months  include  “wild”  migrants  and  local  birds  of  “feral”  stock),  that  a 
vagrant  Barnacle  Goose  must  have  descended  the  continent  with  birds 
from  its  natal  or  breeding  grounds — or  that  it  must  spend  the  winter 
with  these  birds  (or  that  Canada  Geese  from  Ontario  cannot  flock  with 
geese  from  Greenland).  Likewise,  we  should  not  assume  that  a Barnacle 
Goose  associating  with  Greenland-banded  Canada  Geese  came  from  the 
Greenland  population.  (In  fact,  as  Barnacle  Geese  also  nest  on  Novaya 
Zemyla  and  Svalbard,  there  is  no  reason  to  assume  that  North  American 
birds,  if  wild,  came  from  Greenland  at  all.)  A vagrant  goose  moving 
down  the  coast  might  just  as  easily  put  down  with  a flock  of  city  geese 
that  holds  a complement  of  waddling,  mottled  Muscovy  Ducks  as  with  a 
tundra-nesting  flock  out  in  the  farm  fields.  This  is  especially  true  of 
stressed  birds  in  periods  of  harsh  weather,  when  the  shelter  of  the  local 
golf  course  pond  or  boat  marina  can  harbor  a bewildering  mix  of  former 
pets  and  formidable  rarities.  In  Europe,  however,  single  Barnacle  Geese 
found  inland,  away  from  typical  coastal  wintering  areas,  are  regarded 
with  suspicion. 

Are  these  approximately  eight  Barnacle  Geese  just  the  same  old  fami- 
ly group,  now  increased,  that  was  first  noted  in  1990?  (If  so,  how  have  we 
missed  most  of  them  for  the  previous  ten  winters?)  Or  are  they  the  real 
thing,  vagrants  blown  off  course  by  the  unusual  easterlies  set  up  by 
decaying  hurricanes  Erin,  Gabrielle,  or  Humberto  between  Greenland 
and  Iceland  during  the  time  of  their  transit  to  stopover  grounds  in 
southeastern  Iceland?  (If  so,  why  didn’t  any  groups  of  Barnacles  show  up 
together?  Don’t  these  birds  usually  migrate  in  family  groups?)  Is  it  dis- 
turbing that  this  year’s  first  Barnacle  Goose  turned  up,  again,  in  New 
Brunswick?  (Say,  Brian,  could  you  do  some  more  checking  around?) 

In  the  absence  of  a compelling  piece  of  evidence  to  sway  opinion  one 
way  or  another,  one  can  just  as  easily  envision  a prankster  purchasing 
and  releasing  a dozen  Barnacle  Geese  (or  even  driving  all  around  the 
East,  planting  them  in  local  goose  flocks)  as  one  can  imagine  a group  of 
migrant  Barnacle  Geese  breaking  up  under  storm  conditions  over  the 
northwestern  North  Atlantic  and  being  driven  back  southwestward 
toward  North  America.  If  ever  there  were  a case  to  be  made  for  a “flight” 
of  vagrant  Barnacle  Geese  into  North  America,  the  2001-2002  birds 
might  be  the  best  shot;  certainly,  no  past  winter  has  seen  evidence  of  such 
a widespread  “flight.”  Or  perhaps  our  old  friends  from  White  Rock  Island 
just  felt  the  need  to  get  out  and  see  more  of  the  world.  If  a feral  popula- 
tion of  Barnacle  Geese  becomes  established  in  eastern  Canada,  one  won- 
ders how  long  it  might  take  before  their  nesting  range  overlaps  with  that 
of  the  expanding  Eurasian  Collared-Dove  (which  now  nests  above  the 
Arctic  Circle  in  Norway,  by  the  way). 

A possible  twist  in  the  tale  comes  from  Maryland,  in  the  report  of  a 
flock  of  Barnacle  Geese.  Ellie  and  Walt  Simonson  write:  “We  saw  a flock 
of  about  10  Barnacle  Geese  on  Egypt  Road  on  the  drive  into  Blackwater 
N.W.R.  on  12  January  at  about  10:00  a.m.  We  did  not  count  them  pre- 
cisely because  at  the  time  we  did  not  realize  that  seeing  a flock  of  Barnacle 
Geese  was  so  unusual  (we  did  not  know  at  that  time  that  people  were 
mostly  seeing  single  Barnacle  Geese).  We  later  saw  the  Barnacle  Goose 


142 


North  American  Birds 


Changing  Seasons 


Table  1 . Barnacle  Geese  recorded  in  eastern  North  America, 
November  2001 -—April  2002 

New  Brunswick 

One  bird  was  present  in  Moncton  3-28  November  2001.  No  other 
Barnacle  Geese  were  reported  during  this  time  frame,  so  this  bird  could 
be  the  same  individual  as  any  of  the  subsequent  birds. 

Massachusetts 

One  was  at  Gioucester  2-7  December  2001  in  the  salt  marsh  off  Route 
127,  opposite  the  Good  Harbor  Beach  parking  lot.  One  was  at  Lynnfield 
Marsh  Pleasure  Island  Road,  Wakefield  or  Lynnfield,  Essex  County  17-20 
February  (said  not  to  be  the  one  in  nearby  Connecticut).  Another  was 
reported  at  Herring  Pond,  Eastham  1 March  2002. 

Connecticut 

One  at  Mansfield  at  Stearns  Farm  4-12  December  2001  was  followed 
quickly  by  one  at  Mirror  Lake,  Storrs,  from  1 2 December  2001  through 
22  January  2002.  This  bird  differed  from  at  least  one  of  the 
Massachusetts  birds,  if  indeed  Massachusetts  had  more  than  one. 

Rhode  Island 

One  in  Portsmouth  15-19  January  in  the  fieid  along  Middle  Road;  appar- 
ently the  same  bird  noted  nearby  1 6 January  at  Lawton  Reservoir  off 
West  Main  Road. 

New  York 

There  were  minimally  two  single  Barnacle  Geese  in  various  locations 
around  eastern  Long  Island,  all  in  Suffolk  County  between  17  November 
and  20  January:  at  Hook  Pond,  Easthampton;  Marratooka  Lake,  Mattituck; 
Penny  Pond,  Northville;  Grumman  Pond,  Calverton;  and  atWainscott  (fideP. 
Gillen,  A.  Guthrie,  A.  Wilson).  Another  different  individual  frequented 
Oakland  Lake,  Bayside,  Queens,  New  York  City,  as  well  as  the  Marine 
Parkway  and  Floyd  Bennet  Field,  1 January  through  7 April  (I.  Grant,  S. 
Walter).  An  adult  at  Iroquois  N.W.R.  1 March-i-  was  almost  certainly  anoth- 
er individual  (f/cfeW.  D’Anna). 

New  Jersey 

One  in  Warren  County  at  Merrill  Creek  Reservoir  from  5 to  1 0 February  2002. 
Pennsylvania 

One  at  Buckingham  Township,  Bucks  County  from  2 to  1 9 February. 

Virginia 

A bird  discovered  6 January  2002  on  the  Potomac  River  at  Beile  Haven 
Marina  was  iast  seen  there  26  January;  presumably,  the  same  bird  set- 
tled down  in  nearby  Alexandria  between  Cameron  Run  Regional  Park  and 
Bill  Brenman  Park,  last  reported  1 8 February. 


that  has  been  seen  by  many  birders  in  Alexandria  on  2 February  while  on 
a bird  walk  with  some  excellent  birders  from  the  Alexandria  Wild  Bird 
Center.  We  were  able  to  confirm  that  the  geese  we  saw  on  Egypt  Road 
were  of  the  same  species.”  Naturally,  one  assumes  that  the  birds  in  ques- 
tion were  probably  distant  blue-morph  Snow  Geese;  but  what  if  they 
weren’t  ....?  The  moral  of  this  story,  indeed  of  this  journal:  consult  the 
field  guide,  and  take  notes,  and  always  have  the  camera  turned  on  and 
ready. 


King  Eiders 

Where  are  the  King  Eiders  along  the  U.  S.  Atlantic  coast  lately?  On  the 
East  Coast,  only  five  were  reported  in  fall  and  winter  2001-2002,  just  a 
fraction  of  numbers  seen  between  Maine  and  North  Carolina  a decade 
earlier,  for  instance.  Though  flights  of  this  species  have  tended  to  show  a 
fair  amount  of  variation  over  the  past  half-century,  it  seems  curious  that 
the  Great  Lakes,  in  particular  Lake  Ontario,  should  suddenly  be  seeing 
large  numbers  of  King  Eiders,  daily  counts  of  up  to  91,  whereas  prior  to 
the  early  or  even  mid-1990s,  the  species  was  considered  a vagrant  here 
despite  counts  of  up  to  75  from  the  turn  of  the  past  century.  (In  Madge 
and  Burn  [1988],  it  is  suggested  that  King  Eider  is  the  most  abundant  of 
all  ducks  worldwide;  however,  its  populations  are  known  to  be  declining 
in  the  Americas  and  in  Siberia.) 

The  recently  published  Summary  of  the  Hamlin  Beach  Lakewatch  Fall 
and  Winter  Waterbird  Migration  Data  1993-1999  (Brett  Ewald  and 
Dominic  Sherony,  2001,  Federation  of  New  York  State  Bird  Clubs)  shows 
no  records  for  King  Eider  until  1997,  after  which  it  is  recorded  annually. 
Are  the  ready  supplies  of  the  invading  exotic  Zebra  Mussels  on  the  Great 
Lakes,  certainly  an  attraction  to  the  wintering  eiders  here,  tied  to  the 
recent  scarcity  of  King  Eiders  on  the  East  Coast?  Might  similar  drops  in 
Common  Goldeneye,  scaup.  White-winged  Scoters,  and  other  divers 
along  Atlantic  shores  be  attributable  to  this  rich  (and  tainted?)  food  sup- 
ply nearer  to  nesting  grounds.  Or  perhaps  the  recent  mild  winters,  or  the 
declining  populations  of  the  eider,  or  degradation  of  past  Atlantic  coastal 
haunts  are  causes  of  its  scarcity,  which  could  too  just  be  a temporary  lull 
of  a perfectly  “natural”  sort.  Even  if  the  Great  Lakes  freeze  over,  as  they 
did  partly  in  early  1994,  we  might  not  get  a clear  answer  to  these  ques- 
tions. Meanwhile,  several  standardized  studies  of  wintering  waterfowl 
are  in  progress  on  the  Great  Lakes,  with  data  to  be  published  soon — the 
news  is  sure  to  be  intriguing.  (Check  the  August  issue  of  Birding.) 

Trumpeter  Swan  (again) 

The  bird’s  very  name  calls  out  for  the  conservation  measures  that  have 
long  been  in  place  to  aid  its  recovery:  to  silence  the  Trumpeter  would  be 
to  take  aim  at  an  angel  incarnate.  But  in  Tennessee  this  year,  a young 
Trumpeter  was  shot  and  killed,  and  its  parent  was  also  wounded,  in  a 
state  where  the  species  had  not  been  seen  for  “182  years  and  28  days”  as 
Dwight  Cooley  writes,  since  John  James  Audubon’s  sight  records.  (The 
hunter  paid  a small  out-of-court  fine  for  his  crime.)  Incidents  such  as 
this  are  bound  to  occur  again,  as  the  hundreds  of  introduced  breeding 
Trumpeter  Swans  from  Ontario,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Illinois, 
South  Dakota,  Missouri,  and  Ohio  wander  more  widely  in  search  of  win- 
tering grounds  that  can  support  their  growing  needs. 

Lately  we  have  another  chapter  in  the  Trumpeter  Swan  story,  one  that 
few  of  us  have  not  noticed,  at  least  in  passing,  in  the  mass  media  and  even 
a movie,  namely  the  establishing  of  an  “Atlantic  population,”  one  poten- 
tially based  in  New  York  and  wintering  in  Maryland.  This  project  has 
been,  at  various  times,  a joint  venture  of  the  Maryland  Department  of 
Natural  Resources,  the  Atlantic  Flyway  Council,  The  Trumpeter  Swan 
Society,  Environmental  Studies  at  Airlie  (Warrenton,  Virginia;  a division 
of  the  International  Academy  for  Preventive  Medicine),  Operation 
Migration,  The  Defenders  of  Wildlife,  and  the  Wildfowl  Trust  of 
North  America  (near  Grasonville,  Maryland),  with  the  assistance  of 
the  Council  of  Chiefs  of  the  Tonawanda  Band  of  Senecas.  All  of  these 
groups,  one  assumes,  have  the  best  interests  of  wildlife  at  heart 
(one  can  read  more  on  the  latest  experiments  at  <http://www.trum- 
peterswans.org/TSMP_3_02. html>). 

The  latest  chapter  of  the  efforts  to  establish  the  species  in  the  East  has 
not  been  altogether  felicitous,  nor  very  well  publicized,  and  our  regional 
reports  have  little  recent  information  on  the  efforts.  In  the  most  recent 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


143 


experiments,  some  18  Trumpeter  cygnets  were  removed  from  Chugach 
National  Forest,  Alaska,  in  June  2000;  two  of  these  died  in  transport  from 
Alaska,  while  three  more  died  that  year  (one  of  a dislocated  tendon, 
another  in  a collision  with  the  ultra-light  aircraft  used  to  train  them  to 
migrate,  while  another  was  shot  in  Maryland  soon  after  it  arrived  on  the 
intended  wintering  ground).  Another  Trumpeter  cygnet  was  not  deemed 
physically  fit  for  the  experiment  and  was  not  released. 

The  dozen  remaining  Alaska  Trumpeters  spent  much  of  the  summer 
of  2001  and  winter  2001-2002  in  the  vicinity  of  Oak  Orchard 
Management  Area  and  Iroquois  N.  W.  R.,  in  upstate  New  York.  This 
group  was  comprised  of  four  that  were  trained  to  follow  ultra-light  air- 
craft and  eight  that  had  been  trucked  in  to  the  site  from  the  northern 
Virginia  collection  at  Airlie.  The  mild  winter  meant  they  didn’t  need  to 
migrate  (which  the  majority  had  not  been  trained  to  do  in  any  case),  and 
so  seven  of  the  eight  trucked  birds  have  been  recaptured  this  spring,  on 
instructions  from  the  New  York  State  Department  of  Environmental 
Conservation  and  the  U.  S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service;  the  last  bird  has 
evaded  capture.  The  other  four  swans,  those  that  learned  part  of  the 
route  from  New  York  state  to  Maryland  in  2001,  have  disappeared,  last 
seen  18  February  2002  in  the  Niagara  River  gorge  above  Niagara  Falls, 
associating  with  a large  flock  of  Tundra  Swans.  These  are  neck-collared 
(yellow  and  black);  keep  an  eye  out  for  them. 

After  three  migration  experiments  with  Trumpeters  based  at  Airlie,  it 
seems  the  coalition  has  not  remained  unified  on  the  issue  of  the  intro- 
duction of  the  species  into  the  eastern  states.  The  Atlantic  Flyway 
Council  has  not  approved  a Trumpeter  Swan  Management  Plan  (Luszcz 
2000),  and  so  the  captured  birds  will  most  likely  be  contributed  to  anoth- 
er restoration  program,  and  negotiations  with  the  Mississippi  Flyway 
Swan  Committee  have  begun,  despite  some  trepidation  about  the  “wild- 
ness” of  these  swans. 

Kenn  Kaufman  ( 1997)  wrote  extensively  in  these  pages  about  the  eco- 
logical peril  that  introduced  Trumpeter  Swans  might  pose  to  ecosystems 
where  the  species  has  not  been  present  for  centuries  (if  at  all:  at  many  of 
the  introduction  sites,  there  is  no  historical  record  of  the  species  having 
nested  there).  Certainly,  here  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay  area,  introduced 
Mute  Swans  have  inarguably  been  a disaster,  chasing  off  other  nesting 
waterbirds,  even  in  some  cases  attacking  humans  that  dared  wander  into 
their  sizeable  territories!  (Greek  mythology  meets  Gary  Larson.)  In  four 
decades,  from  the  initial  Maryland  introduction  of  five  Mute  Swans  in 
1962,  the  species  has  flourished,  if  you  will,  with  a current  population  of 
some  3,000  birds  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay  area.  What  seemed  at  first  a 
quaint  distraction,  like  the  decorative  brace  of  Canada  Geese  on  the 
occasional  estate  pond,  has,  like  the  introduction  of  Canada  Geese, 
grown  into  a fair-sized  ecological  horror,  as  well  as  a public  relations  dis- 
aster: animal  rights  activists  now  fight  against  the  state’s  “removal”  of 
Mute  Swans  in  these  areas — and  even  Dame  Judith  Dench  lends  her 
name  to  the  fight  against  the  removal  of  feral  Canada  Geese  in  urban 
England!  Incredibly,  the  latest  judicial  interpretation  of  the  Migratory 
Bird  Treaty  Act  includes  Mute  Swan  as  a protected  species! 

Some  of  Kaufman’s  cautions  were  based  on  analogy  with  the  cases  of 
Canada  Geese  and  especially  Mute  Swans,  for  which  there  is  no  con- 
scionable  argument  for  introduction  in  North  America  (arguments  of 
real  estate  developers  and  aviculturalists  that  the  birds  add  to  the  “aes- 
thetic” and  thus  monetary  value  of  the  property  don’t  fall  under  the 
rubric  of  the  “conscionable”).  Trumpeter  Swans,  unlike  Mutes,  were 
indeed  documented  as  wintering  birds  on  the  upper  Chesapeake  Bay  in 
early  colonial  times.  And  Trumpeter  Swans  do  not  appear  to  be  as  indis- 
criminately aggressive  toward  other  vertebrates  as  are  Mute  Swans,  so  we 
can  probably  relax  worries  about  them  attacking  moorhens,  children, 
dogs,  and  couples  in  canoes.  At  least,  in  this  last  experiment  at  Airlie,  the 


captured  Alaskan  cygnets  showed  no  aggression  toward  humans,  unlike 
in  the  earlier  experiments. 

When  Kaufman  wrote  that  the  “Trumpeter  introductions  are  doing 
disquietingly  well,”  he  was  no  doubt  unnerved  by  the  confirmed  1996 
nestings  of  Trumpeters  at  two  sites  in  New  York,  probably  swans  from  the 
Ontario  introductions,  which  had  begun  in  1982.  Adjacent  to  these  swan 
nests  were  nests  of  the  beleaguered  Black  Tern,  whose  numbers  appear  to 
fall  in  most  years,  as  their  nesting  habitat,  shared  with  many  prairie 
waterbirds,  vanishes.  Though  there  have  been  impact  studies  and  hypo- 
thetical arguments  brought  to  bear,  we  just  don’t  know  whether  there  is 
ecological  “room”  for  the  megafauna  of  the  past,  such  as  Trumpeter 
Swan,  in  the  diminished  and  fragmented  eastern  ecosystems  we  have 
inherited.  After  all,  the  Chesapeake  Bay  until  not  long  ago  harbored  tens 
of  thousands  of  Tundra  Swans  in  winter;  most  merely  stop  over  here  on 
migration  now,  as  the  Bay  is  still  in  poor  health.  Harmful  interaction 
with  other  species  is  one  risk  posed  by  introductions  of  large  waterfowl 
species;  depletion  of  resources  needed  by  other  species  is  another. 
Gambles  such  as  these  are  certainly  preferable  to  the  outright  introduc- 
tion of  nonnative  species,  such  as  Mute  Swan  (or  Barnacle  Geese),  but 
one  wonders,  given  the  presence  of  large  and  healthy  Trumpeter  Swan 
populations  out  West,  whether  our  slim  resources  might  not  be  better 
put  in  the  service  of  the  less  Hollywood-ready  species,  such  as  Black 
Terns,  rather  than  in  taking  such  risks  by  introducing  “big  ducks  in  small 
ponds.” 

Blue-morph  Ross’s  Geese  (again) 

Reports  of  blue-morph  Ross’s  Goose — a rare  creature  and  one  believed 
to  represent,  in  the  case  of  many  reports,  a situation  of  introgression  by 
or  hybridization  with  blue-morph  Lesser  Snow  Geese — have  become 
increasingly  regular  out  of  range  and  bear  revisiting  here.  (Thankfully, 
we  are  not  aware  of  any  blue  Ross’s  in,  or  escaped  from,  captivity.)  This 
past  autumn  2001,  an  immature  blue-morph  Ross’s  was  studied  at 
Metabetchouan,  Quebec  on  28  September,  and  a group  of  four  Ross’s 
Geese  present  17-26  November  at  Chincoteague  N.W.R.  was  reported  to 
have  two  blue  morphs  (an  adult  and  an  immature);  this  is  the  second 
report  for  the  locale,  the  first  having  been  2 November  1994,  and  region- 
ally, a few  blue  Ross’s  have  been  reported  along  the  Eastern  Seaboard 
since  the  late  1980s,  when  Ross’s  became  regular  visitors  in  small  num- 
bers. Iliff  raised  the  question  of  hybridization  in  his  column  in  1998  (F. 
N.  52:  41)  after  finding  a family  comprised  of  an  adult  white-morph 
Ross’s  Goose,  its  blue-morph  Snow  x Ross’s  Goose  hybrid  mate,  and  four 
young  of  the  year,  three  white  and  a blue  in  Maryland;  Michael  Patten 
(1998)  treated  the  matter  in  the  “Changing  Seasons”  column  that  season 
as  well. 

Where  would  one  go  to  find  out  more  about  this  very  scarce,  little- 
known  bird?  There  are  in  fact  few  if  any  photographs  in  print,  but  there 
are  helpful  paintings  in  David  Sibley’s  The  Sibley  Guide  to  Birds  (Knopf, 
2000).  The  article  by  McLandress  and  McLandress  (1979)  that  intro- 
duced us  to  this  rare  morph  is  not  intended  as  a primer  for  field  identi- 
fication. Nowadays,  one  can  turn  for  much  rich  discussion  on  such  mat- 
ters to  the  Internet.  On  the  listserve  “Frontiers  of  Field  Identification,” 
owned  by  Will  Russell,  there  was  recently  an  engaging  discussion  about 
putative  blue  Ross’s  Geese,  mostly  focused  on  birds  seen  in  the  core  range 
of  Ross’s,  rather  than  on  the  fringes.  At  issue  have  been  several  photo- 
graphs posted  on  the  Internet,  all  of  which  are  commended  for  viewing: 

• two  apparent  blue-morph,  an  adult  and  an  immature,  Ross’s 
Geese  photographed  by  John  and  Barbara  Ribble  near  Karnes 
City,  Texas  on  17  February  1999,  and  an  apparent  adult 
photographed  by  Matt  White  at  Lake  Tawakoni,  Van  Zandt 
County,  Texas  on  30  January  2000 


144 


North  American  Birds 


Changing  Seasons 


(<http://members.tripod.com/~tbrc/brossgo.html>); 

• Arizona’s  first  record  of  blue-morph  Ross’s  Goose,  a bird 
photographed  at  Nogales  Sewage  Treatment  Plant  in  early 
January  1999  by  Regional  Editor  Mark  M.  Stevenson  that  remained  at  least 
through  21  January  1999  (<http://personal.riverusers.com/~ghrosenberg/ 
ArizonaPhotos/BlueRossGoose.html>), 

• a goose  specimen  collected  9 March  2000  by  Larry  Langenfeld 
west  of  Florence,  Codington  County,  South  Dakota 
(<http://lupus.northern.edu:90/tallmand/ross.htm>); 

• a goose  photographed  in  the  heart  of  “blue  Ross’s  country,”  at 
Klamath  Lakes  California  15  April  1999  by  Richard  Millington 
( <http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ gallery.htm> ) ; and 

• an  apparent  blue-morph  Ross’s  Goose  photographed 
23  November  2001  at  Sacramento  National  Wildlife  Refuge, 
California  by  Kevin  McKereghan 

( <http:// fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/ ~jmorlan/ gallery.htm> ) . 

The  crux  of  this  Internet  discussion  comes  down  to  the  structure  of 
the  birds  in  question,  but  particularly  the  bills’  structure  and  pigmenta- 
tion: the  presence  or  absence  of  a black  or  dusky  “grin  patch”  on  the 
tomiae  (a  classic  adult  Ross’s  Goose  lacks  a grin  patch);  the  amount  of 
curvature  to  the  inner  edges  of  maxilla  and  mandible  (usually  flared  in 
Snow,  straighter  in  Ross’s);  the  shape  of  the  culmen  (straighter  in  Ross’s, 
more  concave  in  Snow);  and  the  shape  of  the  maxilla  where  it  meets  the 
feathering  of  the  head  (generally  straight  and  vertical  in  Ross’s  but  obvi- 
ously curved  in  Snow  Goose).  These  aspects  are  well  illustrated  in  the 
Sibley  guide,  as  are  the  blacker  scapulars  and  white  coverts  of  (most?) 
blue-morph  Ross’s  Goose  and  its  (usually?)  isolated  white  head  or  face. 
Naturally,  too,  Ross’s  Geese  are  smaller  than  Lesser  Snow  Geese,  the  sub- 
species in  which  blue  morphs  are  chiefly  found. 

Using  these  features,  one  might  conclude  (though  the  quality  of  the 
images  posted  is  not  quite  adequate  for  firm  conclusions)  that  the  birds 
from  Arizona  and  Texas  show  characters  most  consistent  with  blue- 
morph  Ross’s  Goose,  while  the  South  Dakota  and  Klamath  Lakes  birds 
show  more  intermediate  characters,  particularly  in  the  bills,  which 
appear  heavy  and  long  and  bear  dark  grin  patches.  The  Sacramento  bird, 
wonderfully  photographed,  seems  a typical  Ross’s  in  all  respects,  but  it 
does  seem  to  have  rather  dark  tomiae  as  well. 

Martin  Reid  raises  the  question,  not  addressed  in  Sibley’s  guide  or 
elsewhere,  as  to  how  much  of  a faint  or  thin  grin  patch  an  otherwise-typ- 
ical Ross’s  Goose  might  have  and  still  be  considered  “pure.”  Reid  writes: 
“How  much  of  this  variation  is  within  the  pure  Ross’s  gene  pool,  and 
how  much  is  due  to  hybridization  with  or  introgression  from  Snow? 
This  identification  issue  has  not  been  seriously  addressed  (to  my  knowl- 
edge) and  is  important  because  a conservative  interpretation  of  this  vari- 
ation (i.e.,  it  is  all  due  to  introgression  from  Snow)  might  lead  to  the 
invalidation  of  numerous  records  away  from  the  expected  range,  and 
would  mean  that  Ross’s  are  not  identifiable  in  flight  (as  Fj  or  F2  hybrids 
cannot  be  ruled  out  on  structure  and  size).” 

The  situation  calls  to  mind  Steve  Howell’s  ( 1998)  summary  of  the  dif- 
ficulty in  distinguishing  Thayer’s  from  Iceland  Gulls:  “We  can’t  learn  how 
much  they  interbreed  until  we  can  distinguish  them,  but  we  can’t  distin- 
guish them  because  they  appear  to  interbreed!”  If,  as  has  been  suggest- 
ed, the  sudden  appearance  of  blue-morph  Ross’s  Geese  in  the  latter  third 
of  the  past  century  was  owing  to  the  introduction  of  the  blue  allele  from 
occasional  hybridization  with  Lesser  Snow  Goose,  then  our  search  for  a 
“pure”  blue-morph  Ross’s  Goose  might  be  Quixotic.  If  memory  serves, 
Claudia  Wilds  consistently  and  calmly  rejected  all  reports  of  flying  Ross’s 
Geese  in  the  mid-Atlantic  out  of  concern  about  hybridization,  but  many 
of  us  have  been  rather  lax  in  tendering  records  of  Ross’s  out  of  core  range 


lately  (I  have  blithely  submitted  a few  reports  of  flying  Ross’s,  certainly!). 
Perhaps  we  should  arm  ourselves  with  more  caution  in  this  case. 

Bills  of  ivory 

We  would  be  neglectful  here  if  we  overlooked  the  substantial  search 
effort  mounted  this  winter  by  J.  M.  (Martjan)  Lammertink,  Alison  R. 
Styring,  Richard  L.  Knight,  Alan  Wormington,  Peter  McBride,  and  M. 
David  Luneau,  Jr.,  to  locate  evidence  of  the  continued  existence  of  the 
Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  in  Louisiana. 

The  effort,  sponsored  by  Carl  Zeiss  Optics  of  North  America  (for  full 
report,  see  <http://www.zeiss.com>),  generated  staggering  amounts  of 
national  press  publicity  and  raised  public  awareness  of  the  woodpecker’s 
plight  over  the  past  century  but  regrettably  did  not  succeed  in  photo- 
graphing an  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  in  the  Pearl  River  Wildlife 
Management  Area,  where  David  Kulivan  had  reported  seeing  a male  and 
a female  on  1 April  1999  (very  near  where  Nancy  Higginbotham  had, 
unbeknownst  to  Kulivan,  reported  seeing  one  13  years  earlier)  or  in  the 
adjacent  Bogue  Chitto  National  Wildlife  Refuge.  On  27  January  2002,  an 
“interesting”  recording  was  made  of  what  sounded  like  a large  wood- 
pecker rapping;  the  recording  can  be  heard  on  the  Zeiss  website.  Analyses 
of  the  recordings,  however,  suggest  that  the  source  was  a gun  rather  than 
a woodpecker. 

Nevertheless,  several  impressive  cavities  and  cavity  starts  and  at  least 
1 5 recently  dead  trees  with  extensive  bark  scaling — both  consistent  with 
Ivory-billed  work  but  not  known  to  be  consistent  with  the  work  of 
Pileated  Woodpecker — were  carefully  documented.  At  the  same  time,  a 
team  from  the  Cornell  Lab  of  Ornithology  placed  12  Autonomous 
Recording  Units  (ARUs),  a novel  technological  device  designed  in-house 
by  their  Bioacoustics  Research  Program,  throughout  the  Pearl  River 
basin;  these  units  took  in  some  4,000  hours  of  recorded  sound,  with 
results  soon  to  be  announced  (in  BirdScope  Vol.  16,  No.  3).  It  is  unclear 
at  the  time  of  press  whether  searches  for  the  woodpecker  will  be  mount- 
ed again  in  the  late  fall  and  winter  of  2002-2003.  If  the  species  is  not 
demonstrated  by  photograph  to  be  in  the  Pearl,  it  is  likely  that  this  area 
will  be  logged  in  the  near  future,  as  I understand  it. 

As  several  small  parties  had  done  after  Kulivan’s  sighting,  I went  in 
March  2002  to  see  the  Pearl,  to  get  a firsthand  sense  of  what  the  scaling 
and  cavity  starts  looked  like,  whether  they  matched  my  experience  of 
Pileated  Woodpeckers’  work  such  as  I had  seen  in  Virginia  and  Carolina 
swamps  of  Sweet  Gum  and  Bald  Cypress.  For  what  it’s  worth,  two  of  the 
large  cavity  starts  I saw  were  well  outside  the  realm  of  my  experience  with 
Pileated  Woodpecker:  their  oblong  shape  (one  with  a remarkably  rectan- 
gular top  border)  and  their  large  dimensions,  about  15  cm  tall  by  lO-t  cm 
wide,  were  striking  and  matched  archived  photographs  of  Ivory-billed 
cavities  (see  Figures  1 & 2).  Several  thoroughly  scaled,  very  recently  dead 
trees,  some  of  them  with  as  much  as  four  meters  of  their  boles  stripped 
of  very  tight  bark,  were  likewise  something  I had  never  seen  from 
Pileateds.  It  was  at  least  readily  apparent,  after  several  days  of  bayou 
trekking,  that  a large  woodpecker  or  two  should  have  little  trouble  evad- 
ing a small  search  team,  particularly  if  the  birds  are  relatively  shy,  not 
especially  vocal,  and  fairly  wide-ranging.  The  studies  of  James  Tanner 
(1942)  suggest  that  Ivory-billed  had,  or  has,  these  attributes. 

That  the  attractive  Pearl  River  area,  recently  logged  in  part,  might 
again  soon  fall  under  the  axe  is  a dismal  prospect.  Though  there  is  every 
possibility  that  Kulivan  and  Higginbotham  erred,  there  is  also  the  possi- 
bility that  they  did  not  and  that  a pair  of  Ivory-billed  Woodpeckers  per- 
sists in  the  basin.  The  data  gathered  by  the  search  team  suggest  that  it 
would  be  premature  to  assume  that  no  Ivory-billed  Woodpeckers  hang 
on  there.  Sixty  years  after  the  last  fully  documented  records,  the  situa- 
tion of  the  Pearl  puts  one  in  mind  of  Arthur  A.  Allen’s  foreword  of 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


145 


A few  large  cavities  and  cavity  starts  documented  in  the  Pearl  River  Wildlife  Management  Area  in  Louisiana  this  winter  (such  as  the  cavity  on  the  left)  resem- 
bled known  nest  cavities  of  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  (the  cavity  on  the  right  is  the  actual  nest  studied  by  James  Tanner  in  the  Singer  Tract;  it  is  currently 
housed  In  the  Cornell  collection).  The  cavities  thought  to  have  been  made,  possibly,  by  Ivory-billed  Woopeckers  had  large  interiors  and  very  large  apertures, 
with  an  oval-  or  pear-shaped  entrances.  Some  of  the  cavity  starts  showed  a roughly  hexagonal  shape.  The  cavity  entrance  on  the  left  shows  two  pale 
scrape  marks  on  the  lower  rim,  where  the  woodpeckers’  feet  would  cling  to  the  opening.  The  Tanner  nest  cavity  shows  the  same  pale  marks.  Photographs 
by  Kevin  J.  McGowan. 


August  1, 1942,  after  the  United  States’  entry  into  the  Second  World  War: 

[Tanner’s  study]  does  not  tell  how  the  Ivory-billed  Woodpeckers 
can  be  saved  by  the  expenditure  of  words  alone.  Much  real  work 
must  be  done — virgin  forest  must  be  set  aside  as  a sanctuary  and 
intelligent  management  practices  applied.  Is  the  bird  worth  it?  Is  the 
preservation  of  a glorious  species  that  has  taken  millions  of  years  to 
evolve  worth  ten  dollars?  Is  it  worth  ten  million  dollars? 

Today  we  are  measuring  our  love  of  freedom  in  billions  of  dollars 
and  thousands  of  lives.  The  American  way  of  living  is  worth  any- 
thing we  have  to  pay  to  preserve  it,  and  the  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker 
is  one  little  guide  post  on  our  way  of  life,  a reminder  of  that  pio- 
neering spirit  that  has  made  us  what  we  are,  a people  rich  in 
resourcefulness  and  powerful  to  accomplish  what  is  right.  [Tanner 
1942] 

Allen  answers  his  question:  “It  is  worth  whatever  we  must  pay  to  pre- 
serve it  before  it  is  too  late.”  As  the  United  States  finishes  prosecuting  its 
latest  war,  and  moves  toward  drilling  for  oil  in  the  Arctic  National 
Wildlife  Refuge  (thankfully  defeated,  this  time,  as  we  are  going  to  press), 
it  took  the  conscience  of  an  optics  company  to  make  an  effort  that  the 
national  government  would  not.  The  Louisiana  Department  of  Wildlife 
and  Fisheries  and  Carl  Zeiss  Sports  Optics  division,  especially  Anthony 
R.  Cataldo,  have  the  gratitude  of  a great  many  for  this  effort.  Certainly, 
there  are  many  more  pressing  conservation  quandaries  that  demand  our 
attention — and  one  can  scarcely  imagine  what  the  best  outcome  of  the 
discovery  of  a last  pair  of  Ivory-billed  Woodpeckers  might  be.  A modern 
photograph  would  evoke  as  much  remorse  at  what  we’ve  done  to  this 
species  as  faint  hope  at  the  prospect  of  its  survival.  Perhaps,  as  much  as 
an  expression  of  a conservation  ethic,  our  dogged  dedication  to  the  great 
birds — the  Trumpeter  Swan,  California  Condor,  Ivory-billed 
Woodpecker — speaks  of  our  sense  of  culpability  for  past  misdeeds  and 
our  need  to  atone  for  old  transgressions. — Ed. 


Acknowledgments 

Thanks  to  Geoff  LeBaron,  Bruce  Mactavish,  Paul  Lehman,  Bob  Curry, 

Chris  Witt  Kevin  McGowan,  Alison  Styring,  Ken  Rosenberg,  and  Blake 

Maybank  for  discussions  of  the  various  topics  treated  in  this  article. 

Literature  cited 

Howell,  S.  N.  G.  1998.  Shades  of  gray:  The  Catch-22  of  Thayer’s  Gull. 
Birders  Journal  7:  305-309. 

Kaufman,  K.  1997.  The  Changing  Seasons:  The  Nesting  Season,  June 
1— July  31,  1997.  Field  Notes  51:  960-963. 

Luszcz,  D.  2000.  Status  of  the  Atlantic  Flyway  Trumpeter  Swan 
Management  Plan,  in  Transactions  of  the  17th  Trumpeter  Swan 
Society  Conference.  The  Trumpeter  Swan  Society,  Maple  Plain, 
Minnesota.  North  American  Swans  29:  9-10. 

Madge,  S.  and  H.  Burn.  1988.  Waterfowl.  Boston.  Houghton — Mifflin. 

McLandress,  M.  R.,  and  I McLandress.  1979.  Blue-phase  Ross’  Geese 
and  other  blue-phase  geese  in  western  North  America.  Auk  96:  544- 
550. 

McLaren,  I.,  B.  Maybank,  K.  Keddy,  P.  D.  Taylor,  and  T.  Fitzgerald. 
2000.  A notable  autumn  .arrival  of  reverse-migrants  in  southern 
Nova  Scotia.  North  American  Birds  54:  4-10. 

Patten,  M.  A.  1998.  The  Changing  Seasons:  Nora,  El  Nino,  and  strays 
from  far  afield.  Field  Notes  52:  14-18. 

Tanner,  J.  T.  1942.  The  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker.  New  York.  National 
Audubon  Society.  A 


146 


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ASSOCIATION 


Atlantic  Provinces 


Brian  Dalzell 

Fundy  Bird  Observatory 

62  Bancroft  Point  Road 

Grand  Manan,  New  Brunswick  E5G  3C9 

(dalzeli@nbnet.nb.ca) 

Winter  was  a generally  timid  affair  in  the 
southern  reaches  of  the  expansive  Atlantic 
region — but  not  so  in  Labrador,  northern  New 
Brunswick,  and  the  Great  Northern  Peninsula 
of  Newfoundland,  where  it  was  colder  than 
normal.  Temperatures  dipped  as  low  as  -45 
degrees  C in  western  Labrador,  though  snowfall 
there  by  the  end  of  the  period  was  only  about 
half  of  the  long-term  winter  average  (300  cm). 
When  one  considers  that  this  Region  stretches 
some  1920  km  from  Cape  Chidley  in  the  north 
to  Cape  Sable  in  the  south,  such  extremes 
should  not  be  unexpected.  A good  indication  of 
this  sharp  climactic  difference  between  north 
and  south  was  the  number  of  species  detected 
in  two  adjoining  provinces:  Nova  Scotia  had  a 
record  209  species  for  the  period  (BMy),  while 
New  Brunswick  also  raised  the  bar  with  167 
species  (SIT).  Extensive  ice  did  not  form  in  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  until  early  January,  result- 
ing in  a generally  unhurried  exodus  of  water- 
birds.  In  keeping  with  recent  mild  winters, 
many  species  of  half-hardy  lingers  continue  to 
set  new  endurance  records,  especially  in  Nova 
Scotia  and  the  Avalon  Peninsula. 


Abbreviations:  Avalon  (Avalon  Peninsula, 
Newfoundland);  C.B.I.  (Cape  Breton  Island, 
Nova  Scotia);  C.S.I.  (Cape  Sable  Island,  Nova 
Scotia);  H.  R.  M.  (Halifax  Regional 
Municipality);  G.M.I.  (Grand  Manan  Island, 
New  Brunswick);  SPM  (St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon 
Islands,  France);  PEI  (Prince  Edward  Island). 

GANNET  THROUGH  VULTURES 

Northern  Gannet  continues  to  linger  longer  in 
winter,  with  singles  at  both  Miquelon  (RE)  and 
Cape  St.  Marys,  NF  15  Dec  (John  Wells).  A 
good  count  of  225  was  made  off  East  Point,  PEI 
14  Dec  (EVL).  For  the  first  time,  they  remained 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy  all  winter, 
with  45  in  Seal  Cove  Sound,  G.M.I.  29  Jan 
( VDG).  An  abundance  of  small  herring  was  the 
attraction:  a 30-km-long  “cloud”  of  gannets 
estimated  at  20,000-1-  birds  was  engaged  in  a 
herring  feeding  frenzy  between  C.S.I.  and  Seal 
Island,  NS  in  the  2nd  week  of  Dec  (MN). 
Double-crested  Cormorants  continue  to 
increase  along  the  Atlantic  coast,  with  52  found 
on  Nova  Scotia  C.B.C.s.  Great  Cormorants  are 
thought  to  be  rebounding  in  the  French  Islands 
(RE),  where  200^-  were  found  on  the  two  local 
C.B.C.s. 

An  American  Bittern  at  Truro,  NS  on  26  Jan 
was  a good  find  (Jeff  Ogden).  A Cattle  Egret 
was  at  Aylesford,  Annapolis,  NS  until  11  Dec 
(Stephen  Hawboldt).  Two  Black  Vultures  were 
found  in  Nova  Scotia,  one  at  L’Ardoise,  C.B.I. 


22  Dec  (fide  Billy  Digout),  and  an  imm.  near 
Yarmouth  19-28  Jan  (MN).  Brier  Island  contin- 
ues to  hold  the  lion’s  share  of  wintering  Turkey 
Vulture  in  Nova  Scotia,  with  a peak  of  20  there 
17  Dec  (ELM).  Singles  were  notably  far  e.  at 
Ingonish,  23  Dec  (James  & Kathryn 
Bridgeland)  and  New  Haven  5 Jan  (Angus 
MacLean),  both  C.B.I. 

WATERFOWL  THROUGH  RAPTORS 

A single  Greater  White-fronted  Goose  was 
found  near  Waterville,  Kings,  NS  7 Dec  (BMy, 
Judy  Tufts).  Peak  counts  of  Gadwall  were  50  at 
South  Rustico,  PEI  13  Jan  (Eric  Marcum)  and 
24  at  Barrington,  NS  6 Feb  (Paul  Gould).  Ten 
American  Wigeon  throughout  the  period  at 
Saint  John,  NB  made  a record  count  for  the 
province  (v.  o.).  At  least  7 Green-winged  Teal 
toughed  it  out  until  25  Jan  (Laurent  Jackman,  et 
al.)  at  SPM.  A drake  Canvasback  was  at  N. 
Sydney,  NS  21  Feb-t  (DMq,  Susann  Myers),  a 
hen  at  Yarmouth,  NS  9-23  Feb  (BMy,  Richard 
Stern,  et  al.),  and  another  hen  at  Daniel’s  Head, 
C.S.I.  9-17  Feb  (MN).  The  only  Redhead  report 
was  of  one  at  Long  Pond,  PEI  8 Dec  (David 
Seeler).  An  amazing  45  Ring-necked  Ducks  on 
the  usually- frozen  Hammond  R.,  NB  30  Dec 
was  an  unprecedented  winter  number  at  one 
site  (DSC).  A “small”  flock  of  12  Tufted  Ducks 
present  throughout  at  Quidi  Vidi  L.,  St.  Johns 
(TBO)  was  a new  provincial  high.  A high  count 
of  4254  Greater  Scaup  on  the  PEI  N.P.  C.B.C.  15 
Dec  was  indicative  of  the  open  conditions 
there,  while  5 1 84  were  on  the  Pictou  Harbour, 
NS  C.B.C.  A pure  flock  of  about  75  Lesser 
Scaup  in  Halifax  Harbour  in  late  Feb  was 
notable  (FLL).  At  least  13  King  Eiders  were 
picked  out  of  flock  of  11,000  Common  Eiders 
at  Cape  Race,  NF  16  Feb  (BM).  Two  imm.  male 
Kings  at  Orby  Head,  PEI  13  Jan  (EMA  et  al.) 
provided  one  of  very  few  winter  reports  from 
that  province.  Mid-Feb  surveys  for  Harlequin 
Duck  found  about  200  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bay 
of  Fundy  in  New  Brunswick  {fide  VDG),  and 
about  600  in  Nova  Scotia,  mostly  along  the 
eastern  shore  e.  of  Halifax  (Andrew  Boyne, 
C.W.S.).  There  were  139  on  the  Cape  St.  Marys, 
NF  C.B.C.,  up  from  only  20  in  1990,  a welcome 
development!  Best  count  of  Long-tailed  Ducks 
went  to  Prince  Edward  Island,  with  3000  off 
East  Point  14  Dec  (EVL).  Best  count  of  Hooded 
Merganser  was  75  at  Lunenburg,  NS  2 Jan 
(C.B.C.).  A Ruddy  Duck  at  Saint  John,  NB  27 
Jan  was  apparently  a first  winter  record  for  the 
province  (KMI).  Three  were  at  Dartmouth, 
H.R.M.  (BMy)  15  Dec. 

The  annual  raptor  count  in  e.  Kings,  NS 
turned  up  333  Bald  Eagles  9 Feb  (67%  ads.; 
33%  imms.).  This  is  a bit  below  numbers  from 
the  last  few  years  (fide  Jim  Wolford). 


148 


North  American  Birds 


Atlantic  Provinces 


Good  numbers  of  Northern  Harriers  were 
found  in  early  winter  in  s.  New  Brunswick, 
Prince  Edward  Island,  and  Nova  Scotia.  Broad- 
winged Hawks  are  now  almost  annual  in  Nova 
Scotia,  with  six  reports  for  the  winter  period. 
Birds  were  found  at  Tantallon,  H.R.M.  2 Dec 
(Fulton  Lavender);  Wallbrook,  Kings  15  Dec 
(George  & Margaret  Alliston);  Belleville, 
Yarmouth  23  Dec  (PG);  Argyle,  Yarmouth  1 1 Jan 
(MN);  Glace  Bay,  C.B.I.  24-29  Dec  (Cathy 
Murrant);  and  Dartmouth,  H.R.M.  13  Jan 
(Terry  Pacquet).  The  species  is  quite  rare  after 
early  Nov  in  North  America,  and  photographic 
documentation  of  any  of  these  reports  would 
be  most  desirable.  An  imm.  Red-tailed  Hawk 
delighted  observers  at  St.  John’s  5-7  Jan,  where 
rare  (TBO).  A total  of  94  was  found  during  a 
2nd  raptor  count  in  e.  Kings,  NS  16  Feb.  One  or 
2 Golden  Eagles  were  present  at  Shepody  Bay, 
Westmoreland-Albert,  NB,  the  Region’s  only 
consistent  wintering  area  (DSC  et  ah). 

PTARMIGAN  THROUGH  SHOREBIRDS 

Willow  Ptarmigan  were  in  short  supply  in  w. 
Labrador  this  winter,  their  reported  numbers 
exceeded  even  by  those  of  Rock  Ptarmigan.  At 
least  10  of  the  latter  were  present  in  Feb  at 
Smokey  Mt.,  Labrador  City  (Bernard 
Jolicoeur).  Gray  Partridge  persists  in  the  Region 
mainly  on  agricultural  Prince  Edward  Island, 
where  56  were  found  on  the  Hillsborough 
C.B.C.  29  Dec.  A Sandhill  Crane  that  appeared 
at  St.  Anthony,  NF  in  early  Dec  was  still  present 
18  Jan,  surviving  on  handouts  from  local  resi- 
dents {fide  BM).  Numbers  of  overwintering 
shorebirds  have  “increased  noticeably”  over  the 
past  five  years  in  Nova  Scotia,  no  doubt  influ- 
enced by  the  warm  weather  (SF).  Surprising 
was  a lone  Semipalmated  Plover  at  Pinkneys 
Pt.,  Yarmouth  6-11  Jan  (Paul  Gould  et  al); 
another  was  near  the  village  of  Miquelon  5-16 
Dec  (RE).  A Lesser  Yellowlegs  was  at  C.S.I.  until 
15  Dec  (C.  B.  C.  data),  and  a Western  Willet 
(subspecies  inornatus)  was  present  throughout 
the  period  at  C.S.I.  (MN,  Johnny  Nickerson  et 
ah).  Eight  unidentified  dowitchers  were  also  at 
C.S.I.  20-28  Feb  (MN).  Some  peak  counts  of 
shorebirds  at  C.S.I.  were:  75  Black-bellied 
Plover,  25  Ruddy  Turnstone,  95  Red  Knot,  500 
Sanderling,  and  46  Dunlin.  Two  small,  enig- 
matic sandpipers  there  20  Feb  (MN)  were 
described  as  Semipalmated/Western.  There 
were  still  5 White-rumped  Sandpipers  at  Long 
Beach,  near  Cape  Race,  NF  5 Dec  (BM,  Paul 
Linegar).  One  was  at  Grand  Barachois,  SPM  15 
Dec  (RE,  Danielle  Lebollocq)  was  well  seen  at 
close  range,  both  on  the  ground  and  in  flight.  At 
least  4 overwintered  at  C.S.I.  (MN  et  ah),  where 
they  are  becoming  somewhat  regular  (a  unique 
situation  in  North  America,  perhaps).  Small 


numbers  of  American  Woodcocks  are  now 
reported  annually  in  sw.  Nova  Scotia,  mostly  in 
Shelburne,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  some 
successfully  overwinter.  A flock  of  200  unidenti- 
fied phalaropes  were  reported  at  Old  Proprietor 
Shoal,  G.M.L  7 Feb  (VDG);  Red  Phalaropes 
would  be  more  likely,  but  even  these  would  be 
almost  unprecedented  in  the  area  in  midwinter. 

JAEGERS  THROUGH  ALCIDS 

Several  Great  Skuas  were  noted  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Bay  of  Fundy  off  Brier  Island,  NS  in  Dec,  as 
well  as  “large  numbers”  of  Pomarine  and 
Parasitic  Jaegers  (CAH).  A record  430  Black- 
headed Gulls  were  found  on  Nova  Scotia 
C.B.C.s.  The  ad.  Thayer’s  Gull  at  the  Halifax — 
Richmond  Pier  returned  for  a 3rd  winter,  pres- 
ent 30  Dec-26  Jan  (BMy  et  al.).  Another  was 
reported  during  count  week  on  the  East  Pt.,  PEI 
C.B.C.  (14  Dec,  EVL).  A major  movement  of 
Ivory  Gulls  took  place  past  L’Anse-aux- 
Meadows,  NF  in  early  Jan,  with  50-h/day  noted 
(BM).  The  only  report  outside  of  Newfoundland 
was  an  ad.  feeding  on  a seal  carcass  at  Dominion 
Beach,  C.B.I.  10-13  Feb  (v.  o.).  Surprisingly,  one 
in  St.  Pierre  harbor  26  Jan — 7 Feb  was  only  the 
3rd  ever  for  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon,  and  the 
first  well-documented  bird  there.  By  and  large, 
there  were  no  large  flights  of  alcids  observed 
near  shore  in  the  Region  this  winter. 


The  alcid  event  of  the  winter  was  a 
tragic  one,  precipitated  by  the  delib- 
erate practice  of  oO  dumping  off  the  coast  of 
Nova  Scotia  by  ships  unknown.  First  reports 
of  seabird  oiling  came  7 Feb  from  sw.  Nova 
Scotia  and  by  22  Feb  extended  along  the 
entire  coast  to  C.B.I.  Most  reports  involved 
Thick-billed  Murres,  but  significant  num- 
bers of  Dovekies  were  reported  as  well. 
Samples  of  oil  taken  from  two  dead  birds 
revealed  two  very  different  types,  according 
to  Tony  Lock  of  the  Canadian  Wildlife 
Service.  “One  was  heavy  fuel  oil  and  the 
other  a bilge  oil  mixture.  This  means  more 
than  one  ship  was  engaged  in  oil  dumping 
off  southern  Nova  Scotia  in  early  February. 
In  my  30  years  with  the  Wildlife  Service  I 
have  never  seen  so  much  bird  mortality 
from  ship-source  oil  dumping.  The  number 
of  birds  killed  will  be  certainly  some  thou- 
sands of  birds.” 


The  name  L’Anse-aux-IVleadows,  the  site  of  Leifur 
Eiriksson’s  “Vinland”  settlement,  is  synonymous  in 
birders’  minds  with  European  Golden-Plover  (and 
perhaps  too  therefore  with  Mactavish’s  name!),  but 
it  offers  extraordinary  winter  birding  for  the  hardy 
as  well.  This  ivory  Gull  was  part  of  a strong  flight 
of  the  species  here  in  early  January  2002,  when 
as  many  as  50  per  day  were  seen.  Photograph  by 
Bruce  Madam h. 

DOVES  THROUGH  GNATCATCHER 

A White-winged  Dove  arrived  at  a feeder  in 
Alma,  NB  1 Dec  (Doreen  Rossiter)  and  stayed 
about  a week.  Mourning  Doves  continue  to 
“push  the  envelope,”  with  at  least  20  attempting 
to  winter  at  a Labrador  City  feeder;  only  6 
remained  by  the  end  of  the  period  (Cheryl 
Davis).  Snowy  Owls  staged  a good  flight  into 
the  Region,  the  best  showing  since  the  late 
1980s.  At  Cape  Race,  NF,  20  were  found  22  Dec 
(BM  et  al.).  A fair  number  of  Northern  Hawk 
Owls  was  noted  in  Newfoundland,  with  virtual- 
ly none  elsewhere.  In  comparison  to  last  winter, 
there  were  few  reports  of  Northern  Saw-whet 
Owl  mortality  induced  by  deep  snow  cover. 
One  Red-bellied  Woodpecker  was  reported 
from  each  province,  a definite  reversal  of  the 
good  numbers  of  previous  winters.  A Red-bel- 
lied  Woodpecker  at  St.  Phillips,  NF  (Avalon) 
from  late  Oct  200 1 through  at  least  early  Apr 
2002  was  a long  overdue  first  for 
Newfoundland  (m.  ob.).  The  big  news  in  New 
Brunswick  in  Dec  was  the  discovery  of  an 
astounding  4 Ash-throated  Flycatchers,  double 
the  previous  provincial  total!  Birds  were  found 
at  Westfield,  Kings,  NB  2 Dec  (David  Smith); 
Alma  2 Dec  (SIT  et  al.);  Sackville  20-22  Dec 
(Sean  Blaney);  and  Lower  Jemseg  21-22  Dec 
(Don  Gibson,  Peter  Pearce).  Nova  Scotia  got  its 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


149 


first,  with  one  at  Voglers  Cove,  Lunenburg  1-7 
Dec  (Andy  Dean,  Lelia  Dean;  full  details  in 
Birders  Journal).  A Western  Kingbird  lingered 
until  at  least  9 Dec  at  Lockeport,  NS  (Donna 
Crosby).  A Scissor- tailed  Flycatcher  was  found 
at  Waterside,  NB  1 Dec  (DSC)  and  sporadically 
for  several  days  thereafter.  A White-eyed  Vireo 
at  Point  Lance,  Avalon  15  Dec  was  the  latest  by 
a month  (BM,  Ian  Jones).  A Red-eyed  Vireo  was 
seen  in  Halifax  3 Dec  (IM).  Carolina  Wren 
made  a good  fall  rush  into  the  Region,  with 
birds  pushing  as  far  e.  as  Halifax-Dartmouth 
(2)  and  Memramcook,  NB.  Single  House  Wrens 
were  found  at  Halifax  2-15  Dec  (TP)  and 
Dartmouth  17  Dec  [fide  AH).  A Blue-gray 
Gnatcatcher  was  at  Sackville,  NB  in  early  Dec 
and  another  was  at  St.  John’s,  NF  in  Mactavish’s 
backyard  11  Dec. 

THRUSHES  THROUGH  WMWiHGS 

Two  Townsend’s  Solitaires  surfaced,  one  at 
Tantallon,  NS  in  Dec — Jan  (Steve  King)  and 
one  at  St.  John’s,  NF  20  Jan  (JW,  KK).  Many 


thousands  of  American  Robins  invaded  Avalon 
in  Jan  to  feed  on  the  heavy  crop  of  Mountain 
Ash  berries,  the  one  area  in  the  Region  where 
they  were  not  found  during  the  exceptional 
winter  of  2000-2001.  Reports  of  Varied  Thrush 
came  from  Nova  Scotia,  with  one  each  at  Lower 
West  Pubnico  23  Dec — 20  Feb  (Raymond 
d’Entrement  et  al.)  and  Lower  Harmony  16-26 
Jan  (Cindy  Spicer  et  al.),  and  Newfoundland’s 
3rd  was  at  Conception  Bay  South  6 Feb  {fide  J. 
Pratt). A Swainson’s  Thrush  at  C.S.I.  15  Dec 
would  be  a first  for  a Nova  Scotia  C.B.C.  Four 
Gray  Catbirds  in  Nova  Scotia  were  not  unex- 
pected, but  one  at  Penniac,  near  Fredericton,  NB 
5 Jan  (DG)  was  unusual.  Northern  Mockingbird 
certainly  lived  up  to  its  name,  with  2 brave  indi- 
viduals as  far  n.  as  Labrador  City.  The  first  dis- 
appeared in  early  Jan,  with  the  2nd  last  seen  27 
Feb  (but  found  dead  1 Mar),  despite  plenty  of 
care  from  the  feeder  owner  {fide  CD).  Numbers 
have  increased  significantly  on  Nova  Scotia 
C.B.C.s  the  past  three  years,  to  about  40  per  year 
versus  15-20  in  the  early  1990s.  American  Pipit 


continues  to  increase  in  winter  in  the  Region, 
mostly  along  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Nova  Scotia 
and  the  Avalon,  but  small  numbers  (up  to  3)  are 
now  being  regularly  encountered  in  s.  New 
Brunswick  and  n.  Nova  Scotia.  The  bird  of  the 
season  was  definitely  the  Black-backed  Wagtail 
found  at  St.  Pierre,  SPM  21-26  Jan  (ph.  Bruno 
Letournel  et  al),  a Regional  first  with  little 
precedent  for  the  Atlantic  seaboard  at  this  sea- 
son (David  Sibley  noted  one  in  Brooklyn,  New 
York  in  December  1992).  An  image  of  this  bird 
is  posted  at  <http://perso.wanadoo.fr/iles-et- 
ailes/Berge_lug.jpg>.  Bohemian  Waxwing  was 
again  common  throughout  the  Region,  in  stark 
contrast  to  30  years  ago.  In  Nova  Scotia,  for 
example,  there  were  only  eight  records  of  the 
species  prior  to  the  winter  of  1968-1969,  when 
the  first  significant  numbers  reached  that 
province.  There  is  now  little  doubt  they  are  fair- 
ly common  breeders  in  n.  Quebec  and  Labrador, 
although  this  major  eastward  range  extension 
has  gone  mostly  unobserved,  due  to  the  paucity 
of  observers  in  that  huge  area.  Cedar  Waxwings 


^ II  Several  species  of  warbler  set  new  endurance  records,  mostly  in  Nova  Scotia  and  the  Avalon  (Table  1,  below).  Some  of  these,  such  as  the  Blue- 

O J^winged,  Blackpoll,  and  Black-throated  Green  Warblers,  would  be  considered  extraordinary  anywhere  in  the  northeastern  and  mid-Atlantic 

United  States  at  these  dates.  In  one  concentrated  area  of  Point  Pleasant  Park,  Halifax,  in  the  first  half  of  December,  there  were:  Yellow- throated  Warbler 

(perhaps  2 birds),  an  Audubon’s  Warbler,  a Nashville  Warbler,  4+  Orange-crowned  Warblers,  2+  Pine  Warblers,  a Yellow-breasted  Chat,  a Blackpoll 

Warbler,  and  a Western  Palm  Warbler.  It  should  be  kept  in 

mind  that  some  of  these  birds  depended 

on  feeders  for  survival,  such  as  a Wilson’s  Warbler 

at  Halifax  that  came  for  its  daily  allotment  of  grape  jelly  and  mealworms.  At  least  20  Yellow-breasted  Chats  were  found  in  Nova  Scotia. 

Species 

Location 

Date(s) 

Observer(s) 

Blue-winged  Warbler 

Portuguese  Cove,  NS 

2-4  December 

David  Currie,  Azor  Vienneau 

Blue-winged  Warbler 

Eastern  Passage,  NS 

15  December — 1 January 

Tim  Allison,  Terry  Paquet 

Magnolia  Warbler 

Schooner  Pond,  C.B.L 

3 December 

Dave  McCorquodale,  Richard  Knapton 

Black-throated  Blue  Warbler 

Antigonish,  NS 

1-21  December 

fide  Randy  Lauff 

Black-throated  Green  Warbler 

St.  John’s,  NF 

9-27  December 

Paul  Linegar  et  al. 

Black-throated  Green  Warbler 

C.S.I.,  NS 

20  January 

Johnny  Nickerson 

Townsend’s  Warbler 

St.  John’s,  NF 

8-23  December 

Bruce  Mactavish,  Paul  Linegar 

Pine  Warbler 

Carbonear,  NF 

throughout  period 

fide  Bruce  Mactavish 

Prairie  Warbler 

Sable  Island,  NS 

2 December 

Zoe  Lucas 

Yellow-throated  Warbler 

Tracadie-Sheila,  NB 

1-30  December 

Robert  Doiron 

Yellow-throated  Warbler 

Halifax,  NS 

3-26  December 

Andy  Horn,  m.  ob.,  ph. 

Yellow-throated  Warbler 

Carbonear,  NF 

early  December — 23  January 

Paul  Linegar  et  al 

Yellow-throated  Warbler 

St.  John’s,  NF 

7 January — 1 February 

m.  ob. 

Blackpoll  Warbler 

Halifax,  NS 

10-16  December 

Blake  Maybank,  m.  ob.,  ph. 

Black-and-white  Warbler 

Moncton,  NB 

21  December 

Jim  Edsall 

Black-and-white  Warbler 

St.  John’s,  NF 

5 January  (3),  19  January  (1) 

Bruce  Mactavish 

Black-and-white  Warbler 

Summerside,  PEI 

2 January 

Suzanne  Essensa 

Nashville  Warbler 

Ferryland,  NF 

1 1 January 

Todd  Boland,  T.  Smith 

Nashville  Warbler 

Tancook  Island,  NS 

2 January 

Eric  & Ann  Mills 

Wilson’s  Warbler 

Halifax,  NS 

1 December-l- 

Suzanne  Borkowski,  m.  ob.,  ph. 

Wilson’s  Warbler 

Florence,  C.B.L,  NS 

early  December 

Dave  McCorquodale 

Wilson’s  Warbler 

Dartmouth,  NS 

early  December 

Blake  Maybank 

Ovenbird 

Bedford,  NS 

29  December 

C.  B.  C.  data 

Ovenbird 

St.  Pierre,  SPM 

14  January 

Thierry  Vogenstahl,  Laurent  Jackman 

Yellow-breasted  Chat 

Saint  John,  NB 

20  January 

Frank  Kelly 

Yellow-breasted  Chat 

St.  John’s,  NF 

13-20  January 

Dave  Brown  et  al. 

Yellow-breasted  Chat 

St.  Pierre,  SPM 

1 January 

Rita  Ruel,  Marc  Derible 

150 


North  American  Birds 


Atlantic  Provinces 


pulled  their  usual  disappearing  act,  with  only 
small  numbers  reported,  mostly  in  Nova  Scotia. 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FIHCHES 

The  amazing  “hat-trick”  of  tanagers  continued 
to  frequent  berry  bushes  at  Canso  (Town),  NS 
in  early  Dec  (Rose  Ann  McMullen  et  al):  one 
each  of  Scarlet,  Summer  and  Western  (cf.  N.  A. 
B.  56:24).  Two  more  Western  Tanagers  were 
found,  one  until  late  Jan  in  Halifax  (Etta 
Parker)  and  an  irnm.  male  that  appeared  23  Jan 
in  J..ower  Sackville  (Peter  LeBianc,  m.  ob.,  ph.). 

A Summer  Tanager  was  found  dead  near 
Sydney,  NS  in  early  Jan  (Darryl  MacAulay,  fide 
John  Macinnis),  and  another  at  a feeder  in 
Fredericton,  NB  was  last  seen  in  late  Dec  (DG). 
A Green-tailed  Towhee  at  a Saint  John,  NB 
feeder  4 Jan-l-  was  a first  provincial  record  (Jim 
Wilson,  et  al).  Clay-colored  Sparrows  num- 
bered 3 in  Nova  Scotia  and  2 in  Newfoundland. 
A Field  Sparrow  was  a good  find  at  New 
Dominion,  PEI  17-18  Jan  (EM).  A Vesper 
Sparrow  at  Renews,  NF  through  the  period  was 
the  first  confirmed  record  for  the  province 
(BM,  Dave  Brown  et  al.)  Five  Lark  Sparrows 
were  in  Nova  Scotia  and  2 in  Newfoundland. 
Quite  rare  were  single  Grasshopper  Sparrows  at 
Lunenburg  2-6  Jan  (James  Hirtle  et  al.)  and 
Renews,  NF  29  Dec  (BM,  Dave  Brown).  An 
Ipswich  Sparrow  was  a good  find  at  Biscay  Bay, 
Avalon  10  Feb  (Rudolf  Koes,  BM).  A spectacu- 
lar assortment  of  Ammodramus  sparrows  came 
to  light  at  Daniels  Head,  C.S.I.  in  mid-Feb, 
including  4 Nelson’s  Sharp-tailed  Sparrows  and 
one  Saltmarsh  Sharp-tailed  Sparrow  (first  for 
Nova  Scotia),  a Seaside  Sparrow,  and  a 
Henslow’s  Sparrow  (MN  et  al).  It  was  interest- 
ing to  note  that  of  8 "'Afiiite-crowned  Sparrows 
found  in  Nova  Scotia,  half  were  of  the  w.  gam- 
helli  race.  A plucky  Dark-eyed  Junco  survived 
the  period  at  a Labrador  City  feeder,  but  alas 
succumbed  in  late  Apr  (fide  CD). 

A Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  made  it  to  22  Dec 
at  Buchans,  NF  feeder  (Dianne  Burton).  An 
Indigo  Bunting  at  a Lameque,  NB  feeder  20  Jan 
was  the  latest  ever  for  the  province,  as  was  one 
at  a St.  John’s  feeder  26  Dec  (John  Pratt).  Nice 
groups  of  Eastern  Meadowlark  included  5 each 
at  Shepody  Marsh,  Albert,  NB  1 1 Jan  (BD)  and 
Daniels  Head,  C.S.I.  17  Feb  (Paul  Gould  et  al.). 
A Bullock’s  Oriole  at  Bathurst,  NB  24  Dec — 20 
Jan  (MD  et  al.)  was  a first  for  the  province. 
Many  Baltimore  Orioles  survived  until  well 
into  Jan  at  feeders  in  Nova  Scotia  and  even  s. 
New  Brunswick.  A Common  Chaffinch  at  a 
Halifax  feeder  until  13  Jan  (FL  et  al.)  brought 
birders  from  as  far  as  California  and  was  the  4th 
Nova  Scotia  record.  As  Mactavish  put  it:  “It  was 
a very  good  winter  for  most  finch  species.”  Of 
special  note  were  the  many  reports  of  Pine 


Grosbeaks,  Red  Crossbills,  and  White-winged 
Crossbills  coming  to  feeders,  an  increasingly 
common  trend  in  just  the  past  decade. 

Observers  (subregional  editors  in  boldface): 
Todd  Boland,  David  S.  Christie,  Brian  Dalzell, 
Marcel  David,  Cheryl  Davis,  Fred  Dobson, 
Roger  Etcheberry,  Sylvia  Fullerton,  Don 
Gibson,  V.  Dedreic  Grecian  (VDG),  Carl 


Pierre  Bannon 

1517  Leprohon 
Montreal,  Quebec  H4E  1 PI 
(pbannon@videotronxa) 

Samuei  Denault 

75  Beauchemin 

Saint-Basile-le-Grand,  Quebec  J3N  1 J6 
(samuel.clenauit@videotron.ca) 

Ywes  Aubry 

Canadian  Wildlife  Service 
P.O  Box  10100 
Sainte-Foy,  Quebec  G1V  4H5 
(yves.aubry@ec.gc.ca) 

Normand  Dawid 

11931  Lavigne 
Montreal,  Quebec  H4J 1X9 
(ndavid@netrover.com) 

With  temperatures  exceeding  the  normal  by 
7 to  9 degrees  Fahrenheit,  the  winter  2001- 
2002  will  be  remembered  as  the  mildest  ever  in 


Haycock,  Andy  Horn,  Richard  Knapton,  Ken 
Knowles,  E.  Vernon  Laux,  Fulton  Lavender, 
David  McCorquodale,  Ken  McKenna,  Ian 
McLaren,  Kenneth  Macintosh,  Bruce 
Mactavish  (BM),  Eric  Marcum,  Blake 
Maybank  (BMy),  Eric  Mills,  Murray  Newell, 
Johnnie  Nickerson,  John  Wells,  Jim  Wilson. 


southern  Quebec.  One  had  to  travel  as  far  as 
Ungava  Bay  to  find  temperatures  slightly  below 
normal.  At  the  same  time,  precipitation  was 
below  normal  all  along  the  St.  Lawrence  River 
but  closer  to  normal  or  above  normal  farther 
north. 

As  a result  of  the  mild  weather,  many  species 
normally  leaving  the  Region  in  fall  lingered  very 
late  or  in  some  cases  overwintered  successfully. 
Waterfowl  in  particular  were  much  more  abun- 
dant than  usual  in  southern  Quebec,  and 
expanding  species  such  as  the  Carolina  Wren 
and  the  Tufted  Titmouse  also  appeared  to  ben- 
efit from  these  conditions.  Finally,  apart  from 
the  redpolls,  winter  finches  were  rather  scarce. 

Abbreviation:  C.W.S.  (Canadian  Wildlife 
Service). 

LOONS  THROUGH  WATERFOWL 

A Red-throated  Loon  at  Les  Escoumins  6-10  Jan 
established  a new  record  late  date  for  the  Region 
(CA,  CG).  Once  again,  while  none  were  report- 
ed in  the  southern  part  of  the  Region,  Common 
Loons  appeared  in  Feb  at  some  more  northerly 


Quebec 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


151 


locations,  e.g.,  2 at  Laterriere,  Saguenay-Lac- 
Saint-Jean  16  Feb  (L.  Tremblay)  and  singles  at 
Pabos  2 Feb  (C.  Poirier,  PP,  G.  Roy),  Saint- 
Godefroi  16  Feb  (B.  Arsenault),  and  Les 
Escoumins  15  Feb  (CG,  CA).  The  presence  of  a 
Pied-billed  Grebe  at  Riviere-du-Loup  9 Jan — 
23  Feb  was  considered  as  the  first  overwintering 
record  in  the  Region,  although  there  have  been 
previous  sporadic  records  in  winter  (D.  Berube, 
R.  Plourde).  Another  bird  present  at  Maple 
Grove  7-12  Jan  and  nearby  Beauharnois  8-25 
Feb  probably  involved  the  same  overwintering 
individual  (PB).  Additional  records  involved 
single  birds  at  Amqui  12  Dec — 29  Jan  (RL)  and 
Valleyfield  17  Feb  (AH).  Three  Red-necked 
Grebes  at  Les  Escoumins  1 1 Jan  were  notewor- 
thy for  the  North  Shore  (CA,  CG).  A Double- 
crested  Cormorant  at  He  Sainte-Helene  4 Feb 
was  the  first  ever  for  the  month  of  Feb  in  the 
Montreal  region  (RB).  Aerial  surveys  conduct- 
ed by  C.W.S.  biologists  highlighted  the  pres- 
ence of  916  Great  Cormorants  along  the  e.  and 
s.  coasts  of  Gaspesie  12-13  Feb  (MR,  CM,  DB). 
There  were  six  records  of  Turkey  Vulture,  all  of 
single  birds,  for  Jan-Feb  compared  to  a total  of 
only  five  previous  records  known  for  this  peri- 
od; these  birds  were  found  at  Saint-Damien  3 
Jan  (D.  Savard,  fide  M.  Dufort),  Saint- Joseph- 
de-Lepage  16  Jan  (S.  Routhier, /Jde  J.  Larivee), 
La  Pocatiere  25  Jan  (MR  Auchu,  fide  CA), 
Rockburn  10  Feb  (A.  Quenneville), 
Victoriaville  23  Feb  (CR),  and  Saint- Armand 
25  Feb  (JG.  Papineau). 

A few  Snow  Geese  overwintered  successfully, 
including  1 1 at  Victoriaville  {fide  CR)  and  7 at 
Iberville  {fide  PB),  while  other  sightings  includ- 
ed 4 at  Saint-Romuald  21  Jan  (D.  Lepage),  2 at 
both  La  Pocatiere  (R.  Lepage)  and  Saint- 
Nicolas  25  Jan  (S.  Blais),  and  finally  2 at  Auclair 
14-18  Feb  (M.  Beaulieu).  Considering  the  mild 
weather,  a total  of  130  overwintering  Canada 
Geese  in  the  Montreal  area  was  rather  expected, 
but  a group  of  8 at  Laterriere  18  Jan- 16  Feb  was 
more  notable  (M.  Tremblay,  D.  Gervais). 

Single  Mute  Swans  appeared  at  Saint-Irenee 
6 Jan  (RG  et  al.)  and  at  Cap-de-la-Madeleine  12 
Feb-l-  {fide  HB).  Wood  Ducks  are  known  to 
winter  occasionally  in  the  Montreal  area,  but 
one  at  Amqui  1 2 Dec — 28  Feb  represented  the 
first  overwintering  record  for  the  Lower  St. 
Lawrence  (RL).  A male  Eurasian  Wigeon  at 
Lachenaie  8-26  Dec  established  a new  Regional 
record  late  date  by  more  than  3 weeks  (S  & F. 
Rousseu,  m.  ob.).  A mid-Feb  waterfowl  count 
showed  that  the  Montreal  area  hosted  64  win- 
tering Gadwall,  94  American  Wigeon,  and  a 
staggering  7000  Mallards  (PB  et  al.).  Following 
a count  of  only  50  wintering  individuals  in 
1982,  the  latter  has  been  steadily  increasing 
during  the  20  years  existence  of  this  annual 


duck  census  (PB  et  al.).  Single  Northern  Pintails 
were  located  at  Amqui  19  Jan — 28  Feb  (RL)  and 
Les  Escoumins  18-28  Feb  (CA,  CG).  Mid-win- 
ter records  for  this  species  are  very  scarce  away 
from  the  Montreal  area.  Possibly  a first  for  the 
Quebec  City  region,  a Green-winged  Teal  over- 
wintered at  Beauport  (JFR),  while  the  presence 
of  60  Greater  Scaup,  at  least  2 Lesser  Scaup,  and 
2 Ring-necked  Ducks  wintering  at  Lachine, 
Montreal  was  a notable  event  (PB  et  al.).  An 
out-of-range  female  King  Eider  at  Carignan  13 
Jan — 24  Feb  represented  the  2nd  overwintering 
record  only  for  the  Montreal  region  (P.  Beaule, 
m.  ob.).  Unusual  hybrid  waterfowl  included  a 
Mallard  x American  Wigeon  at  Levis  1-31  Dec 
(JL  et  al.),  a Barrow’s  x Common  Goldeneye  at 
Lachine  20  Jan  (PB),  and  a Hooded  Merganser 
X Common  Goldeneye  also  at  Lachine  17  Feb 
(PB).  Finally,  a female  Ruddy  Duck  at  Lachine 
13  Jan  was  record  late  by  a little  more  than  2 
weeks  (PB). 

HAWKS  THROUGH  OWLS 

Bald  Eagles  were  reported  in  record  numbers  in 
some  regions.  An  aerial  survey  by  the  C.W.S. 
showed  a surprising  46  individuals  on  Anticosti 

l.  11-15  Feb  (MR,  CM,  DB).  A group  of  5 
Northern  Harriers  overwintered  on  He  aux 
Fermiers,  near  Montreal  (Y.Gauthier,  S. 
Moran),  while  one  at  Isle-Verte,  Lower  St. 
Lawrence  17  Jan  was  locally  very  late  (A. 
Boucher,  fide  D.  Berube).  Two  Red-shouldered 
Hawks  overwintered  at  Quebec  City  {fide  JL), 
while  there  were  at  least  3 in  the  Montreal  area 
{fide  PB).  The  Rough-legged  Hawk  was  com- 
monly reported,  as  far  n.  as  the  Lac  Saint-Jean 
region  through  the  end  of  the  period.  An 
American  Kestrel  at  Saint-Alexis  27  Jan  was  the 
first  winter  record  for  the  Gaspesie  region  (P. 
Beaupre).  Gyrfalcons  numbered  19  individuals, 
a good  Regional  total  if  significantly  lower  than 
last  year’s.  Rarely  so  dependable,  a white-morph 
Gyrfalcon  was  seen  almost  daily  at  dusk  at  its 
roosting  site  on  Mont  Saint-Hilaire  (Y.  Fredette, 

m.  ob.). 

Two  American  Coots  were  at  Maple  Grove  5- 
13  Jan  (PB,  m.ob.),  while  one  was  spotted  at 
nearby  C6teau-du-Lac  16  Feb  (LS  et  al.),  which 
is  suggestive  of  a successful  overwintering 
record.  A Sandhill  Crane  at  Les  Cedres  5 Dec 
furnished  a new  record  late  date  for  the  Region 
( M.  Spencer) . A Killdeer  at  Becancour  26-3 1 Jan 
was  only  the  2nd  Regional  record  for  Jan  (HB  et 
al.),  while  one  at  Pointe-au-Pere  15  Dec  was 
locally  very  late  (J.  Larivee  et  al.).  In  line  with 
data  from  1999,  C.W.S.  biologists  found  a size- 
able wintering  population  of  Purple  Sandpipers 
in  the  St.  Lawrence  Estuary  where  they  made  a 
count  of  534  individuals  19  Feb  (MR,  CM,  DB). 
Two  hundred  more  were  located  in  the  Gaspesie 


region  31  Jan  (MR,  CM,  DB).  A Dunlin  at  La 
Malbaie  7-27  Jan  was  the  latest  ever  found  in 
the  Region  by  almost  six  weeks  (ML,  RG). 
Although  known  to  overwinter  irregularly  s.  of 
the  St.  Lawrence  R.,  the  occurrence  of  2 
Common  Snipe  at  Sept-lles  24  Feb  was  quite 
surprising  (JF.  Laporte,  B.  Duchesne,  C. 
Couture).  An  American  Woodcock  at  Cap 
Tourmente  13-20  Jan  was  the  latest  ever  report- 
ed in  the  Region  (J.  Guerin,  Jl,,  RG). 

Black-headed  Gulls  numbered  a high  34  at 
Havre-aux-Basques,  Iles-de-la-Madeleine  10 
Dec  (DGG),  but  dwindled  to  6 on  1 Feb  {fide 
DGG).  Always  rare,  a first-winter  Mew  Gull  of 
the  North  American  race  brachyrhynchus  was 
found  at  Pointe-Claire  5-15  Dec  (B.  Barnhurst), 
and  an  ad.  of  the  European  race  canus  was  at 
Saint-Irenee  5-6  Jan,  a new  late  date  for  the 
Region  (RG,  J.  Forgues  et  al.).  Many  Ring-billed 
Gulls  overwintered  in  the  s.  part  of  the  Region 
as  indicated  by  a count  of  105  along  Riviere  des 
Prairies,  Montreal,  13  Feb  (LS,  GL)  and  smaller 
groups  at  Lachine  and  in  the  Montreal  harbour 
throughout  Feb  (PB).  An  influx  of  migrants  was 
already  obvious  starting  22  Feb.  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gulls  included  4 individuals  in  the 
Montreal  region  in  Dec  {fide  PB),  one  at  Baie- 
Sainte-Catherine  1 Dec  (QB,  N.  Barden)  and  an 
ad.  at  Les  Escoumins  12-27  Dec,  followed  by  a 
third-winter  bird  9 Jan  (CA,  CG).  Interesting 
hybrid  gulls  included  a presumed  ad.  Herring  x 
Great  Black-backed  11-13  Jan  at  Laval  (M. 
Bertrand  et  al.),  2 different  first-winter  Great 
Black-backed  x Glaucous  at  Les  Escoumins,  11- 
12  Jan  and  20  Feb  (CA,  CG),  and  finally  an  ad. 
Herring  x Glaucous  also  at  Les  Escoumins  24- 
28  Feb  (CA,  CG). 

A count  of  469  Mourning  Doves  around  a 
single  feeder  at  Pointe-au-Pere  21  Jan  was  high- 
ly indicative  of  the  very  mild  weather  prevailing 
in  the  Region  this  winter.  Snowy  Qwls  were 
common  everywhere,  notably  in  the  Quebec 
City  region,  where  56  were  counted  23-24  Feb 
(G.  Lemelin  et  al.).  After  last  year’s  memorable 
invasion.  Northern  Hawk  Qwls  and  Great  Gray 
Qwls  were  down  to  more  normal  numbers, 
totaling  24  of  the  former  and  15  of  the  latter  for 
the  period  extending  from  late  Oct  through  the 
end  of  Feb  {fide  S.  Belleau). 

WOODPECKERS  THROUGH  ORIOLES 

The  Lower  St.  Lawrence  region  was  rewarded 
with  2 Red-bellied  Woodpeckers:  one  (previ- 
ously found  during  the  fall)  at  Rimouski  until 
20  Dec  (P.  Saint-Jean)  and  another  at 
Pohenegamook  17-24  Dec  (F.  Gagne,  R. 
Deschenes).  In  the  s.  part  of  the  Region,  a 
female  seen  intermittently  at  Bedford  14  Jan4- 
(C.  Hanion)  and  another  at  Quyon  16  Jan  (R. 
Craig)  were  more  expected.  Tufted  Titmice  were 


152 


North  American  Birds 


Quebec — New  England 


much  in  evidence,  with  75  reported  from  32 
sites  (fide  PB).  Even  more  noteworthy  were  the 
30  Carolina  Wrens  tallied  from  23  localities 
(fiide  PB),  the  highest  count  ever  for  this  species, 
with  the  northernmost  appearing  at  Sainte- 
Petronille  (fide  JL). 

A group  of  5 Eastern  Bluebirds,  seen  sporad- 
ically from  the  end  of  Dec  through  mid-Feb  at 
Hemmingford,  established  the  first  overwinter- 
ing record  in  the  Region  (PB,  E.  Samson,  A. 
Lacasse).  Townsend’s  Solitaires  are  now  found 
almost  each  winter  : singles  were  at  Riviere-du- 
Loup  3 Jan-f  (R.  Plourde,  m.  ob.)  and  at 
Boucherville  24  Feb  (P.  Casavant).  Very  rare  in 
winter,  single  Hermit  Thrushes  resided  at  He 
Sainte-Hdene  through  at  least  23  Jan  (R. 
BHanger,  D.  Cloutier)  and  at  Cap  Tourmente 
11-30  Jan  (A.  Rasmussen  et  al.).  A similar  pat- 
tern was  evident  for  Varied  Thrush  : single 
males  visited  feeders  at  Deschambault  4 Jan+ 
(F.  Pare,  m.  ob.)  and  Cookshire  31  Jan — 10  Feb 
(K.  Clarke,  S.  Lamontagne).  A Brown  Thrasher 
successfully  overwintered  at  Saint-Zenon  (fide 
R.  Piche). 

The  Nashville  Warbler  that  lingered  at 
Quebec  City  until  16  Dec  was  the  2nd  latest 
ever  (C.  Nadeau).  Most  surprising  was  an  imm. 
male  Yellow  Warbler  at  Saint-Nicolas  until  25 
Dec  (MR  et  ah).  An  imm.  Pine  Warbler  suc- 
cessfully overwintered  at  He  Notre-Dame, 
Montreal  (C.  Morin,  D.  Daigneault),  while 
another  individual  was  reported  at  Pabos  22  Jan 
(J.  Blais).  Single  Common  Yellowthroats  at 
Carignan  15-26  Dec  (P.  Beaule)  and  at  Cap 
Tourmente  until  3 Jan  (P.  Otis,  R.  Lepage)  con- 
tributed new  Regional  record  late  dates.  The 
imm.  male  Summer  Tanager  that  was  already 
present  at  Baie-Saint-Paul  was  last  seen  2 Dec 
(fitde  SD),  while  the  female  at  Riviere-au-Renard 
made  its  last  appearance  21  Dec  (fide  PP).  A 
Scarlet  Tanager  visited  a feeder  at  Sainte-Foy 
until  30  Dec  (fide  OB),  providing  a new 
Regional  record  late  date. 

A male  Spotted  Towhee  that  spent  the  whole 
winter  at  a Gatineau’s  feeder  represented  our 
13th  Regional  record  (C.  Gratton,  fide  DT). 
Unusual  winter  sparrows  were  probably  sus- 
tained by  the  mild  weather.  A Chipping 
Sparrow  was  seen  daily  at  a Cowansville’s  feed- 
er (BH),  while  an  ad.  Chipping  turned  up 
briefly  at  Sainte-Anne-de-la-Perade  20  Jan 
(OB).  A Vesper  Sparrow  lingered  at  Saint- 
Mathieu  until  at  least  5 Jan  (L.  Gervais,  F. 
Roberge,  PB).  Totally  unexpected  were  3 
Savannah  Sparrows  at  Laval  7 Feb-l-  (GL  et  al.) 
and  another  at  a feeder  of  Saint-Timothee  until 
6 Feb  (S.  Bougie),  providing  the  first  Feb 
records  for  this  species.  A Fox  Sparrow  at 
Pointe-aux-Prairies  Nature  Park,  Montreal  10- 
17  Feb  was  notable  (P.  Franche,  A.  Gosselin).  A 


Lincoln’s  Sparrow  at  Montreal  17-18  Dec  was 
very  late  (RB).  A Swamp  Sparrow  at  Cap 
Tourmente  2 Jan  through  Feb  (MR,  F.  Schaffer 
et  al.),  and  another  at  Beauport  31  Jan — 3 Feb 
(JFR)  were  interesting  sightings  for  the  season. 
Finally,  single  White-crowned  Sparrows  of  the 
gambelii  race  appeared  at  Saint-Majorique  10 
Feb-t-  (J.  Lehoux)  and  Chateau-Richer  9 Feb 
(OB,  N.  Barden). 

The  imm.  male  Black-headed  Grosbeak  pre- 
viously reported  at  Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval  was 
last  seen  7 Jan  (ME.  Lepage).  Noteworthy  were 
3 Dickcissels  throughout  Dec  : one  at  Sainte- 
Therese-de-Gaspe  1 Dec  (M.  Larrivee),  a 2nd 
individual  at  Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre  12  Dec 
(E.  Razurel),  and  a female  at  Saint-Timothee 
15-16  Dec  (AH).  The  ad.  male  Bullock  Oriole 
reported  in  Nov  at  I’lsle-aux-Coudres  was  last 
seen  8 Dec  (fide  SD)  and  to  everyone’s  surprise 
reappeared  at  nearby  Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive 
5-22  Jan  (ML  et  al.,  A.  Jean).  A Baltimore 
Oriole  at  Sainte-Foy  15  Feb  was  the  latest  ever  in 
the  Region  (OB). 


EXOTICS 

A belated  report  was  received  of  a Mountain 
Quail  at  Lennoxville  26  Nov  (C.  Parent- 
Pomerleau).  A Yellow-fronted  Canary  at 
Philipsburg  20  Jan — 6 Feb  impressed  everyone 
by  its  ability  to  survive  our  climate  (P.  Wery  et 
al.). 

CORRIGENDUM 

Please  delete  the  record  of  the  Carolina  Wren  at 
Falardeau  12  August  2001  (GS). 

Contributors  (subregional  editors  in  bold- 
face): C.  Auchu,  P.  Bannon  (Montreal),  O. 
Barden,  R.  Belhumeur,  D,  Bourdage,  H. 
Brunoni,  C.  Buidin  (North  Shore),  DG. 
Gaudet  (Iks  de  la  Madeleine),  R.  Gingras,  C. 
Girard,  B.  Hamel  (Estrie),  A.  Hogue,  G. 
Lachaine,  J.  Lachance  (Quebec  City),  M. 
Lachance,  R.  Lang,  C.  Marcotte,  JL.  Martel 
(Lower  St.  Lawrence),  P.  Poulin  (Gaspesie),  M. 
Robert,  JF.  Rousseau,  C.  Roy  (Bois-Francs),  G. 
Savard  (Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean),  L.  Simard, 
D.  Toussaint  (Outflouflis).  a 


ours 


RO.  BOX  196 
PLANETARIUM  STATION 
NEW  YORK,  NY 
10024  U.S.A. 

(212)  866-7923 


“the  greatest 
operator  of 
ornithological 
tours  on 
earth” 

Arthur 
Frommer 


The 
Asia 
Specialists 

website: 

www.kingbirdtours.com 

email: 

kingbirdtours@earthlink.net 


CHINA  #1 

Beidaihe  Migration 
3-19  May 

CHINA  #2 

Manchuria,  Inner  Mongolia 
20  May-14  June 


INDONESIA  #1 

Java,  Bali 
12  July- 2 August 

INDONESIA  #2 

Sulawesi 
3-24  August 


2003 
BIRDING 
TOURS 

THAILAND 

Northwest,  Central,  Peninsular 
4-26  January 

SOUTH  INDIA 

Kerala,  Tamil  Nadu,  Andaman  Is. 
2-25  January 
Forest  Owlet  Pretour 
28  December- 4 January 

SRI  LANKA 

24  January-10  February 

PHILIPPINES 

Luzon,  Mindanao,  Cebu,  Palawan, 
Bohol,  Negros 
31  January- 3 March 

CAMBODIA 

Giant  Ibis 
7-25  March 

BHUTAN 

28  March-  20  April 

EAST  HIMALAYAS 

West  Arunachal  Pradesh 
25  April-18  May 

MALAYSIA 

Malaya,  Borneo  (Mt.  Kinabalu) 
3-25  May 


Volume  56  {2002),  Number  2 


153 


New  England 


MAINE 


73  Grand  Isie 
Champlain 
“Buriingfon 
" iDead  Creek 
WMA 


Harflord  i 


Plymouth 


• New  Haven 


'Nantucket  1. 


/ \JMt  Desert  I 
Q Monhegan  /. 


/ Portland 
Kddeford  Poo! 


Portsmouth  y 
Newbufyportj  C^pe  Ann 

Boston  Stellwagan  Bank 


ATLANTIC 

OCEAN 


— „ ^Monomoyl. 

Q Martha's  Vineyard 

, Stock  I.  ^ 


Pam  Hunt 

66  Park  Street  #2 

Northfield,  New  Hampshire  03276 

(biodiva@fcgnetworks.net) 

Once  again,  New  England  birders  were  left 
wondering  what  “winter”  really  meant  in 
2001-2002.  In  fact,  the  season  as  a whole  was  the 
warmest  in  122  years,  with  only  one  winter  aver- 
aging warmer  in  the  138  years  for  which  consis- 
tent records  have  been  kept  for  the  Region.  As  a 
result,  even  northern  lakes  remained  open  well 
into  Feb  (New  Hampshire’s  Lake 
Winnipesaukee  never  completely  froze  for  “the 
first  time  in  memory”),  and  waterfowl  lingered 
north  and  inland  in  largely  unprecedented 
numbers.  Sorting  through  some  of  these  num- 
bers is  a largely  mind-boggling  task,  but  suffice 
it  to  say  that  loons,  grebes,  and  ducks  set  records 
throughout  the  Region.  Not  to  be  left  out,  unex- 
pected wading  birds  were  reported  from  coastal 
areas  as  far  north  as  New  Hampshire.  Finally,  as 
has  become  expected  in  this  column  in  recent 
years,  half-hardies  were  everywhere.  In  addition 
to  multiple  Yellow-rumped  Warblers  in 
Vermont  and  interior  New  Hampshire,  there 
was  no  better  an  indication  of  this  trend  than  a 
single  feeder  in  Rye,  New  Hampshire.  Starting  in 
late  January,  when  a Yellow-breasted  Chat  was 
called  in  to  the  Audubon  Society  of  New 
Hampshire,  this  single  yard  hosted  the  chat,  a 
Gray  Catbird,  an  Eastern  Towhee,  and  a 


Carolina  Wren — often  all  at  the  same  time.  If 
anyone  needs  further  evidence  of  the  decidedly 
unwinterlike  conditions,  several  species  set 
record  “late”  dates  for  the  Region,  including 
species  as  varied  as  Lesser  Yellowlegs,  Pomarine 
Jaeger,  and  Northern  Waterthrush.  Meanwhile, 
there  was  a moderate  invasion  of  Bohemian 
Waxwings,  Pine  Grosbeaks,  White-winged 
Crossbills,  and  Common  Redpolls,  some  of 
which  even  made  it  to  southeastern 
Massachusetts  and  its  offshore  islands.  In 
among  all  the  broader  Regional  trends,  there 
were  of  course  a few  rarities,  including,  but  cer- 
tainly not  limited  to,  Rhode  Island’s  second  win- 
ter Brown  Pelican,  a veritable  invasion  of 
Barnacle  Geese  (pending  the  usual  discussion  of 
origins),  Selasphorus  hummingbirds  in 
Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island,  Maine’s  Sage 
Thrasher  continuing  a few  days  beyond 
November,  and  the  first  Bullock’s  Oriole  in  New 
Hampshire  in  over  25  years. 

Abbreviations:  Charlotte  (Charlotte  Town 
Beach,  Addison,  VT),  First  Encounter  (First 
Encounter  Beach,  Barnstable,  MA),  M.V. 
(Martha’s  Vineyard,  MA),  Nantucket 
(Nantucket  L,  MA),  Ogunquit  (Ogunquit,  York, 
ME),  P.I.  (Plum  L,  Essex,  MA),  P’town 
(Provincetown,  Barnstable,  MA),  Quabbin 
(Quabbin  Res.,  w.  MA),  Rockport  (Rockport, 
Essex,  MA). 


LOONS  THROUGH  VULTURES 

Noteworthy  Red-throated  Loons  included  2 
birds  lingering  on  L.  Champlain  at  Charlotte 
through  at  least  16  Feb  (TM).  As  another  indi- 
cation of  the  amount  of  open  water  on  L. 
Champlain,  103  Common  Loons  and  87 
Horned  Grebes  were  at  Charlotte  2 Dec  and  19 
Feb,  respectively  (TM).  In  w.  Massachusetts,  14 
Common  Loons  were  still  on  Quabbin  1 1 Jan. 
Along  the  coast,  Pacific  Loons  were  reported 
from  Rockport  24  Jan — 16  Feb,  P’town  24-26 
Feb,  and  Ogunquit  5 Jan.  Eared  Grebes  were  at 
Sandy  Neck,  Barnstable,  MA  13  Jan;  E.  Lyme, 
New  London,  CT  early  Dec — 4 Jan  (2nd  year  at 
this  location);  and  Third  Beach,  Newport,  RI  24 
Jan  (JSJ);  the  Gloucester,  Essex,  MA,  bird 
returned  for  its  7th  winter.  Yet  another  Eared 
Grebe  was  reported  from  Grande  Isle,  Grande 
Isle,  VT  4 Dec  (D.  Hoag)  and  awaits  review  by 
the  Vermont  Records  Committee.  Meanwhile, 
Western  Grebes  made  brief  appearances  in 
Portland,  Cumberland,  ME  18  Dec  and  Rye,  NH 
24  Feb. 

Regular  pelagic  trips  aboard  a research  vessel 
studying  hagfish  allowed  birders  a rare  opportu- 
nity to  sample  the  avifauna  around  Jeffreys 
Ledge  off  New  Hampshire  and  ne. 
Massachusetts.  On  3 Dec,  this  trip  tallied  75 
Northern  Fulmars,  2 Greater  Shearwaters,  and 
250  Northern  Gannets  (JB),  while  on  17  Jan 
there  were  25  fulmars  and  numerous  alcids.  At 
the  other  end  of  the  season,  observers  at  First 
Encounter  tallied  85  fulmars  and  350  gannets  18 
Feb.  Greater  Shearwaters  were  also  seen  from 
shore  in  Dec,  with  one  at  Gloucester  10  Dec  and 
5 from  Cape  Elizabeth,  Cumberland,  ME  15  Dec. 
There  were  some  exceptional  onshore  counts  of 
Northern  Gannets  in  mid-Dec,  many  on 
C.B.C.s.  On  15  Dec,  there  were  400  from  Cape 
Elizabeth  and  800  from  First  Encounter.  A few 
days  earlier,  there  were  an  estimated  4200  at 
Nantucket  on  12  Dec.  A total  of  9 Double-crest- 
ed Cormorants  in  Newburyport,  Essex,  MA  25 
Jan  (JB)  is  unusual  for  mid-winter,  even  in 
Massachusetts.  However,  the  pelecaniform  of 
the  season  is  without  doubt  the  Brown  Pelican 
seen  at  Fort  Wetherill,  Jamestown,  Newport,  RI 
15  Jan  (J.  Powell),  the  3rd  consecutive  winter 
record  for  the  Region  and  the  2nd  for  the  Ocean 
State. 

While  pelagic  species  and  inland  loons  made 
headlines  in  the  east  and  north,  Connecticut 
birders  probably  had  flashbacks  to  the  breeding 
season,  at  least  as  far  as  heron  diversity  was  con- 
cerned. All  the  following  species  were  reported 
in  the  Nutmeg  State  at  one  point  or  another: 
American  Bittern,  Great  Egret,  Snowy  Egret 
(Groton,  New  London  through  9 Jan),  Little  Blue 
Heron  (Stratford,  Fairfield  through  1 Jan),  and 
Green  Heron,  as  well  as  the  more  expectable 


154 


North  American  Birds 


New  England 


Black-crowned  Night-Heron  and  Great  Blue 
Heron.  Great  Egrets  were  also  in  Rhode  Island, 
se.  Massachusetts,  and  inland  at  Longmeadow, 
Hampden,  MA  15-18  Dec.  Rounding  out  the 
Region’s  list  of  winter  ardeids  were  a Cattle 
Egret  at  Falmouth,  Barnstable,  MA  8 Dec,  and 
another  on  M.V.  throughout  Dec.  Black 
Vultures  made  a major  move  to  the  east,  if  a 
group  of  10-15  roosting  with  Turkey  Vultures  in 
Ashway,  Washington,  RI  26  Jan  is  any  indication. 
Even  farther  afield  were  one  in  Westport,  Bristol, 
MA  3 Dec,  and  2 in  Maine:  Popham  Beach, 
Sagadahoc  21  Jan  (ph.  G.  Pennington);  and 
Portland  28  Feb  (fide  J.  Walker).  Turkey  Vultures 
in  weird  places,  whether  overwintering  birds  or 
migrants  with  unusual  timing,  included  indi- 
viduals at  Brandon,  Rutland,  VT  20  Jan; 
Hancock,  Hillsboro,  NH  25  Jan;  and  Bar  Harbor, 
Hancock,  ME  10  Feb  (WT). 

WATERFOWL 

Open  fresh  water  was  everywhere  in  New 
England  this  winter,  and  as  a result  so  were 
waterfowl.  At  least  11  Greater  White-fronted 
Geese  spent  part  of  the  winter  in  the  Region, 
including  at  least  5 in  Massachusetts,  one  in 
Connecticut,  and  5 in  Rhode  Island.  These 
numbers  are  about  usual  for  the  Region, 
although  2 of  Massachusetts’  birds  were  in  the 
w.  part  of  the  state  at  Southwick,  Hampden 
throughout  Feb.  A Ross’s  Goose  at  Trustom 
Pond  4-12  Dec  provided  the  first  fully  docu- 
mented record  for  the  Ocean  State  (ph.,  JSJ). 

A group  of  15  Tundra  Swans  appeared  in 

^Jl  There  were  at  least  2 and  possibly  3 
WrlBamacle  Geese  in  the  Region  this  win- 
ter, v/ith  reports  from  Massachusetts,  Rhode 
Island,  and  Connecticut.  The  first  was  seen  at 
Gloucester  2 Dec.  Two  days  later,  it  (or  another 
individual)  appeared  at  Storrs,  Tolland,  CT, 
where  it  remained  through  mid-Jan.  An  addi- 
tional Barnacle  Goose  was  reported  from 
Portsmouth,  NtiVport,  RI  15  Dec — 16  Jan,  and 
another  was  at  Lynnfield,  Essex,  MA  17-20  Feb. 
This  latter  bird  differed  in  plumage  from  the 
one  in  Connecticut,  but  comparison  to  the 
Rhode  Island  bird  was  not  available  at  press 
time.  All  birds  await  final  evaluation  by  the 
appropriate  state  records  committees,  although 
there  is  some  evidence  that  suggests  natural 
vagrancy.  The  Connecticut  Barnacle  Goose  was 
associating  v/ith  Canada  Geese  that  had  been 
banded  in  Greenland,  and  there  were  several 
other  Barnacle  Geese  in  the  Canadian 
Maritime,  Hudson-Delaware,  and  Middle 
Atlantic  regions  this  winter.  Given  the  species’s 
increasing  populations  in  Greenland,  vagrancy 
to  New  England  is  only  likely  to  increase  as  well. 


Colchester,  Chittenden,  VT  3 Dec  (TM).  By  late 
Dec,  this  flock  had  split  in  2,  with  a group  of  1 1 
to  the  s.  in  Shelburne  and  a group  of  4 to  the  n. 
in  Milton  (both  Chittenden),  where  they 
remained  into  mid-late  Jan.  Five  spent  most  of 
the  winter  at  Coventry,  Kent,  RI,  and  4 appeared 
briefly  at  Westport,  MA  at  the  end  of  Feb.  A 
Whooper  Swan  of  captive  origin  swan  appeared 
St.  Albans,  Chittenden,  VT  30  Dec  and  was  seen 
again  at  Ferrisburgh,  Addison,  VT  2 Feb  (TM). 
The  bird  in  question  spent  the  winter  in  the 
company  of  2 Mute  Swans,  thus  giving  the 
Green  Mountain  State  the  dubious  honor  of 
hosting  three  species  of  swan  this  winter. 

Many  dabbling  ducks  remained  n.  or  inland 
in  higher  than  usual  numbers,  but  none  more  so 
than  Northern  Shovelers.  At  least  37  were 
reported  in  the  Region  this  winter,  including  7 
in  Connecticut,  9 in  Rhode  Island,  17  in 
Massachusetts,  3 in  New  Hampshire  (Rochester, 
Strajford,  18  Dec — 20  Feb),  and  one  in  Maine 
(Lamoine,  Hancock,  13  Feb).  Gadwall  were 
much  more  common  in  Vermont  than  is  usual 
in  winter,  with  up  to  17  reported  at  various  loca- 
tions on  L.  Champlain.  Eurasian  Wigeon  num- 
bers were  roughly  normal,  including  2 in  New 
Hampshire,  7 in  Massachusetts,  4 in  Rhode 
Island,  and  3 in  Connecticut.  Is  Common  Teal 
(the  Eurasian  race  of  Green-winged  Teal) 
increasing  in  North  America?  There  were  4 
reported  in  s.  New  England  this  winter:  2 in 
Massachusetts  and  one  each  in  Rhode  Island 
and  Connecticut.  The  latter  was  briefly  accom- 
panied by  a hybrid  Common  x Green-winged 
Teal. 

Among  the  diving  ducks,  the  star  of  the  show 
was  Ring-necked  Duck.  On  the  early  C.B.C.s, 
this  species  was  seemingly  everywhere  where 
there  was  an  open  pond  or  two,  and  many  con- 
tinued in  the  n.  well  into  Feb.  The  high  counts 
came  from  the  s.  states,  including  a tally  of 
roughly  200  at  Coventry,  RI  2 Feb.  Like 
Gloucester’s  Eared  Grebe,  the  Tufted  Duck  that 
has  frequented  Wachusett  Res.,  Worcester,  MA 
for  the  last  six  years  returned  for  a 7th.  The  only 
other  report  for  the  Region  was  from  Bourne, 
Barnstable,  MA  5-12  Jan.  While  Redheads  winter 
regularly  in  s.  coastal  areas,  they  are  good  finds 
over  most  of  the  Region  at  any  time  of  year.  Five 
were  at  Milton,  VT  13  Jan  (TM),  and  singles 
rewarded  birders  at  Chimney  Point,  Addison,  VT 
16  Feb  and  Easthampton,  Hampshire,  MA  22 
Feb.  Interestingly  enough,  only  a single 
Redhead  was  reported  from  Rhode  Island, 
where  the  species  is  usually  more  common,  for 
the  entire  season. 

Since  the  species  is  more  expected  at  locations 
in  e.  New  England,  an  overwintering  female 
King  Eider  was  noteworthy  at  Hammonassett 
Beach  S.R,  New  Haven,  CT.  Another  interesting 


find  for  Connecticut  birders  was  a female  Black 
Scoter  that  spent  the  winter  on  the  Connecticut 
R.  in  Hartford.  Harlequin  Ducks  numbers  were 
typical  for  recent  years.  The  following  are  sea- 
sonal maxima  for  the  traditional  hot  spots:  20  at 
Ogunquit;  102  at  Rockport;  11  at  Orleans, 
Barnstable,  MA;  40  at  Nantucket;  50  at  Sachuest 
Pt.,  Newport,  RI;  and  28  at  Jamestown,  RI. 
Among  noteworthy  maximum  counts  of  other 
v/aterfowl  for  the  Region,  a record-high  total  of 
254,302  Long-tailed  Ducks  was  received  from 
Nantucket  Sound  (on  the  Nantucket  C.B.C.)  30 
Dec,  whereas  3100  Common  Goldeneye  were  at 
Charlotte  2 Dec  (TM).  A flock  of  500  Ruddy 
Ducks  made  a nice  total  for  Candlewood  L., 
Fairfield,  CT  18  Jan. 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  CRANE 

The  Region’s  3 winter  Ospreys  included  2 Jan 
birds  in  Rhode  Island  and  an  individual  at 
Westport,  MA  25  Feb  that  was  likely  an  extreme- 
ly early  spring  migrant.  With  all  the  open  water, 
Bald  Eagles  were  less  concentrated  at  usual  hot 
spots  by  the  time  of  the  traditional  mid-winter 
eagle  survey.  This  doesn’t  imply  that  they  were 
hard  to  find  hov/ever,  as  numbers  were  at  or 
near  record  highs  over  much  of  New  England: 
w.  Massachusetts  hosted  41,  Connecticut  birders 
found  23-24,  and  the  combined  New  Hampshire 
and  Vermont  total  was  over  100.  The  Region’s 
high  count  of  Rough-legged  Hawks  was  52,  all 
found  in  a day-long  survey  of  parts  of  Addison, 
VT  2 Feb.  Golden  Eagles  appeared  at  traditional 
locations  around  Quabbin  and  cen. 
Connecticut,  with  additional  s.  individuals  at 
Middletown,  Newport,  RI  28  Dec  and  W. 
Newbury,  Essex,  MA  25  Dec.  In  the  north,  one 
Golden  Eagle  made  a one-day  appearance  at 
Dead  Creek  W.M.A.,  Addison,  VT  4 Dec,  while 
another  spent  most  of  the  winter  at  Wilson’s 
MOls,  Oxford,  ME  [fitde  C.  Martin).  There  were  4 
Gyrfalcons  in  New  England  this  winter.  One 
took  up  residence  at  Sandbar  S.R,  Chittenden, 
VT  21  Jan  to  17  Feb,  and  single-day  sightings 
came  from  Richmond,  Sagadahoc,  ME  23  Dec 
(P.  Vickery),  and  Salisbury,  Essex,  MA  13  Jan. 
The  4th  bird  was  seen  sporadically  around 
Boston  16  Dec  through  Feb,  where  it  entertained 
innumerable  birders. 

A few  Virginia  Rafis  regularly  spend  all  or  part 
of  the  winter  in  s.  coastal  areas,  and  some  have 
even  started  showing  up  in  w.  Massachusetts. 
They  are  much  less  common  along  the  n.  coast, 
but  this  winter  a very  cooperative  bird  frequent- 
ed a marsh  in  Hampton,  Rockingham,  NH  for 
much  of  Jan,  where  it  was  regularly  observed 
catching  fish  through  a hole  in  the  ice.  Back  in 
the  south,  a Sora  was  on  Cape  Cod  27  Dec,  and 
a Yellow  Rail  was  reported  without  details  from 
Nantucket  in  Jan.  In  addition  to  the  fairly  regu- 


VoLUME  56  (2002),  Number  2 


155 


lar  appearance  or  Common  Moorhens  on 
Nantucket,  where  a bird  spent  the  entire  winter, 
there  were  single  moorhens  in  Rhode  Island  and 
Connecticut  in  Dec.  A Purple  Gallinule  some- 
how found  itself  well  to  the  n.  at  Spruce  Head, 
Knox,  ME,  where  it  was  found  injured  and  sent 
to  a rehabilitator  15  Jan  (R.  Pelletier).  Also  in 
the  north,  one  Am.  Coot  was  found  at  Milton 
VT  12  Jan,  and  an  exceptional  concentration  of 
85  was  reported  from  Kingston,  Rockingham, 
NH  10  Dec  (K.  Folsom).  The  Sandhill  Crane 
that  has  visited  Monroe,  Grafton,  NH  for  the  last 
three  summers  lingered  this  year  until  6 Dec, 
providing  the  Granite  State  with  a rare  winter 
record.  Another  crane  was  at  Columbia,  Tolland, 
CT  9 Dec,  and  one  wonders  if  it  could  have  been 
the  same  individual  moving  south. 

SHOREBfRDS  THROUGH  ALCIDS 

Although  a few  Black-bellied  Plovers  regularly 
spend  the  season  on  Cape  Cod,  individuals  n.  of 
se.  Massachusetts  are  quite  rare  after  Dec.  Given 
the  mild  winter,  however,  it  was  not  surprising 
that  one  was  found  in  Boston  10  Feb  (M.  Hall). 
Winter  Killdeer  along  the  New  England  coast 
are  not  unusual,  but  one  surviving  through  at 
least  3 Feb  at  Ferrisburgh,  Addison,  VT  provided 
a rare  mid-winter  record  for  the  Green 
Mountain  State  (TM).  Among  the  usual  smat- 
tering of  lingering  winter  sandpipers  were  a 
number  of  Lesser  Yellowlegs.  On  15  Dec,  3 were 
at  Sippewisset,  Barnstable,  MA  and  one  was  in 
Stratham,  Rockingham,  NH.  These  pale  by  com- 
parison to  the  5 that  spent  the  entire  winter  at 
P.I.,  providing  the  Region  with  its  first  record  of 
overwintering  birds.  One  wonders  whether 
these  birds  included  the  3 found  at  this  location 
in  early  Dec  2000.  Four  thousand  Dunlin  was  a 
good  winter  count  for  Chatham,  Barnstable, 
MA  2 Dec  (B.  Nikula),  and  2400  of  these  birds 
were  still  in  the  area  23  Feb.  Massachusetts  host- 
ed 8 Long-billed  Dowitchers  in  Dec,  including  a 
group  of  5 at  Hyannisport,  Barnstable  27  Dec. 
Ten  American  Woodcock  were  already  display- 
ing on  Nantucket  by  the  end  of  Feb. 

Jaegers  continue  to  set  wintering  records  for 
the  Region.  A Pomarine  at  First  Encounter  18 
Feb  is  the  latest  ever  recorded  in  the  Bay  State. 
Farther  north,  a Parasitic  and  4 unidentified 
jaegers  were  seen  from  Cape  Elizabeth,  ME  15 
Dec.  In  the  southeast  on  the  same  date,  14 
Pomarines  and  42  unidentified  jaegers  were  tal- 
lied from  First  Encounter  (P.  Flood).  A 
Laughing  Gull  at  P.I.  and  vicinity  in  Jan  and 
early  Feb  is  one  of  few  mid-winter  records  n.  of 
Cape  Cod.  A count  of  40,000  Bonaparte’s  Gulls 
and  25,000  Black-legged  Kittiwakes  from  Lubec, 
Washington,  ME  10  Dec  is  quite  impressive, 
although  in  all  fairness  they  were  shared  with 
New  Brunswick.  At  the  other  extreme,  both  geo- 


graphically and  numerically,  was  a single  Black- 
legged Kittiwake  unusually  far  up  Long  I.  Sound 
at  Groton,  CT  10  Feb.  The  Region’s  only 
Thayer’s  Gull  was  at  Nantucket  3 1 Dec  and  1 Jan 
(ph.  GdE),  although  another  was  reported  with- 
out details  from  Lubec  ME  9 Dec  (fide  WT).  For 
the  2nd  winter  in  a row,  a possible  Yellow- 
legged Gull  was  reported  from  Nantucket  in 
Jan,  although  no  details  were  submitted.  Two 
Forster’s  Terns  were  in  s.  New  England:  one  at 
Trustom  Pond  N.W.R.,  Washington,  RI  6 Dec 
and  another  at  Stratford,  CT  29  Dec.  The  latter 
represented  a record  late  date  for  the  Nutmeg 
State. 

Common  Murres  seem  to  have  staged  some- 
thing of  an  invasion  in  Feb,  when  18  were  found 
on  a pelagic  trip  off  Rhode  Island  on  the  9th, 
and  21  were  reported  from  P’town  on  the  24th. 
The  only  other  alcid  records  of  note  were  a few 
Razorbills  off  Connecticut;  counts  of  this 
species  at  traditional  hot  spots  in  Massachusetts 
were  unremarkable. 

OWLS  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

Eastern  Screech-Owls  are  not  known  to  move 
far  from  their  usual  haunts  in  s.  New  England 
(and  nw.  Vermont),  but  nonetheless  one  wan- 
dered over  80  km  to  Springvale,  York,  ME, 
where  it  was  hit  by  a car  30  Jan  and  taken  to  a 
rehabilitator.  Snowy  Owl  numbers  were  the 
highest  in  four  or  five  years.  Rough  numbers 
for  each  state  are  as  follows:  4 in  Vermont,  6 in 
New  Hampshire,  12-15  in  Maine,  30  in 
Massachusetts,  5 in  Connecticut,  and  3 in 
Rhode  Island.  Not  necessarily  Included  in 
these  totals  were  the  7 Snowies  found  on  the 
Isles  of  Shoals  C.B.C.  (York,  ME  and 
Rockingham,  NH)  16  Dec.  Unfortunately, 
many  of  these  owls  appeared  to  be  having 
trouble  finding  enough  food,  since  several 
were  turned  in  to  wildlife  rehabilitators  in 
Massachusetts  and  Maine.  The  only  other  n. 
strigids  were  in  Maine:  a Great  Gray  Owl  in 
Damariscotta,  Lincoln  4-20  Feb  (ph.  B. 
Twarog)  and  a dead  Boreal  Owl  in  Westfield, 
Aroostook  15  Jan. 

Two  unidentified  Selasphorus  humming- 
birds graced  the  Region  this  winter.  The  first 
appeared  at  a feeder  in  Newport,  RI  10  Dec 
and  stayed  through  23  Jan  (C.  Raithel).  It  was 
tentatively  identified  as  a Rufous,  and  photo- 
graphs are  currently  being  reviewed  by  hum- 
mingbird experts  in  California.  The  other  bird 
was  at  Chatham,  MA  feeder  1-21  Jan  (ph.,  m. 
ob.).  One  wonders  how  these  birds  arrived  in 
the  Region;  they  were  the  first  mid-winter 
records  of  any  hummingbird  for  New  England. 
Numbers  of  Red-headed  Woodpeckers  and 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsuckers  in  s.  New  England 
were  roughly  normal. 


FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  WAXWiNGS 

Typically,  the  only  flycatchers  in  this  report  are  a 
few  Eastern  Phoebes  from  e.  Massachusetts  in 
Dec.  These  were  around  again,  although  this 
time  they  continued  into  Feb,  but  the  real 
phoebe  action  was  elsewhere.  Farthest  afield  was 
a well-described  bird  in  Barnard,  Windsor,  VT 
28  Dec,  while  the  award  for  persistence  goes  to 
one  at  Rochester,  Strafford,  NH,  which  was  pres- 
ent at  least  through  16  Feb  (D.  Abbott).  Three 
Ash-throated  Flycatchers  lingered  into  Dec 
after  the  fall  mini-invasion  of  the  Northeast. 
One  was  at  Bath,  Sagadahoc,  ME  15  Dec  (tM. 
Dauphin),  and  Massachusetts  hosted  2: 
Gloucester  16-22  Dec  (t,  m.  ob.),  and  M.V.  22- 
24  Dec  (no  details,  v.  o.).  Western  Kingbirds 
were  on  M.V.  and  Nantucket  in  early  Dec,  while 
another  was  present  at  Wood’s  Hole,  Barnstable, 
MA  4 Dec  through  18  Jan  (G.  Hirth).  The  only 
time  this  species  has  survived  longer  than  this 
was  in  1953,  when  2 frequented  a feeder  on  M.V. 
for  an  entire  winter. 

Blue-headed  Vireos  numbered  3 in  Dec:  2 in 
Massachusetts  and  one  in  Connecticut. 
Although  Northern  Shrikes  showed  early  signs 
of  another  good  winter,  overall  reports  declined 
after  mid-Dec.  The  Gray  Jay  that  showed  up  at  a 
feeder  in  Windsor,  Berkshire,  MA  in  the  fall 
remained  through  at  least  5 Jan.  This  season’s 
wayward  Fish  Crow  was  reported  from 
Northampton,  Hampshire,  MA  in  mid-Jan. 

After  a moderate  fall  flight.  Boreal  Chickadees 
showed  up  at  several  locations  away  from  their 
traditional  n.  haunts.  Closest  to  home  was  one  at 
Springfield,  Sullivan,  NH  (D.  Hayward).  Six 
more  were  in  Massachusetts:  2 each  in  Berkshire, 
Quabbin,  and  Middlesex.  Another  was  reported 
without  details  from  Goshen,  Litchfield,  CT  6 
Jan.  Carolina  Wrens  were  exceptionally  well 
reported  from  s.  parts  of  Vermont,  New 
Hampshire,  and  Maine,  but  there  are  few  better 
indicators  of  the  mild  winter  than  an  individual 
of  this  species  at  Caribou,  Aroostook,  ME  7 
Dec — 16  Jan.  Weather  enthusiasts  will  recall  that 
this  town,  near  the  extreme  n.  tip  of  the  Pine 
Tree  State,  regularly  holds  the  honor  of  having 
the  coldest  temperatures  in  New  England. 

Three  Blue-gray  Gnatcatchers  were  found  on 
Cape  Cod  in  Dec,  2 on  a C.B.C.  16  Dec  and  one 
at  P’town  27  Dec.  It’s  worth  noting,  once  again, 
that  Hermit  Thrushes  showed  up  n.  and  inland 
in  respectable  numbers.  Less  expected  were  the 
Region’s  5 Varied  Thrushes.  The  first  was  at 
Westport,  MA  15  Dec,  with  a 2nd  for 
Massachusetts  at  Southwick  22-23  Dec.  Later  in 
the  season,  a female  made  a one-day  appearance 
in  a fruiting  tree  outside  a McDonald’s  in 
Belchertown,  Hampshire,  MA  19  Feb.  Farther 
north,  one  was  at  Deer  L,  Hancock,  ME  through- 
out Dec  (fide  WT),  and  another  frequented  a 


156 


North  American  Birds 


New  England 


feeder  in  Sutton,  Caledonia,  VT  from  3 Jan 
onward.  Still  less  expected  was  a Townsend’s 
Solitaire  at  Essex,  Essex,  MA  4 Dec — 8 Feb.  The 
thrush  of  the  season,  however,  was  a well- 
described  Wood  Thrush  in  Plainfield,  Sullivan, 
NH  5 Dec  (R  Stettenheim),  the  first  winter 
record  for  n.  New  England. 

Maine’s  Sage  Thrasher  was  last  reported 
from  Nubble  Light,  York  6 Dec  (fide  R Vickery). 
American  Pipits  again  wintered  in  small  num- 
bers in  coastal  New  Hampshire.  Early  in  the 
winter,  Bohemian  Waxwings  showed  signs  of  a 
good  invasion,  but  most  didn’t  get  far  from  the 
n.  portions  of  the  n.  three  states.  Exceptions 
include  birds  at  M.V.  and  Nantucket  on  22  & 29 
Dec,  respectively.  High  counts  to  the  n.  included 
300  in  Orono,  Penopscot,  ME  and  220  at 
Thetford,  Orange,  VT. 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Despite  the  aseasonal  temperatures,  lingering 
warbler  diversity  was  unremarkable  in  2001- 
2002.  A Cape  May  was  found  on  the  Block  I., 
Washington,  RI  C.B.C.  17  Dec,  a Pine  lingered  in 
Portland  through  at  least  2 Jan,  a Palm  was 
inland  at  Hadley,  Hampshire,  MA  4 Feb,  a Black- 
and-white  was  at  W.  Brooksville,  Hancock,  ME  7 
Dec  (fideWT),  and  an  American  Redstart  was  in 
Portsmouth,  RI  15  Dec.  A Black-throated  Green 
Warbler  at  Canton,  Hartford,  CT  5 Jan  set  a 
record-late  date  for  Connecticut.  Two  Wilson’s 
Warblers  made  it  into  Dec:  one  in  Falmouth, 
MA  15  Dec,  and  the  other  at  Milford,  New 
Haven,  CT  26  Dec.  Seiurus  warblers  were  seem- 
ingly everywhere,  including  4 Ovenbirds  (2  in 
Massachusetts,  singles  in  New  Hampshire  and 
Maine)  and  an  unprecedented  3 Northern 
Waterthrushes:  at  Milford,  CT  20  Jan  (D. 
Sosensky);  Bourne,  MA  27  Jan  (S.  Miller);  and 
N.  Marshfield,  Plymouth,  MA  10  Feb  (GdE),  all 
of  which  set  record-late  dates  for  their  respective 
states.  Visitors  from  the  West  graced  three 
states.  The  Audubon’s  Warbler  at  Rye  NH,  first 
discovered  in  late  Nov,  was  still  being  seen  in  Feb 
and  appears  to  have  survived  the  winter.  To  the 
s.,  a Townsend’s  Warbler  was  at  Centerville, 
Barnstable,  IvIA  28  Dec — 3 Feb.  And  to  the  w.,  a 
MacGillivray’s  Warbler  was  in  New  Milford, 
Litchfield,  CT  15-16  Dec  (D.  Tripp  et  al).  Almost 
a month  later,  yet  another  MacGillivray’s  was  at 
Silver  Sands  S.R,  New  Haven,  CT  12  Jan  (fB. 
Devine).  Depending  on  how  one  deals  with  a 
controversial  specimen,  and  pending  review  by 
the  state  record  committee,  these  may  represent 
the  first  records  for  Connecticut.  Yellow-breast- 
ed Chats  were  fairly  widespread  in  s.  New 
England,  with  the  northernmost  record  being 
the  aforementioned  bird  in  Rye,  NH.  Another 
chat  in  the  Granite  State  was  a banded  individ- 
ual on  offshore  Star  I.,  Rockingham  16  Dec, 


sparking  speculation  that  it  remained  in  the 
area  after  fall  banding  activities  on  nearby 
Appledore  L,  York,  ME. 

A Western  Tanager  was  reported  from 
Bridgeton,  Cumberland,  ME  29  Dec,  while  a 2nd 
was  seen  sporadically  in  the  Orleans/Eastham 
area  of  Cape  Cod  during  Jan.  Eastern  Towhees, 
like  Hermit  Thrushes  and  Gray  Catbirds,  were 
widespread  this  winter,  with  an  individual  on 
Mount  Desert  I.,  Hancock,  ME  18  Dec  (WT) 
being  the  farthest  north.  After  their  “invasion”  in 
2000-2001,  sparrows  as  a group  provided  no 
remarkable  numbers  or  vagrants.  The  sole 
exception,  and  it  was  a good  one,  v/as  an  imm. 
Lark  Bunting  at  Middleton,  Newport,  RI  15  Dec 
(tC.  Raithel).  At  the  very  end  of  Feb,  the  s.  parts 
of  the  Region  were  practically  swamped  with 
Red-winged  Blackbirds  and  Common  Crackles, 
with  peak  numbers  of  6000  and  2000  respective- 
ly. As  has  become  a regular  event,  3 Boat-tailed 
Crackles  remained  near  their  breeding  areas  in 
Stratford,  CT,  where  they  were  seen  at  least 
through  14  Jan.  The  Region’s  only  Yellow-head- 
ed Blackbird  was  at  Westport,  MA  20  Jan.  A 
Bullock’s  Oriole  visited  a feeder  in  Dover, 
Strajford,  NH  during  the  first  half  of  Jan,  pro- 
viding the  Granite  State  with  its  first  record 
since  1976.  Baltimore  Orioles  were  relatively 
widespread,  with  at  least  4 in  Massachusetts,  2 in 
Connecticut,  and  a quite  impressive  7 in  Maine. 
Most  of  these  were  in  Dec,  but  one  made  it 
through  27  Feb  at  Brunswick,  Cumberland,  ME, 
suggesting  successful  overwintering. 

The  finches  of  the  season  were  Pine 
Grosbeaks  and  Common  Redpolls,  although 
numbers  were  generally  lower  than  during  the 
last  invasion  (1999-2000).  The  grosbeaks  were 
confined  to  the  traditional  spots  of  n.  New 
England  and  w.  Massachusetts,  with  flock  sizes 
generally  under  30  birds.  Common  Redpolls 
went  farther  southward,  with  a few  individuals 
reaching  Nantucket  and  coastal  Rhode  Island. 
Except  in  parts  of  Maine,  redpoll  flocks  rarely 
exceeded  100  birds.  A few  Hoary  Redpolls  were 
reported  in  Maine  and  New  Hampshire.  The 
other  finch  that  moved  southward  was  White- 
winged Crossbill,  which  once  again  seemed  to 
concentrate  in  se.  coastal  areas.  Flocks  of  40  or 
more  were  at  Salisbury  MA  and  Charlestown  RI, 
and  the  farthest  afield  were  a dozen  or  so  on 
Nantucket.  Purple  Finches  were  most  notable 
for  their  absence,  and  Evening  Grosbeaks,  while 
widespread,  were  generally  quite  local  and  in 
small  numbers. 

Addenda 

The  Pink- footed  Goose  at  Dennis,  MA  16  Jan — 
20  Feb  1999  and  the  Yellow-legged  Gull  at 
Nantucket,  MA  28  Dec  2000  were  not  accepted 
by  the  Massachusetts  Avian  Records  Committee. 


Subregional  editors  (boldface),  contributors 
(italics),  and  observers;  Ann  Aversa  (VT),  Jim 
Berry,  David  Deifik  (NH),  Guy  d’Entremont 
(GdE),  Jody  Despres  (ME),  David  Emerson 
(RI),  Greg  Hanisek  (CT),  Seth  Kellogg  (MA), 
Ted  Murin,  Marjorie  Rimes  (MA),  Janice  St. 
Jean  (JSJ),  Wayne  Scott  (VT),  William 
Townsend  (ME).  a 


Assist  in  bird  conservation, 
research,  and  outreach  in 
the  Neotropics  by  donating 
your  used  but  still  function- 
ing birding  equipment  to 

Birders'  Exchange, 

American  Birding  Associa- 
tion, 720  West  Monument 
St,  PO  Box  6599, Colorado 
Springs,  CO  80934-6599. 

WWW.  americanbirding.  org/ 
programs/consbex.  h tm 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


157 


Hudson-Delaware 


Joseph  C.  Burgiel 

331  Alpine  Court 

Stanhope,  New  Jersey  07874 

(burgie!@alum.m(t.edu) 

Robert  0.  Paxton 

460  Riverside  Drive,  Apartment  72 
New  York,  New  York  10027 
(rop1@columbia.edu) 

David  A.  Cutler 

1003  Livezey  Lane 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania  19119 
(dcipaper@aol.com) 

The  warm,  dry  weather  from  last  fall  continued 
through  the  winter.  With  average  tempera- 
tures seven  to  nine  degrees  Fahrenheit  above  nor- 
mal, it  was  one  of  the  warmest  on  record.  And 
with  precipitation  as  much  as  15  cm  below  nor- 
mal in  some  areas,  it  was  also  among  the  driest. 
Most  of  the  Region  remained  without  significant 
snow  cover  through  the  period.  Lakes  remained 
partially  ice-free  as  much  as  a month  later  than 
normal.  Even  in  the  snow-belt  areas,  where  up  to 
2.5  m of  snow  are  normal,  there  were  often  no 
more  than  a few  cm  on  the  ground.  As  a result, 
with  no  fewer  than  19  species  of  warbler  report- 
ed, waterfowl  and  many  half-hardy  species 
remained  n.  well  into  the  season. 

The  season’s  highlights  included  reports  of 
Slaty-backed  Gull  and  Long-billed  Murrelet  in 
New  York,  Bell’s  Vireo  in  New  Jersey,  “Western” 
Flycatcher  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Mew  Gull  and 
Dusky  Flycatcher  in  Delaware.  Also  notable  were 
Western  Grebe,  Least  Flycatcher,  two  continuing 
Calliope  Hummingbirds,  a winter  Tennessee 


Warbler,  and  Townsend’s  Solitaire  in  New  York; 
Townsend’s  Warbler  in  New  Jersey,  and  a contin- 
uing Great  White  Heron  in  Delaware. 

Abbreviations:  Brigantine  (Brigantine  Unit, 
Forsythe  Nat’l  Wildlife  Refuge,  Atlantic,  NJ); 
Hamlin  Beach  (Hamlin  Beach  S.R,  Monroe,  NY); 
Montauk  Pt.  (Montauk  Point  S.R,  Suffolk.  NY); 
Sandy  Hook  (Sandy  Hook  Unit,  Gateway  Nat’l 
Recreation  Area,  Monmouth,  NJ). 

LOONS  THROUGH  VULTURES 

A Pacific  Loon  in  largely  alternate  plumage  at 
several  locations  near  Eastport  and  E.  Moriches, 
Suffolk,  NY  22  Dec — 7 Jan  (Steve  Biasetti)  was 
enjoyed  by  many  observers.  There  are  only  about 
a half-dozen  accepted  records  of  this  species  for 
New  York.  With  fewer  than  20  reported.  Red- 
necked Grebe’s  numbers  were  low,  reflecting 
open  water  conditions  farther  north.  Numbers  of 
Eared  Grebes  were  also  low  with  only  3 reported: 
Cayuga  L.,  NY  22-24  Dec  (KM,  JM);  Essex,  Essex, 
NY  26  Jan  (SeO,  Gerard  Phillips,  and  Christopher 
Tessaglia-Hymes)  just  the  2nd  record  for  New 
York’s  Adirondack-Champlain  Region;  and 
Dewey  Beach,  Sussex,  DE  27  Jan  (MG  et  al).  A 
Western  Grebe  at  Hamlin  Beach  2 Jan  (fDT, 
details  to  NYSARC  and  to  Genesee 
Ornithological  Society/Rochester  Birding 
Association  records  committee)  was  convincing- 
ly distinguished  from  Clark’s  Grebe.  New  York 
has  only  about  six  previous  accepted  records  of 
Western  Grebe.  A pelagic  trip  from  Brielle, 
Monmouth,  NJ  1 Dec  to  the  Hudson  Canyon  pro- 
duced 52  Northern  Fulmars  (PG  et  al.),  a good 
count,  possibly  the  highest  since  the  establish- 
ment of  the  offshore  Exclusive  Economic  Zone, 


which  limits  the  foreign  fishing  fleet  to  waters 
beyond  200  nautical  miles  from  shore. 

Single  Northern  Gannets  were  at  Cayuga  L„ 
NY  19-20  Dec  (Aaron  Greene),  an  unusual 
inland  location,  and  at  several  locations  on  L. 
Ontario  in  Dec  to  5 Jan.  Brown  Pelicans  took 
advantage  of  the  mild  weather  with  possibly  the 
same  2 both  at  Cape  May,  NJ  5 Dec  (Dave 
Githens)  and  at  Avalon,  Cape  May,  NJ  6 Dec 
(CS).  One  was  also  noted  at  Cape  May  Pt.,  NJ  13 
Jan  (DHe)  and  2 at  Broadkill  Beach,  Sussex,  DE 
15  Jan  (Jennifer  Multhropp).  An  American 
Bittern  at  Howland  I.  WMA,  Cayuga,  NY  1 Jan 
(tSue  Boettger,  fBill  Gruenbaum)  provided  the 
4th  winter  record  in  the  Oneida  L.  Basin.  A very 
late  Least  Bittern  was  found  dying  at  E.  Point, 
Cumberland,  NJ  2 Jan  (CS,  JD),  and  a more  suc- 
cessful one  was  at  Cape  May  Point  S.R,  NJ  8 Jan 
(D.  Soares).  But  the  heron  of  the  season  was  the 
Great  White  Heron  remaining  from  last  fall  at 
Woodland  Beach  WOdlife  Area,  Kent,  DE,  seen  3 
Dec  and  1 Jan  (MG).  Now  uncommon  at  any 
time,  Cattle  Egrets  remained  at  Bridgehampton, 
Sufolk,  NY  on  16  Dec  (Shai  Mitra,  PAB)  and  at 
Skaneateles,  Onondaga,  NY  until  19  Dec,  a 
record-late  date  for  the  Oneida  L.  Basin.  It 
seemed  bound  to  happen;  Black  Vultures  out- 
numbered Turkey  Vultures  on  several  C.B.C.s. 
The  Southern  Orange  County  C.B.C.,  NY  had  a 
record  total  of  182  on  22  Dec. 

WATERFOWL 

A Pink-footed  Goose,  perhaps  the  same  individ- 
ual that  visited  e.  Pennsylvania  for  three  consecu- 
tive winters  and  last  seen  three  years  ago,  was  at 
Upper  Makefield  Twp.  and  Buckingham  Twp.  27 
Jan — 3 Feb  (DF  et  al).  The  records  committee 
accepted  at  least  the  first  of  these  reports.  With  2 1 
Greater  White-fronted  Geese  reported  from  all 
four  states,  numbers,  though  slightly  lower  than 
last  year’s,  were  about  normal.  Seventeen  Ross’s 
Geese  in  all  four  states  made  an  excellent  number, 
about  double  what  would  have  been  considered 
outstanding  only  four  or  five  years  ago.  Small 
Canada  Geese,  most  reported  as  Richardson’s, 
continued  their  recent  trend,  with  singles  at 
Tom’s  R.,  Ocean,  NJ  15  Dec  (Don  Sutherland, 
Donna  Desjardins,  Lynn  Hunt),  Prime  Hook 
N.W.R.  Sussex,  DE  12  Jan  (MG),  Waryas  Pk., 
Dutchess,  NY  28  Jan  (Chet  Vincent);  and  multi- 
ples in  Bucks,  PA,  including  birds  at  Peace  Valley 
Pk.  and  Nockamixon  S.R  in  Jan  and  Feb  (DF,  AM, 
PL  et  al.)  and  Calverton  and  East  Hampton, 
Suffolk,  NY  through  the  season. 

Barnacle  Geese  of  unknown  origin  echoed  the 
influx  occurring  elsewhere  along  the  Eastern 
Seaboard.  In  Suffolk,  NY,  last  fall’s  remained  at 
East  Hampton  untfl  at  least  20  Jan  but  reap- 
peared at  Wainscott  17  Feb  (HM);  a different 
individual  was  at  Mattituck,  NY  19  Jan  (Paul 


158 


North  American  Birds, 


Hudson  - D elaware 


Gillen).  One  was  at  Bayside,  Queens,  NY  1 Jan — 
23  Feb  (Art  Scopec  et  al.),  yet  another  visited 
Buckingham  Twp.,  Bucks,  PA  2-19  Feb  (AM,  PL), 
and  one  was  at  Merrill  Cr.  Res.  Warren,  NJ  5-9 
Feb  (RW,  Tom  Halliwell  et  al.). 

More  than  a dozen  Trumpeter  Swans  were 
reported  from  nw.  New  York.  In  Monroe,  2 at 
Irondequot  Bay  (RS,  m.  ob.)  and  one  at  Bear  Cr. 
for  the  month  of  Jan  had  wing  tags  probably 
indicating  an  Ontario  origin.  In  Erie,  one  at 
Buckhorn  1.  S.P.  10  & 17  Feb  (Michael  DeSha, 
Tom  LeBlanc)  and  4 at  Randolph  15  Feb  (tJack 
Skalicki)  had  collars  from  a migration  project  at 
Oak  Orchard  W.M.A.,  Genesee,  NY.  And  in 
Oswego,  5 were  at  Fair  Haven  18  Feb  (tBP).  Four 
Common  Teal  visited  the  Region,  3 in  New  York 
and  one  in  New  Jersey.  A female  Tufted  Duck 
returned  to  Rehoboth,  Sussex,  DE  for  the  season, 
and  single  males  were  at  the  Navesink  and 
Shrewsbury  Rivers,  Monmouth,  NJ  6-22  Jan  (FT, 
BD)  and  at  Patchogue,  Sujfolk,  NY  12-21  Jan 
(Diana  Teta).  Tufted  Duck  x scaup  hybrids,  all 
males,  were  at  Rehoboth  Beach,  DE  26  Jan  (MG), 
the  Navesink  R.,  NJ  28  Jan  (SB),  and  Massapequa, 
Sujfolk,  NY  21-24  Feb  (Ken  Feustel,  RJK). 
Eighteen  Harlequin  Ducks  at  Barnegat  Lt.  S.P., 
Monmouth,  NJ  30  Dec  was  the  highest  count, 
with  a dozen  others  scattered  through  the 
Region.  Nine  Barrow’s  Goldeneye  reported  was 
typical  for  recent  years.  A male  and  2 females 
were  at  Sandy  Hook  6 Jan  to  season  end  (FT,  BD), 
with  6 singles  scattered  through  the  Region. 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  CRANES 

Reports  of  8 early-winter  Ospreys  were  excep- 
tional. The  latest  were  2 at  Selkirk  Shores  S.P., 
Oswego,  NY  28-29  Dec  (tDon  Coogan)  for  a first 
Oneida  L.  Basin  winter  record.  The  earliest 
arrivals,  all  on  15  Feb  a full  month  before  expect- 
ed, were  2 at  E.  Hampton,  NY  and  one  in  s.  Cape 
May,  NJ  (Judy  Lukens).  Several  reporters 
remarked  that  the  low  numbers  of  Northern 
Harriers,  Rough-legged  Hawks,  and  Short-eared 
Owls  this  season  could  be  attributed  to  a low 
Meadow  Vole  population  this  year.  A very  late 
Broad-winged  Hawk  2 Dec  at  W.  Cape  May,  NJ 
(Shawneen  Finnegan)  was  a surprise.  A gray 
Gyrfalcon  was  reported  at  Westport,  Essex,  NY  15 
Dec  (J&PT,  Richard  & Susan  Stewart),  along  L. 
Champlain,  one  of  the  better  areas  in  the  Region 
for  this  very  rare  falcon.  Another  was  reported  at 
Mispillion  Inlet,  Kent/Susssex,  DE  5 Jan  (fCB, 
Karen  Bennett),  where  it  is  decidedly  more  rare. 
There  is  only  one  previous  record  of  Gyrfalcon  in 
Delaware.  And  a white  Gyrfalcon,  the  rarest 
morph  in  the  area,  was  reported  without  details 
at  Prospect  Park,  Brooklyn,  NY  27  Jan  (Steve 
Nanz,  Inara  Schwartz). 

A Common  Moorhen  surprised  two  observers 
at  Mendon  Ponds  Pk.,  Monroe,  NY  27  Jan  (DT, 


Mike  Davids),  where  there  are  only  about  a half- 
dozen  winter  records.  Eighteen  Sandhill  Cranes 
at  Seneca  Falls,  Seneca,  NY  15  Dec  (John  Van 
Niel)  was  the  highest  count  this  season,  while  12 
at  Pomfret,  Chautauqua,  NY  1-21  Jan  (JoG,  m. 
ob.)  provided  a first  winter  record  as  well  as  a 
new  maximum  count  for  the  state’s  Niagara 
Frontier  Region.  The  crane  flock  at  Bostwick  L., 
Salem,  NJ  returned  this  year,  with  2 Sandhill 
Cranes  and  6 Sandhill  x Common  Crane  hybrids 
there  10  Feb  among  other  dates  (WD,  Alfred 
Driscoll). 

SHOREBIRDS  THROUGH  ALCIDS 

A pelagic  trip  from  Bridle,  NJ  1 Dec  turned  up  19 
Pomarine  Jaegers  (PG  et  al.).  More  interesting 
was  one  over  L.  Ontario  at  Derby  Hill,  Oswego, 
NY  13  Jan  (Kevin  McGann),  the  2nd  Jan  record 
for  the  Oneida  L.  Basin.  Rare  in  New  York’s 
Niagara  Frontier  Region  at  any  season,  an  ad. 
Laughing  Gull  was  a prize  at  Dunkirk  Harbor, 
Chautauqua  3 & 6 Jan  (fWD’A,  fBK  et  al).  One 
at  the  Cape  May  ferry  slip,  NJ  Jan — 14  Feb  was 
exceptionally  late  (Sandra  Keller).  Thirteen 
Black-headed  Gulls  for  the  season  was  unremark- 
able, but  one  at  Oswego,  NY  17  Dec  (Richard 
Crossley)  provided  the  Oneida  L.  Basin  with  its 
9th  record.  After  seeing  a hybrid  of  Black-headed 
Gull  found  at  Kiamesha  L,  Sullivan,  NY  4 Feb  and 
seen  again  22-23  Feb  in  nearby  Woodbourne  (VF, 
ph.  KM  et  al),  Lehman  and  others  suggested  the 
other  parent  was  probably  a Ring-billed  GuU.  The 
Bonaparte’s  Gull  flock  on  the  Niagara  R.,  NY 
built  to  an  estimated  50,000  on  13  Jan  (WD’A), 
which  was  doubly  remarkable  because  by  mid- 
Jan  numbers  are  usually  low.  However,  by  5 Feb 
the  flock  had  decreased  to  3800  (Gordon 
Bellerby).  A well-photographed  Mew  Gull  at  the 
Cherry  1.  Landfill  near  Wilmington,  DE  15  Feb 
(ph.  George  L.  Armistead,  Matthew  Sharp)  will 
provide  Delaware’s  2nd  record  pending  approval; 
the  bird  was  clearly  not  a North  American  Mew 
Gull  [Larus  canus  brachyrhynchos)  and  was  more 
likely  a nominate  bird  (Common  Gull,  L.  c. 
canus)  or  possibly  one  of  the  Asian  races,  heinei 
or  kamschatchensis.  Two  ad.  California  Gulls  were 


observed  at  the  Niagara  R.,  NY  2 Dec  (WD’A), 
and  one  remained  there  until  18  Feb.  While  there 
are  still  very  few  records  of  California  Gull  in 
New  York,  this  area  has  become  one  of  the  best 
places  to  find  them.  Record  numbers  of  Lesser 
Black-backed  Gulls  continued  this  year,  with  the 
usual  very  large  concentrations  in  Bucks,  PA  and 
adjacent  Florence,  Burlington,  NJ.  The  highest 
count  was  192  on  the  Southern  Bucks  County 
C.B.C.  30  Dec  (Rick  Mellon),  with  166  of  them  at 
the  Penn  Manor  tract  across  the  Delaware  from 
Florence.  Immature  Sabine’s  Gulls  at  Dunkirk 
Harbor,  NY  1 Dec  (JoG,  Dick  Miga)  and  on  the 
Niagara  R.  at  Buffalo,  NY  3 Dec  (Peter  Yoerg) 
were  late  but  not  exceptionally  so.  Most  individ- 
uals of  this  rare  species  pass  through  the  Niagara 
Frontier  Region  in  Sep  and  Oct,  but  some  have 
been  observed  well  into  Dec. 

The  warmer  weather  held  large  numbers  of 
Forster’s  Terns  into  Jan.  Late  high  counts  includ- 
ed 140  on  the  Rehoboth  C.B.C.,  DE  29  Dec  {fide 
Joseph  Swertinski)  and  20  at  Cape  May  Pt.  NJ  21 
Jan  (Tom  & Patti  Reed).  Very  unusual  were  11 
Black  Skimmers  on  the  Oceanville  C.B.C.,  Atlantic, 
NJ  15  Dec,  a new  winter  high  count  for  New  Jersey. 
Far  from  common,  a Common  Murre  was  report- 
ed at  Montauk  Pt.  25  Feb  (John  Fritz).  Also  not 
common,  2 Thick-billed  Murres  were  reported, 
one  on  a pelagic  trip  from  Brielle,  NJ  1 Dec  (fPG, 
tSB  et  al.)  and  one  26  Dec  (PL)  & 1 Jan  (Jim 
Clinton)  at  Montauk  Pt.  But  the  alcid  of  the  season 
was  certainly  a Long-billed  Murrelet  at  Ithaca, 
Tompkins,  NY  17-20  Dec  (fSK,  Taylor  Kelling), 
providing  New  York’s  and  the  Region’s  2nd  record, 
with  the  first  also  from  upstate.  An  Atlantic  Puffin 
was  seen  on  the  Brielle  pelagic  trip  1 Dec  (fPG  et 
al.). 

DOVES  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

A White-winged  Dove  visited  a feeder  at 
Montauk,  Sujfolk,  NY  6-7  Dec  (Peter  & Kay  Liss; 
no  details  received).  Another  was  at  Cape  May 
Pt.  25  Feb  through  the  end  of  the  season  (Karl 
Lukens,  Andre  Robinson,  m.  ob.).  This  individ- 
ual, New  Jersey’s  15th  record  pending  approval, 
was  found  where  one  appeared  in  Nov  1996. 


^ /kAn  unidentified  adult,  winter,  dark-mantled  gull  was  discovered  4 Feb  (VF)  at  Kiamesha 
^§%L.  in  Sullivan,  NY  and  relocated  there  8 Feb  (John  Haas).  In  response  to  Haas’s  email 
posting,  P.  A.  Buckley  arranged  to  meet  them.  And  on  20  Feb  after  extensive  searching,  it  was 
relocated  about  16  km  away  at  the  Neversink  Res.  Seen  in  the  water,  on  the  ice,  and  several  times 
in  flight,  it  clearly  matched  Slaty-backed  Gull.  Features  noted  included  the  “string  of  pearls” 
formed  by  the  white  sub-terminal  spots  on  the  primaries  (observed  on  both  dorsal  and  ventral 
surfaces);  the  broad  white  trailing  edge  to  the  upperwing;  restricted  black  on  outer  primaries; 
smaOish  bill  with  slight  gonydeal  angle;  light  eye;  dark  eye  patch;  almost  coral-red  legs;  and  gray, 
not  blackish,  trailing  edge  to  the  underwing.  Extensive  searching  on  the  following  two  days  was 
unsuccessful.  However  on  23  Feb,  an  ad.  Slaty-backed  Gull,  possibly  the  same  individual,  was 
observed  at  Seneca  Falls,  about  a hundred  miles  NW  (ph.  SK,  KM,  JM)  and  superbly  pho- 
tographed. If  confirmed,  this  will  be  New  York’s  and  the  Region’s  2nd  record  (or  2nd  and  3rd 
records).  (Many  thanks  to  P.A.  Buckley  for  help  getting  this  straight.) 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


159 


One  of  at  least  five  Barnacle  Geese  in  the  Region 
this  season,  this  one  in  Bucks  County, 
Pennsylvania,  south  of  New  Hope  13  February 
2002  associated  with  Canada  Geese  and  departed 
with  them,  as  did  all  other  Barnacle  Geese 
observed  in  the  East.  A flight  on  this  scale  (if 
indeed  a flight  was  involved)  had  not  been 
recorded  previously.  Photograph  by  Rick  Wiltraut. 

With  reports  of  50,  Snowy  Owls  were  quite  com- 
mon, and  in  some  areas  such  as  Atlantic  md  Cape 
May,  NJ,  where  up  to  13  were  observed  (possibly 
some  duplication  here),  they  were  unusually  so. 
Northern  Saw-whet  Owls  had  their  best  year  in  at 
least  five,  with  52  reported.  Unusual  was  the  total 
of  12  at  Honeoye  L.,  Ontario,  NY  22  Dec  (D.  Van 
Horn  et  al.).  In  what  may  be  the  Region’s  best 
hummingbird  winter,  an  Archilochus  humming- 
bird in  Yonkers,  Westchester,  NY  7-23  Dec  (Hugh 
Martin,  MB,  TWB,  ph.  Mike  Stubblefield) 
remains  unidentified  to  species.  But  the  photo- 
graphs are  said  to  be  excellent,  so  this  may 
change.  If  Ruby-throated,  this  individual  would 
be  record-late  for  New  York,  while  if  Black- 
chinned  it  would  provide  a new  state  record.  Last 
season’s  2 Calliope  Hummingbirds  remained  at 
Ft.  Tryon  Pk.  in  New  York  City,  one  each  to  26 
and  27  Dec.  Two  new  Rufous  Hummingbirds, 
now  annual,  visited  the  Region,  with  one  near 
Lewes,  Sussex,  DE  Dec — mid- Jan  (Frank 
Rohrbacher)  trapped,  measured,  and  banded 
(MG),  and  one  at  Cape  May,  NJ  8 Dec — 13  Jan 
(Anita  Van  Heeswyk,  m.  ob.)  also  trapped,  meas- 
ured, and  banded  (MG).  And  one  each  contin- 
ued from  last  season  at  Yonkers,  NY  until  6 Jan, 
and  at  Barnegat  Light,  Ocean,  NJ  until  15  Jan. 
The  Rufous/Allen’s  Hummingbird  remained  at 
Knowlton  Twp.,  Warren,  NJ  until  12  Jan.  Finally, 
three  unidentified  hummingbirds  were  reported, 
including  2 probable  Selasphorus.  Not  to  be  out- 
done, Red-headed  Woodpeckers  staged  their 
strongest  winter  invasion  in  recent  memory. 
About  80  were  reported.  The  highest  totals  were 
from  Morris,  NJ,  where  14  were  observed  at  Great 
Swamp  N.W.R.  15  Dec  (Bill  Boyle  et  al.)  and  18  at 
Troy  Meadows  23  Dec  (Roger  Johnson  et  al.). 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  WAXWIHGS 

Westport,  Essex  in  far  n.  New  York  produced  a 


Say’s  Phoebe  24  Feb  (f Carole  & James 
Wilkinson),  the  first  recorded  in  the  Adirondack- 
Champlain  Region  and  only  the  state’s  2nd  win- 
ter record  later  than  Dec.  Four  Ash-throated 
Flycatchers,  a rare  species  but  recently  appearing 
annually,  visited  the  Region.  Three  were  on  Long 
I.,  NY:  one  at  Ft.  Tilden,  Queens  1 Dec;  one  at 
Northville,  Sujfolk  4 Dec  (Mary-Laura  Lament); 
and  one  on  the  Central  Suffolk  C.B.C.  22  Dec 
(Steve  Walter  et  al.).  The  4th  remained  from  last 
season  at  Bedminster,  Somerset,  NJ  untO  9 Dec 
(Susan  Endres).  Five  Western  Kingbirds  were 
present,  2 on  Long  I.,  one  in  New  Jersey,  and  one 
in  Delaware,  that  latter  remaining  well  into  Jan. 
The  farthest  afield  was  at  Hamlin  Beach  8 Dec 
(DT)  for  the  5th  Monroe,  NY  record,  with  all  pre- 
vious ones  in  Aug  and  Sep  {fide  RS).  Northern 
Shrikes,  with  about  55  reported  (well  below  the 
highs  of  the  past  two  years)  were  present  in  more 
normal  numbers,  some  well  south.  The  Cape  May 

This  was  a winter  of  Empidonax  flycatch- 
ers, with  three  reports  almost  surely 
unprecedented.  All  three  are  pending  approval 
by  the  respective  records  committees.  One 
reported  as  “99%  sure  it  is  a Least”  Flycatcher 
was  found  on  the  Central  Park  C.B.C.  in  New 
York  City  16  Dec  (Kenn  Kaufman,  Scott  Haber). 
The  remaining  uncertainty  is  because  Dusky 
Flycatcher  could  not  be  ruled  out.  Call-notes 
eliminated  most  other  western  species.  DetaOs 
included  a small  bill,  rather  distinctive  eye-ring, 
and  other  more  subtle  features.  If  confirmed, 
this  would  provide  a new  record-late  date  for 
New  York  and  perhaps  the  entire  Region  as  weO. 

At  Cedar  Swamp  Wildlife  Area,  New  Castle,  DE 
a Dusky  Flycatcher  was  discovered  31  Dec 
(fBil!  Murphy,  Bert  Filmeyr)  and  first  identified 
to  species  by  Gustafson.  Present  to  at  least  22 
Jan,  this  individual  was  well  photographed  (Ray 
Wilson)  and  captured,  measured,  and  banded 
(MG).  Except  for  a hypothetical  record  in 
Pennsylvania,  this  is  potentiaEy  the  Region’s 
first.  Finally,  on  the  Southern  Lancaster  C.B.C. 
at  Fishing  Creek,  Lancaster,  PA,  a bird  widely 
called  a Pacific-slope  Flycatcher,  but  more 
safely  considered  a Pacific-slope/Cordileran 
Flycatcher,  was  found  16  Dec  (fBarry  Blust  et 
al.).  Present  until  26  Dec  this  individual  was  also 
photographed  and  we  understand  recordings  of 
its  calls  made.  If,  in  addition  to  the  thorough 
description  and  the  photographs,  the  recordings 
of  the  calls  reach  the  records  committee,  the  iden- 
tity may  be  narrowed  to  species.  Interestingly 
enough,  Pennsylvania’s  only  confirmed  previous 
record,  one  of  Pacific-slope  Flycatcher,  comes 
from  this  same  C.B.C.  in  1990.  There  is  one  other 
record  for  the  Region,  a Pacific-slope/Cordileran 
in  New  Jersey. 


C.B.C.  16  Dec  produced  a Bell’s  Vireo  (Michael 
O’Brien,  Louise  Zemaitis).  Remaining  untO  at 
least  12  Jan  and  seen  by  many,  this  individual 
provides  New  Jersey  with  its  5th  record.  Late 
Blue-headed  Vireos  included  one  at  Media, 
Delaware,  PA  15  Dec  (Sandra  Sherman  et  al.)  and 
one  in  Cape  May  20  Dec  (JD).  Two  Fish  Crows 
were  a surprise  in  Plattsburgh,  Clinton,  NY  24  Feb 
(Dana  Rohleder),  far  n.  of  their  normal  wintering 
range. 

The  warm  winter  produced  a number  of  very 
late  swallow  reports.  Eleven  Tree  Swallows  win- 
tering at  the  Wilmington,  DE  sewage  treatment 
plant  (JW,  SaO,  JeC)  dwindled  to  6 by  season’s 
end.  Exceptionally  late  Northern  Rough-winged 
Swallows  include  one  at  Sandy  Hook  2 Dec  (PL), 
one  at  Niagara  Falls,  NY  8 Dec  (WD’A),  and  one 
at  the  Wilmington  sewage  plant  22  Dec  (JW,  SaO, 
JeC,  vt.).  Rare  after  Oct,  these  reports  probably 
provide  record-late  dates  for  Delaware  and  New 
York.  A Barn  Swallow  remained  at  the 
Wilmington  sewage  plant  until  mid- Jan  (JW, 
SaO,  JeC).  Similarly,  there  was  a rash  of  9 Blue- 
gray  Gnatcatcher  reports  in  Dec,  the  latest  at 
Cape  May,  NJ  until  8 Jan.  A Townsend’s  Solitaire 
at  Bond  L.,  Niagara,  NY  23  Dec  through  the  sea- 
son (WD’A,  m.  ob.)  provided  a first  for  New 
York’s  Niagara  Frontier  Region,  about  the  7th  NY 
record,  and  perhaps  the  first  away  from  the  se. 
corner  of  the  state.  Astonishing  anywhere  in 
North  America  in  winter,  a Wood  Thrush  was 
found  on  a C.B.C.  in  e.  Orange,  NY  15  Dec  (John 
Tramontane  et  al.).  Two  Varied  Thrushes  were 
reported  in  New  Jersey:  one,  a very  elusive 
female,  at  Garret  Mt.  Pk.,  Passaic  30  Dec — 24  Feb, 
the  state’s  17th  (m.  ob.);  and  one  near 
Pemberton,  Burlington  22  Jan  (Fred  Lesser,  Alex 
Tongas).  American  Pipits  in  unusual  locations 
included  singles  at  Elba,  Orleans,  NY  4 Jan  (tBK), 
a first  Jan  record  for  the  state’s  Niagara  Frontier 
Region;  at  Elizabethtown,  NY,  Essex  22  Jan 
(J8cPT)  and  at  Westport,  NY  9 Feb  (Robert 
Hagar,  SeO),  both  first  county  winter  records; 
and  at  Greece,  Monroe,  NY  (DT),  the  first  winter 
record  for  the  state’s  Genesee  Region.  The  season 
brought  a major  influx  of  Bohemian  Waxwings. 
Reports  totaled  about  800,  mostly  from  the  ne. 
corner  of  New  York.  The  highest  counts,  all  in  New 
York,  included  235  on  the  Ferrisburg  C.B.C.,  Essex 
15  Dec,  160  at  New  Hartford,  Oneida  26  Feb,  100 
at  Massena,  St.  Lawrence  9 Feb,  and  100  at 
Kirkland,  Oneida,  18  & 26  Feb. 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Single  Tennessee  Warblers  at  Park  Station  Pk., 
Chemung,  NY  2 Dec  (Dave  Russell)  and 
Patchogue,  Sujfolk,  NY  10  Feb  (TWB,  vt.  Andy 
Guthrie)  provided  the  state’s  2nd  and  3rd  winter 
records  and  the  first  in  Feb.  Exceptionally  late 
Northern  Parulas  included  one  at  Central  Park, 


160 


North  American  Birds 


Hudson-Delaware 


Long-billed  iurrelet, distingi''  ■ ■■  >\  ■ i 

level  from  Marbled  Murrelet  only  in  the  last 
decade,  has  shovm  an  astonishing  propensity  for 
vagrancy  into  the  continent’s  eastern  half  in  recent 
years,  a pattern  of  dispersal  not  seen  in  its  close 
congener.  It  is  not  yet  annual  in  the  continent’s 
interior,  however,  and  its  appearance  any\¥here 
here  is  a major  event.  This  bird  was  a marvelous 
find  just  north  of  Stewart  Park,  at  the  southern  end 
of  Cayuga  Lake,  1 7 (here)  through  20  December 
2001 . Photograph  by  Kevin  J.  McGowan. 

New  York  City  until  1 Jan  (Tom  Fiore)  and  one  26 
Jan  to  season  end  at  Washington  Boro,  Lancaster, 
PA,  both  dates  probably  record  late.  Sandy  Hook 
produced  a Townsend’s  Warbler  1-6  Dec  (Ken 
Klapper,  m.  ob.,  ph.)  at  the  same  location  as  one 
in  Dec  1980,  for  New  Jersey’s  8th  record.  A Yellow- 
throated  Warbler  at  Wissler  Run  Pk.,  Lancaster,  PA 
16  Dec — 30  Jan  (m.  ob.)  was  observed  eating 
insects  out  of  spider  webs  and  remained  living 
under  and  inside  a picnic  pavilion.  Late  Prairie 
Warblers  included  one  at  Allaire  S.P.,  Monmouth, 
NJ  9 Dec  (SB,  Linda  Mack),  one  at  Alpine,  Bergen, 
NJ  15  &17  Dec  (Linn  Pierson,  Brian  Moscatello), 
and  one  at  Bombay  Hook  N.W.R.,  Kent,  DE  23 
Dec  (DAC,  ph.  Lewis  Dumont).  Exceptionally  late 
Ovenbirds  included  one  at  Ft.  Tryon  Pk.,  New 
York  City  5 Dec — 26  Jan  and  one  at  New  Lisbon, 
Burlington,  NJ  12-19  Jan  (Len  Little).  More  sur- 
prising were  Wilson’s  Warblers,  one  each  at 
Pleasant  Valley,  Staten  I.,  NY  29  Dec  (Howie 
Fischer,  fide  Henry  Flam),  at  Prospect  Pk., 
Brooklyn,  NY  until  6 Jan,  and  at  Cape  May  Pt.  S.P., 
NJ  until  early  Jan  (m.  ob.). 

Sandy  Hook  harbored  a Western  Tanager  27 
Jan  (ph.  TB).  About  a third  of  New  Jersey’s 
records  of  this  rare  species  are  in  winter.  Two 
Clay-colored  Sparrows  were  at  Cape  May,  NJ,  one 
for  the  season,  as  well  as  another  one  for  most  of 
Dec  (PL  et  al.).  Another  was  rare  at  Pt.  Phfllips, 
Northampton,  PA  26  Dec — 20  Jan  (RW).  Solo 
Lark  Sparrows  were  at  Cape  May  Court  House,  NJ 
for  the  season  (Sandy  Sherman,  m.  ob.)  and  at 
Benjamin  Rush  S.P.,  Philadelphia  2-18  Feb. 
Unusual  in  New  Jersey  in  Dec  and  exceedingly 
rare  in  Jan,  2 Grasshopper  Sparrows  were  report- 
ed there,  one  at  Cape  May  16  Dec  (Tony 
Leukering),  and  one  at  Holmde!,  Monmouth  20 
Jan  (Mike  Fahay).  Even  more  surprising,  a 


Henslow’s  Sparrow  was  found  at  Big  Brook 
Preserve,  Marlboro,  Monmouth,  NJ  2 Jan — -1  Feb 
(ph.  TB,  m.  ob.).  An  ad.  and  an  imm.  Gambel’s 
White-crowned  Sparrow  were  at  Martins  Creek, 
Northampton,  PA  (RW).  Single  Oregon  Juncos 
were  at  Eden,  Erie,  NY  for  the  season  (f  Robert 
Andrle)  and  Ulster,  NY  3 Dec  (Seldon  Spencer). 
An  Indigo  Bunting  was  a rare  find  at  Cape  May, 
NJ  15  Jan  (DHe).  New  Jersey  has  only  three  or 
four  previous  winter  records  of  this  species. 

More  than  30  Brewer’s  Blackbirds  were  present 
at  their  customary  location  in  Leipsic,  Kent,  DE  23 
Dec  until  at  least  23  Feb  (John  Miller,  Matt 
Hafiier).  About  30  Baltimore  Orioles  v/as  a very 
strong  showing,  with  a high  count  of  14  individu- 
als in  Cape  May,  NJ  in  Dec,  5 of  which  persisted 
into  Jan.  Following  the  pattern  set  last  fall,  Pine 
Grosbeaks  were  present  in  the  largest  numbers  in 
years,  with  well  over  300  reported,  all  in  upstate 
New  York.  Peak  counts  were  80-1-  at  Cherry  Plain, 
Rensselaer,  NY  17  Jan  (Matt  Young),  70  at 
Tioughnioga  W.M.A.,  Madison,  NY,  60  at  New 
Hartford,  Oneida,  NY,  and  41  on  the  Plattsburgh 
C.B.C.,  NY  16  Dec,  with  many  reports  of  smaller 
numbers  mostly  in  the  n.  half  of  New  York.  Except 
in  se.  Pennsylvania,  Purple  Finches  were  scarce. 
But  there,  some  holdovers  from  last  fall’s  large 
movement  remained,  with  about  150  in 
Nockamixon  Tv^p.,  Bucks,  PA  and  good  numbers 
elsewhere  in  the  area.  With  about  15  reports  of 
small  numbers,  Red  Crossbills  were  widely  scat- 
tered. Only  four  reports  reached  double  digits,  all 
from  the  Coastal  Plain.  Following  last  year’s  major 
influx  in  the  Adirondacks,  White-winged 
Crossbills  showed  a big  decline  yet  still  outnum- 
bered Red  Crossbills.  Peak  counts  were  50  at  High 
Point  S.P.,  Sussex,  NJ  (m.  ob.),  dwindling  to  small- 
'er  numbers  by  season  end,  and  50  at  Paul  Smith’s, 
Franklin,  NY  27  Jan  (Rob  Jett).  With  reports  total- 
ing more  than  5000  individuals,  Common 
Redpolls  staged  a major  invasion,  though  most 
remained  in  n.  New  York.  The  highest  counts  were 
1000-r  at  Gansevoort,  Saratoga,  NY  22  Jan 
(Robert  Budiiger);  500  in  Highland  Forest, 
Onondaga,  NY  5 Jan;  and  several  between  300  and 
500.  As  would  be  expected  there  were  about  15 
Hoary  Redpolls  reported,  some  well  documented, 
and  all  from  n.  New  York.  Last  fall’s  big  movement 
of  Pine  Siskins  fizzled  out  in  mid-Dec.  There  were 
about  30  reports,  most  of  small  numbers,  most  in 
Dec,  and  most  from  s.  parts  of  the  Region.  With 
about  30  reports,  most  of  small  numbers,  Evening 
Grosbeaks  were  largely  confined  to  upstate  New 
York.  High  counts  were  308  on  the  Jchnstov/n- 
Gloversville  C.B.C.,  Fulton,  NY  22  Dec;  150-200  at 
De  Ruyter,  Madison,  NY;  and  140  on  the  Saranac 
L.  C.B.C.,  Franklin/Essex,  NY  29  Dec. 

Contributors  (subregional  compilers  in  bold- 
face): Deborah  Allen  (Central  Park,  New  York 


City),  Scott  Barnes  (North  Coast  Region,  NJ: 
Sandy  Hook  Bird  Observatory,  P.O.  Box  553,  Ft. 
Hancock,  NJ  07732),  Chris  Bennett  (Sussex,  DE: 
Cape  Henlopen  S.P.,  42  Cape  Henlopen  Dr.,  DE 
19958),  Michael  Bochnik  (Hudson-Delaware, 
NY;  86  Empire  St.,  Yonkers,  NY  10704,  Tom  Boyle, 
P.  A.  Buckley,  Thomas  W.  Burke  (New  York  Rare 
Bird  Alert),  Kevin  Crilley  (w.  Montgomery,  PA), 
Willie  D’Anna  (WD’A),  Ward  W.  Dasey  (WD) 
(Lower  Delaware  Valley,  NJ:  29  Ark  Rd.,  Medford, 
NJ  08055,  Bob  Diebold,  Jim  Dowdell,  A.  P.  Ednie 
(New  Castle  and  Kent,  DE:  59  Lawson  Ave., 
Claymont,  DE  19703),  Vince  Elia  (South  Coast 
and  Delaware  Bay  Region,  NJ:  CMBO  R&E 
Center,  600  Rt  47  North,  Cape  May  Courthouse, 
NJ  08120),  Devich  Farbotnik,  Valerie  Freer, 
Joanne  Goetz  (JoG),  Jeff  Gordon  (JeG),  Jane 
Denker  Graves  (JDG)  (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,  Dave  Hedeen  (DHe), 
Armas  Hill  (Philadelphia  Birdline),  Deuane 
Hoffman  (DHo)  (Eastern  Susquehanna  Valley, 
PA:  3406  Montour  St.  Harrisburg,  PA  17111), 
Rudy  Keller  (RKe)  (Baird  Ornithological  Club), 
Steve  Kelling,  Brendan  Klick,  Arlene  Koch 
(Lehigh  Valley,  PA:  1375  Raubsville,  Rd.,  Easton, 
PA),  Robert  J.  Kurtz  (RJK),  Paul  Lehman,  Bob 
Long  (St.  Lawrence  Region,  NY:  2807  Citation 
Dr.,  Pompey,  NY  13138),  Jay  McGowan,  Kevin 
McGowan,  Hugh  McGuinness  (Eastern  Long 
Island,  NY:  P.O.  Box  3005,  Southampton,  NY 
11969),  August  Mirabella  (Bucks  & e. 
Montgomery,  PA),  Mike  Morgante  (Niagara 
Frontier  Region,  NY:  16  Lakeside  Crescent, 
Lancaster,  NY  14086),  Sean  O’Brien  (SeO),  Sally 
O’Byrne  (SaO),  Bill  Ostrander  (Finger  Lakes 
Region,  NY:  80  Westmont  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),  Vivian  Pitzrick,  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),  Tom  Sale  (Susquehanna  Region,  NY: 
5145  State  Highway  51,  W.  Burlington,  NY 
13482),  Sy  Schiff  (Long  Island,  NY:  603  Mead 
Ter.,  S.  Hempstead,  NY  11550),  Robert  Spahn 
(Genesee  Ornithological  Society),  Clay  Sutton, 
Pat  Sutton  (Cape  May  Bird  Observatory),  Dave 
Tetlow,  Fred  Tetlow,  John  & Patricia  Thaxton, 
Steve  Walter,  Jim  White,  Rick  Wiltraut,  Alvin 
Wollin  (Long  Island,  NY;  4 Meadow  Lane, 
Rockville  Center,  NY  11570). 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


161 


Middle  Atlantic 
Coast 


Marshall  J.  Iliff 

901  Crystal  Spring  Farm  Road 
Annapolis,  Maryland  21403 
(miliff@aol.com) 

The  mild  weather  of  this  season  was  strongly 
reflected  in  reports  of  lingering  hardy  and 
semi-hardy  species,  especially  from  the  Regional 
C.B.C.  data.  Birds  that  winter  annually,  usually  in 
small  numbers — such  as  phoebes,  thrashers,  and 
catbirds — scored  record-high  counts  on  a large 
number  of  C.B.C.s.  Other  unusual  lingerers  such 
as  Least  and  Spotted  Sandpipers,  Laughing  Gulls, 
Forster’s  Terns,  and  some  exceptional  warblers 
strengthened  the  pattern.  The  Audubon  C.B.C. 
website  (<http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/>) 
was  invaluable  again  this  year,  as  the  count  data 
were  far  easier  to  access.  I would  like  to  thank 
Todd  M.  Day  for  helping  to  track  down  data  on 
some  records. 

Abbreviations:  Assat.  (Assateague  Island, 
Worcester,  MD);  Bay  (Chesapeake  Bay);  C.B.B.T. 
(Chesapeake  Bay  Bridge-Tunnel  complex,  s.  of 
Northampton,  VA);  D.C.  (District  of  Columbia); 
p.  a.  (pending  acceptance  by  state  records  com- 
mittee); Vaughn  (E.  A.  Vaughn  W.M.A., 
Worcester,  MD).  All  locations  can  be  assumed  to 
be  in  Maryland  except  that  each  Virginia  location 
is  noted  as  such  the  first  time  it  is  mentioned  in 
the  text. 


LOONS  THROUGH  WATERFOWL 

The  Mathews,  VA  C.B.C.  30  Dec  had  good  totals 
for  Red-throated  Loon  (107),  while  a number  of 
Regional  C.B.C.s  counted  record-high  counts  of 
Pied-billed  Grebes.  Two  Western  Grebes  seen 
together  (!)  at  The  Wildfowl  Trust,  at  Kent 
Narrows,  Queen  Anne’s  12  Jan  (p.  a.  FF,  P.  Webb,  v. 
0.)  were  unfortunately  not  seen  after  the  morning 
of  13  Jan  and  were  undocumented,  despite  being 
seen  by  a number  of  observers.  A Clark’s  Grebe 
was  reported  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  at  Cape 
Henry,  Virginia  Beach,  first  noted  near  87th  Street 
18  Dec  (Elisa  Enders,  Frank  Enders  et  al.)  and 
again  just  a few  km  away  at  Ft.  Story  31  Dec  (p.a., 
tMike  Iwanik,  DLH,  David  Clark).  Written  docu- 
mentation is  strongly  suggestive  of  the  species, 
but  for  a rarity  of  this  magnitude,  more  com- 
peUing  descriptions  are  needed  that  would  rule 
out  the  possibility  of  a hybrid  Clark’s  x Western 
Grebe  conclusively.  While  there  are  some  50-1-  East 
Coast  records  pertaining  to  definite  Western 
Grebes,  Clark’s  Grebe  has  yet  to  be  documented 
well  e.  of  its  regular  range.  The  Virginia  Avian 
Records  Committee  has  accepted  a sight  record 
from  the  C.B.B.T.  1 1 Feb  2000,  but  until  such  time 
as  unequivocal  documentation  is  obtained,  I pre- 
fer to  consider  this  species  hypothetical  in  the 
Region  and  on  the  East  Coast.  Every  possible 
effort  should  be  made  to  obtain  photographs  or 
videotape  of  this  species  out  of  range. 


Two  pelagic  trips  off  Virginia  Beach,  VA  suc- 
ceeded in  finding  all  regular  winter  pelagic  species 
(Table  1).  The  503  Northern  Fulmars  3 Feb  (BP  et 
al.)  made  for  a record  Virginia  count,  and,  amaz- 
ingly, most  were  about  65  km  offshore  around  a 
fishy  slick  created  by  a pod  of  3-5  feeding  Orcas, 
themselves  establishing  one  of  very  few  Regional 
records! 


Table  1.  Totals  for  Virginia  Beach  pelagic 

trips  3 February  & 9 February 

2002. 

Species 

3 Feb 

9 Feb 

Northern  Fulmar 

503 

144 

Manx  Shearwater 

7 

4 

Red  Phalarope 

52 

40 

Great  Skua 

1 

1 

Black-legged  Kittiwake 

61 

178 

Little  Gull 

1 

0 

Razorbill 

54 

42 

Atlantic  Puffin 

34 

12 

Dovekie 

1 

0 

The  Mathews  C.B.C.  noted  28  Brown  Pelicans; 
this  species  continues  its  expansion  in  the  Region, 
with  more  winter  sightings  coming  from  increas- 
ingly farther  up  the  Bay,  as  evidenced  by  one  at 
Waterview,  Wicomico  28  Dec  (C&DB).  A Great 
Cormorant  at  Salisbury,  Wicomico  2 Jan  (SHD) 
was  a first  local  record  and  a surprise  so  far  up  a 
Chesapeake  tributary;  the  trend  toward  more 
inland  records  of  this  species  has  also  been  noted 
in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  York  in 
recent  years.  Northern  Gannets  staged  one  of 
their  most  impressive  movements  into  the  Bay 
and  coastal  areas,  with  counts  of  minimally 
13,000  at  the  C.B.B.T.  on  the  Chesapeake  Bay 
C.B.C.  26  Dec  (ESB  et  al.),  14,100  on  the  Cape 
Charles  C.B.C.  30  Dec,  and  1304  on  the  Pt. 
Lookout  C.B.C.  23  Dec,  while  13  off  Dorchester  1 
Jan  (JLS)  were  also  late  that  far  up  the  Bay. 
Double-crested  Cormorant  continues  to  expand 
as  a wintering  bird  in  the  Region,  with  many 
counts  reporting  record  highs,  such  as  the  115  on 
the  Annapolis  C.B.C.  31  Dec. 

The  only  noteworthy  ardeids  wintering  at  Deal 
were  49  Tricolored  Herons  11  Jan  (JLS),  11  Great 
Egrets  and  20  Tricolored  Herons  20  Feb  (SHD), 
and  3 Glossy  Ibis  11  (JLS)  & 13  Jan  (SHD). 
Tricolored  Herons  made  a good  showing  for  the 
Ocean  City  C.B.C.  28  Dec,  with  a record  total  of 
10,  half  of  which  were  noted  in  the  area  26  Jan 
(GL),  with  4 still  present  17  Feb  (MLH). 

Regular  reports  of  hutchinsii  Canada  Geese 
continue  from  areas  of  goose  concentration 
Regionwide,  with  a notable  high  count  of  13  in 
several  Cecil  locations  16  Jan  (MJI,  MH).  A small- 
form  Canada  Goose  photographed  at  Hunting 


162 


North  American  Birds 


C II  One  of  the  great  sensations  in  the 
wJnKegion  this  winter  was  a confiding  ad. 
Barnacle  Goose  that  frequented  the  Belle 
Haven,  Fairfax,  VA  area  of  the  Potomac  R. 
and  adjacent  Cameron  Run  Regional  Park 
and  Bill  Brernnan  Park,  Alexandria  6 Jan — -19 
Feb  (p.  a.  KG,  m.  ob.,  ph.).  This  species  is 
common  in  captivity  and  escapes  frequently. 
Although  the  Alexandria  bird  was  unhanded 
and  had  all  toes  intact  (collectors  usually  clip 
the  halux),  4 Canada  Geese  accompanying 
the  Barnacle  Goose  bore  bands  from  near 
Peterborough,  Ontario.  Had  the  Barnacle 
been  associating  with  Canada  Geese  from 
Greenland  (as  was  the  case  in  Connecticut 
this  winter,  for  example),  or  Baffin  Island,  or 
another  far-northern  population,  one  might 
more  easily  make  a case  for  natural  vagrancy. 
The  lack  of  wariness  of  the  entire  flock  might 
also  be  construed  as  an  argument  against 
vagrancy.  On  the  other  hand,  the  species  is 
highly  migratory,  has  appeared  as  a legitimate 
vagrant  in  Newfoundland,  has  appeared  most 
often  in  the  Northeast  (as  one  would  expect 
of  legitimate  vagrants),  and  shows  clear  peaks 
of  occurrence  in  November-December  and 
March,  migratory  peaks  that  closely  match 
those  of  Canada  and  Snow  Geese  with  v/bich 
they  associate.  It  is  best  that  birders  continue 
to  consider  Barnacle  Goose  vagrancy  an  open  ^ 
question  and  look  upon  each  record  with  an 
open  mind,  weighing  the  likelihood  of  either 
of  the  hvo  possible  theories  to  explain  these 
appearances.  I consider  this  bird  most  likely 
an  escapee, 

Cr.,  Fairfax,  VA  was  present  for  several  days  start- 
ing 9 Feb  (GM,  BC,  DM,  ph.  J.  Aiderfer)  showed 
the  extremely  small  proportions  and  dark,  almost 
purplish  breast  of  B.  c.  minima.  However,  minima 
is  apparently  the  most  common  small  Canada 
Goose  form  in  captivity  and  breeds  so  far  w.  that 
natural  vagrancy  seems  improbable.  An  ad.  flavi- 
rostris  Greater  '^Afliite-fronted  Goose  seen  at  the 
Pocomoke  W.T.P.,  Worcester  26  Dec  (MLH)  was 
likely  the  same  bird  seen  at  nearby  Sheephouse 
Rd.  15  Jan  (MJI,  GLA).  One  imm.  n.  of 
Townsend,  Northampton  found  30  Dec  on  the 
Cape  Charles  C.B.C.  remained  through  9 Jan  (D. 
Matson,  N.  Matson,  v.  o.);  another  was  seen  5 Jan 
(JLS)  at  Worton,  Kent,  and  2 were  near  John 
Brown  Rd.  Turf  Farm,  Queen  Anne’s  27  Jan 
(LMD,  HLW),  in  an  area  that  has  hosted  up  to  2 
fairly  consistently  since  1997. 

Eurasian  Wigeon,  rarely  if  ever  considered  to 
be  escaped  former  captives  (though  they  are 
common  in  captivity  as  well),  were  at  Deal,  with 
one  12  Feb  (C&DB)  and  3 on  20  Feb  (SHD),  at 
Assat.  2 Dec  (SHD)  and  28  Dec  (Ocean  City 


C.B.C.),  at  Upper  Marlboro,  Prince  George’s  22 
Feb-h  (DBy,  v.  o.),  Lapidum,  Harford  23  Feb 
(vt.JLS),  Virginia  Beach  early  Feb+,  and 
Henricus,  VA  27  Jan  (Ben  & Betsy  Sanders).  A 
record  count  of  252  Blue-winged  Teal  on  the 
Southern  Dorchester  C.B.C.  26  Dec  was  an  order 
of  magnitude  higher  than  other  Maryland  counts 
in  Dec.  Other  Blue-winged  Teal  apparently  win- 
tered at  Henricus,  near  Richmond,  and  may  do  so 
regularly  at  this  good  duck  spot;  2 were  seen  in 
Dec  (Ben  Saunders)  and  30  Jan  (G.  Weinberger). 
Gadwall  were  noted  in  excellent  numbers,  one  of 
the  more  surprising  counts  being  850  at 
Perryvflle  Park,  Cecil  16  Jan  (MJI,  MH).  The  1000 
Redheads  at  Roaring  Pt.,  Viicomico  1 1 Jan  was  an 
encouraging  count  and  not  far  from  the 
Pocomoke  Sound  flock,  which  has  numbered  up 
to  10,000  (JLS)!  A Surf  Scoter  at  Triadeiphia  Res., 
Montgomery! Howard  5 Jan  (EH,  fNM,  ph.  R. 
Cullison)  was  very  rare  inland  in  mid-winter, 
though  a pair  of  Long-tailed  Ducks  there  2 Feb 
(NM)  might  have  been  early  migrants.  Another 
Surf  Scoter  at  Sandy  River  Res.,  Prince  Edward, 
VA,  12  Nov — 19  Dec  (MSt)  might  have  been  a 
lingering  fall  migrant.  A flyby  female  Harlequin 
Duck  at  Back  Bay  N.W.R.  29  Dec  (fPWS,  BP, 
ESB,  GP)  was  the  2nd  for  the  Back  Bay  C.B.C.  in 
its  62-year  history.  Another  flyby  female  was  rare 
in  the  Bay  at  Pt.  Lookout  S.P.  23  Dec  (fMJI,  MH). 
A female  Common  Merganser  at  Public  Landing 
26  Jan — 17  Feb  (GL;  ph.  MJI,  MLH  et  al.)  was  an 
unusual  Worcester  find. 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  ALCIDS 

A dark  Rough-legged  Hawk  at  University  of 
Maryland  Central  Farm  15  Dec  (BO,  EH)  was 
rare  for  Howard.  Two  Ospreys  at  Pt.  Lookout  S.P. 
30  Jan  (M.  Cribb)  were  apparently  early 
returnees,  the  earliest  such  record  for  Maryland. 

Lesser  Yellowlegs  might  be  increasing  as  a win- 
tering bird  in  Maryland,  as  it  has  been  annual  at 
Lower  Shore  sites  for  most  recent  years;  this  win- 
ter, there  were  several  reports  from  Dorchester 
and  Somerset,  highlighted  by  an  exceptional 
count  of  42  at  Elliott  I.  on  9 Feb  (JLS).  Five  Lesser 
Yellowlegs  at  Hunting  Cr.  24  Feb  (P.  Sullivan,  BA) 
were  more  odd  at  an’inland  locale  in  late  winter. 
Long-billed  Dowitcher  has  also  been  annual  in 
coastal  Maryland  recently,  with  3 at  Elliott  1.  29 
Jan  (HTA),  7 there  9 Feb  (JLS),  and  12  (plus  20 
unidentified  dowitchers)  on  the  Ocean  City 
C.B.C.  28  Dec;  both  areas  have  been  consistent  in 
recent  years.  Willets  are  also  being  found  in 
Maryland  more  regularly  in  winter,  and  one 
Western  Willet  was  on  Assat.  16  Feb  (vt.  JLS). 
Spotted  Sandpiper  made  news  on  a couple 
Regional  C.B.C.s,  with  singles  at  Oyster, 
Northampton  30  Dec  (GLA,  MS)  and  Isle  of 
Wight,  Worcester  28-29  Dec  (SRi,  S.  Hamilton,  J. 
Sheppard),  an  Ocean  City  C.B.C.  first.  Extremely 


rare  in  winter  on  the  Upper  Eastern  Shore,  and  a 
first  for  the  Denton  C.B.C.,  were  3 Least 
Sandpipers  at  Ridgely  W.T.P.  15  Dec  (JLS,  SRi  et 
al).  Other  notably  late  shorebirds  included  15 
Least  Sandpipers,  one  Dunlin,  and  one  unidenti- 
fied dowitcher  on  the  Banister  River,  VA  C.B.C. 
16  Dec.  A juv.  Pomarine  Jaeger  and  an  ad. 
Parasitic  Jaeger  at  the  C.B.B.T.  26  Dec  were  note- 
worthy in  winter  (RLAn,  ESB  et  al),  while  a 
Pomarine  and  an  unidentified  jaeger  on  the 
Ocean  City  C.B.C.  28  Dec  and  an  imm.  dark 
Pomarine  12  Jan  (JLS)  were  even  more  so  for 
Maryland  waters. 

Late  Royal  Terns  were  noted  on  several  counts, 
including  count-week  on  the  Mathews  C.B.C.  30 
Dec.  Maryland’s  latest-ever  were  one  at  North 
Beach,  Calvert  16  Dec  (Jug  Bay  C.B.C.;  JLS)  and 
on  the  Point  Lookout  C.B.C.  23  Dec  (3  birds). 
Forster’s  Tern  lingered  in  record  numbers,  with 
counts  such  as  456  on  the  Chincoteague  C.B.C. 
29  Dec  and  an  amazing  1100  on  the  Ocean  City 
C.B.C.  28  Dec,  with  40  birds  lingering  in  the 
Ocean  City  area  through  17  Feb  (MLH  et  al.)  for 
a record  Feb  count  in  Maryland.  Other  Forster’s 
stayed  late  for  most  Bay  C.B.C.s  but  not  much 
thereafter.  The  3 Feb  Virginia  Beach  pelagic  trip 
(BP  et  al.)  recorded  Virginia’s  second-best 
Atlantic  Puffin  count  (Table  1),  most  of  which 
were  concentrated  from  64-104  km  offshore, 
inshore  from  Norfolk  Canyon,  where  there  was  a 
strong  thermocline. 

OWLS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Snowy  Owls  continued  a good  showing  this  sea- 
son, with  one  at  Craney  9 Jan — 19  Feb  the  most 
widely  enjoyed.  Others  were  noted  at  the  C.B.B.T. 
3 Dec  (bridge-tunnel  staff,  fide  ESB),  downtown 
Baltimore  27  Dec  ( J.  Landers  et  al),  and  Assat.  1 1 
Feb  (F.  Saunders,  ph.  NS). 

A female-type  Archilochus  hummingbird  visit- 
ed the  feeders  of  Andy  and  Farimae  Tate  in 
Virginia  Beach  6 Jan — 5 Feb.  Photographs  of  the 
bird  seem  to  show  the  coloration,  bill  shape,  dull 
face  pattern,  and  most  importantly,  the  primary 
shape  characteristic  of  Black-chinned 
Hummingbird.  Pending  acceptance  by  the 
Virginia  Avian  Records  Committee,  this  will  rep- 
resent a first  state  and  Regional  record,  though 
another  was  identified  (but  not  documented  by 
photographs)  from  Portsmouth  this  past  Oct 
(DLH).  Black-chinned  Hummingbird  has  been 
documented  regularly  in  North  Carolina  in 
recent  years  (cf.  The  Chat  66:  3).  Although 
Maryland  had  none,  Virginia  held  at  least  7 
Rufous  Hummingbirds  this  winter,  with  singles 
banded  and  identified  in  Loudoun  (late  Nov — 17 
Jan)  and  Albemarle,  2 in  Chesterfield,  and  3 in  the 
Williamsburg  area  (ftde  MG).  An  unidentified 
Selasphorus  visited  a Springfield,  Fairfax,  feeder 
late  Nov — 10  Feb  (v.  o.,  ph.  KG). 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


163 


O II  Each  winter  seems  to  outdo  the  last  in  terms  of  rare  (and  odd)  gulls.  In  addition  to  the  increasing  cadre  of  unidentified  “mystery”  gulls  (which 
do  not  detail  below),  between  18  and  19  species  of  gull  were  identified  in  this  Region,  though  at  least  two  species  (Silver/Red-billed  Gull  and 
Kelp  Gull)  present  a problem  of  origin.  In  addition,  another  two  gull  species  were  reported  without  adequate  detaOs  this  season  (Black-tailed  Gull 
and  Franklin’s  Gull).  Compelling,  thorough  documentation  is  imperative  for  rare  and  unusual  gulls;  observers  are  encouraged  to  photograph  their  find- 
ings exhaustively.  Gull-watching  is  a relatively  new  activity  in  the  Region,  at  least  away  from  metropolitan  D.G./Virginia/Maryland,  and  the  high 
diversity  of  gulls  documented  this  season  suggests  that  the  Chesapeake  Bay  could  be  one  of  the  continent’s  better  guOing  grounds — all  the  more  rea- 
son to  document  these  birds  very  carefully. 

The  season’s  gull  extravaganza  commenced  promptly  with  the  arrival  of  the  season’s  first  strong  cold  front  9 Dec:  in  the  first  large  flight  of 
Bonaparte’s  Gulls  down  the  Bay,  an  ad.  Sabine’s  Gull  was  seen  well  by  many  observers  at  the  C.B.B.T.  (DLH,  LL,  M.  A.  Byrd,  VSO  et  al.),  along  with 
3 imm.  Black-legged  Kittiwakes.  The  Sabine’s  was  the  2nd  record  for  the  C.B.B.T.  (the  first  was  20-22  Jun  1968)  and  the  9th  for  Virginia.  Little  Gull 
was  noted  in  small  numbers  (up  to  4)  around  the  mouth  of  Chesapeake  Bay  from  the  C.B.B.T.  to  Virginia  Beach,  and  single  Black-headed  Gulls  were 
seen  at  least  three  times  in  the  same  area  (v.  o.).  A probable  first-winter  Yellow-legged  Gull  was  described  24  Dec  (fESB)  from  the  C.B.B.T,  where 
there  are  two  previous  sight  records.  First-winter  Yellow-legged  Gull  seems  stiU  to  be  very  poorly  known  by  North  American  birders  and  might  be 
overlooked  with  some  regularity. 

If  this  winter  had  a theme  larid,  it  was  surely  California  Gull:  when  the  winter’s  reports  are  combined  with  the  fall  reports,  2001-2002  was  clear- 
ly the  best  season  ever.  Single  ads.  were  found  at  the  C.B.B.T.  10  Feb  (ph.  A.  Merritt)  and  Hunting  Cr.  21  (E.  Wilson  et  al.)  8c  24  (BA  et  al.)  Feb,  and 
first-winter  birds,  including  the  first  well-documented  individual  of  this  age  class  in  the  Region,  were  seen  at  the  Prince  William  Landfill  16  Feb  (SCR 
et  al.,  ph.  B.  Tekin)  and  at  the  Cecil  Landfill  9 Feb  (p.  a.  E.  Blom,  E.J.  Scarpulla).  The  C.B.B.T.  bird  was  probably  a fourth-winter  and  likely  an  alber- 
taensis,  based  on  photos.  The  Prince  William  Landfill  had  several  other  highlights,  including  several  Iceland  Gulls,  at  least  2 Glaucous  Gulls,  and  an 
apparent  Herring  x Glaucous  Gull  hybrid  23  Jan  (ph.  MJI).  Undoubtedly  the  most  interesting  gull  of  the  season  was  an  ad.  four-year  gull  pho- 
tographed at  the  Prince  William  Landfill  31  Dec  (ph.,  fSCR).  Rottenborn’s  extremely  detailed  description  noted  brownish  eyes,  mantle  color  a shade 
darker  than  Herring,  pale  gray  primary  pattern  closely  matching  the  mantle  in  color,  and  an  extensive  hood  of  transverse  vermiculation  in  the  head 
and  neck,  a plumage  strongly  suggesting  ad.  Glaucous-winged  Gull.  Given  the  relatively  small  bill,  shallow  gonydeal  angle,  and  small  size  of  this  bird, 
it  is  conceivable  that  it  represented  a hybrid  combination,  perhaps  Herring  x Glaucous-winged.  The  Virginia  Avian  Records  Committee  will  have  a 
tough  task  assessing  this  record,  which  would  be  a first  for  the  Region  and  the  East  Coast  if  judged  a Glaucous-winged. 

Overall  this  was  a good  winter  for  Glaucous  Gull,  with  reports  at  a number  of  locations  (Beulah  Landfill,  Prince  Wdliam  Landfill,  Neabsco  Creek, 
Salisbury  Landfill),  including  a rarely-seen  ad.  at  Salisbury  Landfill,  Wicomico  1 1 Jan  (JLS).  A small  handful  of  Iceland  Gulls  was  reported  from  the 
more  productive  landfills,  mostly  first-winters  except  for  a third-winter  at  the  Beulah  Landfill  25  Jan — 9 Feb  (MJI,  GLA,  MH).  A final  gulling  high- 
light was  a straightforward  ad.  Common  Gull  {Larus  canus  canus)  found  by  Brinkley  among  massive  numbers  of  Ring-billed  Gulls  on  the  C.B.B.T.  26 
Dec  (ESB,  D.  Clark;  vt.  RLAn,  ph.  RLAk).  Virginia  has  one  previous  record,  documented  by  written  description,  as  does  Maryland  (though  the  latter 
record  has  recently  been  called  into  question).  Notably,  another  Larus  canus  was  a first  for  Delaware  15  Feb  2002,  and  though  its  subspecific  identity 
is  in  question.  Common  Gull  seems  most  likely.  Scrutinizing  Ring-billed  Gull  flocks  in  the  Region  may  feel  tedious,  but  is  worthwhile  in  light  of  these 
records.  Among  several  Thayer’s  Gull  reports  were  first-winters  at  the  C.B.B.T.  31  Dec  (fPWS)  and  at  the  Salisbury  Landfill  15  Jan  (ph.  MJI,  ph.  GLA), 
and  a well-studied  ad.  at  the  C.B.B.T.  31  Dec  (GLA,  MS  et  al.).  Rounding  out  the  list,  the  consistent  Kelp  Gull  continued  at  Sandgates,  Saint  Mary’s 
throughout  the  season.  Finally,  the  (presumed)  escapee  Silver  Gull  {Larus  novaehollandiae,  sometimes  split  as  Red-biUed  Gull,  Larus  scopulinus),  first 
noted  at  Brown’s  Station  Landfill  last  winter,  was  seen  25  Dec  at  nearby  Schoolhouse  Pond,  Prince  George’s  (DBy).  Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls  were  noted 
in  record-high  numbers  on  the  Back  Bay  C.B.C.  (34)  and  the  Chesapeake  Bay  C.B.C.  (30-t-)  and  were  found  in  particularly  good  numbers  at  most  other 
guO  concentration  spots.  Bonaparte’s  and  Laughing  Gulls  both  lingered  in  the  Region  in  excellent  numbers,  with  many  Regional  C.B.C.s  finding 
record-high  counts,  especially  of  Laughing  Gull  into  late  Dec  (e.g.,  44  on  Annapolis  C.B.C.,  550+  at  the  C.B.B.T.  26  Dec).  As  has  been  the  pattern  in 
the  Region,  Laughing  Gulls  puOed  out  rapidly  in  early  Jan  and  were  unreported  away  from  the  Virginia  Beach  area  after  10  Jan. 


One  of  the  more  interesting  questions  this 
winter  was  whether  a Western  Kingbird  at 
Eastern  Neck  N.W.R.,  Kent  9 Dec — 27  Jan  (S. 
McCandless,  vt.,  ph.,  m.  ob.)  was  the  same  indi- 
vidual noted  here  Nov  2000  to  Jan  2001. 
Photographs  appear  to  show  an  ad.  bird,  and  it 
frequented  the  same  location  in  which  last  year’s 
was  reported,  which  had  been  the  first  long-stay- 
ing wintering  Western  Kingbird  ever  in 
Maryland.  Two  Common  Ravens  16  Feb  (SCR  et 
al.)  were  unusual  for  e.  Prince  William.  Tree 
Swallows  returned  early,  with  4 at  Grove  Neck 
W.M.A.,  Cecil  being  exemplary  24  Feb  (JLS). 
Scattered  Loggerhead  Shrikes  are  still  reported 
regularly  by  observers  in  the  n.  Virginia 
Piedmont  counties  such  as  Loudoun,  Culpeper, 
and  Fauquier.  Stinson  had  2 this  winter  from  far- 
ther s.  in  the  Virginia  Piedmont  in  Charlotte  and 


Prince  Edward,  the  latter  a new  location  for  the 
species,  and  another  was  reported  from  w.  of 
South  Hill,  Mecklenburg  2S  Jan  (JSp  et  al.),  where 
the  species  winters  annually.  A Brown-headed 
Nuthatch  at  Jefferson-Patterson  Park  28  Jan  was 
n.  of  its  regular  range  on  the  Western  Shore  (T. 
Bell);  there  were  several  sightings  from  this  area 
of  Calvert  in  the  winter  of  2000  as  well.  The  poor 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch  year  was  evidenced  by  the 
low  C.B.C.  counts. 

Yellow  Warbler  is  extremely  rare  in  winter  in 
the  Region,  so  2 reported  this  season  were  excep- 
tional. One  at  Hunting  Cr.  15  Dec  (KG)  and  25- 
28  Jan  (v.  o.,  ph.  MJI,  fKG)  was  probably  the 
same  bird  reported  here  in  the  fall  season  15  Nov 
(KG).  Another  appeared  at  Tailrace  Park,  below 
the  dam  at  John  H.  Kerr  reservoir,  Mecklenburg, 
VA  23  Nov  (tPhillip  Kline),  1 (tJ.  Blalock)  8c  28 


Jan  (JSp  et  al.).  Almost  as  unusual  were  2 winter- 
ing Northern  Parulas  in  the  Region:  one  at 
Stumpy  L.  Golf  Course  on  the  Little  Creek  C.B.C. 
31  Dec  (fESB,  tRLAk)  and  one  at  Ft.  McHenry, 
Baltimore  29  Dec — 24  Jan  (KEC,  JP,  m.  ob.).  A 
Nashville  Warbler  and  Blue-headed  Vireo  in  the 
same  area  of  Kiptopeke  S.P.,  Northampton  30  Dec 
(tESB,  BP)  was  a nice  combination  for  the  Cape 
Charles  C.B.C.,  both  still  present  1 1 Jan  (GLA  et 
al.).  A Yellow-breasted  Chat  remained  in  D.C. 
near  R.F.K.  Stadium  at  least  4-26  Jan  (Kevin 
Krough,  Craig  Richard),  and  another  was  seen  at 
L.  Roland,  Baltimore  9 Feb  (E.  Kichbaum). 

A Western  Tanager  (p.  a.)  at  Ross  Boddy 
Community  Center,  near  Ashton,  Montgomery 
was  found  on  the  15  Dec  Triadelphia  C.B.C. 
(Dave  8c  Elaine  Pardoe).  It  was  seen  widely  the 
next  day  but  then  disappeared  before  being  relo- 


164 


North  American  Birds 


Middle  Atlantic  Coast— Southern  Atlantic  Coast 


cated  at  an  adjacent  nursery  19-22  Dec  (ph. 
tMJI,  ph.  m.  ob.).  Maryland  has  just  three  previ- 
ous well-documented  records  (from  Worcester, 
Montgomery,  and  Anne  Arundel),  unlike  many 
other  East  Coast  states,  which  have  five  to  10 
times  as  many  records.  A Dickcissel  at  Back  Bay 
N.W.R.  29  Dec  (ESB,  J.  Beard)  was  the  2nd  for 
that  C.B.C.  An  ad.  male  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak 
was  noted  at  a Greenbelt,  Prince  George’s  feeder 
Sep — 1 Jan  (ph.  M.  Balzer  jjde  F.  Fallon). 

This  proved  to  be  a very  good  winter  for  Fox 
Sparrows  in  some  locations,  with  the  Bowie 
C.B.C.  1 Jan  reporting  an  exemplary  total  of  132, 
while  other  counts,  especially  on  the  Coastal 
Plain,  found  the  species  nearly  absent.  A Le 
Conte’s  Sparrow  (p.  a.)  again  wintered  at  the 
same  n.  Vaughn  location  as  in  past  years,  seen  12 
Jan  (JLS)  and  4 Feb  (MJI).  A single  Grasshopper 
Sparrow  at  s.  Vaughn  was  seen  30  Dec  (MLH) 
and  17  Feb  (MLH  et  al.).  A rare  winter  Lincoln’s 
Sparrow  was  found  at  Taylor  L,  Dorchester  1 Jan 
(JLS).  Single  Lincoln’s  in  the  Piedmont,  where 
also  rare  in  winter,  were  in  Howard  at  University 
of  Maryland  Central  Farm  1 Jan  (BO  et  al.)  and 
Middle  Patuxent  Environmental  Area  29  Jan  (H. 
Holbrook).  A Clay-colored  Sparrow  at 
Mannassas  Battlefield,  Prince  William,  VA  for  that 
C.B.C.  22  Dec  (p.  a.  TMD,  ph.,  fMJI,  m.  ob.)  v/as 
seen  through  at  least  9 Feb  (F.  Atwood)  and  pro- 
vided a first  winter  record  for  the  Virginia 
Piedmont.  Interesting  was  an  Ipswich  Sparrow 
noted  on  the  Bay  shore  at  Cape  Charles  Beach  20 
Jan  (ESB);  although  this  location  is  only  16  km 
(overland  or  via  coastline)  from  the  next  closest 
regular  winter  area,  this  subspecies  has  been 
found  just  a mere  handful  of  times  farther  n.  in 
the  Bay. 

An  ad.  male  YeLlow-headed  Blackbird  was  a 
nice  surprise  near  Capeville,  Northampton  1 1 Jan 
(MJI,  TMD,  E.  Hynes,  GLA)  and  the  only  one 
reported  in  the  Region;  this  county  produces 
about  one  report  of  the  species  per  year,  on  aver- 
age. Brewer’s  Blackbird  is  found  less  frequently 
now  than  formerly,  but  one  was  seen  7-9  Dec  (BP, 
LL,  VSO)  s.  of  Townsend,  Northampton. 
Common  Redpolls  appeared  in  several  widely- 
separated  areas,  the  most  unusual  being  one  at 
Back  Bay  NW.R.  29  Dec  (BP,  fPWS,  HTA,  GP), 
only  the  3rd  for  that  C.B.C.  Other  redpolls  were 
on  the  Mathews  C.B.C.  30  Dec,  Howard  12  Feb 
(H.  Zeichner),  Richmond  6-17  Feb  (John  & 
Caroline  Cole),  and  in  Feb  in  Saint  Mary’s.  Pine 
Siskins  and  Purple  Finches  were  in  average  to 
below-average  numbers,  while  Evening  Grosbeak 
matched  the  recent  status  quo  with  a mere  hand- 
ful of  reports. 

Corrigenda 

Several  dates  were  omitted  in  the  fall  2001  report: 
at  Little  Island  Park,  Virginia  Beach,  the  Rufous 


Hummingbird  banded  30  Oct,  and  the  Western 
Kingbird  and  White-winged  Dove  were  seen  4 & 
2 Nov  2001  respectively. 

Observers  (area  compilers  in  boldface):  Bob 
Abrams,  Robert  L.  Ake  (RLAk),  Robert  L. 
Anderson  (RLAn),  George  L,  Armistead,  Henry  T. 
Armistead,  Debbie  Bennett  {Caroline,  P.O.  Box 
404,  Denton,  MD  21625),  Edward  S.  Brinkley, 
Carol  & Don  Broderick,  Danny  Bystrak  (DBy), 
Barry  Cooper,  Patty  Craig  {Saint  Mary’s,  P.O.  Box 
84,  Lexington  Park,  MD  20653),  Lynn  M. 
Davidson,  Todd  M.  Day,  Samuel  H.  Dyke,  Kurt 
Gaskill,  Mary  Gustafson,  Matt  Hafrier,  Mark  L. 
Hoffman,  Emy  Holdridge,  David  L.  Hughes,  Glen 
Lovelace,  Larry  Lynch  (VA-BIRD  internet 


Rickf  Dawls 

608  Smallwood  Drive 

Rocky  Mount,  North  Carolina  27804 

{RJDNC@aol.coni) 

The  weather  this  winter  was  basically  a contin- 
uation of  the  warm  and  dry  fall  season.  In 
December,  mild  temperatures  and  low  rainfall 
were  most  evident.  A large  percentage  of 
Christmas  Bird  Counts  had  good  weather.  The 
only  exception  was  a major  snowfall  event  in  the 
central  and  eastern  Carolinas  January  3-4  that 
provided  up  to  30  cm  in  many  locations.  After 
this  event,  which  did  little  to  bother  bird  popula- 
tions, temperatures  in  January  and  February 
returned  to  slightly  above  average.  The  dry  con- 


group),  Gail  MacKiernan,  Nancy  Magnusson, 
Dave  Mozurkewich,  Bonnie  Ott,  Brian  Patteson, 
Helen  A.  Patton  {Montgomery,  429  Hamilton 
Ave.,  Silver  Spring,  MD  20901  <helen@dat- 
aprompt.com>),  Grayson  (Butch)  Pearce, 
Elizabeth  Pitney  ( Wicomico,  7218  Walston  Switch 
Rd.,  Parsonsburg,  MD  21849),  Sue  Ricciardi 
(SRi),  Stephen  C.  Rottenborn,  Norm  Saunders 
(MDOsprey  internet  group),  Matt  Sharp,  fo 
Solem  {Howard,  10617  Graeloch  Rd.,  Laurel,  MD 
20723),  John  Spahr  (JSp),  James  L.  Stasz,  Michael 
Stinson  (MSt),  Paula  Sullivan  (Voice  of  the 
Naturalist),  Paul  W.  Sykes,  Hal  L.  Wierenga,  Les 
Willis  (Virginia  Birdline);  VSO  (Virginia  Society 
of  Ornithology). 

A 


ditions  were  relieved  somewhat  in  some  areas  of 
the  Region  with  increased  rainfall  during  the  last 
half  of  the  season.  Also  continuing  the  trend 
from  the  fall  season  was  the  presence  of  several 
good  rarities,  such  as  a couple  of  state  firsts  and 
Regional  firsts. 

Abbreviations:  A.R.N.W.R.  (Alligator  River 
National  Wildlife  Refuge,  NC);  B.R.C.  (Bird 
Records  Committee);  C.  Hatt.  (Cape  Hatteras, 
NC);  E.L.H.  (E.  L.  Huie  Land  Application  Facility, 
Clayton,  GA);  H.B.S.P.  (Huntington  Beach  State 
Park,  SC);  L.M.  (Lake  Mattamuskeet,  NC); 
L.W.F.G.  (Lake  Walter  F.  George,  GA);  P.I.  (Pea  I. 
N.W.R.,  Dare,  NC);  S.S.S.  (Savannah  Spoil  Site, 
Jasper,  SC):  W.P.L.  (West  Point  Lake,  GA). 


Southern  Atlantic 
Coast 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


165 


The  fall  and  winter  were  the  best  seasons  in  over 
a decade  for  Snowy  Owl  records  toward  the 


southern  extreme  of  its  range.  This  bird  was  at 
Fort  Fisher,  North  Carolina  from  late  November 
through  early  December,  frequenting  a spit  once 
used  by  a regularly  roosting  Masked  Booby  20 
years  before.  Photograph  by  Will  Cook. 

LOONS  THROUGH  WATERFOWL 

The  only  inland  loon  reports  of  note  were  a Red- 
throated  at  L.  Juliet,  GA  13  Jan  (MB)  and  an 
impressive  count  of  500  Commons  on  W.RL.  13 
Dec  (WC).  Grebes  seemed  down  somewhat, 
although  single  Red-neckeds  at  W.RL.  30  Dec 
(WC)  and  Jekyll  I.  20  Jan  {fide  JH)  in  Georgia, 
and  L.  Wateree  5 Jan  (LG)  in  South  Carolina, 
were  good  finds.  Eared  Grebes  were  in  the  usual 
locations,  with  the  best  count  being  9 at  Rum 
Cr.,  GA  2 Dec  (JS,  CL  et  al.)  and  on  the  Sun  City- 
Okatie,  SC  C.B.C.  16  Dec  {fide  HC).  Also  anoth- 
er Western  Grebe  was  found  in  North  Carolina, 
with  one  in  the  surf  near  Duck,  Dare  26  Jan  (DC, 
JP,  LG,  CM).  Pelagic  trips  off  Hatteras,  NC  this 
winter  were  relatively  uneventful,  with  the  peak 
Northern  Fulmar  count  being  136  on  16  Feb  and 
the  peak  Manx  Shearwater  total  being  7 on  26 
Jan  (BP  et  al.). 

American  White  Pelicans  continued  their 
excellent  Regional  presence  from  the  fall.  Over 
250  were  still  in  the  Beaufort,  SC  area  in  Dec 
(DF),  and  the  L.M.  flock  increased  to  at  least  15 
during  early  Dec  (KD).  Long-legged  waders  lin- 
gered in  many  places,  with  the  most  interesting 
being  a Yellow-crowned  Night-Heron  at  L.M.  1 
Dec  (R&SB),  4 Glossy  Ibis  on  the  L.M.  C.B.C.  29 
Dec  (WCo  et  al.),  and  a Wood  Stork  at  Santee 
N.W.R.,  SC  29  Dec— 1 Jan.  (LG).  Reddish  Egrets 
were  at  a few  of  the  usual  coastal  Georgia  sites, 
and  Green  Herons  were  spread  over  the  three 
states.  The  farthest  inland  were  singles  at 
Pineville,  NC  7 Dec  (JB)  and  Atlanta,  GA  16  Dec 
iftdeBB). 

Greater  White-fronted  Goose  reports  includ- 
ed an  impressive  count  of  24  at  Eufaula  N.W.R., 
GA  28  Jan  (EB,  MB),  one  at  Whispering  Pines, 
NC  early  Dec — early  Feb  (SC),  and  one  at  Myrtle 
Beach,  SC  7 Feb  (RL).  Ross’s  Goose  seems  to  be 


increasing,  as  there  were  six  reports  this  winter. 
The  best  count  was  of  3 at  Santee  N.W.R.,  SC  28 
Jan  (DF  et  al.).  Duck  numbers  were  down  con- 
siderably this  winter,  with  some  areas  reporting 
an  absence  of  several  normally-occurring 
species.  One  exception  was  the  Eurasian  Wigeon, 
with  excellent  counts  of  3 each  at  L.M.  29  Dec 
(GH,  RD)  and  Greenfield  L.,  Wilmington,  NC  30 
Dec  {fide  SCo).  A male  Cinnamon  Teal  once 
again  was  present  at  Savannah  N.W.R.,  SC  8 Dec 
(TK  et  al.)  until  at  least  16  Feb  (DB  et  al.).  Rarely 
reported  in  our  Region,  a male  hybrid  duck, 
apparently  Gadwall  x Northern  Pintail,  was 
found  at  Bodie  I.  on  the  Bodie-Pea  Is.  C.B.C.  28 
Dec  (RD,  GLA  et  al.).  Diving  duck  numbers  were 
also  down,  the  only  exceptions  reported  involved 
100  Redheads  at  W.RL  13  Dec  (WC)  and  10,526 
Lesser  Scaup  on  a count  at  Camp  Lejeune,  NC  15 
Dec  (SCa  et  al.).  Only  one  eider  was  found,  that 
being  an  imm.  male  Common  at  Morehead  City, 
NC  12  Feb  {fide  JF).  Also  of  note  were  inland 
Surf  Scoters,  with  3 at  Lookout  Shoals  L.,  NC  9 
Dec  (DM)  and  3 at  Thomaston,  GA  3 Jan  (EB  et 
al).  Two  Long-tailed  Ducks  at  L.W.F.G.  30  Dec 
(WC)  were  good  finds,  as  was  a Common 
Merganser  far  to  the  s.  on  the  Hilton  Head  L,  SC 
C.B.C.  15  Dec  {fide  BL). 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  ALCIDS 

Broad-winged  Hawks  were  found  twice  this  sea- 
son, no  doubt  related  to  the  mild  weather  of  the 
fall  and  early  winter.  One  was  on  the  A.R.N.W.R. 
C.B.C  16  Dec  (KK-W),  and  2 were  on  the  Iredell, 
NC  C.B.C.  16  Dec  (SCt,  DM  et  al.).  Although 
adequately  described,  these  birds  were  not  able 
to  be  verified.  Actual  documentation  of  this 
species  in  winter  in  our  Region  is  very  much 
needed.  Also  interesting  was  the  Buteo  seen  in 
flight  in  Carteret,  NC  28  Dec  (R8cPT)  which  for 
all  practical  purposes  fit  the  description  of 
Swainson’s  Hawk.  Reports  of  this  species  in  our 
Region  are  extremely  rare,  and  all  need  thorough 
documentation.  Georgia  had  several  w.  Red- 
tailed Hawks  this  winter:  up  to  4 different  krideri 
forms  and  2 different  dark-morph  western  calu- 
rus  Red-taileds  were  found  (MB,  JFl,  EH,  WC, 
BZ,  BD).  Was  there  a reason  for  this  number  of 
these  forms  to  be  in  the  state  this  winter?  Rough- 
legged Hawks  once  again  wintered  at 

A.R.N.W.R.,  with  a peak  of  3 (including  one 
dark  morph)  27  Jan  (DC,  JP).  Elsewhere  one  was 
a good  find  near  Harrisburg,  Cabarrus,  NC  23 
Dec  {fiide  EHa).  Golden  Eagles,  always  notewor- 
thy, were  in  Tyrrell,  NC  2 Dec  (JL),  at  A.R.N.W.R. 
8 Dec  and  L.M.  6 Dec  (DD  et  al.),  and  Harris 
Neck  N.W.R.,  GA  29  Dec  (GK).  Good  Sandhill 
Crane  reports  included  4 at  Pee  Dee  N.W.R.,  NC 
18  Jan  (BG),  3 in  Carteret,  NC  16  Dec  {fiide  JF),  2 
near  Edenton,  NC  14-20  Jan  (GG,  JD),  and  2 at 
Santee  N.W.R.,  SC  29  Dec — 1 Jan  (LG  et  al.). 


An  American  Golden-Plover  was  late  at  RL  5 
Dec  (BP),  a good  find.  American  Avocets  were  in 
good  supply  this  winter,  with  500  at  RI.  8 Dec 
(JL).  Also  52  on  the  L.M.  C.B.C.  29  Dec  {fideAB) 
was  an  impressive  count  for  that  inland  locality. 
For  the  2nd  year  in  a row,  a Solitary  Sandpiper 
(subspecies  unspecified)  was  found  in  the  same 
spot  on  the  Long  Cane,  SC  C.B.C.  22  Dec  (SW); 
no  doubt  the  same  individual  is  involved  here. 
Long-billed  Curlews  were  at  the  usual  locations, 
with  the  7 on  the  McClellanville,  SC  C.B.C.  15 
Dec  {fide  PN)  being  the  best  count.  Very  rare  in 
winter,  a Curlew  Sandpiper  was  at  RL  5 Dec 
(BP).  This  is  all  the  more  interesting,  as  the 
species  has  been  hard  to  come  by  in  the  state  the 
last  several  years.  One  of  the  rarest  shorebirds  of 
the  season,  a Ruff  was  on  the  Wayne,  NC  C.B.C. 
15  Dec  (J&PW).  This  is  the  2nd  winter  report  for 
that  state,  with  the  first  one  being  at  L.M.  in  Dec 
1991.  Also  what  is  probably  the  latest  ever  found 
in  the  Region,  a Wilson’s  Phalarope  was  video- 
taped on  the  Savannah  GA-SC  C.B.C.  5 Jan 
(SCv).  Great  Skuas,  as  usual,  were  found  off 
Hatteras,  NC  with  3 each  26  Jan  and  16  Feb  (BP 
et  al.).  A Little  Gull  was  a surprise  at  the  S.S.S.  5 
Dec  (SCv,  PR),  providing  about  the  4th  report 
for  South  Carolina.  Black-headed  Gulls  were 
found  only  twice,  with  one  at  the  L.M.  causeway 
19-28  Jan  (RP  et  al,  KD,  m.  ob.)  and  one  at 
Oregon  Inlet,  NC  30  Jan  (JL).  Somewhat  over- 
due for  North  Carolina,  a Black-taUed  GuU  was 
found  on  the  beach  at  P.I.  28  Dec  (PS). 
Unfortunately,  the  bird  was  not  relocated  for  fur- 
ther documentation.  If  accepted  by  the  N.C. 

B. R.C.,  this  would  be  the  first  state  and  Regional 
report  of  this  species  which  has  been  found  in 
nearby  Virginia  and  Maryland  several  times. 
California  Gull  was  found  three  times  with  ads. 
at  RL  5 Jan  and  Southern  Shores,  NC  12  Jan  (JL) 
and  C.  Hatt.  17  Feb  (RD).  Two  reports  of 
Thayer’s  Gull  were  had,  with  2 on  the  C.  Hatt. 

C. B.C.  27  Dec  (BP)  and  one  at  C.  Hatt.  17  Feb 
(RD).  White-winged  gulls  included  an  Iceland 
hanging  out  with  the  Cedar  Island  ferries  during 
Feb  into  Mar  (BvD,  v.  o.)  and  a Glaucous  at  Bald 
Head  L,  NC  18  Feb  (CM).  The  imm.  Black-legged 
Kittiwake  first  found  during  the  fall  at  W.RL, 
remained  until  spring  and  was  joined  by  a 2nd 
individual  12  Dec — 8 Jan  (WC,  EB)!  Inland  win- 
tering of  this  species  is  highly  unusual  in  our 
Region.  And  finally,  the  best  Razorbill  total 
reported  was  10  off  Hatteras,  NC  26  Jan  (BR  et  al). 

DOVES  THROUGH  GNATCATCHER 

Eurasian  Collared-Doves  continue  to  be  found 
in  the  Region.  White-winged  Doves  continue  at 
Beaufort,  NC  (R&SB,  JF)  and  another  was  a 
good  find  at  Goldsboro,  NC  5 Jan  (MBr).  An 
unidentified  nighthawk  was  found  on  the 
Savannah  GA-SC  C.B.C.  5 Jan  {fide  SCv). 


166 


North  American  Birds 


Southern  Atlantic  Coast 


Unfortunately,  the  bird  was  not  heard  or  seen 
well  enough  to  identify  to  species.  Wintering 
Whip-poor-wills  were  found  in  all  three  states  in 
the  usual  narrow  coastal  range,  with  the  best 
count  being  three  on  the  Sun  City — Okatie,  SC 
C.B.C.  16  Dec  {fide  HC).  Hummingbird  news 
this  winter  included  the  Region’s  first  Buff-bel- 
lied Hummingbird  at  Lexington,  SC  (BH). 
Banded  on  4 Dec,  this  species  was  long  overdue 
for  the  Region  (it  is  of  annual  occurrence  in  the 
nearby  Gulf  states).  The  Region’s  3rd  and 
Georgia’s  first  Broad-billed  Hummingbird 
caused  much  excitement  at  a Macon  feeder  until 
at  least  21  Feb  (TJ,  m.  ob.).  This  bird,  banded  on 
15  Dec,  was  apparently  present  from  2 Nov  on! 
Other  hummers  included  the  usual  smattering  of 
coastally  wintering  Ruby-throateds  in  the 
Carolinas,  at  least  9 different  Black-chinneds 
spread  over  all  three  states,  6 Calliopes  in  the 
three  states,  and  the  usual  numerous  Rufous 
across  the  Region.  The  Broad-billed 
Hummingbird  from  the  fall  at  Gibsonville,  NC 
remained  until  the  end  of  the  period.  Also 
Georgia  had  its  7th  and  8th  Allen’s 
Hummingbirds,  with  one  at  Roswell  26  Feb+ 
(RT)  and  near  Columbus  all  winter  (WC). 

North  Carolina’s  6th  Ash-throated  Flycatcher 
was  present  at  A.R.N.W.R.  16  Dec  (JR,  JL)  until  at 
least  late  Jan  (v.  o.).  This  individual  was  easily  the 
most  observed  Ash-throated  ever  in  that  state. 
Good  numbers  of  Western  Kingbirds  were  found 
this  winter.  The  best  counts  were  2 at  Jekyll  L,  GA 
8-16  Feb  (LT  et  al.,  EH  et  al.),  2 near  Salvo,  NC  8 
Dec  (DD  et  al),  and  3 at  Roanoke  I.,  NC  15  Dec 
( JL  et  al.),  at  least  2 of  which  remained  until  8 Jan 
( JL).  One  was  very  rare  inland  at  Augusta,  GA  22 
Dec  (/idc  AW).  Horned  Larks  were  found  at  sev- 
eral areas  at  the  edge  of  their  normal  range.  The 
best  reports  involved  20  in  Carteret,  NC  9 Dec 
(JF,  JFe)  where  the  species  is  extremely  rare.  Two 
Tufted  Titmice  were  found  on  Jekyll  I.,  GA  13  Jan 
{ftde  TM),  unusual  for  titmice,  which  often  do 
not  colonize  coastal  islands  even  when  nearby 
mainland  areas  have  them.  This  phenomenon 
has  also  been  noted  at  areas  such  as  North 
Carolina’s  Outer  Banks  and  Virginia’s  wooded 
barrier  islands. 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

One  of  the  rarer  winter  warblers.  Northern 
Parula,  was  found  twice:  singles  on  the  C.  Hatt. 
C.B.C.  27  Dec  (PS)  and  near  Raleigh,  NC  19  Jan 
(DMu).  Much  rarer,  though,  was  the  Chestnut- 
sided Warbler  found  on  the  Macon,  GA  C.B.C. 
15  Dec  (J&MA).  This  bird,  extremely  rare  and 
unusual  anywhere  in  winter,  provided  that  state’s 
first  winter  report.  Less  unusual  but  still  note- 
worthy, a male  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler  was 
on  Roanoke  I.,  NC  from  the  fall  until  at  least  1 1 
Jan  (JL).  An  Audubon’s  Warbler  was  a good  find 


on  the  C.  Hatt.  C.B.C.  29  Dec  (PS).  How  many  of 
these  go  undetected  among  the  hordes  of 
“Myrtles”  each  winter?  Another  good  winter  war- 
bler was  the  Black-throated  Green  Warbler 
found  on  the  Cumberland  I.,  GA  C.B.C.  15  Dec 
(BZ  et  al).  This  was  about  the  4th  winter  report 
for  that  state.  Other  lingering  warblers  included  a 
female  American  Redstart  on  Edisto  I.,  SC  25  Dec 
(SG),  an  almost  unbelievable  Worm-eating 
Warbler  near  Raleigh,  NC  16  Dec  [fide  JG),  a 
Northern  Waterthrush  at  the  S.S.S.  5 Jan  (SCv),  2 
Wilson’s  Warblers  on  the  Wilmington,  NC  C.B.C. 
30  Dec  (JBr  et  al.),  and  2 Yellow-breasted  Chats 
on  the  Southport,  NC  C.B.C.  5 Jan  (GM,  BS). 
Amazingly  early  was  a Prothonotary  Warbler  at 
HOton  Head  I.,  SC  25  Feb  {ftde  LG),  missing  the 
state’s  earliest  record  date  by  just  two  days!  An 
Ovenbird  (apparently  injured)  provided  an 
unusual  winter  report  near  Atlanta,  GA  7 Feb 
(SP).  This  species  is  normally  found  only  at  a few 
coastal  areas  during  the  winter.  The  only  Western 
Tanagers  reported  this  winter  involved  one  at  a 
New  Bern,  NC  feeder  6 Feb+  which  was  joined  by 
a 2nd  one  27  Feb  (/ide  WF). 

North  Carolina’s  first  documented  Green- 
tailed Towhee  was  found  on  the  Southport,  NC 
C.B.C.  5 Jan-l-  (GM,  BS).  The  bird  remained  in 
the  same  location  until  the  middle  of  spring! 
Peak  counts  of  selected  sparrows  included  5 
Bachman’s  at  Birdsong  Nature  Center,  Grady,  GA 
25  Jan  (GB  et  al.),  7 Grasshoppers  at  A.R.N.W.R. 
16  Dec  (JL),  29  Henslow’s  at  Birdsong  Nature 
Center,  GA  Jan  25  (GB  et  al.),  2 LeConte’s  at 
Ichauway  Plantation,  Baker,  GA  2 8c  19  Dec  (MB 
et  al.),  and  3 Lincoln’s  on  the  Southport,  NC 
C.B.C.  5 Jan  (GM).  Only  one  Clay-colored 
Sparrow  was  found  this  winter,  that  being  one  at 
the  Conway,  SC  W.T.P.  22  Jan  9 (JPe).  Rare  winter 
Lark  Sparrows  included  one  at  Jekyll  I.,  GA  28 
Dec — 17  Jan  (LT  et  al.),  one  at  Figure  Eight  I.,  NC 
27  Jan  (BG),  and  2 on  the  Wayne,  NC  C.B.C.  15 
Dec  (R&PT,  RD).  Of  interest  was  the  presence  of 
a grayish  Red  Fox  Sparrow  in  Southern  Pines,  NC 
3 Jan-l-  that  appeared  to  be  of  the  zaboria  rather 
than  the  expected  eastern  iliaca  subspecies  (WI). 
Lapland  Longspur  reports  included  up  to  6 in 
Carteret,  NC  9-16  Dec  (JF,  JFe,  R8cPT),  2 near 
Conway,  SC  31  Dec — 1 Jan  (ST),  and  10  at 
Andrews  I.,  GA  10  Jan  (EB).  A Snow  Bunting  was 
a good  find  away  from  the  immediate  coast  on 
the  Greenville,  NC  C.B.C.  5 Jan  (KH).  Always 
noteworthy  in  winter.  Indigo  Buntings  were 
found  on  the  Morehead  City,  NC  C.B.C.  16  Dec 
(J&PW)  and  the  C.  Hatt.  C.B.C.  27  Dec  (HA). 
Yellow-headed  Blackbirds  were  found  only  twice, 
with  ad.  males  at  L.  Seminole,  GA  24  Dec  (WC) 
and  in  Georgetown,  SC  17  Jan  (KM).  A Common 
Redpoll  on  the  Bodie-Pea  Is.,  NC  C.B.C.  28  Dec 
(MS,  JBe,  WI)  was  a lucky  find.  This  species  is 
very  rare  anywhere  in  the  Region  any  time  of  the 


This  Ash-throated  Flycatcher  at  Alligator  River 
N.W.R.,  Dare  County,  North  Carolina  was  present 
from  December  through  late  January.  Although 
North  Carolina’s  sixth  record,  this  was  the  most 
cooperative  and  widely  studied  of  any  in  the 
state.  Photograph  by  Will  Cook. 

year.  Purple  Finches  and  Pine  Siskins  were  pres- 
ent in  many  parts  of  the  Region  but  showed  a 
localized  distribution.  Evening  Grosbeaks  were 
still  in  very  low  numbers,  with  none  reported  in 
most  of  the  Region. 

Contributors:  Jerry  and  Marie  Amerson 
(JScMA),  George  L.  Armistead,  Harry  Armistead, 
Donna  Bailey,  Jim  Beard  (JBe),  Giff  Beaton,  Eric 
Beohm,  Michael  Beohm,  Bill  Blakeslee,  Rich  and 
Susan  Boyd  (RScSB),  Mary  Bridges  (MBr),  John 
Brunjes  (JBr),  Allen  Bryan,  John  Buckman,  Steve 
Calver  (SCv),  Sue  Cameron  (SCa),  Susan 
Campbell,  Derb  Carter,  Sam  Cathey  (SCt),  Walt 
Chambers,  Helen  Chatterton,  Will  Cook  (WCo), 
Sam  Cooper  (SCo),  John  Daughtry,  Kelly  Davis, 
Ricky  Davis,  David  Disher,  Bruce  Dralle,  Jack 
Fennell  (JFe),  Jim  Flynn  (JFl),  Dennis  Forsythe, 
Wade  Fuller,  John  Fussell,  Sidney  Gauthreaux  Jr., 
Barbara  Gearhart,  John  Gerwin,  Ginny  Gillam, 
Lex  Glover,  Ken  Harrell,  Eric  Harrold  (EHa),  Bill 
Hilton  Jr.,  Joel  Hitt,  Earl  Horn,  Gene  Howe, 
Wayne  Irvin,  Terry  Johnson,  Tim  Kalbach,  Gene 
Keferl,  Kim  King-Wrenn  (KK-W),  Carol 
Lambert,  Jeff  Lewis,  Ritch  Lilly,  Barry  Lowes, 
Dwayne  Martin,  Greg  Massey,  Ken  Maxwell, 
Terry  Moore,  Chris  Moorman,  Dave  Murdock 
(DMu),  Perry  Nugent,  Brian  Patteson,  Rick 
Payne,  Jack  Peachey  (JPe),  Sarah  Perry,  Jeff 
Pippen,  Pete  Range,  Josh  Rose,  Jeff  Sewell,  Matt 
Sharp,  Bruce  Smithson,  Paul  Sykes,  Stephen 
Thomas,  Lydia  Thompson,  Rusty  Trump,  Amalie 
Tuffin,  Russ  and  Patricia  Tyndall  (R8cPT),  Brian 
van  Druten  (BvD),  Steve  Wagner,  Anne  Waters, 
John  and  Paula  Wright  (J8cPW),  Bob  Zaremba. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


167 


Florida 


Bruce  H.  Anderson 

291 7 Scarlet  Road 
Winter  Park,  Florida  32792 
(scizortail@aol.com) 

This  season  was  rather  typical  for  the  central 
and  southern  peninsula,  with  the  Orlando 
area  experiencing  about  a half-dozen  nights  of 
temperatures  at  or  near  freezing.  One  night  in 
January  the  mercury  dipped  to  25  degrees  F in 
Orlando,  with  freezing  temperatures  reaching 
into  the  southern  peninsula;  damaged  tropical 
foliage  recovered  quickly,  as  many  later  days 
climbed  into  the  80s.  Temperatures  in  the  Big 
Bend  and  the  northern  peninsula  occasionally 
fell  into  the  teens.  The  season  was  dry,  and  the 
entire  Region  continued  to  experience  a rain- 
fall deficit.  Two  southern  locations  gained 
notoriety  this  season  because  of  exceptional 
birding:  the  first  24  km  of  Government  Road 
in  Broward  and  Hendry,  and  “Lucky 
Hammock”  (a  part  of  Frog  Pond  W.M.A.)  near 
the  entrance  to  Everglades  National  Park. 
Several  species  continue  to  be  reported  in 
increasing  numbers,  possibly  solely  the  result 
of  a greater  number  of  observers. 

Abbreviations/definitions:  C.P.  (County 
Park);  E.N.P.  (Everglades  N.P.);  L.A.R.A.  (L. 
Apopka  Restoration  Area,  Orange);  report  (any 


observation);  record  (only  those  reports  verifi- 
able from  photograph,  videotape,  or  specimen 
evidence). 

LOONS  THROUGH  WATERFOWL 

Up  to  10  Red-throated  Loons  comprised  the 
usual  winter  gathering  at  Alligator  Pt.,  Franklin 
(v.  o.)  Other  Gulf  reports  included  singles  at 
Cedar  Key,  Levy  1 Dec  (MMe)  and  Ft.  1.  Beach, 
Citrus  6 Feb  (MG  et  al.).  Unlike  the  hundreds 
that  flew  past  Duval  last  winter,  3 was  the 
greatest  number  of  Red-throateds  reported  off 
Jacksonville  this  winter  {fide  PP).  Other 
Atlantic  reports  were  of  singles  at  Merritt  1. 
N.W.R.  4 Jan  (C.B.C.  data)  and  near  Jupiter 
Inlet,  Martin  19  Dec  (JaH).  Rare  inland,  one  at 
Tallahassee  27  Jan-5  Feb  was  the  2nd  for  Leon 
(AT  et  al.).  Common  Loons  and  Horned 
Grebes  continued  to  congregate  inland  on  L. 
Weir,  Marion;  this  year,  74  loons  and  644 
grebes  were  counted  (ESc).  The  usual  congre- 
gation of  Eared  Grebes  at  Polk  mines  peaked  at 
19  (PF);  singles  wintered  at  Gainesville  (AKr) 
and  Viera,  Brevard  (DF  et  al.).  A late  Cory’s 
Shearwater  was  at  Dania,  Broward  5 Dec  (WG, 
RM).  Rare  in  the  Big  Bend,  up  to  12  American 
White  Pelicans  wintered  at  Tallahassee  (GMe). 
Inland  Brown  Pelicans  were  single  imms.  in 
Alachua  (ESc),  Lake  (JP),  Polk  (TP,  CGe),  and 
Putnam  (PBo).  An  imm.  Great  Cormorant  was 


at  Jacksonville  24-29  Dec  (BRi,  ph.).  Rare  in 
winter,  a Least  Bittern  was  at  St.  Marks  N.W.R. 
5 Jan  (DM  et  al.).  Early  migrants,  33  Wood 
Storks  were  counted  at  Tallahassee  7 Feb  (RL, 
GMe).  Only  5 Greater  Flamingos  wintered  at 
Snake  Bight,  E.N.P.  (LaM). 

One  Fulvous  Whistling-Duck  wintered  n.  to 
Emeralda  Marsh,  Lake,  where  hundreds  win- 
tered last  year  ( JP).  One  Greater  White-fronted 
Goose  was  found  at  St.  Marks  24  Dec  (TC), 
while  up  to  5 wintered  in  the  Tallahassee  area 
(JCa  et  al.).  Snow  Geese  were  few  and  far 
between,  although  20  were  in  e.  Polk  1 Jan 
(F&RC).  Ten  Canada  Geese  at  Bartow,  Polk 
(SRi)  might  have  been  wild  birds.  Florida’s  first 
Tundra  Swan  in  three  years  visited  Springhill 
Road  S.T.P.,  Leon  14-24  Jan  (ESh  et  al).  Rare 
in  the  south,  one  Gadwall  was  at  the  Miami- 
Dade  landfill  12-15  Dec  (LaM),  whOe  a male 
Eurasian  Wigeon  was  reported  at  Merritt  I.  27 
Jan-t-  (CPi,  CPa).  The  only  peninsular  reports 
of  American  Black  Duck  were  of  singles  at 
L.A.R.A.  (HR)  and  Lake  Placid,  Highlands  27 
Dec  (WB).  A White-cheeked  Pintail  at 
Pembroke  Pines,  Broward  29  Dec-5  Feb  was 
considered  an  avicultural  escapee  (WG). 
Scoter  numbers  were  about  normal.  One  Surf 
was  in  n.  Jacksonville  29  Dec  (RCl),  with  3 at 
Alligator  Pt.  6 Jan  (JM  et  al.).  White-wingeds 
were  at  St.  Marks  N.W.R.  8 Dec  (one  bird; 
BBe)  and  Indian  Shores,  Pinellas  23  Jan  (4;  JF). 
There  were  4 Black  Scoters  at  Alligator  Pt.  6 Jan 
(MMe  et  al.),  one  at  Jacksonville  29  Dec 
(C.B.C.  data),  47  at  St.  Augustine,  St.  Johns  15 
Dec  (C.B.C.  data),  and  up  to  25  in  Broward 4—5 
Dec  (WG,  RM).  Long-tailed  Ducks  were  well 
reported,  with  2 at  Cedar  Key  28  Dec  (AKr) 
and  singles  at  Redington  Shores,  Pinellas  29 
Dec,  Tampa,  Hillsborough  16  Jan  (KAn),  Palm 
Harbor,  Pinellas  6 Feb-h  (A&BH  et  al.),  and 
Titusville  10  FebH-  (KAe  et  al.).  Rare  in  the 
peninsula,  2 Common  Goldeneyes  wandered  s. 
to  Merritt  1. 4 Jan  (CPi,  CPa  et  al.),  one  stopped 
at  Seminole,  Pinellas  13-16  Dec  (IH),  and  one 
reached  the  s.  peninsula  for  the  2nd  year  at 
Punta  Gorda,  Charlotte  15  Dec  (JBo). 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  SHOREBIRDS 

The  first  Swallow-taOed  Kite  was  found  at 
E.N.P.  17  Feb  (CJG  et  al.);  within  three  days,  5 
had  reached  Bald  Pt.,  Franklin  (JDo).  Another 
early  migrant,  a Short-tailed  Hawk  was  at 
Peace  River  Park,  Polk  31  fan  (TP),  while  oth- 
ers arrived  at  L.  Monroe,  Seminole  9 Feb 
(LoM),  and  Orlando  Wetlands  Park,  Orange  10 
Feb  (CPi).  The  only  White-tailed  Kites  report- 
ed were  at  two  Broward  locations:  duos  on 
Government  Road  (v.o.)  and  at  Pembroke 
Pines,  where  a pair  has  bred  the  past  several 
years  (WG).  Ninety  Bald  Eagles  assembled  at 


168 


North  American  Birds 


Florida 


Tomoka  Landfill,  Daytona  Beach  30  Dec 
(MeW).  The  Crested  Caracara’s  range  contin- 
ues to  expand:  2 have  taken  up  residence  at  the 
St.  Johns  R.,  Seminole  and  Volusia  (LoM),  while 
one  along  Government  Road  4-13  Jan  (VL  et 
al.)  was  the  2nd  for  Broward. 

Rare  in  winter  in  the  Big  Bend,  one  Purple 
Gallinule  was  found  at  Wakulla  Springs, 
Wakulla  28  Dec  (RL).  Five  downy  Common 
Moorhens  in  a retention  pond  at  Seminole  14 
Jan-2  Feb  (JF)  furnished  a rare  winter  breed- 
ing report.  At  opposite  ends  of  the  state,  where 
they  are  rarely  seen,  2 Sandhill  Cranes  were 
found  near  the  entrance  to  E.N.P.  1 Dec  (LaM), 
and  one  wintered  in  Jacksonville  (JCo).  A late 
American  Golden-Plover  was  found  on  the 
Long  Pine  Key  C.B.C.  19  Dec.  Up  to  6 
American  Avocets  lingered  at  Springhill  Road 
W.T.P.  through  22  Dec  (GMe),  while  42  were  at 
Jacksonville  29  Dec  (BRi).  A Solitary 
Sandpiper  was  observed  in  Broward  10  Jan 
(DB).  Purple  Sandpipers  wandered  s.  to 
Boynton  Inlet,  Palm  Beach  to  8 Dec  [fide  JHB), 
Rickenbacker  Causeway,  Miami  15  Dec  (BRa, 
JHB),  and  Stuart,  Martin  29  Dec  (2;  PM,  ph.). 
One  Stilt  Sandpiper  far  n.  at  St.  Marks  N.W.R. 
17  Feb  may  have  wintered  (GMe).  Up  to  7 
American  Woodcock,  some  displaying,  were  at 
Weekiwachee  Preserve,  Hernando  16  Dec-t- 
(A&BH  et  al).  At  the  edge  of  the  Gulf  Stream 
off  Stuart,  several  flocks  of  up  to  10  Red 
Phalaropes  and  a few  Red-necked  Phalaropes 
were  found  18  Jan  (BW). 

In  an  effort  to  create  a new  migra- 
tory flock,  8 Whooping  Cranes 
were  led  by  ultralight  aircraft  from 
Necedah  N.W.R.,  Wisconsin,  18  Oct  to 
Chassahowitzka  N.W.R.,  Citrus,  where  7 
cranes  and  the  aircraft  arrived  3 Dec.  Five 
cranes  survived  the  winter;  the  other  two 
were  suspected  to  have  been  depredated  by 
Bobcats.  The  five  cranes  departed  unassist- 
ed 9 Apr,  and  4 returned  to  Wisconsin  19 
Apr;  the  fifth  arrived  three  days  later 
( <http://www.bringbackthecranes.com> ) . 

JAEGERS  THROUGH  HUMMINGBIRDS 

Jaegers  were  seen  from  shore  in  mostly  ones 
and  twos  at  various  locations  along  both 
coasts.  A Pomarine  Jaeger  was  photographed  at 
Anclote,  Pasco  18  Jan  (KT).  Single  Franklin’s 
Gulls  were  at  Naples,  Collier  29-31  Dec  (HM, 
LD  et  al.)  and  the  Miami-Dade  landfill  17  Jan 
(LaM).  Sebastian  Inlet,  Brevard  and  Indian 
River,  hosted  a Black-headed  Gull  15  Feb-i- 
(fide  DH  et  al.).  Our  perennial  Heermann’s 
Gull,  present  since  Oct  2000  and  now  in  third- 
alternate  plumage,  followed  a travel  pattern 
similar  to  that  of  the  previous  winter.  Last  seen 


at  Ft.  De  Soto  C.P.,  Pinellas  10  Nov  (LA),  it  was 
next  reported  at  Sanibel  L,  Lee  2 Dec  (A&BH), 
then  at  Naples,  Collier  1 Dec  (fide  CE).  There 
were  no  subsequent  reports  until  it  returned  to 
Ft.  De  Soto  23  Jan-8  Feb,  after  which  it  was 
not  reported  again  until  15  Mar  (LA).  The 
Thayer’s  Gull  at  Ft.  De  Soto  remained  to  7 Dec 
(LA);  this  was  probably  Florida’s  8th  docu- 
mented occurrence.  Inland  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gulls  were  at  L.A.R.A.  16  Dec  (HR)  and 
Springhill  Road  W.T.P.  19  Jan  (BBe).  One 
Sabine’s  Gull  remained  at  Boynton  Inlet 
through  2 Dec  (VF).  Single  Gull-billed  Terns 
were  n.  to  New  Port  Richey,  Pasco  1 1 Dec  (KT) 
and  3 Feb  (RaS),  Dunedin,  Pinellas  18  Dec 
(WY),  and  up  to  4 at  Polk  mines  all  season 
(CGe).  Casual  in  winter.  Black  Terns  were 
identified  at  Pompano  Beach,  Broward  10  Jan 
(WG,  RM  et  al.)  and  Ten  Thousand  Is.  N.W.R., 
Collier  5 Jan  (LB). 

Wintering  White-crowned  Pigeons  are  rare, 
so  2 at  Collier-Seminole  S.P.,  Collier  9 Feb  (fide 
TD)  were  noteworthy  ; one  photographed  at 
Port  Orange,  Volusia  1 Feb  (KD,  ph.)  estab- 
lished the  most  northerly  record  along  the 
Atlantic  coast.  White-winged  Doves  appear  to 
be  resident  n.  to  Eustis,  Lake  (JP).  The  most 
intriguing  report  of  the  season  was  the  8th 
Florida  report  of  Ruddy  Quail-Dove  at  Birch 
S.P.,  Fort  Lauderdale  11-12  Jan  (WG,  RM). 
Scarce,  declining,  and  local,  up  to  6 Smooth- 
billed Anis  spent  the  season  in  Fairchild 
Gardens,  Miami  (v.  o.). 

At  Lighthouse  Pt.,  Broward  26  Dec,  two 
police  officers  saw  something  fall  from  a tree 
after  a truck  passed  under  it.  That  “something” 
was  Florida’s  4th  verified  Northern  Saw-whet 
Owl,  which  was  taken  to  a rehabilitation  center 
(ph.  CR)  and  released  two  days  later!  Despite 
nearly  annual  C.B.C.  reports.  Common 
Nighthawk  has  never  been  verified  to  occur  in 
winter  in  Florida.  This  season,  a dead 
Chordeiles  found  “still  warm”  on  a road  in 
Wakulla  was  examined,  identified  as  this 
species,  and  then  discarded  (C.B.C.  data).  Ten 
years  ago  and  three  specimens  later,  the  Lesser 
Nighthawk’s  status  has  changed  from  “unveri- 
fied in  winter”  to  the  “expected”  winter 
nighthawk.  Up  to  12  were  at  Flamingo,  E.N.P. 
(v.o.)  and  up  to  10  at  the  Miami-Dade  landfill 
(LaM,  JHB).  Others  were  at  Loxahatchee 
N.W.R.,  Palm  Beach  29  Dec  (BH),  L.A.R.A.  23 
Dec  (DSi,  JBo),  and  Cedar  Key  28  Dec  (2;  RCh 
et  al.).  The  first  singing  Chuck- will’s-widow 
was  reported  at  St.  Petersburg  5 Feb  (fide  RoS). 

The  proliferation  of  w.  hummingbirds  in  the 
Region  continues  to  be  one  of  the  more  inter- 
esting stories  of  recent  winters.  So  great  are  the 
number  of  reports  that  this  summary  concen- 
trates on  hummingbirds  banded  by  FB  or  pho- 


On  the  day  after  Christmas,  two  policemen  saw  a 
small  parcel  drop  from  a tree,  having  been  dis- 
lodged by  a passing  truck  at  Lighthouse  Point, 
Broward  County.  Their  investigation  revealed 
Florida’s  fourth  Northern  Saw-whet  Owl,  a dazed 
bird  that  was  rehabilitated  and  released  28 
December  2001 . Photograph  by  Cindy  Rohkamm. 

tographed  or  videotaped  by  others.  Black- 
chinned  Hummingbirds  were  at  Apalachicola, 
Franklin  (2),  Tallahassee  (4),  Spring  Hill, 
Hernando  (one),  Merritt  1.  (one),  and  Mims, 
Brevard  (2).  Of  uncertain  status  so  far  n.,  a 
Ruby-throated  Hummingbird  wintered  at 
Tallahassee  (FB).  Florida’s  4th  reported  Allen’s 
Hummingbird  was  banded  at  Alligator  Pt.  1 1 
Jan  (FB).  Fifteen  Rufous  Hummingbirds  were 
banded,  including  1 1 at  Tallahassee,  while  oth- 
ers were  videotaped  at  Shady  Hills,  Pasco  28 
Dec  (BP)  or  salvaged  at  Brooksville,  Hernando 
18  Jan  (KC,  to  UCF).  An  unidentified 
Selasphorus  was  photographed  on  the  Melrose 
C.B.C.  Lastly,  a Buff-bellied  Hummingbird  was 
seen  (only)  at  Merritt  J.  13-21  Jan  (SH),  for  a 
very  rare  peninsular  report. 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  PIPITS 

Least  Flycatchers  were  numerous  this  season 
(v.o.),  with  5 at  L.A.R.A.  27  Jan  (HR)  and  up  to 
6 in  and  near  E.N.P.  An  Empidonax  near 
Tallahassee  24  Feb  (GMe)  was  likely  this 
species.  At  one  time,  St.  Marks  hosted  most  of 
Florida’s  wintering  Vermilion  Flycatchers,  but 
not  so  during  the  past  decade.  This  year,  lone 
Vermilions  were  found  in  Alachua  (GMc, 
MMe),  Volusia  (3rd  year,  LoM,  DF),  Lake  (2nd 
year,  HR  et  al.),  Sarasota  (IH  et  al.).  Palm  Beach 
(LiM  et  al.),  and  Hendry  (VL  et  al.).  Ash- 
throated  Flycatchers  are  the  expected  winter 
Myiarchus  in  the  n.  and  cen.  peninsula.  Singles 
were  identified  at  Alachua  (JoH  et  al.), 
Seminole  (BHA,  to  UCF),  Palm  Beach  (BH), 
Hendry  ( WG),  and  Lake  (2;  JP,  MG),  with  up  to 
9 at  L.A.R.A.  (HR  et  al.).  A Great  Crested 
Flycatcher  at  Kelly  Park,  Orange  29  Dec  (BHA 
et  al.)  was  n.  of  usual  winter  range.  Single 
Brown-crested  Flycatchers  were  near 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


169 


Lately  a species  seen  in  small  numbers  through  the 
early  winter,  Summer  Tanagers  are  now  occasionally 
overwintering  in  Florida  as  well,  as  this  one  did  at 
Collier-Seminole  State  Park  in  Collier  County  (pho- 
tographed here  10  February  2002).  What's  more 
remarkable  still  are  the  numbers  of  Summer 
Tanagers  recorded  in  winter  north  to  southern 
Canada!  Photograph  by  Terry  J.  Doyle. 

Loxahatchee  N.W.R.  3 February  (BH)  and  at 
“Lucky  Hammock”  14-28  Dec  (LaM  et  al.).  A 
La  Sagra’s  Flycatcher  remained  near 
Loxahatchee  N.W.R.  25  Dec-i-  (BH  et  ah),  while 
a 2nd  bird  was  found  at  Matheson  Hammock, 
Miami-Dade  20  Feb  (FBI,  WY).  Found  in  the 
fall,  a Tropical  Kingbird  remained  at  St.  Marks 
through  the  season  (v.o.).  Single 
Tropical/Couch’s  Kingbirds  were  reported  at 
L.A.R.A.  9 Dec  (HR)  and  Goodwin  W.M.A., 
Brevard  16  Jan  (SRo).  For  the  3rd  year,  a 
Cassin’s  Kingbird  joined  the  L.A.R.A.  tyran- 
nid  flock  9 Dec-i-  (HR  et  ah,  C&KR,  ph.). 
Another  Cassin’s  was  found  at  Homestead, 
Miami-Dade  21  Feb  (JHB).  Western  Kingbirds 
were  plentiful  in  the  s.  and  cen.  peninsula, 
with  5 singles  farther  n.  (v.o.).  The  Western 
Kingbird  roost  at  L.A.R.A.  peaked  at  72  indi- 
viduals 27  Jan  (HR),  establishing  Florida’s 
highest  count.  Scissor-tailed  Flycatchers  were 
widely  reported,  with  northerly  reports  from 
High  Springs,  Alachua  13  Jan  (CGr),  L.A.R.A. 
16  Jan-l-  (3;  HR,  BHA  et  ah),  and  Seven 
Springs,  Pasco  through  Jan  (KT  et  ah). 

Three  Bell’s  Vireos  were  reported:  one  win- 
tered at  “Lucky  Hammock”  (v.o.),  another  was 
near  Loxahatchee  N.W.R.  2 Dec  (BH),  with  the 
3rd  at  Mahogany  Hammock,  E.N.P.  (C.B.C. 
data).  An  early  Yellow-throated  Vireo  was 
singing  at  Morris  Bridge  Park,  Hillsborough  26 
Feb  (BAh).  A Bank  Swallow  was  carefully  iden- 
tified at  Delray  Beach  5 Jan  (WG),  and  single 
Bank  and  Cliff  Swallows  were  discovered 
among  about  200  Cave  Swallows  at  the  Miami- 
Dade  landfill  9 Jan  (LaM).  One  Golden- 
crowned  Kinglet  wandered  s.  to  n.  Pinellas  22 
Dec  (KR),  and  a Wood  Thrush  wintered  at 
Birch  S.P.  (WG  et  ah).  A newly-fledged 
Northern  Mockingbird  in  Polk  24  Feb  fur- 


nished an  early  breeding  report  (B&LC). 
Twelve  American  Pipits  were  far  s.  at  Frog 
Pond  W.M.A.  1 Dec  (LaM). 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  MANNIKINS 

Twenty-five  species  of  warblers  were  reported 
in  the  s.  peninsula  this  season.  Unverified  in 
winter.  Blue-winged  Warblers  were  found  at 
West  Lake,  E.N.P.  14  Dec  (LaM)  and  near 
Loxahatchee  N.W.R.  29  Dec  (BH).  A Tennessee 
Warbler  was  at  L.  Placid  27  Dec  (DG  et  ah). 
Single  Nashville  Warblers  were  at  Tallahassee  1 
Jan  (JCa),  New  Port  Richey  31  Dec  (KT,  ST), 
Fairchild  Gardens,  Miami  22  Jan  (JBo),  and 
Frog  Pond  W.M.A.  11  Dec  (JHB).  Casual  in 
winter,  lone  Chestnut-sided  Warblers  were  at 
Birch  S.P.  12  Jan+  (WG),  and  Royal  Palm, 
E.N.P.  5-6  Jan  (JHB).  Another  rare  wintering 
Dendroica,  Magnolia  Warbler  was  reported  on 
nine  C.B.C.s  (v.  o.),  with  8 tallied  at  Coot  Bay 
and  one  n.  to  Crews  Lake  C.P.,  Pasco  18  Dec 
(MG).  A Black-throated  Green  Warbler  was  n. 
to  Gainesville  16  Dec  (AKr).  Irregular  in  the 
cen.  peninsula,  up  to  3 Prairie  Warblers  win- 
tered at  Jacksonville  (PP).  Several  birders  com- 
mented that  Yellow  Palm  Warblers  appeared  in 
greater  numbers  than  usual  in  Orange  (DF, 
JCl)  and  Marion  (JP),  about  which  Puschock 
commented,  “they  are  almost  as  common 
(perhaps  as  common)  as  Western  Palms  and 
[...  ] seem  restricted  to  mature  scrub  habitat.” 
Two  American  Redstarts  in  Alachua  16  Dec 
(AKr,  KS)  may  have  been  late,  while  one  at  L. 
Placid  27  Dec  likely  wintered  (C.B.C.  data).  A 
Worm-eating  Warbler  was  well  described  at 
Jacksonville  29  Dec  (TA).  A possibly  late 
Northern  Waterthrush  was  in  Alachua  16  Dec 
(AKr),  while  up  to  2 at  L.  Monroe  (LoM)  and 
up  to  4 at  L.A.R.A.  wintered  locally  (HR).  A 
Louisiana  Waterthrush  was  recorded  in  West 
Palm  Beach  5 Jan  (GW);  one  at  L.A.R.A.  10 
Feb  (HR)  probably  was  a migrant.  The  number 
of  Wilson’s  Warblers  was  down  from  the  previ- 
ous winter,  although  at  least  12  individuals 
were  reported  (v.  o.).  Eight  Yellow-breasted 
Chats  ranged  from  Leon  to  Miami-Dade. 

Summer  Tanagers  were  reported  in  Alachua 
(MMe,  BS),  Polk  (C.B.C.  data).  Collier  (DSu, 
TD,  ph.),  and  Miami-Dade  (LaM,  PBi). 
Western  Tanagers  were  at  Cedar  Key  28  Dec 
and  Royal  Palm,  E.N.P.  22  Dec  (C.B.C.  data). 
The  male  Western  Spindalis  at  Bill 
Baggs-Cape  Florida  S.P.,  Miami  was  relocated 
9 Dec  (RD).  Clay-colored  Sparrows  were 
reported  in  Palm  Beach  (BH),  Polk  (PT),  and 
Orange,  with  20  of  these  at  L.A.R.A.  10  Feb 
(C8cKR).  A flock  of  7 Lark  Sparrows  at 
Redland,  Miami-Dade  5 Jan  (fide  JHB)  was  the 
only  such  report.  Up  to  4 Henslow’s  Sparrows 
wintered  at  Emeralda  Marsh  ( JP  et  ah),  while  3 


were  at  Gainesville  (C.B.C.  data).  A Le  Conte’s 
Sparrow  at  Emeralda  Marsh  26  Jan-9  Feb  (JP) 
was  the  sole  report.  Fox  Sparrows  were  at 
Tallahassee  6 Dec  (RL),  O’Leno  S.P.,  Columbia 
12  Jan  (JoH),  and  Paynes  Prairie  27  Jan  (MMa, 
AKe),  while  single  Lincoln’s  Sparrows  were  in 
Alachua  (JoH),  Pasco  (C.B.C.  data).  Orange 
(HR),  Broward  (LA  et  ah),  and  Miami-Dade 
(JHB  et  ah).  Unexpected  were  5 White-throat- 
ed Sparrows  at  L.  Wales,  Polk  24  Jan  (PF)  and 
one  on  Government  Road,  Broward  18  Jan 
(BHA  et  ah).  White-crowned  Sparrows  were 
reported  on  8 C.B.C.s  (v.  o.),  with  10  at 
L.A.R.A.  (C8cKR).  Huguenot  Memorial  Park, 
Duval  hosted  up  to  3 Lapland  Longspurs  8 
Dec-4  Jan  (PP,  BRi,  ph.). 

A female  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  pho- 
tographed at  Collier-Seminole  S.P.,  Collier  5 
Jan-9  Feb  (KOD,  LDo,  TD,  ph.)  established  the 
2nd  verifiable  winter  record  in  Florida. 
Another  Rose-breasted  was  photographed  at 
Merritt  I.  5 Jan  (JeH).  Wintering  Blue 
Grosbeaks  were  singles  on  the  Alafia  Banks  and 
Kissimmee  C.B.C.s  and  at  Emeralda  Marsh  26 
Jan  ( JP),  with  up  to  3 at  L.A.R.A.  (HR).  Painted 
Buntings  rarely  winter  in  the  n.  Peninsula,  so 
singles  at  Tallahassee  (BBu),  Jacksonville  28 
]an+,  and  n.  St.  Johns  13  Jan  (both  PP)  were 
notable.  Single  Dickcissels  were  found  at 
L.A.R.A.  16  Dec  (HR)  and  w.  Kendall,  Miami- 
Dade  3 Feb-l-  (JHB  et  ah).  Three  Rusty 
Blackbirds  were  s.  to  Oviedo,  Seminole  29  Dec 
(BHA);  a Brewer’s  Blackbird  at  L.A.R.A.  19 
Dec  (HR)  was  equally  rare.  L.A.R.A.  furnished 
the  Region’s  only  reported  Yellow-headed 
Blackbird  10  Feb  (HR).  A remarkable  report 
was  the  12  Shiny  Cowbirds  at  Kissimmee 
Prairie  Preserve  S.  R,  Okeechobee  4 Feb  (PS), 
by  far  the  largest  inland  report  in  the  U.S.  dur- 
ing winter.  Another  Shiny  at  Naples  19  Jan 
(JHB)  was  not  unexpected.  Two  Bronzed 
Cowbirds  were  discovered  at  Apalachicola  6 
Dec  (GB  et  ah),  at  least  3 wintered  at  their 
usual  spot  at  Lakeland  (v.  o.),  and  up  to  15 
were  at  Naples  17  Jan+  (CE,  JHB  et  ah).  An 
imm.  male  Bullock’s  Oriole  paused  at  Captiva 
L,  Lee  29  Dec  (VM),  while  an  early  Orchard 
Oriole  was  at  L.A.R.A.  24  Feb  (HR). 

The  only  Purple  Finches  were  singles  at  two 
Alachua  locations  (BW,  BQ).  Our  n.  and  s. 
populations  of  House  Finches  continue  to 
populate  the  cen.  peninsula.  One  was  seen  in  e. 
Polk  5 Dec  (F8cRC),  14  were  at  L.  Wales,  Polk  29 
Dec  (C.B.C.  data),  2 at  Temple  Terrace, 
Hillsborough  5 Jan  (KAn,  TM),  and  one  at  New 
Port  Richey  19  Feb  (KT).  Irregular  in  the 
Region,  Pine  Siskins  were  in  Wakulla  3 Dec 
(JE),  at  Homosassa  Springs,  Citrus  10-13  Jan 
(4;  MaW,  JA)  and  Alva,  Lee,  7 Dec+  (L&LW, 
ph.).  An  imm.  Lonchura  at  Eco  Pond,  E.N.P.  29 


170 


North  American  Birds 


Florida — Ontario 


Jan-3  Feb  (CJG,  LS  ph.  et  al.)  could  not  be 
identified  specifically,  not  even  by  Robin 
Restall,  author  of  Munias  and  Mannikins  (Yale 
University  Press,  1997).  The  most  likely 
species — based  primarily  on  geography  and 
the  hypothesis  that  the  bird  was  a vagrant  from 
established  populations  in  Cuba  or  elsewhere 
in  the  West  Indies — was  either  a Chestnut  or 
Tricolored  Munia.  However,  the  bird  perhaps 
was  more  likely  a local  escapee. 

Undocumented  report 

Details  have  not  been  seen  for  a Lazuli 
Bunting,  the  8th  Florida  report,  at  L.A.R.A.  7 
Jan. 

Cited  contributors  and  members  of  the 
Florida  Ornithological  Society  Field 
Observations  Committee:  Brian  Ahern 
(BAh),  Janet  Alexander,  Ken  Allen  (KAn),  Ted 
Allen,  Kenn  AUie  (KAe),  Bruce  H.  Anderson 
(BHA),  Lyn  Atherton,  Linda  Baker,  Fred 


Bassett,  Giff  Beaton,  Dick  Beeler,  Brad 
Bergstrom  (BBe),  Wes  Biggs,  Paul  Bithorn 
(PBi),  Paul  Blair  (PBI),  Jeff  Bouton  (JBo),  Pam 
Bowen  (PBo),  John  H.  Boyd  (JHB),  Barbara 
Buford  (BBu),  Kelly  Cannon,  Jim  Cavanagh 
(JCa),  Ron  Christen  (RCh),  Forrest  & Ruth 
Clark,  Roger  Clark  (RCl),  Joie  Clifton  (JCl), 
Julie  Cocke  ( JCo),  Buck  & Linda  Cooper,  Tom 
Curtis,  Robin  Diaz,  Linda  Douglas,  Kevin 
Doxstater,  Kathy  O’Reilly-Doyle,  Terry  Doyle, 
Jack  Dozier  (JDo),  Jeanne  Dubi  (JDu),  Bob  & 
Lucy  Duncan,  John  Epier,  Charlie  Ewell,  Paul 
Fellers,  Don  Feuss,  Judy  Fisher,  Vera  Fitz- 
Gerald, Dot  Freeman,  Murray  Gardler,  Chuck 
Geanangel  (CCe),  Waliy  George,  Dave 
Goodwin,  Chuck  Graham  (CGr),  C.J.  Grimes 
(CJG),  Jerri  Hafizi  (JeH),  Jack  Mailman  (JaH), 
Al  & Bev  Hansen,  Irene  Hernandez,  Shirley 
Hills,  John  Hintermister  (JoH),  Brian  Hope, 
Dotty  Hull  (DH),  Adam  Kent  (AKe),  Ajidy 
Kratter  (AKr),  Jerry  Krummrich,  Rob 
Lengacher,  Vince  Lucas,  Russell  MacGregor, 


Ontario 


Hugh  G.  Currie 

385  Delaware  Avenue 
Toronto,  Ontario  M6H  2T7 
(hcurrie@ca.inter,net) 

This  was  the  winter  that  wasn’t. 

Temperatures  in  southern  Ontario  were  8.6 
degrees  Fahrenheit  warmer  than  average  and 
2.0  degrees  warmer  than  the  previous  warmest 
winter,  which  occurred  1997-1998.  It  was 


somewhat  dry  in  in  most  locations,  though 
water  levels  finally  began  to  rise  in  all  the  Great 
Lakes  (except  Lake  Superior,  which  remained 
unchanged)  after  several  years  of  declines.  The 
effect  of  the  warm  winter  on  Ontario’s  birds 
was  profound,  with  many  records  for  numbers 
and  for  new  species  set  in  Christmas  Bird 
Counts.  Many  transients  and  haif-hardies,  par- 
ticularly waterfowl,  lingered  through 
December  and  even  longer,  though  a few 
species  such  as  Hermit  Thrush  were  unusually 


Lome  Malo  (LoM),  Mike  Manetz  (MMa), 
Larry  Manfredi  (LaM),  Tom  Mason,  Greg 
McDermott  (GMc),  Vince  McGrath,  Hugh 
McGuinness,  Michael  Meisenburg  (MMe), 
Gail  Menk  (GMe),  Peter  Merritt,  Don 
Morrow,  Linda  Most  (LiM),  John  Murphy, 
Carol  Paine  (CPa),  Tom  Palmer,  Cheri  Pierce 
(CPi),  Diane  Pierce,  David  Powell,  Peggy 
Powell,  Bill  Pranty,  John  Puschock,  Brian 
Quinn,  Cindy  & Kurt  Radamaker,  Brian 
Rapoza  (BRa),  Bob  Richter  (BRi),  Sue  Riffe 
(SRi),  Bryant  Roberts  (BRo),  Harry  Robinson, 
Carol  Rohkamm,  Ken  Rowe,  Sean  Rowe  (SRo), 
Earl  Scales  (ESc),  Ken  Scott,  Eric  Shaw  (ESh), 
Bob  Simons,  David  Simpson  (DSi),  Parks 
Small,  Ray  Smart  (RaS),  Ron  Smith  (RoS),  Lee 
Snyder,  Doug  Suitor  (DSu),  Pete  Timmer,  Ken 
Tracey,  Steve  Tracey,  Anne  Turner,  Bob 
Wallace,  Ray  Webb,  Chuck  Weber,  Leon  & Lois 
White,  Margie  Wilkinson  (MaW),  Meret 
Wilson  (MeW),  and  Wilf  Yusek. 


scarce,  in  Ontario,  where  “winter  listing”  is 
popular,  it  was  a banner  season.  This  was  true 
despite  the  fact  that  most  finches  were  noted  in 
below-average  numbers  and  the  northern  owls 
stayed  in  the  north. 

Abbreviations:  H.F.N.  (Hamilton  Field 
Naturalists);  K.EN.  (Kingston  Field 
Naturalists);  Frontenac;  Long  Point  (Long 
Point  Bird  Observatory,  Haldimand-Norfolk); 
Pelee  (Pt.  Pelee  and  vicinity,  Essex);  R.O.M. 
(Royal  Ontario  Museum);  Soo  (Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  Algoma). 

LOOHS  THROUGH  WATERFOWL 

A high  count  of  50  Red-throated  Loons  (KO, 
AW)  was  made  at  Niagara-on-the-Lake  1 Dec. 
Thereafter,  only  a few  singles  were  noted, 
mostly  on  L.  Ontario.  A Pacific  Loon  at  the 
Soo  3 Feb  turned  out  to  be  a one-day  wonder. 
Horned  Grebes  were  unusually  plentiful.  The 
counts  of  197  on  the  Fisherville  C.B.C., 
Haldimand,  87  on  the  Long  Point  C.B.C.,  and 
90  at  Kingston  15  Dec  (K.EN.)  were  all  excep- 
tional. The  6 Red-necked  Grebes  at  Presqu’ile 
P.P.  7 Dec  (FH)  was  the  highest  number  by  5 
ever  seen  in  one  day  in  winter  there.  There 
were  19  Pied-billed  Grebes  at  the  Point  Pelee 
marsh  18  Dec  (AW)  and  52  in  the  Erieau  area 
16  Dec  (AW,  MJ).  At  least  one  juv.  Northern 
Gannet  circled  L.  Ontario  again  this  year,  with 
observations  at  Stoney  Creek  24  Dec  (H.F.N.) 
and  Kingston  on  the  16  Dec  C.B.C.  Double- 


VoLUME  56  (2002),  Number  2 


171 


crested  Cormorants  were  recorded  for  the  first 
time  on  several  C.B.C.s,  but  the  count  of  52  on 
the  Kincardine  C.B.C.  was  high  for  a location 
that  far  north. 

A Cattle  Egret,  record  late  for  Ontario,  lin- 
gered at  Hillman  Marsh,  Essex,  until  17  Dec, 
when  it  became  an  entry  on  the  Pt.  Pelee 
C.B.C.  An  American  Bittern  inhabited  a ditch 
near  Erieau  until  16  Dec  (GP).  A Glossy  Ibis, 
exceptional  in  winter,  was  observed  near 
Thamesville  3-10  Dec  (BDu).  A Greater  White- 
fronted  Goose  wintered  in  the  area  of 
Cranberry  Marsh,  Durham  (m.  ob.),  and  2 
more  were  at  Bronte  5-12  Jan  (H.F.N.).  There 
were  2 Ross’s  Geese  9-14  Dec  in  the  Cranberry 
Marsh  area  in  company  with  5 blue-  and  15 
white-morph  Snow  Geese  (HC).  A lone  Ross’s 
Goose  was  recorded  in  Kent  16-20  Dec  (SC), 
one  was  on  the  Long  Point  C.B.C.,  2 others 
alternated  between  Kingsville  and  Pelee  9-14 
Dec,  and  2 more  were  at  Shrewsbury  3 Feb 
()B).  Brant  were  unusually  widespread  for  the 
2nd  winter  in  a row.  They  were  seen  as  far  w.  as 
Rondeau,  where  4 were  tallied  10  Dec  (AW, 
FU).  A Eurasian  Wigeon  was  at  Erieau  10  Dec- 
8 Jan  (AW,  FU  et  al.)  in  company  with  the  huge 
mixed  flock  of  waterfowl.  Another  at  Hillman 
Marsh  24  Feb  (DW)  was  record  early  for 
Ontario.  Northern  Shovelers  remained  in  good 


Another  testimony,  among  thousands,  to  the  mild- 
ness of  the  season,  this  Glossy  Ibis  tarried  at 
Thamesville,  Ontario  3-10  December  2001,  here 
photographed  on  the  final  day  of  its  stay. 
Photograph  by  Alan  Wormington. 


numbers,  with  3 well  n.  at  Ottawa  16  Dec.  A 
Mallard  was  a first  for  the  Algonquin  P.P. 
C.B.C.  29  Dec.  Three  Harlequin  Ducks  were 
found  on  the  Pt.  Pelee  C.B.C.,  2 of  which  were 
present  1-17  Dec;  the  other,  a young  male,  was 
seen  17-20  Dec.  A pair  lingered  at  Hamilton’s 
Confederation  Park  to  27  Dec  (DL,  GL).  A 
female  Black  Scoter  was  at  the  tip  of  Pelee  2 1 
Dec  (DW).  A male  Barrow’s  Goldeneye  was  on 
Amherst  I.  5 Jan — 9 Feb,  while  4 were  counted 
on  the  Ottawa  C.B.C.  21  Dec,  where  they  are 
more  usual.  . 

HAWKS  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

The  count  of  34  Bald  Eagles  on  the  Atikokan 
C.B.C.  16  Dec  was  exceptionally  high.  Other 
big  counts  included  14  on  the  Long  Point 
C.B.C.,  9 at  Navy  I.  20  Jan  (NM,  SB),  11  at 
Kettle  Pt  24  Feb  (AR),  25  at  Gore  Bay  16  Dec 
(fide  JL),  and  19  at  Mindemoya  15  Dec  (ftde 
JL).  Four  Northern  Goshawks  on  the  London 
C.B.C.  15  Dec  was  high  but  typical  of  the  good 
numbers  throughout  s.  Ontario.  Golden 
Eagles  were  noted  on  the  West  Elgin  C.B.C.  27 
Dec,  and  another  was  at  Port.  Rowan  16  Dec 
(JM).  A juv.  Krider’s  Red-tailed  Hawk  was 
present  at  Sturgeon  Creek  near  Pelee  16  Nov — 
15  Dec  (MM,  AW).  A white  morph  at  Ottawa 
was  the  most  spectacular  of  the  3 Gyrfalcons 
seen  intermittently  there  during  the  winter. 
The  count  of  86  Sandhill  Cranes  on  the  Long 
Point  C.B.C.  15  Dec  gave  further  indication  of 
that  species’s  ability  to  withstand  Ontario  win- 
ters. Twelve  Northern  Bobwhites  in  two  groups 
were  found  at  Walpole  1.  on  the  Wallaceburg 
C.B.C.  29  Dec.  Christmas  counters  had  a tally 
of  484  Wild  Turkeys  at  the  Ivy  Lea  bridge.  The 
species  had  persisted  there  even  before  the 
widespread  reintroductions.  The  London  bird- 
ers were  very  pleased  with  their  count  of  74  on 
their  C.B.C.  27  Dec.  Four  Virginia  Rails  were 
noted  19  Dec  by  AW  at  the  Pelee  marsh,  where 
2 remained  until  13  Jan.  A Sora  at  Cambridge 
20  Jan  appeared  to  be  overwintering.  The 
count  of  8200  American  Coots  16  Dec  at 
Erieau  (AW,  MJ)  was  huge. 

An  extreme  oddity  was  the  imm.  Black 
Vulture  at  Echo  Bay,  Algoma  dining  on  suet 
23-26  Jan.  A Black-bellied  Plover  at  the  n.  edge 
of  Peterborough  remained  until  7 Dec  (fide 
DS)  providing  a new  latest  date  locally.  A 
Black-necked  Stilt  at  Wallaceburg  27  Dec — 2 
Jan  (LC,  m.  ob.)  was  seriously  out  of  time  and 
place.  A Lesser  Yellowlegs  at  Sturgeon  Creek 
remained  until  24  Dec  (FU),  thus  record  late 
for  Pelee.  A Willet  near  the  Long  Point  cause- 
way 2-16  Dec  (AT)  was  only  the  2nd  ever  seen 
in  Ontario  in  winter  A Spotted  Sandpiper  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Rouge  R.  in  early  Dec 
remained  until  at  least  26  Jan  (CM).  A Western 


Sandpiper  was  at  Rondeau  P.P.  16  Dec  (PAW). 
Purple  Sandpipers  were  represented  by  indi- 
viduals at  Cobourg  1 Dec — 24  Jan  (MB),  at 
Pelee  9 (SPi,AL)  & 20-21  Dec  (AW,  HO)  and 
again  2 Feb  (DD),  on  Wolfe  I.  13  Jan  (BD),  and 
at  Niagara  where  they  have  become  scarce  the 
past  few  years  18  Dec  (JI).  An  American 
Woodcock  on  the  Burk’s  Falls  C.B.C.  was 
exceptionally  far  north. 

There  were  2 jaegers,  thought  to  be 
Pomarine,  at  Hamilton  8 Dec  (H.F.N.)  and  2 
others  at  Kettle  Pt.  21  Dec  (AR).  A Black-head- 
ed Gull  was  observed  at  Queenston  1 Dec — 17 
Jan  (RJ)  and  likely  wintered  because  one  in 
breeding  plumage  was  seen  after  winter  ended. 
Counts  of  Bonaparte’s  Gulls  at  the  Niagara- 
on-the-Lake  flyby  remained  very  high,  with 
19,000  tallied  3 Jan  (RJ).  They  were  accompa- 
nied on  that  date  by  5 Little  Gulls  (RJ).  The 
record  of  a third-winter  Mew  Gull  at  Hillman 
marsh  26-28  Feb  (AW  et  al.)  became  the  4th 
for  Pelee.  There  were  2 California  Gulls  at 
Niagara  1-2  Dec  and  20  Jan.  An  imm  Sabine’s 
Gull  on  the  16  Dec  Kingston  C.B.C.  was  an 
exceptional  sight  in  winter.  A Black-legged 
Kittiwake  was  at  Morpeth  3 Dec  (SC),  and 
another  was  at  Fort  Erie  13  Jan  (MM).  Reports 
of  Common  Terns  in  winter  are  rare,  but  this 
winter  we  had  3:  one  was  at  L.  Simcoe  15  Dec 
on  the  Orillia  C.B.C.,  another  at  Long  Point  15 
Dec  (MG),  and  there  were  2 on  the 
Woodhouse  C.B.C.  16  Dec.  Two  Forster’s  Terns 
were  found  on  the  Rondeau  C.B.C.  16  Dec. 
Counts  of  Snowy  Owls  were  high  in  the 
Kingston  area,  with  43  reports  in  Dec,  49  in 
Jan,  and  23  in  Feb  (K.F.N.,/ide  RW).  Rondeau 
had  12  on  their  C.B.C.  16  Dec.  A Northern 
Hawk  Owl  was  seen  by  many  at  Palmerston, 
Grey  until  4 Jan,  when  it  was  killed  by  a vehicle, 
and  another  was  at  Bobcaygeon  30  Dec — 28 
Feb.  There  were  8 hawk  owls  at  Atikokan  (DE) 
and  9 between  Timmins  and  Cochrane  19  Feb 
(SP).  The  tally  of  43  Long-eared  Owls  22  Dec 
on  the  Fisherville  C.B.C.  was  reminiscent  of 
the  wintering  groups  of  50  or  more  in  s. 
Ontario  that  were  seen  as  recently  as  30  years 
ago.  A Lewis’s  Woodpecker  (m.  ob.)  at  Wooler 
(Northumberland)  5 Jan — 28  Feb  may  have 
been  the  same  one  seen  in  Jun  2000  only  12  km 
away.  Red-bellied  Woodpeckers  were  in  good 
numbers  in  the  south,  e.g.  18  on  the  St. 
Catharines  C.B.C.  16  Dec  and  7 on  the 
Kingston  C.B.C.  16  Dec.  They  were  seen  as  far 
n.  as  North  Bay,  where  2 individuals  wintered. 
Three-toed  Woodpeckers  turned  up  at 
Algonquin  P.P.  26  Dec  (RP)  and  on  the 
Atikokan  C.B.C.  16  Dec. 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  TAHAGERS 

An  Eastern  Phoebe  remained  at  Blue  Heron, 


172 


North  American  Birds 


Ontario 


Pt.  Pelee  3-21  Dec.  (m.  ob.).  A Blue-headed 
Vireo  at  Long  Point  became  a reliable  tick  for 
the  winter  listers  8-21  Dec  (RR).  Two  Rough- 
winged Swallows  (WD)  just  above  Niagara 
Falls  were  very  late  DATE.  The  69  Tufted 
Titmice  on  the  Waliaceburg  C.B.C.  29  Dec  was 
a new  high  count  and  further  proof  of  that 
species’s  range  expansion  in  the  L.  St.  Clair 
region.  The  3 Brov/n  Creepers  at  Atikokan  1 
Dec — 28  Feb  was  2 more  than  had  ever  been 
seen  there  in  any  winter.  A Blue-gray 
Gnatcatcher  was  at  the  Sandbanks  PP  2 Dec 
(m.  ob.).  A Bewick’s  Wren  at  Massey,  Sudbury 
came  to  a feeder  intermittently  21  Dec — 28 
Feb  (E&AM).  A Mountain  Bluebird  appeared 
briefly  7 Dec  in  the  Soo.  A Townsend’s 
Solitaire  was  much  appreciated  by  the  many 
who  saw  it  at  Plum  Tree  Park,  Mississauga  8 
Dec — 13  Jan  (MC,  LN);  it  was  seen  again  after 
the  winter  period.  Amazingly,  the  well-docu- 
mented Toronto  I.  Swainson’s  Thrush  on  the 
Toronto  C.B.C.  30  Dec  (DB  et  al.)  was  the2nd 
for  that  C.B.C.  in  recent  years.  Single  Varied 
Thrushes  were  at  Haydon,  Durham  3-5  Jan 
(DSz)  and  at  Nipigon  26  Jan — 28  Feb  (CHu), 
fewer  than  normal.  All  three  mimids  could  be 
found  in  n.  Ontario  in  mid-Jan;  there  was  a 
Brown  Thrasher  in  Marathon  (KW),  a Gray 
Catbird  at  Eagle  R.  (CE),  and  a Northern 
Mockingbird  in  Thunder  Bay’s  Marina  Park 
(m.  ob.). 

An  extremely  late  Cape  May  Warbler  graced 
the  Thunder  Bay  C.B.C.  26  Dec  (AH).  Pine 


.American  Pipits  were  especially 
lumerous  this  winter.  Some 
unusually  large  flocks  were  seen  in  Dec, 
e.g.  1 1 1 on  the  West  Elgin  C.B.C.  27  Dec; 
however,  most  birds  remaining  into  Jan 
could  safely  be  considered  entering  birds 
in  the  experience  of  Alan  Wormington.  It 
was  a very  mild  Dec,  and  there  were  very 
few  pipit  sightings  prior  to  24  Dec.  On  that 
date,  th.e  cold  and  snow  finally  arrived,  and 
there  were  several  observations  of  flocks  of 
50-100  moving  s.  in  the  next  few  days. 
Overwintering  pipits  in  Ontario  are  nor- 
mally rare — many  winters  go  by  with  none 
at  all  in  the  province — -but  this  winter 
there  were  45  reported,  mostly  singles. 
Thirty-five  of  these  were  in  sw.  Ontario,  8 
at  Toronto,  one  at  Kingston,  and  one  s.  of 
Hamilton.  Whether  or  not  this  phenome- 
non was  related  to  global  warming,  the 
mild  Dec  of  2001,  or  something  else 
entirely  is  not  known  at  present. 


Warblers  are  more  usual  in  the  winter,  and 
these  were  reported  at  Campbellville  1 1 Jan 
(m.  ob.)  and  far  n.  on  the  Marathon  C.B.C.  16 
Dec.  The  latter  bird  remained  until  about  25 
Jan.  An  Ovenbird  in  Toronto  6-20  Feb  (GBr) 
was  not  unprecedented  there  in  winter.  A 
Hooded  Warbler  was  on  the  w.  side  tip  of  Pelee 
5 Dec  (AW),  record  late  for  Ontario.  A female 
Summer  Tanager  attended  a feeder  at  Deep 
River,  Nipissing,  8-30  Jan+. 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FlWCHES 

This  winter’s  only  Spotted  Towhee  was  record- 
ed on  the  highly  successful  Marathon  C.B.C. 
16  Dec  and  was  seen  until  13  fan.  A Lark 
Sparrow  near  Newburgh  1-22  Dec  (K.F.N.) 
was  seen  by  many.  Nine  Fox  Sparrows  along 
the  Delaurier  trail  at  Pelee  21  Dec  (DW)  was  a 
high  count  for  the  late  date.  A single  Fox 
Sparrow  remained  on  Dacre  Cr.  In  Toronto  1 
Dec — 28  Feb,  although  it  was  hard  to  find.  A 
Lincoln’s  Sparrow  visited  a feeder  and  was 
recorded  as  count  week  on  the  Soo  C.B.C.  15 
Dec.  A Harris’s  Sparrow  turned  up  in  Plover 
Mills  near  London  for  all  of  Jan  and  Feb  (EH). 
Another  was  in  sw.  Leamington  16-18  Jan  (JW, 
PW).  A flock  of  38  Lapland  Longspurs  was 
observed  on  the  West  Elgin  C.B.C.  27  Dec.  A 
Smith’s  Longspur,  a first  for  Ontario  in  winter, 
was  found  near  Hagersville  2 Dec  (JMi),  where 
it  remained  until  10  Mar,  to  the  delight  of 
Ontario  birders.  The  only  report  of  Dickcissel 
was  at  Port  Britain,  Northumberland,  26  Dec 
(KM).  A male  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  was  at 
Providence  Bay,  Manitoulin  13  Dec  (EG).  A 
Western  Meadowlark  was  found  dead  at  the 
Soo  2 Jan  (’*' Royal  Ontario  Museum)  only  one 
day  after  it  was  first  found.  Two  Yellow-headed 
Blackbirds  were  among  the  thousands  of  Red- 
wingeds  on  the  Waliaceburg  C.B.C.  and  pro- 
vided an  extra  bit  of  excitement  for  the  many 
birders  who  had  come  to  see  the  Black-necked 
Stilt.  The  2 Brewer’s  Blackbirds  near  Long 
Point  (DM)  23  Dec  were  the  only  ones  report- 
ed this  winter.  Pine  Grosbeaks  were  wide- 
spread in  s.  Ontario  this  winter,  e.g.  160  on  the 
Peterborough  C.B.C.  16  Dec;  there  were  even  5 
at  Pelee  1 Dec,  where  they  are  very  seldom 
seen.  Crossbills  were  generally  scarce,  but  a few 
Wbite-wingeds  roamed  s.  Ontario.  Evening 
Grosbeaks  continued  their  decline  of  recent 
years  and  were  very  sparsely  distributed. 

Cited  observers  (regional  coordinators  in 
boldface):  Robert  Andrle,  Margaret  Bain,  Stan 
Bajurny,  Dave  Beadle,  Cord  Bellerby,  Evelyn 
Brown,  George  Bryant  (GBr),  Jim  Burk,  Keith 
Burk,  Steve  Charbonneau,  Mark  Chojnacki, 
Larry  Cornelis,  Hugh  Currie,  Willie  D’Anna 
(WD),  Bruce  Dilabio,  Dan  Dufour,  Brad 


The  careful  reader  of  the  regional  reports  will 
notice  more  and  more  firm  records  of  western 
races  of  Red-tailed  Hawk  east  of  the  Mississippi 
River.  This  krideri  Red-faiied  was  photographed 
1 1 December  2001  at  Sturgeon  Creek,  Essex 
County,  Ontario,  where  the  pale  “Krider’s  Red- 
tailed Hawk”  is  quite  rare.  Photograph  by  Alan 
Wormington. 

Dupuis  (BDu),  Carolle  Eady,  Dave  Elder,  Nick 
Escott,  Mary  Gartshore,  E.  Glanville,  Clive 
Goodwin,  Carl  Hamman,  Al  Harris,  Fred 
Helleiner,  Estelle  Homer,  Chuck  Hudson 
(CHu),  Jean  Iron,  Mark  Jennings,  Joe  Johnson, 
Richard  Joos,  Bob  Knudsen,  Annie  Legault, 
John  Lemon,  Dennis  Lewington,  Gwen 
Lewington,  Mike  Malone,  Scott  Martin,  Jon 
McCracken,  John  Miles  (JMi),  K.  Mills,  Dave 
Milsom,  Mike  Morgante,  E.  & A.  Meissner, 
Norm  Murr,  Linda  Nuttall,  Henrietta  O’Neill, 
Karl  Overman,  Rob  Pearce,  Stan  Phippen, 
Steve  Pike  (SPi),  George  Prieksaitis,  Pete 
Reade,  Ian  Richards,  Alf  Rider,  Ron  Ridout, 
Maureen  Riggs,  Doug  Sadler,  Roy  Smith,  Dave 
Szymr  (DSz),  Richard  Tafel  (RTa),  Adam 
Timpf,  Ron  Tozer,  Fred  Urie,  Keith  Wade,  Dean 
Ware,  James  Watson,  Patricia  Watson,  Ron 
Weir,  Al  Woodiiffe  (PAW),  Alan  Wormington 
(AW). 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


173 


Appalachia 


' Warren 


L Arthur 


Pittsburgh 

Powdermill 


^Wheeling 


■ burg-i-  WEST”- 
i VIRGINIA' 

1 ,#&h6alMis:j 


nlirigion. 


Morehead 


KrwKville  ■ 


SOUTH  CfthiiuhA, 


Robert  C.  Leberman 

Powdermill  Nature  Reserve 
Carnegie  Museum  of  Natural  History 
H.C.  64,  Box  453 

Rector,  Pennsylvania  15677-9605 
(rcleberm@charterpa.net) 

It  was  an  exceptionally  mild  winter  over  most 
of  Appalachia,  with  little  significant  snowfall 
even  in  the  north.  In  some  ways  it  was  nearly,  as 
one  correspondent  put  it,  “the  winter  that  was- 
n’t.” For  more  species  than  usual,  it  was  difficult 
to  differentiate  among  later-than-usual  south- 
bound migrants,  more  northerly-than-usual 
wintering  birds,  and  earlier-than-usual  spring 
arrivals.  Lake  Erie  and  other  large  bodies  of 
water  in  the  northern  tier  of  the  Region 
remained  largely  ice-free  for  the  entire  season. 
This  enabled  many  ducks  and  gulls  to  remain 
farther  north  and  accounts  for  the  relatively  low 
numbers  of  waterfowl  reported  on  many  lakes 
and  reservoirs  in  the  southern  Appalachians. 
The  mild  weather  also  allowed  a scattering  of 
Neotropical  migrants,  such  as  Cape  May  and 
Yellow  Warblers  and  a Baltimore  Oriole,  to 
linger  as  far  north  as  Pennsylvania,  while  semi- 
hardy species  like  Carolina  Wren  and  Brown 
Thrasher  survived  the  northern  winter  very 
well.  Another  product  of  the  mild  weather  was 
that  feeding  stations  attracted  fewer  birds. 


which  caused  some  birders  to  describe  the  sea- 
son as  dull.  A scattering  of  northern  finches  and 
Red -breasted  Nuthatches  brightened  the  season 
for  some  feeder  watchers  well  into  the  southern 
highlands. 

Abbreviation:  P.l.S.P.  (Presque  Isle  S.P.,  Erie, 
PA). 

LOONS  THROUGH  VULTURES 

An  unprecedented  42  late  migrating  Red- 
throated  Loons  were  listed  during  a waterbird 
count  at  Sunset  Point,  P.l.S.P.  1 Dec — 1 Jan 
(JM);  away  from  L.  Erie,  late  birds  were  at  Bald 
Eagle  S.P.,  PA  9 Dec  (fide  EZ),  at  L.  Arthur  16 
Dec  (DDr,  DY),  and  on  the  Allegheny  R.  at 
Starbrick  20  Jan  (DWa).  A remarkably  high 
count  of  709  Common  Loons  passed  Sunset  Pt., 
P.l.S.P.  2 Dec  (JM);  in  Tennessee,  42  were  on 
Boone  L.  8 Dec  and  40  at  Douglas  L.  11  Dec 
(RKn).  High  counts  for  Horned  Grebes  were  of 
160-1-  each  on  both  Douglas -and  Cherokee 
Lakes,  TN  11  Dec  (RKn).  Up  to  3 Red-necked 
Grebes  frequented  P.l.S.P.  1 1-15  Dec  (DWi,  AE), 
and  another  was  there  6-9  Feb  (PR),  but  none 
was  reported  from  elsewhere  in  the  Region.  An 
Eared  Grebe  was  at  P.l.S.P.  1-5  & 15  Dec  (JM), 
and  up  to  3 lingered  at  S.  Holston  L.,  TN 
through  Dec  (RKn,  WC).  An  ice-free  Erie  Bay 
enabled  good  numbers  of  Double-crested 


Cormorants  to  winter  at  P.l.S.P.  for  the  first 
time  ever  (JM),  and  winter  cormorant  records 
came  from  at  least  six  other  w.  Pennsylvania 
counties. 

Open  water  conditions  allowed  many  more 
than  the  usual  number  of  Great  Blue  Herons  to 
winter  across  the  length  and  breadth  of 
Appalachia,  with  a maximum  count  of  180+  at 
Douglas  L.,  TN  11  Dec  (RKn).  The  only  Great 
Egret  reported  was  at  Hiwassee  W.R.,  Meigs,  TN 
1 Jan  (BJ),  while  a Green  Heron  was  an  unex- 
pected find  in  Raleigh,  WV  29  Dec  {fide  RC). 
Wintering  Black-crowned  Night-Herons  were 
noteworthy  at  several  e.  Tennessee  sites,  with  a 
high  count  of  12  at  Cherokee  Dam  11  Dec 
(RKn);  even  rarer  was  an  imm.  bird  on  the 
Allegheny  R.  at  Rosston,  Armstrong,  PA  1 Jan 
(MH)  and  an  ad.  along  the  Ohio  R.  at  McKees 
Rocks,  PA  3-6  Jan  (DW,  m.  ob.).  Turkey 
Vultures,  all  but  unknown  in  w.  Pennsylvania  in 
mid-winter  until  just  a few  years  ago,  were  seen 
in  unprecedented  numbers  as  far  n.  as  Erie 
beginning  in  mid- Jan  (JM,  m.  ob.). 

WATERFOWL 

Scattered  sightings  of  Greater  White-fronted 
Geese  include  one  at  Kingwood,  Preston,  WV  5 
Jan  (GF)  and  6 on  the  Ohio  R.  at  Robert  C.  Byrd 
Locks  and  Dam,  Mason,  WV  1 Feb-i-  (ph.  WA, 
m.  ob.);  2 each  were  at  Grayson  L.,  Carter,  KY 
20  Jan  (fitde  BPB)  and  at  Hiwassee  W.R.,  TN  2 
Feb  (fiide  KC).  Small  groups  of  Snow  Geese  were 
spotted  over  almost  the  full  length  of  the 
Region,  with  a top  count  of  30  over  Clarksburg, 
Greene,  PA  8 Dec  (RB).  A Ross’s  Goose  appeared 
at  Cove  L.  S.P.,  TN  6 Feb  (NM),  and  one  at 
Minor  Clark  Fish  Hatchery,  Rowan,  KY  17  Feb 
established  the  easternmost  record  for  that  state 
(GR).  Mild  weather  and  open  water  conditions 
apparently  contributed  to  an  unusual  build-up 
of  Canada  Geese  in  the  Pymatuning  region, 
Crawford,  PA  where  19,000  were  estimated  16 
Jan  (RFL).  A rare  winter  straggler  in  w. 
Pennsylvania,  single  Brant  were  at  P.l.S.P.  24-26 
Dec  (JF,  BC),  on  the  Youghiogheny  R.,  at 
Boston,  Allegheny  1-6  Jan  (fide  PH),  and  near 
State  College  3 Jan  (EZ,  m.  ob.).  Apparently, 
there  was  only  a short  break  between  south- 
bound and  northbound  Tundra  Swan  flights.  A 
flock  of  250  southbound  swans  stopped  at 
Hartstown,  Crawford,  PA  20  Dec  (MBy),  and  60 
were  flying  se.  at  Warren,  PA  1 Jan  (DWa);  by  2 
Feb  spring  migrants  began  to  arrive  in  numbers 
at  State  College,  PA  (EZ).  A Tundra  Swan  at  L. 
Julian,  Buncombe,  NC  25  Dec  was  the  first  for 
the  mountains  there  in  many  years  (WF),  and 
one  at  Hiwassee  W.R.  1 Jan  was  unusual  for 
Tennessee  (KC). 

Again,  ice-ffee  conditions  nearly  throughout 
the  Region  allowed  many  ducks  to  either  linger 


174 


North  American  Birds 


Appalachia 


late,  overwinter,  or  begin  their  spring  migration 
early.  Wintering  Gadwalls  peaked  at  254  at 
Kingston,  TN  9 Jan  (RKn),  and  in  Pennsylvania 
counts  of  68  at  Pymatuning  16  Dec  (RH),  and 
63  on  L.  Arthur  24  Dec  (GW)  were  exceptional. 
The  37  Northern  Shovelers  at  Pymatuning  10 
Jan  (DS)  certainly  established  a new  winter  high 
count  there,  and  7 early  migrants  were  on  L. 
Osceola,  Henderson,  NC  28  Feb  (WF).  In  an 
excellent  flight,  102  Redheads  put  down  on  L. 
Cumberland,  Pulaski,  KY  8 Dec  (fide  SS);  in 
Tennessee,  301  were  at  Chickamauga  L.  10  Dec 
(KC)  and  400  at  Cherokee  L.  on  the  i 1th  (RKn). 
An  imm.  male  Harlequin  Duck,  casual  any- 
where in  Appalachia,  attracted  the  attention  of 
many  birders  at  P.I.S.P.  29  Jan-h  (DBo,  JM,  m. 
ob.).  Up  to  6 Surf  Scoters  could  be  found  w.  of 
Erie  through  19  Jan  (BC),  and  2 were  at  P.I.S.P. 
2 Dec  (JM).  A White-winged  Scoter  was  a good 
find  at  Prince  Gallitzin  S.P.,  PA  5 Dec  (DG),  and 
21  were  listed  on  the  P.I.S.P.  waterbird  count 
through  19  Jan  (JM).  Several  Black  Scoters  were 
in  the  Erie  area  during  the  Dec-Jan  period  (BC, 
JM),  one  was  a rare  find  at  Staunton,  VA  8 Dec 
(AL),  and  5 were  at  Cherokee  L.,  TN  11  Dec 
(RKn).  There  were  some  high  counts  of 
Hooded  Mergansers,  including  368  in  Augusta, 
VA  8 Dec  (AL),  348  at  Pymatuning  U.  11  Dec 
(SK),  and  225  at  Kingston  Steamplant,  TN  5 Jan 
(NM).  A raft  of  400-1-  Common  Mergansers  at 
Conneaut  L.,  Crawford,  PA  23  Feb,  was  unusual- 
ly large  for  that  area  (RFL). 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  GULLS 

Was  the  Osprey  in  Anderson,  TN  1 Feb  (NM)  an 
early  migrant  or  a wintering  bird?  By  Regional 
standards,  there  were  some  large  concentrations 
of  Bald  Eagles,  including  9 at  Mosquito  W.A., 
Trumbull,  OH  13  Jan  (DH),  17  at  Pymatuning 
L.,  PA  16  Dec  (RH),  and  a record  20  on  the 
Hiv/assee,  TN  C.B.C.  1 Jan  (KC).  A Northern 
Goshawk  over  Jackson  Park  7 Dec  represented  a 
first  record  for  Henderson,  NC  (RSe),  and  there 
were  scattered  sightings  from  w.  Pennsylvania, 
including  singles  in  Huntingdon  15  Dec  (fide 
GG),  at  L.  Arthur  15  Dec  (RSt,  JSt),  and  in 
Natrona  Heights,  Allegheny  16  Feb  (DHe,  PH). 
Rough-legged  Hawks  were  widely  reported 
across  e.  Ohio  and  w.  Pennsylvania,  if  in  some- 
what smaller  numbers  than  during  the  previous 
winter;  one  wintered  at  Pickway,  Monroe,  WV 
(JPh),  one  was  at  a regular  wintering  site  at 
Burke’s  Garden,  VA  16  Feb  (WC),  and  2 were  in 
the  Sequatchie  Valley,  Bledsoe,  TN  12-20  Jan  (fide 
KC,  SS).  Winter  Golden  Eagle  sightings  included 
one  at  Quehanna  W.A.,  Clearfield,  PA  17  Jan  (fide 
EZ),  2 at  Burke’s  Garden,  VA  16  Feb  (WC),  and 
one  in  Meigs,  TN  23  Feb  (fide  KC);  the  first 
northbound  bird  flew  past  the  Tussey  Mt.,  PA 
hawkwatch  24  Feb  (CWi). 


Wintering  Sandhill  Crane  numbers  continue 
to  increase  in  Appalachia.  In  Tennessee,  a 
remarkable  11,658  cranes  were  listed  on  the 
Hiwassee  W.R.  C.B.C.  1 Jan  (fide  KC).  In  North 
Carolina,  single  birds  were  at  Four  Season’s 
Marsh,  Henderson  26  Jan  (V/F)  and  at  Rosman, 
Transylvania  27  Jan  (NS);  6 were  at  Huntington, 
WV  30  Dec  (WA);  in  Pennsylvania  15  cranes 
were  in  Lawrence  31  Dec  (fide  PH),  21  at  Pennsy 
Swamp,  Mercer  23  Feb  (BV),  and  5 at  P.I.S.P.  25- 
26  Feb  (BC).  A Spotted  Sandpiper  at  P.I.S.P.  15 
Dec  was  record  late  for  Erie  (JM);  an  extremely 
early  (or  overwintering?)  bird  was  at  L.  Perez, 
Huntingdon,  PA  23  Feb  (DWe).  A record-late 
Ruddy  Turnstone  lingered  at  RI.S.P.  1-22  Dec 
(BC,  MT),  and  in  Tennessee  3 Least  Sandpipers 
remained  for  the  Hiwassee  C.B.C.  1 Jan  (fide 
KC).  A Dunlin  at  L.  Somerset  11  Dec  (JPa)  was 
very  late  for  the  Pennsylvania  mountains.;  far- 
ther s.,  94  were  at  Douglas  L.,  TN  on  the  same 
date  (RKn).  Single  unidentified  jaegers  were  seen 
on  the  P.I.S.P.  waterbird  count  24  & 28  Dec  (JM, 
BC),  and  a Pomarine  Jaeger  v/as  identified  there 
on  1 Jan  (JM).  The  Bonaparte’s  Gull  migration 
peaked  at  2200  at  Pymatuning  L.,  PA  3 Dec  (SK), 
and  on  11  Dec,  900  were  at  Douglas  L.,  TN 
(RKn).  The  high  count  of  Ring-billed  Gulls,  away 
from  L.  Erie,  was  5800  at  Pymatuning  3 Dec 
(SK).  Up  to  3 Thayer’s  Gulls  were  identified  at 
P.I.S.P.  13  Jan  & 16-28  Feb;  there  were  several 
Iceland  Gulls  there  beginning  12  Jan,  and  Lesser 
Black-backed  Gulls  first  appeared  at  Erie  13  Jan 
(JM).  A few  Glaucous  Gulls  also  were  at  Erie  10 
Jan-f  (BC).  A Great  Black-backed  Gull  was  a rare 
find  on  the  Ohio  R.  at  Huntington,  WV  10-16 
Jan  (WA,  m.  ob.). 

D0¥ES  THROUGH  WREHS 

In  Hamilton,  TN,  where  the  Eurasian  Collared- 
Dove  population  had  been  building  up  to  sub- 
stantial numbers  over  the  past  few  years,  fevi^ 
were  reported  this  season  (KC);  one  that 
appeared  at  Fair*/iew,  Erie,  PA  this  past  Nov 
(establishing  a first  county  record)  remained 
through  the  winter,  attracting  many  birders 
( JM).  There  was  a minor  invasion  of  Snowy  Owls 
into  the  Region:  a bird  that  had  appeared  in 
Pleasants,  WV  in  late  Nov  remained  through  20 
Dec  (JE),  one  was  at  Youngsville,  Warren,  PA  29 
Nov  (fide  JF),  one  at  Lakev/ood,  Union,  PA  over 
much  of  Jan  and  Feb  (m.  ob.),  and  still  another 
was  at  Cherokee  L.,  TN  1 1 Dec  (fide  RKn).  Up  to 
5 Short-eared  Owls  frequented  various 
reclaimed  stripmines  in  Lawrence  (PH), 
Armstrong  (fide  MH),  Indiana  (MH)  and 
Somerset,  PA  (JPa,  TM)  this  winter;  and  as  many 
as  5 were  seen  at  several  sites  in  Augusta,  VA  (AL, 
YL).  A Northern  Saw- whet  Owl  was  a rare  find  at 
Poland,  OH  21  Jan  (fide  NB)  and  on  the  Rector, 
PA  C.B.C.  16  Dec;  more  southerly  reports 


included  scattered  individuals  in  the  Big  S.  Fork 
National  River  and  Recreation  Area,  KY  & TN 
between  27  Jan  and  1 Mar  (fide  SS,  BPB),  one  at 
Roan  Mt.,  TN  2 Dec  (AH),  and  a few  birds  were 
located  at  classic  Saw-whet  sites  in  Rabun,  GA 
(fide  MB  & JSe). 

Each  year,  the  number  of  Rufous 
Hummingbirds  wintering  in  the  s.  Appalachians 
seems  to  increase:  in  e.  Tennessee,  at  least  8 birds 
were  seen/banded  over  seven  different  counties 
(fide  RKn,  KC),  one  was  at  Bristol,  VA  all  season 
(WC),  and  singles  were  also  found  at  both  Flat 
Rock  and  Long  John  Mt.,  Henderson,  NC  (WF, 
BO).  A Loggerhead  Shrike  was  a rare  winter  find 
in  s.  Adams,  PA  16  Jan,  but  in  ne.  Tennessee,  win- 
tering numbers  were  considered  low  (RKn).  A 
minor  flight  of  Northern  Shrikes  brought  birds 
to  at  least  eight  scattered  counties  of  w. 
Pennsylvania;  one  was  at  Grand  R.W.A., 
Trumbull,  OH  16  & 27  Jan  (CB),  while  the  south- 
ernmost record  came  from  Finzel  Swamp, 
Garrett,  MD  in  early  Dec  (RKi,  JC).  The  only 
mid-winter  Blue-headed  Vireo  report  came  from 
Knoxville,  TN  1 Feb  (CWe).  Common  Ravens 
continued  to  expand  their  range  beyond  the 
“wilderness”  of  the  mountain  ridges.  One  pair, 
for  instance,  was  reported  in  late  Feb  (DWi)  at  an 
active  nest  under  a bridge  abutment  along  a 
major  highway  at  Ginger  Hill,  Washington,  PA  48 
km  w.  of  the  mountains,  in  an  area  where  the 
species  was  unknown  just  a few  years  ago. 
Indicative  of  the  mild  late  winter  weather  was  the 
early  return  of  the  first  Tree  Swallows  at 
McClintic  W.S.,  Mason,  W 23  Feb  (WA),  and  at 
Blount,  TN  the  24th  (DT,  AH).  On  the  heels  of  a 
heavy  fall  influx,  high  counts  of  Black-capped 
Chickadees  were  made  in  w.  Pennsylvania  during 
C.B.C.s  (e.g.,  517  at  Butler  15  Dec,  808  at  Indiana 
26  Dec,  and  a record  872  at  Rector  16  Dec),  but 
apparently  few  strayed  beyond  their  normal  win- 
ter range,  and  Biack-cappeds  were  completely 
missing  at  the  Southern  West  Virginia  Bird 
Research  Center,  where  they  occurred  during  the 
past  few  winters  (RC).  Red-breasted  Nuthatches 
invaded  much  of  the  Region,  with  good  numbers 
s.  as  far  as  ne.  Tennessee  (RKn),  and  16  were  list- 
ed in  Rabun,  GA  26  Jan  (EB).  Carolina  Wrens 
achieved  very  high  population  levels  in  the  n.  half 
of  the  Region  (e.g.,  a record  70  on  the  Rector,  PA 
C.B.C.  16  Dec),  and,  no  doubt  thanks  to  the 
unusually  mild  conditions,  apparently  most  of 
these  overwintered  successfully.  A House  Wren  at 
Grand  R.W.A.,  Trumbull,  OH  16  Dec  was  well  n. 
of  the  usual  winter  range  (DH),  as  were  singles  at 
Sweenyburg  and  L.  Stephens,  Raleigh,  WV  in  Dec 
(RC)  and  at  Parkersburg  29  Dec  (fide  JE).  A 
Sedge  Wren  was  a rare  winter  visitor  in 
Hamilton,  TN  29  Nov  (fide  KC),  as  was  a Marsh 
Wren  at  Fisherville,  VA  28-29  Dec  (fide 

YL). 


Volume  56  {2002),  Number  2 


175 


WARBLERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

An  Orange-crowned  Warbler  at  a bird  feeder  at 
Sewickley,  Allegheny,  PA  2 Jan  (ph.  CM)  estab- 
lished the  first  winter  record  for  the  w.  half  of 
the  state,  and  a late  Cape  May  Warbler  was  at 
P.I.S.P.  2 Dec  (PH,  SSi).  A Yellow  Warbler  divid- 
ed its  time  between  two  neighborhood  feeders 
in  Warren,  PA  18  Nov — 26  Dec  (DWa).  Rarely 
found  wintering  in  w.  Pennsylvania,  single 
Common  Yellowthroats  were  at  P.I.S.P.  15  Dec 
(DS),  New  Castle  15  Dec  (BD),  and  at  Upper  St. 
Clair,  Allegheny  9 Dec  (DWl).  A Chipping 
Sparrow  at  Patton,  Cambria,  PA  6 Dec  (DC) 
was  well  n.  of  the  usual  wintering  range  in 
Appalachia,  as  was  a Savannah  Sparrow  at 
Berlin,  Somerset,  PA  9 Dec  (JPa).  A record-high 
winter  count  of  71  Savannah  Sparrows  was 
established  for  Augusta,  VA  20  Jan  (fide  YL). 
One  of  the  highlights  of  the  season  was  2 
Harris’s  Sparrows  at  the  Blythe  Ferry  Unit, 
Hiwassee  W.R.,  TN  5 Jan — 23  Feb  (JH,  DJ,  m. 
oh.);  another  good  find  was  an  Oregon  Junco  at 
Pipestem  S.P.,  WV  24  Dec-i-  (JPh).  Lapland 
Longspurs  were  largely  confined  to  n. 
Pennsylvania,  with  scattered  singles  s.  to  State 
College  16  Dec  (fiide  EZ)  and  Berlin  1 Jan  (JPa); 
likewise.  Snow  Buntings  were  locally  common 
in  Pennsylvania,  with  singles  reaching  s.  to 
Ritchie,  WV  16  Dec  (GF)  and  Whitetop  Mt.,  VA 
1-3  Dec  (GE,  m.  oh.).  A Dickcissel  was  a rarity 
at  a feeding  station  in  Greene  Twsp.,  Erie,  PA  1 
Feb+  ifiide  JM),  as  was  another  at  Boalsburg, 
Centre,  PA  1-30  Dec  (fide  EZ).  Infrequent  in  the 
Region,  at  least  10  Brewer’s  Blackbirds  were  at 
Cooley’s  Pond,  Wayne,  KY  30  Jan  (fide  SS),  and 
one  was  in  Sequatchie,  TN  23  Feb  (JH,  DJ),  at  a 
site  where  the  species  has  been  found  for  three 
consecutive  years  (KC).  The  only  Baltimore 
Oriole  reported  this  season  was  at  Warren,  PA 
through  the  first  half  of  Dec  (fide  TG). 

In  general,  the  n.  finch  invasion  was  lighter 
than  expected  considering  the  number  and 
early  appearance  of  a few  species  in  the  fall.  A 
small  flock  of  Pine  Grosbeaks  near  Mansfield, 
Tioga,  PA  30  Dec — 6 Feb,  however,  attracted 
much  birder  attention  (BI,  m.  ob.),  and  2 were 
at  Brush  Valley,  Indiana,  PA  30  Dec  (fide  MH). 
Red  Crossbills  peaked  at  26  in  Rabun,  GA  26  Jan 
(EB),  10  were  at  Rock  Creek  L.,  Fannin,  GA  14 
Jan  (BB),  and  one  was  there  on  the  15th  (DF).  A 
few  White-winged  Crossbills  were  scattered 
across  w.  Pennsylvania  (m.  ob.),  highlighted  by 
20+  at  Lake  City,  Erie  from  early  Dec+  (fide 
JM);  up  to  14  were  at  Grandfather  Mt.,  NC  8-13 
Dec  (WF,  D8(LM,  m.  ob.).  Common  Redpolls 
were  reported  only  from  Pennsylvania,  where 
better  counts  included  400+  in  one  flock  at 
Hills  Cr.  L.,  Tioga,  9 Jan  (BI)  and  up  to  35  at 
P.I.S.P.  5 Dec — 26  Feb  (BC).  By  mid-winter, 
only  scattered  flocks  of  Pine  Siskins  remained  in 


most  of  n.  Appalachia,  while  southward  a few 
were  scattered  about  in  e.  Tennessee  (RKn,  KC), 
and  82  were  seen  along  Burrell’s  Ford  Road, 
Rabun,  GA  26  Jan  (EB).  Flocks  of  up  to  60 
Evening  Grosbeaks  frequented  scattered  sites  in 
w.  Pennsylvania;  farther  s.  one  was  at  Somerset, 
Pulaski,  KY  21  Dec  (CN),  they  were  “sporadic” 
in  Transylvania,  NC  (NS),  and  sightings  in  the 
Georgia  mountains  included  20  birds  in  Rabun 
24  Dec  (fide  MB)  and  2 at  Cherry  Log,  Gilmer, 
in  mid-Jan  (CF).  In  Virginia,  only  a handful 
could  be  found  in  traditional  sites  in  Highland 
(fide  YL). 

Contributors  and  cited  observers:  Wendell 
Argabrite,  Carole  Babyak,  Betty  Belanger, 
Michael  Bell,  Ralph  Bell,  Eric  Beohm,  Dick 
Bollinger  (DBo),  Nancy  Brundage,  Dick  Byers, 
Marvin  Byler  (MBy),  Kevin  Calhoon,  Ron 
Canterbury,  John  Churchill,  Wallace  Coffey; 
Ben  Coulter,  Dave  Darney  (DDr),  David  Davis, 
Barbara  Dean,  Glen  Eller,  Adam  Erb,  Jeanette 
Esker,  John  Fedak,  Gary  Felton,  Mike 


Jim  Granlund 

Research  Associate 
Kalamazoo  Nature  Center 
6253  North  Westnedge 
Kalamazoo,  Michigan  49009 

All  three  states  reported  very  mild  conditions 
throughout  most  of  the  season. 
Temperatures  were  above  average  throughout 
the  Region,  while  precipitation  was  either  below 


Fialkovich,  Wayne  Forsythe,  Dot  Freeman, 
Christa  Friess,  Dave  Gobert,  Ted  Grisez,  Greg 
Grove,  Ron  Harrell,  John  Henderson,  Deborah 
Hess  (DHe),  Paul  Hess,  Margaret  Higbee,  David 
Hochadel,  Audrey  Hoff,  Ben  Israel,  Dan 
Jacobson,  Bonnie  Johnson,  Scott  Kinzey,  Ray 
Kiddy  (RKi),  Ifick  Knight  (RKn),  Allen  Lamer, 
YuLee  Lamer,  Robert  C.  Leberman,  Ronald  F. 
Leberman  (RFL),  Tony  Marich,  Dwayne  8c  Lori 
Martin,  Cindy  McClain,  Jerry  McWilliams,  Nell 
Moore,  Robert  Mulvihill,  Connie  Neeley,  Bob 
Olthoff,  Brainard  Palmer-Ball  (BPB);  Jeff  Payne 
(JPa),  Jim  Phillips  (JPh),  Fran  Pope,  Gerald 
Robe,  Peter  Robinson,  Ron  Selvey  (RSe),  Jeff 
Sewell  (JSe),  Richard  Shelling,  Sam  Sinderson 
(SSi),  Don  Snyder,  Norma  Siebenheller,  Jerry 
Stanley  (JSt),  Russ  States  (RSt),  Stephen 
Stedman,  Matt  Tenney,  Bob  VanNewkirk,  Don 
Watts  (DWa),  Chris  Welsh  (CWe),  Doug 
Wentzel  (DWe),  Chuck  Widmann  (CWi),  Gene 
Wilhelm,  Daniel  Williams  (DWl),  Dave  Wilton 
(DWi),  Debra  Yovanovich,  Eugene  Zielinski. 


average  or  average.  Most  of  the  Region  encoun- 
tered little  deep  snow  until  very  late  in  February, 
when  some  areas  received  up  to  50  cm. 

With  the  mild  conditions,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  much  of  the  excitement  this  season 
involved  late  and  lingering  species.  Some  real 
rarities  were  seen,  with  Michigan  getting  more 
than  its  fair  share.  Highlights  in  Minnesota 
included  Anna’s  Hummingbird  and  Brambling, 
while  Wisconsin  boasted  a Ross’s  Gull,  a first 


Western  Great  Lakes 


176 


North  American  Birds 


Appalachia — Western  Great  Lakes 


state  record,  as  was  the  Vermilion  Flycatcher 
first  found  in  the  fall.  Michigan’s  list  of  notables 
was  long  and  included  Northern  Gannet, 
White-winged  Dove,  Sage  Thrasher,  Black- 
throated  Gray  Warbler,  and  Painted  Bunting — 
for  perhaps  the  state’s  most  diverse  and  exciting 
winter  in  recent  memory. 

Abbreviations:  M.B.R.C.  (Michigan  Bird 
Records  Committee);  W.A.  (Wildlife  Area). 

LOONS  THROUGH  IBISES 

In  Michigan,  reports  of  Red-throated  Loon 
from  five  counties  was  above  average. 
Exceptional  in  that  state  were  multiple  reports 
of  Pacific  Loon  including  2 from  26-27  Dec  and 
one  on  1 & 7 Jan  on  Keweenaw  Bay,  Baraga 
(JK),  as  v/ell  as  one  on  2 Feb  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
Chippewa  (BM,  ST),  all  are  pending  M.B.R.C. 
review.  Common  Loons  were  encountered  in 
above-average  numbers  in  Wisconsin,  where 
they  had  triple  their  normal  numbers  on 
C.B.C.s  and  in  record  numbers  in  Minnesota 
for  the  winter  season.  In  Minnesota,  12  Horned 
Grebes  20  Jan  and  11  on  24  Feb  on  L.  Superior, 
Lake  (JL)  were  high  mid-winter  totals.  A Red- 
necked Grebe  on  24  Feb  in  Ozaukee  (TW)  was 
considered  record  early  in  Wisconsin,  while  the 
species  was  reported  from  three  Michigan 
counties,  including  one  to  7 Jan  in  the  n.  coun- 
ty of  Baraga.  They  were  also  seen  in  three 
Minnesota  counties  on  L.  Superior.  A Western 
Grebe  was  seen  in  Milwaukee^  WI  from  4-13 
Dec  (m.  ob.),  while  one  16  Dec  in  Berrien  (KM) 
was  a first  on  Michigan  C.B.C.s.  Also  a first  for 
Michigan  C.B.C.s,  and  only  the  9th  overall  state 
record,  a Northern  Gannet  was  at  Lake  Erie 
Metropark,  Wayne  on  22  Dec  (MM).  Record 
late  in  Wisconsin  was  a Least  Bittern  22  Dec  in 
Chippewa  (JP),  while  a Great  Egret  7 Dec  at  the 
Horicon  Marsh  was  only  the  3rd  winter  record. 
At  least  2 Black-crowned  Night-Herons  over- 
wintered on  the  Fox  R.  at  Green  Bay,  the  first 
such  occurrence  since  1976  in  Wisconsin.  In 
Michigan  the  species  often  overwinters,  but  1 1 
through  the  period  in  Gibraltar,  Wayne  (WP) 
was  an  unusually  high  number,  while  in 
Minnesota,  where  the  species  is  considered 
casual  in  winter,  one  was  present  5-13  Jan  at 
Black  Dog  L.,  Dakota  (DK).  A Plegadis  ibis  lin- 
gered to  2 Dec  at  Metro  Beach,  Macomb  (SH) 
constituting  Michigan’s  first  winter  record. 
Only  the  2nd  winter  record  in  that  state  was  a 
Black  Vulture  18  Jan  at  Dodgeville,  Houghton 
(OM),  pending  M.B.R.C.  review. 

WATERFOWL 

A Greater  V/hite-fronted  Goose  10-12  Jan  (DC) 
provided  Wisconsin  its  first  Jan  record,  while 
first  migrants  in  that  state  were  noted  in  Dane 


22  Feb  (AS),  a flock  of  225  in  Columbus  (DT) 
being  the  high  count  of  the  early  arrivals.  In 
Minnesota,  there  were  669  White-fronteds 
reported  from  13  s.  counties  18-27  Feb,  along 
with  a record-early  7 on  14  Feb  at  Fergus  Falls, 
Otter  Tail  (JH).  Also  early  were  9 on  18  Feb  at 
Big  Stone,  Swift  (SM)  and  6 on  21  Feb  at  S. 
Landfill  Reservoir,  Olmsted  (CB).  Michigan’s 
only  report  was  of  8 on  6 Dec  in  Washtenaw 
(HP).  Ross’s  Geese  lingered  throughout  the 
Region:  in  Minnesota,  5 were  present  11-13  Dec 
at  E.  Landfill  Reservoir,  Olmsted  (RE  et  al.), 
while  Michigan  had  its  first  C.B.C.  and  only  2nd 
winter  record  of  2 from  8 Dec— 9 Feb  at  the 
Todd  Farm,  Allegan  (RS).  Wisconsin  had  three 
reports,  with  4 on  the  Madison  C.B.C.  1 in 
Outagamie  (fide  BD)  and  2 on  9 Jan  in 
Winnebago  (TZ);  there  were  only  two  previous 
winter  records  in  that  state.  Minnesota  report- 
ed 658  Trumpeter  Swans  on  4 Jan  at  Monticello, 
Sherborne/Wright  (KB)  and  another  300+  over- 
wintered along  the  Otter  Tail  R.  in  Fergus  Falls, 
Otter  Tail  (DM,  SM).  Michigan  had  reports  of 
Trumpeter  Swans  from  14  counties.  Tundra 
Swans  were  present  in  near-record  numbers  in 
Minnesota,  where  12,100  were  reported  on  22 
Dec  on  the  Mississippi  R.  at  Reno,  Houston 
(KB);  Tundras  returned  record  early,  with  10  on 
18  Feb  at  Weaver  Marshes  Wabasha  (PJ,  DN) 
and  17  on  23  Feb  at  S.  Landfill  Reservoir, 
Olmsted  (RE).  Wisconsin  had  similar  high 
numbers  of  Tundra  Swans:  an  unprecedented 
4102  were  on  the  Trempeleau  C.B.C.  (fide  BD). 
All  three  states  had  good  numbers  of  Harlequin 
Ducks  this  season;  the  species  seems  to  be 
increasing  in  the  Great  Lakes  region  during  the 
winter.  In  Wisconsin,  the  Barrow’s  Goldeneye 
that  wintered  at  Virmond  Park  for  the  past 
seven  years  did  not  return  this  season,  but  one 
was  present  12-26  Jan  in  Milwaukee  (DT,  TW). 
Michigan  and  Wisconsin  reported  average 
numbers  of  scoters.  In  Minnesota,  where  scot- 
ers are  considered  casual  in  winter,  a Surf  Scoter 
6 Dec  at  Winona,  Winona  (DB  et  ai.)  was  record 
late  in  the  south  and  only  the  9th  winter  record. 
Three  White-winged  Scoters  on  L.  Superior  at 
Duluth,  St.  Louis  (PS,  m.  ob.)  were  the  first  doc- 
umented to  overwinter  in  Minnesota,  while  a 
Black  Scoter  16  Dec  at  Winona,  Winona  (DB  et 
al.)  was  record  late  in  the  south;  one  on  4 Dec  at 
Duluth,  St.  Louis  (PS)  was  only  the  4th  winter 
record  in  the  north.  Also  in  Minnesota,  75,000 
Common  Mergansers  present  to  22  Dec  on 
Lake  Pepin,  Goodhue/Wabasha  (JM,  KB)  was  an 
exceptional  total,  while  7 Red-breasted 
Mergansers  on  18  Feb  in  Winona  (PJ,  DN)  were 
record-early  spring  migrants. 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  TERNS 

In  Minnesota,  Northern  Goshawk  numbers 


Representing  a first  winter  record  in  Michigan, 
this  White-winged  Dove  remained  through  the 
season  in  Dewitt  Township,  Clinton  County.  The 
increasing  frequency  of  vagrant  White-wingeds 
during  the  warmer  months  will  almost  certainly 
lead  to  more  records  of  wintering  birds,  particu- 
lariy  in  warm  winters  such  as  2001  -2002. 
Photograph  by  Adam  M.  Byrne. 

were  unexpectedly  low  this  season  after  last 
year’s  increases.  Golden  Eagle  numbers  were 
about  average  in  that  state  but  lower  in  both 
Michigan  and  Wisconsin.  A late  Osprey  was 
observed  in  Wisconsin  on  9 Dec  at  the 
Milwaukee  Coast  Guard  Impoundment  (CH). 
The  number  of  winter  Merlin  reports  continues 
to  rise  in  Michigan:  this  season  reports  came 
from  10  counties.  All  three  states  had 
Gyrfalcons,  including  a gray  morph  in  the  Sault 
Ste  Marie  area  of  Michigan  and  reports  of  imm. 
gray  morphs  on  3 Dec  (FN)  and  5 Jan  (PS)  in 
Duluth,  Minnesota.  Wisconsin  hosted  4 Gyrs: 
singles  4 Dec — Jan  at  Buena  Vista  Grasslands 
(KH,  m.  ob.),  21  Jan  at  Devil’s  Lake  S.P.  (MF),  5 
Jan  at  Superior{PS),  and  finally  a controversial 
bird  considered  by  some  to  be  a falconer’s  bird, 
and  perhaps  a Peregrine  x Gyrfakon  hybrid,  3- 
8 Feb  in  Racine  (EH,  m.  ob.).  The  latter  is  pend- 
ing review  by  the  Wisconsin  Bird  Records 
Committee.  As  is  typical,  the  only  Prairie 
Falcon  report  came  from  Minnesota,  one  on  1 
Dec  in  Polk  (TV,  fide  BB).  In  Michigan,  2 
Virginia  Rails  stayed  to  2 Dec  in  Washtenaw 
(HP),  while  Sandhill  Cranes  lingered  in  the  s. 
tier  of  counties  in  higher-than-normal  num- 
bers. Gray  Partridge  seems  to  be  declining  in 
Wisconsin;  this  season,  the  only  report  came 
from  Brown,  where  9 were  reported  on  31  Jan 
(DV).  Killdeer  lingered  in  Minnesota,  with  1 
on  4 Dec  in  Duluth,  St.  Louis  (PS)  being  record 
late  in  the  n.  part  of  the  state.  Late  in  Michigan 
was  a Greater  Yellowlegs  on  1 Dec  in  Washtenaw 
(SS).  Perhaps  the  most  unexpected  shorebird  in 
the  Region  was  the  Ruddy  Turnstone  that 
appeared  22  Jan  near  Alpena,  Alpena  (JSO);  it 
remained  through  the  period,  providing  a first 


Volume  56  {2002),  Number  2 


177 


Michigan’s  third  Sage  Thrasher  record  was  pro- 
vided by  this  bird  coming  to  a feeding  station  in 
Gladwin  (here  26  December  2001).  Photograph 
by  Adam  M.  Byrne. 

winter  record  for  Michigan  and  likely  the 
Region.  The  turnstone  associated  with  Snow 
Buntings  and  took  corn  from  a bird  feeder, 
behavior  typical  on  wintering  grounds  at 
beachside  Caribbean  bars  (and  even  the 
Chesapeake  Bay),  but  hardly  in  Alpena!  A 
Purple  Sandpiper  2 Feb  in  Racine  (EH)  was 
Wisconsin’s  3rd  winter  record  beyond  2 Jan, 
while  in  Michigan  one  16  Dec  at  Muskegon  (CF) 
was  more  typical.  A Dunlin  from  15-16  Dec  at 
Duluth,  St.  Louis  (MS)  provided  a first  winter 
record  for  Minnesota.  Exceptional  in  Michigan 
were  reports  of  Red  Phalarope  on  1 Dec  on 
Keweenaw  Bay,  Baraga  (JK),  1-  2 Dec  at  South 
Haven,  Van  Buren  (JG,  RS),  and  27-28  Jan  at 
Holland,  Ottawa  (TW).  An  American 
Woodcock  found  dead  on  17  Feb  in  Racine  (fide 
EH)  was  only  the  7th  Wisconsin  record  in  that 
month.  The  only  Little  Gull  in  the  Region  this 
season  came  from  Wisconsin,  where  one  was 
seen  through  23  Dec  in  Milwaukee.  A Black- 
tieaded  Gull  in  Milwaukee  2-23  Dec  (SL,  m. 
ob.)  was  only  the  2nd  winter  record  in 
Wisconsin.  Two  tardy  Bonaparte’s  Gulls  on  15 
Dec  in  Afton,  Washington  were  the  3rd  latest 
date  in  Minnesota.  In  Wisconsin,  a Mew  Gull 
was  present  8-23  Dec  in  Milwaukee  (RH,  DG, 
m.  ob.).  Herring  Gulls  overwintered  for  the 
first  time  in  Minnesota  away  from  L.  Superior, 
200  staying  in  the  Twin  Cities  area,  while  above- 
average  numbers  wintered  on  the  Great  Lakes. 
All  three  states  reported  good  numbers  of 
Thayer’s  and  Iceland  Gulls  this  season. 
Minnesota  also  reported  good  numbers  of 
Glaucous  Gulls,  including  overwintering  birds 
at  Black  Dog  L.,  Dakota  as  well  as  above-average 
numbers  of  Great  Black-backed  Gulls. 
Wisconsin  and  Michigan  reported  average- 


numbers  of  Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls.  In 
Minnesota,  a first-winter  Black-legged 
Kittiwake  was  found  along  1-35  feeding  on  a 
road-killed  deer  near  Sandstone,  Pine  on  2 Dec 
(TWi);  less  unusual  were  the  2 ads.  and  2 tar- 
rocks observed  in  Michigan  on  1 Dec  at  South 
Haven,  Van  Buren  (JG,  RS).  Certainly  the  bird 
of  the  season  in  Wisconsin  was  the  first  state 
record  Ross’s  Gull  in  Ashland  6-8  Dec  (DVe, 
TM),  which  was  enjoyed  by  many. 

DOVES  THROUGH  VIREOS 

The  Eurasian  Collared-Dove  continues  to 
move  into  Wisconsin  at  a slow  pace.  This  sea- 
son, one  was  at  Holy  Cross  through  23  Feb,  3 
were  found  in  Grant  on  9 Jan  (JHe),  and  in 
Oconoto,  where  they  have  been  present  for  the 
past  three  years  (JS,  KS).  A White-winged 
Dove  present  through  the  period  in  DeWitt 
Twp.,  Clinton  (EB,  CK)  provided  Michigan  its 
first  winter  record.  All  three  states  reported 
good  numbers  of  Snowy  Owls.  In  contrast, 
only  Minnesota  reported  Northern  Hawk  Owl, 
with  23  during  the  winter  season.  Great  Grays 
were  similarly  rare  in  Wisconsin,  with  only  one 
report  from  Shawano  (DT,  JHe);  Michigan  had 
no  reports,  while  Minnesota  had  22  during  the 
season.  Michigan  had  increased  numbers  of 
Long-eared  Owls,  with  reports  from  5 counties. 
Amazingly,  Minnesota  had  its  3rd  record  for 
Anna’s  Hummingbird,  an  ad.  male  present  1- 
26  Dec  in  Minneapolis,  Hennepin  (JLa,  Jlu,  m. 
ob.).  In  Michigan,  the  Rufous  Hummingbird 
at  Ortonville,  Oakland  remained  to  31  Dec 
(AC).  Minnesota  had  an  average  number  of 
Three-toed  Woodpecker  reports — 6 from  four 
counties — but  an  individual  on  15  Dec  near 
Paradise,  Chippewa  (KMe)  was  exceptional  in 
Michigan,  the  record  pending  M.B.R.C.  review. 
Minnesota  had  an  excellent  showing  for  Black- 
backed  Woodpeckers,  with  41  reports  includ- 
ing one  on  2-9  Jan  in  Becker,  Sherburne  (DO), 
the  first  s.  report  since  1987.  Michigan  also  had 
an  unusual  report  of  3 present  on  Isle  Royale, 
Keweenaw  23-28  Feb  (fide  JK). 

Eastern  Phoebe  lingered  into  Dec  in  three 
Michigan  counties,  while  a single  bird  30 
Dec — 7 Jan  at  Little  Sauk,  Todd  (JKr,  m.  ob.) 
provided  Minnesota  a new  late  date.  The 
Vermibon  Flycatcher  reported  in  Wisconsin  in 
the  fall  remained  to  2 Dec  at  Jejferson  (BR),  the 
first  documented  record  for  that  state.  Also  in 
Wisconsin,  two  brown-backed  swallows  were 
found  on  24  Dec  in  Dane  (MM)  and  were  the 
source  of  some  controversy  in  which  identifica- 
tion ranged  from  imm.  Tree  Swallow  to  Bank 
Swallow  to  Northern  Rough-winged  Swallow, 
the  latter  gaining  the  consensus.  A Marsh  Wren 
8-16  Dec  at  Mound  Springs  Park,  Hennepin 
(SC)  provided  Minnesota  its  8th  winter  record. 


This  Black-throated  Gray  Warbler  remained  at  a 
feeder  near  Centreville  from  15  December  2001 
through  the  period’s  end,  providing  Michigan  a 
first  winter  record.  Photograph  by  Adam  M.  Byrne. 

THRUSHES  THROUGH  WARBLERS 

Average  for  Minnesota  were  7 Townsend’s 
Solitaire  reports  from  seven  counties,  whUe 
Wisconsin  had  several  at  Devil’s  Lake  S.P.  and 
one  on  29  Jan  in  Waukesha  (CS).  Hermit 
Thrushes  are  not  unusual  in  Michigan  during 
the  winter,  but  the  one  in  late  Feb  in  Houghton 
(DBo)  was  well  n.  of  normal.  Varied  Thrush 
was  less  common  in  Wisconsin,  with  only  two 
reports,  while  more  typical  were  the  9 reported 
from  seven  Minnesota  counties.  Unexpected 
was  a Gray  Catbird  at  a Wisconsin  feeder  31 
Jan+  in  Winnebago  (BH).  Only  the  3rd 
Michigan  record,  and  the  2nd  in  4 months,  a 
Sage  Thrasher  was  present  25-30  Dec  in 
Gladwin,  Gladwin  (m.  ob.). 

American  Pipits  lingered  in  Michigan,  with  6 
on  the  Alpena  C.B.C.  and  2 on  21  Jan  and  one 
on  3 Feb  at  Metro  Beach,  Macomb.  Wisconsin 
also  reported  American  Pipits  in  Dane  17  Feb 
(PA),  Ozaukee  21  Feb  (JF),  a small  flock  on  25 
Feb  at  Williams  Bay  (WR),  and  2 in  Dane  28 
Feb  (KBu).  All  three  states  reported  low  num- 
bers of  Bohemian  Waxwings,  the  only  signifi- 
cant flock  being  1,000  on  6 Jan  in  Crow  Wing  in 
Minnesota  (WN).  Minnesota  had  its  4th  winter 
record  for  Orange-crowned  Warbler,  an  indi- 
vidual on  14  Dec  in  Washington  (EBe,  TB).  A 
Cape  May  Warbler  on  the  Houghton  C.B.C., 
Houghton  (BDe)  was  exceptional  in  Michigan 
both  because  of  the  late  date  and  for  the 
northerly  location.  An  Audubon’s  Warbler  was 
reported  8-10  Feb  at  Grey  Cloud  L,  Washington 
(TT,  AS),  14th  record  of  this  w.  subspecies  in 
Minnesota.  Both  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin 
reported  excellent  numbers  of  Yellow-rumped 
Warblers,  the  19  reports  in  Minnesota  being  a 
record;  conversely  Michigan  had  a very  poor 
season  for  this  species.  A Black-throated  Gray 
Warbler  appeared  in  Michigan  at  a feeder  near 
Centreville,  St.  Joseph  15  Dec-h  (JJ,  VJ).  A Palm 


178 


North  American  Birds 


Western  Great  Lakes — Middlewestern  Prairie 


Warbler  14  Dec  in  Two  Harbors,  Lake  (JL)  was 
a first  winter  record  for  Minnesota,  as  was  one 
on  15  Dec  on  the  Beloit  C.B.C.  (SC)  for 
Wisconsin.  An  Ovenbird  lingered  in  Michigan 
to  5 Dec  in  Detroit,  Wayne  (KO),  and  one  on 
the  Oconomowoc  C.B.C.  (fide  BD)  was 
Wisconsin’s  5th  winter  record. 

TANAOERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

A Summer  Tanager  at  a feeder  in  Outagamie  27 
Dec — 15  Jan  (DT,  m.  ob.)  was  a 3rd  winter 
record  in  Wisconsin,  as  was  one  on  2 Dec  in 
Duluth,  St  Louis  (fide  KE)  in  Minnesota.  In 
Michigan,  the  female  Scarlet  Tanager  from  the 
fall  stayed  to  7 Dec  in  Berrien  (JW).  A Spotted 
Towhee  15  Dec  in  Dane  (GS,  PSc)  was  the  8th 
state  record  in  Wisconsin.  Causual  in  Minnesota 
during  the  winter,  a Chipping  Sparrow  was  pres- 
ent 1-28  Jan  at  ¥/hitewater  W.M.A.,  Winona  (CB, 
WB,  m.  ob.).  A Vesper  Sparrow  22  Dec  in  Cass 
(JW)  was  late  in  Michigan,  while  a Savannah 
Sparrow  near  Lawndale,  Wilkin  (SM)  was  only 
the  5th  winter  record  in  Minnesota.  Minnesota 
had  its  8th  winter  record  for  Lincoln’s  Sparrow, 
with  one  on  6 Dec  in  Minneapolis,  Hennepin 
(TT),  v/hile  in  Michigan,  where  the  species  is  less 
uncommon  in  winter,  a single  bird  was  present 
from  to  1 Feb  in  Detroit,  Wayne  (JFo,  KO). 
Wisconsin  had  2 Lincoln’s  Sparrow  reports, 
including  one  on  23  Feb  in  Dane  (KBu)  and 
another  on  the  Stockbridge  C.B.C.  (fide  BD). 
Michigan  had  single  Harris’s  Sparrows  on  16  Dec 
and  28  Dec — 8 Jan,  both  in  Berrien  (JW).  A 
female  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  appeared  at  a 
Wisconsin  feeder  in  Portage  11-12  Dec  (AY,  KH). 
Very  unexpected  was  an  imm.  Painted  Bunting 
that  appeared  on  2 Feb  and  remained  through  the 
month  at  a feeder  in  Rogers  City,  Presque  Use  ( AP, 
EP,  WG,  m.  ob.).  The  bird  appeared  after  a day  of 
strong  southerly  winds  and  was  so  weak  it  was 
thought  it  would  succumb  overnight;  but  it  made 
a miraculous  recovery  and  was  enjoyed  by  many 
Michigan  birders.  It  is  the  9th  state  record  and 
the  first  in  winter.  Equally  astounding  in  that  state 
was  a Bobolink  on  the  Rockwood  C.B.C.,  Monroe 
(KO).  This  Neotropical  migrant  is  rare  on  any 
North  American  C.B.C.,  though  this  bird  provid- 
ed a 2nd  record  for  a Michigan  C.B.C.!  Also  in 
Michigan’s  Monroe  was  a large  winter  blackbird 
roost  with  counts  of  90,000  Red-winged 
Blackbirds  and  135,000  Common  Crackles  on  15 
Dec  (AC).  Equally  impressive  on  the  Monroe 
C.B.C.  were  4,038  Rusty  Blackbirds.  Wisconsin 
also  had  big  concentrations  of  Rusty  Blackbirds, 
with  1,700  at  the  Waterloo  W.A.  on  14  Dec  (KK) 
and  4,000+  on  the  Hutisford  C.B.C.  (BD).  The 
previous  winter  high  in  that  state  was  337.  The 
Hutisford  C.B.C.  also  reported  1,200+  Brewer’s 
Blackirds,  rather  remarkable  when  one  considers 
that  all  the  previous  winter  records  of  this  species 


in  Wisconsin  numbered  only  474!  In  Michigan, 
this  species  is  extremely  rare  in  winter,  making 
one  found  15  Dec  in  Genesee  (KO)  notable.  Even 
rarer  in  Michigan  was  a Western  Meadowlark 
from  19-27  Jan  in  Eagle  Harbor,  Keweenaw  (MA, 
JK).  Baltimore  Orioles  were  reported  in 
Wisconsin  in  Dane  10  Dec  (DF)  and  in 
Outagamie  21  Dec  (BH),  and  in  Minnesota,  a 
tardy  Baltimore  was  seen  21  Dec  in  Duluth,  St 
Louis  (PS).  A highlight  in  Minnesota  was  a 
Brambling  at  Battle  L.,  Otter  Tail  16-30  Dec  (EE, 
JE,  m.  ob.),  the  5th  record  for  that  state.  Wisconsin 
had  a good  winter  finch  year,  with  an  average 
number  of  Pine  Grosbeaks,  good  numbers  of 
Common  Redpolls,  and  a few  reports  of  Hoary 
RedpoU.  Michigan  had  a disappointing  year  for 
winter  finches,  despite  the  promising  fall,  but  by 
winter,  the  numbers  of  all  species  were  average  to 
below  average.  Minnesota  reported  good  numbers 
of  White-winged  Crossbills  scattered  throughout 
the  state,  including  some  in  the  s.  portions  of  the 
state,  whereas  the  rest  of  the  winter  finches  were 
seen  in  unremarkable  numbers. 

Observers  (subregional  editors  in  boldface): 
Philip  Ashman,  Martin  Thomas  Auer,  Karl  J. 
Bardon  (Minnesota),  Erma  Beattie,  Elizabeth 
Bell  (EBe),  Tom  Bell , Betsey  A.  Beneke,  William 
O.  Bruins,  Chris  Benson,  Dedrick  Benz,  Dave 
Bock  (DBo),  Kay  Burcar  (KBu),  Adam  Byrne 


(Michigan),  Allen  Chartier,  Daryl  Christensen, 
Sean  Christensen,  Bill  Deephouse  (BDe),  Bob 
Domagalski,  Robert  L.  Ekblad,  Kim  R.  Eckert, 
Eddy  Edwards,  Judy  Edwards,  Dave  Fallow,  Jim 
Fowler  (JFo),  Chip  Francke,  Jim  Frank,  Mark 
Franz,  Jim  Granlund,  William  N.  Grigg,  Dennis 
Gustafson,  Skye  Haas,  Kent  Hall,  Chuck  Hagner, 
Jan  Hansen  (JHa;  Wisconsin),  Bettie  Harriman, 
Jan  Hewitt  (JHe),  Eric  Howe,  James  L.  Howitz, 
Robert  Hughes,  John  Idzikowski,  Paul  E 
Jantscher,  John  Johnsonbaugh,  Vicki 
Johnsonbaugh,  Joe  Kaplan,  Kevin  Kearns, 
Douglas  W.  Kieser,  Connie  Koster,  John  Kroll 
(JKr),  James  W.  Lind,  Janet  Lauber  (JLa),  Jeff 
Lauber  (JLu),  Steve  Lubahn,  Travis  Mahan,  Jim 
Mattson,  Mike  McDowell,  Mike  Mencotti,  Ken 
Mettie  (KMe),  Steve  Millard,  Kip  Miller,  Owen 
Mills,  Brad  Murphy,  David  F.  Neitzel,  Warren  E. 
Nelson,  Frank  J.  Nicoletti,  Karl  Overman,  Walter 
Pawloski , A1  Pines,  Enie  Pines,  Janine  Polk,  Hein 
Prinsen,  Wayne  Rohde,  Brenda  RozeUe,  Steve 
Santner,  Russ  Schipper,  Carol  Schulenberg, 
Glenna  Schwalbe,  Paul  Schwalbe  (PSc),  Andrew 
D.  Smith,  Karen  Smith,  Jerry  Smith,  Jane  St.  Onge 
(JSO),  Aaron  Stutz,  Peder  Svingen,  Scott  Terry, 
Daryl  Tessen,  Tom  A.  Tustinson,  Tom  Valega, 
Don  Van  Duyse,  Dick  Verch  (DVe),  Tex  Wells, 
Terry  P.  Wiens  (TWi),  Tom  Wood,  Jon  T. 
Wuepper,  Alan  Young,  Tom  Ziebell.  A 


Middlewestern 

Prairie 


Kenneth  J.  Brock 

1 265  Red  Bud  Drive 
Chesterton,  Indiana  46304 
{kebrock@iun.edu) 
(kj.brock@attbi.com) 


From  his  perspective  in  Iowa,  a state  that 
enjoyed  its  fourth  warmest  winter  on 
record,  Bob  Cecil  aptly  characterized  the  sea- 
son’s weather:  “Heavy  coats  remained  in  the 
closet,  long  johns  in  the  drawer,  and  winter 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


179 


was  measured  in  days  rather  than  months.”  In 
Chicago,  where  the  temperature  failed  to  reach 
the  dreaded  zero,  the  winter  of  2001-2002  was 
the  warmest  in  70  years.  Snowfall  was  also  quite 
light.  The  entire  Midwest  luxuriated  in  another 
joyously  mild  winter.  This  balmy  Midwestern 
winter  theme  has  been  replayed  so  frequently 
over  the  past  ten  years  that  it  raises  the  obvious 
question — have  our  winter  bird  populations 
also  changed? 

A warming  climate  might  well  have  initiated 
changes  in  the  Region’s  birds,  if  one  relies  on 
correlation.  A comparison  of  recent 
Middlewestern  Prairie  Region  reports  with 
those  of  two  decades  ago  reveals  some  changes. 
Several  species,  such  as  Sandhill  Crane,  Least 
Sandpiper,  Forster’s  Tern,  Palm  Warbler,  and 
Chipping  Sparrow — formerly  casual  or  acci- 
dental in  the  cold  months — have  become  quite 
regular.  The  presence  of  these  species  season 
after  season  is  perhaps  a better  barometer  of 
winter  avian  population  changes  than  are 
shockers  such  as  the  tail-bobbing  Louisiana 
Waterthrush  or  nesting  American  Robin 
described  in  this  report.  Although  the  jury  is 
still  out  on  this  issue,  a substantial  amount  of 
empirical  evidence  now  suggests  that  indeed 
“the  times  they  are  a-changin’.”  Note:  Due  to  an 
email  malfunction,  the  Missouri  report  failed 
to  arrive  in  time  for  inclusion  in  the  Regional 
summary.  That  state’s  highlights  are  appended. 

Abbreviations;  Carl.  L.  (Carlyle  L.  in  Clinton, 
Fayette,  & Bond,  IL);  D.  N.  R.  (Department  of 
Natural  Resources);  H.B.S.P  (Headlands  Beach 
S.P.,  OH);  L.  Cal.  (L.  Calumet,  Chicago);  O.N.W.R. 
(Ottawa  N.W.R.,  OH);  R.E.D.A  (Riverlands 
Environmental  Demonstration  Area,  MO). 

LOONS  THROUGH  VULTURES 

Once  again.  Red-throated  Loons  were  plentiful, 
with  5 in  Kentucky,  3 in  Illinois,  3 in  Indiana, 
and  one  in  Ohio.  Common  Loons  were  also 
widespread;  the  peak  tally  consisted  of  125  in 
Barren,  KY  8 Dec  (DR).  Daily  Horned  Grebe 
counts  exceeding  70  birds  were  logged  in  Ohio 
and  Illinois,  but  the  maximum  count  came 
from  Kentucky,  where  130  were  present  in  scat- 
tered flocks  along  the  Ohio  R.  8 Dec  (BPB). 
Winter  Red-necked  Grebes  were  confined  to 
the  e.  states,  with  4 in  Indiana,  4 in  Ohio,  and 
one  in  Kentucky.  The  only  Eared  Grebe  e.  of  the 
Mississippi  R.  was  seen  in  Taylor,  KY  21  Dec 
(BPB).  A Western  Grebe  in  Dickinson,  lA  1 Dec 
(LAS)  was  overshadowed  by  the  discovery  of  a 
Clark’s  Grebe  in  Spirit  L.,  lA  the  following  day 
(tLAS,  ETh).  The  season’s  most  impressive 
seabird  was  an  imm.  Northern  Gannet  that 
appeared  sporadically  at  Fairport  Harbor,  OH 
21  Dec  (TKe)  and  29  Dec  (EB). 


The  largest  American  White  Pelican  concen- 
trations occurred  in  Kentucky,  where  226  were 
found  on  Kentucky  L.  (where  this  species 
might  have  wintered)  15  Dec  (BPB)  and  at 
Garb  L.,  where  150  were  counted  1 Dec  (DKa). 
Double-crested  Cormorant  numbers 
remained  high;  the  peak  count  was  7000  at 
Rend  L.,  IL  15  Dec  (DKa).  Surprisingly, 
American  Bitterns,  which  are  accidental  in 
winter,  were  reported  at  Prairie  Ridge  W.M.A., 
IL  1-7  Dec  (LH),  at  Rend  L,  IL  15  Dec  (LSt), 
and  in  Muhlenberg,  KY  5 Jan  (DOb,  MB,  HC, 
JCv).  The  latter  provided  one  of  few  mid-win- 
ter records  for  Kentucky.  Taking  advantage  of 
the  mild  weather.  Great  Egrets  tarried  in 
Illinois,  providing  rare  winter  records  in 
Carroll  1 Dec  (KJM,  AF)  and  at  Horseshoe  L.  8 
Dec  (KAM).  Lingering  Black-crowned  Night- 
Herons  appeared  in  four  states,  the  latest  near 
Cedar  Rapids,  lA  8-10  Jan  (JLF).  Also  capital- 
izing on  the  mild  conditions,  Turkey  Vultures 
returned  to  the  n.  states  in  early  Feb,  and  a 
record  count  was  established  in  Barren,  KY  9 
Dec,  when  850  were  tallied  (SS,  DR). 

WATERFOWL 

Expansion  of  the  Region’s  winter  goose  popu- 
lation continued  this  season.  Exceptional 
Greater  White-fronted  Goose  counts  included 
4500  at  Reelfoot  N.W.R.,  KY  in  late  Jan  (CD), 
3000+  at  Lake  Chautauqua  N.W.R.,  IL  9 Feb 
(RTC),  2000+  in  Gibson,  IN  12  Jan  (CMi,  et 
al.),  and  2000  at  Carl.  L.  9 Dec  (DKa).  The 
Kentucky  and  Indiana  counts  constitute  record 
state  tallies.  Following  suit,  five  Snow  Goose 
reports,  from  three  states,  exceeded  20,000 
birds;  the  maximum  was  100,000  at  Carl.  L.  16 
Feb  (DKa).  Ross’s  Goose  was  also  surprisingly 
plentiful,  with  one  or  more  birds  reported  in 
every  state.  The  most  remarkable  Ross’s  Goose 
report  consisted  of  an  incredible  80  birds  at 
Reelfoot  N.W.R.,  KY  10  Feb  (BPB,  DR).  Over 
the  past  decade,  winter-period  Brant  have  been 
quite  rare  in  the  Region;  however,  at  least  four 
birds  were  reported  this  season.  These  includ- 
ed 2 at  H.B.S.P  5-7  Dec  (KMi,  JWH),  an  imm. 
in  Black  Hawk,  lA  16-19  Dec  (fFLM,  fMO), 
one  at  H.B.S.P  30  Dec  (LRo),  and  one  at 
Lakeshore  Metropark,  OH  24  Feb  (JPg). 
Tundra  Swans  were  also  present  in  unusually 
high  numbers,  with  965  on  Mississippi  R.  Pool 
13  IL  & lA  20  Dec  (KJM,  et  al.)  and  200  that 
wintered  at  O.N.W.R  (m.  oh.,  fide  RHa). 

Both  puddle  and  bay  duck  numbers 
remained  at  the  high  levels  of  recent  years. 
Noteworthy  reports  included  a male  Eurasian 
Wigeon  in  Johnson,  I A 25-27  Feb  (DaF,  fTHK, 
tABr,  tCE,  tMP,  fMD),  an  American  x 
Eurasian  Wigeon  hybrid  at  Reelfoot  N.W.R., 
KY  10  Feb  (BPB,  DR),  several  Dec  Blue- 


winged Teal,  including  a female  in  Hardin,  KY 
4 Jan  (BPB),  and  a phenomenal  87,470 
Northern  Pintails  counted  during  an  aerial 
survey  at  three  w.  Kentucky  locations  5 Feb 
{fide  BPB).  The  season’s  only  Harlequin  Ducks 
were  on  the  Illinois  lakefront,  where  2 were 
seen  at  Winthrop  Harbor  1 Dec  (AS,  UG),  at 
Evanston  29  Dec  ( JE,  EW),  and  at  Jackson  Park 
in  Chicago  20  Feb  (PRC).  Scoters  were  scarce 
on  the  Great  Lakes,  and  White-winged  Scoters 
were  especially  hard  to  find.  Inland  scoter  and 
Long-tailed  Duck  numbers  were  near  normal. 
The  season’s  best  duck  was  a male  Barrow’s 
Goldeneye  at  Port  Neal  9-22  Feb  (fWFH, 
fMO),  which  provided  Iowa’s  first  report  in  six 
years.  The  450  Red-breasted  Mergansers  seen 
on  the  Ohio  R.  in  Jefferson,  KY  8 Dec  (BPB, 
DOb),  provided  an  excellent  inland  count,  as 
did  the  3000  Ruddy  Ducks  at  Carl.  L.  8 Dec 
(DKa). 

EAGLE  TO  SHOREBIRDS 

Among  numerous  excellent  Bald  Eagle  counts 
were  371  at  Lock  8c  Dam  13-15  on  the 
Mississippi  R.  15  Jan  (KJM,  PSb),  259  on  the 
Ohio  mid- winter  survey  (Ohio  D.N.R.,  fide 
RHn),  and  204  on  the  Indiana  mid-winter  sur- 
vey (JSC).  The  peak  winter  Northern  Harrier 
tally  consisted  of  35  birds  in  a reclaimed  strip 
mine  area  of  Greene,  IN  24  Feb  (BK,  DRW). 
The  Region’s  total  Northern  Goshawk  count 
was  16,  which  is  slightly  above  average  for  a 
non-incursion  year.  The  season’s  Red-tailed 
Hawk  log  included  a plethora  of  the  more 
uncommon  forms.  The  tally  sheet  included  6 
“Harlan’s,”  2 “Krider’s,”  and  a host  of  dark  and 
rufous  morphs.  Several  correspondents 
reported  a dearth  of  Rough-legged  Hawks  this 
winter. 

One  to  8 Golden  Eagles  were  reported  in 
each  state,  including  2 in  Ohio,  where  this 
species  is  casual.  The  season  also  yielded  some 
25  Merlins,  a number  that  is  in  keeping  with 
reports  from  recent  winters.  The  easternmost 
Prairie  Falcons  were  in  Kentucky,  where  a juv. 
was  identified  in  Fulton  4-8  Dec  (DR  et  al.) 
and  an  apparent  ad.  in  Muhlenberg  15  Feb 
(MM,  MV).  Despite  the  mild  winter.  Northern 
Bobwhite  numbers  were  low.  This  species  was 
reported  in  “extremely  low  numbers”  in 
Illinois  (KJM),  and  counts  were  also  down 
locally  in  Iowa.  Sandhill  Cranes  lingered  well 
into  Dec  in  all  states,  and  this  species  likely 
wintered  in  Iowa  and  Kentucky  (and  perhaps 
elsewhere).  January  Sandhill  records  included 
407  in  Monroe,  IN  27  Jan  (J  8c  SH),  56  at 
Kentucky  L.  19  Jan  (HC),  and  8 that  wintered 
in  Hamilton,  lA  {fide  HZ). 

Once  again,  good  numbers  of  shorebirds 
were  present;  a dozen  species  were  logged  for 


180 


North  American  Birds 


Middlewestern  Prairie 


the  season.  Three  Black-bellied  Plovers  lin- 
gered at  O.N.W.R.  until  4 Dec  (VF)  to  provide 
the  Region’s  first  winter  record  in  more  than  a 
decade.  A winter  profusion  of  Killdeer  was  evi- 
denced by  300  appropriately  at  Killdeer  Plains 
W.M.A.,  OH  20  Dec  (BWh)  and  200+  in  Parke, 
IN  15  Dec  (AB).  Greater  Yellowlegs  tarried  into 
Dec  in  three  states;  the  latest  record  consisted 
of  2 in  Will,  IL  16  Dec  (UG).  Five  Lesser 
Yellovdegs  were  still  at  Reelfoot  N.W.R.,  KY  15 
Dec  (CS  et  al.).  Least  Sandpipers  were  report- 
ed in  four  states,  with  Jan  records  in  Illinois 
and  Kentucky.  This  species  might  have  win- 
tered in  Ohio  as,  following  several  late  Dec 
reports,  2 Leasts  v/ere  at  Buck  Creek  S.P.  16  Feb 
(DOv).  Most  surprising  was  a Pectoral 
Sandpiper  in  Warren,  lA  2 Dec  (tJSi),  which 
provided  that  state’s  2nd  Dec  and  latest  winter 
record. 

It  was  a good  winter  for  Purple  Sandpipers 
on  the  Great  Lakes.  Four  were  at  H.B.S.P.  until 
2 Jan  (m.  ob.),  and  one  was  seen  irregularly  at 
Waukegon,  IL  8 Dec  (DD),  23  Feb,  and  1-2 
Mar  (tDBJ  et  al.).  The  most  remarkable 
Purple  Sandpiper,  however,  appeared  at  the 
Cinergy  Gibson  power  plant,  Gibson,  IN  9 Dec 
(tG&LB,  ph.),  where  it  provided  the  state’s  4th 
inland  record  (all  at  that  site).  Dunlin  are 
becoming  regular  in  the  winter  report.  This 
year,  a whopping  327  were  found  at  O.N.W.R  4 
Dec  (VF),  and  one  lingered  at  L.  Macbride,  lA 
until  20  Dec  (tJLF,  fTHK)  to  provide  an  all- 
time  late  record  for  Iowa.  Perhaps  the  winter’s 
most  extraordinary  shorebird  report  involved 
5 Long-billed  Dowitchers  at  O.N.W.R  12  Dec 
(VF),  which  constitutes  one  of  only  a handful 
of  winter  records  for  the  Region.  Common 
Snipes,  which  regularly  winter  in  small  num- 
bers, had  a banner  year  with  a state  record  243 
at  Reelfoot  N.W.R.,  KY  27  Jan  (BPB,  CS,  JD). 
American  Woodcocks  heralded  the  mild  win- 
ter by  returning  very  early.  The  earliest  arrivals 
were  recorded  in  Monroe,  IN  25  Jan  (J&SH) 
and  Darke,  OH  27  Jan  (RSh).  A Red 
Phalarope,  present  at  Huron,  OH  since  fall,  lin- 
gered until  15  Dec  (m.  ob.). 

JAEGERS  THROUGH  OWLS 

Up  to  5 Pomarine  Jaegers  were  visible 
simultaneously  at  Rocky  River  Park,  OH  on  1- 
2 Dec  (SZ,  TG),  suggesting  that  this  species  is 
becoming  a regular  winter  resident  on  L.  Erie. 
Despite  the  mild  winter,  gulls  were  present  in 
abundance.  Single  ad.  Black-headed  Gulls  were 
at  Lorain,  OH  20-24  Dec  (SZ,  JPg)  and  at 
Fairport  Harbor,  OH  30  Dec  (tLRo,  RHn,  EB). 
The  Region’s  peak  Bonaparte’s  Gull  count 
came  from  an  unexpected  location;  6000  were 
present  on  Kentucky  L.,  KY  20  Jan  (HC).  Ring- 
billed Gulls  peaked  at  50,000  at  Carl.  L.  28  Dec 


(DKa).  California  Gulls  have  become  rare  but 
regular  members  of  the  Region’s  winter  gull 
throngs.  This  year,  ads.  were  identified  at 
Huron,  OH  15  Dec  (VF),  Avon  L.,  OH  20  Dec 
(SZ),  and  on  the  Chicago  lakefront  5 Jan  and  5 
Feb  (DBJ,  SH,  m.  ob.).  All  four-year  gulls  were 
both  widespread  and  plentiful.  Noteworthy 
records  included  4 Thayer’s  that  were  recorded 
throughout  the  winter  at  Barkley  Dam,  KY 
(BPB,  m.  ob.),  an  inland  “Kumlien’s”  Iceland 
Gull  at  Carl.  L.  18  Dec  (KAM,  SBa,  CL),  a max- 
imum of  6 Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls  at 
Kentucky  L.,  KY  15  Dec  (BPB,  HC,  et  al.),  a 
total  of  4 Glaucous  Gulls  in  Iowa  (SJD,  JLF, 
SFd),  and  a record  11  Great  Black-backed 
Gulls  at  the  Hammond  Marina,  IN  16  Mar 
(RHu).  Late  juv.  Black-legged  Kittiwakes 
appeared  on  the  Indiana  lakefront  at  Michigan 
City  Harbor  1 Dec  (JMc,  m.  ob.)  and  at  Miller 
Beach  19  Dec  (DGo,  KJB). 

A nonchalant  Caspian  Tern  dallied  in  s. 
Illinois,  where  it  was  seen  at  Rend  L.  15  Dec 
(LSt).  Forster’s  Terns  apparently  wintered  in 
Kentucky,  where  sightings  were  logged  in  each 
of  the  three  winter  months.  Observations  in 
Jan,  all  on  Kentucky  L.,  included  2 on  6 Jan 
(HC),  5 on  20  Jan  (HC),  and  at  least  one  on  26 
Jan  (ME). 

Eurasian  Collared-Doves  continued  to 
strengthen  their  foothold  in  the  Region;  winter 
nest-building  was  observed  in  Fulton,  KY  16 
Feb  (MB  et  al).  Kentucky’s  2nd  Inca  Dove 
appeared  in  Hickman,  Fulton  9-11  Feb  (ph.  BY 
et  al.).  Single  Great  Horned  Owls  of  the  pale 
Arctic  race  appeared  at  two  Iowa  locations:  in 
Cerro  Gordo  1 Jan  (PH)  and  in  Hardin  18  Jan 
(MP).  The  fall  Snowy  Owl  irruption  was  wide- 
spread, with  some  32  birds  reported.  Several 
Snowy  Owls  pressed  into  s.  reaches  of  the 
Region,  with  two  records  as  far  as  Kentucky:  an 
imm.  female  in  Henderson  9 Dec  (RSo,  DOb, 
BPB)  and  a second-year  male  in  Pendleton  22 
Feb  that  lingered  into  mid-Mar  (JHy,  KC  et 
al).  It  was  a typical  winter  for  the  “eared”  owls, 
with  multiple  individuals  of  both  species  from 
al!  reporting  states.  Some  16  Northern  Saw- 
whet  Owls  were  reported  across  the  Region, 
suggesting  that  it  was  a better  than  average 
winter  for  that  species. 

WOODPECKERS  THROUGH  WAXWiUGS 

A Northern  Flicker  of  the  cafra  subspecies 
(“Red-shafted  Flicker”)  wandered  e.  to  Ames, 
lA,  where  it  visited  a feeder  1 Jan  (JJD).  The 
season’s  hummingbird  roster  included  an  ad. 
male  Rufous  at  a Bourbon,  KY  feeder  late 
Nov — 1 Jan  (VS,  BPB).  The  Vermilion 
Flycatcher  reported  at  O.N.W.R.  last  fall  lin- 
gered until  12  Dec  (KMi).  A Loggerhead 
Shrike  at  Killdeer  Plains  W.M.A.,  OH  12  Dec — 


11  Feb  (TS,  m.  ob.)  was  most  unusual  for  that 
location.  The  count  of  27  Northern  Shrikes 
reported  across  the  Region  was  below  the  aver- 
age of  recent  winters.  A lingering  Blue-headed 
Vireo  in  Ames,  lA  15  Dec  (fKH,  et  al.),  pro- 
vided that  state’s  2nd  Dec  record.  Fish  Crows 
are  rarely  reported  in  the  dead  of  winter;  con- 
sequently, the  4 at  Horseshoe  L.,  IL  21  Jan 
(KAM)  were  noteworthy. 

A Tree  Swallow  in  Taylor,  KY  24  Feb  (RDe, 
HC)  was  a bit  early,  but  the  Barn  Swallow  at  L. 
Chautauqua  N.W.R.,  IL  22  Feb  (RBj,  SBj)  was 
thoroughly  overzealous.  For  the  2nd  time  in 
three  years,  ne.  Kentucky  hosted  Black-capped 
Chickadees;  3 were  banded  and  2 others  seen 
in  Blaine  6 Feb,  and  3 more  were  observed  5 
km  farther  n.  (SFh,  BPB,  MM).  Both  of  the 
Region’s  autumn  Brown-headed  Nuthatches 
lingered  well  into  winter.  The  Illinois  Beach 
S.R,  IL  bird  was  seen  until  9 Feb  (GAW,  SH, 
DBJ,  m.  ob.),  and  the  Geauga,  OH  nuthatch 
lingered  until  15  Jan  (LGi,  JMc,  ph.  m.  ob.). 

The  5 House  Wrens  reported  in  Kentucky 
during  the  C.B.C.  period  made  for  an  unusual- 
ly high  winter  total.  Townsend’s  Solitaire 
reports  were  up  this  winter,  with  one  in  Cook, 
IL  17  Dec  (GB,  fide  KJM),  a single  bird  in 
O’Brien,  lA  8 Jan— 16  Feb  (DKo,  tTNJ,  LAS, 
ETh),  and  2 in  Plymouth,  lA  1 1 Jan  (fWFH  et 
al).  Hermit  Thrushes  were  plentiful,  with  6 in 
Iowa,  5 in  Illinois,  and  3 in  Indiana.  Thousands 
of  American  Robins  lingered  well  into  winter, 
as  evidenced  by  8000  at  Rend  L.,  IL  15  Dec 
(DKa)  and  3000  in  Henry,  IL  1 Feb  (DJS). 
Incredibly,  one  even  nested;  a female  was 
observed  incubating  two  eggs  in  Chicago  from 
13  Dec — 12  Jan  (JPe).  American  Pipits  were 
reported  in  good  numbers  across  the  Region; 
peak  counts  included  150  at  Carl.  L.  27  Dec 
(DKa)  and  150  in  Warren,  KY  25  Jan  (DR). 
Once  again,  Bohemian  Waxwings  were 
restricted  to  n.  Iowa,  where  singletons  were 
reported  at  Hawkeye  W.M.A.  13  Dec  (tJLF) 
and  in  O’Brien  2 Feb  (tLAS).  Cedar  Waxwing 
counts  were  nominal  this  winter;  the  largest 
concentration  consisted  of  477  in  Winnebago, 
IL  29  Dec  (DWi). 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FIHCHES 

As  has  occurred  in  recent  mild  winters,  a num- 
ber of  warblers  lingered  in  the  Region.  Most 
noteworthy  were  a Nashville  Warbler  in 
Cleveland,  OH  15  Dec  (JT,  RK)  that  provided 
that  state’s  3rd  Dec  record,  and  a female 
American  Redstart  in  Columbus,  OH  22  Dec 
(RR).  Among  the  more  “expected”  winter  war- 
blers, Pines  and  Palms,  were  each  reported  in 
four  states,  whereas  two  states  claimed 
Ovenbirds  and  Common  Yellowthroats. 

More  evidence  that  more  Neotropical  birds 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


181 


^ A The  spate  of  recent  warm  winters 
^l^^as  rendered  many  of  the  Region’s 
birders  accustomed  to  seeing  warblers,  and 
other  tropical  species,  in  December. 
However,  the  appearance  of  a Christmas- 
period  Louisiana  Waterthrush,  on  freshly 
fallen  snow,  would  astonish  even  the 
staunchest  global  warmer.  Indeed,  on  29 
Dec,  a Louisiana  Waterthrush  was  discov- 
ered in  Twinsburg,  Summit,  OH  (fLRo, 
JSe,  CJ,  ph.  and  six  other  observers). 
Identifiable  photographs  were  obtained. 
This  is  the  first  confirmed  winter  record 
for  Ohio  (the  previous  latest  date  was  in 
September)  and  a cursory  examination  of 
the  literature  revealed  no  other  December 
records  in  the  Region. 

are  wintering  in  the  Region  was  offered  by  a 
Summer  Tanager’s  presence  at  a Shipshewana, 
IN  feeder  27  Dec — 30  Jan  (PSm,  fDSt,  ph. 
ML,  PM). 

The  season’s  only  Spotted  Towhee  was  a 
female  in  Urbana,  IL  1-2  Dec  (SBa,  ni.  ob.). 
Chipping  Sparrow  numbers  were  up  this  win- 
ter; the  peak  count  consisting  of  17  in  Bowling 
Green,  KY  29  Dec — late  Jan  (DR).  Other  note- 
worthy sparrow  reports  included  a single 
Vesper  at  Peabody  W.M.A.,  KY  7 Jan  (MM) 
and  an  impressive  58  Savannahs  in  Greene,  IN 
24  Feb  (DRW).  Most  unusual  were  single  win- 
ter-period Lincoln’s  Sparrows  in  downtown 
Indianapolis  8 Dec  (RHe,  DGo,  et  al.)  and  in 
w.  Fulton,  KY  10  Feb  (BPB,  DR).  Harris’s 
Sparrows  were  scarce,  the  only  report  e.  of  the 
Mississippi  R.  being  of  a bird  in  Shelby,  IN  29 
Dec — 6 Feb  (DGo,  JMc,  ph.,  m.  ob.).  Lapland 
Longspurs  and  Snow  Buntings  were  present  in 
typical  numbers;  peak  counts  were  500+ 
Laplands  in  McLean,  IL,  (MLR,  LW)  and  1000 
Buntings  in  Fulton,  OH  8 Jan  (JY). 

A male  Indigo  Bunting,  which  visited  a 
Daviess,  KY  feeding  station  18-26  Feb  (MTo), 
added  to  the  season’s  hefty  winter  list  of 
Neotropical  migrant  passerines.  Yellow-head- 
ed Blackbird  reports  included  one  in  Warrick, 
IN  9 Feb  (CMi),  a female  in  Woodbury,  lA  9 
Feb  (WFH),  and  2 ad.  males  in  Union,  KY  27 
Feb  (BPB).  Excellent  blackbird  counts  were 
also  logged;  peak  tallies  included  1100  Rusty 
Blackbirds  at  Mermet  L.,  IL,  31  Dec  (KMA) 
and  200  Brewer’s  Blackbirds  in  Gibson,  IN  12 
Jan  (CMi).  A fine  winter  Great-tailed  Grackle 
count  of  22  birds  was  made  1 Jan  in  Dickinson, 
lA  (LAS).  Peak  tallies  of  the  more  common 
blackbird  species  included  38,500  Red- 
wingeds  at  Rend  L.,  IL  15  Dec  (KAM),  50,000 
Common  Crackles  at  Carl.  L.  1 Dec  (DKa), 


and  3000  Brown-headed  Cowbirds  at  Carl.  L. 
23  Dec  (DKa).  The  winter  darkness  was 
brightened  by  the  appearance  of  2 Baltimore 
Orioles.  The  first  was  in  Jo  Daviess,  IL  12-29 
Dec  (RDo),  and  an  ad.  male  was  in  Cuyahoga, 
OH  on  Christmas  day  (LGa,  reportedly  ph.). 

Despite  the  guarded  optimism  generated 
during  the  fall  flight,  it  was  a mediocre  season 
for  winter  finches.  Purple  Finches  were 
deemed  scarce  in  many  states,  but  a peak  count 
of  60  was  logged  in  Cerro  Gordo,  LA  1 Jan  (PH, 
et  al.).  Red  Crossbills  were  reported  only  in 
Illinois  and  Iowa;  the  peak  tally  was  30  at  Sand 
Ridge  State  Forest,  IL  12  Jan  (KAM,  KR). 
White-winged  Crossbills  were  more  wide- 
spread, with  observations  in  all  five  reporting 
states.  The  maximum  count  was  12  in  Carroll, 
I A 29  Dec  (RGo).  Common  Redpolls  fared  a 
bit  better,  with  multiple  reports  from  every 
state;  the  largest  count,  by  a wide  margin,  con- 
sisted of  165  at  Areola  Cr.,  OH,  2 Jan  (JPg). 
Double-digit  counts  of  Pine  Siskins  were 
recorded  in  every  state  (mainly  in  Dec),  with  a 
maximum  of  75  in  Lucas,  OH  9 Dec  (TA).  The 
Region’s  Evening  Grosbeak  inventory  consist- 
ed of  2 found  at  different  Kentucky  locations. 

MISSOURI  SUMMARY 

For  the  most  part,  observations  of  the 
Missouri  birders  paralleled  those  in  the  other 
five  states.  Missouri  provided  the  season’s  only 
Pacific  Loon:  a single  bird  at  Fellow’s  L.  1 Dec 
(CB).  Up  to  40  Trumpeter  Swans  were  at 
R.E.D.A.  during  the  winter,  and  30  were  count- 
ed at  that  location  8 Dec  (BR).  In  view  of  these 
high  numbers.  Brad  Jacobs  suggested  that  the 
status  of  this  “non-established”  species  should 
soon  be  re-evaluated.  This  sentiment  is  shared 
by  observers  in  several  nearby  states.  At 
R.E.D.A.,  the  winter  gull  population  reached 
about  4000,  of  which  about  80%  were  Ring- 
billed Gulls  (BR).  Rarities  at  R.E.D.A.  included 
a Thayer’s  Gull  30  Dec  (BR),  a first-winter 
Glaucous  19  Jan  (BR,  m.  ob.),  and  a Lesser 
Black-backed  6 Jan  (MTe).  The  “Show-Me 
State”  also  added  three  Snowy  Owl  reports  to 
the  Region’s  tally  (LL,  JH,  SK);  all  were  in  the 
ne.  corner  of  the  state  and  possibly  represent 
the  same  individual.  Most  accommodating  was 
the  Lewis’s  Woodpecker  reported  last  fall  at 
Schell-Osage  W.M.A.;  the  bird  was  seen  in  each 
of  the  three  winter  months  {fide  BJa).  A 
Bewick’s  Wren  at  Prairie  S.P.  23-24  Feb  (fPMc, 
SK,  LL,  m.  ob.)  provided  one  of  few  winter 
records  of  this  species,  which  is  vanishing  in 
the  Midwest.  The  18  Le  Conte’s  Sparrows  in 
Nodaway  14  Dec  (DAE),  represents  a fine  win- 
ter count.  A lone  Snow  Bunting  was  observed 
by  45  birders  at  L.  Mozingo  2 Dec  (LL),  and  an 
impressive  flock  of  25  was  in  Boone  19  Jan 


(tJMc).  Great-tailed  Grackles  were 
plentifuLwith  three  counts  exceeding  50  birds; 
the  peak  tally  was  100  in  Green  21  Jan  (GS). 
White-winged  Crossbills  were  reported  at 
three  locations,  and  a Common  Redpoll  was  in 
Buchanan  17  Dec  (LL). 

Addendum 

The  Bewick’s  Wren  reported  25  Sep  2000  in 
Franklin,  IL  (N.  A.  B.  55:  60)  was  not  accepted 
by  the  Illinois  committee. 

Cited  contributors  (subregional  editors  in 
boldface):  Tom  Anderson,  Emil  Bacik,  Steve 
Bailey  (SBa),  Susan  Bagby  (SBg),  Gerald 
Batsford,  Mark  Bennett,  Richard  Bjorklund 
(RBj),  Sigurd  Bjorklund  (SBj),  Gary  and  Lisa 
Bowman  (G  8c  LB),  Aaron  Brees  (ABr),  Alan 
Bruner  (AB)  (Indiana),  Charles  Burwick, 
Kathy  Caminiti,  John  K.Cassady,  John  S. 
Castrale,  Robert  Cecil  (RCe)(Iowa),  Hap 
Chambers,  Robert  T.  Chapel  (RTC),  Paul  R. 
Clyne,  Julie  Craves  (JCv),  Roseanna  Denton 
(RDe),  Jay  Desgrosellier,  Danny  Diaz,  James  J. 
Dinsmore,  Steven  J.  Dinsmore,  Clarke  Dirks, 
Mike  Dooley,  Randy  Downing  (RDo),  Melissa 
Easley,  David  A.  Easterla,  Chris  Edwards,  Josh 
Engel,  Vic  Fazio,  Steve  Freed  (SFd),  Scott 
Freidhof  (SFh),  Al  Frohlich,  James  L.  Fuller, 
Dale  Fye,  Lou  Gardella  (LGa),  Urs  Geiser, 
Linda  Gilbert  (LGi),  Ted  Gilliand,  Rita 
Goranson,  Don  Gorney,  Joseph  W.  Hammond, 
Ray  Hannikman  (RHn),  Rob  Harlan  (RHa) 
(Ohio),  Leroy  Harrison,  Jim  Haw  (Haw),  Jeff 
Hays  (JHy),  Kevin  Healy,  Roger  Hedge  (RHe), 
Jim  8c  Susan  Hengeveld  (J  8c  SH),  Paul  Hertzel, 
Scott  Hickman,  Jack  Hilsabeck,  Robert 
Hughes  (RHu),  William  F.  Huser,  Brad  Jacobs 
(BJa)  (Missouri),  Carl  Johnson,  David  B. 
Johnson,  Tom  N.  Johnson,  Dan  Kassebaum 
(DKa),  Tom  Kellerman  (TKe),  Thomas  H. 
Kent,  Steve  Kinder,  Ron  Kish,  Bob  Kissel, 
Darwin  Koenig  (DKo),  Larry  Lade,  Merlin 
Lehman,  Craig  Litteken,  Walter  J.  Marcisz, 
Kelly  J.  McKay  (KJM)  (Illinois),  Jeff  McCoy 
(JMc),  Paul  McKenzie  (PMc),  Keith  A. 
McMullen  (KAM),  Kent  Miller  (KMi),  Perry 
Miller,  Charles  Mills  (CMi),  Mark  Monroe, 
Francis  L.  Moore,  Darrin  O’Brien  (DOb), 
Doug  Overacker  (DOv),  Mike  Overton, 
Brainard  Palmer-Ball,  Jr.  (BPB)  (Kentucky), 
Jane  Pedersen  (JPe),  John  Pogacnik  (JPg), 
Mark  Proescholdt,  Michael  L.  Retter,  Kevin 
Richmond,  David  Roemer,  Larry  Rosche 
(LRo),  Bill  Rowe,  Robert  Royse,  Vicky  Sanders, 
Pat  Schlarbaum  (PSb),  Pete  Schmucher  (PSm), 
Lee  A.  Schoenewe,  Judy  Semroc  (JSe),  Darrell  J. 
Shambaugh,  Regina  Shieltz  (RSh),  Troy 
Shively,  Jim  Sinclair  (JSi),  Chris  Sloan,  Robert 
Soaper  (RSo),  Leonard  Stanley  (LSt),  Steve 


182 


North  American  Birds 


Middlewestern  Prairie — Central  Southern 


Stedman,  Alan  Stokie,  Dan  Stoltzfus  (DSt), 
Greg  Swick,  Jerry  Talkington,  Ed  Thelen 
(ETh),  Mike  Thelen  (MTe),  Marilee 
Thompson  (MTo),  Mark  Vukovich  (MV),  Eric 
Walters,  Bill  Whan  (BWh),  Leslie  Wheatley, 
Donald  R.  Whitehead  (DRW),  Dan  Williams 


Jr.  (DWi),  Geoff  A.  Williamson,  Ben  Yandell, 
John  Yochum,  Sean  Zadar,  and  Hank  Zalatel. 
Many  other  individuals  who  could  not  be  per- 
sonally acknowledged  also  submitted  notes  to 
the  various  state  reports;  all  have  our  thanks. 


Central  Southern 


Cross  Creeks  NWR 

• Nashville 


ARKANSAS 


Wheeler  NWR 


MISSISSIPPI 


ALABAMA 


LOUISIANA 


FLORIDA 


Gulfport 


FtMors^ 


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) 

While  the  calendar  may  have  indicated  it 
was  winter,  temperatures  and  lingering 
Neotropical  migrants  certainly  did  not.  Most 
areas  did  not  record  freezing  temperatures 
until  mid-December,  while  the  first  major 
cold  front  arrived  much  later  than  is  typical,  in 
the  first  week  in  January.  Overall,  it  was  one  of 
the  warmest  winters  in  recent  memory. 
Waterfowl  numbers  were  significantly  below 
average,  while  52  species  of  Neotropical 
migrants  were  reported,  18  of  those  warblers. 

Abbreviations:  E.N.W.R.  (Eufaula  N.W.R., 
AL),  M.S.C.N.W.R.  (Mississippi  Sandhill 


Crane  N.W.R.,  MS),  N.N.W.R.  (Noxubee 
N.W.R.,  MS),  p.  a.  (pending  acceptance  by 
appropriate  state  bird  records  committee), 
U.A.E.F.  (University  of  Arkansas  Experimental 
Farm),  U.L.L.E.F.  (University  of  Louisiana- 
Lafayette  Experimental  Farm),  W.N.W.R. 
(Wheeler  N.W.R.,AL). 

LOONS  THROUGH  IBISES 

Red-throated  Loons  continue  to  be  reported 
widely  in  winter.  In  coastal  Alabama,  one  was 
recorded  on  the  Perdido  Bay  C.B.C.,  Baldwin 
22  Dec  (RAD,  LRD),  and  2 were  seen  in 
Perdido  Pass  29  Dec  (DMW,  RRR);  in  Florida, 
one  was  at  Bayou  Grande,  Escambia  22  Dec 
(PB  et  al.).  Inland,  singles  were  at  Guntersville, 
Marshall,  AL  5-12  Jan  (SWM,  GDC,  SG)  and 
near  Pace  Point,  Henry,  TN  3-23  Feb  (JRW, 
HC,  RD,  m.  ob.).  Pacific  Loons  were  at 
Perdido  Pass  29  Dec  (3;  RRR),  and  up  to  3 
were  at  Guntersville,  AL  17  Jan — 23  Feb  (GDJ, 
DGJ,  RAR,  GDC,  m.  ob.),  with  a different  bird 


there  2 Dec  (DCu,  RCu).  One  near  Ft.  Walton, 
FL  17  Dec  (WWD,  LD)  and  one  at  Moses  Pier, 
Harrison,  MS  20  Jan  (SJD)  were  local  rarities. 
In  Tennessee,  up  to  2 were  in  the  Pace  Point 
area  23  Dec — 23  Feb  (JRW,  HC,  RD,  JD,  CAS). 

Red-necked  Grebes  occur  only  sporadically 
in  the  Region;  the  only  report  was  of  one  from 
Horn  L.,  Desoto,  MS  22  Feb  (RH).  Up  to  2 
Eared  Grebes  were  at  Guntersville,  AL  1-5  Jan 
(LBR,  RAR,  DCu,  RCu  et  al),  while  singles 
were  on  Cross  L.,  Caddo,  AR  5 Dec  (CLy)  and 
St.  Bernard,  LA  23  Dec  (DLD,  SWC).  Western 
Grebe,  casual  in  Mississippi,  was  seen  on  Enid 
L.,  Yalobusha  1 Dec  (SJD,  WMD),  while  a 
Western/Clark’s  Grebe  at  Guntersville  24  Feb 
(p.  a.  DCu,  RCu)  was  Alabama’s  4th 
Aechmophorus. 

A spectacular  movement  of  American 
White  Pelicans  through  the  Region  com- 
menced 2 Dec.  In  Alabama,  up  to  22  were  at 
W.N.W.R.,  Limestone  (JWi,  CDC  et  al),  where 
they  are  regular,  and  35  were  on  Weiss  L., 
Cherokee  (SC),  where  they  are  rarely  seen. 
Tennessee  hosted  44  on  Reelfoot  L., 
Lake/Obion  (m.  ob.),  with  20  remaining 
through  20  Feb;  in  Humphreys,  31were  seen  15 
Jan  (GBC).  In  Mississippi,  180  were  on 
Columbus  L.,  Lowndes/Clay  3 Dec,  with  6 
remaining  through  25  Feb;  2 were  at 
N.N.W.R.,  Noxubee  i 1 Dec — 5 Jan,  and  one 
was  recorded  on  Oktibbeha  County  L.  22  Dec 
(TS,  MS,  m.  ob.).  Up  to  855  were  on 
University  L.  in  Baton  Rouge,  LA  4 Dec  (MSw, 
JK).  Neotropic  Cormorants  have  been  steadily 
expanding  their  range  in  Louisiana  over  the 
past  few  years.  In  what  may  be  their  northern- 
most breeding  location,  15  pairs  and  a total  of 
50  individuals  were  in  a rookery  on  L.  Martin, 
St.  Martin  17  Feb  (JH). 

Reddish  Egrets  occur  sporadically  along  the 
n.  Gulf  of  Mexico  in  winter.  Singles  in  Little 
Lagoon  Pass,  Baldwin,  AL  28  Dec  (HHK,  GA) 
and  on  the  New  Orleans  C.B.C.  23  Dec  (DPM, 
KVR,  JWB)  were  noteworthy,  as  were  2 near 
Moses  Pier  in  Mississippi  27  Jan  (SWo,  MC). 
Cattle  Egrets  lingered,  with  20  on  the 
W.N.W.R.  C.B.C.,  Morgan,  AL  15  Dec  (m. 
ob.).  In  Arkansas,  7 were  at  Little  River,  Fomby 
2 Dec  (DA),  one  was  at  Lonoke,  Lonoke  16  Dec 
(HP,  MP),  and  8 were  in  Stuttgart,  Arkansas  26 
Jan  (HP,  MP).  White  Ibis  away  from  the  coast 
were:  one  imm.  along  Browning  Cr., 
Oktibbeha,  MS  13  Dec  (TS);  21  on  the 
Texarkana  C.B.C.,  Miller,  AR  (CM);  and  12  at 
Millwood  L.,  Little  River,  AR  (CM).  Seeing 
Plegadis  away  from  the  coast  in  Alabama  dur- 
ing the  winter  is  unusual;  2 on  the  W.N.W.R. 
C.B.C.  15  Dec  (CDC,  TP)  and  one  at 
E.N.W.R.,  Barbour  23-24  Feb  (LBR,  RAR) 
were  exceptional. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


183 


WATERFOWL 

Waterfowl  numbers  in  general  were  low  in  the 
Region,  presumably  owing  to  the  fall-like  tem- 
peratures that  persisted  throughout  the  period. 
While  numbers  were  low,  diversity  remained 
high.  Black-bellied  Whistling-Ducks  continued 
their  expansion  in  Louisiana,  with  21  at  Bayou 
Sauvage  N.W.R.  23  Dec  (PAW,  CSo).  The  high- 
est number  reported  was  150  at  W.  Hackberry, 
Cameron  15  Dec  (GO,  BiH).  The  4th  Tennessee 
Valley  record  for  Fulvous  Whistling-Duck  was 
of  one  at  Guntersville,  AL  1-20  Jan  (RAR,  m. 
ob.).  In  Louisiana,  up  to  55  were  seen  on  Forked 
Island,  Vermilion  21  Feb  (GO),  while  10-35 
were  recorded  at  Sabine  N.W.R. , Cameron  17 
Dec — 10  Feb  (BrH,  WC,  m.  ob.).  Greater 
White-fronted  Geese  were  reported  from  their 
usual  Alabama  haunts  at  W.N.W.R.  (CDC,  JJ, 
m.  ob.),  with  a peak  of  19  on  28  Dec,  and  at 
E.N.W.R.  (BFF,  m.  ob.),  where  they  peaked  at  21 
on  22  Feb.  One  was  reported  in  Baldwin  27  Jan, 
where  rare  in  winter  (LG,  AM).  Impressive 
Snow  Geese  flocks  reported  were  10,000  at 
Reelfoot  L,  12  Jan  (MAG,  JRW,  VBR),  40,000  at 
Big  Lake  N.W.R.,  Mississippi,  AR  2 Feb  (NL, 
CL),  and  80,000  in  Tunica,  MS  25  Dec  (JRW). 
Ross’s  Geese  were  reported  from  an  amazing  18 
different  locations.  Largest  numbers  were 
reported  from  areas  that  traditionally  host  large 
flocks  of  Snow  Geese.  In  Little  River,  AR,  226 
were  seen  23  Feb  (CW),  including  one  neck- 
banded  and  6-8  Snow  x Ross’s  hybrids.  An 
amazing  300  were  with  the  80,000  Snow  Geese 
reported  in  Tunica,  MS  25  Dec  (JRW).  Away 
from  the  traditional  areas,  interesting  singles 
were  at  Fairhope,  Baldwin,  AL  16  Dec  (BSu); 
Auburn,  AL  20  Dec  (BFF);  L.  Atalanta,  Benton, 
AR  24  Dec  (DJ,  JN,  LA,  MM);  Savannah 
Bottoms,  Hardin,  TN  29  Dec  (JRW);  Prichard, 
Tunica,  MS  30  Dec  (KKu,  BPe,  WRP);  Calera, 
Shelby,  AL  31  Dec  (]AA,fide  AMi);  Orleans,  LA 
27  Jan  (PAW);  and,  Nashville,  Davidson,  TN  3 
Feb  (PDC). 

The  only  Tundra  Swan  reports  came  from 
Mississippi,  one  at  N.N.W.R.  15  Jan-l-  (RW,  LW, 


TS,  m.  ob.)  and  3 in  Washington  16  Jan  (GK, 
SK).  Eurasian  Wigeon  has  become  almost 
annual  at  a few  locations  in  the  Region;  one  at 
Britton  Ford,  TN  18-22  Feb  was  w.  Tennessee’s 
5th  (MCT,  AH).  Blue-winged  Teal  singles  were 
on  East  L.  in  Birmingham,  Jefferson,  AL  8 Dec 
(GJH)  and  near  Little  Dixie,  Prairie,  AR  30  Dec 
(KN,  LN,  MDi).  A Common  Teal  was  at 
Lauderdale  Waterfowl  Refuge,  TN  3 Dec — Jan 
(JRW,  m.  ob.).  The  largest  number  of  Greater 
Scaup  reported  was  52  from  Guntersville,  AL  23 
Feb  (SJD,  JRB).  An  impressive  flock  of  20,000 
Lesser  Scaup  in  St.  Martin,  LA  27  Jan  (MJM) 
appeared  to  be  staging  for  migration.  Surf 
Scoters  were  reported  from  five  locations:  2 at 
Guntersville,  AL  7 Dec  (SWM);  one  at  Wheeler 
L)am,  Lauderdale/Lawrence,  AL  23  Feb  (SJD); 
one  in  Dekalb,  TN  7 Dec  (joined  by  12  others  1 1 
Dec  [SJS]);  one  at  Britton  Ford  9 Feb  (MAG, 
MCT,  JRW);  and  2 along  the  Mandeville  water- 
front, St.  Tammany,  LA  30  Nov — 30  Dec  (BW, 
RS,  m.  ob.).  White-winged  Scoters  were  report- 
ed from  four  locations:  2 in  upper  Mobile  Bay, 
AL  7-15  Dec  (KK  et  al);  one  at  Guntersville,  AL 
1 Jan — 26  Feb  (LBR,  RAR,  m.  ob);  Oktibbeha 
County  L.  17  Dec — 21  Jan  (TS,  m.  ob.);  and  near 
Pace  Point,  TN  20  Jan— 23  Feb  (MCT,  JRW). 

An  ad.  male  Long-tailed  Duck  was  noted  at 
Andersen’s  Fish  Farm,  Chicot,  AR  19  Dec.  (LAn), 
while  single  females  were  at  the  U.L.L.E.F.,  St. 
Martin  23  Jan  (JH);  in  Harrison,  MS  25-26  Feb 
(SWo,  MC);  and  along  the  Mississippi  R.  Levee, 
Dyer,  TN  1 Jan  ( JRW).  Arkansas’s  first  Barrow’s 
Goldeneye  was  found  on  L.  Dardanelle, 
Pope/Yell  2-3  Feb  (KN,  LN,  m.  ob.).  Common 
Mergansers  are  noticeably  absent  from  the 
Region  during  mild  winters.  Up  to  5 were  on  L. 
Dardanelle,  AR  9 Jan  (LAn),  while  in  Tennessee, 
up  to  12  were  at  Pace  Point  11  Jan — 13  Feb 
(MCT,  DM,  m.  ob.)  and  one  on  Gibson  County 
L.  2 Feb  (MAG). 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  SHOREBIRDS 

White-tailed  Kites  continue  to  do  well  in 
Cameron,  Louisiana.  Nine  were  seen  near  Ferry 


12  Dec  (JK,  JKl),  and  10  were  recorded  from 
Johnson  Bayou  to  Holly  Beach  26  Jan  (KDE). 
Two  were  e.  of  normal  range  at  Lacassine 
N.W.R.  Pool  14  Dec— 3 Jan  (JK,  KF,  MGu,  BHa, 
m.  ob.).  Broad-winged  Hawks  continue  to  win- 
ter in  Plaquemines,  LA,  where  4 were  on  the 
Venice  C.B.C.  29  Dec  (m.  ob.)  and  an  amazing  8 
were  recorded  from  Boothville  to  Venice  2 1 Jan 
(BMM,  PAW,  RDP,  DPM).  Outside  that  area, 
one  was  near  Sorrento,  Ascension  20  Jan  (JH).  A 
Swainson’s  Hawk  was  seen  on  the  Creole  C.B.C. 
at  Rutherford  Beach,  Cameron,  LA  17  Dec 
(DLD,  SWC,  MSw).  Rough-legged  Hawks  can  be 
hard  to  find  during  mild  winters  in  the  Region. 
Singles  were  recorded  5 Dec- — 1 Jan  in  Lake,  TN 
(MAG,  NM,  MCT,  JRW)  and  24  Dec— 23  Feb 
near  Georgetown,  White,  AR  (KN,  LN,  MDi).  A 
dark-morph  bird  was  in  Madison,  TN  29  Dec 
(MAG,  CG). 

Golden  Eagles  were  widely  reported  in  the 
Region,  continuing  the  trend  of  recent  winters. 
In  Arkansas,  an  ad.  was  seen  on  the  Illinois 
Bayou  C.B.C.,  Pope  3 Jan  (CK),  and  an  imm.  was 
near  Yancopin,  Desha  20  Jan  (JC).  In  Louisiana, 
where  it  is  a review-list  species,  2 imms.  were 
seen  in  Morehouse  9 Dec  (MSw,  BR),  2 were  near 
the  Lacassine  Pool  14  Dec  (JK,  MGu,  KP,  BHa), 
and  an  imm.  was  in  Jefferson  Davis  14  Dec  (m. 
ob.).  An  imm.  was  at  N.N.W.R.,  MS  2-26  Jan 
(TS,  SJD),  while  2 were  at  Pace  Point,  TN  1 
Jan — Feb.  (MCT,  JD,  CAS).  Merlins  were 
recorded  at  several  inland  locations  in  Alabama, 
Mississippi,  and  Tennessee,  where  they  are 
always  unusual.  Prairie  Falcons  were  recorded 
at  two  locations  in  Arkansas  (Pangburn, 
Cleburne,  10  Feb  [KN,  LN]  and  Lollie  Bottoms, 
Faulkner  10-18  Feb  [HR,  AMu])  and  one  spo- 
radically in  Tennessee  in  Lake  4 Dec — 26  Feb 
(DR,  MAG,  CAS,  m.  ob.). 

One  each  of  King  and  Virginia  Rail  provided 
good  winter  records  at  N.N.W.R.,  MS  15  Dec 
(TS).  Sandhill  Cranes  were  at  W.N.W.R.,  AL, 
where  up  to  142  were  seen  throughout  the  peri- 
od (SWM,  DCu,  RCu,  CDC,  m.  ob.).  In 
Tennessee,  29  were  near  Britton  Ford  3 Feb 


^ A In  1 820,  during  his  flatboat  trip  along  the  Mississippi  River,  John  James  Audubon  recorded  Trumpeter  Swans  twice  in  Tennessee:  on  26 
w#«November,  he  sighted  one  in  west  Tennessee,  and  on  30  November  another  was  near  the  Third  Chickasaw  Bluff,  Shelby  and  Tipton 
Counties  (Robinson,  J.C.  1990.  An  Annotated  Checklist  of  the  Birds  of  Tennessee.  University  of  Tennessee  Press,  Knoxville).  For  the  next  182  years 
and  28  days.  Trumpeters  were  unknown  in  the  state. 

On  28  December  2001,  Jeff  Wilson  found  an  immature  and  2 adult  Trumpeter  Swans  at  Lauderdale  Waterfowl  Refuge,  Lauderdale,  Tennessee. 
The  swans  had  been  neck-banded  in  Wisconsin,  where  the  species  has  been  reintroduced  in  recent  years.  For  the  next  15  days,  the  swans  were 
seen  by  many  on  the  refuge.  Some  time  after  12  January,  the  young  bird  disappeared.  While  watching  the  2 adults  at  some  distance  on  13  January, 
Wilson  noticed  suspicious  dark  spots  on  one  of  the  adults.  After  getting  closer  to  the  swans  and  through  extreme  magnification,  he  was  able  to 
determine  that  the  spots  were  blood.  Several  days  of  searching  failed  to  locate  the  immature.  During  this  time,  the  wounded  swan  did  not  feed 
and  stayed  close  to  the  apparently  uninjured  swan.  In  February,  a hunter  pleaded  guilty  in  state  court  to  killing  the  immature  swan.  He  was 
fined  $50  plus  court  costs  of  $131.50,  as  well  as  $200  to  the  Tennessee  Wildlife  Resources  Agency.  The  wounded  adult  appeared  to  recover,  and 
both  adults  were  seen  through  22  January.  Are  they  the  vanguards  to  re-establish  Trumpeter  Swans  in  Tennessee  and  the  remainder  of  their  for- 
mer range? 


184 


North  American  Birds 


Central  Southern 


(JRW,  et  al),  and  18  were  at  the  Tunica  County 
Landfill,  MS  30  Dec — 2 Jan  (CB,  VH,  GP,  WRP, 
DDP). 

An  American  Avocet  in  Evangeline,  LA  27 
Dec  (SWC,  DLD)  was  the  first  Pine  Prairie 
C.B.C.  record;  400  were  at  the  East  Jetty, 
Cameron,  LA  10  Feb  (JK,  JKI).  Single  Solitary 
Sandpipers,  all  in  Louisiana,  were  at 
Shreveport,  Caddo  16  Dec  (JT,  JTr),  on  the 
Creole  C.B.C.,  Cameron  17  Dec  (WC),  on  the 
Reserve — Bonne  Carre  C.B.C.  26  Dec  (MW), 
and  at  Haines  Airport,  Acadia  4 Jan  ( JH,  DPa). 
The  shorebird  find  of  the  season  was  the 
Purple  Sandpiper  (p.  a.)  at  Lakefront 
Airport — L.  Pontchartrain  on  the  New  Orleans 
C.B.C.  23  Dec  (DPM,  KVR). 

GULLS  THROUGH  HUMMINGBIRDS 

Last  winter’s  spectacular  Laughing  Gull  inva- 
sion inland  was  not  repeated;  only  3 were 
reported  this  season:  an  ad.  on  Dardanelle  L., 
AR  27  Oct-I-;  an  imm.  at  Pickwick  S.P.,  Hardin, 
TN  8 Feb  (JRW,  MCT);  and  an  ad.  at  Wheeler 
Dam,  AL  23  Feb  (SJD).  Single  ad.  Franklin’s 
GuOs  were  reported  at  Columbus  L.,  MS  6-8 
Dec  (KKi,  m.  ob.)  and  Dardanelle  L.,  AR  21 
Feb  (KN,  LN).  Regional  records  of  Little  Gull 
are  decidedly  rare.  Single  ads.  were  seen  1 Dec 
on  Sardis  L.,  MS  (SJD)  and  4 Jan  on  Millwood 
L.,  AR  (CM).  An  imm.  was  found  on  Johnson’s 
Bayou  Beach,  LA  16  Dec  (BMM,  PAW,  CSo). 
Single  Black-headed  Gulls  were  seen  in 
Arkansas  31  Dec  on  Millwood  L.  (CM)  and  10 
Feb  on  L.  Norfolk,  Baxter  (HR).  Another  ad. 
was  present  at  Grenada  L.,  MS  6 Jan  (SJD,  GK, 
SK,  WMD).  There  are  some  10  California  Gull 
reports  for  nw.  Florida,  though  none  with  doc- 
umentation; an  ad.  was  reported  at  Pensacola 
Beach,  Escambia  5 Feb  (RAD).  An  imm. 
Thayer’s  Gull  was  at  Pickwick  Dam,  TN  10  Feb 
(JRW). 

Of  four  reports  of  Lesser  Black-backed 
Gull,  three  were  inland  in  Tennessee.  A first- 
year  Great  Black-backed  Gull  was  found  at 
Guntersville,  AL  20-26  Jan  (RAR,  LBR,  DPG, 
CDC,  SG),  where  rare,  as  was  one  near  Moses 
Pier,  MS  10  Feb  (SJD,  JJJ).  An  imm.  Black- 
legged Kittiwake  was  at  Columbus  L.,  MS  6-8 
Dec  (KKi,  m.  ob.),  and  the  8th  Arkansas  record 
was  of  an  ad.  at  Dardanelle  L.  18  Dec  (KN, 
LN).  Northwest  Florida’s  3rd  report  of  Roseate 
Tern  was  one  found  on  the  Pensacola  C.B.C.  15 
Dec  (WWD,  EC,  JP).  There  are  no  verfied  win- 
ter records  of  Roseate  Tern  in  Florida. 

Inca  Dove  is  expanding  its  range  in  the 
Region.  Sixteen  were  recorded  at  the  Ogden 
Post  Office,  Little  River,  AR  throughout  the 
period  (CM).  The  2 reported  in  fall  in 
Washington,  MS  remained  through  at  least  2 
Jan  (GK,  SK,  m.  ob.).  Three  at  Grand  Isle, 


Jefferson,  LA  21  Dec  (CGB,  TCB)  were  a first 
for  the  local  C.B.C.  Two  Groove-billed  Anis 
were  at  Holleyman — Sheeley  Sanctuary  16  Dec 
(DLD,  SWC,  CF);  4 were  near  Triumph, 
Plaquemines,  LA  29  Dec  (RDP,  LE,  MSw,  CLy). 
A Lesser  Nighthawk  was  on  the  Venice  C.B.C., 
LA  29  Dec  (DPM,  KVR,  CLy,  MSw,  RS),  while 
a Common  Nighthawk  was  seen  during  the 
count  period  of  the  White  River  C.B.C., 
Arkansas,  AR  15  Dec  (KS,  BH).  Both  species 
are  extremely  rare  in  winter  in  the  Region. 

The  influx  of  hummingbirds  into 
the  Region  was  again  nothing  short 
of  extraordinary.  Consider  this:  nine 
species  reported  in  the  Region,  including 
eight  in  Louisiana,  seven  in  Alabama,  three 
in  Arkansas,  three  in  Mississippi,  one  in 
Tennessee,  and  four  in  northwestern 
Florida!  The  total  of  hummingbirds  band- 
ed was  equally  extraordinary.  Nancy 
Newfield  and  her  associates  banded  429 
hummingbirds  during  the  reporting  peri- 
od: 6 Broad-billed,  22  Buff-bellied,  14 
Ruby-throated,  72  Black-chinned,  15 
Calliope,  9 Broad-tailed,  274  Rufous,  and 
17  Allen’s!  With  those  banded  by  the 
Hummer — Bird  Study  Group  and  others, 
surely  over  500  were  banded  in  the  Region! 
Given  these  numbers,  one  wonders  how 
many  hummingbirds  winter  in  the  Region. 
Among  the  luminaries,  Alabama’s  first 
documented  Broad-billed  Hummingbird 
(p.  a.)  was  an  ad.  male  in  Mobile  seen  early 
Nov-f  (FB,  JCo,  m.  ob.).  Other  Broad- 
billeds  (p.  a.)  were  in  Louisiana,  where  one 
was  in  Baton  Rouge  5 Jan  (MD,  NLN,  JWB, 
CW,  PW)  and  a second-year  female  was 
reported  in  Thibodaux,  Lafourche  26  Jan 
(BM,  SM,  BB).  An  Anna’s  Hummingbird 
was  found  and  banded  near  Gurdon, 
Clark,  AR  4-10  Jan  (BS,  SF,  PF,  LFl,  m.  ob.). 
Eleven  Calliope  Hummingbirds  were 
reported  in  Louisiana,  with  3 in  one  yard 
in  Covington,  St.  Tammany  30  Dec  (NLN, 
MO).  Four  Allen’s  Hummingbirds  were 
reported,  with  an  ad.  male  banded  in 
Pensacola  5 Jan.  A male,  banded  as  an 
imm.  24  Jan  in  Reserve,  LA  (NLN,  RJS  et 
al.),  attained  ad.  male  plumage  and  was 
last  seen  27  Feb.  In  Mississippi,  a hatch- 
year  male  was  trapped  and  banded  in 
Diamondhead,  Hancock  27  Dec  (DHo, 
RRS,  MBS);  a second-year  male  was  band- 
ed in  Ocean  Springs,  Jackson  20  Feb  (JZ, 
RRS,  MBS). 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  WARBLERS 

A Least  Flycatcher  was  identified  near  Kaplan, 


Vermilion,  LA  3 Feb  (RDo).  A Say’s  Phoebe  (p. 
a.)  was  reported  again  this  winter  from 
Jefferson  Davis,  LA  14  Dec — 9 Feb  (CWi,  JK, 
JKI).  Vermilion  Flycatchers,  reported  widely  in 
the  Region,  always  liven  up  a winter’s  day.  A 
first-year  male  was  at  Big  Lake  N.W.R.,  AR  2 
Dec-(-  (NL,  CL,  KN,  LN).  In  Louisiana,  single 
Ash-throated  Flycatchers  were  reported  near 
Gecko,  St.  Martin  3 Dec  (GB,  MSw);  in 
Jefferson  Davis,  14  Dec  (BF,  DPa,  PH,  JM);  in 
Acadia  4 Jan  (MAS,  JAS,  WW,  RDo);  and  near 
Gueydan,  Vermilion  4 fan  (VR,  JF).  Another 
Brown-crested  Flycatcher  was  on  the  Venice 
C.B.C.,  29  Dec,  as  last  year  (BMM,  PAW,  MSw, 
CLy).  A Western  Kingbird  was  seen  near  the 
Lacassine  N.W.R.  Pool,  LA  3 Jan  (DC,  LS), 
where  it  is  rare  in  winter. 

Among  all  the  Ruby-crowned  Kinglets  win- 
tering in  the  Region,  Bell’s  Vireo  can  easily 
escape  detection.  One  was  seen  on  Grand  Isle, 
LA  13  Jan  (BMM,  RDP,  DPM,  PAW).  An  unex- 
pected Warbling  Vireo  was  found  in  Baton 
Rouge  5 Jan  (LCB,  CF).  The  earliest  arriving 
Purple  Martin  reported  was  near  Choctaw, 
Bolivar,  MS  22  Jan  (WI,  Jl).  Northern  Rough- 
winged Swallows  winter  in  the  Region  rarely, 
so  the  5 near  Venice,  LA  29  Dec  (DPM,  RS)  and 
the  single  at  the  U.L.L.E.R  10  Jan  (JH)  were 
unexpected.  Bewick’s  Wrens  were  reported 
from  three  locations.  In  Louisiana,  singles  were 
near  Gilliam,  Caddo  20  Dec  (MSw)  and  Black 
Bayou  Lake  N.W.R.,  Ouachita  28  Jan — 9 Feb 
(SLP,  JB,  BHe).  Another  was  on  the  M.S.U. 
North  Farm,  Oktibbeha,  MS  23-25  Dec  (TS, 
MS).  The  24  Sedge  Wrens  at  M.S.C.N.W.R.  3 
Jan  (SWo,  MG)  were  a good  count.  Inland 
Marsh  Wrens  included  3 at  W.N.W.R.,  AL  1-15 
Dec  (CDC,  RRS,  MRS)  and  2 near  Fayetteville, 
Washington,  AR  13  Dec  (MM).  A well- 
described  Swainson’s  Thrush  near  the  Bonne 
Carre  Spillway,  St.  Charles,  LA  17  Jan  (RJS)  was 
unexpected  in  winter.  Three  Sprague’s  Pipits 
were  in  Baldwin,  AL  early  Nov — 9 Feb  (BSu, 
m.  ob.),  where  they  are  only  occasional. 
Northwest  Florida’s  5th  report  was  of  4 found 
on  Elgin  A.F.B.,  Okaloosa  9 Feb  (LF). 

Mild  temperatures  enticed  18  warbler 
species  to  overwinter  in  the  Region.  One  of  a 
few  winter  records  of  Tennessee  Warbler  in 
middle  Tennessee  came  from  Davidson  28  Jan 
(DWD,  CPD).  Three  Nashville  Warblers  were 
recorded  in  the  Region;  this  semi-hardy  species 
sometimes  overwinters  along  the  coast.  While 
there  are  a few  records  of  Tropical  Parula  in 
Louisiana,  they  are  always  noteworthy.  One 
was  near  Peveto  Woods  Sanctuary,  Cameron  22 
Dec  (MSw).  A Chestnut-sided  Warbler  at 
N.N.W.R.,  MS  12  Dec  (TS)  was  the  area’s  first 
winter  record  and  latest  by  40  days.  Two 
Magnolia  Warblers  were  reported,  both  in 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


185 


Louisiana.  One  was  in  Acadia  4 Jan  (JK,  MSw), 
while  the  other  was  on  Grand  Isle  13  Jan — 24 
Feb  (BMM,  PAW,  DPM,  RDP). 

The  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler  overwin- 
tering on  Grand  Isle,  LA  13  Jan — 24  Feb 
(BMM,  PAW,  DPM,  RDP)  was  unusual. 
Alabama’s  1 1 th  Black-throated  Gray  Warbler 
(p.  a.)  was  in  Montrose,  Baldwin  5 Dec-t-  (VBF, 
m.  ob.).  The  only  Black-throated  Green 
Warbler  report  was  of  one  on  Grand  Isle  13 
Jan— 24  Feb  (PAW,  BMM,  DPM,  RDP). 
Alabama’s  3rd  inland  winter  record  of  Prairie 
Warbler  was  of  an  ad.  male  at  E.N.W.R.  22  Feb 
(BFF).  Two  American  Redstarts,  two  Yellow- 
breasted Chats,  and  one  Northern  Waterthrush 
were  reported  from  Louisiana,  but  totally 
unexpected  was  a Kentucky  Warbler  on  the 
Conway  C.B.C.,  Faulkner,  AR  15  Dec  (LM). 

TANAGERS  THROUGH  GOLDFINCHES 

Tanagers  are  sporadic  overwinterers  in  the 
Region.  Alabama’s  12th  winter  Summer 
Tanager  was  found  along  the  Mobile  Causeway 
23  Jan  (RAD,  LRD,  BT).  In  Louisiana,  a male 
was  in  Covington  mid-Dec -I-  (LMK,  LB)  and  a 
female  was  found  on  the  Cheneyville  C.B.C., 
Rapides  29  Dec  (RJB).  In  Mississippi,  single 
females  recorded  at  Starkville  21  Dec-t-  (BWi, 
SW,  TS)  and  Longview,  both  Oktibbeha  29  Dec 
(ECr)  were  first  and  2nd  area  winter  records, 
respectively.  A male  Western  Tanager  wintered 
in  the  same  yard  in  Baton  Rouge  24-27  Dec 
(JLe,  JK)  for  the  3rd  year. 

Spotted  Towhees,  increasingly  frequent, 
were  near  Fiampton,  AR  22  Nov — 13  Jan  (JC) 
and  Fayetteville,  AR  6 Dec — 26  Jan  (MM),  in 
Peveto  Woods  Sanctuary,  LA  early  Nov — -22 
Dec  (DB,  MSw),  on  the  Johnson’s  Bayou 
C.B.C.,  LA  16  Dec  (RDP),  and  17  Feb  in  Dyer, 
TN  (JRW).  American  Trees  Sparrows  were 
reported  from  Arkansas,  Mississippi,  and 
Tennessee,  with  a high  count  of  6 on  the 
Reelfoot  C.B.C.  15  Dec.  The  only  Clay-colored 
Sparrows  reported  were  from  Alabama,  where 
singles  were  seen  near  Foley  29  Dec  on  the  Gulf 
Shores  C.B.C.  (HEH,  KK)  and  near  Robinson, 
Lowndes  3 Feb  (LG).  Lark  Sparrows  were 
reported  from  Raceland,  Lafourche,  LA,  where 
2 were  seen  30  Dec  (LR,  DS)  and  Ft.  Morgan, 
Baldwin,  AL,  where  one  was  recorded  26  Jan 
(LG,  AM).  The  only  Grasshopper  Sparrow 
reported  was  seen  3 Feb  on  the  U.A.E.F., 
Washington  (MM). 

Idenslow’s  Sparrows  continue  to  be  found  in 
suitable  habitat  in  the  Region.  Away  from  their 
coastal  flatwoods  winter  habitat,  singles  were 
found  near  Hampton,  AR  20  Nov — 17  Feb 
(JC)  and  near  Northport,  Tuscaloosa,  AL  2 Dec 
(PJ  et  ah).  The  highest  number  reported  was  13 
from  M.S.C.N.W.R.  3 Jan  (SWo,  MG).  Le 


Conte’s  Sparrows  were  widely  reported,  with 
highest  numbers  in  Mississippi  from  N.N.W.R. 
(6  on  1 5 Dec;  TS,  AS)  and  Sardis  L.  (4  on  1 5 Dec; 
GK,  SK).  A Saltmarsh  Sharp-tailed  Sparrow 
was  found  on  Navarre  Flats,  Santa  Rosa,  FL  25 
Jan  (WWD,  LRD,  AK,  RAD),  a first  report  in  the 
Region — and  a caution,  inasmuch  as  most 
observers  presume  all  sharp-tailed  sparrows 
seen  to  be  the  expected  Nelson’s.  Lincoln’s 
Sparrows  were  reported  from  Alabama, 
Mississippi,  and  Tennessee  a total  of  eight  times. 
Single  Harris’s  Sparrows  were  reported  from 
Lonoke  and  Boone  in  Arkansas  (KN,  LN,  SRo) 
and  Tunica,  MS  (WRP).  Two  were  seen  near 
Wooster,  Faulkner,  AR  15  Feb  (NL,  CL). 

Lapland  Longspurs  put  in  a good  showing. 
Nine  spent  the  winter  in  Baldwin,  AL,  where 
they  are  rare  (BSu,  m.  ob).  The  high  count  was 
of  1000  in  Lake,  TN  1 Jan  (JRW).  Tennessee 
continues  to  host  Smith’s  Longspun  This  winter 
one  was  at  Bessie,  Lake  14  Dec  (JEW,  MCT, 
MAG).  The  2nd  area  winter  record  of  Rose- 
breasted Grosbeak  was  of  a female  in  Columbus, 
Lowndes,  MS  16  Eeb  (DP).  A female  was  also 
recorded  on  Monkey  1.,  Cameron,  LA  15  Dec 
(SWC).  An  ad.  female  Black-headed  Grosbeak 
frequented  a feeder  in  Mobile  throughout  the 
season  (VC,  m.  ob.),  while  an  imm.  was  record- 
ed at  a feeder  in  Gulf  Breeze,  Santa  Rosa,  PL  4 
Jan  (RAD,  WWD,  LRD).  In  Louisiana,  a male 
was  present  throughout  the  period  at  Lafayette 
(KD);  a female  was  recorded  near  L.  Martin  30 
Nov — 19  Dec  (RDo);  and,  a male  was  seen  near 
Houma  17  Jan  (JL,  KL,  LL).  Arkansas’s  4th 
Lazuli  Bunting  frequented  a feeder  in 
Arkadelphia,  Clark  throughout  the  season  (KN, 
LN,  DH,  DHa).  A female  was  seen  in  Jefferson, 
LA  14  Dec  (JWB).  The  only  Dickcissel  reported 
was  one  at  Ft.  Morgan,  AL  30  Jan  (ECS). 

Western  Meadowlarks  continue  to  winter  in 
Mississippi  and  w.  Tennessee.  The  highest  num- 
bers reported  this  winter  were  21  near  Phillipy, 
Lake,  TN  15  Dec  (JRW,  MAG,  MCT,  MCT)  and 
11  in  Tunica,  MS  25  Dec  (JRW).  Only  one 
Yellow-headed  Blackbird  was  reported,  an  imm. 
male  from  Phillipy,  TN  16  Dec  (JRW).  Single 
male  Bronzed  Cowbirds  were  reported  from 
Pensacola  Beach  10-15  Dec  (RAD  et  al.)  and  Ft. 
Walton  Beach,  FL  17  Dec  (WWD,  LD);  in  West 
Baton  Rouge,  LA,  5 were  noted  5 Jan  (DLD, 
SWC).  The  only  Orchard  Oriole  was  reported  29 
Dec  on  the  Venice  C.B.C.  (DPM,  KVR,  RS). 
Baltimore  Orioles  were  reported  from  Metairie, 
LA,  where  an  ad.  male  was  seen  throughout  the 
period  (NLN)  and  Krotz  Springs,  St.  Landry,  LA, 
where  an  imm.  was  recorded  Dec.  16. 

Up  to  7 Red  Crossbills  were  at  Coleman  L., 
Talladege  N.F.,  Cleburne,  AL  throughout  the 
period  (SWM,  RRR,  SC,  m.  ob.),  and  up  to  6 
were  seen  in  Ozark  N.E,  AR  13  Dec — 10  Jan 


(LAn).  A female  was  seen  1 Dec  near  Enid  L.,  MS 
(SJD).  Undoubtedly  a candidate  for  Bird  of  the 
Year  in  Mississippi:  an  ad.  male  Lesser 
Goldfinch  frequented  a feeder  in  Clinton,  Hinds 
4 Jan-f  (JE,  m.  ob.),  a first  state  record. 

Contributors  (subregional  editors  in  boldface): 
Liz  Adams,  Leif  Anderson  (LAn),  David  Arbour, 
Gussie  Arnett,  Jo  Anne  Averitt,  Mahlon  Ayme,  J. 
Russell  Bailey,  Peggy  Baker,  Fred  Bassett,  Linda 
Beall,  James  W.  Beck,  Becky  Bilello,  Laurence  C. 
Binford,  Donna  Bordelon,  Christopher  G. 
Brantley,  Taylor  C.  Brantley,  Roger  J.  Breedlove, 
Bill  Bremser  (BBr),  Robert  Briscoe,  Gary 
Broussard,  Joan  Brown,  Carolyn  Bullock, 
Winston  Caillouet,  Joe  Cambre,  Steven  W. 
Cardiff,  Dewey  Carpenter,  Ed  Case,  Gary  B. 
Casey,  Mollie  Cashier,  Phillip  D.  Casteel  (mid- 
dle Tennessee),  Hap  Chambers,  John  Conover 
(JCo),  C.  Dwight  Cooley,  Shannon  Cooper,  Elsie 
Croft  (ECr),  Virginia  Culberson,  Dean  Cutten 
(DCu),  Raelene  Cutten  (RCu),  Lydia  Daugherty, 
Miriam  Davey,  W.  Marvin  Davis,  Roseanna 
Denton,  Jay  Desgrosellier,  Jim  Dickerson  (JDi), 
Mike  Dillon  (MDi),  Stephen  J.  Dinsmore, 
Donna  L.  Dittman,  Robert  Dobbs  (RDo),  Bob 
Doe,  Carrie  P.  Dortch,  David  W.  Dortch,  Kay 
Drouant,  Lucy  R.  Duncan,  Robert  A.  Duncan 
(n.w.  Florida),  William  W.  Duncan,  Joyce  Ellis, 
Lee  Ellis,  Kreg  D.  Ellzey,  Karen  Fay,  Lenny 
Fenimore,  John  Fitzpatrick,  Barry  F.  Fleming, 
Leanak  Floyd  (LFl),  Perk  Floyd,  Carol  Foil,  Bill 
Fontenot,  Sarah  Franklin,  Venetia  B.  Friend, 
Larry  Gardella,  Clay  Gascoigne,  David  P. 
George,  Mark  Goodman,  Scott  Gravette,  Mark 

A.  Greene,  Marty  Guidry  (MGu),  Toddy  Guidry, 
Ron  Haaseth,  Bill  Hailey,  Bob  Hamilton  (BHa), 
Greg  J.  Harber,  Dolores  Harrington,  Donald 
Harrington  (DHa),  Van  Harris,  Berlin  Heck 
(BHe),  Bill  Hemeter  (BiH),  Brian  Henderson 
(BrH),  Audrey  Hoff,  ■ Patti  Holland,  Anne 
Hooper  (AHo),  Doris  Hope  (DHo),  Howard  E. 
Horne,  Jay  Huner,  Jeff  Ingram,  Wes  Ingram, 
Debra  G.  Jackson,  Greg  D.  Jackson  (Alabama), 
Doug  James,  Jud  Johnson,  Phillip  Johnson,  Joel 
J.  Jorgensen,  Keith  Kamper,  Linda  M.  Keefer, 
Chris  Kellner,  Keith  Kimmerle  (KKi),  Helen  H. 
Kittinger,  Joanne  ICleiman  (JKl),  Joe  Kleiman 
(Louisiana),  Gene  Knight,  Shannon  Knight, 
Andy  Kratter,  Keith  Kunkel  (KKu),  Daniel  Lane, 
Cheryl  Lavers,  Norman  Lavers,  Joan  LeBlanc 
(JLe),  Jo  Ledet,  Kelli  Ledet,  Lanny  Ledet,  Charlie 
Lyon  (CLy),  Beth  Maniscalco,  Sammy 
Maniscalco,  Don  Manning,  Joyce  Mazourek, 
Steve  W.  McConnell,  Andrea  Menyhart,  Ann 
Miller  (AMi),  Charles  Mills,  Mike  Mlodinow, 
Laurel  Moore,  Nancy  Moore,  Allan  Mueller 
(AMu),  Michael  J.  Musumeche,  David  P.  Muth, 

B.  Mac  Myers,  Joe  Neal,  Nancy  L.  Newfield, 
Kenny  Nichols,  LaDonna  Nichols,  Glenn 


186 


North  American  Birds 


Central  Southern 


Ousset,  Margaret  Owens,  Stephen  L.  Pagans, 
Brainard  Palmer-Ball,  Helen  Parker  (Arkansas), 
Mas  Parker  (Arkansas),  Diane  Patterson,  David 
Patton  (DPa),  George  Payne,  Bill  Peeples  (BPe), 
W.  Robert  Peeples  (w.  Tennessee),  James  Pfeiffer, 
Tim  Powell,  Tommy  Pratt  (TPr),  Dick  D. 
Preston,  Robert  D.  Purrington,  Herschel  Raney, 
Shawn  Reed,  Robert  R.  Reid,  Van  Remsen,  Linda 
B.  Reynolds,  Richard  A.  Reynolds,  Virginia  B. 
Reynolds,  Bob  Rickett,  Lisa  Robichaux,  David 


Roemer,  Sherree  Rogers  (SRo),  Kenneth  V. 
Rosenberg,  Diane  Sanders,  Martha  B.  Sargent, 
Robert  R.  Sargent,  Marion  Schiefer,  Terence 
Schiefer  (Mississippi),  Rosemary  Seidler, 
Michael  A.  Seymour,  Damien  J.  Simbeck,  Chris 
A.  Sloan,  Betty  Smart,  Joseph  A.  Smith,  Carolyn 
Snow,  Eric  C.  Soehren,  Curt  Sorrells  (CSo), 
Lloyd  Southwick,  Stephen  J.  Stedman,  Ronald  J. 
Stein,  Allen  Stickley,  Bill  Summerour  (BSu), 
Keith  Sutton,  Mark  Swan  (MSw),  Marianna 


Tanner,  Betsy  Tetlow,  Vic  Theobald,  Michael  C. 
Todd,  Jean  Trahan,  Jeff  Trahan  (JTr),  Phillip  A. 
Wallace,  Donald  M.  Ware,  Louise  Watson,  Ray 
Watson,  Bill  Wayman,  Melvin  Weber,  Jason 
Weckstein,  Dennis  Welch,  Charles  Wiegel,  Pat 
Wiegel,  Jane  Wilds  (JWi),  Becky  Wilkes  (BWi), 
Sam  Wilkes,  Barbara  H.  Wilson,  Jeff  R.  Wilson, 
Walker  Wilson,  Christopher  Witt  (CWi),  Stefan 
Woitman  (SWo),  Harriet  H.  Wright,  Janis 
Zuleeg.  A 


Prairie  Provinces 


Rudolf  F.  Koes 

1 35  Rossmere  Crescent 
Winnipeg,  Manitoba  R2K  0G1 
(rkoes@meriin.mb.ca) 

Peter  Taylor 

P.  O.Box  597 

Pinawa,  Manitoba  ROE  1 LO 
(taylorp@granite.mb.ca) 

A generally  mild  and  dry  winter  was  punctu- 
ated by  a cold  and  snowy  second  half  of 
January  and  another  cold  spell  at  the  end  of 
February.  Overall  precipitation  remained 
below  normal;  fears  of  a continued  drought 
remain,  particularly  in  southern  Alberta  and 
southwestern  Saskatchewan.  Birding  was 
rather  lacklustre,  though  numerous  lingerers 
were  reported  in  December  and  some  survived 
the  period.  The  majority  of  Christmas  Bird 
Count  sightings  are  not  included  here. 

Abbreviations:  C.B.C.  (Christmas  Bird 
Count);  W.L.  (Wabamun  L.,  AB). 


LOOMS  THROUGH  FALCOMS 

Waterton  Lakes  N.P.,  AB  hosted  a late  Pacific 
Loon,  4 Horned  Grebes,  and  1 1 Western 
Grebes  11  Dec  (LB),  while  3 Common  Loons 
were  there  16  Dec  (D&TD).  Two  American 
White  Pelicans  lingered  at  Lethbridge,  AB  1 
Dec  (D&TD),  while  one  at  Wascana  Marsh, 
Regina,  SK  was  eventually  captured  25  Dec 
{fide  BE).  Three  Double-crested  Cormorants 
at  W.L.  15  Jan  likely  overwintered  there  (RKl, 
FW).  A Greater  White-fronted  Goose  was 
unexpected  at  Lethbridge  23  Jan  (LB).  A tardy 
Snow  Goose  was  at  Gardiner  Dam,  SK  1 Dec 
{fitde  WG),  while  a flock  passed  Kleefeld,  MB 
the  same  day  (FF).  Canada  Geese  near  Pierson, 
MB  17  Feb  (RWg),  Eastend,  SK  20  Feb  (fitde 
FL),  and  near  Neepawa,  MB  26  Feb  (CC)  were 
believed  to  be  early  migrants.  Eight  Tundra 
Swans  were  seen  at  W.L.  15  Jan  (RKl,  FW). 

An  American  Wigeon  on  the  Qu’Appelle  R., 
SK  11  Dec  (TR),  2500+  Mallards  at  Gardiner 
Dam  18  Jan  (HL,  D&FF),  8 Canvasbacks  at 
W.L.  14  Dec  (J&MM),  and  2 Redheads  at 
Gardiner  Dam  18  Jan  (HL,  D&FF)  all  merited 


mention.  Four  Ring-necked  Ducks  and  3 
Lesser  Scaup  at  a Winnipeg  sewage  lagoon  dis- 
appeared during  bitter  cold  in  late  Feb  (m. 
ob.),  while  4 Greater  Scaup  survived  the  period 
in  Calgary  (m.  ob.).  Alberta’s  2nd  Common 
Eider  was  a female  of  the  v-nigra  race  at  Cold 
L.  8-13  Dec  (DNa,  TT).  Two  Long-tailed  Ducks 
wintered  on  the  Bow  R.  in  Calgary  (m.  ob.);  a 
lone  Red-breasted  Merganser  was  there  23  Dec 
(GY),  with  another  2 noted  at  W.L.  4 Jan  (RE, 
DV).  Five  Ruddy  Ducks  at  W.L.  15  Jan  (RKl, 
FW)  and  a single  male  at  Cookson  Res.,  SK  17 
Feb  (BL,  JC)  were  also  noteworthy. 

A late  migration  of  Bald  Eagles  at  Windy 
Point,  Sheep  R.  Valley,  AB  2 Dec  involved  344 
birds  (fitde  WS).  A Northern  Harrier  at  High 
River,  AB  1 Feb  likely  wintered  (TK),  but  one  at 
St.  Adolphe  22  Feb  was  no  doubt  a migrant 
(AC).  Sharp-shinned  Hawks  were  unusually 
prominent  Regionwide,  with  at  least  24  sight- 
ings altogether,  the  majority  in  Alberta  (m. 
ob.).  Most  Gyrfalcon  and  Prairie  Falcon 
reports  came  from  Saskatchewan,  with  17  and 
16  respectively;  a Prairie  Falcon  near 
Whitewater  L.,  MB  24  Feb  was  rare  (PJ). 

GROUSE  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

Willow  Ptarmigan  were  prominent  in  cen. 
Saskatchewan  near  La  Ronge,  Creighton  and 
Hanson  Lake  Road  (B&HS  et  al).  An 
American  Coot  at  Lockport,  MB  4 Dec  was 
tardy  (RK),  but  more  remarkable  were  15 
loudly  calling  Sandhill  Cranes  migrating  over 
St.  Adolphe  1 Dec  (SC).  A Long-billed  Curlew 
near  Maple  Cr.  14  Dec  was  a winter  first  in 
Saskatchewan  and  likely  for  the  Region  (RJ, 
GW,  WR).  A very  late  unidentified  jaeger 
harassed  gulls  at  Cold  L.  10  Dec  (FW).  A 
remarkably  late  movement  of  640  Herring  and 
14  Ring-billed  Gulls  migrated  upstream  along 
the  Winnipeg  R.  at  Pine  Falls,  MB  in  1.5  hours 
1 Dec  (PT  et  al.).  The  only  other  gull  of  note 
was  a Glaucous  at  Cold  L.  1 Dec  (RKl). 

Manitoba’s  7th  Band-tailed  Pigeon,  first 
found  on  the  Brandon  C.B.C.  16  Dec,  lingered 
until  at  least  11  Jan  (CC,  m.  ob.).  An  Eastern 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


187 


Among  a wintering  flock  of  over  600  Gray- 
crowned  Rosy-Finches  at  Exshaw,  Alberta,  there 
were  several  of  the  “Hepburn’s”  subspecies  and 
at  least  one  albino!  This  image  was  captured  27 
February  2002.  Photograph  by  Terry  Korolyk. 

Screech-Owl  called  in  temperatures  of  -30 
degrees  C in  Winnipeg  27  Jan  (RN).  After  last 
fall’s  influx  of  Snowy  Owls,  a fair  number 
remained;  43  were  banded  in  Saskatchewan  in 
Dec  and  Jan  (MS,  DZ,  BT).  Only  se.  Manitoba 
experienced  a strong  “echo”  of  last  winter’s 
Northern  Hawk  Owl  and  Great  Gray  Owl 
incursion.  A Long-eared  Owl  was  in  the  Swift 
Current,  SK  area  29  Dec  [fide 'WH  ).  Seventeen 
Short-eared  Owls  were  seen  in  Saskatchewan 
(RW,  CB,  DH),  and  about  10  in  Alberta,  while 

3 in  Winnipeg  26  Jan  were  the  only  ones  in 
Manitoba  (RP,  JS,  AW).  A female  Red-bellied 
Woodpecker,  Saskatchewan’s  7th  or  8th,  over- 
wintered in  Regina  (TR,  m.  ob.). 

PASSERINES 

Black-capped  Chickadees  and  Red-breasted 
Nuthatches  staged  a major  incursion  in  the 
Region.  High  numbers,  often  doubling  previ- 
ous records,  were  found  on  numerous  C.B.C.s. 
Unusually  late  were  a Winter  Wren  at  the  Cave- 
and-Basin  marsh  in  Banff  N.P.,  AB  2 Dec 
(JScMM),  2 Eastern  Bluebirds  at  Treherne,  MB 

4 Dec  (AM),  and  3 Mountain  Bluebirds  on  two 
Saskatchewan  C.B.C.s  5 Jan,  with  one  at  Pike  L. 
remaining  through  3 Feb  (DN).  In  Alberta,  a 
Hermit  Thrush  wintered  at  Lethbridge  (fide 
D&TD),  and  another  was  at  St.  Albert  until  at 
least  mid-Dec  (DS,  m.  ob.).  More  American 
Robins  than  usual  remained  across  the  south 
of  the  Region.  Eight  Varied  Thrushes  were  tal- 
lied in  Saskatchewan  and  4 in  Manitoba. 

Bohemian  Waxwings  were  numerous  in  sw. 
Manitoba  and  cen.  Saskatchewan,  but  scarce  in 
Alberta  except  for  a flock  of  4000  in  Calgary  26 
Feb  (TK).  Cedar  Waxwings  were  well  above 
normal  in  all  three  provinces,  with 


Saskatchewan  reporting  “unprecedented” 
numbers  (BL  et  ah).  A Yellow-rumped  Warbler 
videotaped  at  a Lockport  feeder  18  Jan  repre- 
sented the  first  midwinter  warbler  record  for 
Manitoba  (CM);  it  likely  perished  during  bit- 
ter cold  that  night.  Another  exceptional  linger- 
er was  the  Summer  Tanager  at  Dauphin,  MB 
21  Nov — 14  Dec  (D&JM,  BW). 

Rare  winter  sparrows  included  single 
Chipping  Sparrows  at  Kutawagan  L.,  SK  26 
Dec  (fideWH)  and  in  Winnipeg  through  the 
period  (RP),  a Clay-colored  Sparrow  about  23 
Dec  at  La  Ronge  (fide  WH)  and  another 
through  winter  in  downtown  Winnipeg  (WC, 
m.  ob.),  and  lone  Swamp  Sparrows  at  Cave- 
and-Basin  marsh  2-12  Dec  (KB,  m.  ob.)  and  at 
Harris,  SK  18  Dec  (WR).  Notable  were  about 
1000  Lapland  Longspurs  at  Cookson  Res.  17 
Feb  (BL,  JC)  and  10,000  Snow  Buntings  near 
Strathmore,  AB  24  Feb  (TK).  A female  Rose- 
breasted Grosbeak  in  Saskatoon  1 Dec  was 
exceptionally  late  (PhT).  Rarely  reported  in 
winter  was  a Brown-headed  Cowbird  at  Taber, 
AB  17  Dec  (LB);  4 others  were  tallied  on 
C.B.C.s. 

A spectacular  overwintering  flock  of  600+ 
Gray-crowned  Rosy-Finches  at  an  Exshaw,  AB 


Ron  Martin 

16900  125th  street  SE 

Sawyer,  North  Dakota  58781-9284 

(jrmartin@ndak.net) 

The  winter  weather  was  a continuation  of  the 
fall,  with  mild  temperatures  and  little  precip- 


feeder  included  one  albino  and  a few  individ- 
uals of  the  “Hepburn’s”  subspecies  (CH,  TK, 
m.  ob.).  One  at  Hodgeville,  SK  12  Feb  was 
locally  rare  (MP).  White-winged  Crossbills 
irrupted  over  a wide  front,  from  the  Alberta 
Foothills  through  Saskatchewan  to  sw. 
Manitoba,  while  Common  Redpolls  were  espe- 
cially common  in  Saskatchewan,  and 
American  Goldfinches  were  high  in  s.  Alberta. 

Observers  (provincial  compilers  in  boldface): 
K.  Barker,  L.  Bennett,  C.  Bjorklund,  W. 
Christianson,  A.  Courcelles,  S.  Courcelles,  J. 
Cummings,  C.  Cuthbert,  D.  8c  T.  Dolman,  R. 
Ebel,  B.  Ewart,  D.  Fast,  F.  Fast,  W.  Gierulski,  C. 
Hansen,  W.  Harris,  M.  Harrison,  D.  Hjertaas, 
R.  Jensen,  P.  Jones,  R.  Klauke  (RKl),  R.  Koes,  T. 
Korolyk,  F.  Lahrman,  H.  Lane,  B.  Luterbach,  G. 
Machnee,  D.  8c  J.  McDonald,  J.  8c  M. 
McDonald,  A.  McMaster,  D.  Nadeau  (DNa),  D. 
Neves,  R.  Nickel,  R.  Parsons,  M.  Priebe,  W. 
Renaud,  T.  Riffel,  B.  8c  H.  Schmidt,  W.  Smith, 
M.  Stoffel,  D.  Stokes,  J.  Swartz,  Peter  Taylor, 
Phil  Taylor  (PhT),  B.  Terry,  T.  Thormin,  D. 
Vujnovic,  B.Walley,  A.  Walleyn,  R.  Wang 
(RWg),  G.  Wapple,  R.  Wapple,  F.  Whiley,  D. 
Wilson,  G.  Yaki,  D.  Zazelenchuk. 


itation.  With  snow  cover  light  or  nonexistent, 
access  to  C.B.C.  circles  was  unusually  good.  Most 
of  February  was  particularly  warm,  and  north- 
bound migrants  were  noted  by  the  middle  of  the 
month.  Glasgow,  Montana  had  a record  high  of 
66°  Fahrenheit  on  22  February.  However,  the  last 
week  of  February  brought  very  cold  weather,  and 


Northern  Great 
Plains 


188 


North  American  Birds 


Prairie  Provinces — Northern  Great  Plains 


many  migrant  waterfowl  had  moved  back  south 
by  early  March.  Numerous  lingering  species 
were  noted,  and  the  semi-hardy  species  had  a 
banner  season.  ¥/hite-winged  Crossbills  were 
widespread,  and  Snowy  Owls  staged  the  largest 
invasion  in  recent  memory. 

Abbreviation:  p.  a.  (subject  to  review  by  the 
appropriate  state  records  committee). 

LOOiS  THROUGH  Dl¥liG  DUCKS 

Two  Common  Loons  that  lingered  until  2 Dec  on 
Devil’s  L.  provided  only  the  second  record  for 
that  month  in  North  Dakota  (EEF).  The  2nd  lat- 
est for  North  Dakota,  2 Horned  Grebes  were  on 
L.  Sakakawea,  Mercer  16  Dec  (DNS).  A Western 
Grebe  through  the  period  at  Nelson  L.,  Oliver, 
ND  furnished  the  first  wintering  record  for  the 
state  (CDE).  In  South  Dakota,  a late  Clark’s 
Grebe  was  tallied  in  Fall  River  1 Dec  (TJ). 

Large  numbers  of  Canada  Geese  wintered  at 
the  n.  edge  of  the  Region,  witiri  reports  of  over 
10,000  at  L.  Elwell  (HM)  and  Ft.  Peck  (CC),  MT, 
and  also  at  Garrison  Dam  and  Bismarck,  ND. 
Unusual  were  3 Greater  White-fronted  Geese  at 
Ft.  Peck,  MT  through  most  of  Feb  (CC).  Also  at 
Ft.  Peck,  9 Tundra  Swans  were  noted  most  of  Feb, 
a first  for  the  area  that  time  of  year  (CC). 

Late  scoters  in  South  Dakota  included  a 
White-winged  Scoter  in  Charles  Mix  11  Dec  (p. 
a.,  RIH)  and  a Surf  Scoter  3-15  Dec  in  Hughes  (p. 
a.,  RDO,  KM).  Very  unusual  away  from  Garrison 
Dam  in  the  winter,  8 Buffleheads  were  at 
Tewaukan  NWR  21  Dec.  The  2nd  highest  count 
for  North  Dakota,  2420  Common  Goldeneyes 
were  tallied  at  Devil’s  L.  2 Dec  (EEF).  Casual 
away  from  the  Black  Hills,  a Barrow’s  Goldeneye 
was  reported  from  Charles  Mix  12  Dec  (p.  a., 
RM). 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  GULLS 

As  might  be  expected  in  a warm,  open  winter, 
raptor  numbers  were  notable  throughout  the 
Region.  Bald  Eagles  peaked  at  40  in  Ramsey,  ND 
2 Dec  (EEF),  and  72  were  noted  on  14  North 
Dakota  C.B.C.s,  a new  high  count.  A Red-shoul- 
dered Hawk  wintered  in  Day,  SD  in  the  same  area 
where  one  was  present  in  1999-2000  (DRS). 
Rough-legged  Hawks  were  again  present  in  large 
numbers  in  the  n.  part  of  the  Region.  The  67 
individuals  tallied  on  17  C.B.C.s  constituted  a 
new  high  for  North  Dakota.  Notable  numbers 
were  reported  for  several  n.  Montana  locations. 
Golden  Eagles  were  easily  located  throughout 
North  Dakota,  and  26  were  noted  on  nine 
C.B.C.S. 

A Sandhil  Crane  remained  to  mid-Feb  along 
the  Red  R.  in  Fargo,  ND/Moorhead,  MN.  This 
provided  the  first  winter  record  for  North  Dakota 
(TM,  JS),  whereas  one  seen  22  Feb  in  Kidder,  ND 


provided  the  earliest  ever  spring  migrant  report 
for  the  state  (GK).  A late  Killdeer  was  at  Ft.  Peck, 
MT  19  Dec  (CC),  and  an  early  migrant  was  in 
Sioux  Falls,  SD  18  Feb  (JE).  Providing  the  earliest 
report  for  South  Dakota,  an  American  Woodcock 
was  in  Yankton  23  Feb  (SVS). 

Late  away  from  the  Missouri  R.,  12 
Bonaparte’s  Gulls  were  in  Fall  River,  SD  18  Dec 
(JLB).  Only  the  2nd  report  for  South  Dakota,  an 
ad.  Mew  Gull  was  at  Pierre  1-11  Dec  (p.  a.,  RFS, 
JSP).  The  same  or  another  ad.  Mew  Gull  was  seen 
down  river  in  Yankton  22-25  Dec  (p.  a.,  DS).  An 
Iceland  Gul  at  Pierre  17  Dec+  provided  the  3rd 
report  for  South  Dakota  (p.  a.,  RDO,  KM).  In 
North  Dakota,  an  ad.  Iceland  Gull  at  Garrison 
Dam  16  Dec  furnished  about  the  14th  report  for 
the  state  (p.  a.,  REM,  DNS).  Late  away  from 
Garrison  Dam,  a Thayer’s/Iceland  Gull  was  seen 
13-15  Dec  at  Grand  Forks,  ND  (p.  a.,  EEF,  DOL). 
Casual  at  Ft.  Peck,  an  imm.  Glaucous-winged 
Gull  was  seen  there  for  a couple  of  weeks  in  late 
December  (p.  a.,  CC). 

D0¥ES  THROUGH  RA¥EM 

Eurasian  Collared-Doves  continued  in  Mayville, 
ND,  and  2 in  Napoleon  10  Feb  provided  about 
the  14th  report  for  the  state  (p.  a.,  CDE,  JPL).  In 
South  Dakota,  the  species  was  reported  from  four 
counties,  with  high  counts  of  seven  in  Hughes  20 
Ian  (p.  a.,  JSP)  and  6-8  in  Butte 28  Feb  (p.  a.,  JLB). 
Unusual  in  n.  Montana,  Mourning  Doves  win- 
tered at  three  locations  (TP,  DP,  HM,  LS). 

Providing  the  first  winter  report  for  South 
Dakota,  a Barn  Owl  was  in  Pierre  18  Dec  (p.  a., 
DB).  Undoubtedly  the  bird  of  the  season  was 
Snowy  Owl,  with  probably  the  largest  invasion  in 
decades.  At  least  10  were  reported  from  n. 
Montana.  South  Dakota  had  sightings  in  13 
counties,  with  a high  of  10  s.  of  Pierre  19  Feb 
(DB).  The  largest  numbers  were  in  North 
Dakota,  with  reports  from  45  of  53  counties  and 
a season  total  of  >500  individuals.  A peak  of  51 
individuals  was  tallied  11  Jan  in  Grand  Forks 
(EEF).  There  were  four  February  reports  of 
Northern  Saw-whet  Owl  for  North  Dakota,  and 
the  species  was  found  in  four  locations  in  the 
Pierre,  SD  area. 

At  the  edge  of  their  range,  15  Pinyon  Jays  win- 
tered at  a feeder  in  Dearborn,  MT  (MS).  The 
number  of  American  Crows  wintering  in  North 
Dakota  continues  to  increase.  Common  Ravens 
are  also  increasing  in  North  Dakota  in  winter, 
with  56  on  four  C.B.C.s  being  well  above  the  pre- 
vious high.  Icelandic  State  Park  led  the  way  with 
46  on  18  Dec.  In  Montana,  two  December  sight- 
ings at  Benton  L.  were  a first  for  the  refiige  in 
winter  (SM). 

WREUS  THROUGH  GROSBEAKS 

Casual  in  winter  away  from  the  Black  Hills,  a 


Winter  Wren  was  in  Pierre,  SD  9-15  Dec  (p.  a., 
DB).  A Ruby-crowned  Kinglet  at  Mayville,  ND 
26  Dec  furnished  the  latest  observation  for  the 
state  (p.  a.,  RMK).  Record  early  for  North  Dakota 
was  a Mountain  Bluebird  in  Burleigh  14  Feb 
(WW).  Early  for  South  Dakota,  a single  was  in 
Stanley  17  Feb  (KM).  Townsend’s  Solitaires  were 
scarce  in  their  usual  wintering  grounds  in  the 
Little  Missouri  drainage  of  North  Dakota,  proba- 
bly due  to  a poor  berry  crop.  Perhaps  corre- 
spondingly, good  numbers  were  noted  in  the  e. 
Dakotas. 

Lingering  Gray  Catbirds  were  at  Long  Lake 
N.W.R.,  ND  20  Dec  (GK)  and  in  Pennington,  SD 
17  Dec — 20  Jan  (JLB).  Casual  in  winter,  a 
Northern  Mockingbird  was  noted  in  Hughes,  SD 
23  Feb  (EDS).  Bohemian  Waxwings  were  very 
scarce,  especially  after  the  first  of  the  year.  Yellow- 
rumped  Warbler  numbers  were  unprecedented 
in  South  Dakota,  with  5 reported  from  four 
widely  scattered  counties. 

A Swamp  Sparrow  in  Hughes,  SD  provided  the 
3rd  wintering  record  for  the  state  (p.  a.,  KM). 
Unusually  high  numbers  of  Zonotrichia  spar- 
rows were  noted  this  winter.  A flock  of  a dozen 
White-throated  Sparrows  wintered  on  the 
University  of  North  Dakota  campus  in  Grand 
Forks  (DOL).  In  South  Dakota,  14  White- 
crowned  Sparrows  were  in  Hughes  18  Feb 
(RDO). 

Red  CrossbOls  were  noted  at  six  North  Dakota 
locations,  with  a peak  of  49  at  Denbigh  Exp. 
Forest,  McHenry  2 Dec  (REM).  White-winged 
Crossbills  made  a strong  showing  across  the 
Region.  The  species  wintered  at  three  locales  in  n. 
Montana,  and  they  were  reported  from  eight 
South  Dakota  counties.  In  North  Dakota,  the 
peak  was  30  in  New  Town  14  Jan  (RS).  The 
species  was  reported  from  11  of  14  counties  sw. 
of  the  Missouri  R.,  an  area  where  suitable  habitat 
is  in  very  short  supply.  Common  Redpoll  num- 
bers were  strong  in  Montana  and  North  Dakota, 
with  the  usual  scattered  Hoary  RedpoOs  in  the 
mix.  Evening  Grosbeaks  were  extremely  scarce. 

Contributors  (state  editors  in  boldface):  MON- 
TANA: Charles  Carlson,  Harriet  Marble, 
Stephen  Martin,  Dwain  Prellwitz,  Thora 
Prellwitz,  Mike  Schwitters,  Linda  Sibley.  NORTH 
DAKOTA:  Corey  D.  Ellingson,  Eve  E.  Freeberg, 
Gregg  Knutsen,  Robert  M.  Kruger,  David  O. 
Lambeth,  Jack  P.  Lefor,  Ron  E.  Martin,  Tom 
Musachia,  Rita  Satermo,  Jean  Strandness,  Dan  N. 
Svingen,  Wendy  Willmuth.  SOUTH  DAKOTA: 
Doug  Backlund,  Jocelyn  L.  Baker,  Justin  Enger, 
Todd  Jensen,  Ron  Mabie,  Kenny  Miller,  Ricky  D. 
Olson,  Jeffrey  S.  Palmer,  Robb  R Schenck, 
Dennis  R.  Skadsen,  Eileen  Dowd  Stukel,  Dave 
Swanson,  Steve  Van  Sickle.  a 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


189 


Southern  Great  Plains 


Joseph  A.  Grzybowski 

715  Elmwood  Drive 
Norman,  Oklahoma  73072 
(jgrzybowski@ucok.edu) 

This  winter  was  a generally  mild  and  dry 
period  for  the  Region,  with  continued 
drought  for  much  of  western  Oklahoma  and 
elsewhere.  After  several  severe  ice  storms  in 
recent  years,  another  one  in  western  Oklahoma 
this  season  was  especially  detrimental. 

Invasions  of  Snowy  Owl  and  White-winged 
Crossbill  swept  over  the  north  of  the  Region, 
and  loons’  numbers  swelled  on  Oklahoma 
reservoirs  this  season.  Some  half-hardies  lin- 
gered farther  north  than  is  typical,  but  the  dry 
conditions  probably  limited  the  shorebird  pos- 
sibilities for  lack  of  habitat,  and  some  grani- 
vores’  numbers  might  also  have  been  reduced 
by  a poorer  seed  crop  brought  on  by  the  drier 
conditions  or  perhaps  mortality  related  to  ear- 
lier ice  storms. 

Abbreviations:  Cheyenne  Bottoms  (Cheyenne 
Bottoms  W.M.A.,  Barton,  KS);  Hefner  (Hener 
L„  Oklahoma,  OK);  L.  Ogallala  {Keith,  NE); 
McConaughy  (L.  McConaughy,  Keith,  NE); 
Red  Slough  (Red  Slough  W.M.A.,  McCurtain, 
OK  );  Tenkiller  (L.  Tenkiller,  Sequoyah,  OK). 

LOONS  THROUGH  DUCKS 

Common  Loons,  previously  overwintering 


rarely,  are  now  being  found  commonly  across 
Oklahoma.  Several  hundred  were  reported  at 
Tenkiller,  Sequoyah,  OK  (JWA).  Among  them 
were  up  to  5 Red-throated  and  3-4  Pacific 
Loons  (JWA,  m.  ob.).  A Red-throated  Loon 
was  also  noted  at  Hefner  through  the  period 
(m.  ob.),  with  2 in  Noble/Pawnee,  OK  27  Dec 
(JWA,  JS).  Among  Pacific  Loon  reports  were 
singles  in  Russell,  KS  1 Dec  (MR),  Hefner  12 
Dec  (JAG),  and  Mitchell,  KS  16  Dec  (SS),  with 
2 observed  in  Custer,  OK  20  (SG)  & 29  Dec 
(JWA  et  al.). 

An  astounding  count  of  611  Horned  Grebes 
was  made  at  Tenkiller  22  Feb  (JWA).  One  to  2 
Red-necked  Grebes  were  present  at 
McConaughy  16-17  Dec  (SJD,  JF,  KN).  A very 
late  Eared  Grebe  lingered  on  L.  Ogallala  to  17 
Dec  (SJD,  JF,  KN).  Western  Grebes,  apparent- 
ly responding  to  a crash  in  alewives  at 
McConaughy,  declined  to  a modest  122  on  16 
Dec  (SJD,  JF).  The  only  sightings  of  Clark’s 
Grebe  were  the  1-2  on  McConaughy  16-18  Dec 
(SJD  et  ak). 

An  American  Bittern  Jingered  to  at  least  10 
Dec  in  Douglas,  KS  (GPa).  One  White-faced 
Ibis  wintered  at  Red  Slough  (DA,  BH  et  al.) 
with  a Plegadis  sp.  in  Washington,  OK  21  Jan 
(LMa). 

Among  some  high  winter  Snow  Goose 
counts  were  33,035  in  Washington,  NE  22  Dec 
{fide  JT).  Trumpeter  Swan  numbers  at 
McGonaughy  peaked  at  26  on  17  Dec  (23  ad.  & 


3 juvs.;  SJD,  JF,  KN).  At  least  13  Trumpeters 
wandered  south  to  Kansas  {fide  LM),  but  none 
were  located  in  Oklahoma.  The  small  scatter- 
ing of  Tundra  Swans  included  singles  in  Dixon, 
NE  8 Dec  (BFH),  Elsworth,  KS  8 Dec  (TS,  SSh), 
Sedgwick,  KS  17  Dec  (LHi,  PJ),  with  two  in 
Sequoyah,  OK  26  Dec  (JWA). 

Quite  unexpected  that  late  and  that  far  west 
was  a Wood  Duck  in  Scotts  Bluff,  NE  15  Dec 
{fide  AK).  More  remarkable  was  a male 
Ginnamon  Teal  in  Frontier,  NE  9 Dec  (LR,RH). 
More  than  the  usual  lot  in  recent  years  were  the 
American  Black  Ducks  in  Mitchell,  KS  2 Dec- 
15  Jan  (HA),  Wagoner,  OK  22  Dec  (JWA,  JS), 
Jefferson,  KS  28  Dec  (RR),  Wyandotte,  KS  5 Jan 
(GP),  Wilson,  KS  12  Jan  (MG),  and  Greenwood, 
KS  12  Jan  (MG). 

Also  improving  in  the  region  are  numbers  of 
Greater  Scaup.  Reliable  reports  are  now  scat- 
tered through  the  Region  with  high  counts  of 
54  at  L.  Ogallala  16  Dec  (SJD,  JF)  and  100  in 
Douglas,  KS  26  Jan  (DG).  A maJe  Tufted  Duck, 
possibly  the  same  bird  present  the  past  two 
winters,  was  at  L.  Ogallala  16  Dec  (SJD,  JF)  & 
19  Jan  (DS). 

Scoters  this  season  included  only  White- 
wingeds  16  Dec  at  L.  Ogallala  (two  different 
birds  (SJD,  m.  ob.),  and  Lancaster,  NE  24  Feb 
(LE),  and  a Black  in  Tulsa  15  Dec  (JL  et  al.).  At 
least  five  Long-tailed  Ducks  were  reported 
from  Nebraska  {fide  WRS)  with  seven  from 
Kansas  {fide  LM),  and  one  from  Washington, 
OK  (BG,  m.  ob.).  Among  the  exceptional  div- 
ing-duck extralimitals  were  an  ad.  female 
Barrow’s  Goldeneye  at  L.  Ogallala  17  Dec  (SJD, 
JF,  KN)  and  a male  in  Sedgwick,  KS  26  Jan — 2 
Feb  (PJ,  m.  ob.).  The  very  low  numbers  of 
Gommon  Mergansers  in  Oklahoma  this  winter 
are  explained  by  numbers  of  up  to  20,000  in 
places  such  as  Harlan,  NE  {fide  WPS). 

HAWKS  THROUGH  TERNS 

Lingering  were  Ospreys  12  Dec  at  Hefner 
(JAG),  and  11  (BGe  et  al.)  & 15  Dec  in  Tulsa 
(JWA).  Northern  Goshawks  were  noted  as  far 
s.  as  Wyandotte,  KS  17  Dec  (BY)  and  Morris, 
KS  5 Jan  (TG,  DL,  CA).  GoJden  Eagles  were 
noted  to  the  e.  reaches  of  the  Region  in  Dixon, 
NE  3 Feb  (BFH),  Jefferson,  KS  16  Dec  (RR), 
and  Red  Slough  6 Jan — 20  Feb  (BH  et  al.). 
Although  appearing  more  sparsely  in  areas  of 
Oklahoma,  raptors  were  considered  especially 
numerous  in  the  w.  half  of  Kansas  {ftde  LM). 
The  numbers  of  Merlin  reports  has  increased 
dramatically  in  recent  years.  More  are  being 
noted  “in  town,”  and  one  male  spent  the  win- 
ter picking  off  House  Sparrows  on  a junk-food 
alley  in  Norman,  OK  (JAG).  An  exceptional 


190 


North  American  Birds 


Southern  Great  Plains 


Several  interior  states  were  fortunate  in  recording 
their  first  or  second  Mew  Gulls  this  winter.  This 
bird,  a first  for  Oklahoma,  was  a great  find  at 
Lake  Hefner  25  January  2002.  Photograph  by 
James  W.  Arterburn. 

find  was  a Gyrfalcon  in  Sedgwick,  KS  9 Jan 
(B&NB).  Peregrine  Falcons  were  noted  in 
Seward,  NE  16  Dec  (fide  JG),  and  Osage,  KS  8 
Dec  (MC,  MM,  GP),  likely  both  F.  p.  anatum. 

Sandhill  Granes  lingered  in  unusual  num- 
bers, with  4000  still  in  Kearny,  KS  15  Dec  (TS). 
The  n.  boundary  of  exceptionally  tardy  shore- 
birds  was  in  Nebraska  this  season  with  the  fol- 
lowing exceptional  array:  Greater  Yellowlegs  in 
Lincoln  27  Dec  (RP);  Spotted  Sandpiper  in 
Lancaster  15  Dec  (MOr);  and  Pectoral 
Sandpiper  in  Lancaster  15  (MOr)  to  22  Dec 
(LE).  Long-billed  Dowitchers  began  arriving 
by  at  least  24  Feb,  when  6 were  noted  at  Red 
Slough  (DA  et  al.). 

Gulls  have  always  found  a way  to  highlight 
the  winter  season,  and  so  it  was  this  season.  An 
ad.  Mew  Gull  noted  briefly  at  Hefner  25  Jan 
(JWA)  was  the  first  for  Oklahoma.  Other  ad. 
Mew  Gulls  were  found  at  L.  Ogallala  16  Dec 
(SJD,  JF)  and  Knox/Cedar,  NE  22  (DSw)  & 25 
Dec  (SV).  Sixteen  Thayer’s  Gulls  were  report- 
ed this  season,  1 1 of  these  from  Nebraska  (fide 
WRS);  reports  now  routinely  include  ad.  birds. 
A possible  first-winter  Iceland  GuU  was  scruti- 
nized at  Hefner  13-22  Feb  (JWA,  m.  ob.);  the 
secondary  bar  and  tail  band  still  raise  some 
issue  with  regard  to  Thayer’s  Gull  and  pre- 
sumed intergrades.  Another  Iceland  Gull  was 
documented  in  Osage,  KS  24  Feb  (AP,  AN). 
Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  reports  were  perhaps 
more  limited  this  season,  with  ads.  at 
McConaughy  16-17  Dec  (SJD,  JF,  m.  ob.), 
Hefner  12  Dec  (JAG)  and  13  Feb  (JWA,  JS,  JL), 
and  Johnson,  KS  19  Jan  (MCo).  More  difficult 
to  detect  were  the  first-winter  Lesser  Black- 
backeds  noted  in  Tulsa  28  Dec  (JWA)  and 
Hefner  14  & 16  Feb  (JAG). 

Surprisingly,  only  2 Glaucous  Gulls  were 
reported  from  Nebraska  (fide  WRS)  and  5 
from  Kansas  (fitde  LM).  A second-winter  Great 


Black-backed  Gull  was  at  McConaughy  19  Jan 
(MB,  DS).  Two  Black-legged  Kittiwakes  were 
reported  this  season,  both  on  the  1 Dec,  at 
Sequoyah,  OK  (SB)  and  Woodward,  OK  (JAG). 

DOVES  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Eurasian  Collared-Doves  now  occur 
Regionwide,  with  25-47  reported  from  some 
individual  localities  in  Kansas  (fide  LM). 
White-winged  Doves  were  noted  as  far  afield  as 
Cimarron,  OK  30  Dec  (BH  et  al.)  and  Gray,  KS 
3 Jan  (TS,  SS).  A scattering  of  Inca  Doves 
occurred  n.  to  Kearny,  KS  15  Dec  (TS)  and  12 
Jan  (SS,  MO).  Perhaps  the  most  notable  dove 
sighting  of  the  season  was  a Common 
Ground-Dove  in  Johnson,  KS  2 Jan — 28  Feb 
(MC,  EC,  m.  ob.). 

This  was  an  invasion  year  for  Snowy  Owls: 
the  infrequency  of  this  event  makes  listing  the 
records  imperative.  In  Nebraska:  a juv.  male  in 
Keith  16  Dec  (JF,  SJD);  a juv.  female  at 
McConaughy  17  Dec  (SJD,  JF,  KN);  other  sin- 
gles in  Knox  22  Dec  (MB)  and  Garden  21  Feb 
(HW,  SW).  In  Kansas:  one  in  Wyandotte  19 
Dec — 11  Jan  (fitde  MM),  2 at  Cheyenne 
Bottoms  30  Dec — 12  Jan  (ST,  m.  ob.),  1-2  in 
Marion  14-17  Jan  (m.  ob.);  one  in  Douglas  19 
Jan — ^12  Feb  (ML,  m.  ob.),  and  one  in  Clay  29 
Jan  (CO,  JO).  In  Oklahoma:  singles  in  Custer  1 
Dec — 22  Jan  (D&LR,  m.  ob.),  in  Tillman  dur- 
ing late  Jan  (KM,  m.  ob.;  dying  on  site),  and 
Pawnee  6-13  Feb  (CD,  MY,  m.  ob.). 

An  Anna’s  Hummingbird  was  found  in 
Washington,  OK  22  Nov — 31  Dec  (S&JV,  m. 
ob.),  only  the  4th  for  Oklahoma.  At  least  2 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsuckers  may  have  wintered 
as  far  n.  as  Omaha,  NE  (BP,  LP).  Northern 
Shrike  reports  were  routine  for  Nebraska.  Six 
were  reported  from  Kansas  (fide  LM);  one  in 
Payne,  OK  3 Jan  (JCc)  was  the  farthest  south. 
While  the  up  to  12  Steller’s  Jays  reported  from 
Cimarron,  OK  (PS,  BG,  JL)  would  suggest  an 
invasion,  this  was  the  only  locality  in  the 
Region  from  which  they  were  reported.  Black- 
billed Magpies  wandered  e.  to  Dakota,  NE  6 
Jan  (BFH),  and  Dixon,  NE  2 Feb  (BFH).  A 
Fish  Crow  in  Douglas,  KS  3 Feb  (MRo)  was 
exceptional  both  for  northerly  location  and 
date. 

A northerly  Carolina  Wren  was  banded  in 
Dixon,  NE  26  Jan  (MB,  EB).  Numbers  farther 
s.  were  still  depressed  by  the  severe  weather 
and  ice  storms  of  past  winters.  Also  surprising 
for  more  w.  location  was  a Winter  Wren  in 
Keith,  NE  9 Feb  (CW,  BKP).  Half-hardy  sur- 
prises were  Ruby-crowned  Kinglets  in  Scotts 
Bluff,  NE  14  Feb  (KL)  and  Keith,  NE  16  Dec 
(SJD). 

Three  Mountain  Bluebirds  were  unexpected 
in  Knox,  NE  5-10  Jan  (MB,  DH),  as  were  12  in 


This  kumlieni  Iceland  Gull  was  also  at  Lake 
Hefner,  Oklahoma,  at  least  1 3-22  February  2002 
(here  photographed  on  the  first  day).  The  prob- 
lem of  distinguishing  larger,  darker  Iceland  Gulls 
from  Thayer’s  Gulls  persists  throughout  North 
America.  Photograph  by  Richard  Thacker. 

Sedgwick,  KS  22  Jan  (GM).  A Townsend’s 
Solitaire  was  also  noted  in  Sedgwick,  KS  1 5 Dec 
(PJ).  Two  Curve-billed  Thrashers  were  located 
in  Morton,  KS  29  Dec  (SP).  A Sage  Thrasher  in 
Scotts  Bluff  14  Dec — 27  Jan  (VN,  AK,  m.  ob.) 
provided  only  the  2nd  winter  record  for 
Nebraska.  Testing  a potential  harsh  fate  was  a 
Brown  Thrasher  in  Buffalo,  NE  6 Jan  (LB). 

Although  normally  persisting  into  Dec  in 
Nebraska  , the  Myrtle  Warblers  noted  in 
Nemaha/Richardson  23  Feb  (DS)  and  Knox  2 
Feb  (MB)  were  quite  exceptional.  A clear 
“zootie”  was  a Cape  May  Warbler  11-17  Jan  in 
Douglas,  KS  (JC,  PW).  Among  those  oddball 
wandering  Pine  Wabrlers  were  individuals 
located  in  Sarpy,  NE  18  Dec — 28  Feb  (BP,  LP) 
and  Clay,  KS  16  Dec  (CO,  JO).  A Common 
Yellowthroat  in  Lancaster,  NE  15  Dec  (JG, 
TEL)  was  the  first  Dec  record  for  Nebraska. 
One  in  Douglas,  KS  26  Jan  (AP,  AN)  was  also 
pushing  the  n.  limits  for  survival. 

This  was  perhaps  a season  for  ground-forag- 
ing emberizids  to  push  their  n.  limits.  Among 
the  more  northerly  observations  were  those  of 
a Spotted  Towhee  at  McConaughy  16  Dec  (fitde 
SJD),  an  Eastern  Towhee  in  Riley,  KS  1 Feb 
(TC),  a Dickcissel  in  Sedgwick,  KS  15  Jan 
(D&MC),  a Field  Sparrow  in  Geary,  KS  20  Jan 
(HA),  a Lark  Sparrow  in  Barber,  KS  5 Jan  (PJ), 
a Le  Conte’s  Sparrow  in  Lyon,  KS  1 Dec  (SS), 
and  a Grasshopper  Sparrow  in  Comanche,  OK 
29  Dec  (JAG).  Also  northerly  was  a Lincoln’s 
Sparrow  in  Lancaster,  NE  15  Dec  (LE). 
Westerly  were  2 White-throated  Sparrows  in 
Scotts  Bluff,  NE  15  Dec  (fitde  AK). 

Quite  exceptional  was  a Pyrrhuloxia  in 
Comanche,  OK  12  Dec  (KM) — 21  Feb  (JAG). 
But  the  undoubtedly  most  outstanding  record 
of  the  season  was  a Brambling  videotaped  at  a 
Washington,  KS  feeder  22-23  Jan  (WB) — 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


191 


unfortunately  escaping  the  observation  of 
many  a Kansas  birder. 

A juv.  female  Yellow-headed  Blackbird  lin- 
gered until  15  Dec  in  Scotts  Bluff,  NE  (SJD,  m. 
ob.),  with  a male  noted  in  Boone,  NE  4 Jan 
( WM).  The  2-7  Brown-headed  Cowbirds  win- 
tering in  Scotts  Bluff,  NE  (SJD,  KL,  m.  ob.)  pro- 
vided the  first  Jan — Feb  record  for  the 
Nebraska  Panhandle.  Three  cowbirds  in  Scotts 
Bluff  itself  7 Jan  (KL,  PD,  DD,  AD)  were  the 
2nd  record.  Also  indicative  of  mild  winter  was 
an  imm.  Baltimore  Oriole  that  survived  in 
Omaha  until  11  Dec  (fideWKS). 

One  of  the  surprises  of  the  winter  was  an 
invasion  of  White-winged  Crossbills  into 
Nebraska  and  Kansas.  In  Nebraska,  a rough 
tally  indicates  that  about  75  birds  were  report- 
ed, most  at  feeders,  the  largest  flocks  being  of 
16  in  Omaha  (BP,  LP,  m.  ob.)  and  of  12  in 
Keyapaha  (CH).  A scattering  of  Wbite- 
wingeds  was  reported  from  Kansas,  including 
Barton  (MR,  LH),  Douglas  (RB),  Pottawatomie 
(DB,  G&DS,  m.  ob.),  Hamilton  (SS,  MO), 
Leavenworth  (GP),  Finney  (TS,  SSh),  Geary 
(CO,  JO),  Shawnee  (PWi),  and  Butler  [fide 
CO).  One  was  also  observed  in  Payne,  OK  9 
Jan  (OT).  Common  Redpolls  were  reported 
from  five  Nebraska  locations.  A few  wandered 
s.  to  Kansas,  with  2 in  Riley  15  Dec  (DR),  2 at 
Cheyenne  Bottoms  13  Dec  {fide  MR),  and 
another  in  Riley  5-10  Feb  (DBu,  G&DS). 
Among  few  reports  of  Evening  Grosbeaks  for 
tbe  past  few  years  were  meager  singles  in 
Hamilton  and  Kearny,  KS,  both  12  Jan  (SS, 
MO). 

Cited  observers  (area  editors  in  boldface); 
KANSAS:  Henry  Armknecht,  Charles 

Anderson,  Roger  Boyd,  Bill  & Nancy  Beard, 
Doris  Burnett  (DBu),  Warren  Buss,  Mark 
Corder,  Elaine  Corder,  Mike  Cooper  (MCo), 
Ted  Cable,  Jan  Conrad,  Don  & Margaret 
Clemence,  Dan  Gish,  Larry  Hesed,  Leon  Hicks 
(LHi),  Pete  Janzen,  Dan  Larson,  Mark  Land, 
Mick  McHugh,  Gary  Maxey,  Lloyd  Moore, 
Arpi  Nyari,  Chuck  Otte,  Jaye  Otte,  Marie 
Osterbuhr,  Galen  Pitman,  Gerry  Parkinson 
(GPa),  Sebastian  Patti,  Alexis  Powell,  Mark 
Radar,  Mark  Robbins  (MRo),  Dave  Rintoul, 
Richard  Rucker,  Scott  Seltman,  Tom  Shane, 
Sara  Shane  (SSh),  Gary  & Donna  Shavers 
(G&DS),  Steve  Teske,  Phil  Wedge,  Paul  Willis 
(PWi),  Beverly  Yates.  NEBRASKA:  Laurel 
Badura,  Ed  Brogie,  Mark  Brogie,  Stephen  J. 
Dinsmore,  Dean  Drawbaugh,  Phyllis 
Drawbaugh,  Larry  Einemann,  Joe  Fontaine, 
Joe  Gubanyi,  Robin  Harding,  Dave  Heidt,  Bill 
F.  Huser,  Alice  Kenitz,  Tom  E.  Labedz,  Kathy 
Larson,  Wayne  Mollhoff,  Valerie  Naylor,  Kay 
Niyo,  Mark  Orsag  (MOr),  Babs  Padelford, 


Loren  Padelford,  Rob  Parsons,  Brandon  K. 
Percival,  Larry  Randolph,  W.  Ross  Silcock, 
Dave  Stage,  Dave  Swanson  (DSw),  Jerry  Toll, 
Steve  Van  Sickle,  Harley  Winfrey,  Sarah 
Winfrey,  Chris  Wood.  OKLAHOMA;  David 
Arbour,  James  W.  Arterburn,  Sandy  Berger, 
John  Couch  (JCc),  C.  Dormer,  Bonnie  Gall, 


Bob  Germany  (BGe-),*S.'Greetham,  Joseph  A. 
Grzybowski,  Berhn  HdckDo  Loyd,  L.  MalJonee 
(LMa),  Kurt  Meisenzahl,  Donna  and  Justin 
Roach,  Pat  Seibert,’  Jerry  Sisler,  O.  Thomas, 
S.&J.  Vredenburg,  M.  Yancey. 


Texas 


Mark  W.  Lockwood 

6710  Lancret  Hill  Drive 
Austin,  Texas  78745 
(mwlockwood@juno.com) 

Clifford  E.  Shackelford 

714  Shiny  Rock 

Austin,  Texas  78748 

(clifford.shackelford@tpwd.state.tx.us) 

Willie  Sekula 

7063  County  Road  228 
Falls  City,  Texas  78113 
(wsekula@the-cia.net) 

Brush  Freeman 
1 20  North  Redbud  Trail 
Elgin,  Texas  78621 
(brush@onr.com) 


This  winter  saw  almost  normal  rainfall  in  the 
eastern  third  of  the  state,  while  most  of  the 
remainder  either  lapsed  back  into  drought 
conditions  or  simply  saw  a continuation  of  dry 
conditions.  Much  of  the  South  Texas  region 
had  virtually  no  measurable  rainfall  during  the 
period.  The  same  was  true  in  the  western  half 
of  the  state;  for  example.  Big  Bend  National 
Park  recorded  the  second  driest  winter  since 
1953.  Drought  conditions  impacted  wintering 
bird  populations,  as  seed  and  insect  food 
sources  were  minimal  in  much  of  the  state.  In 
areas  with  more  normal  precipitation, 
observers  also  noted  that  species  and  individ- 
ual numbers  were  well  below  average. 
Although  there  were  a few  fairly  strong  north- 
ern fronts,  producing  freezing  conditions  well 
into  South  Texas,  the  winter  could  most  easily 
be  described  as  mild. 


192 


North  American  Birds 


Southern  Great  Plains — Texas 


If  overall  bird 'populatiofis  seemed  dismal, 
there  was  nonetheless -an-  exceptional  crop  of 
statewide  rarities.  Premier  among  these  was 
the  state’s  first  Gyrfalcon- found  in  Lubbock. 
Other  outstanding  finds'  were  the  fourth  and 
fifth  documented  Trumpeter  Swans  since  the 
late  1800s.  The  northern  half  of  the  state  was 
particularly  blessed  with  these  rarities,  as  a pair 
of  Barrow’s  Goldeneyes  was  present  in  north- 
central  Texas,  and  an  astounding  four  White- 
winged Crossbills  were  documented  around 
Amarillo.  We  are  still  unraveling  the  winter 
dynamics  of  hummingbird  pop'olations  in  the 
state.  There  appear  to  be  increasing  numbers 
of  wintering  hummingbirds  away  from  the 
more  expected  haunts  along  the  Coastal 
Prairies.  This  is  particularly  evident  in  El  Paso 
County,  where  seven  species  of  hummingbirds 
overwintered. 

Abbreviations:  T.B.R.C.  (Texas  Bird  Records 
Committee);  U.T.C.  (Upper  Texas  Coast).  The 
following  are  shortened  names  for  the  respec- 
tive local,  county,  state,  or  national  parks,  and 
wildlife  refuges,  etc.:  Alazan  Bayou,  Anahuac, 
Balcones  Canyonlands,  Big  Bend,  Big  Bend 
Ranch,  Brazoria,  Buescher,  Buffalo  L., 
Matagorda  Island,  Packery  Channel,  Palo  Duro 
Canyon,  Quintana,  Sabine  Woods,  Santa  Ana, 
Sea  Rim,  Trinity  River. 

LOOMS  THROUGH  VULTURES 

Pacific  Loons  were  discovered  at  six  locations 
across  the  eastern  half  of  the  state;  noteworthy 
were  singles  farther  w.  at  O.  H.  Ivie  Res., 
Coleman  3 Feb  (TMa)  and  Tornillo  Res., 
Hudspeth  19  Dec  (BZ).  Common  Loons  win- 
tered in  larger  than  normal  numbers  in  the 
Panhandle  and  South  Plains  (KS).  An  amazing 
concentration  of  72  Common  Loons  was 
counted  at  L.  Denison,  Grayson  22  Feb  (AW). 
A Red-necked  Grebe  was  discovered  at  L. 
Tawakoni,  RainsIVan  Zandt  25  Dec  (MWh).  A 
pair  of  Western  Grebes  with  young  at  McNary 
Res.,  Hudspeth  7 Dec  (BZ)  provided  the  first 
nesting  record  for  a pure  Western  pair  in  Texas. 
Western  Grebes  were  found  at  eight  scattered 
locations  e.  to  Tarrant  and  Fayette  this  winter. 
A single  Clark’s  Grebe  on  L.  Tanglewood, 
Randall  15-26  Dec  (KS,  et  al.)  provided  the 
first  winter  record  for  the  Panhandle. 
Unexpected  was  a group  of  30  American  White 
Pelicans  at  Big  Bend,  Brewster  24  Feb  (GLe). 
This  species  lingered  at  five  Panhandle  and 
South  Plains  locations  this  season,  which  is 
well  above  the  norm.  Three  Brown  Pelicans 
wandered  into  n.-cen.  Texas  this  season,  with 
singles  at  L.  Tawakoni  early  Nov — 2 Dec 
(MWh),  L.  Fork,  Wood  2 Jan  (BP),  Ray  Roberts 
L.,  Cooke  2 Jan  (BP),  and  Village  Creek  Drying 


Beds,  Tarrant  6 Jan  (MR).  Another  Brown 
Pelican  on  Fayette  Res.,  Fayette  5 Dec  (BF)  pro- 
vided a first  county  record.  A breeding  colony 
containing  63  active  Neotropic  Cormorant 
nests  was  discovered  on  the  King  Ranch, 
Kleberg  3 Jan  (TL).  A Magnificent  Frigatebird 
at  Sea  Rim,  Jejferson  30  Dec  (SR)  provided  a 
record  late  date  for  the  U.T.C.  A Reddish  Egret 
at  L.  Fort  Phantom,  Jones  13  Jan  (JaP)  was  a 
first  Abilene-area  record.  Black-crowned 
Night-Herons,  a rare  winter  resident  in  the 
Panhandle,  were  noted  at  L.  Tanglewood  on  15 
Dec — 27  Jan  (JHam,  BP,  m.  ob.)  and  Amarillo, 
Potter  16  Feb  (BP).  An  imm.  White  Ibis  at 
Tenaha,  Panola  31  Dec  (GLu,  et  al.)  provided  a 
rare  winter  record  for  the  Pineywoods.  Very 
rare  in  winter  in  Northeast  Texas,  6 Roseate 
Spoonbills  were  at  Camp  Tyler,  Smith  14  Dec 
(JCo)  and  2 were  present  there  on  Christmas 
Day.  Single  Turkey  Vultures  were  found  at 
three  Brewster  locations  on  14  Feb  (DO,  COK, 
GLe);  this  is  about  a month  early  for  spring 
migrants. 

WATERFOWL  THROUGH  FALCOMS 

Black-bellied  Whistling-Ducks  are  lingering 
into  the  winter  with  increasing  regularity  and 
in  greater  numbers;  this  season  a total  of  1187 
was  reported  on  U.T.C.  Christmas  counts.  An 
astounding  75  Black-bellied  Whistling- Ducks 
were  at  L.  Fork,  Wood  10  Feb  (MWh,  DH). 
Single  Greater  White-fronted  Geese  were 
noted  in  El  Paso  during  Dec  and  Big  Bend  on 
7 Feb  (GLe).  The  winter  populations  of  Snow 
and  Ross’s  Geese  in  the  Panhandle  and  South 
Plains  continue  to  increase,  and  very  large  con- 
centrations of  both  species  were  noted  at  L. 
Rita  Blanca,  Hartley  in  particular.  A 
Trumpeter  Swan  was  at  L.  Marvin,  Hemphill  8 
Dec — 16  Feb  (t,  ph.,  BP,  KS,  m.  ob.),  and 
another  was  at  Brazoria  N.W.R.,  Brazoria,  2 
Jan-f  (DJ,  t>  ph.,  m.  ob.).  These  represent  the 
4th  and  5th  documented  records  for  the  state. 
A Tundra  Swan  accompanied  the  Trumpeter  at 
L.  Marvin,  and  2 possible  Tundras  were  at 
Katy  Prairie,  Waller  9 Feb-I-  (PDH  et  al.). 
Drake  Eurasian  Wigeon  were  documented  in 
nw.  Tarrant  15-17  Dec  (t,  ph.,  DDC,  MR,  SJ  et 
al.)  and  at  Shipp  L.,  Bastrop  17  Feb  (fBF). 
Blue-winged  Teal  were  unexpected  visitors  to 
Lubbock  from  15  Dec — 19  Jan  (m.  ob.)  and  El 
Paso  10  Jan  (JSp).  Three  Cinnamon  Teal  at  L. 
Rita  Blanca,  Hartley  26  Jan  (EK)  provided  a 
rare  winter  Panhandle  record.  As  expected, 
small  numbers  of  Greater  Scaup  were  reported 
across  the  state.  Inland  Long-tailed  Ducks 
were  at  Delhi,  Caldwell  14-17  Dec  (BF)  and 
Nacogdoches  on  4 Jan  (JF),  the  former  provid- 
ing a probable  first  county  record.  A pair  of 
Barrow’s  Goldeneyes  was  discovered  on  Loy 


This  striking  maie  Broad-bilSed  Hummingbird, 
originally  discovered  on  18  October  2001,  spent 
the  winter  in  suburban  Houston,  Texas.  This 
species  occurs  almost  annually  in  the  state, 
although  most  often  in  the  western  half. 
Photograph  by  Michael  Gray. 


L.,  Grayson  5 Jan  (t,  ph.,  WM).  The  drake 
remained  until  22  Feb  (t,  m.  ob.),  providing 
the  6th  record  for  the  state.  An  exceptional 
concentration  of  500-800  Hooded  Mergansers 
frequented  a power  plant  lake  in  Greenville, 
Hunt  in  Dec  and  Jan  (MWh,  RB).  Two  female 
Common  Mergansers  at  L.  Coleman,  Coleman 
were  an  interesting  find  (JaP,  LP). 

An  active  Bald  Eagle  nest  was  discovered  in 
Llano  {fide  CN)  during  Feb,  the  only  known 
nesting  site  on  the  Edwards  Plateau  and  the 
only  one  w.  of  IH-35.  An  imm.  Gray  Hawk  at 
Rio  Grande  Village,  Brewster  22-27  Feb  (DO, 
COK,  MF)  provided  a rare  winter  Trans-Pecos 
record.  An  imm.  Common  Black-Hawk  at 
Roma,  Starr  2 Feb  (BMc)  was  a nice  find. 
Harris’s  Hawks  are  very  local  in  the  w.  Trans- 
Pecos,  so  one  at  El  Paso  10  Jan  (JSp)  was  note- 
worthy. An  imm.  Swainson’s  Hawk  was  near 
Bentsen-Rio  Grande  Valley,  Hidalgo  29  Dec  (f, 
BMc,  KE)  providing  a rare  winter  record  for 
the  state.  Just  n.  of  the  regular  range  was  an 
imm.  White-tailed  Hawk  near  La  Grange, 
Fayette  5 Dec  (BF).  Zone-tailed  Hawks  were 
found  in  above-normal  numbers  in  s.-cen. 
Texas.  More  noteworthy  was  one  at  Huntsville, 
Walker  16  Feb  (OC),  the  first  reported  from 
the  Pineywoods.  Up  to  4 Ferruginous  Hawks 
were  found  on  the  U.T.C.,  which  is  above  aver- 
age. Another  in  Henderson  12  Jan — 25  Feb 
(GLu,  ERa,  HB)  was  quite  unexpected.  The 
Prairie  Falcon  reported  from  Waller  in  the  fall 
remained  through  the  winter.  Other  notewor- 
thy Prairie  Falcons  were  in  Karnes  9 Dec  (WS, 
et  al.)  and  Navarro  30  Dec  (TP). 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


193 


Certainly  the  event  of  the  season 
was  the  discovery  of  an  immature 
gray-morph  Gyrfalcon  in  Lubbock  on  21 
Jan  by  Floyd.  This  not  only  represents  the 
first  record  for  the  state,  but  this  species 
had  never  been  reported  in  the  state, 
despite  the  erroneous  mention  of  Texas  in 
the  Bird  of  North  America  species  account. 
This  individual  faithfully  roosted  on  a 
water  tower  in  the  south-central  part  of 
the  city  for  the  remainder  of  the  season, 
much  to  the  delight  of  birders  from  across 
the  state  and  beyond.  This  Gyr  may  have 
been  the  southernmost  ever  recorded  in 
North  America. 

CRANES  THROUGH  TERNS 

The  survey  of  the  wintering  population  of 
Whooping  Cranes  resulted  in  a count  of  174 
individuals  (TS).  East  of  the  normal  wintering 
haunts  was  a pair  that  wintered  at  Indianola, 
Calhoun  (m.  ob.).  An  impressive  count  of  113 
Snowy  Plovers  and  100  Piping  Plovers  was 
made  on  the  San  Bernard  C.B.C.  on  14  Dec.  A 
Snowy  Plover  was  photographed  at  L. 
Lewisville,  Denton  13  Jan  (KL),  the  2nd  winter 
record  for  the  Region.  A high  count  of  114 
Mountain  Plovers  was  made  this  season  at  the 
traditional  wintering  areas  near  Granger, 
Williamson  18  Dec  and  3 Feb  (TFe).  Two  lin- 
gering American  Avocets  were  found  near 
Taylor,  Williamson  3 Dec  (BF).  A Spotted 
Sandpiper  at  Caprock  Canyons,  Briscoe  5 Jan 
(RK,  AF,  JR)  provided  a first  winter  record  for 
the  Panhandle.  Only  slightly  more  expected 
was  another  in  Lubbock  on  14  Fen  (AF).  A 
flock  of  300  Long-billed  Curlews  along  the  Rio 
Grande  in  Hudspeth  10  Feb  (JPa)  was  a sur- 
prising concentration  for  winter.  Another 
interesting  shorebird  record  from  the 
Panhandle  was  of  2 Least  Sandpipers  at  L. 
Marvin  8 Dec  (EK  et  al.).  A Pectoral  Sandpiper 
at  Gibbons  Creek  Res.,  Grimes  1 Dec  (BEr,  et 

al. )  provided  a very  rare  winter  record.  Along 
the  Lf.T.C.,  there  were  impressive  counts  of 
Stilt  Sandpipers  at  various  locations,  suggest- 
ing that  the  species  wintered  in  greater-than- 
normal  numbers.  American  Woodcocks  were 
present  in  much  higher  than  normal  numbers 
in  ne.Texas  (MWh). 

A Parasitic  Jaeger  at  Quintana,  Brazoria  16 
Dec  (ERo)  was  the  only  report  for  the  season. 
Two  Laughing  Gulls  at  Ellen  Trout  L.,  Angelina 
16  Dec  (GG,  NB)  made  an  unusual  winter 
record  for  the  Pineywoods.  An  ad.  Mew  Gull 
was  with  a large  group  of  Ring-billed  Gulls  in 

w.  El  Paso  20  Dec  (tBZ).  Up  to  5 California 
Gulls  were  present  in  El  Paso  and  Hudspeth 
during  the  season.  This  species  has  become  an 


annual  winter  visitor  in  the  El  Paso  region. 
Farther  e.,  California  Gulls  were  noted  in 
McLennon  15  Dec  (JM,  FB)  and  Travis  2 Feb 
(RF,  JHan).  A Thayer’s  Gull  was  reported  at 
Lake  o’  the  Pines,  Marion  29-31  Dec  (tBMe  et 
al.),  details  of  which  will  be  reviewed  by  the 
T.B.R.C.  A Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  in  El  Paso 
25  Dec  (JO)  provided  a 2nd  county  record;  this 
bird  was  also  seen  nearby  in  New  Mexico. 
Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls  continue  to  be 
found  in  ever-increasing  numbers  along  the 
Gulf  Coast.  Surprisingly,  no  Glaucous  Gulls 
were  reported  during  the  period.  A third-win- 
ter Great  Black-backed  Gull  was  at  Port 
O’Connor,  Calhoun  2-14  Dec  (tPHo,  BF). 
What  is  believed  to  be  the  same  individual  was 
found  at  Fulton  Beach,  Aransas  1 Jan-t-  (MM,  t 
BP).  Black-legged  Kittiwakes  were  noted  at 
Ray  Roberts  L.,  Cooke  26  Dec  (BF)  and  Lake  o’ 
the  Pines,  Marion  12  Jan  (HB).  An  Arctic  Tern 
was  reported  from  the  Texas  City  Dike  18  Dec 
(t,  ph.,  PDH,  SP);  if  accepted  it  would  repre- 
sent the  5th  state  record.  Eight  Common  Terns 
were  at  Padre  Island  National  Seashore,  Kenedy 
8 Dec,  a very  late  date  (MC).  There  are  very 
few  winter  records  of  Common  Tern  for  the 
Coastal  Bend  or  the  lower  coast. 

DOVES  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

A Red-billed  Pigeon  in  central  Hidalgo  in  mid- 
Eeb  provided  an  unexpected  winter  record 
from  the  central  L.R.G.V.  (JA).  White-winged 
Doves  were  present  in  numbers  throughout 
the  season  in  Wichita  Falls  (DM).  Two 
Common  Ground-Doves  in  w.  Milam  on  3 
Dec  (BF)  were  n.  of  normal  range.  The  popu- 
lation of  Green  Parakeets  in  Cameron  and 
Hidalgo  is  now  estimated  to  exceed  2000  indi- 
viduals {fide  BMc).  A roost  of  11  Long-eared 
Owls  at  Muleshoe,  Bailey  made  a nice  find 
(LEAS).  A Lesser  Nighthawk  was  noted  near 
Matagorda,  Matagorda  17  Dec,  an  unusual 
coastal  winter  record.  A male  Green-breasted 
Mango  was  seen  sporadically  in  McAllen, 
Hidalgo  2 Dec — 19  Jan  (t,  ph.,  JA  et  al.).  This 
may  be  the  same  individual  that  visited  this 
feeder  in  Jan  2001.  The  2 Broad-billed 
Hummingbirds  reported  from  the  fall 
remained  through  the  season  (t,  ph.,  BZ).  The 
Broad-billed  present  in  Houston  since  18  Oct 
remained  until  18  Feb  (t,  ph.,  MMa  et  al.).  The 
Violet-crowned  Hummingbird  present  in  El 
Paso  last  fall  remained  until  16  Feb  (BZ).  The 
longest  previous  stay  in  Texas  by  this  species 
was  only  12  days,  and  each  of  the  other  four 
records  involved  a stay  of  one  or  two  days. 
Black-chinned  Hummingbirds  were  unexpect- 
ed finds  in  Big  Bend  27  Dec  and  22  Jan  {fide 
MF)  and  Lubbock  24  Feb  (AF,  CC).  Brower  and 
Zalk  made  a concerted  effort  to  band  hum- 


mingbirds on  the  U.T.C.  this  winter.  Their 
work  resulted  in  the  capture  of  3 Buff-bellied,  5 
Ruby-throated,  32  Black-chinned,  2 Calliope, 
27  Rufous,  2 Broad-tailed,  and  3 Allen’s 
Hummingbirds  (f).  Up  to  2 Anna’s 
Hummingbirds  were  in  Amarillo,  Randall  1 
Dec — 10  Jan  (RSc),  and  2 others  were  in 
Lubbock  15-19  Dec  (AF  et  al.)  providing  rare 
mid-winter  records  from  the  Region.  An  imm. 
male  Costa’s  Hummingbird  was  at  Matagorda 
17-21  Dec  (t,  ph.,  CB,  MG)  providing  the  3rd 
record  from  e.  of  the  Pecos  R.  Inland  winter 
Calliope  Hummingbirds  were  noted  at  Austin, 
Travis,  through  the  period  (m.  ob.)  and  in  El 
Paso  29  Dec — 4 Jan  {fide  JZ).  Wintering  Broad- 
tailed Hummingbirds  were  present  through  the 
period  in  El  Paso  and  Midland,  and  another  was 
in  the  Davis  Mountains,  Jeff  Davis  1-17  Dec 
(M&ME).  In  addition  to  the  3 Allen’s 
Hummingbirds  banded  by  Brower  and  Zalk, 
another  was  banded  in  Corpus  Christi,  Nueces 
13  Feb  (fGSw),  and  4 others  were  rumored  to 
have  been  banded  in  Victoria,  but  details  were 
not  provided.  Another  male  Selasphorus  that 
was  thought  to  be  an  Allen’s  was  present  all  win- 
ter at  Russ  Pitman  Park,  Harris  (FC,  ph.  MG). 
Four  Lewis’s  Woodpeckers  were  reported  this 
season:  2 at  Fredericksburg,  Gillespie,  28  Dec-I- 
(t,  ph.,  m.  ob.),  one  at  Quemado,  Maverick  27 
Dec — 13  Jan  (f,  ph.,  MC),  and  one  near 
Abilene,  Taylor  5 Feb+  (f,  m.  ob.).  An  amazing 
count  of  52  Red-headed  Woodpeckers  was 
made  on  the  Caddo  L.  count,  Harrison/ Marion 
1 Dec  (m.  ob.). 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  JAYS 

Following  last  summer’s  first  Trans-Pecos 
record  for  Northern  Beardless-Tyrannulet, 
another  was  found  in  Pinto  Canyon,  Presidio 
21  Jan  (JJ,  PM).  The  normal  scattering  of  Least 
Flycatchers  was  found  along  the  Coastal 
Prairies;  more  unusual  was  one  at  Gibbons 
Creek  Res.,  Grimes  1 Dec  (J&PS).  A “Western” 
Flycatcher  was  well  described  in  Brazoria  near 
Brazos  Bend  22  Dec  (CB).  A Say’s  Phoebe 
spend  the  2nd  consecutive  winter  at  Cooper  L., 
Delta  (MWh).  Two  Black  Phoebes  wandered  to 
Midland  in  early  Dec  {fide  RMS),  but  more 
unexpected  was  one  at  S.  Ceta  Canyon,  Randall 
15-16  Dec  (LS,  RSc  et  al.).  Eastern  Phoebes 
also  made  an  appearance  in  the  Panhandle, 
with  2 at  L.  Tangelwood,  Randall  15  Dec  (PA, 
JCe).  Ash-throated  Flycatchers  were  found  far- 
ther n.  than  normal  this  season  with  singles 
near  Granger,  Williamson  9 Dec  (TFe)  and  one 
in  Kerr  3 Jan  (SW).  Continuing  a trend  of 
recent  years,  a Brown-crested  Flycatcher  was  at 
San  Bernard,  Brazoria  14  Dec  (TMo,  CH).  The 
Great  Kiskadees  found  at  Missouri  City, 
Ghambers  almost  a year  ago  continued 


194 


North  American  Birds 


Texas 


through  the  season  (m.  ob.).  A vocalizing 
Tropical  Kingbird  was  at  Rose  Hill  Cemetery  in 
Corpus  Christi  30  Dec  (MC,  WR),  providing 
only  the  4th  record  from  the  Coastal  Prairies. 
Couch’s/Tropical  Kingbirds  made  an  impres- 
sive movement  up  the  coast  this  season,  with 
numerous  individual  present  as  far  ne.  as 
Colorado  and  Waller.  Some  individuals  were 
vocalizing,  allowing  definitive  identification  as 
Couch’s.  Western  Kingbirds  lingered  along  the 
upper  and  central  coasts  well  into  Dec,  with 
the  latest  being  one  at  San  Bernard  14  Dec 
(DV,  JHe).  Probably  a result  of  the  extremely 
mild  fall  and  early  winter,  Scissor-tailed 
Flycatchers  lingered  throughout  Dec  in  much 
of  the  e.  half  of  the  state.  A female  Rose- 
throated  Becard  was  at  the  McAllen  Nature 
Center,  Hidalgo  20-23  Jan  (fASy,  CK).  White- 
eyed Vireos  wintered  n.  of  their  normal 
haunts,  with  singles  noted  in  Hunt,  Tarrant, 
and  Van  Zandt  (fide  M¥/h).  A Bell’s  Vireo  at 
Laguna  Atascosa,  Cameron  1 Feb  (P&RA,  ph.) 
provided  a very  rare  mid-winter  record  for  the 
state.  A Bell’s  was  at  Big  Bend  on  22  Feb  (DO, 
COK)  and  might  have  wintered  locally. 
Plumbeous  Vireos  were  found  in  cottonwood 
woodlands  along  the  Rio  Grande  in  Big  Bend 
this  season:  one  at  Rio  Grande  Village  29  Dec 
[fide  MF)  and  another  at  Cottonwood 
Campground  30  Jan  (MF).  A well-document- 
ed Cassin’s  Vireo  was  at  Corpus  Christi,  Nueces 
1 Dec  (t  MC).  Cassin’s  Vireos  continue  to  be 
reported  without  details  elsewhere  in  the  east- 
ern two-thirds  of  the  state.  Separating  this 
species  from  first-winter  Blue-headed  Vireo  is 
a major  identification  challenge.  Two  Hutton’s 
Vireos  were  discovered  at  Friedrich  Park,  Bexar 
1 Feb+  (DE  et.  al).  These  birds  add  to  what  is 
becoming  an  annual  occurrence  in  the  Hill 
Country.  A Philadelphia  Vireo  was  studied  at 
length  at  Freeport,  Brazoria  16  Dec  (fRW).  In 
a year  that  lacked  major  movements  of 
corvids,  a Steller’s  Jay  was  a surprise  at  White 
River  L.,  Crosby  30  Dec  (LEAS).  A Blue  Jay  fre- 
quented the  area  around  the  city  zoo  in  El  Paso 
31  Dec — 2 Jan  (fide  JZ).  The  known  popula- 
tion of  Brown  Jays  in  Texas  hovers  at  13  indi- 
viduals in  two  family  groups  (JA,  BMc). 
Western  Scrub-Jays  are  irregular  visitors  to  Big 
Bend;  this  season,  5 were  in  the  Chisos  Mts.  28 
Dec  (m.  ob.).  For  the  2nd  consecutive  winter, 
there  were  no  Tamaulipas  Crows  in  Texas. 

SWALLOWS  THROUGH  WARBLERS 

Very  early  for  the  South  Plains  was  a Purple 
Martin  at  Lubbock  16  Feb  (AF).  Cave 
Swallows  departed  late  and  arrived  early  in  the 
El  Paso  area,  with  one  at  McNary,  Hudspeth  16 
Dec  (BZ,  JPa),  and  5 in  El  Paso  3 Feb  (JSp). 
There  were  two  records  of  single  Barn 


Swallows  in  the  Trans-Pecos  this  season: 
Hudspeth  1 Dec  (JPa)  and  Big  Bend  22  Feb 
(DO,  COK).  In  contrast  to  the  past  several 
winters,  Red-breasted  Nuthatches  were  very 
scarce  across  the  state  this  season.  Two  Brown 
Creepers  were  at  the  grassland  oasis  at  The 
Post  County  Park,  Brewster  21  Dec  (MC,  AC). 
Although  probably  annual  in  the  area,  a red- 
backed  Bewick’s  Wren  was  in  e.  Williamson  9 
Dec  (ML,  TFe,  BF).  Winter  Wrens  are  general- 
ly rare  in  the  Trans-Pecos;  this  winter  found 
one  at  Fort  Bliss,  El  Paso  17  Dec  (BZ,  JZ,  MSc), 
a 3rd  county  record.  Also  quite  unexpected 
was  a Sedge  Wren  in  Garza  10  Feb  (RK  et  al.). 
A Golden-crowned  Kinglet  wandered  away 
from  the  montane  woodlands  to  Fort  Bliss  17 
Dec  (ftde  BZ).  A Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher  was 
well  n.  of  the  normal  wintering  range  in 
Lubbock  15  Dec  (LEAS).  A Wood  Thrush  win- 
tered at  the  Valley  Nature  Center  in  Weslaco, 
Hidalgo  (BMc).  Reflecting  the  mild  condi- 
tions, both  American  Robins  and  Cedar 
Waxwings  were  in  very  low  numbers  through 
most  of  the  state  this  season.  Gray  Catbirds  are 
rare  and  irregular  in  winter  in  the  Trans-Pecos, 
and  2 were  found  this  year:  one  near  Fort 
Davis,  Jeff  Davis  2 Dec  (KN)  and  another  in  the 
Chisos  Basin  of  Big  Bend  23  Jan  (FJ).  The  Blue 
Mockingbird  continued  through  the  season  in 
Weslaco  (m.  ob.).  Providing  a very  rare  winter 
sighting  was  a Golden-winged  Warbler  on 
Blackjack  Peninsula,  Aransas  19  Jan  (PeH).  A 
Tennessee  Warbler  was  an  unexpected  winter 
visitor  at  McAllen,  Hidalgo  27  Dec,  where  it 
remained  through  the  period  (JA).  Orange- 
crowned  Warblers  are  rare  winter  visitors  to 
the  Panhandle,  and  this  season  found  an  amaz- 
ing 8 different  individuals  scattered  through 
the  Region.  A Northern  Parula  in  El  Paso  1 
Dec  (JPa,  BZ  et  al.)  provided  a rare  county 
record.  Likewise,  a Chestnut-sided  Warbler 
was  rare  for  Austin  12  Jan  (fSY);  a Magnolia 
Warbler  made  an  equally  unexpected  appear- 
ance in  Austin  15  Dec  (FD,  CL).  Two  Black- 
throated  Blue  Warblers  were  on  the  U.T.C.  in 
the  early  winter,  with  one  at  Quintana, 
Brazoria  1 Nov — 7 Dec  (MA  et  al.)  and  anoth- 
er on  Bolivar  Peninsula,  Galveston  23  Dec  (m. 
ob.).  Much  more  unexpected  was  one  at  El 
Paso  3-13  Feb  (JPa,  ph.),  a 2nd  winter  record 
for  the  county.  Two  Black-throated  Gray 
Warblers  wandered  to  the  cen.  coast,  with  sin- 
gles at  Port  O’Connor,  Calhoun  4 Jan — 7 Feb 
(BF)  and  Corpus  Christi  through  the  season 
(m.  ob.).  An  amazing  concentration  of  up  to 
35  Pine  Warblers  wintered  at  Rose  Hill 
Cemetery  in  Corpus  Christi.  A significant  find 
was  4-5  Palm  Warblers  at  two  locations  at  L. 
Tawakoni  1 Dec — 21  Jan  (RR,  MWh,  RB).  A 
Prairie  Warbler  at  Smith  Pt.,  Chambers  23  Feb 


was  noteworthy  (DV).  An  Ovenbird  returned 
to  a residence  near  Brazos  Bend,  Fort  Bend,  for 
the  7th  consecutive  winter  on  2 Dec  (R&SJ). 
An  inland  Ovenbird  was  found  at  Utley, 
Bastrop  26  Dec — 17  Feb  (BF).  A Common 
Yellowthroat  made  a rare  Panhandle  appear- 
ance at  L.  Meredith,  Hutchinson  3 Jan  (BP, 
BiM).  A Hooded  Warbler  at  Sabine  Woods, 
Jefferson  23  Jan  (SM,  AM)  may  have  been  a 
wintering  individual.  Two  Wilson’s  Warblers 
were  reported  from  the  Trans-Pecos  this  year, 
with  one  at  Rio  Grande  Village,  Brewster  22 
Feb  (DO,  COK)  and  another  near  Marathon, 
Brewster  24  Feb. 

TAS^AGERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Very  unexpected  was  a Summer  Tanager  at 
Nacogdoches  4 Jan  (DF).  A female  Western 
Tanager  overwintered  in  Corpus  Christi,  and 
single  males  were  at  Bolivar  Peninsula  23  Dec 
(DPe,  DP)  and  San  Patricio  4 Feb  (JJ,  PM).  A 
Green-tailed  Towhee  was  found  on  the 
Blackland  Prairies  near  Granger,  Williamson  3 
Dec  (BF).  A flock  of  80  Lark  Buntings  was  a 
nice  sight  near  Gonzales  14  Dec  (BF).  A 
Baird’s  Sparrow  was  found  near  White  River 
L.,  Crosby  30  Dec  (fAF).  A good  winter  find 
for  Big  Bend  was  a Grasshopper  Sparrow  27 
Dec  (MF).  Nelson’s  Sharp-tailed  Sparrows  are 
very  rarely  found  inland  during  the  winter; 
one  was  at  Waco  12-16  Dec  (JM,  FB).  Two 
White-throated  Sparrows  at  McNary,  Hudspeth 
16  Dec  (BZ)  were  w.  of  the  their  normal  haunts 
in  the  Trans-Pecos.  Three  different  Pink-sided 
Juncos  appeared  in  the  Pineywoods  in 
Angelina  and  Nacogdoches  22  Dec — 21  Jan  (m. 
ob.).  A Pyrrhuloxia  wandered  e.  to  Milam  3 
Dec  (BF).  An  ad.  male  Black-headed  Grosbeak 
in  Nacogdoches  was  present  mid-Dec-h  (MSm). 
There  were  2 female  Blue  Buntings  in  Hidalgo 
this  season;  one  was  at  Bensten-Rio  Grande 
Valley  23  Jan-t-  (tJA  et  al.)  and  another  at  a pri- 
vate residence  nearby  from  14  Feb-h  (tJA).  An 
Indigo  Bunting  in  Burleson  15  Dec  (CL,  EO) 
was  unexpected  away  from  the  Coastal 
Prairies.  Two  Painted  Buntings  made  news  on 
the  U.T.C.  this  season,  with  one  at  Freeport, 
Brazoria  16  Dec  and  another  at  L.  Jackson  10 
Jan-l-  (CR).  A congregation  of  1100  Rusty 
Blackbirds  in  Rusk  26  Jan  (GLu)  was  the  largest 
number  reported  in  several  years.  A single 
Rusty  Blackbird  in  Lubbock  on  24  Feb  (AF) 
was  newsworthy.  Up  to  60  Common  Crackles 
in  El  Paso  1-2  Dec  (JSp,  JZ,  MSc)  was  well 
above  the  normal  wintering  number.  A male 
Bronzed  Cowbird  at  McNary  Res.  16  Dec  (JPa, 
BZ)  provided  a first  winter  record  for  the 
county.  Unexpected  was  a Bullock’s  Oriole  at 
Marathon,  Brewster  21-22  Dec  (AT).  A 
Hooded  Oriole  was  discovered  in  Matagorda  9- 


VoLUME  56  (2002),  Number  2 


195 


28  Feb  {fide  CB,  ph.).  Several  Altamira  Orioles 
frequented  San  Ygnacio,  Zapata  during  the  sea- 
son (m.  ob.).  A lingering  Baltimore  Oriole  was 
at  Buescher,  Bastrop  5 Dec  (BF).  Providing  a 
rare  winter  records  was  a male  Baltimore  in 
Mason  13  Dec  (DF,  BoF)  and  2 birds  13  km  s.  of 
Alpine,  Brewster  14  Jan  (DWh)  was  equally  rare. 
Even  more  astounding  was  a male  Scott’s  Oriole 
in  nw.  Collingsworth  1 Dec  (f  EK  et  al.)  provid- 
ed only  the  5th  Panhandle  record  and  the  first 
for  winter.  Purple  Finches  showed  up  in  the 
Panhandle  this  season,  with  2 at  Happy,  Swisher 
31  Dec  (I&WJ)  and  L.  Tanglewood  2 Feb  (TLJ). 
Cassin’s  Finches  were  generally  absent  this  win- 
ter, but  3 were  in  the  Davis  Mts.  28  Feb 
(MScME).  White- winged  Crossbills  made  an 
unprecedented  appearance  in  the  Panhandle 
this  season,  with  4 individuals  noted.  A female 
was  at  L.  Tangelwood  24-28  Dec  (TLJ,  fBP,  m. 
ob.),  an  ad.  male  was  in  Amarillo,  Randall  30 
Dec — 29  Jan  (fBScPN,  m.  ob.),  another  male 
was  across  town  23  Jan  (tGH),  and  an  imm. 
male  was  at  the  same  location  as  the  previously 
mentioned  female  27  Jan — 6 Feb  (TLJ,  tRSc,  m. 
ob.).  A Lesser  Goldfinch  was  photographed  at 
Hitchcock,  Galveston  10  Feb  (TO).  The  only 
Evening  Grosbeak  reported  this  season  was  one 
in  Nacogdoches  in  late  Jan  (CM). 

Undocumented  reports 
There  were  reports  without  details  of  Red- 
necked Grebe  in  Travis,  Northern  Goshawk  in 
Lubbock  and  Smith,  and  Golden-crowned 
Sparrow  in  El  Paso. 

Cited  observers  (subregional  editors  in  bold- 
face); Mark  Adams  (Trans-Pecos:  HC75,  Box 
1337-B,  Ft.  Davis,  TX  79734-5016.  email: 
mta@astro.as.utexas.edu),  Pam  Allison,  John 
Arvin,  Ron  Baltzeger,  Nancy  Bird,  Lorie  Black, 
Hazel  Bluhm,  Charles  Brower,  Frank 
Bumgardner,  Cindy  Caplen,  Oscar  Carmona, 
Joe  Cepeda  (JCe),  Fred  Collins,  Jim  Connally 
(JCo),  Arlie  Cooksey,  Mel  Cooksey  (South 
Texas:  15825  Socorro  Loop,  Corpus  Christi,  TX 
78418.  email:  arliec@ciris.net),  Marc  and 
Maryann  Eastman,  Kim  Eckert,  Dodge 
Engleman,  Ted  Eubanks,  Jesse  Fagan,  Tim 
Fennell,  Rob  Fergus,  Dixie  Feuerbacher,  Dean 
Fisher,  Mark  Flippo,  Anthony  Floyd,  Bobbye 
Frazier,  Brush  Freeman  (BF),  Bert  Frenz  (BFr) 
(East  Texas:  221  Rainbow  Dr.,  PMB  12190, 
Livingston,  TX  77399-2021.  email: 
bert@bafrenz.com),  Michael  Gray,  Georgette 
Guernsey,  James  Hamous  (JHam),  Jeff  Hanson 
(JHan),  Jose  Hernandez  (JHe),  Chuck  Hill,  Jim 
Hinson  (JHi),  Petra  Hockey  (PHo),  Grace 
Holloway,  Peggy  Holt  (PeH),  P.  D.  Hulce  (PDH), 
David  Hurt,  Jimmy  Jackson,  Denis  James  (DJa), 
Irene  & Wiley  James,  Simone  Jenion,  Rich  & 


Sally  Jesperson,  Thomas  L.  Johnson,  Frances 
Jones,  Rich  Kostecke,  Ed  Kutac,  Clif  Ladd,  Tom 
Langschied,  Greg  Levandoski  (GLe),  Cathy  Liles, 
Llano  Estacado  Audubon  Society,  Keith 
Lockhart,  Mark  Lockwood,  Guy  Luneau  (GLu), 
Art  MadCinnon,  Michael  Marsden  (MM),  Mike 
Mathews  (MMa),  Terry  Maxwell  (TMa),  Steve 
Mayes,  Bill  McKinney  (BiM),  Brad  McKinney 
(BMc),  Bob  Metzler  (BMe),  Wayne  Meyer,  Paul 
Miliotis,  Charlotte  Montgomery,  Tom  Morris 
(TMo),  John  Muldrow,  Bill  & Pat  Needham, 
Kathy  Nesbitt,  Cal  Newnam,  Dale  Ohl,  Carolyn 
Ohl-Kolb,  Jerry  Oldenettle,  Tom  O’Neal,  Elaine 
Owens,  Jay  Packer  (JaP),  Laura  Packer,  Jim 
Paton  (JPa),  Dick  Peake  (DPe),  Dwight  Peake 
(DP),  Barrett  Pierce,  Brandon  Pope,  Truman 
Powell,  Sumita  Prasad,  Ross  Rassmussen,  Eddie 
Ray  (ERa),  Joel  Reese,  Martin  Reid,  Sherrie 


David  Trochlell 

1931  Taliwood  Lane 
Boise,  Idaho  83706 
(dtrochlell@velocitus.net) 


Rhoden,  Cecilia  Riley,  Ed  Rozenburg  (ERo),  Will 
Russell,  Laura  Sare,  Marcy  Scott  (MSc), 
Rosemary  Scott  (RSc),  Jim  8c  Phoebe  Lou  Sealy, 
Willie  Sekula  (Central  Texas:  7060  Co.  Rd.  228, 
Falls  City,  TX  78113-2627.  email:  wsekula@the- 
cia.net),  Ken  Seyffert  (Northwest:  226  S. 
Lipscomb,  Amarillo,  TX  79109),  Molly  Smith 
(MSm),  John  Sproul  (JSp),  Tom  Stehn,  Rose 
Marie  Storz,  Glenn  Swartz  (GSw),  Ann  Syptak 
(ASy),  Alan  Tennant,  Don  Verser,  Ron  Weeks 
(UTC:  110  Indian  Warrior,  L.  Jackson,  TX 
77566.  email:  igarapet@brazosport.cc.tx.us), 
Don  White  (DWh),  Matt  White  (MWh)  (N.C. 
Texas:  882  Hwy  50,  Campell,  TX  75422.  email: 
mkwhite@903internet.com).  Sue  Wiedenfeld, 
Alan  Wormington,  Scott  Young,  Craig  Zalk, 
Jimmy  Zabriskie,  Barry  Zimmer. 


The  winter  of  2001  was  mild  to  average, 
without  dramatic  weather  events  or  Arctic 
cold  fronts.  Even  the  coldest  locations  experi- 
enced few  subzero  days,  and  these  periods  were 
of  short  duration.  Precipitation  was  unevenly 


Idaho-Western 

Montana 


196 


North  American  Birds 


distributed  across  the  Region,  with  northern 
areas  receiving  adequate  amounts  but  parts  of 
southern  Idaho  left  drier  than  usual.  Several  of 
the  large  northern  lakes  remained  ice-ffee  the 
entire  season,  enticing  good  numbers  of  water- 
fowl  to  remain. 

It  now  seems  to  be  almost  a cliche  to  report 
increasing  numbers  of  half-hardy  birds  in  the 
Region  each  winter.  But  numbers  of  these 
birds  were  certainly  up  again  this  winter,  as 
evidenced  by  several  record  December  counts 
made  for  doves,  thrushes,  waxwings,  and 
towhees.  Perhaps  what  was  most  unique  and 
thought-provoking  about  this  winter  was  that 
a few  Neotropical  migrants,  including  a 
Northern  Rough-winged  Swallow,  a Western 
Tanager,  and  a Bullock’s  Oriole,  stayed  into 
December.  These  holdover  surprises — plus 
spectacular  rarities  such  as  Yellow-billed  Loon, 
Black  Scoter,  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  Le 
Conte’s  Sparrow,  and  Brambling — made  for  a 
thoroughly  enjoyable  season. 

With  this  column  we  say  goodbye  to  subre- 
gional editor  Merlene  Koliner,  who  retires  with 
over  15  years  of  dedicated  service  to  the  birds 
and  birders  of  this  journal.  Her  unerringly 
accurate,  complete,  and  punctual  hand-typed 
reports  were  always  a pleasure  to  read,  and  they 
will  be  missed.  Thank  you,  Merlene,  for  a job 
well  done!  This  column  is  dedicated  to  you. 

Abbreviations:  A.F.R.  (American  Falls  Res.,  by 
American  Falls,  Idaho);  L.M.  (Lee  Metcalf 
N.W.R.,  Ravalli,  MT). 

LOONS  THROUGH  CRANES 

Among  the  rarest  winter  visitors  were  up  to  2 
Yellow-billed  Loons  at  L.  Pend  Oreille,  Bonner, 
ID  1 Dec — 8 Jan  (EC).  Two  unusually  late 
Pacific  Loons  in  Kootenai  1-11  Dec  (LH,  SL) 
were  noteworthy;  only  about  three  previous 
winter  records  exist  for  Idaho.  Both  states 
found  unseasonal  grebes;  Idaho  reported  2 
Eareds  and  a Clark’s  in  Dec,  and  Montana 
recorded  an  Eared  that  overwintered  at  L.M. 
Although  uncommon  and  local  in  s.  Idaho,  a 
pair  of  Trumpeter  Swans  in  n.  Idaho’s  Kootenai 
16-27  Dec  (LH,  SL)  was  unexpected.  The  sea- 
son’s tally  of  lingering  white  geese  was  fairly 
typical,  with  8 Greater  White-fronteds,  8 
Snows,  and  2 Ross’s  Geese  reported.  Other  fall 
holdovers  included  2 Cinnamon  Teal  in 
Canyon  (FH),  which  provided  a first  overwin- 
tering record  for  Idaho.  The  Gem  State  report- 
ed 9 Eurasian  Wigeon,  a very  good  winter  total. 
Among  the  wintering  duck  flocks  were  inter- 
esting hybrids  including  a Eurasian  x 
American  Wigeon  and  a Common  Goldeneye 
X Hooded  Merganser  in  Gooding,  ID  1-2  Jan 
(KF).  Seven  Harlequin  Ducks  in  Kootenai  15 


Texas — Idaho -Western  Montana 


Dec  (AB)  and  another  that  overwintered  in 
Flathead  (SG)  represented  Montana’s  2nd  and 
3rd  winter  records.  Especially  rare  in  winter 
was  a Long-tailed  Duck  in  Flathead,  MT  16 
Dec  (SG)  and  3 in  Lewiston,  ID  1-27  Jan  (RW, 
m.  ob.).  Idaho’s  6th  Black  Scoter  at  Idaho  Falls 
persisted  until  1 Dec,  providing  the  Region’s 
first  winter-period  record.  Another  Regional 
first  was  furnished  by  a Surf  Scoter  that  over- 
wintered in  Kootenai,  ID  (m.  ob.).  Completing 
the  scoter  trio  was  a late  White-winged  Scoter 
that  persisted  in  Kootenai,  ID  until  15  Dec 
(SL).  It  appears  that  Idaho’s  Ospreys  are  stay- 
ing later  each  year;  singles  were  reported  in 
Canyon  10  Dec  (BC),  Boise  15-16  Dec  (JC, 
DT),  and  in  Lemhi  26  Dec  (D&EF). 
Ferruginous  Hawks  are  very  unusual  anywhere 
away  from  s.  Idaho  in  winter,  making  one  in 
Lake,  MT  31  Jan — 28  Feb-l-  (LW)  a good  find. 
It  was  a very  good  winter  for  Gyrfalcons,  with 
singles  found  in  Blaine,  ID  29  Dec  (KF),  Nez 
Perce,  ID  1-16  Jan  (ph.  tKC,  m.  ob.).  Caribou, 
ID  27  Jan  (C&JO),  Flathead,  MT  8-10  Feb 
(DC,  BR),  and  Butte,  ID  10  Feb  (C&JO).  Both 
states  reported  tardy  Sandhill  Cranes,  with  sin- 
gles in  Ravalli,  MT  1-31  Dec  (WT),  Twin  Falls, 
ID  15  Dec  (DR),  and  near  Livingston,  MT  29 
Dec  {fide  JP). 

SHOREBIRDS  THROUGH  WRENS 

An  exceptionally  late  Spotted  Sandpiper  in 
Owyhee  22  Dec  (HW)  represented  Idaho’s  6th 
winter  record.  Two  Dunlins  in  Nez  Perce,  ID  5 
Jan — 2 Feb  (m.  ob.)  were  also  a great  find;  they 
are  less  than  annual  in  winter.  A few  Idaho 
Least  Sandpipers  also  attempted  to  winter, 
with  up  to  5 in  Minidoka  3-22  Dec  (SB,  JC)  and 
2 in  Gem  14  Feb  (RM). 

A Little  Gull  that  persisted  at  A.F.R  until  10 
Dec  (CT)  provided  a first  winter  record  for 
Idaho.  Surprising  were  up  to  4 Bonaparte’s 
Gulls  in  Kootenai,  ID  11  Dec — 2 Jan  (LH,  SS) 
and  one  in  Lake,  MT  29  Jan  (BR).  The  season’s 
tally  of  rare-but-expected  gulls  was  similar  to 
last  year,  and  included  6 Mews,  9 Thayer’s,  one 
Glaucous,  and  an  “Olympic  Gull,”  a Glaucous- 
winged X Western  hybrid. 

Eurasian  CoUared-Doves  overwintered  at 
three  Idaho  locations;  3 were  in  Burley  (RL), 
one  was  in  Cassia  (RL),  and  a flock  of  at  least 
1 1 was  near  American  Falls  (CT).  Snowy  Owls 
made  a good  showing  in  Idaho,  with  singles 
reported  in  Adams  8 Dec  (AA),  Kootenai  1 Jan 
(SL),  and  Bonneville  6 Feb  (PB).  A Burrowing 
Owl  that  was  monitored  the  entire  season  in 
Elmore  (RB)  provided  an  interesting  winter 
first  for  Idaho.  Two  Anna’s  Hummingbirds 
persisted  in  Missoula,  MT  1-30  Dec,  and  one 
survived  until  24  Feb,  when  it  was  captured  for 
rehabilitation  (S&GS).  For  the  4th  consecutive 


year,  hardy  single  Lewis’s  Woodpeckers  win- 
tered in  Boise,  ID  (RLR,  DT)  and  Ravalli,  MT 
(CP).  One  highlight  was  a Yellow-bellied 
Sapsucker  in  Gooding,  ID  7 Feb  (KF)  that  rep- 
resented Idaho’s  2nd  winter  record.  Unusually 
late  were  2 Red-naped  Sapsuckers  near 
Bigfork,  MT  13  Dec  (BR)  and  a Williamson’s 
Sapsucker  in  Gem,  ID  12-18  Dec  (F&MZ). 
Only  3 Blue  Jays  were  reported  in  Idaho,  the 
lowest  winter  total  in  six  years.  Other  wander- 
ing jays  included  a Western  Scrub-Jay  in 
Gooding,  ID  1 Dec — 16  Jan  (KF)  and  a Pinyon 
Jay  in  Ravalli,  MT  9 Jan  (WT).  An  exceptional- 
ly late  Northern  Rough-winged  Swallow  in 
Gooding,  ID  22  Dec  (SH)  and  2 early  Violet- 
green  Swallows  in  Lewiston,  ID  23  Feb  (CS) 
provided  interesting  Regional  winter  firsts. 
Extralimital  Bewick’s  Wrens  turned  up  near 
Boise  15  Dec — 10  Feb  (RLR,  DT)  and  in 
Canyon  17  Feb  (CSy).  A tardy  House  Wren 
spotted  in  Lake,  MT  17  Dec  (DC)  was  excep- 
tional; only  a handful  of  winter  records  exist  in 
the  Region. 

THRUSHES  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Mountain  Bluebirds  made  a very  good  show- 
ing, but  far  more  unusual  were  6 Western 
Bluebirds  that  overwintered  in  Kootenai,  ID 
(CL)  and  another  Western  near  Boise  13-15 
Dec  (RLR,  DT).  Like  last  year,  American 
Robins  were  unusually  numerous  throughout 
the  Region;  record-high  counts  were  made  on 
nw.  Montana  C.B.C.s  in  Dec  (DC).  Especially 
rare  in  winter  were  single  Northern 
Mockingbirds  in  Canyon,  ID  26  Dec — 28  Feb 
(FH),  Twin  Falls,  ID  13  Jan  (KF),  and  Flathead, 
MT  21  Feb  (DC,  BR).  Bohemian  Waxwings 
stormed  through  nw.  Montana  in  huge  num- 
bers; the  1 1,059  tallied  on  the  Kalispell  C.B.C. 
30  Dec  (DC)  was  likely  a new  Regional  record. 
Southwest  Idaho’s  Orange-crowned  Warbler 
numbers  were  on  par  with  last  year,  with  a total 
of  8 reported.  Both  amazing  and  unprecedent- 
ed was  the  male  Western  Tanager  that  lingered 
in  Kootenai,  ID  1-2  Jan  (LH,  MMo,  SS). 
Exceptional  numbers  of  Spotted  Towhees  were 
reported  in  both  states.  Seasonally  rare  spar- 
rows included  a Chipping  Sparrow  in  Gem,  ID 
8 Feb  (F&MZ),  a Vesper  Sparrow  in  Ravalli, 
MT  7-18  Dec  (t,  ph.  WT),  a Savannah  Sparrow 
in  Flathead,  MT  8 Feb  (DC),  and  a Swamp 
Sparrow  in  Benewah,  ID  29  Dec — 1 Jan  (SL). 
Even  better  was  the  LeConte’s  Sparrow  discov- 
ered at  L.M.  29  Dec  (WT),  a sensational  winter 
first  for  the  Region.  A rare  Rusty  Blackbird  was 
found  near  L.M.  1-14  Dec  (CP),  and  up  to  3 
wintered  in  Flathead,  MT  (DC,BR). 
Overwintering  Idaho  Great-tailed  Grackles 
were  down  from  last  year;  they  consisted  of  6 
in  Marsing  (RLR,  DT),  up  to  2 in  American 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


197 


Falls  (CT),  and  3 in  Owyhee  (SP).  Like  last  year, 
3 rare  Common  Crackles  lingered  into  Dec  in 
w.  Montana.  Another  incredible  winter 
Regional  first  was  a male  Bullock’s  Oriole 
photographed  in  Hamilton,  MT  24-25  Dec 
(MD,  MN,  CP).  A Purple  Finch  was  a good 
find  in  Blackfoot  15  Dec — 24  Feb  (BCa);  they 
are  less  than  annual  in  Idaho.  Another  of  the 
season’s  highlights  featured  Montana’s  6th 
Brambling  in  Lake  21  Jan — 28  Feb+  (MM).  It 
was  a banner  year  for  Common  Redpolls; 
thousands  visited  northerly  locations  and  a 
few  even  made  it  to  s.  Idaho  locations  that  had 
not  seen  them  in  over  20  years.  Unprecedented 


numbers  of  Hoary  Redpolls  came  with  them, 
with  reports  of  at  least  15  in  Idaho  and  60  in 
Montana.  More  Lesser  Goldfinches  appear  to 
be  staying  in  the  Gem  State  after  late  fall;  at 
least  12  overwintered  near  Boise  (RLR,  DT), 
and  2 were  found  near  Lewiston  17  Feb  (RD). 

Contributors  (subregional  editors  in  bold- 
face): IDAHO:  Alice  Addington,  Phil  Bartley, 
Steve  Bouffard,  Ryan  Brady,  Jay  Carlisle,  Keith 
Carlson,  Brian  Carrigan  (BCa),  Earl  Chapin, 
Brian  Cooper,  Kas  Dumroese,  Remko 
Duursma,  Dave  & Elise  Faike,  Kent  Fothergill, 
Lisa  Hardy,  Sarah  Harris,  Fred  Hill,  Merlene 


Mountain  West 


Van  A.  Truan 

1901  Court  Street 
Pueblo,  Colorado  81003 

Brandon  K.  Percival 

835  Harmony  Drive 

Pueblo  West,  Colorado  81007-2632 

(mt.w.region_nab@juno.com) 

This  season  was  mild  and  exceedingly  dry, 
especially  in  southern  Wyoming  and  most 
of  Colorado.  There  were  numbers  of  birds  that 
lingered  into  December  and  spring  migrants 
arrived  early. 


Abbreviations:  F.C.R.P.  (Fountain  Creek 
Regional  Park,  El  Paso,  CO);  J.M.R.  (John 
Martin  Reservoir,  Bent,  CO). 

LOONS  THROUGH  RAPTORS 

A late  Horned  Grebe  was  at  Glendo  Res., 
Platte,  WY  15  Dec  (SJD,  JBF).  Single  Red- 
necked Grebes  were  found  at  Barr  L.,  Adams  1 
Dec  (JBn,  TL,  JBF);  StandJey  L.,  Jefferson  9-23 
Dec  (NE,  LS);  and  Pueblo  Res.,  Pueblo  14-20 
Dec  (BKP,  m.  ob.),  with  2 there  11  Feb  (BKP, 
CLW).  Late  Western  Grebes  in  Wyoming 
included  16  at  Glendo  Res.  15  Dec  (SJD,  JBF) 
and  18  at  Greyrocks  Res.,  Platte  15  Dec  (SJD, 


Koliner,  Cindy  LangJitz,  Steve  Lindsay,  Ron 
Lynch,  Russ  Manwaring,  Matthew  Moskwik 
(MMo),  Connie  and  Jack  Oar,  Stacy  Peterson, 
Dwayne  Reynolds,  Hadley  Roberts,  R.L. 
Rowland,  Shirley  Sturts,  Colleen  Sweeney 
(CSy),  Charles  Swift,  David  Trochlell,  Chuck 
Trost,  Harold  Ward,  Rick  Welle,  Poo  Wright- 
Pulliam,  Fred  and  Melly  Zeillemaker.  MON- 
TANA; A1  Bratkovitch,  Dan  Casey,  Mike 
Daniels,  Steve  Gniadek,  Jeff  Marks,  Melinda 
Mull,  Miles  Nelson,  John  Parker,  Colleen 
Powell,  Bob  Rost,  Don  Skaar,  Sue  8c  Gordon 
Skaggs,  Wayne  Tree,  Larry  Weeks. 


JBF)  and  a CJark’s  Grebe  was  at  GJendo  Res., 
WY  15  Dec  (JBF,  SJD).  Rarely  observed  in 
winter,  a Great  Egret  was  in  Grand  Jet.,  Mesa  2 
Dec — 22  Feb  (LA,  m.  ob.).  A Green  Heron  was 
seen  at  J.M.R.  1 Jan  (BKP,  MJ,  DN).  An  imm. 
Ross’s  Goose  frequented  Blue  L.,  Eagle  15  Dec 
and  15  Jan  (JMe).  An  ad.  Black  Brant  was  at 
Woods  L.,  Weld  30  Nov — 6 Dec  (DF,  m.  ob.), 
and  perhaps  the  same  bird  visited  Long  Pond 
in  Ft.  Gollins,  Larimer  19-22  Dec  (RH). 

It  was  a good  swan  season  in  Colorado. 
Trumpeter  Swans  were  reported  from  Rio 
Blanco,  Fremont,  Northglenn,  Grand,  and 
Prowers',  and  in  e.  Wyoming,  one  was  at  Grey 
Reef  Res.,  Natrona  2-28  Feb  (CEM,  JScGL). 
Tundra  Swans  were  reported  from  Larimer, 
Weld,  Pueblo  and  Prowers.  Scoter  reports 
included  single  Surfs  at  L.  Henry,  Crowley  9 
Dec  (MJ,  BKP)  and  J.M.R.  27  Dec  (MJ,  TL,  m. 
ob.)  and  10  Jan  (DN);  single  White-wingeds  at 
Pueblo  Res.,  Pueblo  1 Dec  (BKP,  JBy),  Big 
Johnson  Res.,  El  Paso  15-16  Dec  (DE,  m.  ob.), 
and  Marston  Res.  23-27  Dec  (TJ,  m.  ob.);  and 
single  Blacks  at  Marston  Res.,  Denver  29  Nov — 
28  Dec  (TJ,  LS,  DAL,  DCE),  at  Horseshoe  L.  in 
Loveland,  Larimer  8-10  Dec  (NK,  LS,  RH,  m. 
ob.),  and  at  J.M.R.  27  Dec  (MJ,  TL).  An 
Oldsquaw  was  at  Grey  Reef  Res.,  Natrona,  WY 
31  Dec  (CEM,  BS).  In  Wyoming,  a Red-breast- 
ed Merganser  was  at  Glendo  Res.  15  Dec  (SJD, 
JBF)  and  up  to  9 Hooded  Mergansers  were  at 
Greyrocks  Res.  15  Dec — 12  Jan  (SJD,  JBF,  DF). 

A juv.  Northern  Goshawk  was  s.  of  Rocky 
Ford,  Otero  6 Feb  (SO).  An  ad.  Red-shoul- 
dered Hawk  was  reported  in  Bent  17  Jan  (DN). 
An  unexpected  juv.  Broad-winged  Hawk  was 
at  Boulder  24  Dec  (BSc).  An  ad.  gray-morph 
Gyrfalcon  was  observed  in  North  Park,  Jackson 
20-25  Feb  (RH)  and  a white-morph  Gyrfalcon 
was  near  Casper,  Natrona,  WY  26  Feb  (GL). 


198 


North  American  Birds 


Western  Montana — Mountain  West 


Two  adult  and  three  juvenile  Trumpeter  Swans 
were  found  at  McKay  Lake  in  Morthglenn, 


Colorado  on  1 3 January  2002.  Photograph  by  Bil! 
Schmoker. 

RAILS  THROUGH  GULLS 

Rarely  reported  in  winter  in  Wyoming,  2 
Virginia  Rails  were  at  Table  Mt.  W.M.A., 
Goshen,  WY  12  Jan  (DF,  JBF).  A wintering 
Greater  Yellowlegs  stayed  at  F.C.R.R  6 Dec — 24 
Feb  (KPa,  m.  ob.);  15  found  at  J.M.R.  6 Dec 
(DN,  SO),  one  there  23  Dec  (DN),  and  one  at 
L.  Cheraw,  Otero  9 Dec  (BKP,  MJ)  were  late 
migrants.  Two  Spotted  Sandpipers  and  3 Least 
Sandpipers  were  found  on  the  Colorado  R., 
near  Fruita,  Mesa  16  Dec  (CD,  LA).  An 
American  Woodcock  was  found  at  Bonny 
Res.,  Yuma  4 Jan  (CLW).  A first-basic 
Laughing  Gull  was  at  Standley  L.  1 Dec  (LS). 
Late  for  Wyoming,  4 Bonaparte’s  Gulls  were  at 
Glendo  Res.  15  Dec  (SJD,  JBF).  Also  at  Glendo 
Res.,  an  ad.  basic-plumaged  Mew  Gull  was 
observed  15  Dec  (SJD,  JBF).  Mew  Gulls  in 
Colorado,  included  a juv./first-basic  at  Warren 
L.  in  Ft.  Collins  1-9  Dec  (NK),  an  ad.  at 
Marston  Res.  1 Dec  (DAL,  DCE),  an  ad.  at 
Bonny  Res.  2 Dec  (JK,  m.  ob.),  and  an  ad.  8 Dec 
(TL)  and  a juv.  8-10  Dec  (RH,  JV,  PG)  at 
Horseshoe  L.,  Larimer.  A first-basic  Glaucous- 
winged  Gull  was  found  at  Cherry  Cr.  Res.  23- 
28  Feb-f  (GW,  RO,  DF,  m.  ob.).  A Glaucous 
Gull  was  at  the  Casper  Landfill,  WY  11  Dec 
(GEM),  and  singles  in  Colorado  were  in 
Boulder,  J.M.R.,  and  at  Standley  L.  Great 
Black-backed  Gull  reports  included  singles  at 
Pueblo  Res.,  L.  Hasty,  Bent,  Neenoshe  Res., 
Kiowa,  and  J.M.R.  A juv.  Black-legged 
Kittiwake  was  at  Chatfield  Res., 
Jefferson/Douglas  2 Dec  (BSc). 

DOVES  THROUGH  WMWIHGS 

As  many  as  14  Eurasian  Collared-Doves  were 
at  Ft.  Laramie,  Goshen,  WY  12  Jan  (JBF,  DF). 
The  first  winter  records  of  l^niite-winged 
Dove  in  Colorado  included  the  one  found  in 
the  fall  at  Rye,  Pueblo,  (NH,  DSi,  SC,  m.  ob.) 
and  the  one  to  2 seen  with  Eurasian  Collared- 
Doves  in  Pueblo  1 Dec- — 23  Feb  (RM,  m.  ob.). 


A Snowy  Owl  invasion  into  Colorado  went  s. 
of  normal  invasions.  It  appears  that  there  may 
have  been  over  10  individuals  in  the  state. 
They  included  an  imm.  female  at  Adobe  Creek 
Res.,  Bent  16  Jan — 28  Feb-l-  (DN,  m.  ob.)  and  2 
(or  3)  n.  of  Riverside  Res.,  Weld  15-24  Feb  (JK, 
SSt,  m.  ob.).  Other  undocumented  reports 
were  from  Kiowa,  Bent,  Otero,  Pueblo,  and  sev- 
eral from  the  ne.  part  of  the  state.  A Northern 
Saw- whet  Owls  was  Bonny  Res.  5 Jan  (JBn  et 
al),  and  2 were  on  the  Pawnee  N.G.,  Weld  21 
Jan — 16  Feb  (DSc,  RH,  DAL,  m.  ob.).  An  ad. 
male  Williamson’s  Sapsucker  was  at  Coaldale, 
Jefferson  8 Dec  (TM).  Six  Yellow-bellied 
Sapsuckers  were  observed  in  e.  Colorado.  Rare 
in  winter,  a Red-naped  Sapsucker  was  at 
Grand  Jet.  all  season  (LA),  and  another  was  in 
Beulah,  Pueblo  5 Jan  (MY). 

Single  Eastern  Phoebes  were  at  Bonny  Res. 
5 Jan  (SSe)  and  Wray,  Yuma  6 Jan  (JBF,  TL).  A 
first-fall  male  Vermilion  Flycatcher  was  found 
near  Vineland,  Pueblo  23-31  Dec  (MY,  JY,  m. 
ob.);  this  season’s  mild  weather  obviously 
allowed  insects  to  remain  active  late.  At  least  8 
Steller’s  Jays  that  were  found  in  Oct  stayed 
around  Ft.  Lyon,  Bentthrough  the  season  (DN, 
m.  ob.).  A Juniper  Titmouse  was  found  n.  of 
normal  in  Ft.  Collins  18-19  Jan  (DAL,  RH,  m. 
ob.).  Out-of-range  Bushtits  included  10  in 
Lyons,  Boulder  10  Dec  (BK),  one  in  Boulder  17 
Feb  (RLi),  and  5-12  at  Coal  Mountain, 
Natrona,WY  15-24  Dec  (J&GL).  Two  eastern- 
race  White-breasted  Nuthatches  stayed  all  sea- 
son at  Lamar,  Prowers  (DAL,  m.  ob.),  and  4 
were  at  Bonny  Res.  5 Jan  (JBF  et  al.).  A Rock 
Wren  was  n.  of  normal  at  White  Rocks,  Boulder 
19-22  Dec  (BK,  JP,  JV).  The  Carolina  Wren 
that  appeared  in  Oct  stayed  through  the  season 
at  Colorado  City,  Pueblo  (DSi,  m.  ob.).  A 
Winter  Wren  was  at  Storey,  Sheridan,  WY  1-10 
Jan  (BS);  others  were  at  Two  Buttes  Res.,  Baca 
2 Jan  (DAL)  and  a western-race  bird  in  Bent,  9 
Jan — 28  Feb-l-  (DN,  m.  ob.). 

Three  Eastern  Bluebirds  were  at  Bessemer 
Bend,  Natrona,WY  21  Jan — 28  Feb  (CEM,  HS, 
J&GL).  A Mountain  Bluebird  was  near 
Gypsum,  Eagle  5 Dec  (JMe),  7 at  Two  Buttes 
Res.  19  Dec  (DAL),  and  2 at  Bonny  Res.  5 Jan 
(SSe).  Single  Hermit  Thrushes  were  in  Canon 
City  1 Dec  (SMo)  and  Ft.  Collins  9 Dec  (DAL). 
Varied  Thrush  reports  included  one  in 
Durango,  La  Plata  22  Dec — 2 Jan  (KSt,  m.  ob.), 
one  in  Boulder,  23  Dec — 1 Jan  (BK,  TL,  LS), 
and  one  at  Crosier  Mt.  Trail  in  Drake,  Larimer 
21  Dec  (RDi).  A Gray  Catbird  was  in  Pueblo 
10-15  Dec  (BKP),  and  one  to  2 were  at  Two 
Buttes  Res.  19  Dec  and  2 Jan  (DAL).  A 
Northern  Mockingbird  was  at  Casper,  WY  15 
Dec  (DW),  with  7 in  Colorado  this  season. 
Single  Brown  Thrashers  were  at  Ft.  Lyon  23 


This  juvenile  Biack-legged  Kittiwake  (right;  with  a 
Bonaparte’s  Gull)  was  at  Chatfield  Reservoir, 
Colorado  on  2 December  2001 . Records  of  this 
species  from  the  continent’s  interior  are  increas- 
ing, as  more  and  more  birders  make  regular  trips 
to  scope  iarge  reservoirs  in  ail  seasons. 
Photograph  by  Bill  Schmoker. 

Dec — 28  Feb-l-  (DN,  m.  ob.),  at  Two  Buttes 
Res.  19  Dec  and  2 Jan  (DAL),  at  Vineland, 
Pueblo  23  Dec  (DJ),  and  at  Lamar  2 Feb  (DAL). 
North  of  normal,  a Curve-billed  Thrasher  was 
observed  nw.  of  Windsor,  Weld,  11  Nov — 2 
Feb-f  (MMa,  m.  ob.).  Bohemian  Waxwings 
were  seen  in  flocks  of  several  hundred  in  Rio 
Blanco  2 Dec — 16  Jan  (DH),  and  about  300 
were  seen  in  Boulder,  2 Feb  (BSc). 


This  Common  Redpoll  was  at  Crow  Valley 
Campground,  Weld  County,  Colorado,  on  27 
January  2002,  part  of  a major  exodus  of  the 
species  from  parts  north.  Photograph  Andrew 

Spencer. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


199 


WARBLERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

A male  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler  visited 
F.C.R.P.  15-16  Dec  (KPa,  m.  ob.).  Single  Common 
Yellowthroats  were  at  Pueblo  10  Dec  and  2 Jan 
(BKP)  and  at  F.C.R.P.  15  Dec  (BGo,  m.  ob.).  A 
male  Wilson’s  Warbler  was  also  at  F.C.R.P.  1-16 
Dec  (KPa,  m.  ob.).  Rare  in  winter,  a Green-tailed 
Towhee  was  at  Two  Buttes  Res.  19  Dec  and  2 Jan 
(DAL)  and  another  at  Parker  R.P.,  Douglas  20  Feb 
(GW).  A Clay-colored  Sparrow,  representing 
Colorado’s  2nd  winter  record,  wintered  at  Lamar 
(DAL,  m.  ob.).  A Field  Sparrow  was  at  Runyon  L. 
in  Pueblo  21-28  Feb-t-  (RMi).  Wintering 
Savannah  Sparrows  included  singles  at  Rocky 
Ford  9 Dec  (BKP,  MJ),  at  Fort  Lyon  27  Dec  (BKP, 
PGa),  and  at  Lamar  13  Jan  (MJ).  An  imm. 
Golden-crowned  Sparrow  was  at  Wray  6 Jan  (TL, 
JBF,  JBn).  McCown’s  Longspurs  wintered  in  larg- 
er numbers  than  normal  in  se.  Colorado,  especial- 
ly in  Bent  and  Kiowa.  An  ad.  male  Chestnut-col- 
lared Longspur  was  in  Kiowa  13  Jan  (BKP,  MJ).  A 
Black-headed  Grosbeak  stayed  at  Naturita, 
Montrose  1-19  Dec  (CD,  BW).  Yellow-headed 
Blackbird  reports  included  2 in  Bent  26-27  Dec 
(DN,  JTh),  one  near  Barr  L.  19  Jan  and  18  Feb 


Ted  Floyd 

Great  Basin  Bird  Observatory 
One  East  First  Street,  Suite  500 
Reno,  Nevada  89501 
(tedfloyd57@hotmail.com) 

The  Great  Basin  is  sometimes  disparaged  as  a 
featureless  and  homogeneous  “sagebrush 
sea.”  But  no  one  would  ever  argue  that  the 


(TL),  and  one  near  Rocky  Ford  21  Feb  (SO).  A 
female  or  imm.  Purple  Finch  was  at  Naturita  2 
Dec  (CD,  BW)  and  another  at  Lamar  17  Jan 
(DN).  White-winged  Crossbills  invaded 
Colorado  this  season.  They  were  in  Las  Animas, 
Bent  31  Dec — 6 Jan  (DN,  m.  ob.),  up  to  22  in  Ft. 
Collins  Jan — 10  Feb  (JMm,  DAL,  m.  ob.),  and  6 in 
Golden,  Jefferson  29  Jan  (DSc).  In  Wyoming,  6 
White-wingeds  were  in  Cheyenne  12  Jan  (DF, 
JBF).  Common  Redpolls  in  Wyoming  included 
27  at  Coal  Mountain,  Natrona  15  Dec  (J&GL), 
one  near  Casper,  Natrona  31  Dec  (CL,  BS,  CEM), 
and  an  ad.  male  at  Ft.  Laramie,  Goshen  12  Jan 
(JBF,  DF).  Common  Redpolls  also  invaded  s.  into 
Colorado,  with  reports  from  Boulder,  Rio  Blanco, 
Eagle,  Yuma,  and  Weld. 

Observers  (contributors  in  boldface):  Larry 
Arnold  (LA),  Jason  Beason  (JBn),  Jim  Berry 
(JBy),  Sherry  Chapman  (SC),  Robert  Carlson 
(RC),  Coen  Dexter  (CD),  Ruth  Dick  (RDi), 
Stephen  J.  Dinsmore  (SJD),  David  Elwonger 
(DE),  David  C.  Ely  (DCE),  Norm  Erthal  (NE), 
Doug  Faulkner  (DF),  Joe  B.  Fontaine  (JBF), 
Nelda  Gamble  (NG),  Peter  Gaede  (PGa),  Peter 


weather  is  the  same  all  across  the  Region.  In 
southern  Nevada,  above-average  temperatures 
may  have  benefited  wintering  hummingbirds.  In 
southern  Utah,  though,  it  was  colder  than  aver- 
age, with  very  little  precipitation.  Precipitation 
was  below  average  in  northern  Utah,  too,  but  the 
northern  Nevada  snow  pack  was  right  about 
normal.  This  winter,  several  observers  felt  that 
local  variation  in  ice  cover  and  snow  pack  helped 


Gent  (PC),  Bob  Goycoolea  (BGo),  Nancy 
Hardcastle  (NH),  Thomas  Heinrich  (TH), 
Dona  Hilkey  (DH),  Rachel  Hopper  (RH),  Dave 
Jasper,  Mark  Janos  (MJ),  Dave  Johnson  (DJ), 
Tina  Jones  (TJ),  Bill  Kaempfer  (BK),  Joey 
Kellner  (JK),  Nick  Komar  (NK),  Gloria 
Lawrence  (GL),  Jim  & Gloria  Lawrence  (J&GL), 
David  A.  Leatherman  (DAL),  Tony  Leukering 
(TL),  Roger  Linfield  (RLi),  Marcia  Maeda 
(MMa),  Joe  Mammoser  (JMm),  Bill  Maynard 
(BM),  Jack  Merchant  (JMe),  Christian  E. 
Michelson  (CEM),  Tina  Mitchell  (TM),  Rich 
Miller  (RM),  SeEtta  Moss  (SMo),  Duane  Nelson 
(DN),  Ric  Olson  (RO),  Stan  Oswald  (SO),  Ken 
Pals  (KPa),  Brandon  K.  Percival  (BKP),  Kim 
Potter  (KPo),  John  Prather  (JP),  Dave 
Rubenstein  (DR),  Scott  Rashid  (SR),  George  San 
Miguel,  Bill  Schmoker  (BSc),  Dick  Schottler 
(DSc),  Larry  Semo  (LS),  David  Silverman 
(DSi),  Bob  South  (BS),  Steve  Stachowiak  (SSt), 
Kip  Stransky  (KSt),  Hustace  Scott  (HS),  Janeal 
Thompson  (JTh),  John  Vanderpoel  (JV),  Glenn 
Walbek  (GW),  Christopher  L.  Wood  (CLW), 
Brenda  Wright  (BW),  (DW),  John  Yaeger  (JY), 
Mark  Yaeger  ( MY ) . a 


to  explain  patterns  of  occurrence  in  species  such 
as  Tundra  Swan,  Bald  Eagle,  Merlin,  Black 
Phoebe,  and  Northern  Shrike.  But  this  year’s 
Common  Redpoll  invasion  was  attributable  to 
meteorological  and  other  phenomena  outside 
our  Region.  And  then  there  are  always  the 
flukes — totally  unexpected  sightings  without 
precedent  or  explanation.  The  season’s  winner  in 
this  category  was  surely  the  Ruff  that  spent  the 
last  week  of  December  at  the  Great  Salt  Lake. 

Abbreviations:  A.I.C.  (Antelope  Island 
Causeway,  Davis,  UT);  C.L.  (Carson  L., 
Churchill,  NV);  C.C.  (Corn  Cr.,  Clark,  NV);  EB. 
(Farmington  Bay,  Davis,  UT);  P.L.  (Pyramid  L., 
Washoe,  NV);  Q.C.R.  (Quail  Creek  Res., 
Washington,  UT);  S.L.C.C.  (Salt  L.  City 
Cemetery,  Salt  Lake,  UT);  S.L.R.  (S-Line  Res., 
Churchill,  NV);  S.R.P.  (Sun  R.  Pond,  Washington, 
UT).  Christmas  Bird  Counts  referred  to  in  this 
report  include  the  following:  B.R.  (Bear  R.,  Box 
Elder,  UT,  19  Dec);  Elko  (Elko,  Elko,  NV,  22 
Dec);  ES.  (Fish  Springs,  Juab,  UT,  30  Dec);  P.L. 
(Pyramid  L.,  Washoe,  NV,  1 Jan);  S.G.  (St. 
George,  Washington,  UT,  29  Dec);  S.R.  (Silver 
Reef,  Washington,  UT,  15  Dec);  T.M.  (Truckee 
Meadows,  Washoe,  NV,  15  Dec). 

LOONS  THROUGH  WATERFOWL 

A rare  Red-throated  Loon  remained  at 
Minersville  Res.,  Beaver,  UT  until  2 Dec  (RF  et 
al.).  The  only  Pacific  Loon  reports  were  of  2 each 


Great  Basin 


200 


North  American  Birds 


Mountain  West — Great  Basin 


This  adult  Black-legged  Kittiwake  at  Ivins 
Reservoir,  Washington  County,  Utah  3-5  January 
2002  afforded  a second  record  for  the  state. 
Photograph  by  Rick  Fridell. 
at  L.  Mead,  Clark,  NV  20  Jan  (MC,  JCr)  and  at 
Q.C.R.  1-3  Dec  (RF).  A well-studied  Yellow- 
billed Loon  (tJW  et  mult,  al.;  ph.  JT)  was  at  P.L. 
21  Dec+.  Horned  Grebes  at  3 Nevada  locales 
were  led  by  5 at  RL.  8 Jan  (JW),  and  single  birds 
were  noted  at  3 Utah  locales  (v.  o.).  A Red- 
necked Grebe  that  showed  up  on  the  RL.  C.B.C. 
remained  until  28  Jan  (JW). 

An  American  White  Pelican  lingered  until  5 
Jan  at  S.R.P.  (BH).  The  mid-winter  max.  for 
American  Bittern  was  3 at  C.L.  2 Feb  (DSe).  A 
surprising  18  Great  Egrets  remained  for  the 
T.M.  C.B.C..  The  good  fall  Cattle  Egret  flight  was 
rounded  out  by  a single  bird  at  C.C.  4 Dec  (TF, 
CT).  A Green  Heron  was  at  Fallon,  Churchill, 
NV  14  Dec  (DSe),  and  a White-faced  Ibis  lin- 
gered for  the  F.S.  C.B.C. 

Tundra  Swans  at  10  Nevada  locales  were  led  by 
175  at  Lemmon  Valley  Marsh,  Washoe  28  Feb 
(FP);  among  four  Utah  reports,  the  highest  taUy 
was  of  200  at  F.B.  23  Feb  (SC).  Trumpeter  Swans 
numbered  up  to  5 at  four  Utah  locales  (v.  o.). 
Greater  White- fronted  Geese  numbered  up  to  7 
at  six  Reno  area  locales  (v.  o.),  while  reports  from 
Utah  included  8 at  American  Fork  Marina,  Utah 
9 Dec  (EH,  KC)  and  1-2  at  Dixie  Red  Hills  Golf 
Course,  Washington  2 Jan — 6 Feb  (v.  o.).  Snow 
Geese  at  eight  Nevada  locales  were  topped  by 
2000-1-  at  C.L.  16  Feb  (DT),  while  reports  from 
four  Utah  locales  were  led  by  1000-1-  at  Gunnison 
Bend  Res.,  Millard  24  Feb  (DA).  A Blue  Goose  at 
C.L.  13  Feb  (NB,  JT)  was  the  only  report.  Ross’s 
Geese  numbered  up  to  20  at  eight  Nevada  sites 
(v.  o.),  but  the  only  Utah  reports  were  of  single 
birds  at  S.R.P.  17-21  Dec  (BH)  and  at  Sun  Brook 
Golf  Course,  Washington  27  Jan — 6 Feb  (RF). 
Two  possible  hybrid  geese  (Snow  x Ross’s)  were  at 
Idlewild  Park,  Washoe,  NV  9 Feb  (DSe). 


Wood  Ducks  were  noted  at  three  n.  Nevada 
locations  (v.  o.),  while  Utah  reports  came  from 
S.R.P.  17-29  Dec  (BH)  and  from  La  Verkin, 
Washington  27  Jan  (RF).  A drake  Blue-winged 
Teal  was  an  unusual  winter  visitor  to  Oxbow 
Park,  Washoe,  NV  8 Dec — 12  Jan  (AW  et  mult, 
al.;  ph.  MM),  and  a late  Cinnamon  Teal 
remained  at  Reno  until  12  Dec  (DM).  A drake 
Eurasian  Wigeon  was  at  Reno  15  Dec-1-  (fTF  et 
al.).  Also  at  Reno  was  a hybrid  drake  Eurasian 
Wigeon  x American  Wigeon  20  Feb-l-  (JT  et  al.)- 

Greater  Scaup  numbered  up  to  8 at  four 
Nevada  locales  and  to  6 at  four  Utah  locales  (v. 
o.).  Two  Long-tailed  Ducks  were  at  A.I.C.  13-28 
Dec  (MSt  et  al),  and  a single  bird  was  at  nearby 
F.B.  20  Jan  (AN).  All  three  scoters  put  in  appear- 
ances in  Utah,  with  a Black  Scoter  at  A.I.C.  13 
Dec  (MSt  et  al.),  1-2  Surf  Scoters  also  at  A.I.C. 
16  Dec — 27  Jan  (JB  et  al.),  and  a White-winged 
Scoter  at  Q.C.R.  18  Dec — 12  Jan  (RF  et  al.). 
Barrow’s  Goldeneyes  numbered  up  to  4 at  five 
Nevada  locales  and  to  7 at  four  Utah  locales  (v. 
0.).  The  top  Hooded  Merganser  count  in 
Nevada  was  20  at  Virginia  L.,  Washoe  16  Feb  (TF 
et  al.),  and  the  best  tally  from  Utah  was  10  at 
Layton,  Davis  26  Dec  (HG).  Red-breasted 
Merganser  reports  from  five  Nevada  locales 
were  led  by  7 at  RL.  8 Jan  (JW),  while  the  only 
report  for  Utah  was  of  a single  bird  at  Q.C.R.  15 
Dec  (RF,  KW). 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  GULLS 

Of  Bald  Eagles  recorded  at  11  locations  in 
Nevada,  31  in  the  Carson  Valley,  Douglas  16  Feb 
was  the  top  count  (JW  et  al.);  in  Utah  there  were 
reports  from  12  locations,  including  an  impres- 
sive peak  of  200-1-  at  F.B.  16  Feb  (SC).  Single 
Red-shouldered  Hawks  were  found  at  seven 
Nevada  locations  (v.  o.),  but  the  only  Utah 
reports  came  from  Cedar  City,  Iron  24  Jan  (SS, 
PS)  and  from  Washington  Fields,  Washington  2 
Feb  (SS).  Single  Merlins  were  widely  noted  this 
winter,  with  reports  from  14  locales  in  Nevada 
and  from  nine  in  Utah  (v.  o.).  Peregrine  Falcons 
were  found  at  three  locales  in  Nevada  and  at 
four  in  Utah  (v.  o.). 

The  wintertime  status  of  the  Sora  in  the  n. 
part  of  the  Region  is  not  well  understood;  this 
winter,  the  only  reports  came  from  the  Carson 
Valley,  Douglas,  NV  2 Feb  (JE  et  al.)  and  from 
Oxbow  Park,  Washoe,  NV  16  Feb  (TF  et  al.). 
Common  Moorhen  reports  included:  at  least  3 
near  Fallon,  Churchill,  NV  2-17  Feb  (DT  et  al.), 
one  at  Henderson  Bird  Viewing  Preserve,  Clark, 
NV  12  Feb  (TL),  and  one  at  Powell  Slough, 
Utah,  UT  8 Feb  (EH).  The  only  Sandhill  Cranes 
were  a flock  of  9 at  Overton,  Clark,  NV  10-16 
Feb  (PFo  et  al.). 

Four  Snowy  Plovers  were  at  Saltair,  Salt  Lake, 
UT  on  the  unusual  date  of  20  Jan  (JB,  KB).  One 


Adult  Little  Gull  (right)  with  Bonaparte’s  Gull  (left) 
off  Antelope  Island  Causeway,  Davis  County,  Utah 
13  December  2001 . This  bird  provided  only  the 
second  record  for  Little  Gull  for  Utah  and  for  the 
Great  Basin  region.  Photograph  by  Terry  Sadler. 

of  the  first  signs  of  spring  in  the  Great  Basin  is 
the  return  of  the  American  Avocet,  and  this  year 
some  100  were  already  back  at  C.L.  13  Feb  (NB, 
JT).  Greater  Yellowlegs  are  scarce  but  wide- 
spread during  the  winter  months  in  the  Great 
Basin;  this  year,  there  were  reports  from  5 
Nevada  locales  (v.  o.),  as  well  as  from  the  Utah 
locales  of  Great  Salt  L.  Marina,  Davis  10  Jan 
(BR)  and  Saltair,  Salt  Lake  20  Jan  (JB,  KB).  An 
early  Lesser  Yellowlegs  was  reported  from  S.L.R. 
16-17  Feb  (DT  et  al.).  A Spotted  Sandpiper  was 
at  Reno  12-15  Dec  (DM  et  al.)  and  again  20  Feb 
(AW). 

Three  Long-billed  Curlews  at  C.L.  17  Feb 
(DT)  were  the  first  of  the  year.  An  early  or  win- 
tering Western  Sandpiper  was  at  S.L.R.  2 Feb 
(DSe).  Wintering  Least  Sandpipers  were  found 
at  seven  Nevada  locations,  with  a maximum  of 
30  at  S.L.R.  2 Feb  (DSe);  there  were  reports  from 
four  Utah  locations,  with  a high  count  of  10  at 
Utah  L.,  Utah  2 Dec  (EH,  KC).  A remarkable 
find  was  the  Ruff  that  showed  up  on  the  B.R. 
C.B.C.  and  remained  until  28  Dec  (m.  ob.). 
Wintering  Long-billed  Dowitchers  were  at  four 
Nevada  locations,  the  largest  group  being  24  at 
Reno  12  Dec  (DM).  A Wilson’s  Phalarope  was  at 
A.I.C.  on  the  rather  unusual  date  of  25  Dec  (ph., 
tDC). 

A Little  Gull  was  at  A.I.C.  13  Dec  (ph.,  fTS  et 
al.).  A Mew  Gull  was  at  A.I.C.  13-16  Dec  (TS  et 
al.),  and  another  was  at  Bountiful  Landfill, 
Davis,  UT  10  Jan  (DS,  BS).  Herring  Gulls  were 
reported  from  Nevada  only  at  P.L.,  where  the  top 
count  was  13  on  the  P.L.  C.B.C.;  there  were 
reports  from  four  Utah  locations  (v.  o.). 
Similarly,  the  only  Nevada  Thayer’s  Gull  came 
from  P.L.  8 Jan  (JW),  while  there  were  reports 
from  three  Utah  locations  (v.  o.).  Ditto  for 
Glaucous-winged  Gull,  with  the  only  Nevada 


Volume  56  {2002),  Number  2 


201 


report  coming  from  P.L.  1 Jan — 28  Feb  (v.  o.), 
but  with  reports  from  three  Utah  locations  (v. 
o.).  Two  “Olympic  Gulls”  (Western  x Glaucous- 
winged hybrids)  were  at  P.L.  1-20  Jan  (v.  o.). 
Single  Glaucous  Gulls  were  found  at  F.B.  27 
Jan — 21  Feb  (JB  et  al.)  and  at  Bountiful  Landfill, 
Davis,  UT  27  Jan  (DG  et  aJ.).  Rounding  out  the 
gulls  was  a Black-legged  Kittiwake  at  Ivins  Res., 
Washington,  UT  3-5  Jan  (BSh  et  al.;  ph.,  fRF). 

HUMMINGBIRDS  THROUGH  WAXWINGS 

At  least  8 Anna’s  Hummingbirds  wintered  at 
three  s.  Nevada  locales  (v.  o.),  and  2 northerly 
individuals  wintered  successfully  at  Reno  (ML  et 
al.).  One  or  2 Costa’s  Hummingbirds  spent  the 
winter  at  Pueblo  Park,  Clark,  NV  (RS).  A 
Selasphorus  hummingbird  was  at  Reno  on  the 


unusual  dates  of  5-17  Dec  (fRB). 

During  the  colder  months,  Lewis’s 
Woodpeckers  are  uncommon  but  widespread  in 
the  Great  Basin,  and  so  it  was  this  winter:  there 
were  reports  of  single  birds  from  four  Utah 
locales  (v.  o.),  as  well  as  from  Nevada  at 
Amargosa  Farm,  Clark  8 Dec  (MG,  JCr)  and 
Logandale,  Clark  17  Feb  (RF,  KCo).  Easterly 
Red-breasted  Sapsuckers  were  reported  from 
Pahranagat  N.W.R.,  Lincoln,  NV  16  Dec  (JC) 
and  Red  Rock  Canyon,  Clark,  NV  26  Dec  (CT  et 
al.),  and  a hybrid  sapsucker  (Red-breasted  x 
Red-naped)  was  at  Overton,  Clark,  NV  16  Feb 
(JC).  Williamson’s  Sapsuckers  are  rarely  noted 
during  the  winter  in  the  Great  Basin,  so  it  was 
nice  to  get  reports  from  three  w.  Nevada  locales 
12  Dec — 20  Jan  (v.  o.).  A Northern  (Yellow- 


shafted)  Flicker  was  seen  at  Stead,  Washoe,  NV  4 
Jan  (ph.,  tJT),  and  hybrid  flickers  (Yellow-shaft- 
ed X Red-shafted)  were  noted  at  Rancho  San 
Rafael  Park,  Washoe,  NV  9-16  Feb  (ph.  MM; 
fTF  et  al.)  and  at  Reno,  Washoe,  NV  20  Feb 
(tFP). 

The  status  of  Black  Phoebe  in  n.  Nevada  is 
complex,  to  say  the  least:  it  is  scarce  in  the  spring 
and  summer,  somewhat  more  common  in  the 
fall,  and  generally  absent  in  the  winter.  But  this 
pattern  is  quite  variable,  and  this  winter  there 
were  reports  from  eight  n.  Nevada  locales, 
including  3 on  the  T.M.  C.B.C.  Three  Vermilion 
Flycatchers  were  at  St.  George,  Washington,  UT 
29  Dec — 9 Jan  (v.  o.).  Northern  Shrikes  num- 
bered one  or  2 at  four  locales  in  Nevada  and  at 
five  in  Utah  (v.  o.).  Large  flocks  of  American 
Crows  were  reported  from  various  locales  in  s. 
Nevada  and  s.  Utah  (v.  o.),  and  several  observers 
have  commented  on  the  apparent  recent 
increase  of  the  species  in  the  s.  part  of  the 
reporting  Region. 

More  than  200  Tree  Swallows  were  seen  along 
the  lower  Colorado  R.,  Clark,  NV  12  Dec  (MS); 
the  species  reaches  the  n.  limit  of  its  winter 
range  in  far  s.  Nevada.  Meanwhile,  the  first  Tree 
Swallows  for  n.  Nevada  were  recorded  at  Mason 
Valley,  Lyon  17  Feb  (DT).  Two  Northern  Rough- 
winged Swallows  remained  at  Henderson  Bird 
Viewing  Preserve,  Clark,  NV  until  9 Dec  (MG, 
JCr),  and  2 late  Barn  Swallows  tarried  at  Q.C.R. 
22  Dec  (BH). 

A House  Wren  remained  for  the  Elko  C.B.C. 
A Winter  Wren  at  Pahranagat  N.W.R.,  Lincoln 
16  Dec  (JC)  was  the  only  report  for  Nevada,  but 
there  were  sightings  at  three  widely  scattered 
locales  in  Utah.  A Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher  at 
Overton,  Clark,  NV  16  Feb  was  early  (JC).  A 
Varied  Thrush  at  Fruita,  Wayne,  UT  28-29  Jan 
(BW,  DW)  was  the  only  one  reported.  Wintering 
Brown  Thrashers  were  noted  at  C.C.  at  least 
until  21  Jan  (MC,  JCr)  and  at  Stillwater  N.W.R., 
Churchill,  NV  at  least  untO  26  Dec  (DSe,  RSe). 
Bohemian  Waxwings  were  noted  at  four  Nevada 
locales,  with  a top  count  of  20  at  Rye  Patch  Res., 
Pershing  23  Feb  (DSe,  RSe);  the  only  Utah 
reports  came  from  Mantua,  Box  Elder,  where  up 
to  8 were  present  5-9  Jan  (v.  o.). 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

At  least  6 Orange-crowned  Warblers  were  as  far 
n.  as  Reno  on  the  mid-winter  date  of  23  Jan  (TF; 
LW  et  al),  and  a northerly  individual  was  at 
Orem,  Utah,  UT  4 Jan  (KC).  Myrtle  Warblers 
were  noted  at  C.C.  4-8  Dec  (TF  et  al.)  and  at 
Jordan  R.  Parkway,  Salt  Lake,  UT  13  Feb  (PF). 
An  Ovenbird  showed  up  in  a Las  Vegas  yard  17 
Dec  and  again  6 Jan  (JBo),  and  an  apparent 
Northern  Waterthrush  was  at  Bear  R.  Migratory 
Bird  Refuge,  Box  Elder,  UT  22  Dec  (EC,  JCo). 


C Gulls  of  unquestioned  Glaucous-winged  Gull  parentage  occur  every  winter  in  the 
W»^Great  Basin.  Most  records  are  from  the  larger  lakes  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  Region, 
but  sightings  are  possible  anywhere.  Some  of  these  birds  are  obviously  hybrids  with  Western 
Gulls.  Others  are  not  as  obvious  and  have  occasioned  lively  debate  among  area  birders.  One 
camp  holds  that  almost  all  are  hybrids  (“Olympic  Gulls”),  while  the  other  camp  maintains 
that  many  are  pure  Glaucous-winged  Gulls.  The  bird  in  the  accompanying  photograph 
appears  to  be  a straightforward  hybrid,  but  other  individuals  have  proven  more  difficult  (and 
less  photogenic).  Birders  in  Nevada  and  Utah  are  encouraged  to  make  special  note  of  winter- 
ing Glaucous-winged  Gulls  and/or  “Olympic  Gulls,”  and  to  try  to  help  shed  light  on  the  inter- 
esting phenomenon  of  their  annual  dispersal  inland. 


One  of  two  “Olympic  Gulls”  present  on  Pyramid  Lake,  Nevada  this  winter  (here  16  January  2002), 
these  birds  raise  the  broader  question  of  the  “purity”  of  apparent  vagrant  Glaucous-winged  Gulls, 
which  were  noted  as  far  afield  this  season  as  Ohio  and  Virginia.  Are  hybrids  with  Glaucous-winged 
Gull  more  likely  to  vagrate  than  pure  Glaucous-wingeds?  Photograph  by  Martin  Meyers. 


202 


North  American  Birds 


Great  Basin 


an  incursion  of  Common  Redpolls  into  northern 
Nevada  and  Utah  (and  beyond).  These  males 
were  part  of  a small  flock  that  visited  an  Elko, 
Nevada  feeder,  here  photographed  30  December 
2001 . Photograph  by  Lois  Ports. 

A Rufous-crowned  Sparrow  was  at  Zion  N.R 
6 Jan  (RF,  KCo).  Three  American  Tree  Sparrows 
on  the  Elko  C.B.C.  and  8 at  Ruby  Valley,  Elko  19 
Dec  (KV)  were  the  only  ones  reported  from 
Nevada;  in  Utah,  though,  there  were  sightings  at 
seven  locales,  including  reports  of  double  digits 
from  several  places  (v.  o.).  Single  Fox  Sparrows 
were  noted  at  three  Nevada  locales  (v.  o.),  and 
one  was  at  Mapleton,  Utah,  UT  17  Dec  (BWi); 
none  was  identified  to  the  level  of  subspecies. 
White-throated  Sparrows  were  found  at  three 
spots  in  e.  Nevada  (v.  o.),  as  well  as  at  the  Utah 
locales  of  Layton,  Davis  1 Dec  (WS)  and 
Mendon,  Cache  3 Jan  (BA).  It  was  a decent  win- 
ter for  Harris’s  Sparrow,  with  reports  from  four 
locations  in  Nevada  as  well  as  at  four  in  Utah  (v. 
o.).  Easterly  Golden-crowned  Sparrows  were 
seen  at  the  following  locales:  Rye  Patch  Res., 
Pershing,  NV  17  Feb  (JT  et  ah);  Carson  R. 
Diversion  Dam,  Churchill,  NV  24  Feb  (AW);  and 
Red  Cliffs  Recreation  Area,  Washington,  UT  4 
Jan— 7 Feb  (RF,  KCo). 

Single  Slate-colored  Juncos  at  C.C.  4 Dec  (TF, 
CT),  on  the  Elko  C.B.C.,  and  at  S.L.C.C.  2 Feb 
(GB,  PF)  were  the  only  reports.  A possible 
White-winged  Junco  was  reported  from 
Mendon,  Cache,  UT  4 Jan  (RR).  Single  Lapland 
Longspurs  were  found  at  A.I.C.  21  Dec  (TS)  and 
at  Golden  Spike  National  Historic  Monument, 
Box  Elder,  UT  5 Jan  (GW,  SW).  A Snow  Bunting 
was  at  A.I.C.  26  Dec — 6 Jan  (KL  et  al.). 

An  Indigo  Bunting  lingered  at  Mapleton, 
Utah,  UT  until  17  Dec  (BWi).  A few  Great-tailed 
Crackles  winter  in  n.  Nevada,  and  this  year  there 
were  reports  of  one  on  the  Elko  C.B.C.  and  a 
goodly  14  at  Winnemucca,  Humboldt  5 Dec 
(JW);  in  Utah  the  most  northerly  report  came 


from  Lehi,  Utah,  where  an  impressive  27  were 
seen  20  Jan  (BR).  A Hooded  Oriole  at  Las  Vegas 
23  Feb  (RSc)  was  the  only  report.  Some  310 
Gray-crowned  Rosy-Finches  made  the  Elko 
C.B.C.,  and  several  of  the  birds  in  the  Elko  area 
were  determined  at  a later  date  (10  Feb)  to  be  of 
the  Hepburn’s  race  (JW).  Meanwhile,  a small 
flock  of  Gray-crowned  Rosy-Finches  at  Virginia 
City,  Storey,  NV  15  Dec  (DH)  was  the  only  other 
report.  Fifteen  Black  Rosy-Finches  on  the  Elko 
C.B.C.  were  the  only  ones  reported. 

Common  Redpolls  staged  the  best  invasion 
ever  documented  in  the  Great  Basin  Region. 
Sightings  in  Nevada  included  4 at  Elko  16-30 
Dec  (MP,  ph.  LP)  and  singles  at  Mogul,  Washoe 
17  Dec  (tJA,  GA)  and  at  Spring  Cr.,  Elko  20  Dec 
(PB).  Utah  sightings  were  as  follow:  one  at 
Mapleton,  Utah  17  Dec  (BWi);  one  at  Salt  Lake 
City  20  Dec  (JBi);  one  on  the  F.S.  C.B.C.;  up  to  70 
at  Mantua,  Box  Elder  1-16  Jan  (MSt  et  al.);  2 at 
S.L.C.C.  5 Jan  (DJ);  and  one  at  Provo,  Utah  27 
fan — 1 Feb  (MMo,  RT).  The  big  flock  at  Mantua 
apparently  included  one  or  2 Hoary  Redpolls  16 
Jan  (tDG).  The  only  Evening  Grosbeak  reports 
came  from  Galena,  Washoe,  NV  2 Feb  (LW)  and 
from  Summit  Park,  Summit,  UT  27  Jan  (JB,  KB). 

EXOTICS 

Northern  Utahans  were  delighted  by  the  return 


of  “Pink  Floyd,”  the  beloved  Chilean  Flamingo  of 
Great  Salt  L.  This  winter  there  were  sightings  of 
this  hardy  bird  at  Saltair  20-24  Jan  (v.  o.). 

Observers:  David  Allan  (DA),  John  Anderson, 
Gisela  Anderson,  Bob  Atwood,  Glenn  Barlow,  Joel 
Beyer,  Kathy  Beyer,  Jack  Binch  (JBi),  Nancy  Bish, 
Jim  Boone  (JBo),  Pete  Bradley,  Richard  Brune, 
K.C.  Childs,  Darren  Clark,  Jack  Cochran,  Steve 
Coleman,  Kristin  ComeOa  (KCo),  Ed  Conrad, 
Joseph  Conrad  (JCo),  Jim  Cressman  (JCr), 
Marian  Cressman,  Jim  Eidel,  Ted  Floyd,  Phoebe 
Fowler  (PFo),  Rick  FrideO,  Pomera  Fronce,  Hugh 
Gillilan,  Dana  Green,  Diane  Horgan,  Eric  Huish, 
Bill  Hunter,  David  Jensen,  Tiffany  Lance,  Maxine 
Landis,  Kent  Lewis,  Dave  McNinch,  Martin 
Meyers,  Milton  Moody  (MMo),  Anne  Neville, 
Fred  Petersen,  Lois  Ports,  Mark  Ports,  Bruce 
Robinson,  Ron  Ryel,  Terry  Sadler,  Mike  San 
Miguel,  Rick  Saval,  Rita  Schlageter  (RSc),  Wes 
Segni,  Dennis  Serdehely  (DSe),  Rebecca  Serdehely 
(RSe),  Brian  Shirley,  Dennis  Shirley,  Bob  Showier 
(BSh),  Mark  Stackhouse  (MSt),  Priscilla 
Summers,  Steve  Summers,  Jane  Thompson, 
Carolyn  Titus,  Dennis  Trousdale,  Robin  Tuck,  Ken 
Voget,  Alan  Wallace,  Jack  Walters,  Gale 
Westerman,  Sid  Westerman,  Kevin  Wheeler, 
Barbara  Williams,  Bonnie  Williams  (BWi),  Dan 
Williams,  Larry  Williams.  f) 


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(215)  299-1069 

www.acnatsci.orgA^IREO 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


203 


Arizona 


Gary  H.  Rosenberg  (Passerines) 

RO. Box  91856 

Tucson,  Arizona  85752-1856 

(ghrosenberg@comcast.net) 

IVtark  Hi.  Ste¥enson  (Non-Passerines) 

4201  East  Monte  Vista  Drive  #J207 
Tucson,  Arizona  8571 2-5554 
{drbrclr@att.net) 

This  winter  could  be  characterized  by  both 
lack  of  rain  and  very  mild  temperatures,  at 
least  in  the  early  months.  Greater-than-usual 
numbers  of  certain  birds,  such  as  some  nor- 
mally rarer  sparrows  (e.g.,  Swamp  and  White- 
throated)  and  several  warbler  species 
(Northern  Parula  and  Wilson’s  Warbler)  were 
indicative  of  this  mild  winter,  as  were  lingering 
waders  and  flycatchers.  Yet  the  seed  crop  was 
extremely  poor,  which  meant  low  numbers  of 
normally  common  grassland  species,  such  as 
sparrows  and  longspurs,  with  Chestnut-col- 
lared Longspur  virtually  absent  from  the  state. 
Wintering  raptors  seemed  above  average  in 
numbers,  especially  Ferruginous  and  Rough- 
legged Hawks.  As  usual,  a number  of  rarities 
were  found,  the  best  of  which  was  Arizona’s 
fourth  Yellow-billed  Loon. 

We  would  like  to  take  this  opportunity  to 
thank  Roy  Jones  for  his  work  with  North 
American  Birds.  Work-related  constraints  have 
forced  Roy  to  give  up  co-editorship  of  this  col- 
umn, but  hopefully  they  won’t  keep  him  from 
birding!  Mark  Stevenson  has  graciously  con- 
sented to  replace  Roy,  and  will  write  the  Non- 
Passerine  portion  of  this  report. 


Abbreviations:  Arizona  Bird  Committee 
(A.B.C.),  Avra  Valley  Waste  Water  Treatment 
Plant  (A.V.S.T.P.),  Boyce — Thompson 
Arboretum  (B.T.A.),  Hassayampa  River 
Preserve  (H.R.P.),  Lower  Colorado  River  Valley 
(L.C.R.V.),  Pinal  Air  Park  (P.A.P.),  Sewage 
Treatment  Plant  (S.T.P.),  Whitewater  Draw 
Wildlife  Area  (W.W.D.). 

LOONS  THROUGH  MERGANSERS 

The  only  Pacific  Loon  reported  was  from 
Topock  Marsh  29  Dec  {fide  NM).  More  gratify- 
ing was  the  first-winter  YeUow-billed  Loon  at 
L.  Havasu  City  1 Feb-t  (ph.,  fMMS,  m.  ob.;  ph. 
S.  Davies),  only  the  4th  for  Arizona.  Single 
Horned  Crebes,  rare  in  winter  away  from  the 
L.C.R.V.,  were  at  Lyman  L.  13  Dec  (JC)  and 
Becker  L.  16  Dec  (DR,  CC).  A Red-necked 
Crebe  on  a farm  pond  near  Palo  Verde  29  Dec 
(fPM,  CD)  was  quite  unexpected.  There  are 
fewer  than  10  accepted  records  for  Arizona. 
American  White  Pelicans,  also  rare  away  from 
the  L.C.R.V.  in  winter,  included  12  at  Roosevelt 
L.  26  Jan  (KK),  7 on  the  Tres  Rios  C.B.C.  19 
Dec,  and  27  on  the  Gila  River  w.  of  Buckeye  26 
Dec  (BG).  Neotropic  Cormorants  continue  to 
spread  and  increase,  with  up  to  8 at  A.V.S.T.P. 
26  Jan  (RH,  m.  ob.),  up  to  10  at  Arizona  City 
19  Feb  (NM,  m.  ob.),  and  singles  in  Green 
Valley  29  Dec  (Green  Valley  C.B.C.)  and  ne. 
Tucson  24  Jan  (BN).  Casual  in  winter,  2 Snowy 
Egrets  were  in  nw.  Tucson  28  Dec  (MMS).  The 
imm.  Little  Blue  Heron  found  along  the  Salt  R. 
w.  of  Phoenix  in  fall  continued  through  30  Dec 
(E.  Latturner,  SG).  The  species  is  essentially 


unrecorded  in  the  state  at  this  season.  A flock 
of  up  to  300  White-faced  Ibis  w.  of  Buckeye  10 
Dec  (B&JW)  was  remarkably  large  for  winter. 

High  concentrations  of  Snow  Geese  were  60 
at  W.W.D.  6 Dec  (SH),  and  40  at  Apache 
Station  Wildlife  Area  26  Jan  (SB).  Ross’s  Geese 
were  less  plentiful  than  in  last  winter’s  bumper 
crop  but  still  above  average.  Thirty-two  were 
reported  from  14  locations,  including  maxi- 
mum counts  of  4 at  Page  12  Dec  (C  Goetze) 
and  7 at  Estrella  Mountain  Ranch  16  Dec  (TC). 
The  male  Eurasian  Wigeon  that  graces 
Scottsdale  each  winter  returned  by  12  Dec-i- 
(JS,  m.  ob.),  while  a male  Eurasian  X American 
hybrid  spent  a fourth  winter  in  Willcox  (RT,  m. 
ob.).  Casual  in  Arizona  away  from  the 
Colorado  R.,  Greater  Scaup  were  present  at 
Patagonia  L.,  with  a female  there  8 Dec — 22 
Feb  (ph.  GHR,  m.  ob.)  and  at  Tempe,  with  2-4 
males  present  1 Jan — 23  Feb  (DC,  TC).  A lone 
Long-tailed  Duck,  casual  in  the  state,  was  at 
Parker  Dam  10  Jan-l-  (B.  & B.  Clark,  m.  ob.). 
Barrow’s  Goldeneyes  away  from  the  Colorado 
R.  included  2 at  Lyman  L.  13  Dec  providing 
only  a 2nd  Apache  record  ( JC).  Good  numbers 
of  Hooded  Mergansers  were  reported,  51 
statewide.  More  unusual  were  6 in  n.  Arizona, 
one  at  Becker  L.  12  Dec  (DR),  and  5 at  Flagstaff 
24  Jan  (B  Marshall). 

KITES  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

White-tailed  Kites  were  at  scattered  locations 
across  s.  Arizona:  up  to  6 in  the  Arlington — 
Buckeye  area  7 Dec-1-  (R  Widner,  TC,  PM,  m. 
ob.),  with  singles  at  Hereford  1 Jan  (SW),  San 
Rafael  Valley  1 Jan  (Joe  Gottlieb),  ne.  of  Bowie 


This  Yellow-billed  Loon,  Arizona's  fourth  and 
enjoyed  by  many,  resided  at  Lake  Havasu  City 
from  the  first  of  February  through  period's  end. 
Photograph  by  Stephen  J.  Davies. 


204 


North  American  Birds 


Arizona 


10  Jan  (I  Gacey),  s.  of  Gilbert  1 Feb  (JS),  and 
Picacho  Reservoir  20  Feb  (DP,  BM).  Still  casu- 
al in  the  state,  the  only  Red-shouldered  Hawks 
reported  were  the  resident  pair  at  H.R.P.  (m. 
ob.).  Simply  stunning  was  the  intermediate- 
morph  Swainson’s  Hawk  photographed  near 
Floy  18  Jan  (ph.  R Mellon).  Though  they  win- 
ter in  small  numbers  in  the  Gentral  Valley  of 
Galifornia,  this  is  a first  in  recent  times  for 
Arizona.  Zone-tailed  Hawks  were  present  in 
the  Tucson  area  again  this  winter;  the  number 
involved  is  uncertain,  with  reports  of  singles 
from  multiple  areas  between  Reid  Park  and 
Sabino  Ganyon  9 Dec — 22  Feb  (RT,  V 
McKinnon,  DS,  PS,  RH),  perhaps  all  involving 
the  same  wandering  individual.  Two  were  far- 
ther n.  at  Chandler  5 Jan  (RD),  where  also 
casual  in  winter.  A Harlan’s  Red-tailed  Hawk, 
casual  in  se.  Arizona,  was  found  at  Patagonia 
14  Dec  (RT,  m.  ob.),  while  another  continued 
at  W.W.D.  26  Jan  (SB,  m.  ob.).  Up  to  3 Rough- 
legged Hawks  were  in  the  Sulphur  Springs 
Valley  Dec — Jan  (ph.  GHR,  Elfrida  C.B.C.), 
while  singles  were  at  Palo  Verde  29  Dec — 5 Jan 
(PM,  m.  ob.),  and  at  Canoa  10  Feb  (BM,  DP). 
Once  again.  Crested  Caracaras  wintered  in  the 
Santa  Cruz  Flats  area  w.  of  Picacho,  with  up  to 
2 there  29  Dec — 31  Jan  (NB,  RH).  Few  winter 
away  from  the  Tohono  O’odham  Reservation. 

Reflecting  the  mild  early  winter,  Virginia 
Rails  were  present  in  n.  Arizona,  with  4 in 
Pasture  Canyon  14  Dec  (CTL)  and  one  at 
Double  Springs  16  Dec  (Mormon  L.  C.B.C.). 
Pasture  Canyon  also  hosted  a Sora  1 Feb 
(CTL).  Mountain  Plovers  were  reported  in 
small  numbers  in  s.Arizona,  with  reported 
maxima  in  usual  wintering  areas  of  25  near 
Elfrida  5 Jan+  and  12  at  the  Western  Sod  Farm 
s.  of  Arizona  City  20  Jan  (m.  ob.).  Two  were 
near  the  P.A.P  15  Feb  (D.  Hyatt),  where  they 
are  seen  only  irregularly.  Rarer,  and  only  casu- 
al in  Arizona  in  winter,  was  a Lesser  Yellowlegs 
in  sw.  Phoenix  19  Dec  (M.  Rupp,  M.  Foley).  Up 
to  16  Western  Sandpipers  were  found  in  s. 
Arizona  into  Dec,  with  fewer  truly  wintering:  5 
at  A.V.S.T.P.  26  Jan  (RH,  m.  ob.)  and  2 at 
Gillespie  Dam  27  Feb  (SH).  Three  Long-billed 
Dowitchers  at  the  Page  S.T.P.  11  Dec  (C. 
Goetze)  provided  the  first  winter  record  for  ne 
Arizona.  A Wilson’s  Phalarope  on  a stock  tank 
in  the  Sulphur  Springs  Valley  17  Jan  was  only 
the  3rd  winter  record  for  the  se.  (BM,  DP). 

Eurasian  Collared-Doves  persisted  in  locales 
where  reported  previously:  7 in  Thatcher  12 
Dec  (JW),  up  to  6 in  Palo  Verde  7 Dec-t,  4 at 
Roper  L.  S.  P.  10  Jan  (MMS,  J.  Dunn,  RH),  and 
2 in  Cameron  8 Feb-(-  (CTL).  As  expected, 
more  towns  were  added  to  the  doves’  list,  with 
one  in  Ash  Fork  15  Jan  (TG),  and  2 on  the 
Chino  Valley  C.B.C.  1 Jan  (E  Moore).  More 


welcome,  9 Ruddy  Ground-Doves  were  report- 
ed: 2 at  Sweetwater  Wetlands,  Tucson  1 Dec-(- 
(BS,  GHR,  m.  ob.),  2 at  El  Mirage  7 Dec  (R. 
Widner,  m.  ob.),  2-3  in  Patagonia  8 Dec-l-  (J. 
Higgins,  m.  ob.),  one  at  Central  Arizona 
College  e.  of  Casa  Grande  (NB),  and  one  in 
Dudleyville  5 Jan  (RH). 

Long-eared  Owls  put  in  a good  showing, 
with  19  in  s.  Arizona.  Single  Northern  Saw- 
whet  Owls,  always  considered  casual  in  the 
lowlands  of  Arizona  in  winter,  were  found, 
near  the  Agua  Fria — Gila  R.  confluence  19  Dec 
(BG),  on  the  Bill  Williams  N.W.R.  in  Jan  (fide 
B.  8c  B.  Clark),  and  at  the  B.T.A.  16  Jan  (TG). 

Another  sign  of  a mild  winter  were  the 
many  interesting  hummingbirds  at  feeders  in  s. 
Arizona.  Wintering  Violet-crowned 
Hummingbirds  continue  to  increase  in  num- 
ber, with  up  to  12  at  feeders  from  Portal  to 
Tucson  (m.  ob.).  Only  the  3rd  winter  record 
for  all  of  Arizona,  a female  Calliope 
Hummingbird  was  in  Tucson  16  Dec  (fRH,  P. 
Sheppard),  following  last  year’s  Tucson  female. 
Broad-tailed  Hummingbirds  included  a female 
in  Tucson  20  Dec  (DS)  and  an  imm.  male  in 
lower  Carr  Canyon  3 Jan  (H  Brodkin).  A 
Rufous  Hummingbird  was  on  the  Ramsey 
Canyon  C.B.C.  29  Dec  (fide  M.  Pretti).  Reports 
of  Selasphorous  species  came  from  Bisbee  26 
Dec  (SW),  the  Ramsey  Canyon  C.B.C.  29  Dec, 
and  Tucson  15  Jan  (BN),  all  considered  very 
late  for  Arizona. 

Two  Yellow-bellied  Sapsuckers,  casual  in 
winter,  were  observed,  with  one  2 Dec  at 
Marana  (RH,  PS)  and  another  19  Jan-l-  at 
Continental  (RT,  m.  ob.).  Apparent  hybrid 
Red-naped  x Red-breasted  Sapsuckers  contin- 
ue to  vex  the  unwary,  with  2 different  birds  in 
Madera  Canyon  6 Dec  and  1 Jan  (S.  Mahoney, 
BM,  L.  Norris,  m.  ob.).  No  reports  of  pure  Red- 
breasted were  substantiated.  Photos  of  all  sus- 
pected Red-breasted  or  hybrid  sapsuckers 
would  be  appreciated  by  the  A.B.C.  Casual  in 
Arizona,  one  Northern  (Yellow-shafted) 
Flicker  was  at  Pasture  Canyon  1 Feb  (CTL). 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  THRASHERS 

A Northern  Beardless-Tyrannulet  was  e.  of 
normal  winter  range  in  the  w.  foothills  of  the 
Dragoon  Mts.  14  Dec  (JW).  Rarer  yet,  a 
“Western”  Flycatcher  was  at  Cook’s  L.  near 
Dudleyville  5 Jan;  all  previous  winter  reports 
of  this  species  complex  are  of  Pacific-slopes, 
and  there  remains  no  confirmed  winter  record 
for  Cordilleran.  Eastern  Phoebes  put  in  a good 
showing,  with  reports  of  singles  at  Patagonia  L. 
1 Dec — 2 Feb  (JB,  B.  Pollock),  in  sw.  Phoenix 
16  Dec  (TC),  near  Cave  Cr.,  Maricopa  31  Dec 
(H.  Beatty),  and  along  Sonoita  Cr.  near 
Patagonia  24  Jan  (K.  Nelson).  There  are  very 


few  Vermilion  Flycatcher  reports  from  n. 
Arizona  at  any  season;  therefore,  an  imm.  male 
at  Show  Low  10  Dec  ( J.  Videle)  and  another  at 
Page  Springs  23  Dec  (CTL  et  al.)  were  excep- 
tional. Outstanding  was  a Dusky-capped 
Flycatcher  that  wintered  at  Patagonia  L 1 
Dec — 2 Feb  (JB,  WR  et  al.),  providing  a first 
winter  record  from  se.  Arizona.  We  received  a 
report  of  a Nutting’s  Flycatcher  from 
Patagonia  L.  29  Dec  (fRT).  This  bird  was 
looked  for  extensively  by  numerous  observers 
throughout  the  winter,  but  never  confirmed; 
the  A.B.C.  will  review  the  details  of  this  sight- 
ing, but  without  physical  documentation  (tape 
recordings  in  particular),  any  report  of  this 
species  in  Arizona  will  likely  remain  tentative. 
A Cassin’s  Kingbird,  very  rare  in  winter,  was 
near  Patagonia  7 Jan  (JLD). 

At  least  10  Plumbeous  Vireos  were  found  in 
s.  Arizona,  whereas  Cassin’s  Vireo  was  decided- 
ly rarer,  with  reports  from  along  the  Santa 
Cruz  R.  in  Tucson  16  Dec — 3 Jan  (MMS  et  al.), 
at  Sweetwater  Wetlands  in  Tucson  18  Dec  (D. 
West),  and  on  the  Gila  River  C.B.C.  26  Dec. 
Virtually  unheard  of  during  the  winter  season, 
a Warbling  Vireo  was  in  sw.  Phoenix  18  Dec 
(TC)  providing  only  a 4th  December  record 
for  the  state.  Tree  and  Northern  Rough-winged 
Swallows,  both  casual  in  winter,  were  noted  at 
a variety  of  s.  Arizona  locations.  Mild  weather 
also  produced  several  Barn  Swallow  reports, 
with  up  to  2 at  Sahuarita  L.  12-15  Dec  (MMS), 
another  4 at  Amado  12  Dec  (MMS),  one  along 
the  Santa  Cruz  R.  in  Tucson  14  Dec  (CDB), 
one  in  the  Avra  Valley  28 — 30  Dec  (MMS),  and 
one  at  Casa  Grande  8 Jan  (NB). 

An  American  Dipper  in  Ramsey  Canyon  late 
Nov — 1 Jan  (M.  Pretti)  was  the  only  report 
from  the  southeast.  Another  dipper  in 
Aravaipa  Canyon  21  Feb  (T.  Todd)  was  away 
from  usual  wintering  areas.  It  was  apparently 
an  excellent  winter  for  Varied  Thrush  move- 
ments in  s.  California  (probably  bad  for  the 
thrushes  themselves!),  which  translated  into  a 
couple  of  Arizona  reports,  with  one  at  Bellota 
Ranch  Pond  3 Dec  (MMS)  and  another  bird  at 
Pena  Blanca  L.  12  Dec-l-  (K.  Graves,  RH).  Two 
Gray  Catbirds,  casual  in  winter,  were  reported 
from  Bill  Williams  N.W.R.  in  Jan  (ftde  B.  & B. 
Clark).  Four  different  Brown  Thrashers,  a larg- 
er number  than  usual,  were  reported,  with  one 
at  Page  Springs  8 Dec  (RR,  CTL),  one  all  peri- 
od at  Agua  Caliente  Park  in  Tucson  (SB,  m. 
ob.),  2 at  the  B.T.A.  1 Jan+  (C.  Babbitt),  and 
one  along  Sonoita  Cr.  near  Patagonia  11  Jan 
(RH). 

PEUCEDRAMIDS  THROUGH  GOLDFINCHES 

An  Olive  Warbler  along  the  Blue  R.  near 
Jackson  Box  7 Dec  (DR,  GC)  was  perhaps  the 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


205 


first  winter  season  report  for  N.  Arizona.  A 
Lucy’s  Warbler  at  Sahuarita  17  Feb  (C. 
Gathers),  and  3 in  the  Verde  Valley  26  Feb 
(CTL)  were  early  migrants.  An  above-average 
number  of  Northern  Parulas  were  found,  with 
one  in  sw.  Phoenix  14  Dec  (D.  Yellan),  one  at 
St.  David  14  Dec  (T.  Wood,  RH),  one  along  the 
Gila  River  w.  of  Buckeye  24  Dec  (TC  et  al.),  one 
at  Sweetwater  Wetlands  24  Dec  (D.  West),  and 
one  at  Tres  Rios  along  the  Salt  R.  11  Feb  (J. 
Burns).  A Yellow  Warbler  along  the  Santa  Cruz 

R.  n.  of  Tucson  2 Dec  (PS,  RH),  and  another  in 
sw.  Phoenix  also  2 Dec-t  (TC)  were  of  note,  as 
this  species  is  casual  at  best  during  this  season 
anywhere  in  the  state.  Several  Chestnut-sided 
Warblers  made  their  now-usual  Dec  showing 
in  s.  Arizona,  with  one  at  the  Phoenix  Zoo  2-9 
Dec  (RJ),  one  in  sw.  Phoenix  8-19  Dec  (TC), 
one  at  the  Sweetwater  Wetlands  16  Dec — 5 Jan 
(RT  et  al.),  and  1-2  along  the  Santa  Cruz  R.  in 
Tucson  23  Dec — 5 Jan+  (BS,  RT  et  al.);  it  is  still 
surprising  that  there  is  such  an  influx  of  this 
species  into  the  Southwest  in  Dec.  A Magnolia 
Warbler  was  reported  from  the  Bill  Williams  R. 
in  Feb  (B.  Clark,  fide  DS);  there  are  only  a few 
winter  reports  from  the  state,  one  of  which  was 
also  from  the  Bill  Williams  R.  in  Jan  1978.  The 
warbler  of  the  season  was  another  “winter” 
Prairie  Warbler,  this  one  found  at  Roper  L. 

S. P.  5-13  Jan  (ph.  B.  Metheny,  ph.  JW;  ph  MMS 
et  al);  there  are  fewer  than  10  total  Arizona 
records.  A Palm  Warbler,  casual  at  best  in  the 
state  during  the  winter,  was  a one-day  wonder 
at  Sweetwater  Wetlands  25  Dec  (JB). 
Individual  Black-and-white  Warblers  were 
reported  at  Ramsey  Canyon  5 Dec  (M.  Hirth), 
at  Bell  Trail,  Camp  Verde  C.B.C.  27  Dec  (fide, 
RR),  in  Sycamore  Canyon  8 Jan  (S.  Johnsen), 
and  at  Page  Springs  19  Feb  (T.  Fry).  The  only 
American  Redstart  was  one  along  the  S.  Dike  at 
Topock  Marsh  2 Feb  (MMS);  this  species  has 
become  much  scarcer  in  Arizona  as  both  a 
migrant  and  wintering  bird  in  recent  years. 

The  fall’s  Ovenbird  at  Agua  Caliente  Park 
remained  until  at  least  7 Dec  (D.  West,  m.  ob.). 
The  only  confirmed  Northern  Waterthrush  of 
the  season  was  one  along  the  San  Pedro  R.  e.  of 
Sierra  Vista  7 Jan  (C.  Tomoff).  Likely  the  same 
individual  returning  for  a 2nd  winter,  a 
Louisiana  Waterthrush  wintered  along  Sonoita 
Cr.  above  Patagonia  L.  1 Dec-f  (JB,  B.  Pollock). 
Another  located  in  Ramsey  Canyon  in  mid- 
Dec  remained  to  at  least  1 Jan  (M.  Pretti). 
Common  Yellowthroats  are  unheard  of  in  n. 
Arizona  during  the  winter,  so  one  along  the 
Verde  R.  near  Interstate  17  27  Dec  (CTL,  RR) 
and  another  below  Glen  Canyon  Dam  3 Jan 
(C.  Goetze)  were  noteworthy.  Likewise, 
Wilson’s  Warblers  put  in  an  above-average 
winter  showing,  with  one  along  the  Santa  Cruz 


R.  n.  of  Tucson  2 Dec  (P.  Salomon,  RH),  one  at 
the  Roger  Road  S.T.P.  14  Dec  (DS),  one  on  the 
Gila  R.  C.B.C.  26  Dec  (A.  Peyton  et  al.),  and 
one  at  Patagonia  L.  22  Jan  (K.  Nelson).  Quite 
remarkable  was  the  report  of  a Red-faced 
Warbler  in  a desert  neighborhood  n.  of  Tucson 
(Saddlebrook)  16  Dec  (R.  Genung);  there  were 
no  previous  winter  records  for  se.  Arizona. 

Summer  Tanagers,  casual  in  winter,  were 
reported  from  Roger  Road  W.W.T.P.  10  Dec+ 
(D.  Wright,  m.  ob.),  and  from  sw.  Phoenix  19 
Dec  (TC).  The  only  Clay-colored  Sparrow, 
casual  in  winter,  was  a “well-marked”  individ- 
ual at  the  A.V.S.T.P.  30  Dec  (JB,  MMS,  L. 
Schibley).  It  was  an  above-average  winter  for 
Fox  Sparrows  in  the  state,  and  the  number  of 
reports  shed  some  light  into  which  forms  are 
expected  in  the  state  in  winter.  Reports  of  the 
Slate-colored  form  totaled  at  least  9 individu- 
als statewide.  Fewer  Red  Fox  Sparrows  were 
found,  with  one  at  Patagonia  L.  21-26  Jan  (JLD 
et  al.)  and  another  at  the  B.T.A.  18  Jan  (RH); 
care  is  still  advised  in  the  separation  of  the  var- 
ious forms  of  this  complex.  No  fewer  than  20 
individual  Swamp  Sparrows  were  reported,  a 
much  higher  number  than  usual.  Likewise, 
numbers  of  White-throated  Sparrows  were 
reported  from  areas  away  from  normal  winter- 
ing grounds  (such  as  Sonoita  Cr.).  Harris’s 
Sparrows,  always  a nice  find,  were  at  Black  Mesa 
25  Jan  (CTL)  and  in  Flagstaff  15  Feb  (B. 
Marshall).  The  only  reports  of  Golden-crowned 
Sparrow  were  of  one  along  the  Gila  R.  near 
Robbins  Butte  24  Dec  (TC),  and  another  on  the 
Dudleyville  C.B.C.  5 Jan  (RH).  For  the  2nd  year 
in  a row,  McCown’s  Longspurs  wintered  at  a 
sod  farm  in  Scottsdale,  with  up  to  9 seen  there  9 
Dec-t  (SG  et  al.).  Still  an  excellent  find,  a 
Lapland  Longspur  was  in  with  a large  flock  of 
McCown’s  at  Zuck  Farms  n.  of  Elfrida  16  Jan 
(JLD  et  al.);  there  are  still  fewer  than  15  records 
for  the  state. 

Single  Rose-breasted  Grosbeaks,  casual  in 
winter,  were  at  Patagonia  14  Dec  (RT),  at  sw. 
Phoenix  16  Dec  (TC),  and  at  Ahwatuckee  6-9 
Feb  (D.  Cocanour).  Perhaps  rarer  during  win- 
ter, a male  Indigo  Bunting  was  coming  to  a 
Portal  feeder  26  Feb  (ph.  N.  Moore-Craig).  An 
imm  male  Orchard  Oriole  was  reported  from 
Gilbert  25  Dec — 26  Jan  (D.  Pearson  et  al.);  there 
are  only  a handful  of  accepted  winter  records 
for  the  state.  A male  Bullock’s  Oriole  returned 
to  a Continental  yard  for  the  2nd  winter  26 
Dec-f  (D.  Bruckner),  while  another  Bullock’s 
(female)  was  reported  from  St.  David  12  Feb  (J. 
Hays);  this  species  is  also  a casual  winter  visitor 
in  s.  Arizona.  Lawrence’s  Goldfinches  were 
extremely  sparse  this  winter,  with  only  a couple 
of  reports  received. 


Contributors:  Steve  Barlow,  Chris  Benesh, 
Ned  Boyajian,  Jerry  Bock,  Dale  Clark,  Gary 
Crandall,  Jack  Cochran,  Troy  Corman,  Rich 
Ditch,  Cynthia  Donald,  Jon  Dunn,  Steve 
Ganley,  Tony  Godfrey,  Bill  Gross!,  Rich  Hoyer, 
Stuart  Healy,  Roy  Jones,  Ken  Kertell,  Chuck 
LaRue  (Northern  Arizona),  Bill  Massey, 
Norma  Miller,  Arnie  Moorhouse,  Pete 
Moulton,  Brian  Nicholas,  Dick  Palmer,  Roger 
Radd,  Gary  H.  Rosenberg,  Donna  Roten,  Will 
Russell,  Bill  Scott  (Southeast  Arizona),  James 
Smith,  John  Spence  (JSp),  Mark  M Stevenson, 
Dave  Stejskal,  Peter  Salomon,  Rick  Taylor, 
John  Williams,  Sheri  Williamson,  Bob  & Janet 
Witzeman  (JWi;  Phoenix).  . 


SHADE-GROTO  COFFEE 

SAVES  TREES  FOR  MIGRATING  BIRDS 

SONG 

BIRD 

COFFEE 

saves  critical  bird  habitat 

AMERICAN  BIRDING  ASSOCIATION 

. helps  to  fund  ABA  programs, 
induditig  support  for  Partners  in  Flight. 

TO  ORDER  FROM  ABA  SALES: 

800/634-7736 

www.americanbirdmg.org/ 
abasales/ salecatal.htm 


206 


North  American  Birds 


New  Mexico 


Sartor  0.  Williams  III 

1819  Meadov/view  Drive  NW 
Albuquerque,  New  Mexico  871 04-251 1 
(sunbittern@earthlink.net) 

Warm  and  dry  conditions  were  the  rule  for 
Winter  2001-2002,  with  blowing  dust 
replacing  blowing  snow,  and  with  many 
species  lingering  late  or  wintering  far  north  of 
usual.  In  sharp  contrast  to  last  winter,  there 
was  little  evidence  of  montane  species  in  low- 
land areas,  while  sparrows  and  other  grassland 
birds  were  again  scarce  in  parched  rangelands. 
Birding  proceeded  with  enthusiasm,  however, 
and  another  newly  documented  species 
pushed  the  New  Mexico  list  comfortably 
beyond  the  500  mark. 

Abbreviations:  B.L.N.W.R.  (Bitter  Lake 
N.W.R.);  Bosque  (Bosque  del  Apache  N.W.R.); 
C.C.N.P.  (Carlsbad  Caverns  N.  R);  E.B.L. 
(Elephant  Butte  L.);  L.V.N.W.R.  (Las  Vegas 
N.W.R.);  Maxwell  (Maxwell  N.W.R.  and  vicin- 
ity); R.G.N.C.  (Rio  Grande  Nature  Center, 
Albuquerque);  R.G.V.  (Rio  Grande  Valley); 
U.N.M.  (University  of  New  Mexico). 

LOONS  THROUGH  FALCONS 

An  active  loon  season  produced  a Red-throat- 
ed Loon  at  Willow  L.,  Eddy  1 Dec  (vt.  JO)  and 
16  Dec  (CR).  A Pacific  Loon  crash-landed  on  a 
wet  road  near  Sumner  L.  4 Dec  (ph.  RG), 
where  it  was  retrieved  and  later  released  at  the 


lake;  other  Pacifies  were  one  each  at  Conchas  L. 
3 Jan  (WH)  and  Brantley  L.  15  Feb  (SW).  The 
few  Horned  Grebes  were  relegated  to  e.  lakes; 
high  count  was  6 at  Conchas  L.  12  Jan  (JO, 
JEP).  Far  n.  for  the  season  was  an  Eared  Grebe 
at  Clayton  19  Dec  (CR).  Although  water  levels 
were  low,  an  aerial  survey  counted  some  3000 
Aechmophorus  grebes  at  E.B.L.  15  Jan  (MW);  at 
nearby  Caballo  L.  30  Dec,  Westerns  outnum- 
bered Clark’s  about  5:1  (BZ).  High  count  for 
wintering  American  White  Pelicans  was  90  at 
E.B.L.  15  Jan  (MW).  Neotropic  Cormorants 
outnumbered  Double-cresteds  wherever  the 
two  species  occurred  together;  highs  for 
Neotropics  were  51  at  Bosque  15  Dec  (SC)  and 
23  at  Sunland  Park  1-2  Jan  (MS,  }Z).  Now  quite 
rare,  an  American  Bittern  was  at  Bosque  8 (ph. 
BZ)  & 21  Jan  (DE,  BN,  CR).  The  5 Snowy 
Egrets  at  Six  Mile  Dam,  Eddy  29  Jan  (SW)  pro- 
vided a notable  winter  “concentration.”  Early 
were  3 White-faced  Ibis  at  Percha  28  Feb  (GE). 
Greater  White-fronted  Geese  were  at  Maxwell, 
B.L.N.W.R.,  and  Caballo  L.;  high  count  was  7 
at  Clayton  L.  26  Jan  (JO).  Tundra  Swans  made 
a good  showing,  with  5 at  Maxwell  3 Dec — 28 
Feb  (m.  ob.,  ph.  DC),  7 at  L.V.N.W.R.  29  Dec 
(JT),  3 at  Ute  L.  7 Jan  (MW),  and  one  at 
Bosque  2 Jan — -24  Feb  (m.  ob.).  A Mute  Sv/an 
was  lurking  about  E.B.L.  17  Feb  (JT).  Wood 
Ducks  were  widely  reported  from  the  R.G.V. 
east,  including  aerial  estimates  of  25  at  Santa 
Rosa  L.  and  20  at  Bottomless  L.  5 Dec  (MW), 
plus  counts  of  28  at  Espanola  5 Jan  (BE),  324  at 


Albuquerque  16  Dec  (HS),  and  94  in  the 
Avalon — Brantley  area  20  Dec  (TH).  Now  reg- 
ular in  winter,  single  male  Eurasian  Wigeon 
were  at  R.G.N.C.  3 Feb  (CMB),  Bear  Canyon  L. 
22  Jan  (EL),  and  Deming  8 Feb  (LM).  A male 
Greater  Scaup  was  at  R.G.N.C.  16-23  Feb  (JO, 
JEP,  JT,  DE,  BN);  3 probable  Greaters  were  at 
Tyrone  24  Feb  (JO,  EL).  A female  Surf  Scoter 
at  Stubblefield  L.  7 Dec  (ph.  DC,  vt.  P. 
Sandstrom-Smith)  furnished  the  only  scoter 
report.  Other  ducks  of  interest  were  a Long- 
tailed at  L.  Avalon  1 Dec  (JEP,  vt.  JO),  140 
Buffleheads  below  Cochiti  Dam  22  Feb  (WH), 
and  a male  Barrow's  Goldeneye  on  the  Rio 
Grande  at  Embudo  16  Feb  (JO,  JEP).  Evidence 
of  overwintering  by  Ospreys  was  provided  by 
up  to  2 in  the  E.B.L.  area  5-21  Jan  (JO,  JEP,  DE, 
BN).  Single  White-tailed  Kites  were  in  Luna  21 
Dec  (LM)  and  19  Feb  (RM);  drought  condi- 
tions, leading  to  reduced  prey,  were  likely 
responsible  for  low  kite  numbers.  Accidental  in 
winter,  an  imm.  Common  Black-Hawk  was  at 
Hill,  Dona  Ana  17  Jan  (GE).  Harris’s  Hawks  in 
peripheral  locales  were  singles  at  Bosque  1 
Jan — 24  Feb  (m.  ob.),  e.  of  Tolar,  Roosevelt  10 
Dec  (RG),  and  the  Jornada  grasslands  5 Jan 
(BZ).  Nicely  documented  was  a w.  Red-shoul- 
dered Hawk  at  Casa  Colorado,  s.  Valencia  17 
Feb  (CR,  vt.  JO).  The  resident  Aplomado 
Falcon  pair  in  s.  New  Mexico  remained  on  ter- 
ritory through  the  winter,  with  copulation  and 
nest  site  inspection  noted  22  Feb  (RM);  a 2nd 
territory,  maintained  by  at  least  one  ad.,  was 
documented  elsewhere  2 Feb  (JO,  JEP)  and 
later  (RM).  Meanwhile,  plans  for  massive 
releases  of  captive  Aplomados  into  s.  New 
Mexico,  which  some  fear  may  obliterate  this 
natural  colonization  event,  proceeded  aggres- 
sively. Unusual  in  mid-winter,  single  Peregrine 
Falcons  were  at  Albuquerque  13  Jan  (CR), 
Sandia  Mts.  30  Dec  (NV),  Bosque  8 & 21  Jan 
(BZ,  CR),  E.B.L.  1 & 21  Jan  (JO,  DE,  BN),  and 
near  Hermanas  27  Dec  (JO). 

PARTRIDGES  THROUGH  OWLS 

A Chukar  near  Ruidoso  15  Dec  (A.  Powell) 
provided  evidence  that  game  farm  birds  con- 
tinue to  escape.  Unusual  for  the  n.  were  10 
Scaled  Quail  near  Cimarron  23  Feb  (JEP). 
Northerly  were  2 Virginia  Rails  at  Stubblefield 
L.  1 Jan  (DC)  and  a Sora  at  Albuquerque  16 
Dec  (N.  Pederson).  Common  Moorhens  were 
in  the  Gila,  Rio  Grande,  and  Pecos  valleys, 
including  singles  near  Cliff  29  Dec  (RS)  and  at 
Bosque  15  Dec — 19  Jan  (SC,  WW,  JO)  and  3 
each  at  Las  Cruces  15  Dec  (GE)  and  Six  Mile 
Dam  29  Jan  (SW).  The  experimental 
Whooping  Crane  population  that  winters  in 
New  Mexico  was  down  to  its  last  individual, 
which  passed  over  Albuquerque,  with  thou- 


VoLUME  56  (2002),  Number  2 


207 


sands  of  northbound  Sandhills,  28  Feb  (GM). 
Noteworthy  for  winter  were  3 Snowy  Plovers  at 
Brantley  L.  28  Dec  (SW),  where  one  lingered 
31  Dec  (JO)  and  31  Jan  (SW).  Surprising  for 
mid-winter  were  up  to  5 Black-necked  Stilts  in 
the  Anapra — Sunland  Park  area  1 & 9 Jan  (MS, 
JZ,  WW).  Late  were  single  American  Avocets  at 
Bosque  15  Dec  (RG)  and  L.  Avalon  1 Dec 
(JEP);  early  was  one  at  B.L.N.W.R.  1 Feb 
(GW).  Notably  late  Long-billed  Curlews  were 
6 near  Otis  16  Dec  (SW),  singles  near 
Hermanas  21  8c  27  Dec  (LM,  JO),  and  2 near 
Luis  Lopez  12  Jan  (RG).  Highs  for  Dunlins 
were  9-10  at  B.L.N.W.R.  4 Dec — 1 Feb  (GW). 
Late  for  the  n.  were  single  Bonaparte’s  Gulls  at 
Eagle  Nest  1 Dec  (DC)  and  Sunmer  L.  12  Dec 
( WW)  and  2 at  Santa  Rosa  16  Dec  (WW);  high 
was  30  at  L.  Avalon  1 Dec  (JEP).  One  to  three 
California  Gulls  wintered  s.  to  Sunland  Park  25 
Dec — 19  Jan  (m.  ob.);  noteworthy  were  8 at 
Eagle  Nest  7 Dec  (DC).  Single  first-winter 
Thayer’s  Gulls  documented  at  the  Socorro 
dump  3-16  Jan  (CMB,  JEP,  vt.  JO)  and  E.B.L. 
19  Jan — 2 Eeb  (JEP,  DE,  BN,  vt.  JO)  may  have 
been  the  same  bird.  New  for  New  Mexico  was 
an  ad.  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  at  Sunland 
Park,  discovered  25  Dec  (vt.  JO)  and  present 
through  8 Jan  (m.  oh.,  ph.  BZ).  Amazingly, 
another  ad.  Lesser  Black-backed  was  described 
from  Bosque  5 Jan  (DR).  An  ad.  Glaucous 
Gull,  first  seen  at  Springer  L.  8 Dec  (DC),  sub- 
sequently moved  to  Stubblefield  L.,  where 
present  9-20  Dec  (CR,  ph.  DC).  Eurasian 
Collared-Doves  continued  their  rapid  colo- 
nization of  New  Mexico,  with  reports  from  20 
locales  from  the  R.G.V.  east;  west  were  2 at 
Magdalena  24  Feb  (JO)  and  up  to  5 at 
Columbus  27  Dec — 15  Feb  (JO,  JEP,  LM)  while 
highs  were  80  at  Clayton  19  Dec  (CR),  96  at 
Roswell  15  Dec  (SB),  24  at  San  Miguel,  Dona 
Ana  4 Jan  (ph.  BZ),  and  31  at  Loving  16  Dec 
(C.  Cranston).  White-winged  Doves  main- 
tained their  impressive  presence  in  range  and 
numbers,  including  n.  to  Santa  Fe  and  Clayton; 
notable  highs  were  691  at  Roswell  15  Dec  (SB), 
871  at  La  Luz  2 Jan  (J.  Mangimeli),  138  at  Silver 
City  15  Dec  (RS),  and  a healthy  19,783  at  Las 
Cruces  15  Dec  (GE).  Inca  Doves  are  now  resi- 
dent n.  to  Albuquerque,  where  there  were  5 on 
12  Dec  (HS);  notable  was  an  Inca  n.  to 
Cerrillos,  Santa  Fe  17  Feb  (AF).  The  only 
Common  Ground-Dove  struck  a window  at 
Deming  28  Dec  (*;  LM).  A Western  Screech- 
Owl  was  e.  to  Clayton  L.  26  Jan  (JO).  A Spotted 
Owl  was  reported  without  details  near  Questa 
16  Dec  (R.  Weber),  where  there  have  been  no 
recent  records.  Seemingly  out  of  place  in  the 
desert  borderlands  was  a Long-eared  Owl  at 
Pancho  Villa  S.P.  24  Jan — 15  Feb  (J.  8c  S. 
Hammon  et  al.).  Now  rare,  single  Short-eared 


Owls  were  at  Zuni  30  Dec  (JAT),  Bosque  2 Dec 
(WW),  and  near  Antelope  Wells  4 Jan  (S. 
Smith /Jde  AC,  NM-C). 

HUMMINGBIRDS  THROUGH  RAVENS 

With  no  previous  New  Mexico  winter  records, 
Violet-crowned  Hummingbirds  staged  a 
mini-invasion  in  Dona  Ana  this  season,  with 
singles  at  Anthony  3 Nov — 25  Feb  (ph.  H. 
Bigelow)  and  Las  Cruces  23-24  Feb  (ph.  R.  8c  B. 
Dickenshied);  a 3rd  was  present  Nov-Feb 
across  the  line  at  El  Paso  (BZ).  A Broad-billed 
Hummingbird  reportedly  wintered  at 
Carlsbad  (E.  Pierce,  fide  SW).  Wintering 
Anna’s  may  be  increasing  n.  to  Albuquerque, 
where  up  to  4 (3  banded)  were  present  Dec — 
Eeb  (JD-M,  HS,  CH,  CMB);  elsewhere,  single 
Anna’s  were  present  in  Dec  at  Las  Cruces  (GE) 
and  near  Carlsbad  (TH).  Surprising  for  the 
date  and  n.  locale  was  an  ad.  female  Costa’s 
Hummingbird  at  Placitas  5-26  Jan  (JD-M,  HS, 
CMB);  measurements,  photos,  and  diagnostic 
feathers  confirmed  the  identification  (W. 
Baltosser).  Selasphorus  hummers  included  one 
at  Albuquerque  16  Dec  (HS),  a probable 
Broad-tailed  at  Carlsbad  5 Dec — 28  Eeb  (SW), 
and  several  likely  Rufous,  including  3 at  Silver 
City  15  Dec  (fide  RS),  2 at  Las  Cruces  15  Dec 
(fide  GE),  and  one  near  Carlsbad  20  Dec  (fide 
TH).  Early  was  a male  Broad-tailed  in  P.O. 
Canyon  27  Eeb  (CL).  Judging  from  reports, 
Lewis’s  Woodpeckers  must  be  thriving  in  the 
upper  R.G.V,  with  104  at  Dixon  15  Dec  (RT) 
and  85  at  Espanola  5 Jan  (BE);  s.  of  expected 
were  singles  at  White  Signal,  Grant  20  Dec  (fitde 
EL)  and  Las  Animas  Cr.,  Sierra  2 Dec — 6 Jan 
(m.  ob.)  and  2 at  Las  Cruces  15  Dec  (GE).  A 
Red-headed  Woodpecker  at  Carlsbad  7 Eeb 
(SW),  where  the  species  formerly  nested,  was 
the  first  there  since  1995.  Gila  Woodpeckers 
continued  much  in  evidence  in  Hidalgo;  note- 
worthy were  singles  in  Clanton  Canyon  27  Eeb 
(LM)  and  on  Deer  Cr.  near  Antelope  Wells  10 
Eeb  (AC,  NM-C).  South  was  a Downy 
Woodpecker  near  Caballo  30  Dec  (MS,  JZ). 
Providing  challenges  were  several  overwinter- 
ing Empidonax  flycatchers,  highlighted  by  sin- 
gle vocal  Dusky  Elycatchers  at  Percha  30  Dec — 
19  Jan  (BZ,  JNP,  JEP,  JO)  and  Bosque  21  Jan 
(CR,  DE,  BN)  and  a vocal  Cordilleran  at 
Leasburg  S.P.  1 Dec — 6 Jan  (MS,  JZ,  ph.  & 
audiotape  BZ).  Other  empids  were  a 
“Western”  at  Bosque  15  Dec  (DLH)  and  single 
unidentified  birds  at  Glenwood  3 Feb  (JO)  and 
Las  Cruces  15  Dec  (GE).  Unusual  were  2 Black 
Phoebes  n.  to  Espanola  5 Jan  (BE).  Eastern 
Phoebes  were  at  five  R.G.V.  locales  Dec — Jan; 
farther  w.  was  one  near  Deming  10-15  Feb 
(LM,  CR,  vt.  JO).  Say’s  Phoebes  leave  n.  New 
Mexico  in  winter,  so  noteworthy  were  one  at 


Clayton  19  Dec  (CR)  and  2 at  Espanola  5 Jan 
(BF).  Vermilion  Flycatchers  lingering  in  the 
lower  R.G.V.  were  one  at  Palomas  30  Dec  (GE) 
and  one  to  2 near  Radium  Springs  1 8c  5 Dec 
(MS,  JZ,  ph.  BZ).  Single  Northern  Shrikes 
wandered  s.  to  Santa  Rosa  16  Dec  (WW), 
Sevilleta  N.W.R.  22  Dec  (PB),  and  Bosque  1 
Dec  (CMB);  others  remained  farther  n.  in 
Taos,  Santa  Fe,  Colfax,  and  Union.  Late  linger- 
ing vireos  were  a Plumbeous  at  Las  Cruces  15 
Dec  (GE)  and  a Cassin’s  at  Percha  2 Dec  (DE, 
BN)  and  30  Dec  (JNP,  ph.  BZ).  Several  Steller’s 
Jays  drifted  into  atypical  habitat,  including  one 
at  Corrales  16  Dec  (WH),  3 near  Caballo  30 
Dec  (MS,  JZ),  up  to  6 in  the  Santa  Rosa  area  16 
Dec — 3 Eeb  (WW,  JEP,  CR,  vt.  JO),  and  2 at 
Roswell  15  Dec  (SB).  Blue  Jays  were  prevalent 
in  the  e.  from  Colfax  and  Union  s.  to  Eddy;  west 
were  singles  at  Santa  Ee  22  Dec  (D.  Einspahr), 
Albuquerque  all  season  (MLA),  and  Water 
Canyon  7 Jan  (BZ).  Getting  an  early  start  were 
Western  Scrub-Jays  carrying  nest  material  in 
the  Animas  Mts.  2 Feb  (AC,  NM-C)  and 
Mexican  Jays  nest-building  in  the  Peloncillo 
Mts.  13  Feb  (CL).  East  were  47  Pinyon  Jays  at 
Mills  Canyon  9 Jan  (DC).  Black-billed  Magpies 
pushing  the  range  limits  included  5 at 
Albuquerque  16  Dec  (HS)  and  singles  at  Mills 
Canyon  6 Dec  (DC)  and  Santa  Rosa  16  Dec 
(WW);  29  were  s.  to  the  Dilia  area  24  Dec  (JO). 
American  Crow  numbers  exploded  in  the 
lower  R.G.V,  including  5000  n.  of  Las  Cruces  5 
Dec  (MS,  JZ,  BZ)  and  10,250  at  Las  Cruces  15 
Dec  (GE).  Two  Common  Ravens  were  near 
White’s  City,  Eddy,  16  Eeb  (SW),  where  consid- 
ered scarce. 

SWALLOWS  THROUGH  WARBLERS 

Cave  Swallows  returned  to  C.C.N.P.  28  Jan 
(fide  SW),  two  weeks  earlier  than  usual. 
Enjoying  global  warming  were  2 Barn 
Swallows  at  Bosque  9 Jan  (WW).  Unusual  for 
the  Organ  Mts.  was  a Bushtit  at  Aguirre 
Springs  3 Dec  (BZ);  notable  was  a flock  of  61 
Bushtits  at  P.O.  Canyon  27  Dec  (CL).  Several 
House  Wrens  lingered  late  or  overwintered  in 
the  lower  Rio  Grande  and  Pecos  valleys, 
including  singles  at  Caballo  L.  30  Dec  (BZ), 
Santa  Teresa  1 Jan  (MS,  JZ),  and  Sunland  Park 
9 Jan  (WW),  plus  5 near  Loving  16  Dec  (CR) 
and  4 at  C.C.N.P.  15  Dec  (SW).  A Winter  Wren 
was  at  Percha  2 Dec  (DE,  BN),  and  another  was 
singing  at  Carlsbad  3 Feb  (SW);  Six  Mile  Dam 
hosted  3 on  16  Dec  (CR).  Cold-hardy  Marsh 
Wrens  included  2 at  Espanola  5 Jan  (BF),  one 
to  2 in  Colfax  1-24  Jan  (DC),  one  near  Folsom 
26  Jan  (JO),  and  4 at  Clayton  19  Dec  (CR). 

A Black-tailed  Gnatcatcher  was  n.  to 
Sevilleta  N.W.R.  20  Dec  (DK);  notable  for  the 
SW.  were  2 Black-taileds  in  the  Animas  Valley 


208 


North  American  Birds 


New  Mexico 


29  Dec  (CR).  Eastern  Bluebirds  made  a strong 
showing  from  the  R.G.V.east,  including  one  at 
San  Juan  Pueblo  16  Feb  (JO,  JEP),  6 at 
Espanola  5 Jan  (BF),  and  4 at  Cimarron  23  Feb 
(JO,  JEP),  plus  highs  of  22  at  Santa  Rosa  16 
Dec  (V/W)  and  15  at  Puerto  de  Luna  22  Dec 
(JO).  Quite  late  was  a Gray  Catbird  at  Santa 
Rosa  16  Dec  (WW);  astonishingly  early  was 
one  singing,  in  Mills  Canyon  along  the 
Canadian  R.  22  Feb  (DC).  Northern 
Mockingbirds  are  unexpected  in  n.  New 
Mexico  in  winter,  so  noteworthy  were  3 each  at 
Clayton  19  Dec  (CR)  and  Conchas  L.  3 Jan 
(WH),  plus  singles  at  Zuni  1 Jan  (JAT),  Dixon 
15  Dec  (RT),  and  Mills  Canyon  9 Jan  (DC).  For 
the  3rd  consecutive  year,  a Brown  Thrasher 
wintered  at  Corrales  (WH);  far  w.  was  another 
at  Zuni  1 Jan  (JAT).  Noteworthy  for  mid-win- 
ter was  a Sprague’s  Pipit  near  Hermanas  12  Jan 
(RM);  others,  possibly  representing  late  or 
early  migrants,  were  2 at  Sevilleta  N.¥/.R.  20 
Dec  (DK),  5 near  Hermanas  4-14  Dec  (RM), 
and  one  near  Gage  27  Feb  (RM).  Cedar 
Waxwings  were  prevalent  in  mid-Dec  but 
unreported  in  Jan;  earliest  returnees  were  78  in 
the  Animas  Mts.  2 Feb  (AC,  NM-C).  North  for 
the  season  was  a Phainopepla  w.  of  Abo  Pass, 
Socorro  21  Jan  (RA).  Three  Olive  Warblers 
were  in  the  Organ  Mts.  above  Aguirre  Springs 
3 Dec  (BZ),  the  2nd  consecutive  winter  the 
species  has  occurred  there. 

Orange-crov/ned  Warblers  are  now  expected 
in  winter  in  the  lower  R.G.V.;  far  n.  were  sin- 
gles at  Espanola  5 Jan  (BF)  and  Bosque  15  Dec 
(SC).  Well  detailed  were  a male  Nashville 
Warbler  at  Las  Cruces  13-20  Jan  (CWB)  and  a 
female  Northern  Paruia  at  Leasburg  S.R  1 & 5 
Dec  (MS,  JZ,  BZ).  A Northern  Waterthrush 
was  found  by  gull  seekers  at  Sunland  Park  29 
Dec  (SW)  and  5 Jan  (JO,  JEP).  If  accepted,  a 
well-described  Louisiana  Waterthrush  along 
Little  Bear  Cr.,  Catron  4 Dec  (CL)  would  be  a 
New  Mexico  winter  first.  Many  more  Common 
Yellowthroats  than  usual  were  reported, 
including  singles  n.  to  Zuni  1 Jan  (JAT),  La 
Joya  22  Dec  (CR),  and  Bosque  Redondo  1 Jan 
(JO)  and  w.  to  the  Animas  Valley  31  Jan  & 7 
Feb  (AC,  NM-C).  A male  Wilson’s  Warbler  at 
Las  Cruces  15  Dec  (CWB)  furnished  a winter 
first  for  New  Mexico. 

TAi^AGERS  THROUGH  FIHCHES 

A puzzling  female  tanager  at  Rio  Rancho  4- 
9 Jan  (PD,  HS)  conveniently  became  a win- 
dow-kill on  the  latter  date  f^'U.N.M.),  allowing 
positive  identification  as  a Scarlet  Tanager  (R. 
Dickerman);  there  are  few  previous  winter 
records  for  anywhere  in  the  U.S.,  and  none  for 
New  Mexico.  Similarly  surprising  was  a female 
Western  Tanager  near  R.G.N.C.  1 Jan  (JEP). 


Rufous-crowned  Sparrows  may  be  overlooked 
in  n.  New  Mexico  in  winter;  this  season  pro- 
duced one  at  Clayton  19  Dec  (CR),  2-3  in  Mills 
Canyon  9 & 19  Jan  (DC),  and  6 at  Santa  Rosa 
16  Dec  (W'V).  Well  s.  of  expected  were  single 
American  Tree  Sparrows  at  Bosque  15  Dec 
(DLH),  Alto,  Lincoln  19-22  Feb  (JM),  and 
C.C.N.P.  15  Dec  (SW).  Swamp  Sparrows  on 
the  edge  of  typical  range  were  singles  at  Tijeras 
Cr.,  Sandia  Mts.  13  & 27  Jan  (JO,  BV)  and  the 
Animas  Valley  7 Feb  (ph.  NM-C).  Single 
Harris’s  Sparrows  were  in  the  R.G.V.  at  San 
Acacia  9 Dec  (BV),  Luis  Lopez  Dec — Feb  (vt. 
JO),  and  e.  of  Luis  Lopez  28  Jan — 5 Feb  (vt. 
JO);  2 were  near  L.  Roberts  2-24  Feb  (EL,  CR, 
vt.  JO).  A male  Northern  Cardinal  was  n.  to 
Santa  Rosa  16  Dec  (WW),  and  2 males  were  at 
nearby  Agua  Negra  Cr.  22  Dec  (vt.  JO);  yet 
another  male  was  at  Sumner  Dam  12  Dec 
(WW).  The  species  has  only  recently  appeared 
so  far  n.  in  the  Pecos  Valley.  Pyrrhuloxias  wan- 
dering n.  included  singles  near  Sedan,  Union 
27  Jan  (vt.  JO)  and  Albuquerque  16  Dec — 26 
Jan  (A.  Rominger,  CR,  JO,  JEP)  and  2 each  at 
Santa  Rosa  16  Dec  (WW)  and  Puerto  de  Luna 
12  Dec  (WW).  They  were  unusually  prevalent 
in  Hidalgo,  including  25  in  and  near  the 
Peloncillo  Mts.  30  Dec  (AC)  and  15  at  Double 
Adobe,  Animas  Mts.  2 Feb  (AC,  NM-C). 

Two  Yellow-headed  Blackbirds  were  at 
L.V.N.W.R.  29  Dec  (GB)  and  one  20  Jan  (BV); 
the  species  is  unexpected  so  far  n.  in  winter. 
Quite  rare  in  New  Mexico,  one  to  2 Rusty 
Blackbirds  were  at  Portales  30  Jan  (CR)  and  9 
Feb  (JEP,  vt.  JO);  less  well  documented  were 
one  at  Espanola  2 Dec  (JT)  and  2 at  L.  Avalon 
21  Feb  (SW).  Common  Crackles  lingering  n.  of 
expected  areas  included  singles  at  Maxwell  2-4 
Dec  (DC),  Clayton  19  Dec  (CR),  Las  Vegas  29 
Dec  (GB),  and  Santa  Rosa  16  Dec  (WW).  A 
Great-tailed  Crackle  was  at  Raton  16  Dec 
(DC).  Brown-headed  Cowbirds  continued  to 
increase  their  winter  presence,  with  reports 
from  12  locales  including  187  at  Clayton  19 
Dec  (CR);  not  surprisingly,  feedlots  were  the 
favored  habitats.  For  the  3rd  consecutive  win- 
ter, a mixed  fiock  of  rosy-finches  wintered  at 
Sandia  Crest;  from  6 on  6 Dec,  the  flock  grew 
to  95  on  13  Jan,  then  decreased  to  25  by  23  Feb, 
with  Blacks  comprising  roughly  60%,  Gray- 
crowneds  30%,  and  Brown-cappeds  10%  (m. 
ob.,  vt.  WH).  Among  the  several  Cassin’s  Finch 
reports  were  an  impressive  80  at  Emory  Pass  2 
Jan  (WW),  plus  8 in  the  Pinos  Altos  Mts.  20 
Feb  (LM)  and  2 at  Silver  City  15  Dec  (RS).  A 
Red  Crossbill  was  in  the  seldom-visited  Oscrua 
Mts.  6 Dec  (DAH).  Lesser  Goldfinches  have 
quietly  become  a regular  wintering  species 
across  s.  New  Mexico  and  n.  to  Albuquerque, 
where  small  numbers  were  present  Dec — Feb 


(WH,  DM);  farther  n.  were  20  at  Farmington 
15  Dec  (A.  Nelson)  and  3 at  Mills  Canyon  9 Jan 
(DC).  Unusual  so  near  the  Mexican  border 
were  13  American  Goldfinches  in  the  Animas 
'Valley  31  Jan  (AC,  NM-C). 

Initialed  observers:  Richard  Anderson,  Mary 
Lou  Arthur,  Pat  Basham,  Craig  W.  Binkman, 
Sherry  Bixler,  George  Blanchard,  Celestyn  M. 
Brozek,  David  Cleary,  Alan  Craig,  Steven  Cox, 
Joan  Day-Martin,  Page  Draper,  Douglas 
Emkalns,  Gordon  Ewing,  Andrew  Fenner, 
Bernard  Foy,  Rebecca  Gracey,  Cindy  Harris, 
David  L.  Hawksworth,  Tom  Hines,  David  A. 
Holdermann,  William  Howe,  David  Krueper, 
Gregory  Levandoski,  Eugene  Lewis,  Carroll 
Littlefield,  Larry  Malone,  David  Mehlman, 
Raymond  Meyer,  Gale  Monson,  Narca  Moore- 
Craig,  John  Morton,  Bruce  Neville,  Jerry 
Oldenettel,  John  E.  Parmeter,  James  N.  Paton, 
David  Rintoul,  Christopher  Rustay,  Hart 
Schwarz,  Marcy  Scott,  Roland  Shook,  Robert 
Templeton,  Joyce  Takamine,  John  A.  Trochet, 
Brad  Vaughn,  Nick  Vaughn,  Gordon  Warrick, 
Mark  Watson,  Steve  West,  William  West,  James 
Zabriskie,  Barry  Zimmer. 


It  taL 


,es  more 


tlian  luck. 


u 

to  preserve, 
protect,  and 
restore  our  heritage 

It  takes  you 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


209 


Alaska 


Thede  Tobish 

2510  Foraker  Drive 
Anchorage,  Alaska  9951 7 
(tgt@alaska.net) 

Following  the  late  autumn’s  rapid  freeze-up 
and  heavy  snows,  winter  ’01 — ’02  began 
under  a continental  high-pressure  blanket. 
Early-season  temperatures  that  were  well  below 
average  set  the  tone  until  early  January,  when 
some  moderation  came  mostly  with  snow- 
storms tracking  along  the  North  Gulf  Coast. 
Even  after  such  an  exciting  fall  season,  rarities 
and  otherwise  noteworthy  winter  records  were 
below  the  past  few  years’  norms.  Heavier-than- 
usual  snow  packs  probably  contributed  to  the 
season’s  low  returns.  As  is  so  often  the  case  for 
an  Alaskan  winter,  the  season’s  highlights  were 
discovered  during  the  C.B.C.  period.  Open  fresh 
water  was  at  a premium  this  season,  and  signif- 
icant waterbird  reports  were  confined  to  a few 
coastal  strips  and  saltwater  refuges.  After  a hia- 
tus of  several  years,  I received  a complete  report 
from  the  Cordova  environs,  where  Pete  Isleib 
uncovered  numerous  winter  rarities  in  the 
1970s  and  1980s. 

Abbreviations:  North  Gulf  (North  Gulf  of 
Alaska);  Southeast  (Southeast  Alaska). 
Referenced  details  (t)>  specimens  (’*'),  photo- 
graphs (ph.),  and  videotape  (vt.)  are  on  file  at 
the  University  of  Alaska  Museum.  Italicized 
place  names  denote  especially  unusual  loca- 
tions for  the  noted  species. 


LOONS  THROUGH  RAILS 

An  intriguing  Arctic  Loon  description  (mini- 
mal detail)  from  just  off  Cordova  20-21  Jan 
(tAL,  NO)  would  represent  a first  winter 
report  for  Alaska  away  from  the  W.  Aleutians. 
Notable  Pacific  Loon  concentrations  were 
about  average  from  typical  staging  sites,  includ- 
ing 200  in  Ketchikan’s  Ward  Cove  2 Dec  (SCH) 
and  80  near  Juneau  17  Feb  (GW).  Western 
Grebe  peak  counts  of  note  included  up  to  215 
in  the  Ketchikan  area  10  Feb  (SCH)  and  anoth- 
er flock  of  140  off  the  n.  side  of  Annette  I.  21 
Jan  (SCH).  A single  Western  lingered  in  the 
Juneau  area  to  19  Jan  (GW),  the  latest  ever 
there  in  winter  and  one  of  very  few  n.  of  the 
traditional  winter  range  between  Frederick 
Sound  and  Annette  I. 

After  several  winters  of  multiple  reports  and 
small  groups,  only  a single  ad.  Brandt’s 
Cormorant  was  located  in  Nichols  Passage  off 
Ketchikan  21  Jan,  where  nearly  all  of  the 
Region’s  winter  records  originate.A  rare  winter 
Greater  White-fronted  Goose  spent  the  season 
with  Trumpeter  Swans  in  the  Sitka  area,  one  of 
few  ever  beyond  Dec  (MLW,  MET).  The  only 
unusual  Trumpeter  Swan  report  was  a group  of 
3 probable  late  migrants  moving  s.  at  Juneau  13 
Jan  (GW).  More  unusual  were  single  Tundra 
Swans,  which  lingered  or  attempted  to  stay  the 
season,  at  Cordova  9 Dec — 9 Jan,  when  found 
dead  (AL  et  al.),  and  at  Juneau  15  Dec — 13 
Jan-i-  (GW).  Four  of  the  original  5 Ketchikan- 
area  Wood  Ducks  lingered  there  until  23  Dec 
(SCH).  The  season’s  few  waterfowl  highlights 


otherwise  included:  3 Eurasian  Wigeon  and  2 
Northern  Shovelers  at  Kodiak  all  season 
(RAM),  a returning  male  Green-winged  Teal 
in  an  Anchorage  groundwater  spring  all  sea- 
son (RLS),  a Canvasback  at  Cordova  until  10 
Feb  (AL),  a high  count  of  12  Ring-necked 
Ducks  at  Sitka’s  Swan  L.  all  season  (MLW, 
MET),  a drake  Tufted  Duck  at  Cordova  21 
Jan — 10  Feb  (AL,  WB,  CR,  NO),  where  there 
are  a handful  of  historic  winter  reports,  a local 
record  high  21  Lesser  Scaup  in  Ketchikan 
through  Jan  (SCH),  Seward’s  male  Hooded 
Merganser  at  its  traditional  site  (WS),  and  a 
pair  of  Hoodeds  on  Cordova’s  Eyak  L.  10-26 
Feb+  (WB,  AL,  PM).  Probably  because  of  the 
season’s  early  heavy  snow  and  subsequent  pro- 
longed cold,  unusual  raptor  reports  were  few. 
Southeast  observers  commented  on  good 
numbers  of  Sharp-shinned  Hawks.  Most 
unusual  was  an  ad.  male  American  Kestrel  in 
the  Juneau  area  all  season  (GW^  ph.),  one  of 
the  Region’s  few  true  winter  records. 

PLOVERS  THROUGH  DOVES 

Distribution  and  status  of  the  Region’s  semi- 
hardy shorebird  species  was  greatly  dimin- 
ished this  season,  also  likely  because  of  the 
combined  heavy  snows  and  early-season  low 
temperatures.  Rock  Sandpiper  concentrations 
in  traditional  Cook  Inlet  bays  were  elusive, 
with  high  counts  well  below  the  10,000  to 
15,000  of  past  winters.  Rocks  were  also  poorly 
accounted  for  at  Seward  and  other  coastal 
spots.  Given  the  season,  Juneau  harbored 
decent  flocks  of  Surfbirds,  with  maxima  of  125 
on  17  Feb  and  200  Black  Turnstones  the  same 
day  (GW).  Typically  rare  in  winter  away  from 
a few  regular  coastal  sites,  a Sanderling  sur- 
faced in  Juneau  13  Jan — 18  Feb  (GW^).  Eight 
Common  Snipe  in  Juneau  in  one  group  31  Jan 
(GW)  was  also  a good  winter  count  for  the 
Region. 

Reasonable  details  were  submitted  for  a bird 
thought  to  be  a first-winter  Kamchatka  Mew 
Gull  (Larus  canus  kamschatschensis)  from 
Cordova  18  Jan  (ALf,  WB,  CR,  NO).  Direct 
comparisons  with  similar-aged  Mew  Gulls 
were  included  in  the  description.  Juneau’s 
Eagle  Beach  again  provided  roosting  habitat 
for  Thayer’s  Gulls,  with  peak  counts  of  135- 
175  tallied  between  26  Dec  and  13  Jan  (G’W). 
Only  singles  are  sporadically  found  in  winter 
n.  in  the  Region  beyond  Juneau.  Another  clean 
ad.  Western  Gull  was  photographed  in  the 
Ketchikan  area,  present  Nov — 5 Jan-i-  (ph. 
SCH).  Black-legged  Kittitwakes,  rare  or  miss- 
ing from  inshore  harbors  and  bays  in  the 
North  Gulf,  apparently  moved  farther  offshore 
than  normal,  perhaps  due  to  weather  and 
commercial  fish  closures.  Excellent  mid-sea- 


210 


North  American  Birds 


Alaska 


son  Marbled  Murrelet  feeding  aggregations 
came  in  from  protected  Southeast  waters,  with 
a peak  5000  in  lower  Lynn  Canal  23-24  Feb 
(GW)  and  1300  s.  of  Ketchikan  30  Dec  (SCH). 
Rare  inshore  in  winter  for  the  Southeast  was  an 
Ancient  Murrelet  near  Ketchikan  21  Jan  (SCH). 

OWLS  THROUGH  THRUSHES 

Following  the  minor  fall  coastal  dispersion  of 
Snowy  Owls,  the  Kodiak  individual  remained 
in  the  harbor  to  15  Dec-l-  (RAM),  a local  first 
“winter”  record.  No  others  were  refound  or 
wintered.  Short-eared  Owls  were  missing  from 
the  Kodiak  grasslands,  but  one  lingered  in  the 
Juneau  wetlands  5-28  Jan+  (GW).  The  season’s 
only  Northern  Pygmy-Owl  was  located  near 
Juneau  briefly  18-28  Feb  (GW).  As  the  season 
moderated  in  mid-Feb,  Boreal  Owls  initiated 
displays,  at  least  in  the  Fairbanks  area  by  the  end 
of  the  period,  while  1-2  Northern  Saw- whet 
Owls  spent  the  season  and  called  occasionally  in 
Anchorage  10  Dec- — early  Jan+  (NS,  GJT,  RLS). 
Certainly  the  season’s  highlight  was  an  immac- 
ulate male  Great  Spotted  Woodpecker,  which 
had  apparently  taken  up  residence  at  a remote 
homesite  feeder  s.  of  Talkeetna  near  Caswell 
Lakes  in  Sep.  Driven  by  her  inability  to  find  the 
bird  in  her  bird  books,  the  homeowner  called 
down  to  Anchorage  birders  for  some  assistance, 
and  after  the  homeowner  provided  compelling 
details.  Delap  was  at  the  feeder  the  following 
morning  (5  Feb)  to  confirm  and  docum.ent  the 
identification.  This  individual  constituted 
Alaska’s  first  mainland  record  and  the  8th 
report  overall  of  this  forest  dweller  from  ne. 
Asia.  Except  for  a spring  Pribiiof  report,  all  prior 
records  came  from  the  W.  Aleutians.  There  are  a 
few  Commander  Island  reports,  and  these  birds 
likely  originated  from  Kamchatka  forests. 
Winter  Northern  Flickers  were  average,  includ- 
ing singles  in  Sitka  29  Jan  (MLW,  MET)  and 
Juneau  2 Dec+  (the  latter  a hybrid;  GW^). 
Exceptional  otherwise  was  a conservative  count 
of  13  flickers  in  the  Ketchikan  area  all  season, 
among  them  5 intergrades  (GW). 

Another  Mountain  Chickadee,  sporadic  in 
winter  out  of  the  Coast  Range  into  coastal 
Southeast,  made  a brief  appearance  at  a Juneau 
area  feeder  25  Jan — mid  Feb-t-  (fide  GW),  the 
season’s  only  report.  Given  the  tough  season, 
American  Robins  held  their  own,  at  least  where 
exotic  shrubs  provided  decent  berries,  with  a 
peak  in  Juneau  of  6 as  late  as  10  Jan  (GW),  and 
a dozen  or  so  again  in  the  greater  Anchorage — 
Eagle  River  area  all  season  (DFD).  The  season’s 
only  notable  Varied  Thrush  report  included  10 
together  in  Sitka  Jan  21  (MET,  MLW),  and  very 
few  were  observed  elsewhere.  A single  Cedar 
Waxwing  wintered  in  Ketchikan  16  Jan+ 
(SCH),  this  winter’s  only  find.  Bohemian 


Waxwing  peaks  were  below  average,  and  for 
some  reason  late,  in  the  Anchorage  Bowl,  where 
certainly  most  of  the  Region’s  population  focus- 
es on  local  landscaped  berry  crops  in  Dec.  A few 
dozen  lingered  through  the  period  in  down- 
town Anchorage,  while  few  others  were  spotted 
after  the  first  of  the  year. 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FRIWGiLLIDS 

The  very  late  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler, 
Alaska’s  first,  at  a Juneau  feeder  was  not  seen 
after  2 Dec  (GW)  during  an  extended  cold 
snap  down  to  -20o  F.  For  the  first  time  in  sever- 
al winters,  no  warblers  made  it  past  the  first 
days  of  Dec.  Given  the  snow  and  cold,  it  was  an 
exceptional  sparrow  season,  especially  in 
Southeast.  American  Tree  Sparrows  were  con- 
centrated at  a few  coastal  sites,  including  4 on  19 
Jan  in  grasses  at  the  Copper  R.  Delta  (AL),  6 in 
Juneau  wetlands  16  Dec  (GW),  and  at  least  one 
in  Ketchikan  5 Feb  (SCH),  where  casual.  Rare  in 
winter,  and  offshore,  was  a Chipping  Sparrow  in 
Sitka  to  11  Feb  (MET,  MLW).  Excellent  Fox 
Sparrow  tallies  included  24  (insularis)  on  the 
Kodiak  C.B.C.  15  Dec  (fitde  RAM),  at  least  25-1- 
all  season  at  Ketchikan  feeders  (a  new  winter 
record;  SCH),  and  a few  offshore  at  Sitka  27 
Jan — ^24  Feb  (MET,  MLW).  They  were  other- 
wise missing  or  fleeting  in  the  Seward  area, 
where  a few  can  be  counted  on  most  winters. 
This  winter’s  only  Lincoln’s  Sparrow  was  a lone 
bird  that  spent  the  season  at  a Ketchikan  feeder 
(SCH),  where  casual.  Following  a decent  fall 
showing,  only  2 White-throated  Sparrows 
remained  through  the  season,  both  at  Ketchikan 
(SCH).  Seward’s  Harris’s  Sparrow  reappeared  in 
Feb  across  the  bay  from  where  it  was  discovered 
in  Nov  (WS),  that  locale’s  first  “true”  winter 
record.  And  Golden-crowned  Sparrows,  the 
most  reliable  and  hardy  winter  Zonotrkhia, 
were  in  good  evidence,  with  good  counts  of  13 
at  the  Kodiak  C.B.C.  15  Dec  (RAM)  and  i2-i-  in 
the  Ketchikan  area  all  season  (SCH),  that  area’s 
most  ever.  Elsewhere,  only  singles  were  noted, 
mostly  in  Dec,  from  Anchorage,  Seward  and 
Juneau. 

The  season’s  only  Brambling  record  was  a 
single  found  near  downtown  Kodiak  Dec  14-28 
(ph.  RAM,  IB).  Kodiak  produces  late  fall  and 
winter  Bramblings  with  the  most  regularity  of 
the  Region’s  coastal  hotspots.  Red  Crossbills 
were  distinctly  absent  or  poorly  represented 
Regionwide,  except  from  the  Kodiak  forests, 
where  they  were  fairly  common  all  season.  Two 
Red  Crossbills  in  the  Kenai  area  17  Feb  (ph.  RD) 
were  unusual  in  the  boreal  forest  extension 
from  the  Interior  across  Cook  Inlet.  Common 
Redpolls  exploded  out  of  the  Interior  and 
through  the  Coast  Range  in  mid-Jan,  with  hun- 
dreds noted  around  Juneau  by  early  Feb  (m. 


A truly  rare  species  in  Alaska  but  one  recorded 
several  times  in  recent  years,  a Great  Spotted 
Woodpecker  spent  the  season  at  a feeder 
between  Willow  and  Talkeetna  {here  22  February 
2002).  Photograph  by  Randall  Davis. 

ob.).  Every  few  years,  redpolls  reach  the 
Southeast  coast,  usually  towards  the  latter  half 
of  the  winter.  This  year,  small  numbers  reached 
s.  into  the  Ketchikan  area,  with  a peak  13-f  by  21 
Feb  (SCH),  where  there  had  been  only  four  pre- 
vious winter  reports.  A pair  of  House  Sparrows 
wintered  at  Ketchikan  feeders  2 Dec — 22  Feb-h 
(SCH  ph.),  a local  2nd  record  and  the  Region’s 
first  ever  through  the  winter. 

Contributors  and  observers:  A.B.O.  (Alaska 
Bird  Observatory;  N.  DeWitt  et  al.),  B.  Alger,  C. 
Allen,  J.  B.  Allen,  R.  Armstrong,  A.  M.  Benson, 
W.  Boyd,  I.  Bruce,  E.  Clark,  D.  Cunningham,  J. 
Dearborn,  L.  DeCicco,  D.  E Delap,  R.  M.  Fowler, 

B.  R Gibbons,  D.  D.  Gibson,  R.  E.  GOl,  R.  J. 
Gordon,  T.  Goutier,  H.  Griese,  J.  Haddix,  S.  C. 
Heinl,  R.  & Z.  Hogan,  J.  Jantunen,  R.  S.  Kaler,  J. 

F.  Koerner,  M.  Krasula,  A.  Lang,  L.  Lowenfels,  R. 
A.  Macintosh,  D.  MacPhail,  R Meyers,  R. 
Merizon,  B.  Micklejohn,  L.  J.  Oakley,  N. 
Osterberg,  R.  Pintner,  A.  W.  Piston,  R Pourchot, 

C.  Reiser,  C.  L.  Ross,  D.  Rudis,  K.  Russell,  S. 
Savage,  R.  L.  Scher,  M.  A.  Schultz,  W.  Schuster, 
M.  Schwan,  N.  Senner,  S.  Senner,  D.  Shaw,  D.  W. 
Sonneborn,  , P.  Suchanek,  A.  Swingley,  M.  E. 
Tedin,  L.  Tibbitts,  T.  Tobish,  D.  M.  Troy,  R.  Uhl, 

G.  Van  Viiet,  V.  Wallace,  M.  L.  Ward,  T.  Webber, 

D.  Wood,  M.  A.  Wood,  S.  Zimmerman. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


211 


British  Columbia-Yiikon 


Donald  G.  Ceoile 

7995  Wiison-Jackson  Road 
Vernon,  British  Columbia  V1B  3N5 
(dcecile@sd22.bc.ca) 

Basically  another  “winter  that  wasn’t,”  with 
mild  temperatures  and  moderate  snow- 
packs  the  rule,  although  the  Yukon  experi- 
enced a winter  with  normal  temperatures  and 
snowpack.  There  were  several  mini-Arctic  air 
invasions  during  the  second  week  of  December 
and  the  third  week  of  January,  the  latter 
depositing  the  most  snow  of  the  period.  As  a 
result,  many  species  lingered  farther  north 
than  usual  and/or  remained  in  higher  num- 
bers. With  mild  winters  such  as  this  one,  it  is 
often  difficult  to  determine  whether  birds  are 
moving  north  or  south;  for  such  an  example, 
see  the  Barn  Swallow  S.  A.  Other  highlights  of 
the  season  included  a winter  high  count  of 
eight  species  of  warblers,  a record  14  species  of 
gulls,  and  Canada’s  first  overwintering  Pacific- 
slope  Flycatcher. 

Abbreviations:  Chichester  (Chichester  Bird 
Sanctuary,  Kelowna);  P.G.  (Prince  George); 
P.G.N.C.  (Prince  George  Naturalists’  Club); 
R.P.B.O  (Rocky  Point  Bird  Observatory,  s. 
Vancouver  I.);  Whse.  (Whitehorse,  Yukon). 

LOONS  THROUGH  SHOREBIROS 

At  least  3 imm.  Yellow-billed  Loons  continued 


in  the  Comox  area  through  the  period  (GLM 
et  al.),  and  an  imm.  was  in  Kelowna  16-18  Feb 
(CC,  RTo  et  al.),  the  only  interior  report. 
Winter  occurrences  of  Pied-billed  Grebes  are 
noteworthy  in  the  cen.  interior:  one  was  along 
the  Crooked  R.  20  Jan  (P.G.N.C.),  and  3 were 
at  William’s  L.  16  Dec  (PR).  There  are  only  a 
handful  of  Brown  Pelican  winter  records  for 
the  Region.  The  individual  found  on  Long 
Beach,  Tofino  3 Dec  was  rescued  by  parks  staff 
but  died  shortly  thereafter  (AD).  Double-crest- 
ed Cormorants  are  occasional  winterers  in  the 
s.  interior;  an  imm.  was  along  the  Okanagan 
Lakeshore,  Kelowna  16-17  Feb  (CC  et  al.). 

Accidental  in  the  Region,  one  or  possibly  2 
Bewick’s  Swans  were  reported:  one  was  at 
Kilby  P.P.  2 Jan  ( JV)  and  possibly  the  same  bird 
3 8c  24  Feb  (DB)  in  Abbotsford.  Brant  are  very 
rarely  encountered  in  the  interior,  and  one 
found  9 Dec  (TP)  in  the  Nicola  Valley  fur- 
nished a first  local  record.  A very  rare  coastal 
vagrant,  a King  Eider  in  third-basic  plumage, 
was  off  Denman  1.  10  Jan-t-  (PF  GLM  et  al).  A 
new  species  was  recorded  on  the  P.G.  C.B.C. 
when  a pair  of  Bufflehead  was  found  16  Dec 
{fide  JB);  2 females  were  along  the  Grooked  R. 
20  Jan  (P.G.N.C.).  Turkey  Vultures  remained 
on  Vancouver  1.  in  above-average  numbers, 
with  8 at  Esquimalt  Lagoon  area  9 Feb,  and  by 
mid-month,  vultures  were  being  recorded  far- 
ther n.,  most  notably,  2 in  Port  Alberni  24  Feb 
(ReCr)  and  one  at  Campbell  R.  28  Feb  (DS). 


An  Osprey  was  very  late  in  Tofino  8 8c  16  Dec 
(AD).  An  ad.  Peregrine  Falcon  provided  a very 
rare  sight  for  the  Peace  R.  area  5 Jan  at  Dawson 
Cr.  (MP,  JP).  Wild  Turkeys  continue  to  do  well 
in  the  West  Kootenays  with  1 15  on  the  Lardeau 
C.B.C.  and  151  on  the  West  Kootenay  winter 
count  (fide  EB,  GS).  Sandhill  Cranes  are  casual 
winter  visitors  to  the  s.  coast:  one  remained  in 
Parksville,  mid  Vancouver  I.  20  Jan-f-  (JB, 
GLM).  A record  winter  total  of  80  Least 
Sandpipers  occurred  on  the  Ladner  C.B.C. 
(RTo,  JF).  A high  count  of  61  Long-billed 
Dowitchers  was  present  at  Brydon  Park 
Lagoons  5 Jan  (DB). 

GULLS  THROUGH  FLYCATCHERS 

Very  rare  in  winter,  a Fieermann’s  Gull  first 
found  in  Nov,  remained  in  White  Rock  to  1 Jan 
(m.  ob.).  Rare  in  the  province,  Iceland  Gulls 
reported  were:  a first-basic  bird  at  Goldstream 
Park  near  Victoria  9-11  Dec  (DF  et  al.);  a basic 
ad.  at  R.P.B.O.  23  Dec — 15  Feb(AMa,  DA);  and 
a basic  ad.  in  Vernon  26  Jan+  (DGG  ph.).  A 
second-basic  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  in 
Vernon  provided  the  first  record  for  the 
Okanagan  Valley  and  4th  for  the  province  9 
Feb-F  (tDGC  et  al.,  ph.  ).  The  only  Slaty- 
backed  Gull  away  from  the  lower  mainland 
was  a third-basic  bird  at  Nakusp  5 8c  13  Jan 
and  3 Feb  (fGSD,  PW).  Vancouver’s  first  and 
the  province’s  6th  Ivory  Gull  was  found  in 
Delta  4-23  Dec  (JK,  RTo,  MM,  TP,  fBB  et  al.). 
The  bird  was  believed  to  be  in  second-basic 
plumage  and  frequented  the  shipyard  at  the 
Deltaport  Jetty.  Due  to  the  well-lit  environs, 
many  birders  were  able  to  tick  this  one  in  the 
middle  of  the  night!  A basic  ad.  Black-tailed 
Gull  was  reported  from  Ucluelet  5 Jan  (fRTo, 
MM,  tJF)  and  if  accepted  would  be  a 2nd 
record  for  the  province. 

Rare  at  any  time  on  the  outer  coast,  a 
Mourning  Dove  \yas  in  Tofino  2 Dec  (AD).  In 
marked  contrast  to  last  year,  there  were  few 
reports  of  Northern  Hawk  Owls  (except  in  s. 
Yukon)  and  Great  Gray  Owls.  Smashing  a pre- 

^ II  Fifty  to  60  Eurasian  Collared- 
iJ^^Doves  were  present  17  Feb  in  the 
Similkameen  Valley,  where  a specimen  was 
retrieved  (CC,  CS,  ph.,  t DGC).  According 
to  locals,  this  population  has  been  present 
since  the  1970s  when  a local  aviculturist 
released  the  birds.  Surprisingly,  these  birds 
do  not  appear  to  have  the  dispersal 
instincts  of  those  that  have  rapidly 
expanded  across  the  continent  from  stock 
released  in  the  Bahamas.  The  population 
here  bears  monitoring. 


212 


North  American  Birds 


British  Columbia — Yukon 


C Common  Redpolls  continued  their  invasion  that  had  them  scattered  across  the  Region 
the  fall.  Flocks  seemed  to  be  everywhere,  and  feeder  watchers  shelled  out  a lot  of 
money  and  seeds  to  support  them.  Most  C.B.C.s  did  not  tally  record  numbers,  but  taken  in 
aggregate,  this  will  undoubtedly  go  down  as  one  of  the  best  irruptions  ever  to  spread  right 
across  the  province.  As  is  often  the  case  when  large  numbers  of  seed-eating  birds  congregate  at 
feeders,  disease  eventually  took  its  toll.  The  first  inkling  that  something  bad  may  have  been 
afoot  was  when  Vanderhoof  birders  noted  several  succumbing  near  the  end  of  January.  The 
accumulated  evidence  pointed  to  a salmonella  epidemic.  Endemic  within  the  population,  the 
bacterium  is  passed  along  readily  via  the  feces  of  birds,  a process  exacerbated  by  the  large  num- 
bers at  feeders  this  winter.  People  feeding  birds  should  note  that  wooden  platform  feeders  are 
especially  dangerous,  as  the  toxin  persists  most  readily  on  that  substrate.  Plastic  feeders  and  a 
regular  cleaning  regimen  using  a mEd  bleach  solution  are  the  best  defense. 

A leucistic  male  Common  Redpoll  with  a white-headed  appearance  was  a daily  visitor  at 
Arras  8 Feb+  (ph.  JP).  Hoary  Redpolls  joined  the  flocks  of  Commons  just  about  everywhere. 
Although  they  were  relatively  few  in  number,  they  were  also  liberally  scattered  across  the 
province.  As  is  usual,  the  best  place  to  find  them  was  the  Peace  R.  area,  where  12  were  seen  at 
Dawson  Cr.  29  Dec  (fide  MP).  Another  10  were  reported  from  the  s.  interior  and  the  s.  coast, 
most  notably  a female  on  Vancouver  I.  in  Duncan  19  Jan  (GLM).  It  would  seem  likely  that 
searching  out  breeding  activity  in  the  northern  boreal  forests  of  the  province  this  summer 
could  be  productive. 


vious  record-early  arrival  by  two  weeks,  2 male 
Rufous  Hummingbirds  were  in  Nanaimo  20 
Feb  (fide  GLM).  Lewis’s  Woodpeckers  very 
rarely  visit  the  s.  coast  during  winter,  but  one 
was  near  Victoria  27-29  Dec  (fide  DM).  Two 
Downy  Woodpeckers  on  the  29  Dec  Mayo 
C.B.C.  (fide  MOD)  provided  a rare  winter 
record  for  cen.  Yukon.  A male  Northern 
(Yellow-shafted)  Flicker  provided  the 
Territory’s  first  documented  winter  record  in 
Whse.  29  Jan  (RE  ph.).  Pacific-slope 
Flycatchers  are  unheard  of  after  Oct,  but  one 
individual  spent  the  winter  at  Blenkinsop  L., 
Saanich  24  Jan-l-  and  provided  a first  Canadian 
winter  record  (JG,  RS,  m.  ob.). 

SWALLOWS  THROUGH  FiHCHES 


Barn  Swallov/s  have  been  known  to 
occur  in  winter  along  the  s.  coast. 
These  sightings  have  increased  in  frequen- 
cy over  the  past  decade;  however,  rarely  are 
double-digit  figures  recorded.  This  winter, 
Barn  Swallows  staged  a true  invasion  in 
Feb  that  contained  a minimum  of  52  birds. 
The  outer  coast’s  first  winter  record  came 

27  Dec  (CS)  at  Chesterman  Beach,  Tofino. 
January  records  included:  one  at  Swan  L., 
Saanich  5 Jan  (Victoria  R.B.A.);  one  at 
Iona  I.  5-14  Jan  (CG,  RTo)  joined  by 
another  10-14  Jan  (CG);  and  one  at  Reifel 
1.  13  Jan  (CG).  This  latter  location  saw 
increases  to  3 on  17  Feb,  8-10  on  18  Feb,  10 
on  23  Feb,  12  on  26  Feb,  and  finally  19  on 

28  Feb  (m.  ob.).  Other  significant  counts 
included:  15  at  Serpentine  Fen  26  Feb 
(CG)  and  8 at  Iona  I.  25  Feb  (RTo).  The 
most  northerly  birds  were  encountered  in 
mid-Feb  in  Comox  (NH).  Considering  the 
significant  increase  in  February  and  the 
relative  lack  of  birds  in  December  and 
January,  it  seems  likely  that  these  birds 
were  traveling  northward.  Given  that 
Vancouver’s  average  arrival  for  this  species 
is  in  early  Apr,  these  are  not  likely  early 
spring  migrants.  Weather  would  seem  to 
present  the  likely  reason  behind  this  incur- 
sion. Persistent  warm  southv/esterly  winds 
dominated  coastal  weather  for  the  first  two 
weeks  of  Jan,  but  why  would  it  affect  pre- 
dominantly Barn  Swallows?  Perhaps  these 
winds  originated  from  an  area  with  a dense 
concentration  of  wintering  Barn  Swallows 
(probably  in  Mexico).  This  flood  of  early 
Barn  Swallows  was  strictly  a coastal  phe- 
nomenon, much  as  it  was  to  the  south,  in 
the  Pacific  Northwest  and  northern 
California. 


As  has  been  the  trend,  Blue  Jays  continue  to 
increase  in  the  province,  with  at  least  40 
reported  this  season.  Most  notably  were  20  at 
Dawson  Cr.  29  Dec  (fide  JB  ) and  2 in  Comox, 
mid-Vancouver  I.  20  Dec-h  (NH).  A casual  vis- 
itor to  the  lower  mainland,  an  ad.  Western 
Scrub-Jay  was  in  Port  Coquitlam  30  Dec+  (FV, 
MV  et  al).  American  Crows  set  a record  867  on 
the  P.G.  C.B.C.  (ftde  }B).  This  could  be  a result 
of  an  increase  in  the  local  population  but  more 
likely  is  due  to  a greater  proportion  of  the 
breeding  population  overwintering.  Only 
rarely  do  interior  Chestnut-backed  Chickadees 
stray  from  the  cedar  belt.  Such  strays  included: 
one  or  2 in  Cranbrook  early  Feb-t  (RG  et  al) 
and  a single  at  a P.G.  feeder  27  Jan  (MA).  Rare 
in  winter  in  the  Peace  R.  area  were  2 Red- 
breasted Nuthatches  at  Brassey  Cr.  9 Dec 
(MP).  A pair  of  Mountain  Bluebirds  was  a 
good  find  near  Comox  20  Dec  (NH). 
American  Robins  responded  to  the  mild 
weather  by  remaining  both  in  large  numbers 
and  farther  north.  Christmas  Bird  Counts  in 
the  cen.  interior  had  record  numbers,  with  a 
few  individuals  lingering  along  the  Nechako  R. 
P.G.  8 Jan  (JF).  In  the  Yukon,  robins  numbered 
3 at  Wolf  Cr.  12  Dec  (JJ,  AR),  a single  at 
Jackfish  Bay  on  L.  Laberge  7-13  Dec  (AR,  MR), 
a single  at  Hillcrest  through  Jan  (m.  ob.),  and  2 
at  Riverdale  through  Jan  (m.  ob.). 

Very  rare  in  winter,  single  Northern 
Mockingbirds  persisted  in  Castlegar  26  Dec 
(RK),  Trail  16  Jan  (DoB)  and  Duncan  all  win- 
ter (DM).  The  Okanagan’s  first  Jan  record  of 
American  Pipit  was  a single  bird  near  Kelowna 
27  Jan  (CC  RyT).  Bohemian  Waxwing  num- 
bers were  near  normal  in  most  areas.  In  con- 


trast, numbers  of  their  smaller  cousins,  Cedar 
Waxwing,  v/ere  up  noticeably.  Both  Quesnel 
and  P.G.  had  record-high  numbers,  with  19 
and  15  respectively  on  local  C.B.C.s.  At  least  8 
attempted  to  overwinter  in  P.G.  15  Jan  (JF). 
Vancouver’s  Crested  Myna  population  contin- 
ues its  precipitous  decline  with  only  4-6  birds 
left  (fide  RTo).  Although  there  are  a number  of 
reports  of  Yellow  Warblers  during  the  winter, 
they  are  scarcely  ever  substantiated.  One  such 
bird  was  discovered  on  the  Ladner  C.B.C.  (TP) 
and  seen  again  the  next  day  (DTy).  This  indi- 
vidual furnished  the  first  confirmed  winter 
record  for  Vancouver.  A Palm  Warbler  provid- 
ed the  first  winter  record  for  the  Okanagan  and 
overwintered  in  Kelowna  21  Jan-f  (RyT,  DGC 
ph.  et  al.).  Casual  in  winter  along  the  s.  coast,  2 
Northern  Waterthrushes  were  at  Reifel  I.  9-16 
Jan  (JI  et  al),  and  one  remained  to  the  end  of 
the  m.onth.  Very  rare  in  winter,  Common 
Yellowthroats  included:  a male  near  Oliver  23 
Dec — 17  Feb  (AB  et  al.)  and  a female  in  a bog 
in  Langley  5 Jan  (DB).  Casual  in  winter  on 
Vancouver  Island,  a Wilson’s  Warbler  was 
found  in  the  Cowichan  Valley  6 Jan  (ftde  DM). 
Also  casual  on  Vancouver  I.,  a juv.  Rose-breast- 
ed Grosbeak  was  in  Tofino  9,  10  & 19  Dec  (ph. 
AD). 

An  American  Tree  Sparrow  survived  at  a 
Wnse.  feeder  through  23  Dec  but  subsequently 
disappeared  (CE,PS).  No  fewer  than  10  Swamp 
Sparrows  were  reported  from  s.  areas  of  the 
province.  Most  notable  was  one  on  the  outer 
coast  in  Tofino  28  Dec — 14  Jan  (AD).  Golden- 
crowned  Sparrows  are  very  rare  in  winter  in 
the  interior;  thus  one  recorded  on  the  Quesnel 
C.B.C.  was  a count  highlight  (JMc,  LMc). 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


213 


White-crowned  Sparrows  are  rarely  found  in 
winter  as  far  n.  as  the  cen.  interior,  where  an 
imm.  was  found  in  P.G.  12  Dec  (TH).  Harris’s 
Sparrows  rarely  stray  as  far  as  the  outer  coast, 
but  one  individual  was  in  Tofino  2,  9 & 28  Dec 
(AD).  Very  rare  in  winter  in  the  Peace  R.  area, 
a Red-winged  Blackbird  looked  out  of  place  at 
Arras  15  Dec  (MP).  An  imm.  male  Yellow- 
headed Blackbird  provided  a first  winter 
record  at  Vanderhoof  1 Jan  (SK,  LL,  NK,  TH). 
Both  rare  in  winter,  a Rusty  Blackbird  and  a 
Brown-headed  Cowbird  were  visiting  a feeder 
in  Nanaimo  1 Dec  (GLM).  Kelowna’s  male 
Great-tailed  Grackle  first  discovered  in  May 
2000  furnished  a first  Canadian  C.B.C.  record 
15  Dec  (ph.  DGC)  and  remained  through  the 
period  for  its  2nd  consecutive  winter  (m.  ob.). 
Casual  in  winter  on  the  outer  coast,  a Bullock’s 


Oriole  was  in  Tofino  3 & 9 Dec  (AD).  The 
recent  uninterrupted  series  of  mild  winters 
has  allowed  House  Finches  to  flourish.  New 
record  C.B.C.  tallies  included:  53  at  P.G.,  161 
at  Quesnel,  and  203  at  Williams  L.  A female- 
type  Evening  Grosbeak,  rare  in  Whse.,  was  at  a 
Riverdale  feeder  through  Jan  (RE). 

Contributors  (subregional  editors  in  bold- 
face): Marika  Ainley,  David  Allinson,  Daniel 
Bastaja,  Dorothy  Beetsra,  Barbara  Begg,  Ed 
Beynon,  Andy  Bezener,  Jack  Bowling  (Prince 
George),  John  Brighton,  Chris  Charlesworth 
(Kelowna),  Rela  Cripps,  Gary  S.  Davidson 
(Kootenays),  Adrian  Dorst  (Tofino-Ucluelet), 
Cameron  Eckert  (Yukon),  Robb  Ellwood, 
Patrick  Fawkes,  Jamie  Fenneman,  Trevor 
Forder,  Dave  Fraser,  Jeff  Gaskin,  Calvin 


Gehlen,  Ruth  Goodwin,  Helmut  Griinberg 
(Yukon),  Todd  Heakes,  Nathan  Hentze,  John 
Ireland,  Jukka  Jantunen,  Jon  King,  Roy  King, 
Sandra  Kinsey,  Nancy  Krueger,  Laird  Law,  Alan 
MacLeod,  Brenda  Mallory,  Derrick  Marven, 
Jerry  McFetridge,  Lynn  McFetridge,  Michael 
McMann,  Mitch  Meredith,  Guy  L.  Monty, 
Mark  O’Donahue,  Joanna  Phinney,  Mark 
PMnney  (Peace  River),  Tom  Plath,  Phil 
Ranson  (Cariboo-Chilcotin),  AJf  Robertson, 
Marlene  Robertson,  Amelie  Rousseau,  Ron 
Satterfield,  Chris  Siddle,  Pam  Sinclair,  Bryan 
Slater,  Gail  Spitler,  David  Sterling,  Ryan 
Tomlinson,  Rick  Toochin,  Danny  Tyson, 
Joanne  Vinnedge,  Fred  Visentin,  Marian 
Visentin,  John  Vooys,  Paul  Wehlen. 


Oregon- Washington 


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species  had  first  or  second  winter  records,  and 
16  species  of  warblers  were  found  this  winter, 
better  than  some  autumn  seasons.  Irruptive 
species  formed  a remarkably  diverse  group, 
including  Emperor  Goose,  Barn  Swallow,  and 
Common  Redpoll.  Also,  many  kudos  to  the 
observers  who  put  in  time  researching  and 
documenting  subspecific  identification,  tally- 
ing sparrow  reports,  or  otherwise  going 
beyond  the  call  of  duty.  This  Region  is  truly 
seeing  a boom  in  observer  effort  and  knowl- 
edge. The  weather  this  winter  was  generally 
warmer  and  wetter  than  normal  through 
January,  but  became  cool  and  dry  in  February. 

Abbreviations:  F.R.R.  (Fern  Ridge  Res.,  Lane); 
Malheur  (Malheur  N.W.R.,  Harney);  N.S.C.B. 
(N.  Spit  Coos  Bay,  Coos);  O.S.  (Ocean  Shores, 
Grays  Harbor);  P.N.P.  (Pt.  No  Pt.,  Kitsap); 
Ridgefield  (Ridgefield  N.W.R.,  Clark);  Y.R.D. 
(Yakima  R.  delta,  Benton,  WA).  “Eastside”  and 
“westside”  refer  to  locations  east  and  west  of 
the  Cascade  crest,  respectively. 


Steven  Mlodinow 

4819  Gardner  Avenue 
Everett,  Washington  98203 
(SGMtod@aol.com) 

Ray  Korpi 
12611  NE  99th  Avenue 
Apt.  DD214 

Vancouver,  Washington  98682 
(RKorpi@clark.edu) 


Bill  Tweit 

RO.  60x1271 

Olympia,  Washington  98507-1271 
(Sebnabgill@aol.com) 

This  winter  was  perhaps  even  more  extraor- 
dinary than  the  fall  that  preceded  it. 
Rarities  abounded,  including  two  first 
Washington  records.  Perhaps  more  notewor- 
thy, however,  was  the  impressive  array  of  lin- 
gerers and  irruptions.  Four  non-vagrant 


LOONS  THROUGH  RAILS 

Seven  Yellow-billed  Loons  this  winter  was 
above  recent  norms.  Two  Clark’s  Grebes  rep- 
resented a paltry  winter  total,  with  singles  at 
Bay  Center,  Pacific  18-20  Jan  (SM,  DD,  TP) 
and  Coquille,  Coos  18  Feb  (TR).  A Northern 
Fulmar  inside  Yaquina  Bay,  Lincoln  24  Feb  was 
as  close  to  being  inland  as  this  species  ever 
comes  (J.  Sullivan).  Eight  American  White 
Pelicans  at  Sauvie  1.  1 Dec  provided  the  only 
westside  record  this  winter  (J.  Pendleton). 


214 


North  American  Birds 


British  Columbia-Yukon-— Oregon -Washington 


Brown  Pelicans  are  very  rare  during  winter,  so 
6 at  Coos  Bay  16  Dec  (TR)  and  2 near 
Florence  17-20  Dec  (V.  Arnold,  D.  Farrar) 
were  noteworthy;  much  rarer  was  one  in  the 
interior  westside  at  Jackson  Bottom, 
Washington  6 Dec  (S.  Pinnock).  Single  Great 
Egrets  were  at  Orondo,  Douglas  25-26  Dec 
(DB),  Richland,  Benton  29  Dec  (M.  Lilga),  and 
W.W.R.D.  5-12  Jan  (MD);  they  are  very  rare 
during  winter  in  e.  Washington.  Five  Cattie 
Egrets  in  Washington  and  one  in  Oregon  sur- 
vived into  winter,  with  the  latest  at  Burbank, 
Walla  Walla  21  Jan  (D.  Bagley). 

One  of  the  winter’s  many  excitements  was 
an  invasion  of  Emperor  Geese,  the  largest 
since  1989-90:  4,  Coos  Bay  5 Jan  (TR);  3, 
Florence,  Lane  4 Jan  (D.  Pettey);  3,  Dungeness 
Spit,  Clallam  17  Dec  (EH,  J.  Acker);  and  sin- 
gles at  Yaquina  Head,  Lincoln  24-28  Dec  (T. 
Morse),  Bandon,  Coos  26  Dec  (TR),  Ridgefield 
throughout  period  ( WC),  and  near  Bruceport, 
Pacific  18  Jan  to  20  Feb  (vt.  SM,  DD,  TP). 
“Stumpy,”  the  Port  Angeles  Emperor, 
remained  for  its  3rd  winter  (AS). 

Not  annual  in  the  Region,  a Blue  Goose  was 
on  Fir  L,  Skagit  22  Dec  (fE.  Level).  Ross’s 
Geese  numbers  continue  to  increase,  v/ith  5 in 
w.  Oregon  and  4 in  Washington.  Rare  away 
from  saltwater,  Black  Brant  were  at  F.R.R.  1 & 
27  Jan  (S.  Maulding,  J.  Sullivan)  and 
Ridgefield  26  Dec  & 24-28  Feb  (DF,  EA,  S. 
McFall).  A,,  concentration  of  900  Trumpeter 
Swans  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Skagit  13  Jan  provided 
evidence  of  continued  population  growth 
(TA).  A drake  Falcated  Duck  on  the  Samish 
Flats,  Skagit  21  Feb  into  Mar  provided 
Washington’s,  and  the  Region’s,  3rd  record 
(fTA,  S.  Gerstle,  vt.  S.  Pink).  Previous  records 
include  a bird  shot  in  Pacific  3 Jan  1979  and  a 
male  near  Sequim,  Clallam  3 Jul  1993 
{Washington  Birds  3:  19  and  7:  11).  Notably, 
the  Samish  Flats  has  harbored  the  Region’s 
largest  concentrations  of  Eurasian  Wigeon, 
with  a record-shattering  160  found  there  1 
Mar  (RTS).  Also  present  on  22  Feb  were  4 
Common  Teal  and  2 Common  x Green- 
winged Teal  (PtS,  RS)!  On  the  eastside,  11 
Eurasian  Wigeon  constituted  an  above-aver- 
age winter  tally.  Six  Common  Teal  were 
reported  in  addition  to  those  seen  at  the 
Samish  Flats,  with  a maximum  of  3 at 
Creswell,  Lane  6 Jan  (DDW);  at  least  4 hybrid 
teal  were  also  reported,  A tally  of  1500  Ring- 
necked Ducks  at  Jackson  Bottom,  Washington 
12  Dec  may  be  the  highest  ever  for  the  Region 
(HN).  Westside  Tufted  Ducks  included  singles 
at  Astoria,  Clatsop  2 Jan  (TT)  and  Hoquiam, 
Grays  Harbor  15-20  Feb  (P.  Hicks,  fB. 
Fischer),  representing  an  average  winter.  Very 
rare  for  e.  Oregon,  however,  was  a Tufted  at 


Redmond,  Deschutes  6 Feb  (KO).  The  only 
eastside  Surf  Scoter  was  one  at  E.  Wenatchee, 
Douglas  8 Dec  (DB),  v/hile  the  only  eastside 
Long-tailed  Ducks  were  near  Vantage,  Kittitas, 
where  4 were  found  on  9 Jan,  increasing  to  8 
by  18  Feb  (S.  Downes,  S.  Ray).  Scoter  numbers 
were  up  on  the  Oregon  coast,  with  maxima  of 

20.000  Surf  at  Seaside,  Clatsop  23  Dec  (MP), 

15.000  White-wingeds  in  n.  Lane  17  Dec  (PP), 
and  300  Blacks  at  Seaside  23  Dec  (MP).  A 
Com.  Goldeneye  x Bufflehead  at  Wenatchee, 
Chelan  2 Dec — 22  Jan  was  a surprise  (tDB). 

Osprey  are  very  rare  during  winter  in 
Washington,  so  one  at  Longview,  Cowlitz  19 
Jan  was  noteworthy  (L.  & J.  Goodhew).  A care- 
ful survey  of  Lewis  and  Thurston  revealed  35 
■'ATiite-tailed  Kites  21  Jan,  furnishing  further 
evidence  of  increase  in  the  Region  (R. 
Orness).  Now  annual  in  w.  V/ashington,  a 
Red-shouldered  Hawk  was  at  Ridgefield  18-26 
Feb  (K.  Knittle),  while  the  ad.  at  Brady,  Grays 
Harbor  was  last  seen  5 Dec  (TA).  Fleischer 
found  129  Red-tailed  Hawks  in  Linn  on  17 
Feb,  a remarkable  number.  Ferruginous  Hawk 
numbers  were  up  everywhere.  In  e.  Oregon, 
where  2 per  winter  is  the  norm,  at  least  7 were 
reported.  In  e.  Washington,  where  not  annual 
during  winter,  one  was  near  Prosser,  Benton  9 
Feb  (AS,  ES),  and  another  was  near  Hanford, 
Benton  26  Jan  (PB).  In  w.  Oregon,  where  not 
annual  during  any  season,  one  was  near 
Rickreall,  Polk  9 Jan — Feb  (}F)  and  one  was  at 
A.gate  L.,  Jackson  12  Feb  (J.  Linch).  Fleischer 
found  1 10  American  Kestrels  in  Linn  17  Feb.  A 
Prairie  Merlin  (F.  c.  richardsoni)  near  Sequim, 
Clallam  19  Dec  was  well  described  (fTA);  this 
race  may  be  annual  in  Washington.  A count  of 
9 eastside  and  7 westside  Gyrfalcons  was  well 
above  the  norm.  Similarly,  12  westside  Prairie 
Falcons  was  better  than  average.  A Sora  near 
Cathlamet,  Wahkiakum  14  Jan  provided  a very 
rare  winter  record  (K.  Stewart). 

SHOREBIRDS  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

Pacific  Golden-Plovers  are  not  annua!  during 
winter,  so  one  at  Tangent,  Linn  23  Dec — 1 Jan 
was  noteworthy  (T.  Snetsinger).  An  American 
Avocet  at  Coos  Bay  throughout  the  period  fur- 
nished a very  rare  westside  winter  record 
(TR).  Lesser  Yellowlegs  now  winter  annually 
in  Oregon,  but  this  winter’s  6 was  extraordi- 
nary. A Spotted  Sandpiper  was  near  Pasco, 
Franklin  3 Jan,  likely  last  winter’s  bird  return- 
ing (L.  Ness).  Marbled  Godwit  numbers 
remained  exceptional  this  winter.  Rare  away 
from  the  outer  coast,  30  were  at  Dungeness 
Spit,  Clallam  17  Dec  (EH,  J.  Acker),  and  one 
was  at  Blaine,  Whatcom  23-28  Feb  (J. 
Kintner).  On  the  outer  coast,  a Regional 
record  950  were  tallied  at  Tokeland,  Pacific  18 


Jan  (SM,  DD,  TP).  Bar-tailed  Godwits  were 
finally  recorded  during  winter,  and  not  just  in 
Washington,  but  in  Oregon  as  well,  with  an 
overwintering  juv.  at  Tokeland  (m.  ob.)  and  a 
bird  lingering  at  Coos  Bay  to  7 Dec  (TR,  DL, 
KC).  Eighteen  Least  Sandpipers,  rare  during 
winter  on  the  eastside,  were  at  Othello  2 Feb 
(BF),  and  another  was  at  Y.R.D.  24  Dec — 3 Jan 
(BL).  A nominate  Rock  Sandpiper  was  at  O.S. 
13  Feb,  likely  last  winter’s  bird  returning 
(fBW).  For  the  4th  consecutive  winter,  Dunlin 
were  found  at  multiple  locations  in  e. 
Washington,  with  high  counts  of  160  at 
Scootney  Res.,  Adams  24  Feb  (RH)  and  85  at 
W.W.R.D.  5 Jan  (MD,  MLD);  Dunlin  were  for- 
merly considered  very  rare  during  winter  on 
the  eastside.  A Red  Phalarope  at  Long  Beach, 
Pacific  3 Jan  provided  a very  rare  winter  record 
(MD,  MLD). 

Franklin’s  Gulls  were  near  Auburn,  King  3 
Dec  (MB)  and  Brady,  Grays  Harbor  5 Dec 
(TA);  there  are  only  6 previous  winter 
Washington  records.  The  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gull  returned  for  the  3rd  consecutive 
winter  to  Walla  Walla  6 Dec — 8 Feb  (MD);  it 
made  a brief  excursion  to  Richland,  Benton  1 1 
Jan  (BW,  NL,  RF,  PB)  and  still  represents 
Washington’s  only  record.  Only  14  Glaucous 
Gulls  were  reported,  well  below  the  long-term 
average.  Single  Black-iegged  Kittiwakes  were 
at  John  Day  Dam  1 Dec  (D.  Bailey)  and 
W.W.R.D.  13-14  Jan  (K  Turley,  MD,  MLD); 
there  are  fewer  than  10  records  for  e. 
Washington.  Kittiwakes  are  rare  from  Port 
Angeles  east,  so  2 at  Sequim  Bay,  Clallam  24 
Feb  were  noteworthy  (G.  Kridler).  After  a 12- 
year  wait,  Washington’s  9th  Thick-billed 
Murre  was  found  about  48  km  off  Westport 
17  Feb  (tEH,  fPB,  fSM).  All  but  one  of  the 
previous  records  lie  between  6 Dec  and  19  Feb, 
with  the  outlier  falling  on  22  Sep. 

Oregon’s  5th  Eurasian  Collared-Dove  was 
at  Joseph,  Wallowa  throughout  the  winter  (F. 
Conley,  fPaS).  Fourteen  Snovq^  Owls  were 
reported,  roughly  average  for  a non-invasion 
winter.  A grand  total  8 Burrowing  Owls  in  w. 
Oregon  was  about  three  times  the  norm.  In  e. 
Washington,  2-3  Burrowing  Owls  per  winter 
is  normal,  but  a survey  of  Grant  and  Adams  in 
mid-Dec  revealed  19  (C.  Conway)!  Birders 
only  reported  3-4,  so  perhaps  such  numbers 
are  typical.  Single  Great  Gray  Owls,  very  rare 
on  the  westside,  were  on  Samish  L,  Skagit 
throughout  the  period  (D.  Thompson)  and  at 
Olympia  13  Dec  (D.  Logan).  Anna’s 
Hummingbirds  are  becoming  almost  annual 
on  the  eastside.  This  season,  one  wintered  at 
Kennewick,  Benton  (R.  & N.  Gregory),  a pair 
wintered  at  Bend,  Deschutes  (DT),  one  was 
near  Yakima  28  Dec — 30  Jan  (DG),  and 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


215 


another  was  in  Yakima  10  Dec — 10  Feb  (DG). 
Unprecedented,  4 Anna’s  were  found  in 
Clallam,  likely  evidence  of  continuing  range 
expansion  (fide  BN).  A male  Costa’s 
Hummingbird  was  at  Beaverton,  Washington 

14  Dec — Feb  (B.  Tollbom);  there  are  now 
about  10  winter  records  for  Oregon.  A female 
Selasphorus  hummingbird  at  Brookings,  Curry 

15  Dec  was  felt  to  be  a Rufous  (DM),  while  a 
male  at  Astoria,  Clatsop  23  Dec  was  more 
definitively  so  (B.  Barnett);  Rufous 
Hummingbirds  are  very  rare  during  Dec — Jan 
in  Oregon.  Four  Allen’s  Hummingbirds  at 
New  River,  Curry  9 Feb  were  a couple  weeks 
early  (TR). 

Lewis’s  Woodpeckers  were  unusually 
numerous  in  the  Willamette  Valley,  with  a 
maximum  of  7 at  F.R.R.  7 Dec  (DDW).  A 
Williamson’s  Sapsucker  at  Odell  L.  9 Dec  pro- 
vided a rare  Klamath  winter  record  (B. 
Newhouse),  but  2 near  LaGrande,  Union  23 
Dec  and  one  at  Trout  L.,  Klickitat  28  Dec  (fide 
R.  Rogers)  were  in  ne.  Oregon  and  se. 
Washington,  where  extremely  rare  during 
winter  (TB).  Washington’s  3rd  Yellow-bellied 
Sapsucker  was  at  Kent,  King  30  Dec — 5 Jan 
(fD.  Swayne,  fTA,  vt.  GW);  the  first  two 
records  spanned  mid-Dec — mid-Feb.  Two 
more  Yellow-bellieds  in  Oregon  added  to  that 
state’s  15  records:  one  at  Bay  City  15  Dec — 26 
Jan  (D.  Lusthoff,  B.  Wong,  J.  Taylor)  and 
another  at  Adrian,  Malheur  17  Feb  (TS). 
Eastern  Washington,  typically  bereft  of  sap- 
suckers  during  winter’s  chill,  was  awash  in 
Sphyrapicus,  including  8 pure  Red-breasteds 
and  2 apparent  Red-breasted  x Red-naped 
hybrids;  most  were  recorded  in  Feb. 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  WAXWINGS 

Washington’s  4th  Black  Phoebe  overwintered 
near  Cathlamet,  Wahkiakum,  having  appar- 
ently been  present  since  Oct  (m.  ob.);  two  of 
the  three  previous  records  were  also  during 
winter.  Say’s  Phoebes  are  normally  quite  rare 
in  e.  Washington  during  winter  until  mid-Feb, 
when  spring  migrants  return.  This  winter,  5 
were  found  during  Dec,  and  one  was  at 
Chelan  Falls  4 Jan  (DB).  Seven  Say’s  Phoebes 
in  w.  Oregon  was  a bit  better  than  usual. 
Oregon’s  2nd  Cassin’s  Kingbird  survived  at 
Canby  to  19  Dec  (DVB).  Mid-winter 
Loggerhead  Shrikes  are  rare  in  e.  Washington, 
so  2 wintering  at  FEALE  (BL,  NL),  plus  singles 
wintering  at  Columbia  N.W.R.,  Grant  (RH) 
and  lower  Crab  Creek,  Grant  (BF),  were  note- 
worthy. Northern  Shrikes  were  virtually 
absent  from  the  westside  (m.  ob.),  whereas 
numbers  seemed  near  normal  e.  of  the 
Cascades  (NL). 

The  Region’s  only  Blue  Jays  were  singles  at 


Irrigon,  Morrow  31  Jan  (MD),  Spokane 
throughout  period  (JA),  and  near  Sunnyside, 
Yakima  1 Dec — 5 Jan  (K.  Turley).  A Western 
Scrub-Jay  at  Chelan  1 3 Jan  was  well  away  from 
any  known  breeding  area  (DB).  Even  more  so 
was  a bird  at  Chief  Timothy  S.P.,  Asotin  17-28 
Feb  (C.  Swift,  fD.  Johnson,  ph.  RS)  which 
proved  to  be  either  woodhouseii  or  nevadae, 
neither  of  which  has  been  recorded  in 
Washington  previously.  For  a brief  but  useful 
discussion  of  Western  Scrub-Jay  races,  see 
Western  Birds  32:  186-187.  The  long-staying 
Black-billed  Magpie,  very  rare  in  w.  Oregon, 
survived  the  winter  in  Monmouth,  Polk  (B. 
Tice). 

Other  swallows  were  not  present  in  extraor- 
dinary numbers.  Five  Jan  reports  of  Tree 
Swallow  from  w.  Oregon  was  a bit  better  than 
average,  though  a concentration  of  20  at  Port 
Orford,  Curry  13  Jan  was  noteworthy  (TR). 
Also,  a Rough-winged  Swallow  at  the 
Winchuck  R.,  Curry  2 Feb  (J.  & L.  Goodhew) 
and  2 Cliff  Swallows  at  Ridgefield  (DF)  pro- 
vided very  rare  mid-winter  records. 

A White-breasted  Nuthatch  was  at 
Woodland,  Cowlitz  31  Jan  (TA);  they  are 
vagrants  in  w.  Washington  away  from  Clark 
and  Skamania.  Bewick’s  Wrens  at  Troy, 
Wallowa  through  the  winter  (F.  Conley)  and  at 
Northrop  Canyon,  Grant,'WA  11-12  Jan  (MD, 
MLD)  were  well  away  from  their  usual  haunts. 
Western  Bluebirds  were  more  numerous  in  w. 
Oregon  than  normal  this  winter  (HN),  and  9 
near  Elma,  Grays  Harbor  5 Dec  provided  a 
very  rare  winter  record  for  w.  Washington 
(TA).  Only  2 Mountain  Bluebirds  were  found 
on  the  westside  this  winter:  Ebey’s  Prairie, 


Island  15  Dec  (fide  B.  Merrick)  and  near 
Burlington,  Skagit  17  Feb  (P.  Kline,  KK).  Eight 
Northern  Mockingbirds  in  Oregon  and  4 in 
Washington  was  well  above  average.  A Sage 
Thrasher  along  Crab  Creek  Rd.,  Grant  6 Feb 
provided  Washington’s  first  winter  record  in  at 
least  nine  years  (BF).  Rare  for  the  westside,  a 
Bohemian  Waxwing  was  at  Mud  Bay,  Thurston 
24  Dec  (K.  McAllister). 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Single  Tennessee  Warblers  were  in  Eugene, 
Lane  12-14  Dec  (tDI)  and  Astoria,  Clatsop  16 
Dec  (IMP);  there  are  only  about  seven  previ- 
ous Oregon  winter  records.  Nashville 
Warblers  are  very  rare  during  winter,  but  3 
were  found  this  winter:  Eugene  8-30  Dec  (DI), 
Siletz  Bay,  Lincoln  2 Feb  (B.  Tice),  and  Eugene 
22  Jan — Feb  (fM.  Rudolph,  tDI);  notably,  the 
latter  bird  was  likely  V.  r.  rufitcapilla.  A Yellow 
Warbler,  extremely  rare  during  winter,  was  at 
Central  Point,  Jackson  9 Feb  (N.  Barrett). 
Washington’s  7th  Black-throated  Blue 
Warbler  was  at  Vancouver,  Clark  7-14  Dec 
(ph.  J.  Weideman);  four  of  the  previous  six 
records  were  Nov — Mar.  A Black-throated 
Green  Warbler  at  Eugene  7-14  Dec  furnished 
the  Region’s  first  winter  record  and  only  about 
the  9th  overall  (tDI).  A Hermit  Warbler,  not 
annual  during  winter,  was  at  Eugene  15  Jan 
(tDI);  even  rarer,  a Hermit  x Townsend’s 
Warbler  was  there  8-14  Jan  (tDI). 
Washington’s  first,  and  the  Regions  4th, 
Yellow-throated  Warbler  (albilora)  was  at 
Twisp,  Okanogan  8 Dec — 23  Jan  (D.  Dunn,  R. 
Murray,  vt.  SM);  it  likely  succumbed  to  the 
attentions  of  a Sharp-shinned  Hawk.  Eleven 


C IK  Swallows  irrupted  into  the  Region  this  winter.  Strange  words  these,  especially 
ij^^during  a winter  with  a redpoll  invasion.  In  December,  2 Barn  Swallows  were  found. 
These  alone  would  have  been  noteworthy.  But  in  early  Jan,  more  appeared,  and  by  mid- 
January,  Barn  Swallow  reports  were  widespread  on  the  westside.  By  the  end  of  the  month,  47 
had  been  found  in  Oregon  and  62  in  Washington.  During  February,  1 1 more  were  found  in 
Oregon  and  29  in  Washington.  For  perspective,  note  that  only  26  Barn  Swallows  had  been 
found  in  Washington  during  the  previous  eight  winters  (and  notably,  these  were  scattered 
throughout  the  winter,  not  concentrated  in  December  as  one  might  expect).  Few  of  this  win- 
ter’s Barn  Swallows  lingered  at  any  one  spot,  but  impressively,  a number  survived  early 
February’s  snow  and  hail.  Maxima  from  this  winter  include  15,  Spencer  L,  Snohomish  13  Jan 
(DP),  13,  Skagit  W.M.A.  13  Feb  (TA),  10,  Deep  R.,  Wahkiakum  19  Jan  (DD,  SM,  TP),  and  10, 
Port  Orford,  Curry  13  Jan  (TR).  Barn  Swallows  also  invaded  n.  California,  where  numbers 
first  appeared  in  late  December  and  early  January,  but  few  were  found  before  then  (S.  Glover, 
pers.  comm.). 

“Where  from?”  and  “why?”  are  questions  that  spring  to  mind.  Barn  Swallows  are  very  rare 
during  winter  even  as  far  south  as  San  Diego  and  Orange,  California  (Unitt  1984,  Hamilton 
and  Willick  1996).  The  sudden  appearance  in  mid-winter  argues  against  these  birds  being 
holdovers  from  fall,  an  argument  strengthened  by  Barn  Swallows’  appearance  a week  or  two 
prior  in  n.  California.  Many  Pacific  Northwest  storms  originate  from  the  south,  but  such  a 
weather  system  would  have  had  to,  in  theory,  start  in  Mexico.  Still,  a weather  anomaly  seems 
the  most  likely  cause. 


216 


North  Americ.\n  Birds 


Oregon-Washington 


Palm  Warblers  at  Cape  Bianco,  Curry  29  Dec 
provided  an  extraordinary  winter  count 
{TT'N).  A Black-and-white  Warbler,  extremely 
rare  during  winter,  was  found  dead  in  Portland 
4 Dec  (S.  Hagen).  Oregon’s  2nd  winter  record 
of  MacGillivray’s  Warbler  came  from  Eugene 
29-30  Dec  (N.  Bjorklund,  M.  Makarushka).  A 
Common  Yellowthroat  at  Wenatchee,  Chelan  1 
Dec  provided  e.  ¥/ashington’s  first  v/inter 
record  (DB).  Another  was  at  Everett  10  Jan 
(SM);  though  almost  annual  recently,  yel- 
lowthroats  are  very  rare  during  winter  in  w. 
Washington.  Four  Wilson’s  Warblers  added  to 
Washington’s  previous  12  winter  records,  and 
3 Wilson’s  were  also  in  Oregon.  Yellow-breast- 
ed Chats  were  Ashland,  Jackson  7 Dec  (S.  Kies) 
and  Florence,  Lane  27  Dec — 28  Jan  (P.  Shore, 
D.  Pettey);  there  are  only  3 previous  Oregon 
winter  records. 

A Scarlet  Tanager  at  Brookings,  Curry  7-8 
Dec  was  Oregon’s  5th,  the  first  during  winter 
(DM).  Western  Tanagers  at  Blaine,  ¥fhatcom 
30  Jan  (J.  Kintner),  Tacoma  15-17  Feb  (ph.  L.A. 
Rose),  and  Tacoma  2 Feb  (ph.  D.  Adams) 
added  to  Washington’s  five  previous  winter 
records,  while  one  at  Florence,  Lane  17  Dec 
added  to  only  three  previous  Oregon  winter 
records  (H&D  Town).  Rare  in  w.  Oregon,  2 
American  Tree  Sparrows  wintered  at  Baskett 
Slough,  Polk  (S.  Maulding),  and  one  was  at 
Wilson  St.  Wildlife  Area  2 Dec  (S.  Burgett);  a 
tally  of  100  near  Enterprise,  Wallowa  10-28  Feb 
provided  an  excellent  count  for  e.  Oregon  (P. 
Barnardi).  Surprisingly,  only  one  was  found  in 
w.  Washington:  near  Sequim,  Clallam  26  Jan 
(BTw,  SM).  Chipping  Sparrows  are  barely 
annual  during  winter  in  w.  Oregon,  so  tallies  of 
10  near  Amity,  Yamhill  late  Jan — Feb  (C. 
Karlen,  RG)  and  7 near  Independence,  Polk  22 
Dec — 5 Jan  (RG)  were  impressive;  singles  near 
Corvallis,  Benton  1 Dec  (M.  Cutler)  and  at 
Corvallis  2 Jan  (HH)  were  also  noteworthy.  A 
Chipping  near  Lyle,  Klickitat  1 Dec  provided 
Washington’s  8th  winter  record  (RTS,  MDo). 
Clay-colored  Sparrows,  now  annual  during 
winter,  were  at  Woodland,  Cowlitz  through  22 
Jan  (BTw,  ph.  RS),  Bandon,  Coos  4 Jan  (TR), 
and  near  Albany  15-17  Jan  (M.  Nikas,  TB).  A 
Vesper  Sparrow,  extremely  rare  during  winter 
on  the  eastside,  was  near  Pendleton,  Umatilla  5 
Jan  (CC,  JC).  On  the  westside,  where  very  rare 
in  winter,  single  Vesper  Sparrows  v/ere  at 
N.S.C.B.  16  Dec  (TR),  Bandon,  Coos  3 Jan  (B. 
Fawver,  J.  Thomas),  and  Luckiamute  Landing, 
Polk  9 Feb  (RG).  A Lark  Sparrow,  rare  away 
from  sw.  Oregon  during  winter,  was  at  Salem, 
Marion  20  Dec  (RG).  A Black- throated 
Sparrow  at  Brookings,  Curry  24  Jan  was 
extraordinary  (DM,  K.  Goldwater);  this  species 
is  very  rare  at  any  time  on  the  westside,  and 


there  is  only  one  previous  Regional  record 
after  Sep — a bird  in  Whatcom  during  the  win- 
ter of  1987-1988.  As  many  as  4 Sage  Sparrows 
wintered  at  FEALE,  Benton,  providing 
Washington  with  its  first  Dec  and  Jan  records 
(BL,  NL).  A Grasshopper  Sparrow  at  ’’Afiiite 
City,  Jackson  15  Dec  provided  the  Region’s  5th 
winter  record.  Very  rare  during  winter  in  e. 
Washington,  lone  Savannah  Sparrows  were  at 
Kennewick,  Benton  29  Dec  (DR)  and 
Columbia  N.W.R.,  Grant  19  Jan  (BF). 

The  status  of  Fox  Sparrow  races  is  still  being 
worked  out  in  the  Region.  Members  of  the 
Slate-colored  group  were  at  Richland,  Benton 
28  Dec — Feb  (RF,  BL,  NL,  BW),  Everett  iO  Jan 
(vt.  SM),  Blynn,  Clallam  26  Jan  (BTw,  SM),  and 
Edmonds,  Snohomish  17  Feb  (tDD);  this  taxon 
appears  to  be  an  uncommon  migrant  and  very 
rare  winterer  in  se.  Washington  and  apparent- 
ly a very  rare  migrant  and  winterer  in  the  w. 
Washington  lowlands,  making  this  winter’s 
sightings  even  more  noteworthy.  Well-docu- 
mented Red  Fox  Sparrows  were  at  Canby, 
Clackamas  17  Jan.(tD.  van  den  Broek,  fL 
Thomlinson)  and  Skinner’s  Butte,  Lane  27  Feb 
(tDI);  this  taxon  seems  to  be  rare  but  annual 
in  Oregon  and  very  rare  in  Washington. 
Swamp  Sparrow  numbers  remained  low,  with 
5 in  w.  Washington  and  about  8 in  Oregon; 
however,  one  at  McNary  N.W.R.,  Walla  Walla  1 
Jan  provided  an  extremely  rare  eastside  winter 
record  (CC,  JC).  Irons  undertook  the  arduous 
task  of  tallying  Oregon’s  winter  White-throat- 
ed Sparrows,  with  a final  count  of  176,  about 
90%  of  which  were  on  the  westside;  Irons  notes 
that  this  number  reflects  a decade-plus-long 
trend  of  increasing  numbers.  The  Oregon 
maximum  was  15  at  Millacoma  Marsh,  Coos 
throughout  the  period  (TR),  and  the 
Washington  maximum  was  a state  record  9 
near  Monroe,  Snohomish  1 Jan  (SM,  DD). 
Geier  likewise  counted  Oregon’s  Harris’s 
Sparrows,  normally  not  a difficult  task,  and 
arrived  at  23  on  the  eastside  and  15  on  the 
westside,  with  a maximum  of  5 at  Vale, 
Malheur  in  early  Feb  (E.  Marple);  this  total  is 
two  to  three  times  normal.  In  Washington,  13 
eastside  and  3 westside  Harris’s  was  also  above 
normal.  A pugetensis  White-crowned  Sparrow 
was  at  McNary  N.W.R.,  Walla  Walla  24  Jan 
(SM,  MD,  NL,  TA);  this  race  is  probably  very 
rare  in  far  e.  Washington. 

A Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  near  the  Elwha 
R.  mouth,  Clallam  20  Dec  provided 
Washington’s  2nd  winter  record  (ph.  B. 
Davies),  while  singles  at  Medford,  Jackson  31 
Dec  (N.  Barrett)  and  Seaside,  Clatsop  10  Jan  (S. 
Warner,  MP)  added  to  about  four  previous 
Oregon  winter  records.  A Black-headed 
Grosbeak  at  Boring,  Clackamas  was  almost  as 


rare  (D.  Bradshaw).  An  ad.  male  Painted 
Bunting  in  Seattle  10  Feb  into  Mar  was  the 
first  for  Washington  (L.  Hotaling,  V.B.  Brede, 
R.  Lawson,  ph.  KA,  fC.  Kahle),  and  debate 
regarding  its  origins  will  likely  provide  excel- 
lent entertainment  at  the  next  W.B.R.C.  meet- 
ing; Oregon  has  five  records,  two  of  which 
were  ad.  males,  and  one  of  which  was  from 
winter.  Dickdssels  at  White  City,  Jackson  1 
Dec  (J.  Hostick)  and  Malheur  9 Dec  (DE) 
added  to  nine  previous  Oregon  records,  only 
two  of  which  were  during  winter. 

Four  Tricolored  Blackbirds  at  Shillapoo 
Bottoms,  Clark  2-20  Feb  provided  w. 
Washington’s  2nd  record  (vt.  SM,  DD,  RTS). 
Rusty  Blackbirds,  rare  but  regular  in 
Washington,  included  2 at  Othello,  Adams  2 
Dec  (BF)  and  one  at  W.W.R.D.  12  Dec  (PtS, 
RS).  Three  Yellow-headed  Blackbirds  near 
Astoria,  Clatsop  9-18  Feb  provided  a rare 
record  for  the  outer  coast  (MP,  TT).  Five 
Great-tailed  Crackles  were  at  Ontario,  Malheur 
26  Dec  (F&M  Zeiliemaker),  with  4 remaining 
through  16  Feb  (D.  Heyerly,  A.  Esche).  Two 
Orchard  Orioles  at  Brookings,  Curry  15 
Dec — Feb  added  to  only  about  six  previous 
Oregon  records,  one  of  which  comes  from 
Brookings  during  winter  (DM).  Bullock’s 
Orioles  are  very  rare  during  winter,  so  one  at 
Seaside,  Clatsop  23  Dec — 10  Jan  was  notewor- 
thy (S.  Warner).  A Brambling  at  Burns, 
Harney  30  Dec — Feb  added  to  eight  previous 
Oregon  records  ( J.  Green,  L.  Hammond),  while 
one  at  Bridgeport,  Douglas  23  Dec  added  to  13 
prior  Washington  records  (tMD,  MLD).  A 
Purple  Finch  in  N.  Richland,  Benton  26  Jan 
made  for  a rare  record  for  far  e.  Washington 
(C.  Simonen),  while  a Cassin’s  Finch  near 
Eugene,  Lane  30  Dec  provided  a very  rare  low- 
land westside  record  (DI,  T.  Love).  Pine 
Grosbeaks  were  unusually  evident  in 
Washington,  with  maxima  of  55  near 
Winthrop,  Okanogan  22  Dec  (ST,  SM,  MB, 
RTS)  and  51  at  Cle  Elum,  Kittitas  26  Jan  (A. 
Grenon,  MDo);  up  to  4 were  at  Skagit  W.M.A. 
15  Dec — Feb  (A.  Knue,  MDo),  providing  a 
very  rare  lowland  westside  record.  Twenty-five 
White-winged  Crossbills  at  Mt.  Spokane  dur- 
ing Jan  constituted  the  season’s  lone  report  (M. 
Vial,  R.  Dexter). 

A flock  of  100+  Lesser  Goldfinches  between 
Dallesport  and  Maryhill,  Klickitat,  3 1 Dec  set  a 
new  Washington  record  and  provided  evidence 
for  continued  growth  of  Washington’s  still  rel- 
atively local  population  (BTw). 

Addendum 

A Red-necked  Stint  at  Siltcoos  Beach,  Lane  6 Sep  2001 
added  to  six  previous  Oregon  records,  all  of  which 
were  Jun — Aug  (t  D.  Pettey).  A Rose-breasted 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


217 


O Ik  Redpolls  irrupted  in  a fashion  not 
ijf^seen  in  over  a decade.  More 
than  7100  Commons  were  reported 
Regionwide,  including  800+  in  w. 
Washington  and  over  350  in  Oregon.  On  the 
eastside,  greater  than  90%  were  n.  of  47o  00’ 
N,  and  on  the  westside,  over  95%  were  from 
Seattle  north,  with  virtually  none  w.  of  the 
Puget  Sound.  Western  Oregon  records 
included  6 at  Portland  throughout  the  winter 
(TS),  while  in  e.  Oregon,  the  most  southerly 
records  involved  a single  bird  at  Chiloquin, 
Klamath  1 Dec  (W.  Stone)  and  15  at  Malheur 
14  Jan — Feb  (CM,  MM).  Numbers  peaked  in 
late  Dec  and  were  sustained  into  mid-Feb  on 
the  westside  and  through  Feb  in  the  east. 
Maxima  included  2000,  near  Blue  L.,  Grant  in 
mid-Feb  (D.  Kuehn)  and  1300  near  Usk,  Pend 
Oreille  24  Feb  (M.  Moskwik). 

Hoary  Redpolls  were  also  widely  reported, 
with  6 convincingly  documented:  Cle  Elum, 
Kittitas  in  early  Jan  (ph.  C.  Thoreen), 
Ellensburg,  Kittitas  3 Jan  (fS.  Downes), 
Electric  City,  Grant  5-20  Jan  (ph  RS,  fPtS), 
Wenatchee,  Chelan  19  Jan  (fDB);  Davenport, 
Lincoln  27  Jan  (fAS,  DG),  and  Elk,  Spokane 
26-27  Jan  (fM.  Moskwik).  There  are  only 
approximately  13  prior  Washington  records. 


Grosbeak  from  Sammamish,  King  8-9  Jun  2001  was 
inadvertently  left  off  of  last  summer’s  tally  (ph.  M 
Dossett). 

Initialed  observers  (subregional  editors  in  boldface): 
Kevin  Aanerud,  Jim  Acton,  Eric  Anderson,  Tom 
Aversa,  Phil  Bartley,  David  Beaudette,  Trent  Bray, 
Wilson  Cady,  Kathy  Castelein,  Craig  Corder,  Judy 
Corder,  Merry  Lynn  Denny,  Mike  Denny,  Don  DeWitt 
(DDW),  Michael  Donahue  (MDo),  Dennis  Duffy,  Joe 
Engler  (Clark),  Duncan  Evered,  Ruth  Fischer,  Bob 
Flores,  Dan  Friesz,  Roy  Gerig,  Denny  Granstrand 
(Yakima),  Hendrik  Herlyn,  Randy  Hill,  Eugene  Hunn, 
David  Irons,  Kraig  Kemper,  Bill  LaFramboise  (lower 
Columbia  Basin),  Nancy  LaFramboise,  David  Lauten, 
Tom  Mickel  (Lane),  Craig  Miller,  Marilyn  Miller,  Don 
Munson,  Harry  Nehls  (OR),  Vic  Nelson,  Bob  Norton 
(Olympic  Pen.),  Kimdel  Owen,  Michael  Patterson, 
Dennis  Paulson,  Ted  Peterson,  Phil  Pickering,  Dennis 
Rockwell,  Tim  Rodenkirk,  Russell  Rogers  (WA),  Ryan 
T.  Shaw  (RTS),  Tim  Shelmerdine,  Dan  Stephens 
(Chelan),  Andy  Stepniewski,  Ellen  Stepniewski, 
Patrick  Sullivan  (PtS),  Paul  Sullivan  (PaS),  Ruth 
Sullivan,  Sam  Terry,  Todd  Thornton,  Greg  Toffic, 
David  Tracy,  Bill  Tweit  (BTw),  D.  van  den  Broek 
(DVB),  Terry  J.  Wahl,  Bob  Woodley,  Charlie  Wright. 


Middle  Pacific 
Coast 


n St.  George  * 


.rescent 
.City 


1 Areata 
*Eureka 


j ‘Yreka  Klamth  Basin 

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Michael  M.  Rogers 
(Herons  to  Shorebirds) 

499  Novato  Avenue 
Sunnyvale,  California  94086 
(m.m.rogers@att.net) 

Steven  A.  Glover 
(Doves  to  Wrentit) 

6526  Conestoga  Lane 
Dublin,  California  94568 
(Sgloverccc@aol.com) 

Don  Roberson 

(Thrashers  to  Finches) 

282  Grove  Acre  Avenue 
Pacific  Grove,  California  93950 
(creagrus@montereybay.com) 

Scott  B.  Terrill  & Thomas  P.  Ryan 

(Loons  to  Frigatebirds,  Larids  to  Alcids) 

H.  T.  Harvey  & Associates 
3150Almaden  Expressway,  Suite  145 
San  Jose,  California  951 1 8 
(sterrill@harveyecology.com) 
(tryan@harveyecoiogy.com) 


The  winter  season  started  out  wet,  with  sub- 
stantial rainfall  over  much  of  the  Region  in 
December.  The  next  two  months  were  drier, 
however,  and  late  February  was  described  as 
“balmy”  in  some  areas.  Multiple  wintering 
Emperor  Geese  were  unusual  but  part  of  a 
phenomenon  that  spanned  the  west  coast  from 
Oregon  to  Santa  Rosa  Island  in  southern 
California.  A large  movement  of  Common 
Redpolls  into  regions  to  the  north  eventually 
led  to  California’s  first  record  in  twenty  years; 
remarkably  this  bird  did  not  show  up  in  the 
extreme  northeast  of  the  state,  but  at  a back- 
yard feeder  in  the  northern  Central  Valley! 
Another  widespread  phenomenon  was  an 
unprecedented  number  of  Barn  Swallows  in 
December  and  early  January.  Where  these 
birds  came  from  and  where  they  were  going 
remains  a mystery.  As  in  1999,  large  numbers 
of  piscivorous  species  including  grebes,  peli- 
cans, cormorants,  and  gulls  were  inland  at 
Clear  Lake  in  Lake  County  during  the  period. 
Over  50,000  birds  were  feeding  on  unusual 
concentrations  of  introduced  fish,  resulting  in 
a notable  display  of  opportunistic  foraging. 


218 


North  American  Birds 


Middle  Pacific  Coast 


Abbre¥iations:  C.B.R.C.  (California  Bird 
Records  Committee);  C.V.  (Central  Valley); 
EC.B.  (Flood  Control  Basin);  F.I.  (Southeast 
Farallon  I.,  San  Francisco);  N.S.  (National 
Seashore);  R.R  (Regional  Park);  R.S.  (Regional 
Shoreline);  S.B.  (State  Beach);  S.F.  (San 
Francisco);  S.R.  (State  Reserve);  S.R.A.  (State 
Recreation  Area);  W.A.  (Wildlife  Area). 

Reports  of  exceptional  vagrants  submitted 
without  documentation  are  normally  not  pub- 
lished. Observers  v/ishing  C.B.R.C.  review 
should  also  send  their  documentation  to  Guy 
McCaskie,  Secretary,  P.O.  Box  275,  San  Diego 
CA  91933.  Banded  birds  on  F.I.  should  also  be 
credited  to  Point  Reyes  Bird  Observatory; 
those  banded  at  Big  Sur  R.  mouth  to  Big  Sur 
Ornithology  Lab  of  the  Ventana  Wilderness 
Society. 

LOOMS  THROUGH  CORliORANTS 

A Red-throated  Loon  found  on  Camanche  Res. 
29  Dec  was  noted  as  the  first  for  Calaveras 
(JRow,  EIW).  Annual  in  recent  winters  in 
Monterey  Bay,  Monterey,  an  ad.  Yellow-billed 
Loon  was  seen  27  Nov — 24  Mar+  (Evelyn 
Meyers,  JMD,  m.  ob.).  High  counts  of  Western 
(24,425)  and  Clark’s  (2100)  grebes  at  Clear  L., 
Lake  15  & 18  Dec,  respectively,  were  feeding  on 
concentrations  of  introduced  Threadfin  Shad 
and  Silverside  (}RW,  et  aL).  Rare  away  from  the 
immediate  coast,  2 Red-necked  Grebes  were  at 
Whiskeytown  L.,  Shasta  4-7  Jan  (WOv,  BED, 
JSL,  JCS  et  al,  ph.),  with  one  continuing 
through  17  Feb  (LkC);  one  was  at  L. 
Mendocino,  Mendocino  20  Jan  (MAM,  Gary  & 
Judy  Maddox);  and  one  found  25  Nov  at 
Shoreline  L.,  Santa  Clara  remained  through  6 
Jan  (JAC). 

“Al,”  the  Laysan  Albatross,  returned  to  Pt. 
Arena,  Mendocino  for  the  7th  consecutive  win- 
ter. As  pointed  out  by  RJK,  this  is  probably  the 
best  location  in  North  America  to  view  this 
species  from  land.  A Manx  Shearwater  was  on 
Monterey  Bay,  Monterey  19  Jan  (DLSh,  LkC  et 
al).  The  concentrations  of  introduced  fish  at 
Clear  L.,  Lake  attracted  large  numbers  of 
American  White  Pelicans  and  Double-crested 
Cormorants,  with  468  and  749  (a  record  for 
Lake),  respectively,  15  Dec  (JRW  et  al.). 

EGRETS  THROUGH  DUCKS 

Among  few  coastal  Cattle  Egret  reports,  64 
birds  along  Ludwig  Road,  Sonoma  15  Dec  was 
a high  count  for  recent  winters  (DN,  Rhio 
Reigh).  The  only  coastal  White-faced  Ibis 
reported  was  at  Hayward  R.S.,  Alameda  20  Feb, 
the  first  Feb  record  for  that  location  (RJR). 

Three  Emperor  Geese  overwintered  in  the 
Region:  one  in  Areata,  Humboldt  1 Jan — 28 


Mar+  (KGR,  DFx,  JCP,  m.  ob.),  a cooperative 
ad.  at  Bodega  Bay,  Sonoma  23  Dec — 19  Mar+ 
(Dave  DeSante,  ph.  LkC,  ph.  RS,  m.  ob.),  and 
an  ad.  at  F.I.  25  Dec- — 1 Mar-l-  (Bob  Wilkerson, 
m.  ob.).  Additional  reports  from  Oregon  and  s. 
California  indicate  our  birds  were  part  of  a 
broader  incursion.  (No  details  were  received 
for  up  to  3 more  birds  reported  to  the  Areata 
Bird  Box  from  Del  Norte  29  Dec — 2 Jan.)  A 
remarkable  5000  Aleutian  Canada  Geese  were 
reported  flying  to  an  evening  roost  at  the  sw. 
corner  of  Staten  L,  San  Joaquin  9 Dec-(tLLu, 
CLu);  this  may  be  one  third  of  the  world  pop- 
ulation of  this  subspecies.  Two  ad.  Trumpeter 
Swans  were  reported  from  the  Aloha  Duck 
Club  n.  of  Marysville,  Yuba  18  Dec  (fAEn), 
another  ad.  was  found  at  Tule  Lake  N.W.R., 
Siskiyou  30  Dec  (tMDd,  Jesse  Conklin),  and 
one  was  reported  without  details  from  the 
Cosumnes  River  Preserve,  Sacramento  10  Jan 
(JTr).  A new  Shasta  high  count  of  2500  Tundra 
Swans  was  tallied  near  McArthur  4 Jan  (BY, 
CY);  also  notable  were  18  at  Middletown,  Lake 
11  Jan  (Darlene  Hecomovich).  An  ad.  Bewick’s 
Swan  observed  among  hundreds  of  Tundra 
Swans  at  Humboldt  Bay  N.W.R.  15  Jan — 3 Feb 
was  a first  for  Humboldt  (fDFx,  m.  ob.).  Cross- 
country ski  coverage  of  remote  portions  of  L. 
Almanor,  Plumas  during  a C.B.C.  19  Dec 
turned  up  an  ad.  Whooper  Swan  at  the  mouth 
of  Bailey  Cr.  (tCoiin  Dillingham),  a county 
first. 

Brewer’s  Ducks,  or  Gadwall  x Mallard 
hybrids,  were  reported  from  Freshwater 
Corners,  Humboldt  14  Feb  (SPa)  and  at  the 
Palo  Alto  F.C.B.,  Santa  Clara  1 Dec — 7 Jan 
(tMMR,  MJM).  Eurasian  Wigeon  were  widely 
reported,  often  in  larger  than  normal  numbers, 
as  evidenced  by  14  males  on  South  Humboldt 
Bay  4 Jan  (KGR,  MWa),  a record  high  count  for 
Humboldt,  and  9 on  a single  salt  pond  in 
Mountain  View,  Santa  Clara  27  Jan  (MMR).  Of 
7 Common  Teal  reported,  2 were  in  Humboldt, 
4 were  along  the  edge  of  S.F.  Bay  in  Contra 
Costa,  Alameda,  and  Santa  Clara,  and  a single 
bird  was  inland  at  the  Vic  Fazio  Yolo  W.  A.,  Yolo 
3 Feb  (LLu,  CLu).  Redheads  were  also  found  in 
larger  than  normal  numbers,  with  300  on 
South  Humboldt  Bay,  Humboldt  4 Jan  (KGR, 
MWa)  and  213  on  Salt  Pond  AlO  in  Alviso  16 
Dec  (MMR  et  al.)  being  notable  high  counts, 
the  latter  eclipsing  Santa  Claras  previous  high 
of  150  from  16  years  ago.  Eleven  of  the  13 
reported  Tufted  Ducks  were  coastal,  including 
Santa  CruYs  2nd  at  Westlake  Pond  15  Dec — 15 
Mar-F  (Kumaran  Arul,  m.  ob.);  the  2 inland 
birds  were  Yolo's  2nd  at  the  Vic  Fazio  Yolo  W.A. 
20  Jan  (MP,  JCS)  and  a likely  returning  ad. 
male  at  Lucerne,  Lake  11  Jan — 19  Feb  (DvW). 
Record  numbers  of  Harlequin  Ducks  graced 


the  Mendocino  coast,  with  a high  count  of  25  at 
Glass  Beach  1 Jan  (Debbie  Gallagher,  DT,  m. 
ob.).  Also  of  note  was  a single  male  flying  n.  off 
Coyote  Pt.  27  Jan  (Steve  Shunk),  providing  the 
3rd  bayside  record  for  San  Mateo,  on  the  heels 
of  last  season’s  report  from  the  same  location. 
Notable  Barrow’s  Goldeneyes  included  3 birds 
at  the  Loyalton  Sewage  Ponds  22  Feb  (the  first 
record  for  Sierra;  MMC),  an  ad.  male  at  the 
Hollister  Sewage  Ponds  {San  Benito's  3rd,  EP), 
and  an  ad.  male  at  the  Mad  R.  estuary  11-15 
Dec  (the  first  record  for  Humboldt  in  eight 
years;  DFx,  JCP,  m.  ob.). 

RAPTORS  THROUGH  SHOREBIRDS 

An  imm.  Broad-winged  Hawk  heading  se.  over 
Half  Moon  Bay,  San  Mateo  13  Jan  was  rare  in 
winter  (RSTh).  Three  Swainson’s  Hawks  near 
Byron,  Contra  Costa  27  Dec  (SAG)  included  a 
light-morph  individual,  unusual  for  birds  win- 
tering in  the  San  Joaquin — Sacramento  R. 
Delta.  An  imm.  gray-morph  Gyrfalcon  pho- 
tographed along  Flannery  Road  w.  of  Hv/y  113, 
Solano  1 Dec  (Stefanie  Arthur,  ph.  Siobhan 
Ruck)  was  reported  by  others  until  15  Dec 
(HCo),  although  we  have  received  no  docu- 
mentation for  these  later  sightings,  at  least 
some  of  which  may  pertain  to  the  many  Prairie 
Falcons  in  the  area. 

At  least  2 Yellow  Rails  captured  and  pho- 
tographed during  nocturnal  trapping  of  Ring- 
necked Pheasants  in  a closed  area  of  Grizzly  1. 
10  Jan — 12  Feb  (fConrad  Jones,  Chad  Fien, 
fRLCL,  ph.  ABtt)  were  the  first  for  Solano  since 
1915.  Up  to  5 Common  Moorhens  apparently 
wintered  1.5  mi  ne.  of  Grenada,  Siskiyou  20 
Dec — 11  Feb,  despite  their  lake  being  frozen 
for  several  days  (RE).  Second-hand  reports  of 
last  season’s  Demoiselle  Crane  were  received 
from  San  Joaquin  for  17-20  Jan  and  18  Feb.  A 
count  of  300  Sandhill  Cranes  at  the  Holland 
Tract  near  Knightsen  2 Dec  was  a record  high 
for  Contra  Costa  (SAG). 

Good  numbers  of  Black  Oystercatchers  and 
Surfbirds  continued  throughout  the  period  on 
South  S.F.  Bay.  Up  to  7 of  each  were  at 
Hayward  R.S.,  Alameda  in  Feb  (RJR),  and  10 
Black  Oystercatchers  were  found  at  Coyote  Pt., 
San  Mateo  16  Dec  (RSTh),  the  highest  count 
ever  for  that  location.  The  San  Jose  C.B.C.  pro- 
duced a late  juv.  Sharp-tailed  Sandpiper  in 
Alviso,  Santa  Clara  16  Dec  (fMJM).  It  was  seen 
by  a lucky  few  through  27  Dec  but  not  there- 
after. This  bird  was  within  a half  km  of  where 
the  only  other  “winter”  record  for  the  Region 
was  found,  17  Nov  1985 — 5 Jan  1986.  Stilt 
Sandpipers  apparently  wintered  again  at  the 
Merced  N.W.R.,  Merced  2-24  Feb  (fFGB  et  al.), 
with  2 birds  seen  together  21  Feb.  Ruffs  over- 
wintered in  Sonoma  and  Santa  Clara.  Less 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


219 


A remarkable  backyard  bird  was  this  Common  Redpoll  (right)  that  kept  company  with  American 
Goldfinches  in  the  northern  Central  Valley  near  Redding,  Shasta  County,  California  3-1 7 February  2002. 
Part  of  a broader  redpoll  invasion  continent-wide,  this  individual  was  the  first  in  California  in  20  years. 
Photograph  by  Leslie  Lieurance. 


expected  was  another  wintering  bird  inland  at 
the  Vic  Fazio  Yolo  W.A.,  Yolo  1-26  Feb  (KNN, 
m.  ob.).  Reports  of  one  or  2 in  Humboldt  11-15 
Feb  (MWa,  KGR,  m.  ob.)  and  one  in  San  Mateo 
2 Feb  (RSTh)  are  harder  to  characterize  given 
their  brief  stays. 

GULLS  THROUGH  ALCIDS 

Winter  brought  few  unusual  larids  and  alcids 
to  the  Region.  Clear  L.  hosted  record  numbers 
for  Lake  of  wintering  Glaucous- winged  (12) 
and  Herring  (4000)  Gulls,  as  well  as  high  num- 
bers of  California  (24,000),  Bonaparte’s  (411), 
and  Thayer’s  (4)  Gulls  ( JRW).  A second-winter 
Laughing  Gull  at  Redding’s  Kutras  L.  21-24 
Dec  was  the  first  for  Shasta  (loelle  Buffa,  Clyde 
Morris,  fBY,  m.  ob.,  ph.).  An  ad.  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gull  returned  for  a 5th  winter  to  L. 
Cunningham,  Santa  Clara  16  Dec — 22  Mar 
(MJM,  Mary  Murphy,  ph.  MMR,  m.  ob.). 
Three  pairs  of  Heermann’s  Gulls  were  on  terri- 
tory at  Seaside,  Monterey,  as  early  as  13  Feb 
(DR).  This  is  the  4th  year  for  this  colony,  the 
only  one  in  California  (for  more  details  see 
Roberson  et  al.  2001.  N.A.B.  55:  375).  Unusual 
inland  Mew  Gulls  included  two  Shasta  reports 
of  perhaps  the  same  bird  3 Jan  at  Kutras  L.  (CY, 
BY,  m.  ob.)  and  4 Jan  at  Whiskeytown  L.  (JSL, 
JCS),  and  Yuba’s  first  at  Ellis  L.  in  Marysville 
16-18  Dec-i-  ( TDM,  BWb ) . A Shasta  high  count 
of  7 Thayer’s  Gulls  was  found  4 Jan  at 
Whiskeytown  L.  and  Kutras  L.  (JSL,  JCS). 
Another  remained  at  the  Lewiston  Fish 
Hatchery,  Trinity  2 Nov — 13  Jan  (JSL  et  al.). 
Up  to  3 Elegant  Terns  between  Seacliff  S.  B. 
and  Capitola,  Santa  Cruz  15-30  Dec  were 
unusually  late  (CKf,  DLSu).  Black  Skimmers 
wintered  again  on  S.  F.  Bay  at  Charleston 


Slough,  Santa  Clara;  a high  of  22  on  6 Dec 
(MMR)  declined  to  14  by  late  Feb  (WGB). 

A record-high  55  Marbled  Murrelets  were 
between  Santa  Cruz  and  Capitola,  Santa  Cruz 
15  Dec  (DLSu).  Rare  in  winter,  Pigeon 
Guillemots  were  at  Laguna  Pt.,  Mendocino  4 
Jan  (DT)  and  Burlingame,  San  Mateo  10  Dec 
(disabled  imm.;  Judy  Spider);  the  latter  was 
also  unusual  inside  S.F.  Bay.  A regionally  rare 
Horned  Puffin  was  off  Pt.  Pinos,  Monterey  13 
Jan  (SFB,  RT). 

DOVES  THROUGH  VIREOS 

A White-winged  Dove  at  Natural  Bridges  S.B., 
Santa  Cruz  2 Feb — 12  Mar  provided  a rare 
winter  record  for  the  Region  (fAME,  ph. 
William  T.  Park  et  al).  Obviously  far  from  suit- 
able habitat,  a Northern  Saw-whet  Owl  win- 
tered on  F.I.  for  the  first  time  (PP).  A Costa’s 
Hummingbird  at  a feeder  at  Big  Springs  10  Feb 
(Joey  Russell)  was  Siskiyou’s  earliest  by  a 
month.  A somewhat  controversial  humming- 
bird at  Santa  Cruz  18  Dec — 16  Jan  was  likely 
an  ad.  male  Costa’s,  though  the  possibility  of 
hybridization  was  difficult  to  rule  out  (fDR, 
RC,  Madeline  Spencer  et  al.).  A Belted 
Kingfisher  near  Eureka,  Humboldt  10  Dec 
would  probably  not  elicit  comment  except  that 
it  was  captured  by  a Great  Blue  Heron  (GSL)! 
Of  8 Yellow-bellied  Sapsuckers,  all  were  coastal 
except  one  at  El  Macero  Country  Club,  Yolo  23 
Dec — 13  Jan  (Glen  and  Dylan  Holstein  et  al). 
Four  Red-naped  Sapsuckers  were  found  away 
from  the  Great  Basin  after  15  Dec,  3 of  them 
coastal  and  the  other  at  Weaver  Cr.  28  Dec — 4 
Jan  (Trinity’s  6th;  BAP;  JSL,  JCS).  Though 
White-headed  Woodpeckers  are  resident  far- 
ther n.  in  the  Coast  Ranges  of  Colusa,  Glenn, 


and  Lake,  one  at  L.  Solano  15  Dec  was  the  first 
for  Solano  (Jack  Young). 

Unusual  wintering  flycatchers  were  notably 
scarce  this  winter.  Empidonax  flycatchers  were 
represented  by  single  Hammond’s  Flycatchers 
at  Cosumnes  R.  Preserve,  Sacramento  19  Jan 
(JTr)  and  Pt.  Reyes  Station,  Marin  31  Jan — 2 
Feb  (JGE,  ph.  RS);  and  by  single  “Western” 
Flycatchers  were  at  Foster  City,  San  Mateo  to 
15  Dec  (SEM),  Inverness,  Marin  19-23  Dec 
(RS),  and  Cosumnes  R.  Preserve  10  Jan  (JTr). 
Eastern  Phoebes  were  near  Ferndale  30  Dec 
(Humboldt’s  7th;  GAB,  EE,  Gretchen  Ziegler) 
and  at  Merced  N.W.R.,  Merced  20-31  Jan-f- 
(tAlex  Cruz,  Jr.  et  al).  A male  Vermilion 
Flycatcher  found  by  golf  course  employees  at 
Tulare,  Tulare  in  early  Feb  was  last  seen  22  Feb 
(Jeff  and  Jeannie  Wheaton,  KiK),  and  last 
year’s  pair  at  Lemoore  Gun  Club,  Kings  was 
present  14-17  Feb  (JSy,  Mark  Stacy). 

A Dusky-capped  Flycatcher  at  L.  Merritt  16 
Dec — 20  Jan  (LJP,  Neil  Whitehouse,  m.  ob.) 
was  a first  for  Alameda  and  the  first  ever  found 
in  the  Region  away  from  the  immediate  coast. 
A Tropical  Kingbird  at  Golden  Gate  Park,  S.E, 
the  only  one  reported  this  winter,  was  still 
present  20  Mar  (m.  ob.).  San  Mateo’s  Thick- 
billed Kingbird  did  not  reappear  for  its  4th 
winter.  The  only  Northern  Shrike  recorded 
away  from  the  Great  Basin  was  at  Fay  Slough 
W.A.,  Humboldt  16  Jan  (DFx).  The  only 
unusual  vireos  were  single  Cassin’s  at  Pacific 
Grove,  Monterey  16  Dec  (tJWtg,  Dennis 
Paulson)  and  Bodega  Harbor,  Sonoma  in  “early 
Jan”  (RLeb)  and  a “Solitary”  at  Eureka, 
Humboldt  9 Jan  (RHw). 

SWALLOWS  THROUGH  WAXWINGS 

Violet-green  Swallows  are  found  annually  in 
winter  south  of  S.F.  Bay,  but  they  are  much 
rarer  to  the  north,  as  illustrated  by  7 in  Napa  1 
Jan  (BDP,  Mary  Scheldt),  the  first  for  the 
Angwin  C.B.C.  since  1978.  Northern  Rough- 
winged Swallows  are  very  rare  in  winter,  so  a 
total  of  three  sightings  was  a surprise:  2 at 
Carmel  Valley  Ranch,  Monterey  29  Dec  (KiK); 
one  at  Zmudowski  S.B.,  Monterey  2 Jan  (LHg); 
and  2 at  Sunset  S.B.,  Santa  Cruz  2 Jan  (DLSu). 
Not  to  be  outdone,  a Cliff  Swallow  at  Lewiston 
L.,  Trinity  13  fan  (HG,  DCR)  was  one  of  the 
few  ever  detected  in  the  Region  in  winter  and 
was  quite  far  north. 

A Black-capped  Chickadee  at  Hoopa, 
Humboldt  22  Dec  (JTz)  was  the  first  for  the 
Willow  Creek  C.B.C.  and  apparently  for  the 
Trinity  R.  corridor.  A Chestnut-backed 
Chickadee  put  in  a rare  appearance  on  the  C.V. 
floor  at  Davis,  Yolo  28  Feb  (CIH).  Normally 
sedentary  Oak  Titmice  were  out  of  range  at 
Candlestick  S.R.A.,  San  Francisco  10  Dec — 6 


220 


North  American  Birds 


Middle  Pacific  Coast 


passerine  event  of  the  season  was  an  invasion  of  Barn  Swallows,  stretching  pri- 
^r%marily  from  mid-Dec  into  Jan,  the  likes  of  which  is  unprecedented  in  the  48-y'ear  his- 
tory of  our  notebooks.  Though  it  is  impossible  to  gauge  the  number  of  birds  involved  accu- 
rately, a conservative  estimate  would  suggest  that  at  least  200  birds  were  detected.  It  is  clear 
that  this  was  predominantly  a coastal  phenomenon,  as  we  have  received  reports  from  10  of  1 1 
coastal  counties  (Del  Norte  not  reporting),  as  well  as  four  of  the  counties  around  S.F.  Bay, 
while  there  were  only  two  reports  of  3 birds  from  the  C.V.  There  were  no  reports  from  the 
mountain  or  Great  Basin  areas. 

The  first  reports  came  from  the  n.  coast,  v/here  3 birds  were  found  1 1 Dec  and  1 1 birds  were 
present  15  Dec  at  the  Areata  Marsh  Project,  Humboldt  (JTz).  Similar  numbers  were  there 
through  at  least  5 Jan  but  numbers  quickly  dwindled  thereafter.  Several  S.F.  Bay/Monterey  Bay 
counties  recorded  birds  in  mid-Dec,  but  numbers  were  modest,  with  just  one  to  5 birds  at  any 
given  location.  At  the  s.  edge  of  the  Region,  13  birds  were  found  on  Monterey  s Monterey 
Peninsula  C.B.C.  29  Dec,  and  86+  birds  in  several  groups  were  near  Moss  Landing, 
Monterey! Santa  Cruz  1 Jan.  As  with  Humboldt,  numbers  declined  quickly  and  none  were 
noted  after  8 Jan.  On  20  Jan  there  were  44  at  Hayward  R.S.,  Alameda  (Sheila  Junge,  Peter 
Dramer),  the  largest  winter  flock  ever  recorded  in  the  Region.  The  last  birds  reported  prior  to 
the  arrival  of  the  usual  spring  migrants  were  2 birds  at  Eureka,  Humboldt!  Feb  (EE). 

Opinions  differ  sharply  on  the  origin  of  these  birds.  Three  obvious  possibilities  are  that 
these  were  lingering  southbound  migrants,  wintering  birds,  or  very  early  northbound 
migrants.  Since  the  OregonAVashington  influx  didn’t  occur  until  Jan  (Steve  Mlodinow,  pers. 
comm.)  and  the  B.C.  influx  not  until  Feb  (Don  Cedie,  pers.  comm.),  it  seems  almost  certain 
that  those  birds  came  through  California  on  their  way  north.  Could  it  be  that  the  earlier,  mod- 
est numbers  of  mid-Dec  were  composed  of  wintering  and/or  southbound  birds,  while  the 
later,  larger  flocks,  which  dispersed  quickly,  pushed  into  the  Pacific  Northwest?  If  these  birds 
were  truly  northbound,  why  would  so  many  birds  be  heading  north  so  early?  And  why  were 
only  Barn  Swallows  involved  rather  than  other  swallows  or  passerines? 


Feb  (ADeM)  and  Hayward  R.S.,  Alameda  14 
Feb  (RJR).  A Northern  Mockingbird  feasting 
on  fermented  apples  in  Loyalton,  Sierra  29  Jan 
(MMC)  was  out  of  place  in  winter.  First  winter 
records  of  Sage  Thrasher  were  located  in 
Shasta  15  Dec  (near  McArthur;  Dave  Dahnke), 
S.F.  22  Jan  (Mt.  Davidson;  fPSa),  and  San 
Mateo  16  Dec — 29  Mar  (Montara;  AJ,  m.  ob.); 
another  was  rare  in  Yuba  18  Dec  (Loma  Rica 
Rd.,  tBWb).  The  only  Bohemian  Waxwings 
were  along  Dechambeau  Cr.,  Mono  1-3  Jan 
(Joel  Ellis,  KNN). 

WARBLERS 

This  season,  in  a rather  “average”  winter  for 
lingering  insectivores,  we  received  reports  of 
31  Nashville  Warblers,  22  Palms,  11 
Tennessees,  9 Yellows,  1 1 Black-and-whites,  5 
Wilson’s,  3 Northern  Waterthrush,  and  2 
American  Redstarts  (incomplete,  with  not  all 
C.B.C.  data  included).  Among  the  Yellow 
Warblers  was  one  wintering  in  the  interior  n. 
to  Clear  L.,  Lake  15  Dec  (JRW).  There  were 
single  reports  of  Virginia’s  (29  Dec  in  Pacific 
Grove,  Monterey,  KNN),  Lucy’s  (16-29  Dec  in 
Pacific  Grove;  tJWtg),  and  MacGillivray’s  (8 
Dec  along  Matadero  Cr.,  Santa  Clara;  Dick 
Stovel).  More  unexpected  were  male  Black- 
throated  Blue  Warblers  at  Ferndale,  Humboldt 
30  Dec — 4 Jan  (GSL,  m.  ob.),  at  Halfmoon  Bay, 


San  Mateo  8 Dec  (RSTh),  and  in  a Santa  Cruz 
backyard  28  Nov — -15  Mar  (Madeline  Spencer, 
m.  ob.);  details  of  another  rumored  male  in 
Tulare  were  not  sent  to  us.  A Northern  Parula 
in  Burlingame  24  Feb  was  the  first  winter 
record  for  San  Mateo  (DLSh),  but  it  was 
eclipsed  by  C.V.  winterers  at  Cosumnes  R. 
Preserve,  Sacramento  23  Dec- — 22  Jan  (Karl 
Mize,  JTr,  m.  ob.)  and  near  Lodi,  San  Joaquin 
29  Dec — 20  Feb+  (DGY  et  al.). 

TAiAGERS  THROUGH  SPARROWS 

It  was  a good  winter  for  tanagers,  with  10+ 
Westerns  (including  2 in  Ukiah,  Mendocino  15 
Dec;  CEV)  and  8 Summers  scattered  from 
Marin  to  Monterey,  often  in  flowering 
Eucalyptus  (RS,  RSTh,  DLSu,  m.  ob.)  (A  claim 
of  Scarlet  Tanager  in  Santa  Cruz  in  Dec  could 
not  be  confirmed;  our  Region’s  latest  fail 
record  is  28  Nov  1999  in  Marin.) 

A Green-tailed  Towhee  wintering  along 
Coyote  Cr.,  San  Jose  21  Dec — 10  Mar  (Sherry 
Hudson,  Gina  Barton,  m.  ob.)  was  likely  the 
same  as  one  present  at  this  locale  fan — Mar 
2000  and  perhaps  the  same  as  one  that  win- 
tered here  in  1994  and  1995.  An  American  Tree 
Sparrow  in  Shasta  Valley,  Siskiyou  31  Jan  (RE) 
was  just  the  3rd  ever  there;  the  species  winters 
more  regularly  in  the  Great  Basin  of  our 
extreme  northeast.  Any  Spizella  is  rare  here  in 


winter;  this  year  produced  two  reports  of 
Chipping  Sparrows  in  Dec  {Contra  Costa  and 
Monterey,  do  these  ever  remain  the  entire  win- 
ter?) and  2 Clay-coloreds,  including  one  in 
Lafayette,  Contra  Costa  6 Jan — Feb  (Alice 
Holmes,  fSAG).  Vesper  Sparrows  winter  annu- 
ally in  the  C.V.  and  locally  in  drier  w.  valleys, 
but  one  on  the  coast  at  Port  Sonoma,  Sonoma 
20  Jan — 1 1 Feb  was  a surprise  (LHg,  ph.  RS,  m. 
ob.).  Sage  Sparrows  have  likely  been  over- 
looked in  winter  in  Mono;  8 were  found 
around  Mono  L.  1 Jan  (PJM  et  al).  It  is  appar- 
ent that  some  Grasshopper  Sparrows  winter  in 
the  open  bleak  grasslands  where  the  species 
also  nests;  further  confirmation  came  this  year 
from  Santa  Cruz,  Santa  Clara,  and  Placer 
(Tonya  Haff,  Roger  Wolfe,  BDW  et  al.).  Could 
these  sparrows  be  resident? 

Two  Nelson’s  Sharp-tailed  Sparrows  on 
Elkhorn  Slough  1-26  Jan  (Michelle  Scott,  Bill 
Davis,  ph.  DR,  m.  ob.)  were  wintering  in  tidal 
pickleweed,  the  first  time  this  species  has  done 
so  in  Monterey.  Nelson’s  Sharp-taileds  at  more 
traditional  wintering  sites  were  at  Palo  Alto, 
Santa  Clara  1 Jan  (Chris  Conard,  Kimya 
Lambert)  and  Areata,  Humboldt  15  Dec  (fDFx, 
JCP).  Harris’s  Sparrows  winter  annually  in  the 
Great  Basin  of  ne.  California,  but  7 others  in 
seven  counties  westward  were  a good  showing, 
including  Mendocino's  3rd  at  Talmage  24 
Dec — 16  Feb  (Cheryl  & Geoff  Heinecken, 
GEC),  Sierra’s  4th  in  Sierra  Valley  31  Dec 
(Martin  Myers),  and  a C.V.  rarity  at  Cosumnes 
R.  Preserve,  Sacramento  15  Dec+  (JTr,  EDG,  m. 
ob.).  Near  the  coast  were  a returning  bird  in 
Millbrae,  San  Mateo  19  Nov+  (Joe  Macho)  and 
one  at  Ft.  Ord,  Monterey  16-25  Jan  (David 
Styer).  Some  40  Lapland  Longspurs  on  the  Fall 
River  Mills  C.B.C.  15  Dec  (WOv)  made  for  the 
largest  flock  ever  in  Shasta;  one  in  Sierra  Valley 
15  Dec  (Paul  Hardy  et  al.)  was  quite  a find  in 
Plumas.  Another  20  Laplands  wintered  at  Mad 
R.  Slough  W.A.  (MWa,  JTz).  A wandering  Snow 
Bunting  visited  Shasta  Valley  N.W.R.,  Siskiyou 
8 Jan  (tBob  Smith). 

GROSBEAKS  THROUGH  FfHCHES 

Six  Rose-breasted  and  2 Black-headed 
Grosbeaks  were  a typical  winter  complement. 
A Common  Crackle  frequented  a Safeway 
parking  lot  in  Guerneville  23  Dec — 25  Feb 
(tPP,  ph.  RS,  tMWE,  m.  ob.),  the  2nd  ever  in 
Sonoma.  A compilation  of  wintering  (=resi- 
dent)  Great-tailed  Crackles  (by  JHG)  tallied 
about  170  in  five  C.V.  counties  and  about  20  in 
coastal  counties  from  Marin  to  Monterey.  A 
male  Orchard  Oriole  wintered  at  Natural 
Bridges  S.B.,  Santa  Cruz  22  Jan+  (Michelle 
Scott,  Steve  Gerow,  m.  ob.).  Single  Hooded 
Orioles  appeared  as  far  n.  as  Ft.  Bragg, 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


221 


Mendocino  23  Jan  (Dave  Jensen,  DT)  and 
Redding,  Shasta  22  Jan  (Bea  & Bob  Currie). 
Among  the  14  wintering  Bullock’s  reported 
was  a young  male  tJiat  arrived  on  RI.  4 Feb  and 
started  an  unprecedented  pre-alternate  molt 
there  (PP).  A Scott’s  Oriole  in  Golden  Gate 
Park  22  Dec — 20  Mar  (fASH,  tJWtg,  m.  ob.) 
was  only  the  2nd  S.F.  City  record. 

Perhaps  the  landbird  of  the  winter  was  a 
Common  RedpoU  at  a feeder  in  Anderson, 
Shasta  3-17  Feb  (Barbara  Peck,  BED,  ph.  LkC, 
tMike  San  Miguel,  m.  ob.).  Except  for  a con- 
troversial late  May  specimen  in  coastal 
Humboldt,  all  prior  redpolls  in  California  had 
been  in  the  Great  Basin  region  of  the  extreme 
northeast.  This  C.V.  occurrence  was  unprece- 
dented and  at  about  the  same  latitude  as  the 
previous  southernmost  record  at  Eagle  L., 
Lassen,  a flock  in  Nov — Dec  1899.  Goldfinches 
lingering  farther  n.  than  usual  were  4 Lessers  at 
Mono  City,  Mono  15  Feb  (KNN)  and  a smat- 
tering of  Lawrence’s,  including  at  Pillar  Pt. 
Harbor,  San  Mateo  15  Dec  (A1  DeMartini)  and 
males  at  backyard  feeders  in  San  Ramon, 
Contra  Costa  10-19  Jan  (Lauri  English)  and 
Loomis,  Placer  15  Jan  (EP). 

Corrigenda 

Short-eared  Owls  occasionally  breed  along  the 
San  Mateo  shore  of  S.F  Bay;  thus  a road-killed 
owl  at  Ano  Nuevo  18  Jul  2000  {N.A.B.  55:  479) 
was  unusual  in  summer  for  the  coastal  locale, 
not  for  the  county.  A Costa’s  Hummingbird  in 
Mono  29  May  2001  was  mistakenly  published 
as  a Calliope  Hummingbird  {N.A.B.  55:  353). 
We  thank  PJM  for  these  corrections. 

Cited  observers  (county  coordinators  in  bold- 
face): Stephen  F Bailey,  Anthony  Battiste, 
Florence  G.  Bennett,  Gary  A.  Bloomfield, 
William  G.  Bousman  (Santa  Clara),  Penelope 
K.  Bowen  (Alpine  & Calaveras),  Joelle  Buffa, 
Rita  Carratello,  George  E.  Chaniot,  John  A. 
Cole,  Luke  Cole  (Kings),  Harold  Conner,  Hugh 
Cotter  (S.F.  city),  Steven  Davies,  Jeff  N.  Davis, 
A1  DeMartini,  Bruce  E.  Deuel  (n.  C.V.  coun- 
ties), Matthew  Dodder,  Mark  W.  Eaton,  Alan 
M.  Eisner,  Ray  Ekstrom  (Siskiyou),  Elias  Elias, 
Andrew  Engilis,  Jr.,  Jules  G.  Evens,  David  Fix 
(Humboldt),  James  H.  Gain,  Steven  A.  Glover 
(Contra  Costa),  Edward  D.  Greaves,  Helen 
Green,  Cliff  Hawley,  Alan  S.  Hopkins,  Lisa 
Hug,  John  E.  Hunter  (Trinity),  Alvaro 
Jaramillo,  Robert  J.  Keiffer  (Mendocino),  Clay 
Kempf,  Kim  Kuska,  Robin  L.C.  Leong  (Napa  & 
Solano),  Gary  S.  Lester,  Cindy  Lieurance,  Leslie 
Lieurance,  Calvin  Lou,  John  S.  Luther,  Michael 
J.  Mammoser,  Timothy  D.  Manolis 
(Sacramento  & Yolo),  Matthew  A.  Matthiessen, 
Peter  J.  Metropulos  (San  Mateo  & Mono),  Mac 


McCormick  (Sierra  & Plumas),  Steve  E.  Miller, 
Clyde  Morris,  Dan  Nelson,  David  W.  Nelson, 
Kristie  N.  Nelson,  William  Oliver,  Steve 
Pagliughi,  Ed  Pandolfino  (Placer),  Benjamin 
D.  Parmeter,  Barbara  A.  Peck,  Michael  Perrone, 
Jude  C.  Power  (Humboldt),  Lina  Jane  Prairie, 
Peter  Pyle  (EL),  David  C.  Rice,  Robert  J. 
Richmond  (Alameda),  Don  Roberson 
(Monterey),  Michael  M.  Rogers,  Kerry  G.  Ross, 
James  Rowoth,  Ruth  A.  RudesiU  (Sonoma), 
Paul  Saraceni,  Jeff  Seay,  Debra  L.  Shearwater, 
Rich  Stallcup,  John  C.  Sterling  (Modoc),  David 


L.  Suddjian  (DLSu;  Santa  Cruz),  Richard 
Ternullo,  Ronald  S.  Thorn,  Jim  Tietz,  Dorothy 
Tobkin,  John  Trochet,  Kent  Van  Vuren  (Merced 
& San  Benito),  Chuck  E.  Vaughn,  Matt  Wachs, 
Bruce  Webb,  Elizabeth  West,  Jerry  R.  White 
(Lake),  Brian  D.  Williams  (Nevada),  Jay 
Withgott,  Dave  Woodward,  Bob  & Carol  Yutzy 
(Shasta),  m.  ob.=  many  observers.  Many  more 
observers  were  not  specifically  cited  and  all  are 
appreciated.  A 


Southern  Pacific 


Coast 


Guy  MoCaskie 

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) 

Although  some  precipitation  fell  in  the  early 
part  of  the  season,  it  turned  out  to  be  one 
of  the  driest  winters  on  record  in  southern 
California.  Since  most  winter  birding  activities 


in  the  Region  (and,  hence,  records  of  signifi- 
cance) are  concentrated  in  landscaped  urban 
and  suburban  areas  or  agricultural  regions 
with  a great  deal  of  imported  water,  such 
drought  conditions  do  not  have  clear  effects  on 
our  wintering  avifauna;  they  are  likely,  howev- 
er, to  be  felt  in  upcoming  spring  migration  and 
nesting  seasons.  This  winter  saw  some  signifi- 
cant seabird  and  waterbird  records,  including  a 
Short-tailed  Albatross,  at  least  two  Masked 
Boobies,  an  Emperor  Goose,  and  a probable 
Band-taOed  Gull.  There  were  no  major  incur- 
sions of  landbirds,  and  it  was  a fairly  standard 
winter  for  over-wintering  flycatchers,  warblers, 
vireos,  and  the  like.  Of  note  among  landbirds 
was  California’s  first  winter  season  Smith’s 
Longspun 


222 


North  American  Birds 


Middle  Pacific  Coast — Southern  Pacific  Coast 


Abbreviations:  C.L.  (China  Lake  Naval  Air 
Weapons  Station,  extreme  ne.  Kern);  E.A.F.B. 
(Edwards  Air  Force  Base,  se.  Kern);  EC.R. 
(Furnace  Creek  Ranch,  Death  Valley  National 
Monument,  Inyo);  G.H.P.  (Galileo  Hill  Park  in 
extreme  e.  Kern);  N.E.S.S.  (n.  end  of  the  Salton 
Sea,  Riverside);  S.B.C.M.  (San  Bernadino 
County  Museum);  S.C.R.E.  (Santa  Clara  River 
Estuary  near  Ventura,  Ventura);  S.E.S.S.  (s.  end 
of  the  Salton  Sea,  Imperial);  V.C.G.P.  (Ventura 
County  Game  Preserve  near  Pt.  Mugu  Naval 
Air  Station,  Ventura).  Because  virtually  all  rar- 
ities 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. 

LOONS  THROUGH  WATERFOWL 

A Red-throated  Loon  on  Wiest  L.  near  Brawley, 
Imperial  20  Dec  (LWC)  was  inland.  Up  to  2 Red- 
necked Grebes  on  L.  Perris,  Riverside  12  Jan — 24 
Feb  (DPe)  were  not  only  far  s.  but  also  inland, 
where  considered  accidental;  the  only  coastal 
record  came  Pt.  Mugu,  Ventura  12-17  Feb  (PR). 

A Short-tailed  Albatross  v/as  photographed 
near  Santa  Barbara  1.  19  Feb — 22  Mar  (JA).  A 
Manx  Shearwater,  rarely  reported  in  s. 
California  waters,  was  photographed  off  the 
Palos  Verdes  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles  23  Feb 
(TMcG). 

A subad.  Masked  Booby  was  well  pho- 
tographed in  La  Jolla,  San  Diego  30  Dec — 10 
Jan  (MBu),  another  was  caught  in  Corona  del 
Mar,  Orange  12  Jan  (ph.  in  Orange  County 
Register,  taken  to  a rehabilitation  center),  and  a 
third  (same  bird  as  in  La  Jolla?)  was  at  Dana 
Point,  Orange  9 Feb — 7 Mar-F  (CM).  An  imm. 
Magnificent  Frigatebird  photographed  over  La 
Jolla  4 Jan  (TMcG,  SW,  AM)  was  one  of  a very 
few  found  in  California  in  winter. 

The  Tricolored  Heron  at  Bolsa  Chica, 
Orange  remained  through  9 Dec  (ES),  and  an 
imm.  at  the  Tijuana  R.  mouth,  San  Diego  29 
Dec  (GMcC)  was  the  only  other  one  reported. 
The  Reddish  Egret  at  Point  Mugu,  Ventura 
remained  through  the  end  of  the  period 
(WW),  single  birds  remained  along  the  coast 
of  San  Diego  from  the  fall  on  Batiquitos 
Lagoon  through  12  Dec  (MBa)  and  at  the 
Tijuana  R.  mouth  through  23  Dec  (RBl),  2 
were  at  the  San  Diego  R.  mouth  through  the 
end  of  the  period  (MUE),  and  another  was  on 
San  Diego’s  Mission  Bay  29  Dec  (PZ);  at  least  2 
inland  near  Blythe,  Riverside  5-10  Jan  (RHi) 
were  on  the  Colorado  R.,  where  very  few  have 
been  found.  A Yellow- crowned  Night-Heron 


in  La  Jolla  6 Dec  (CN)  was  probably  the  bird 
that  has  been  frequenting  this  area  for  the  past 
20  years.  A Wood  Stork  near  Escondido,  San 
Diego  29  Dec  (KW)  was  one  of  2 that  arrived 
here  in  1980. 

An  Emperor  Goose  photographed  at 
Becher’s  Bay  on  Santa  Rosa  I.  16  Jan — 6 Mar 
(SMacG)  established  the  2nd  record  s.  of  San 
Luis  Obispo.  Three  Tundra  Swans  at  Blythe  26 
Dec  (RHi)  and  another  in  flight  over  s.  San 
Diego  Bay  16  Feb  (DPa)  were  unusually  far 
south.  A Common  Teal,  rare  in  s.  California, 
was  at  Upper  Newport  Bay,  Orange  30  Dec — 
12  Jan  (}W).  A male  Tufted  Duck  on  L.  Perris 
17  Jan — 27  Feb  (BP)  was  undoubtedly  the 
same  bird  present  here  last  winter.  A male 
Harlequin  Duck  at  Arroyo  Laguna,  San  Luis 
Obispo  13-18  Jan  (KC)  was  believed  to  be  the 
same  bird  present  here  last  winter,  and  the 
male  found  on  Mission  Bay  in  San  Diego  28 
Oct  was  still  present  at  the  end  of  the  period 
(RBI).  A Surf  Scoter  on  the  Salton  Sea  at  Salt 
Creek  S.B.  21  Jan  (CMcG)  and  a White-winged 
Scoter  on  Tinemaha  Res.,  Inyo  20  Nov — 27  Jan 
(JLD)  were  the  only  scoters  found  inland.  A 
Long-tailed  Duck  at  S.E.S.S.  1 Dec  (GMcC) 
and  another  near  Blythe  26  Jan  (RHi)  were 
inland,  where  rare,  and  up  to  6 in  Long  Beach, 
Los  Angeles  23  Dec — 6 Feb  (KL,  KLG,  MSanM) 
was  a large  number  to  be  found  together  in  s. 
California.  Single  Barrow’s  Goldeneyes  near 
Blythe  9 Dec  and  21  Feb  (RHi)  were  at  the  s. 
limit  of  this  species’s  normal  winter  range  on 
the  Colorado  R. 

HAWKS  THROUGH  SKIIWWIERS 

A Northern  Goshawk  at  C.L.  16-31  Dec  (BSh) 
was  only  the  2nd  in  e.  Kern.  One  Harris’s  Hawk 
was  still  present  from  the  1994  incursion  at 
Borrego  Springs,  San  Diego  at  the  end  of  the 
period  (RT),  and  another  was  near  Warner 
Springs,  San  Diego  17  Dec  (BSie).  The  Broad- 
winged Hawk  that  arrived  on  San  Clemente  I. 
31  Oct  remained  through  the  period  (BLS).  A 
Swainson’s  Hawk  at  V.C.G.P.  25  Jan-f  (WW; 
ph.)  and  another  over  Lake  Forest,  Orange  16 
Dec  (JEP)  were  evidently  wintering  locally,  but 
one  near  El  Centro,  Imperial  15  Feb  (KZK)  was 
an  early  spring  migrant  followed  by  at  least  4 
more  in  the  next  two  days.  Single  Zone-tailed 
Hawks  were  along  the  coast  in  Santa 
Barbara/Goleta  (DMC),  San  Clemente/San 
Juan  Capistrano  (DRW),  and  Escondido 
(MUE)  throughout  the  period,  an  imm.  was  in 
the  Upper  Ojai  Valley,  Ventura  6 Jan  (BSil),  an 
ad.  (returning?)  was  at  nearby  L.  Casitas  12-17 
Feb  (TT,  DPe),  one  was  at  Laguna  Niguel, 
Orange  29  Jan  (VL),  and  another  was  near 
Mesa  Grande,  San  Diego  17  Dec  (BSa);  farther 
inland,  single  ads.  were  at  Blythe  1-2  Dec  (RHi), 


Lemon  Tank’s  fresh  water  is  the  only  source  on 
San  Clemente  Island,  so  it’s  a good  spot  to  wait 
for  vagrants  such  as  this  Prairie  Warbler,  which 
stayed  here  from  October  through  mid- December 
2001 . Photograph  by  John  T.  BroHmi. 

near  El  Centro  from  the  summer  to  21  Feb 
(KZK)  and  another  with  it  5-13  Dec  (KZK),  and 
around  Brawley,  Imperial  25  Jan — 9 Mar  (TH). 
Single  Rough-legged  Hawks  near  Calipatria  18 
Dec  (BED)  and  El  Centro  4 Feb  (CMcG),  and 
another  near  Blythe  26-28  Dec  (RHi)  were  the  s. 
most  of  the  very  few  reported. 

A Sandhill  Crane  around  Bishop,  Inyo  17 
Dec — 24  Jan  (CH)  and  6 over  Venice,  Los 
Angeles  8 Dec  (EG)  were  away  from  areas  of 
regular  occurrence.  Wintering  Pacific  Golden- 
Plovers  along  the  coast  included  single  birds  at 
Hermosa  Beach,  Los  Angeles  30  Nov  (KL), 
Bolsa  Chica,  Orange  4 Nov — 10  Feb  (DRW),  in 
Del  Mar,  San  Diego  3-30  Jan  (NF)  and  at  the 
Tijuana  R.  mouth  22  Aug — 13  Jan  (RP),  4 at 
Seal  Beach,  Orange  throughout  the  period  (JF), 
and  9 on  San  Clemente  1. 6 Feb-h  (BLS);  inland, 
one  was  near  Brawley  1 Feb  (MSanM).  The 
only  Mountain  Plovers  along  the  coast  were  12 
at  n.  Vandenberg  A.F.B.  16  Dec  (AA)  and  18  at 
Seal  Beach  through  the  period  (JB);  3476  were 
counted  on  the  primary  wintering  grounds  in 
the  Imperial  Valley  during  a valley- wide  survey 
29  Jan — 6 Feb  (CMcG).  Black  and  white  oys- 
tercatchers  on  San  Miguel  1.  20  Feb  (PM)  and 
in  San  Diego  27  Jan  (MBM,  BKP)  were  not 
seen  well  enough  to  eliminate  hybrid 
American  x Black  Oystercatcher  hybrids.  A 
Solitary  Sandpiper  near  Chino,  San  Bernardino 
since  28  Aug,  was  still  present  19  Jan  (JEP)  and 
believed  to  be  the  same  bird  here  during  the 
last  two  winters.  A flock  of  25  Ruddy 
Turnstones  at  S.E.S.S.  17-18  Dec  (GMcC)  was 
a remarkable  number  for  an  inland  location  at 
this  time  of  the  year.  A wintering  Wilson’s 
Phalarope  was  in  Indio,  Riverside  1 Dec — 8 Jan 
(ES),  and  another  was  at  S.E.S.S.  24  Nov — 28 
Feb-F  (GMcC). 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


223 


One  of  two  recorded  this  winter  in  the  Region, 
this  Rusty  Blackbird  was  photographed  on  San 
Clemente  Island  on  14  February  2002. 

Photograph  by  Brian  L.  Sullivan. 

Single  Laughing  Gulls,  rare  on  the  Salton 
Sea  in  winter,  were  at  N.E.S.S.  5 Jan  (CMcG), 
S.E.S.S.  30  Dec — 7 Jan  (GMcC),  and  near 
Niland  16  Feb  (LS).  An  ad.  Band-tailed  Gull 
seen  on  San  Clemente  I.  8 Feb  (JTB)  will  estab- 
lish the  2nd  record  for  California  if  endorsed 
by  the  C.B.R.C.  A Mew  Gull  at  N.E.S.S.  24 
Dec — 21  Jan  (C-TL)  and  another  at  S.E.S.S. 
10-14  Jan  (JEP)  were  far  inland,  where  rare. 
The  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  present  at 
N.E.S.S.  since  11  Nov  was  still  present  at  the 
end  of  the  period  (CMcG),  and  an  ad.  near 
Chino  9 Jan  (JEP)  was  the  first  to  be  found  in 
San  Bernardino.  A Glaucous  Gull  in  San  Diego 
4 Feb  (DA)  and  another  on  San  Clemente  1.  5 
Feb  (JTB)  were  the  only  2 reported.  A Gull- 
billed Tern  at  S.E.S.S.  18  Dec  (KLG)  is  one  of  a 
very  few  found  in  California  in  winter,  as  were 
single  Elegant  Terns  on  Morro  Bay,  San  Luis 
Obispo  19  fan  (MDJi)  and  San  Diego  Bay  20 
Jan — 8 Feb  (REW,  RP).  Four  Black  Skimmers 
at  N.E.S.S.  5 Jan  (CMcG)  were  unusually  late 
stragglers  from  the  summer. 

DOVES  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

Up  to  4 White-winged  Doves  in  Blythe  23 
Dec — 14  Jan  (RHi),  2 in  Calipatria  18  Dec 
(GMcC),  up  to  2 near  El  Centro  13  Dec — 22 
Feb  (KZK)  and  one  in  Brawley  23  Feb  (GMcC) 
were  in  areas  where  very  few  have  been  record- 
ed in  winter,  and  single  birds  in  Carpinteria  18 
Dec  (RWH)  and  Ventura  1 Feb  (RBu)  were  the 
only  2 reported  along  the  coast.  One  Ruddy 
Ground-Dove  was  still  present  at  F.C.R.  18  Feb 
(CH),  3 were  still  present  in  Blythe  at  the  end 
of  the  period  (RHi)  and  2 photographed  near 
El  Centro  27  Jan-28-i-  Feb  (KZK)  established 
the  2nd  record  for  Imperial.  Three  Lesser 
Nighthawks  remained  at  Finney  L.,  Imperial  all 
winter  (GMcC),  and  2 more  were  near  El 
Centro  30  Jan  (KZK). 

Up  to  30  Vaux’s  Swifts  around  Oceanside  13 
Dec — 4 Jan  (JS,  RP,  MBi),  and  50  over 


Sweetwater  Res.  16-17  Jan  (GC)  were  in  coastal 
San  Diego,  where  small  numbers  regularly  win- 
ter. Two  or  3 migrant  Allen’s  Hummingbirds 
near  El  Centro  1-18  Feb  (KZK)  were  in  an  area 
where  few  have  previously  been  recorded,  and 
an  Allen’s  Hummingbird  on  Pt.  Loma,  San 
Diego  6 Jan  (REW)  was  probably  wintering 
locally,  this  area  being  outside  the  known 
range  of  sedentarius. 

Lewis’s  Woodpeckers  were  a little  more 
widespread  than  normal  in  the  w.  porion  of 
the  Region,  with  2 near  El  Centro  1 Dec — 28 
Feb-f-  (GMcC)  being  the  southeastern  most.  At 
least  15  Acorn  Woodpeckers  were  present  in 
Inyo  during  Jan  (T&JH),  and  one  near  El 
Centro  19  Jan — 28  Feb  (JL,  GMcC)  was  only 
the  6th  to  be  found  in  the  “Salton  Sink.”  Single 
Williamson’s  Sapsuckers  near  Rancho  Santa 
Margarita,  Orange  16  Dec — 26  Feb  (GLT)  and 
in  Silverado  Canyon,  Orange  16  Dec  (BML) 
were  close  to  the  coast,  where  rare.  A Yellow- 
bellied  Sapsucker,  a rare  but  regular  vagrant  to 
s.  California,  was  near  Mecca,  Riverside  13 
Jan — 9 Feb  (C-TL),  the  5th  to  be  found  in  the 
“Salton  Sink.” 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  CORVIDS 

A Greater  Pewee  found  in  Pomona,  Los  Angeles 
1 Dec  (DAG;  ph.)  remained  through  the  peri- 
od. Exceptionally  late  was  a Western  Wood- 
Pewee  in  Goleta,  Santa  Barbara  3-6  Dec 
(DMC).  Empidonax  flycatchers  recorded  dur- 
ing the  period  included  a Least  near  Imperial 
Beach  9 Dec  (GMcC),  Duskies  in  Solvang, 
Santa  Barbara  15  Jan — 17  Feb  (FE)  and  along 
the  lower  Colorado  R.  near  Earp,  San 
Bernardino  1-4  Feb  (MBM),  Hammond’s  at 
Laguna  Niguel,  Orange  10  Nov — 2 Feb  (JEP), 
Anaheim  Hills,  Orange  4 Dec — 19  Jan  (JEP), 
San  Diego  22  Dec — 1 Mar  (GH),  and  Blythe  4- 
29  Jan  (DWA),  and  9 “Westerns”  in  coastal 
counties,  along  with  a late  interior  bird  at 
Bakersfield,  Kern  16  Dec  (C&JM).  Nine  win- 
tering Eastern  Phoebes,  a bit  above  average, 
included  6 on  the  coastal  slope  and  3 on  the 
low  deserts. 

A Dusky-capped  Flycatcher  was  in  San 
Diego  15  Dec -I-  (JEZ);  one  or  2 now  winter 
annually  in  the  Region.  Ash-throated 
Flycatchers,  rare  in  winter,  were  found  at 
Borrego  Springs,  San  Diego  17  Dec  (JWi),  Palm 
Desert,  Riverside  5 Dec — 8 Feb  (MSanM),  and 
Blythe  10-17  Feb  (RHi),  all  areas  where  some- 
what regular,  but  coastal  birds  in  Long  Beach, 
Los  Angeles  23  Jan — 3 Feb  (KSG)  and  near 
Imperial  Beach  15  Dec — 22  Feb  (GMcC)  were 
more  unusual.  Brown-crested  Flycatchers  in 
Long  Beach  5-8  Dec  (RBa)  and  Huntington 
Beach  13  Dec — 15  Mar  (MJI)  were  among  the 
few  ever  recorded  along  the  coast  of  California. 


Five  Tropical  Kingbirds  were  found  along  the 
coast  during  the  period;  less  expected  were  sin- 
gle Western  Kingbirds  near  Goleta  5-21  Jan 
(CAM)  and  in  San  Diego  16  Dec — 13  Feb 
(GMcC).  The  wintering  Thick-billed  Kingbird 
in  Pomona  was  present  through  the  period 
(KLG). 

Northern  Shrikes,  regular  in  the  northeast- 
ernmost  part  of  the  Region,  were  in  Bishop 
23-24  Dec  (J8cDP)  and  C.L.,  Kern  25-26  Jan 
(SSt).  Loggerhead  Shrikes  continue  a precipi- 
tous decline  on  the  coastal  slope;  away  from 
the  San  Jacinto  Valley,  Riverside  (where  good 
numbers  continue  to  be  recorded),  only  154 
were  counted  on  20  C.B.C.s  on  the  coastal 
slope;  just  five  years  ago  the  total  was  437! 
Shrikes  were  unrecorded  for  the  first  time  ever 
on  the  Pasadena/San  Gabriel  Valley  C.B.C.,  and 
only  15  were  found  on  the  three  Orange 
C.B.C.s  (90  on  the  same  counts  in  1993; 
DRW). 

Winter  Plumbeous  Vireos  outnumbered 
Cassin’s  17  to  13  in  the  coastal  counties;  on  the 
deserts,  a Plumbeous  was  in  El  Centro 
throughout  the  period  (KZK).  Exceptionally 
rare  in  winter,  a Bell’s  Vireo  was  in  Coronado, 
San  Diego  15  Dec  (REW).  Even  more  surpris- 
ing was  a well-described  Gray  Vireo  in  a desert 
wash  13  km  w.  of  Needles,  San  Bernardino  9 
Jan  (DDi);  the  only  previous  winter  records 
have  been  in  Elephant  Tree  (Bursera  microphyl- 
la)  stands  in  e.  San  Diego  (Unitt,  Western  Birds 
31:  258-262,  2000).  A Warbling  Vireo  in 
Carlsbad,  San  Diego  22  Dec  (JD)  was  among 
the  few  ever  recorded  in  mid-winter  in  the 
Region,  and  a Philadelphia  Vireo  in  Coronado 
15-16  Dec  (REW)  established  only  the  4th 
winter  season  record  for  California. 

A Steller’s  Jay  in  Santa  Maria,  Santa  Barbara 
21  Dec  (CA)  was  in  an  unusual  location. 
Unexpected  in  mid-winter  was  a Bank  Swallow 
in  Irvine  27  Dec  (LDT).  Also  normally  rare  in 
mid-winter.  Barn  Swallows  were  found  in 
unprecedented  numbers,  e.g.,  several  in  San 
Luis  Obispo  in  December,  16  in  Santa  Barbara 
5 Jan,  16-1-  in  coastal  Los  Angeles  in  Dec,  31-1-  in 
coastal  San  Diego  in  Dec,  and,  inland,  one  near 
Lancaster  and  2 at  E.A.F.B.  17  Jan  (MSanM; 
probably  too  early  for  spring  migrants),  one  at 
F.C.R.  4 Jan  (RAH),  several  near  Victorville  4 
Jan  (RMcK;  specimen  S.B.C.M.),  and  26  on  the 
Salton  Sea  (South)  C.B.C.  18  Dec. 

GNATCATCHERS  THROUGH  WARBLERS 

Federally  Threatened  California  Gnatcatchers 
continue  to  lose  habitat  to  urban  development, 
but  new  populations  are  being  found  in  the 
course  of  environmental  impact  studies  as 
illustrated  by  up  to  20  near  Moorpark,  Ventura 
through  the  period  (BED)  at  the  nw.  edge  of 


224 


North  American  Birds 


Southern  Pacific  Coast 


the  species’s  range.  American  Robins  were 
present  in  above-average  numbers,  with  a 
spectacular  flight  of  up  to  10,000  birds  near 
Arroyo  Grande,  San  Luis  Obispo  29  Jan  (BKS). 
A Brown  Thrasher,  casual  in  the  Region,  was  in 
Moreno  Valley,  Riverside  24  Dec-l-  (C-TL).  A 
Gray  Catbird  was  in  a Long  Beach  yard  25 
fan — 10  Mar  (JSB).  The  only  Bohemian 
Waxwing  found  was  in  Bishop  9 Jan  (J&DP). 

A female  Golden-winged  Warbler  in  Costa 
Mesa  1-19  Jan  (LDT)  established  the  2nd  win- 
ter record  for  Orange.  A Tennessee  V/arbler 
remained  in  Goieta  from  the  fall  to  5 Jan  (JRS), 
and  others  were  in  nearby  Isla  Vista  31  Dec 
(LRB)  and  in  Mission  Viejo,  Orange  16  Dec — 
24  Feb  (JEP).  Orange-crowned  Warblers  were 
considered  relatively  numerous  in  the  n. 
Owens  Valley  this  winter  by  Inyo  observers.  A 
Nashville  Warbler  at  a hummingbird  feeder  in 
Bakersfield  26  Dec — 24  Feb  (JCW)  was  the 
first  to  winter  in  Kern.  Northern  Paruias  were 
on  the  coast  in  Long  Beach  26  Feb  (KSG)  and 
Gardena,  Los  Angeles  23  Dec  (KL),  and  on  the 
low  desert  near  Mecca,  Riverside  21  Jan — 23 
Feb  (C-TL)  and  at  S.E.S.S.  1 Jan — 12  Feb 
(CMcF).  Chestnut-sided  Warblers  v/ere  found 
in  Goieta  5 Jan  (RHt),  near  Glendale,  Los 
Angeles  through  Mar  (RBa),  near  Encino,  Los 
Angeles  9 Jan-h  (JDB),  in  El  Segundo,  Los 
Angeles  16  Jan- — -Mar  (RBa),  and  in  San  Diego 
18  Nov — 9 Mar-f  (MMR).  A male  Black- 
throated  Blue  Warbler  in  Newport  Beach  3 
Nov — 8 Mar  (M&BN)  was  the  4th  to  be  found 
in  winter  in  Orange.  In  addition  to  wintering 
birds  in  Coronado  and  National  City  noted  in 
the  fall  report,  Black-throated  Green  Warblers 
were  found  in  Arroyo  Grande  13  Nov — 9 Dec 
(BKS),  Goieta  2-3  Dec  (RHt),  Lake  Forest, 
Orange9Dec — 17  Feb  (LDT),  Carlsbad  22  Dec 
(PU)  and  Spring  Valley,  San  Diego  20  Jan — 21 
Feb  (MH).  A Blackburnian  Warbler,  casual  in 
winter,  was  near  Goieta  18-26  Dec  (JRS).  The 
Grace’s  Warbler  initially  found  in  Sep  on  Pt. 
Loma  remained  through  the  period  (GMcC), 
and  at  least  2 of  the  3 male  Pine  Warblers 
found  in  Nov  in  Long  Beach  also  remained 
through  the  period  (TEW);  another  Pine 
Warbler  was  in  Santa  Barbara  30  Dec-f-  (HPR). 
A Prairie  Warbler  found  in  Oct  on  San 
Clemente  1.  remained  to  12  Dec  (JTB). 
Thirteen  Palm  Warblers  were  on  the  coastal 
slope  during  the  period,  and  birds  in  Bishop  15 
Dec — 24  Jan  (REM,  JLD)  and  in  Maricopa, 
Kern  22  Jan  (BKP)  were  unusual  for  the  n.  inte- 
rior. A Bay-breasted  Warbler,  declining  as  a 
vagrant  to  California  and  with  few  previous 
winter  records,  was  in  Long  Beach  29  Dec — 7 
Jan  (KLG). 

Seventeen  Black-and-white  Warblers  were 
in  the  coastal  areas;  inland,  one  remaining  to  8 


Dec  in  California  City  (MMcQ)  was  the  latest 
for  the  Kern  deserts,  and  another  was  in  El 
Centro  17  Dec — 7 Jan  (GMcC).  Seven 
American  Redstarts  were  found  during  the 
period  along  the  coast;  6 at  S.E.S.S.  in  Dec 
(GMcC)  was  a normal  number,  and  one  near 
Earp,  San  Bernardino  22  Feb  (MBM)  was  part 
of  a small  wintering  population  on  the  lower 
Colorado  R.  An  Ovenbird  in  San  Diego  26  Dec 
(TB)  was  the  only  one  reported.  Three 
Common  Yeilowthroats  in  the  n.  Owens  Valley 
15  Dec — 20  Jan  (J&DP)  eclipsed  the  three  pre- 
vious winter  records  for  Inyo.  A MacGillivray’s 
Warbler  near  El  Monte,  Los  Angeles  15  Dec 
(JLF)  was  the  only  one  reported,  as  was  a 
female  Hooded  Warbler  at  Coronado  the  same 
day  (RP).  At  least  35  Wilson’s  Warblers  were 
found  during  the  period  along  the  coast,  but 
one  on  the  high  desert  in  Lancaster  15  Dec 
(LWA)  and  another  in  El  Centro  6 Dec — 18 
Feb  (KZK)  were  unexpected.  A Painted 
Redstart  remained  in  Palm  Desert  to  at  least  8 
Feb  (KG,  GMcC). 

TAMAGERS  THROUGH  ORIOLES 

A returning  ad.  male  Hepatic  Tanager  was  near 
San  Dimas,  Los  Angeles  22  Dec — 21  Jan 
(MSanM).  A remarkable  27  Summer  Tanagers 
were  found  along  the  coast  from  Goieta  to  San 
Diego  during  the  period,  and  a female  was  in 
Brawley,  Imperial  19  Dec  (GCH);  one  in  Big 
Pine  29  Dec  (J&DP)  establishes  the  first  winter 
record  for  Inyo.  The  Scarlet  Tanager  found  28 
Nov  at  Oceano  was  last  seen  3 Dec  (KJZ). 

Nine  Clay-colored  Sparrows  were  found 
along  the  coast  during  the  period;  a far  more 
unusual  winter  Spizella  was  a Black-chinned 
Sparrow  on  the  Palos  Verdes  Peninsula,  Los 
Angeles  22  Dec  (CTC).  A Lark  Bunting  was  on 
the  Carrizo  Plain,  San  Luis  Obispo  18  Feb  (JSe), 
and  one  on  San  Clemente  I.  1 1 Feb  (BLS)  were 
firsts  for  winter  at  those  locations.  Nelson’s 
Sharp-tailed  Sparrows  at  expected  sites  includ- 
ed up  to  2 at  Morro  Bay  1 Dec — 26  Feb  (MDS) 
and  up  to  6 at  Seal  Beach  N.W.R.,  Orange  in 
Dec  and  Jan  (JF);  2 videotaped  at  V.C.P.G.  23 
Jan  to  period’s  end  (DD)  were  away  from  tidal 
saltmarsh  habitat  normally  frequented.  Red 
Fox  Sparrows  were  reported  from  Los  Angeles 
21  Dec- — 14  Feb  (RBa),  Huntington  Beach  30 
Dec — 9 Mar  (JSB),  and  Santee,  San  Diego  12 
Feb  (MBM).  Sixteen  Swamp  Sparrows  and  55 
White-throated  Sparrows  were  at  or  above 
normal  numbers,  though  sightings  of  these 
regular  winterers  are  not  always  reported.  A 
good  showing  of  1 1 Harris’s  Sparrows  includ- 
ed 7 along  the  coast  and  4 in  Inyo.  A longspur 
“slam”  at  S.E.S.S.  included  up  to  3 McCown’s 
30  Dec — 5 Jan  (TE),  up  to  150  Chestnut-col- 
lareds  31  Dec — 2 Feb  (GMcC,  MSanM),  21+ 


Laplands  18  Dec — 5 Feb  (GMcC)  and  a 
Smith’s  Longspur  near  Calipatria  31  Dec — 16 
Jan  (TE,  GMcC);  the  last  was  in  an  alfalfa  field 
with  a large  flock  of  Chestnut-collared 
Longspurs,  and  was  the  first  for  Imperial,  only 
the  2nd  for  the  Region,  and  established  the  first 
winter  record  for  California. 

Five  Rose-breasted  Grosbeaks  and  2 Black- 
headed Grosbeaks  were  along  the  coast  during 
the  period,  and  late  Blue  Grosbeaks  were  near 
Imperial  Beach  9 Dec  (GMcC)  and  near 
Victorville  13  Dec  (SJM).  An  Indigo  Bunting  in 
Long  Beach  3 Dec  (RBa)  was  a very  late  fall 
vagrant.  The  natural  origin  of  a female  Painted 
Bunting  near  Imperial  Beach  29  Dec  (GMcC) 
is  uncertain. 

Tv/o  Rusty  Blackbirds,  a declining  vagrant  to 
California,  were  found:  a returning  bird  in 
Goieta  8 Dec+  (GBW)  and  one  on  San 
Clemente  I.  14  Feb+  (BLS;  ph.).  A Common 
Crackle  n.  of  Bishop  15-18  Dec  (JLD)  was  the 
latest  fall  record  for  Inyo.  In  addition  to  the 
wintering  bird  in  Irvine  noted  in  the  fall 
report,  Orchard  Orioles  were  in  Ventura  29 
Dec  (OA)  and  San  Diego  11-19  Jan  (MBM).  A 
Hooded  Oriole  in  Ridgecrest  31  Dec  (AH)  and 
3 in  Bakersfield  31  Dec — 24  Feb  (BJM, 
MMcQ)  were  away  from  more  expected 
coastal  winter  habitats.  Eight  Baltimore 
Orioles  were  found  along  the  coast  during  the 
period.  A Bullock’s  Oriole  near  L.  Isabella  1 1 
Jan  (NJS)  establishes  only  the  3rd  winter 
record  for  Kern;  another  in  Bakersfield  24  Feb 
(MMcQ)  might  have  wintered  locally.  The 
Black-backed  Oriole  present  near  Imperial 
Beach  in  the  spring  and  early  summer  of  2000 
and  2001  was  refound  2-13  Jan  (JC);  its  pres- 
ence in  mid-winter  might  suggest,  but  certain- 
ly does  not  prove,  a non-natural  origin. 

Cited  observers  (county  coordinators  in  bold- 
face): Alex  Abeia,  Don  Adams,  Douglas  W. 
Aguillard,  Larry  W.  Allen,  Jon  Anderson, 
Corinne  Ardoin,  Onik  Arian,  Richard  Barth 
(RBa),  Mona  Baumgartel  (MBa),  Louis  R. 
Bevier,  Mark  Billings  (MBi),  Richard  Bledsoe 
(RBI),  Jeffery  S.  Boyd,  John  Bradley,  Jean  D. 
Brandt,  Terence  Brashear,  John  T.  Brollini, 
Milo  Burcham  (MBu),  Ron  Burns  (RBu), 
Eugene  A.  Cardiff  (San  Bernardino),  George 
Chaniot,  Karen  Clarke,  Luke  W.  Cole,  Charles 
T.  Collins,  David  M.  Compton  {Santa 
Barbara),  Jim  Connelly,  Brian  E.  Daniels,  Jim 
Determan,  Don  Desjardin,  Dean  DiTommaso 
(DDi),  Jon  L.  Dunn,  Todd  Easterla,  Tom  M. 
Edell  (San  Luis  Obispo),  Fred  Emerson, 
Michael  U.  Evans,  Ned  Fergusson,  Jon  L. 
Fisher,  John  Fitch,  Kimball  L.  Garrett  {Los 
Angeles),  Karen  S.  Gilbert,  Elisa  Graham,  Kay 
Green,  Daniel  A.  Guthrie,  Robert  W.  Hansen, 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


225 


Marlin  D.  Harms,  Tom  Harrison,  Marjorie 
Hastings,  Gjon  C.  Hazard,  Anna  Hearn,  Tom  & 
Jo  Heindel  {Inyo),  Roger  Higson  (RHi),  Ron 
Hirst  (RHt),  Gus  Hollenbeck,  Chris  Howard, 
Robert  A.  Hudson,  Marshall  J.  Iliff,  Kenneth  Z. 
Kurland,  Kevin  Larson,  Brian  M.  Leatherman, 
Cin-Ty  Lee,  Vic  Leipzig,  John  Luther,  Sandra 
MacGillivray,  Christina  Maranto,  Curtis  A. 
Marantz,  Robert  E.  Maurer,  Barbara  J. 
Maxwell,  Paige  Martin,  Guy  McCaskie 
(Imperial),  Catherine  McFadden,  Chet 
McCaugh,  Todd  McGrath,  Robert  McKernan 
(Riverside),  Michael  McQuerry,  Anthony 


Merceica,  Clark  and  Jean  Moore  (C&JM),  M. 
Brennan  Mulrooney,  Stephen  J,  Myers,  Martin 
and  Barbara  Natland  (M&BN),  Christine 
Nyhan,  Dennis  Parker  (DPa),  Jim  and  Debby 
Parker  (J&DP),  Robert  Patton,  Brandon  K. 
Percival,  David  Pereksta  (DPe),  James  E.  Pike, 
Brian  Prescott,  Hugh  P.  Ranson,  Michael  M. 
Rogers,  Paul  Rosso,  Bob  Sander  (BSa),  Mike 
San  Miguel  (MSanM),  Larry  Sansone,  N.  John 
Schmitt,  Brad  K.  Schram,  Jeff  Seay  (fSe), 
Beaujorn  Shull  (BSh),  Betty  Siegel  (BSie),  Brad 
Sillasen  (BSil),  Jerry  Smith,  Susan  Steele,  Mike 
D.  Stiles,  John  R.  Storrer,  Emilie  Strauss,  Brian 


Baja  California 
Peninsula 


Richard  A.  Erickson 


ISA  Associates 
20  Executive  Park,  Suite  200 
irvine,  California  92614 
(richard.erickson@lsa-assoc.com) 


Departamento  de  Biologia  Marina 
Universidad  Autonoma  de  Baja  California  Sur 
Apartado  Postal  19-B 
La  Paz,  Baja  California  Sur,  Mexico 
(beauty@uabcs.mx). 


Robert  A.  Hamilton 


34  Rivo  Alto  Canal 

Long  Beach,  California  90803 

(robb.hamilton@gte.net). 


Temperatures  were  near  average  this  season,  but 
rainfall  was  very  low.  The  Region’s  first  ever 
Christmas  Bird  Count  was  held  at  Ensenada, 


Eduardo  Palacios 

Ecologia,  Centro  de  Investigacion  Cientifica 
y Educacion  Superior  de  Ensenada 
Mirafiores  334,  Fracc.  Bella  Vista 
La  Paz,  Baja  California  Sur  23050  Mexico 
(U.S.  mailing  address:  P.O.  Box  434844 
San  Diego,  California  92143-4844) 
(epalacio@cicese.mx) 


bringing  out  a modest  contingent  of  eager  birders 
from  both  the  U.S.  and  Mexico.  This  seasonal 
report  lists  4 January — the  CBC  date — a remark- 
able 19  times,  evidence  that  the  count  generated  a 
considerable  volume  of  noteworthy  distributional 
information  that  would  have  otherwise  escaped 
detection. 

Abbreviations:  B.C.  (Baja  California);  B.C.S.  (Baja 


L.  Sullivan,  Robert  Theriault,  Tom  Thomason, 
Gerald  L.  Tolman,  Larry  D.  Tripp,  Phil  Unitt, 
Stanley  Walens,  Ken  Weaver,  Richard  E. 
Webster,  Walter  Wehtje  (Ventura),  Joel 
Weintraub,  Grant  B.  Weyburne,  Douglas  R. 
Willick  (Orange),  Jim  Wilson  (JWi),  John  C. 
Wilson  (Kern),  Thomas  E.  Wurster,  Paul 
Zephe,  James  E.  Zimmer,  Kevin  J.  Zimmer.  An 
additional  40+  observers  who  could  not  be 
individually  acknowledged  submitted  reports 
this  season;  all  have  our  appreciation. 


California  Sur);  U.A.B.G.S.  (Universidad 
Autonoma  de  Baja  California  Sur). 

BOOBIES  THROUGH  TERNS 

Near  the  California  border,  three  species  of  boo- 
bies were  recorded  at  Islas  Los  Coronados:  an  ad. 
Masked  and  3 ad.  Browns  20  Jan  (REW)  and  an 
ad.  Blue-footed  27  Jan  (fBKP,  vt.  DB).  Brown 
Boobies  have  become  regular  on  these  islands  in 
recent  years,  and  it  was  an  exceptional  season  for 
Masked  Boobies  in  California,  so  the  Blue-footed 
Booby  was  actually  the  least  expected.  Although 
up  to  38  were  recorded  on  these  islands  in  1971, 
the  species  has  gone  unrecorded  on  the  coast  of 
California  since  1990. 

American  Bitterns  appear  to  be  in  decline  on 
much  of  the  continent  and  are  rarely  reported  in 
our  Region;  one  was  at  Estero  Punta  Banda  3-12 
Dec  (RAH  et  al).  Up  to  5 ad.  and  2 imm.  Black- 
bellied  Whistling-Ducks  were  found  at  Lagunas  de 
Chametla  14  Dec-15  Feb  (RC,  LS  et  al.),  where  the 
species  has  occurred  fairly  regularly  since  1995. 
Noteworthy  geese  included  Snows  at  Estero  Punta 
Banda  and  on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4 Jan  (DSC, 
MSM  et  al.)  and  at  Estero  San  Jose  del  Cabo  20-30 
Jan  (up  to  5;  GB,  AC  et  al.),  and  a Lesser  Canada 
Goose  continuing  at  Lagunas  de  Chametla  to  at 
least  26  Mar  (RC,  SGM  et  al.).  RegionaOy  rare 
ducks  included  male  Eurasian  Wigeon  at  Estero 
Punta  Banda  3 Dec  (RAH,  RAE)  and  13  Jan 
(MDC),  a female  Greater  Scaup  at  Estero  Punta 
Banda  12  Dec  (SM,  ElM)  and  5 females  at 
Guerrero  Negro  6 Feb  (JEP,  DSP),  and  3 female 
Hooded  Mergansers  on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4-5 
Jan  (MJI  et  al.). 

Continuing  the  trend  from  recent  years,  3 
Harris’s  Hawks  were  relatively  far  n.  at  Heroes  de 
la  Independencia  12  Jan  (MDC).  On  the  heels  of 
last  Oct’s  birds  at  Ciudad  Constitucion,  19 
Swainson’s  Hawks  were  just  w.  of  Ciudad 
Insurgentes  2 Feb,  and  2 juvs.  were  at  Santa 
Teresita  5 Feb  (all  JEP,  DSP).  A juv.  Zone-tailed 
Hawk  at  El  Rosario  25  Jan  (JEP,  DSP)  was  the  only 
one  found  in  B.C.. 


226 


North  American  Birds 


Southern  Pacific  Coast — Baja  California  Peninsula 


The  season’s  shorebird  highlight  was  a Solitary 
Sandpiper  at  Lagunas  de  Chametla  6 Feb  (RC,  RL, 
’^U.A.B.C.S.);  the  only  previous  winter  record  for 
the  Region  was  of  three  at  Migrino,  B.C.S.  9 Feb 
1999.  Examples  of  gulls  on  the  “wrong”  coasts  of 
B.C.S.  were  provided  by  a Yellow-footed  at  Todos 
Santos  29  Jan  and  8 Westerns  betv/een  San  Juan  de 
la  Costa  and  La  Paz  28  Jan — 1 Feb  (all  JEP,  DSP). 
Two  or  3 Elegant  Terns  at  Loreto  2 Jan  (tMJI)  rep- 
resented the  first  winter  record  for  the  Region. 

DOVES  THROUGH  ViREOS 

Three  Ruddy  Ground-Doves  at  Todos  Santos  29 
Jan  (JEP,  DSP)  v/ere  the  only  ones  reported,  a sur- 
prising drop-off  from  the  large  numbers  recorded 
in  fall.  The  migrations  of  Rufous  and  Allen’s 
Hummingbirds  through  the  Region  are  imprecise- 
ly known.  Although  Allen’s  was  considered  “abun- 
dant” at  Mulege  in  March  1996  (Great  Basin 
Naturalist  57:  131-141),  identification  problems 
with  this  species  pair  led  Howell  et  al. 
(Monographs  in  Field  Ornithology  3:  128,  192)  to 
consider  the  species  unconfirmed  in  B.C.S.  An  ad. 
male  Allen’s  reported  at  Vizcaino,  B.C.S.  14  Feb 
(MDC)  was  midway  through  the  period  during 
which  Allen’s  were  found  at  Bahia  de  Los  Angeles 
(5  Feb — 6 Mar;  MF,  GF)  and  was  almost  certainly 
correctly  identified,  but  the  problem  of  green- 
backed  male  Rufous  Hummingbirds  remains.  A 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker  was  at  Santo  Tomas  5 Jan 
(JEP).  Rare  woodpeckers  in  B.C.S.  were  a Red- 
breasted Sapsucker  at  San  Ignacio  3 Jan  (fMJI) 
and  a Northern  Flicker  near  Santa  Teresita  5 Feb 
(tJEP,  DSP).  These  represented  the  2nd  and  first 
state  records,  respectively  (cf.  the  fall  report). 

The  Region’s  first  wintering  Least  Flycatcher  v/as 
at  Guerrero  Negro  3-26  Jan  (ph.  fMJI,  JEP),  while 
a Hammond’s  Flycatcher  at  Ensenada  3 DeC' — 4 
Jan  (RAE,  rt.  SAH;  Fig.  1)  fiirnished  the  first  win- 
ter record  for  B.C.;  a Gray  Flycatcher  on  the 
Maneadero  Plain  4 Jan  (PAG,  fGMcC)  was  more 
expected.  Fewer  than  10  Tropical  Kingbirds  have 
been  found  wintering  on  the  peninsula  (divided 
between  the  northv/est  and  the  Cape  District),  so  a 
calling  bird  on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4 Jan  (PAG, 
tGMcC)  and  a silent  one  at  Loreto  25  Feb  (fSFB) 
were  notable.  Thick-billed  Kingbirds  are  now  con- 
sidered rare  and  regular  in  fall  and  winter  in  the 
Cape  District;  the  season’s  only  report  was  of  one 
at  Santiago  31  Jan  (JEP,  DSP).  Outside  the  Cape 
District,  single  Cassin’s  Vireos  were  on  the 
Maneadero  Plain  4 Jan  (fMSM)  and  at  San  Isidro 
2 Feb  (JEP,  DSP).  A Plumbeous  Vireo  near  San 
Javier  4 Feb  (JEP)  was  in  the  Cape  District,  where 
small  numbers  probably  winter  regularly;  another 
on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4-5  Jan  (DSC,  fMSM, 
RAE)  was  in  B.C.,  where  less  expected. 

SWALLOWS  THROUGH  BLACKBIRDS 

Winter  swallow  reports  included  3 Northern 


Rough-wingeds  at  Estero  Punta  Banda  4 Jan  (DSC 
et  al.)  and  one  at  Chametla  28  Jan  (JEP),  9 Barns 
between  Tijuana  and  La  Salina  3 Jan  (RAH),  9 
more  on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4 Jan  (GMcC  et  al.), 
and  singles  at  Chametla  28  Jan  and  near  Santa 
Teresita  5 Feb  (both  JEP).  At  least  3 American 
Robins  at  Guerrero  Negro  29  Dec — 26  Jan  (MJI  et 
al.)  and  another  near  Santa  Teresita  5 Feb  (JEP, 
DSP)  v/ere  in  B.C.S.,  where  the  species  is  rare  in 
fall/winter  (apart  from  birds  resident  in  the  Sierra 
de  La  Laguna). 

Eastern  warblers  did  not  disappoint:  A 
Tennessee  at  Guerrero  Negro  3-26  Jan  (ph.,  fMJI  et 
al.)  and  another  at  San  Antonio  1 Feb  (JEP,  DSP) 
constituted  the  2Rd  and  3rd  winter  records  for 
B.C.S.;  a Chestnut-sided  at  San  Javier  4 Feb  (JEP, 
DSP)  and  a Prairie  at  Todos  Santos  29  Jan  (DSP, 
JEP)  furnished  first  winter  records  for  the  peninsu- 
la; a female  Cape  May  Warbler  on  the  Maneadero 
Plain  5 Jan  (|DSC,  jMSM,  RAE)  and  a male  and  2 
females  at  Miraflores  31  Jan  (tJEP,  DSP)  followed 
just  one  previous  winter  record  in  the  Region. 
Black-throated  Green  Warblers  were  previously 
unrecorded  in  winter,  but  lerpy  Eucalyptus  trees  on 
the  Maneadero  Plain  that  held  3 on  30  Oct  yielded 
a female  on  3 Dec  (RAH)  and  at  least  one  male  on 

4 Jan  and  16  Feb  (JEP);  an  additional  bird  was 
about  one  km  s.  of  there  on  4 Jan  (tJEP). 

Reports  of  w.  warblers  were  comparatively 
scarce;  examples  included  just  2 Nashvilles  (Punta 
Banda  4 Jan  [JEP]  and  Sierra  de  La  Laguna  15  Feb 
[MDC]);  one  Yellow  in  B.C.  (Maneadero  Plain  5 
Jan  [MSM,  DSC]);  one  Black-throated  Gray  in 
B.C.  (Maneadero  Plain  5 Jan  [MSM,  DSC]);  2 
Hermits  (San  Quintin  Plain  24  Jan  [JEP,  DSP]  and 
Sierra  de  La  Laguna  15  Feb  [MDC]);  2 Palms  (both 
on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4 Jan  [tJEP,  tMSM]);  7 
Black-and-whites  (one  in  B.C.);  2 American 
Redstarts  in  B.C.;  6-8  Wilson’s  in  B.C.;  and  2 
Yellow-breasted  Chats  (Muleje  27  Jan  [JEP,  DSP] 
and  Todos  Santos  29  Jan  [DSP]).  A male 
MacGillivray’s  V7arbler  on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4- 

5 Jan  (tDSC,  tMSM,  et  al.)  was  unprecedented  in 
B.C.  during  winter. 

Seven  Summer  Tanagers  (5  in  B.C.,  2 in  B.C.S.) 
was  a healthy  sum,  particularly  compared  with  a 
paltry  3 Westerns  in  B.C.:  Ensenada  4 Jan  (tRAH) 
and  2 at  Cantamar  5 Jan  (DSC,  MSM).  In  B.C.S., 
Western  Tanager  counts  of  2 at  Guerrero  Negro  2 
Jan  and  one  at  Loreto  3 Jan  (both  MJI),  9 at  Mulege 
27  Jan,  9 at  Ciudad  Coestitucion  28  Jan,  and  10  at 
San  Isidro  3 Feb  (all  JEP,  DSP)  suggest  a wider  win- 
ter distribution  than  previously  knov/n.  Four 
Chipping  Sparrows  at  San  Javier  1 Jan  (MJI)  were 
in  B.C.S.,  where  the  winter  status  is  unclear,  while 
a Brewer’s  Sparrow  on  the  Maneadero  Plain  4 Jan 
(tCMcC,  PAG)  and  3 Clay-coloreds  on  the  San 
Quintin  Plain  24  Jan  (JEP)  were  extralimital.  Two 
Sooty  Fox  Sparrows  at  El  Rosario  24-25  Jan  (JEP) 
were  as  far  s.  on  the  peninsular  mainland  as  this 


Baja  California’s  first  wintering  Hammond’s 


Fiycatcher  at  Ensenada,  B.  C.,  was  among  numer- 
ous higWigWs  of  the  Region’s  inaugural  Christmas 
Bird  Count,  held  on  4 January  2002.  This  bird  had 
been  present  here  since  3 December.  Photograph 
from  digital  video  by  Robert  A.  Hamilton. 

subspecies  group  has  been  found.  A Swamp 
Sparrow  on  the  Maneadero  Plain  5 Jan  (DSC, 
tMSM)  furnished  just  the  6th  Regional  record; 
single  White-throated  Sparrows,  only  marginally 
commoner,  were  found  at  La  Bufadora  4 Jan  (JEP) 
and  on  the  San  Quintin  Plain  24  Jan  (DSP,  JEP). 
An  imm.  Golden-crowned  Sparrow  at  San  Isidro  2 
Feb  (JEP)  was  the  first  for  the  s.  third  of  the  penin- 
sula since  early  in  the  last  century.  Two  Cray-head- 
ed Juncos  remained  at  Punta  Banda  3 Dec  (RAH, 
RAE),  with  one  there  4 Jan  (JEP).  A Lazuli  Bunting 
on  the  San  Quintin  Plain  24  Jan  (JEP)  provided 
B.C.’s  2nd  winter  record.  At  least  1000  Yellow- 
headed Blackbirds  with  2500  Brown-headed 
Cowbirds  just  e.  of  Ciudad  Insurgentes  28  Jan 
(JEP,  DSP)  comprised  the  peninsula’s  largest 
recorded  concentration  of  the  former  species  by 
an  order  of  magnitude.  Two  Baltimore  Orioles 
were  found:  Guerrero  Negro  26  Jan  and  La 
Purisima  2 Feb  (both  JEP). 

Corrigendum 

In  the  summer  report,  the  Red-breasted  Nuthatch 
noted  was  indeed  the  first  mainland  summer 
record,  but  the  species  was  formerly  resident  on 
Isla  Guadalupe. 

Contributors:  Stephen  F.  Bailey,  Joe  Barth, 
Georgina  Brabata,  David  Bradford,  Michael  D. 
Carmody,  Roberto  Carmona,  Daniel  S.  Cooper, 
Andrea  Cuellar,  Richard  A.  Erickson,  George 
Flicker,  Mary  Flicker,  Peter  A.  Ginsberg,  Salvador 
Gonzalez-Guzman,  Robert  A.  Hamilton,  Anita  L. 
Herrera,  Steve  N.  G.  Howell,  Marshall  J.  Iliff, 
Nahyon  Lee,  Rita  Lopez,  Guy  McCaskie,  Eric 
Mellink,  Renato  Mendoza,  Elinor  Miller,  Stauffer 
Miller,  Steven  G.  Mlodinow,  Dharm  S.  Pellegrini, 
James  E.  Pike,  Brandon  K.  Percival,  Geoffrey  L. 
Rogers,  Mike  San  Miguel,  Luis  Sauma,  Philip 
Unitt,  Richard  E.  Webster.  /) 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


111 


Mexico 


Hector  Gomez  de  Silva 
Xola  314-E 
031 00  Mexico,  D.  F. 
(hgomez@miranda.ecologia.unam.mx) 

Records  from  the  winter  reporting  period  come 
from  scattered  parts  of  the  country,  with  a par- 
ticularly large  number  of  records  from  Oaxaca. 
Sonora  and  the  northern  Yucatan  Peninsula  pro- 
duced a remarkable  variety  of  vagrants.  On  the 
other  hand,  Chiapas,  Guerrero,  and  many  northern 
and  central  states  continue  to  provide  few  or  no 
records. 

Limpkins  and  Snail  Kites  continued  to  show  up 
in  many  areas  along  the  Pacific  coast  where  they 
were  not  mapped  by  Howell  & Webb  (1995). 
Flammulated  Owls  continue  to  be  recorded  in  num- 
bers around  La  Cumbre  in  Oaxaca;  there  were  very 
few  previous  records  from  that  state. 

A particularly  interesting  contribution  is  Rob 
Hamilton’s  careful  observations  from  a trip  to  the 
rarely  birded  Islas  Marias  off  Nayarit  from  23  Jan — 
8 Feb,  which  produced  six  new  species  for  the  archi- 
pelago and  a number  of  interesting  winter  records  of 
birds  thought  to  be  transients.  Sadly,  Hamilton 
reports  much  habitat  damage  by  introduced  mam- 
mals on  Isla  Maria  Magdalena  and  Isla  Maria 
Cleofas.  He  writes:  “Magdalena  appears  to  show  the 
effects  of  grazing  fairly  dramatically,  both  in  its 
dearth  of  herbaceous  understory  and  the  domi- 
nance of  thorny  agaves  and  other  spiny  species  in 
the  understory  left  by  the  grazers,”  and  Cleofas  is 
now  “full  of  goats  and  black  rats,  a mule,  some  cat- 
tle, and  sign  of  cats,”  whereas  this  island  did  not  have 
any  feral  animals  in  the  mid-1970s.  At  least  one  bird 
of  the  Islas  Marias,  the  endemic  Lawrence’s  (Broad- 
billed) Hummingbird,  appears  to  be  in  serious 
decline.  However,  these  are  just  two  of  many 
Mexican  islands  that  have  problems  caused  by  intro- 
duced mammals. 


NORTHERN  MEXICO 


LOONS  THROUGH  HUMMINGBIROS 

A Red-throated  Loon  was  in  Cholla  Bay,  Puerto 
Penasco,  Son  15  & 16  Dec  (SG,  RJ).  A Red-necked 
Grebe  was  recorded  in  Puerto  Penasco  16  Dec  (NB). 
At  least  40  active  Brown  Pelican  nests  were  seen  at  a 
traditional  nesting  site  on  the  nw.  side  of  Isla  Maria 
Cleofas  4 Feb  (RAH).  A Double-crested  Cormorant 
was  at  San  Bias,  Nay.,  where  rare,  11  Jan 
(SNGH,CW).  An  estimated  371  active  Blue-footed 
Booby  nests  were  recorded  at  a traditional  nesting 
site  near  the  se.  anchorage  of  Isla  Maria  Cleofas  3 
Feb  (RAH).  An  estimated  1730  Blue-footed  Booby 
nests  with  sitting  ads.  or  under  construction  were 
reported  from  the  s.  end  of  Isla  San  Juanito,  Islas 
Marias,  Nay.  10  Feb  (AJ,  SL).  Holsinger  reported  a 
Reddish  Egret  at  a large  lake  in  Linares,  N.L.  in  early 
Feb.  At  least  2 Bare-throated  Tiger-Herons  were  seen 
at  Mintadero  Arroyo  e.  of  Alamos,  Son.  18  Jan 
(G&GW),  and  several  were  seen  along  the  Rio 
Cuchijaqui,  Son.  in  mid-Feb  (SG). 

Fifteen  Canada  Geese,  a rare  species  in  Son.,  were 
found  in  the  Estero  Mania,  Puerto  Penasco  16  Dec 
(NB).  There  was  one  Snow  Goose  along  the  Rio 
Mayo  at  Presa  Mocuzari,  Son.  (SG),  where  rare. 
Miller  estimated  700  Snow  Geese  at  Presa  Abelardo 
R.  Rodriguez  in  Hermosillo,  Son.  6 Dec  (SM).  In 
Navojoa,  Son.,  5 Fulvous  Whistling-Ducks  were  with 
300  Black-bellied  Whistling-Ducks  in  mid-Feb 
(SG).  Three  Blue-winged  Teal,  formerly  unrecorded 
in  the  Islas  Marias,  were  seen  on  Isla  Maria 
Magdalena  6 Feb  (RAH).  A male  Greater  Scaup  was 
seen  on  the  Rio  San  Cristobal  near  Las  Marismas, 
Nay.  14  Jan  (NM-C,  RT).  One  female  Hooded 
Merganser  was  seen  at  El  Golfo  de  Santa  Clara,  Son. 
11  Feb  (KG). 

Three  imm.  Snail  Kites  were  photographed  on 
the  Rio  San  Cristobal  14  Jan  (NM-C,  RT);  SNGH 
and  GW  saw  5 nearby  on  the  Singayta  road  9 Jan; 
NM-C  and  RT  recorded  Snail  Kites  in  the  San  Bias 
area  in  Jan  2000,  and  Rod  Drewien  remembers  see- 
ing them  at  San  Bias  as  far  back  as  the  1960s  [fide 


NM-C).  One  Ferruginous  Hawk  was  reported  near 
Bahia  Kino,  Son.  7 Dec  (SM).  Around  100  Sandhill 
Cranes  were  seen  in  N.L.  near  the  Tamps,  border  at 
km  145  of  Hwy  85  (AH).  Five  Limpkins  were  along 
Rio  San  Cristobal  and  at  Las  Marismas  14  Jan,  where 
they  had  also  been  seen  Jan  2000  (NM-C,  RT).  A 
Common  Moorhen,  a new  species  for  the  Islas 
Marias,  was  seen  on  Isla  Maria  Magdalena  6 Feb 
(RAH). 

Eight  Snowy  Plovers,  also  formerly  unrecorded 
in  the  Islas  Marias,  were  seen  on  Isla  Maria  Cleofas  1 
Feb  (RAH),  and  18  were  seen  on  Isla  San  Juanito  10 
Feb  (AJ,  SL).  A Solitary  Sandpiper  was  seen  along 
the  Rio  Cuchijaqui  (SG).  Seven  hundred  Red 
Phalaropes  were  estimated  on  the  boat  trip  from  Isla 
Maria  Magdalena  to  Isla  Maria  Madre  8 Feb,  while 
700  were  estimated  between  Isla  Maria  Madre  and 
Isla  Maria  Cleofas  on  the  same  date  (RAH).  Sixteen 
Heermann’s  Gulls  were  estimated  on  Isla  Maria 
Cleofas  3 Feb  (RAH).  One  first- win  ter  Black-legged 
Kittiwake  was  seen  at  a large  gull  roost  just  n.  of 
Mazatlan,  Sin.  22  Feb  (MDC). 

A pair  of  Ruddy  Ground-Doves  was  in  Puerto 
Penasco  15  Dec  (SG,  RJ);  this  is  the  2nd  record  for 
Puerto  Penasco  of  a species  that  has  recently  become 
somewhat  regular  in  winter  in  s.  Arizona.  Around  40 
Military  Macaws  were  seen  at  Mirador  El  Aguila, 
Nay.  15  Jan  (NM-C,  RT).  The  highest  daily  counts  of 
the  endemic  race  of  Yellow-headed  Parrots  in  the 
Tres  Marlas  Islands  in  late  Jan  and  early  Feb  were  12 
on  IsJa  Maria  Cleofas  and  18  on  Isla  Maria 
Magdalena  (RAH).  One  Elf  Owl  carcass  was  found 
on  Isla  Maria  Magdalena  25  Jan  (RAH).  An  Eared 
Poorwill  was  seen  on  Cerro  San  Juan,  Nay.  19  Feb  on 
a traditional  perch,  and  2 were  using  the  same  for- 
aging perch  27  Feb  (MDC).  Grazing  and  trampling 
of  the  understory  by  goats  has  probably  caused  a 
decline  in  the  formerly  common  Lawrence’s 
(Broad-billed)  Hummingbird  in  the  Islas  Marias, 
where  only  one  was  seen  25  Jan,  2 on  7 Feb,  and 
none  on  26-27  Jan  or  6 Feb  on  Isla  Maria 
Magdalena,  and  none  were  seen  on  Isla  Maria 
Cleofas  29  Jan — 4 Feb  (RAH).  On  the  other  hand. 
Cinnamon  Hummingbird,  which  also  has  an 
endemic  race  on  the  Islas  Marias,  was  seen  daily  24 
Jan — 8 Feb,  with  maximum  daily  counts  of  25  on 
Isla  Maria  Magdalena  and  26  on  Isla  Maria  Cleofas 
(RAH).  A male  Anna’s  Hummingbird  was  at  La 
Posta,  Dgo.  8 Dec  (T8<DH,  FVP,  WB).  Many  Plain- 
capped  Starthroats  were  seen  along  the  Rio 
Cuchujaqui  mid-Feb  (SG).  One  male  Sparkling- 
taOed  Hummingbird  was  seen  feeding  in  flowering 
Inga  at  La  Bajada  near  San  Bias  16  Jan  (NM-C,  RT). 
Two  Bumblebee  Hummingbirds,  a male  and  a 
female,  were  seen  on  Cerro  San  Juan,  Nay.  15  Jan 
(NM-C,  RT).  A female  Calliope  Hummingbird  was 
at  a low  elevation  for  winter  at  Singayta  13  Jan 
(SNGH,  GW). 


228 


North  American  Birds 


Mexico 


WOODPECKERS  THROUGH  FIMCHES 

Two  Red-naped  Sapsuckers  and  a Lineated 
V/oodpecker  were  seen  along  the  Rio  Cuchujaqui  in 
mid-Feb  (SG).  An  Ivory-billed  Woodcreeper  was  in 
a park  in  Alamos  in  mid-Feb  (SG).  A Say’s  Phoebe 
was  reported  from  the  summit  of  Cerro  de  San  Juan, 
Nay.  3 & 5 Feb  (MWE).  A Tufted  Flycatcher  was  at 
Bosque  Venustiano  Carranza  Park  in  Torreon,  Coah. 
2 Feb,  presumably  the  same  bird  found  there  17  Nov 
(FW,  WB).  Greater  Pewee,  Tufted  Flycatchers, 
Brown-backed  Solitaire,  and  Slate-throated 
Redstarts  were  all  wintering  at  low  elevation  along 
the  Rio  Cuchijaqui  in  mid-Feb  (SG).  A male 
Vermilion  Flycatcher,  normally  considered  a tran- 
sient in  the  Mas  Marias,  was  photographed  on  Isla 
Maria  Cleofas  31  Jan  (RAH).  A Bam  Swallow, 
unrecorded  in  the  past  from  the  Mas  Marias,  was  on 
Isla  Maria  Cleofas  1 Feb  (RAH)  during  the  time  of  a 
winter  “invasion”  of  the  species  that  spanned  from 
California  to  British  Columbia.  At  Yavaros,  Son., 
Mangrove  Swallows  appeared  to  be  nesting  already 
mid-Feb  (SG). 

A Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  new  to  the  Islas 
Marias,  was  seen  on  Isla  Maria  Magdalena  2 Feb 
(RAH).  Blue-gray  Gnatotchers  had  likewise  never 
been  documented  in  the  Islas  Marias;  14  were  esti- 
mated on  Isla  Maria  Cleofas,  and  7 were  estimated 
on  Isla  Maria  Magdalena  late  Jan  and  early  Feb 
(RAH).  A single  Grayson's  Thrush  on  Isla  Maria 
Cleofas  2 Feb  showed  juv.  plumage  (RAH).  A Blue- 
winged  Warbler  was  seen  near  Piedra  Blanca,  Sin. 
14  Jan  (G&WW).  One  Colima  Warbler  was  on 
Cerro  San  Juan  15  Jan  (NM-C,  RT).  A Yellow- 
throated  Warbler,  new  for  the  Islas  Marias,  was  seen 
on  Isla  Maria  Madre  8 Feb  (race  alhilora,  RAH).  An 
imm.  male  Chestnut-sided  Warbler  was  in  a yard 
on  the  e.  side  of  Puerto  Pehasco  16  Dec,  feeding  in 
acacia,  mesquite,  and  citrus  trees,  as  was  a female  or 
imm.  male  American  Redstart  (SG,  RP).  A 
Northern  Parula  and  a Louisiana  Waterthrash  were 
along  the  Rio  Cuchijaqui.  at  Esperanza,  Son.  mid- 
Feb  (SG).  A Chestnut-sided  Warbler  was  at  the 
large  gravel  pond  just  n.  of  the  tofl  booth  on  Hwy  15 
in  mid-Feb  (SG).  A MacGiUivray’s  Warbler  was  seen 
on  Isla  Maria  Cleofas  30  Jan  (RAH),  while  a male 
Wflson’s  Warbler  was  on  Isla  Maria  Magdalena  7 Feb 
(RAH). 

Garrett  saw  one  female  Scarlet  Tanager  at  El 
Doctor,  Son.  (km  81  on  the  highway  to  El  Golfo  de 
Santa  Clara)  at  the  late  date  of  9 Dec;  this  record 
agrees  with  the  exceptional  showing  of  Scarlet 
Tanagers  in  Arizona,  s.  California,  and  Baja 
California  during  fall  2001  (incidentally,  the  same 
observer  saw  an  imm.  male  at  El  Doctor  8 Oct 
2000).  A Canyon  Towhee  was  reported  in  Peso 
Island,  San  Bias,  Nay.  4 Feb  (MWE).  A female  Rusty 
Blackbird  was  found  in  a pigpen  in  Puerto  Penasco 
16  Dec  together  with  Brewer’s  Blackbirds,  Red- 


winged Blackbirds,  and  a few  Great-tailed  Crackles 
(SG,  RJ,  m.  ob.).  Two  pairs  of  Hooded  Orioles  were 
found  in  Puerto  Penasco  16  Dec  (SG),  new  ’winter 
records  for  this  locality.  Three  American 
Goldfinches  were  reported  30  km  s.  of  Cananea, 
Son.  5 Dec  (SM). 

Contributors  (area  compilers  in  boldface):  William 
Beatty,  Ned  Boyajian,  Michael  D.  Carmody,  Mark  W. 
Eaton,  Steve  Ganley,  Kimball  Garrett,  Hector 
Gomez  de  Silva,  Robb  A.  Hamilton,  Antonio 
Hidalgo,  Tom  & Diane  Holsinger,  Steve  N.G.  Howell, 
Aaron  Hebshi,  Roy  Jones,  Sandra  Larsen,  Stauffer 
Miller  (SM),  Narca  Moore-Craig  (NM-C),  Richard 
Palmer,  Rick  Taylor,  Francisco  Valdes  Perezgasga, 
George  & Winger  West  (G&WW),  C.  Wood. 

CENTRAL  MEXICO 


Abbreviations:  P.E.C.M.  (Parque  Ecologico  de  la 
Ciudad  de  Mexico,  D.F.),  U.N.A.M.  (Universidad 
Nacional  Autonoma  de  Mexico). 

HEROHS  THROUGH  HUMMINGBIRDS 

A Green  Heron  was  in  the  U.N.A.M.  Botanical 
Garden,  D.F.  16  Dec  (SA).  Two  Wood  Storks  were 
inland  at  high  elevation  (1500  m)  at  Laguna  de 
Sayula,  Jal.  17  Feb,  perhaps  the  same  individuals  seen 
flying  over  the  west  edge  of  Colima,  Col.  23  Feb 
(SNGH,  DL).  A pair  of  Ring-necked  Ducks  was  at  a 
lake  in  Toluca,  Mex.  25  Feb  (HGdS,  m.  ob.).  Three 
Snail  Kites  were  seen  on  the  road  to  Manzanillo 
Airport,  Col.  14  Jan  (AJ,  JV),  and  up  to  5 were  there 
12 — 21  Feb  (SNGH,  DL).  A single  Hook-billed  Kite 
was  in  the  U.N.A.M.  Botanical  Garden  16  Dec,  17 
Jan,  and  10  Feb  (SA).  A pair  of  Cooper’s  Hawks  were 
heard  vocalizing  in  the  P.E.C.M.  8 Dec  (SA,  HGdS), 
and  one  was  heard  vocalizing  there  27  Dec,  22  & 24 
Jan,  and  7 Feb  (SA).  An  ad.  nominate  Red-shoul- 
dered  Hawk  was  at  Laguna  Zapotan,  Jal.  16  Feb 


(SNGHjDL).  A Broad-winged  Hawk  was  soaring 
low  over  the  U.N.A.M.  Botanical  Garden  7 Feb 
(HGdS).  Ten  Limpidns  were  reported  from  the  road 
to  the  Manzanillo  Airport  14  Jan  (AJ,  JV),  and  2 
were  noted  there  3 Feb  (SJD).  Up  to  12  Limpkins 
were  at  Manzanillo  Airport  marshes  12-22  Feb 
(SNGH,  DL).  Two  King/Clapper  Rails  were  at  Barra 
de  Navidad,  Jal.  mangroves  13  Feb  (SNGH,  DL).  An 
imm.  Ring-billed  Gull  was  at  Parque  Ecologico  de 
Xochimilco,  D.F.  28  Feb  (HGdS,  m.  ob.),  while  a 
California  Gull  was  reported  near  Hotel  Vida  del 
Mar,  Col.  19  Jan  (AJ,  fV).  Two  introduced  Red-Iored 
Parrots  were  seen  in  Oaxtepec,  Mor.  16  Dec  (HGdS). 
A Long-eared  Owl  was  sitting  on  the  Volcan  de 
Fuego,  Jal.,  road  before  dawn  16  Feb  (SNGH,  DL).  A 
female  Whip-poor-will  was  studied  at  its  roost  in 
Barranca  El  Choncho,  Jal.  15  Feb.  at  the  low  eleva- 
tion of  250  m (SNGH,  DL).  Chestnut-collared 
Swifts  ’/vere  seen  on  the  Playa  de  Oro  road,  Col.  13  & 


14  Jan  (AJ,  JV).  Tv/o  White-fronted  Swifts  were 
with  20  Chestnut-collareds  over  the  Playa  de  Oro 
road  13  Feb  (SNGH,  DL).  Five  hundred  V/hite- 
naped  Swifts  were  estimated  flying  to  their  roost  at 
Salto  de  San  Anton,  Cuernavaca,  Mor.  27  Feb 
(HGdS,  m.  ob.),  along  with  a few  Chestnut-collared 
Swifts.  Green  Violet-ears  were  singing  on  Volcan  de 
Fuego,  Jal.  1 Feb,  along  the  road  to  Microondas 
Vlboras,  Jal.  5 Feb  (SJD),  and  at  La  Cima,  D.F.  28  Feb 
(HGdS).  One  Green  Violet-ear  was  singing  in  the 
P.E.C.M.  18  Dec  (HGdS)  and  14  Jan  (SA);  one  was 
singing  near  Zitacuaro,  Mich.  26  Feb  (HGdS,  m. 
ob.).  Two  male  Mexican  Woodnymphs  were  at 
Puerto  Los  Mazos,  Jal.  4 Feb  (SJD).  A female  Broad- 
tailed Hummingbird  was  at  La  Cima  28  Feb  (HGdS, 
m.  ob.). 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  FINCHES 

Two  Greenish  Elaenias  were  seen  and  heard  at  the 
P.E.C.M.  through  the  reporting  period  and  at  the 
U.N.A.M.  Botanical  Garden  25  Jan  (SA).  A Pileated 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


229 


and  a Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher  wereat  Canon  de 
Lobos,  Mor.  27  Feb  (HGdS,  m.  ob.).  Two  Tufted 
Flycatchers  were  at  La  Cima,  D.F.  20  Dec  (ITGdS,  SA, 
BC,  JGB),  and  an  Eastern  Phoebe  was  near 
Atarasquillo,  Mex.  25  Feb  (ITGdS,  m.  ob.).  A dozen 
Cliff  Swallows  were  at  Salto  de  San  Anton  27  Feb 
(HGdS,  m.  ob.).  One  Cave  Swallow  among  dozens 
of  Northern  Rough-winged  Swallows  and  Gray- 
breasted Martins  was  reported  on  the  Playa  de  Oro 
road.  Col.  13  Jan  (AJ,  JV),  and  5 Cave  Swallows  were 
there  13  Feb  migrating  n.  (SNGH,  DL). 

A Steller’s  Jay  was  at  U.N.A.M.  Botanical  Garden 
20  Dec  (HGdS,  SA,  BC,  JGB),  where  Western  Scrub- 
Jay  is  usually  the  only  jay  present  (and  occasional 
escapee  Green,  San  Bias,  or  Beechey’s  Jays,  or  White- 
throated  Magpie- Jay).  A female/imm.  Black  Robin 
was  on  Volcan  de  Nieve,  Jal.  18  Feb,  and  flocks  of  up 
to  100  Aztec  Thrushes  were  on  the  Volcanes  de 
Colima  16-18  Feb  (SNGH,  DL).  Four  Blue 
Mockingbirds  were  heard  at  P.E.C.M.  8 Dec  (HGdS, 
SA).  Two  European  Starlings  were  seen  near 
Atarasquillo  25  Feb,  and  2 were  2 km  nw.  of  El 
Yukon,  Mex.,  w.  of  Toluca  26  Feb  (HGdS,  m.  ob.).  A 
Chestnut-sided  Warbler  was  at  Barra  de  Navidad  13 
Feb  (SNGH,  DL).  A Painted  Redstart  was  in  a grove 
of  introduced  Grevillea  trees  in  Cuernavaca  27  Feb 
(HGdS,  m.  ob.).  A female  Western  Tanager  was  at 
Nogales,  Ver.  28  Feb  (HGdS,  m.  ob.).  One  or  2 male 
Lazuli  and  6 Varied  Buntings  were  seen  at  Canon 
de  Lobos,  Mor.  27  Feb  (HGdS,  m.  ob.).  Black-head- 
ed Grosbeaks  were  singing  frequently  and  even  per- 
forming song  flights  close  to  Zitacuaro  26  Feb 
(HGdS,  m.  ob.).  Blue  Grosbeaks  were  absent  from 
the  U.N.A.M.  Botanical  Garden  through  the  report- 
ing period  (SA).  One  Sierra  Madre  Sparrow  was 
seen  and  another  heard  at  La  Cima  18  Dec  (HGdS). 
Sierra  Madre  Sparrows  were  defending  territories  at 
La  Cima  28  Feb  (HGdS,  m.  ob.).  Scott’s  Orioles  were 
singing  at  the  P.E.C.M.  and  the  U.N.A.M.  Botanical 
Garden  through  the  reporting  period  (SA).  Seven 
Pine  Siskins  were  seen  in  flight  low  over  the 
U.N.A.M.  Botanical  Garden  7 Feb  (HGdS). 

Contributors  (area  compiler  in  boldface):  Sofia 
Arenas,  Brayan  Cancino,  Stephen  J.  Davies,  Jorge 
Garcia  Burgos,  Hector  Gomez  de  Silva,  Steve  N.G. 
Howell,  Alvaro  Jaramillo,  Dan  Lane,  Jay  VanderGaast. 

SOUTHERN  MEXICO 


Weather  was  normal  for  the  period,  with  no  unusual 
trends  noted.  Localities  are  in  the  state  of  Oaxaca 
unless  otherwise  stated.  Uncredited  observations  are 
by  John  M.  Forcey. 

Abbreviations:  B.J.(Benito  Juarez,  above  Teotitlan  del 
Valle,  2800  m),  C.R.  (Camelia  Roja),  E.E.  (El 
Estudiante),  L.C.  (La  Cumbre,  the  village  that  marks 
the  entrance  to  Parque  Nacional  Benito  Juarez),  L.G. 
(La  Guacamaya,  2700  m),  M.A.  (Monte  Alban), 
P.A.D.  (Piedra  Azul  Dam,  Teotitlan  del  Valle,  1700  m), 
S.J.G.  (San  Juan  Guelavia,  20  km  e.  of  Oaxaca  City, 
1550  m),  S.F.P.  (San  Felipe  Park,  adjoining  the  n.  end 
of  Oaxaca  City,  1700-2200  m).  Tot.  (Totolapan,  65 
km  se.  of  Oaxaca  City). 

TINAMOUS  THROUGH  ANTPIHAS 

A Thicket  Tinamou  (race  occidentalis)  was  pho- 
tographed in  Parque  Nacional  de  Huatusco  25  Jan 
(MG).  A Least  Grebe  with  2 chicks  and  an  Eared 
Grebe  were  seen  at  P.A.D.  6-13  Dec.  A Little  Blue 
Heron  was  at  San  Pablo  Etla  23  Dec,  while  a Reddish 
Egret  was  seen  28  Dec  along  the  Rio  Papaloapan  one 
km  upstream  of  C.R.  (RH,  CW  et  al).  Two 
Tricolored  Herons  were  near  S.J.G.  13  Dec.  Up  to  12 
Green-winged  Teals  were  at  P.A.D.  14-28  Dec.  A male 
Mexican  Duck  was  seen  at  P.A.D.  26  Ian — 28  Feb  ( JF, 
RAn,  ESB,  MEC  et  al.);  this  represents  only  the  2nd 
state  record,  although  it  may  be  the  same  individual 
that  was  seen  at  this  location  in  spring  2001.  Up  to  21 
Ruddy  Ducks  were  at  P.A.D.  6 Dec — 28  Feb.  A Hook- 
billed Kite  was  at  km  68  of  Highway  175,  at  1045  m 
above  Valle  Nacional,  29  Dec,  and  a Black-and-white 
Hawk-Eagle  was  seen  there  27  Dec  (RH,  CW,  m. 
ob.).  A Zone-tailed  Hawk  was  at  B.J.  26  Dec  (ABB). 
Another  outstanding  Oax.  record  was  an  ad. 
Northern  Goshawk  seen  well  along  the  road  to 
Nuevo  Zooquiapan  from  L.C.  21  Jan  (tCT,  DH). 
Single  Merlins  were  seen  Teotitlan  del  Valle  2 1 Dec 
(ABB)  and  Yagul  23  Dec  (ABB). 

Up  to  13  West  Mexican  Chachalacas  were 
observed  above  Teotitlan  del  Valle  throughout  the 
period  (JF,  ESB,  MEC,  ABB  et  al.).  Two  Long-tailed 
Wood-Partridges  were  near  Arroyo  Jilguero  above 
Teotitlan  del  Valle  14  Feb  and  several  were  calling 
below  L.C.  in  early  Mar  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  A Sora  was 
at  P.A.D.  25  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  Up  to  12  Common 
Moorhens  were  seen  near  S.J.G.  13  Dec — 28  Feb.  A 
Lesser  Yellowlegs  was  at  P.A.D.  26  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et 


al.)  and  one  Greater  Yellowlegs  was  seen  at  a pond  in 
Cuilapan  1 Jan  (JF).  Six  Pectoral  Sandpipers  were  at 
P.A.D.  on  the  late  date  of  21  Dec  (ABB);  one  was  still 
there  25  Feb  (MEC).  Single  Common  Snipe  were  at 
P.A.D.  6 Dec  and  at  S.J.G.  13  Dec.  A Ring-billed  Gull 
was  seen  along  highway  between  Oaxaca  City  and 
Etla  28  Dec  (ABB). 

A Ferruginous  Pygmy-Owl  was  calling  at  Tot.  27 
Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  A Flammulated  Owl  was  at 
L.C.  25  Dec  (RH,  CW  et  al.),  and  at  least  9 were  call- 
ing there  26  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  A Northern  Saw- 
whet  Owl  was  seen  there  25  Dec  (RH,  CW  et  al.)  and 
26  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  Hundreds  of  Lesser 
Nighthawks  were  seen  P.A.D.  26  Dec  (ABB).  A Green- 
fronted  hummingbird  was  seen  at  Tot.  1 6 Feb,  and  the 
prized  Garnet-throated  Hummingbird  was  at  L.C.  24 
Dec  (RH,  CW  et  al.).  Three  Violet-crowned 
Hummingbirds  were  at  Rio  Grande  bridge  below 
Guelatao  27  Dec  (RH,  CW  et  al.).  Several  Emerald- 
chinned  Hummingbirds  were  around  km  63  of 
Highway  75  above  Valle  Nacional  8 Dec  (MDC). 
Golden-fronted  Woodpeckers  were  seen  at  Tot.  16 
Feb  (JF)  and  27  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  A Strong- 
billed Woodcreeper  was  at  L.C.  24  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et 
al.),  where  recorded  only  three  or  four  times  previ- 
ously, and  single  Spot-crowned  Woodcreepers  were 
seen  there  27  Dec  (ABB)  and  24  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et 
al.).  One  White-striped  Woodcreeper  was  at  Jilguero 
arroyo  above  Teotitlan  del  Valle  28  Feb  ( JF,  RAn,  ESB,- 
MEC  et  al).  Two  Scaled  Antpittas  were  seen  at  S.F.P., 
an  unusual  location,  23  Feb  (RAn)  and  26  Feb  (RAr). 

FLYCATCHERS  THROUGH  CACIQUES 

Single  Greenish  Elaenias  were  reported  at  E.E.  22 
Dec  (ABB),  at  L.C.  (2960  m)  24  Dec  (RH,  CW  et  al.), 
and  at  S.F.P.  23  Feb  (JF).  Single  Pileated  Flycatchers 
were  at  E.E.  22  Dec  (ABB)  and  at  M.A.  23  Dec  (RH, 
CW  et  al.).  Three  Gray-collared  Becards  were  above 
Santa  Cruz  Etla  23  Dec  (JF)  and  at  B.J.  26  Dec  (ABB). 
Rose-throated  Becards  were  observed  at  L.C.  22  Dec 
(ABB)  and  24  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  An  apparent 
White-eyed  Vireo  was  noted  mobbing  a Colima 
Pygmy-Owl  2 km  n.  of  Huatulco  3 Dec  (MDC). 

Two  Golden  Vireos  were  at  S.F.P.  23  Feb.  Three 
White-throated  Jays  were  seen  at  San  Jose  del  Pacifico 
1 Dec  (MDC).  Two  Happy  Wrens  were  at  Rio  Grande 
below  Guelatao  27  Dec  (RH,  CW  et  al.).  Clay-colored 
Robins  were  at  S.F.P.  20  Dec  (ABB),  M.A.  24  Dec 
(ABB),  and  Tequio  Park  21  Feb  (JF);  they  were 
numerous,  along  with  Rufous-backed  Robins,  on  the 
grounds  of  the  Hotel  Mision  de  los  Angeles  in  Oaxaca 
City  again  in  Feb  (m.  ob.).  A Hermit  Thrush  appar- 
ently of  the  race  faxoni  was  seen  27  Dec  at  about  km 
75.4  of  Hwy  175  above  Valle  Nacional  (RH,  CW, 
CW).  Single  White-throated  Robins  were  noted 
above  Teotitlan  del  Valle  13  Dec  and  25  Feb  ( JF,  RAn, 
ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  White-throated  Robins  were  not 
seen  in  the  Sierra  de  Aloapaneca  or  Sierra  Madre  del 
Sur  in  Oax.,  where  they  are  normally  conspicuous,  in 
three  days  spent  in  the  area  during  the  first  week  of 


230 


North  American  Birds 


Mexico 


Dec  (MDC).  A male  Black  Robin  (possibly  2 present) 
was  at  L.C.  24  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  Several  Rufous- 
backed  Robins  were  seen  throughout  the  cen.  valley 
of  Oaxaca  6 Dec — 21  Feb.  Single  Gray  Catbirds  were 
seen  P.A.D.  7 Feb  (RAn)  and  25  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et 
al.).  A Magnolia  Warbler  was  noted  at  Tot.  27  Feb 
(ESB,  MEC).  A Yellow  Warbler  was  in  Oaxaca  City  23 
Dec  {fide  JMF.),  and  a stunning  Golden-cheeked 
Warbler  was  reported  at  985  m near  Santa  Maria 
Zoogochi  28  Feb  (RAr).  A Yellow-throated  Warbler 
was  at  the  San  Andres  Reservoir  near  Oaxaca  City  25 
Dec  (ABB)  and  another  in  Tuxtepex  28  Dec  (RH, 
CW,  m.  ob.).  A Hooded  YeEowthroat  was  reported  1 
Jan  at  San  Pablo  Cuatro  Venados,  about  25  km  sw.  of 
Oaxaca  City  (MG).  A Hooded  Warbler  v/as  near 
Huatulco  26  Jan  (MG),  and  2 were  recorded  at  Finca 
Irlanda  near  Tapachula,  Chis  4 Feb  (TD). 

Single  Rose-breasted  Grosbeaks  were  at  E.E.  22 
Dec  (ABB),  Yagul  23  Dec  (ABB),  Oaxaca  City  26  Feb 
(ESB,  MEC  et  ai.)  and  B.J.  26  Dec  (ABB).  Orange- 
breasted Buntings  were  recorded  at  Tot.  27  Feb  (ESB, 
MEC);  this  is  the  nearest  this  Pacific-slope  species 
comes  to  Oaxaca  City.  Indigo  Buntings  were  seen  at 

L. C.  22  Dec  (ABB)  and  above  Teotitlan  del  Valle  28 
Feb  (JF).  Varied  Buntings  were  seen  at  E.E.  25  Dec 
(ABB),  e.  of  Teotitlhi  del  Valle  23  Feb  (RAn),  and  at 
Yagul  27  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  ai.).  Striped  Sparrows 
were  seen  1 Jan  at  San  Pablo  Cuatro  Venados  (JMF, 
MG).  Hooded  Oriole  was  noted  at  S.F.P.  20  Dec 
(ABB),  E.E.  22  Dec  (ABB),  Oaxaca  City  23  Dec  (fide 
JMF),  and  26  Feb  (ESB,  MEC  et  al.).  One  Altamira 
Oriole  and  2 Yellow-winged  Caciques  were  recorded 
Tot.  27Feb(ESBetal.). 

Undocumented  reports:  A Black  Swift  was  reported 
at  P.A.D.  21  Dec  (ABB). 

Contributors  (area  compiler  in  boldface):  Roque 
Antonio  (RAn),  Ramiro  Aragon  (RAr),  Alice  and 
Brad  Boyle  (ABB),  Edward  S.  Brinkley,  Michael  D. 
Carmody,  Megan  Edwards  Crewe,  Tom  Dietch,  John 

M.  Forcey,  Manuel  Grosselet,  Diane  Holsinger,  Rich 
Hoyer,  Craig  Turner,  Chris  Wood. 

YUCATAN  PENINSULA 


This  winter  was  particularly  wet  in  Yucatan,  espe- 
cially during  the  month  of  February,  when  two 
back-to-back  “nortes”  lasted  the  entire  month. 
Perhaps  the  bad  weather  accounted  for  the  sight- 
ing of  a new  species  for  the  peninsula.  Uncredited 
observations  are  by  Barbara  MacKinnon. 

Abbreviations:  F.C.P.  (Felipe  Carrillo  Puerto,  Q. 
Roo),  J.B.  (Jardln  Botanico,  Dr.  Alfredo  Barrera 
M.,  Puerto  Morelos,  Q.  Roo),  L.C.  (Las  Coloradas, 
Yuc)  P.A.  (Punta  Allen),  R.L.B.R.  (Ria  Lagartos 
Bioshere  Reserve,  Yuc.)  R.L.  (Rio  Lagartos,  Yuc), 
S.F.  (San  Felipe,  Yuc),  S.K.B.R.  (Siari  Ka’an 
Biosphere  Reserve,  Q.  Roo),  Y.R  (Yucatan 
Peninsula). 

BOOBIES  THROUGH  TERMS 

A juv.  Brown  Pelican  was  at  L.  Coba,  Q.  Roo  5 Jan 
(HGdS,  PE).  Four  juv.  Brown  Boobies  took  up  res- 
idence in  Celestiin,  Yuc.  this  vrinter  during  the  last 
two  weeks  of  Dec  (DB).  One  was  still  in  the  area 
28  Feb  (DB,  BM).  The  only  known  nesting  site  of 
this  species  is  at  Alacran  Reef.  A few  juvs.  are 
always  present  on  Cayo  Culebra  in  the  S.K.B.R., 
and  both  ad.  and  juv.  spend  the  winter  on  Isla 
Contoy,  Q.  Roo. 

A Least  Bittern  was  observed  just  w.  of  the 
261/Progreso  bypass  junction  17  Jan,  and  an 
active  nest  of  Bare-throated  Tiger-Heron  was 
located  100  m downstream  from  the  Las 
Coloradas  Bridge  in  the  R.L.B.R.  20  Jan  (KMB, 
LN).  Two  Black-crowned  Night-Herons  were 
reported  for  Isla  Holbox  26-27  Jan  ( JG),  and  2 ads. 
were  observed  in  the  wetlands  alongside  the  road 
leading  into  Xcalak,  Q.Roo  23  Feb.  Although  the 
species  nests  in  the  Laguna  de  Terminos  area,  it  is 
an  uncommon  migrant  in  the  rest  of  the  peninsu- 
la. Three  Glossy  Ibis  were  just  s.  of  Puerto 
Morelos,  Q.Roo  1 Dec  SNGH,  DK).  One  to  4 
Jabirus  were  reported  very  close  to  the  town  of 
Xcalak  on  several  occasions  this  v/inter  by  local 
naturalist  guides.  At  least  two  reports  appear  to  be 
accurate  and  not  misidentifications  of  Wood 
Storks.  Local  naturalist  guides  at  San  Felipe 
reported  a Jabiru  there  in  Feb  in  wetlands  w.  of 


town.  A female  Greater  Scaup  was  observed  9 km 
e.  of  Progreso,  Yuc.  18  Jan  (KMB,  LN),  adding  a 
new  species  to  the  peninsula’s  ever-growing  list.  A 
complete  report  on  these  sightings  is  in  prepara- 
tion for  publication  in  the  journal  Cotinga.  Four 
Lesser  Scaup,  once  quite  common  on  the  penin- 
sula, were  observed  in  Celestun  20  Dec  (DB),  2 
were  seen  there  4 fan  (HGdS,  PE)  and  2 were  seen 
9 km  e.  of  Progreso  18  Jan  (KMB,  LN). 

Three  ad.  King  Vultures  were  seen  at  Calakmul, 
Camp.  10  Jan  (HGdS,  PE,  GC).  A Great  Black- 
Hawk  and  a Zone-tailed  Hawk  were  interesting 
finds  at  the  J.B.  9 Jan  (KMB,  LN).  A Roadside 
Hawk  at  S.K.B.R.  had  a large  bat  in  its  talons  at  9 
a.m.  on  9 Jan  (HGdS,  PE).  Of  great  interest  was 
the  report  of  a Collared  Forest-Falcon  on  the  L.C. 
road  several  km  from  Hwy  295  (KMB,  LN).  This 
is  a new  species  for  the  R.L.B.R. 

A Rufous-necked  Wood-Rail  was  at  Celestun 
bridge  4 Jan  (HGdS).  A Piping  Plover,  an  appar- 
ently regular  but  rare  migrant  on  the  peninsula, 
was  reported  w.  of  Dzilam  de  Bravo,  Yuc.  around 
Santa  Clara  18  Jan  (KMB,  LN)  and  another  was  at 
L.C.  4 Dec  (SNGH,  DL).  Two  Long-billed 
Dowitchers  were  among  several  hundred  Short- 
billed Dovritchers  at  Celestun  10  (KMB,  LN)  & 26 
Feb  (DB),  while  3 were  observed  there  28  Feb  (EG, 
BM).  A Dunlin  v/as  reported  just  e.  of  the 
261/Progreso  bypass  junction  18  Jan  (KMB,  LN). 
Eleven  Wilson’s  and  2 Red-necked  Phalaropes 
were  at  L.C.  4 Dec  (SNGH).  Four  third-winter 
and  adult  Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls  (resembling 
graellsii)  were  at  R.L./L.C.  4 Dec  and  a second- 
winter  bird  was  with  an  adult  at  L.C.  22  Jan 
(SNGH).  Also,  10  Caspian  Terns,  a regular  though 
not  particularly  common  winter  visitor,  were 
reported  on  Isla  HoFoox  26-27  Jan  (JG).  One  was 
at  L.  Coba  5 Jan  (HGdS,  PE). 

PARROTS  THROUGH  ORIOLES 

An  escapee  Red-lored  Parrot  was  on  Cozumel  25 
Jan  (SNGH).  A Northern  Potoo  was  well  seen 
on  Cozumel  24  Jan,  apparently  the  first  record 
for  this  island  (SNGH).  The  road  leading  to 
Nuevo  Xcan  out  of  Coba,  Q.  Roo  was  found  to 
be  good  for  Yucatan  Poorwill  12-13  Jan  (KMB, 
LN).  A female  Mexican  Sheartail  was  robbing 
nectar  from  pink  Ipomea  flowers  near  Uman, 
Yuc.  4 Jan  (HGdS,  PE).  A Ruby-throated 
Hummingbird  was  observed  6-7  Dec  on  Isla 
Holbox  (JG),  and  a Ringed  Kingfisher  was 
there  26-27  fan  (JG).  Although  Howell  & 
Webb  (1995)  do  not  map  this  species  in  n.  Y.R, 
it  has  been  sparingly  reported  along  the  n.  coast 
since  the  1970s.  Five  American  Pygmy 
Kingfishers  (including  an  imm.)  were  seen  in 
the  Celestun  mangroves  4 Jan  (HGdS,  PE).  A 
Keel-billed  Toucan  and  2 Smoky-brown 
Woodpeckers  were  in  the  first  4 km  of  the  Vigia 
Chico  Road  at  S.K.B.R.  9 Jan  (HGdS,  PE). 


Volume  56  {2002),  Number  2 


231 


Yellow-bellied  Tyrannulets  were  heard  at 
Calakmul  10  Jan  (HGdS);  Howell  & Webb 
(1995)  do  not  map  this  species  for  the  state  of 
Camp.  Two  Caribbean  Elaenias  were  at  Xel-ha  7 
Jan  (HCdS,  PE).  Five  Scissor-tailed  Flycatchers 
were  at  Champoton,  Camp.  12  Jan  (HGdS).  A 
female-plumaged  Rose-throated  Becard  was 
seen  6 km  s.  of  San  Miguel,  Cozumel  10  Jan 
(KMB,  LN).  A Thrush-like  Schiffornis  was 
found  at  the  J.B.  22  Jan  (KMB,  LN).  Two  Cave 
Swallows  were  reported  in  the  area  of  Isla 
Holbox  6-7  Dec  (JG);  the  species  is  a very  local 
resident  on  the  peninsula.  A flock  of  25  Tree 
Swallows  was  at  Celestun  4 Jan,  and  a flock  of 
400  was  at  Xel-ha  7 Jan  (HGdS,  PE).  Yucatan 
V/rens  were  singing  at  Celestun  4 Jan  (HGdS, 
PE),  while  Cozumel  Wrens  were  skulking  at 
San  Gervacio  ruins,  Cozumel,  Q.  Roo  8 Jan 
(HGdS,  PE).  A Tropical  Gnatcatcher,  not 
uncommon  in  forested  areas  of  Q.  Roo,  was 
reported  at  Coba  12-13  Jan  (KMB,  LN). 

A Gray-cheeked  Thrush,  normally  a late- 
autumn  transient,  was  close  on  the  heels  of  a 
Wood  Thrush  at  Coba  6 Jan  (HGdS,  PE).  A late 
Swainsorfs  Thrush  was  at  El  Dedral,  Cozumel 
6 Dec  (SNGH).  Two  thrushes  that  appeared  to 
be  very  richly-colored  Swainson’s  Thrushes 
were  at  Calakmul  10  Jan  (HGdS).  A Black 
Catbird  was  seen  few  km  from  Felipe  Carrillo 
Puerto  in  the  S.K.B.R.  9 Jan  (HGdS).  A Palm 
Warbler  was  at  km  15  on  the  Vigia  Chico  road 
near  F.C.P.  4 Dec  and  21  Jan  (SNGH).  A male 
Black-throated  Blue  and  a Wilson’s  Warbler 
were  seen  at  Puerto  Morelos  1 Dec,  and  a 
Wilson’s  Warbler  was  at  El  Cedral,  Cozumel  6 
Dec  (SNGH).  A large  number  of  euphonias, 
mainly  Yellow- throated,  were  on  the  ground 
feeding  on  fallen  Ficus  fruits  in  the  cen.  plaza  of 
Calakmul  10  Jan  (HGdS,  PE,  GC).  A Blue-gray 
Tanager  was  at  Campeche,  Camp.  12  Jan 
(HGdS).  A male  Western  Tanager  was  at 
Calakmul  10  Jan  (HGdS,  PE,  GC).  A Lincoln’s 
Sparrow  was  observed  in  Celestun  15  Feb, 
while  a Lark  Sparrow  was  also  there  25  Feb 
(DB).  A Clay-colored  Sparrow  was  reported 
near  L.C.  in  the  R.L.B.R.  18  Jan  (KMB,  LN). 
Eight  Savannah  Sparrows  were  at  Celestun  4 
Jan  (HGdS,  PE). 

A single  Brown-headed  Cowbird  was 
observed  on  a cable  near  a stable  in  the  town  of 
Celestun  on  27  Feb  (BM,  DB).  This  is  the  first 
winter  record  of  this  species,  and  interestingly, 
it  was  located  within  a block  of  where  3 were 
reported  last  year  during  spring  migration.  A 
male  Baltimore  Oriole  was  found  nearby  on 
the  same  day  (BM,  DB)  and  may  have  been  the 
same  bird  reported  15-17  Jan  (KMB,  LN).  This 
species  was  mapped  as  a transient  in  the  nw.  Y. 
P.  by  Howell  & Webb  (1995). 


Undocumented  reports:  Ten  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gulls  were  reported  on  Isla  Holbox  29- 
30  Nov  (JG). 

Contributors  (area  compiler  in  boldface): 
David  Bacab,  Kenneth  M.  Burton,  Gerardo 


H.  Lee  Jones 
P.O.  Box  158 
Punta  Gorda,  Belize 
(U.S.  address: 

61 08  Wildwood  Road 

Lake  Isabella,  California  93240) 

(buteo@attglobal.net) 

The  event  of  the  winter  season  was  not  a bird 
but  birders.  For  the  first  time,  Central 
America  surpassed  the  50  mark,  with  60  initialed 
observers  contributing  to  this  season’s  report. 
This  is  more  than  twice  the  number  that  con- 
tributed to  the  first  report  only  five  seasons  ago 
and  a testament  to  both  the  increased  awareness 
by  birders  of  the  inclusion  of  Central  America  in 
the  North  American  Birds  seasonal  reports  and 
the  increasing  numbers  of  active  birders  in 
Central  America.  Hats  off  to  all,  and  especially  to 
those  who  contribute  their  observations  on  a 
regular  basis! 

It  is  perhaps  too  early  yet,  with  so  little  histor- 
ical data,  to  begin  detecting  yearly  population 


Ceballos,  Paul  Ehrlich,  Eduardo  Galicia,  Jesus 
Garcia  Barron,  Hector  Gomez  de  Silva,  Steve 
N.G.  Howell,  Barbara  MacKinnon,  Ismael 
Navarro,  Laurie  Ness  and  Gabriel  Willow. 


fluctuations  or  long-term  changes  in  bird  popu- 
lations, but  clearly,  the  numbers  of  Cave 
Swallows  in  Central  America  have  increased  dra- 
matically in  the  past  decade.  Kelp  Gulls  are  on 
the  move  and  are  likely  to  begin  showing  up  in 
other  areas  besides  Panama  before  long.  This 
may  have  been  a better  than  normal  year  for 
Pomarine  Jaegers  offshore  and  for  Emerald 
Toucanets  in  the  Belize  lowlands,  but  with  such  a 
meager  historical  record,  one  can  only  speculate. 

First  country  records  keep  coming  in,  but  with 
“only”  two  country  firsts — Cave  Swallow  in 
Costa  Rica  and  Townsend’s  Warbler  in  Belize, 
and  two  potential  firsts,  Sparkling-tailed 
Hummingbird  in  Belize  and  Hoffmann’s 
Woodpecker  in  El  Salvador — this  would  have  to  y 
be  considered  a rather  normal  winter  season 

Abbreviations:  B.B.R.C.  (Belize  Bird  Records 
Committee);  K.U.N.H.M.  (Kansas  University 
Natural  History  Museum);  N.S.F.  (Nova  Shrimp 
Farm,  Belize);  Tikal  (Tikal  National  Park,  Peten 
District,  Guatemala). 


Central  America 


232 


North  American  Birds 


Central  America 


BOOBIES  THROUGH  HAWKS 

Remarkable  was  a Masked  Booby  well  inland  over 
La  Selva,  Costa  Rica  4 Feb  (JW,  JT,  JA).  Perhaps 
equally  remarkable  was  a report  of  a melanistic 
Great  Egret  foraging  in  a roadside  canal  near 
Belize  City  6 Feb  (B&CM).  The  bird  was 
described  as  completely  black,  including  legs  and 
bill,  except  for  a pale  gray  and  slightly  yellowish 
bill  tip.  A juv.  Reddish  Egret  at  the  Panama 
Canal’s  Gatun  Spillway  26  Dec  (DM,  GH,  GP) 
represented  the  latest  of  fewer  than  10  Panama 
records.  A Green  Ibis  seen  along  the  Rio  Liberia 
just  s.  of  the  town  of  Liberia  2 Feb  (EC,  CG)  may 
have  been  the  first  ever  recorded  on  the  Pacific 
side  of  Costa  Rica.  It  most  likely  came  through  a 
low  pass  in  the  Cordillera  de  Guanacaste,  where 
they  have  been  seen  as'  high  as  1000  m on  the 
Caribbean  slope.  A waterfowl  survey  in  El 
Salvador  funded  by  Ducks  Unlimited  and  con- 
ducted by  WR,  NH,  and  REIP  produced  an 
impressive  16,047  Black-bellied  and  16,174 
Fulvous  Whistling-Ducks  on  9 Dec,  and  20,564 
Blue-winged  Teal,  one  Cinnamon  Teal  (a  male), 
and  7072  Northern  Shovelers  on  30  Jan,  all  on 
Cerron  Grande  Res.,  Chalatenango.  NH  found  2 
male  Cinnamon  Teal  at  this  site  three  dates  later. 
There  were  only  two  previous  records  for  Ei 
Salvador.  Elsewhere,  WR  and  REIP  found  a flock 
of  21  white-morph  Snow  Geese  at  Laguna  San 
Juan  del  Gozo,  Usulutan  on  29  Jan,  and  WR 
counted  1300  Lesser  Scaup  at  Laguna  de 
Olomega,  San  Miguel  6 Feb.  Only  one  previous 
record  of  Snow  Goose  exists  for  the  country. 

A Hook-billed  Kite  at  Izalco,  Sonsonate,  1 Feb 
(OK,  BJO)  was  only  the  6th  for  El  Salvador.  The 
Pearl  Kite  continues  to  expand  in  Costa  Rica.  One 
near  Liberia  8 Feb  (EC,  CG)  and  another  4 km  s. 
of  Bagaces  10  Feb  (JRZ),both  in  Guanacaste,  rep- 
resent the  northernmost  records  to  date.  A 
Cooper’s  Hawk,  rare  in  El  Salvador,  was  at  Izalco 
3 Feb  (OK).  A Plumbeous  Hawk,  rare  in  Panama, 
was  observed  2 Dec  along  Plantation  Road  in 
Soberania  NP  (JT,  SA).  In  Belize,  3 White-taOed 
Hawks,  s.  of  their  normal  range,  were  seen  in  dif- 
ferent localities  in  s.  Toledo  19  & 20  Dec  (RE, 
MMa,  LJ).  Infrequently  seen  in  Belize  were  single 
Zone-tailed  Hawks  at  San  Marcos  (LJ)  and  along 
the  Rio  Grande  (MM),  both  s.  Toledo,  on  1 & 19 
Dec,  respectively.  The  Red-tailed  Hawk  in  Belize 
is  normally  restricted  to  the  Mountain  Pine 
Ridge,  so  one  well  to  the  n.  in  Gallon  Jug,  Orange 
Walk  25  Jan  (HGdS,  RK)  was  unexpected.  A 
subad.  Harpy  Eagle,  probably  in  its  third  year, 
was  photographed  at  the  Marenco  Biological 
Station,  Pen.  de  Osa,  date  unknown  {fide  JS).  This 
is  the  first  documented  report  of  the  species  in 
Costa  Rica  in  more  than  a decade,  although  there 
have  been  undocumented  reports  from  near 
Carate  on  the  other  side  of  the  Corcovado  N.P. 
and  from  Penas  Blancas  Valley  in  Monteverde.  A 


Black  Hawk-Eagle  at  Las  Fuentes  Georginas, 
Zunil,  Quetzaitenango  23  Feb  (JB)  was  on  the 
Pacific  slope,  where  locally  distributed. 

RAILS  THROUGH  TERMS 

A Spotted  Rail  heard  in  the  Dump  ricefields  near 
Big  Falls,  Toledo  19  Dec  (LJ)  was  only  the  2nd  or 
3rd  record  for  s.  Belize.  Following  on  the  heels  of 
6 Southern  Lapwings  seen  along  the  Rio  Pacuare 
last  Nov  were  2 found  on  the  Pacific  side  of  Costa 
Rica  at  Playa  Hermosa  17  Dec  (RC),  with  one 
remaining  until  28  Feb  (JRZ),  and  up  to  4 along 
the  Rio  Tarcoles  in  early  Mar  (FM).  An  American 
Avocet  at  the  mouth  of  Rio  Matina,  Costa  Rica 
31  Jan  (RR)  was  most  unusual.  This  species  is 
very  rare  in  Costa  Rica,  especially  on  the 
Caribbean  side.  A Dunlin  at  Chomes  18  Feb  (EA, 
RD)  represents  one  of  few  records  for  Costa  Rica. 
Stilt  Sandpipers  are  not  often  seen  in  Belize  in 
winter,  but  they  are  regular  at  Nova  S.F.,  Belize 
District,  where  2 were  seen  2 Dec,  with  one  still 
present  16  Dec  (m.  ob.). 

Pomarine  Jaegers  are  proving  to  be  regular  in 
the  Bahia  Amatique,  Guatemala  where  5 
Pomarine  Jaegers  and  one  unidentified  jaeger 
were  seen  2 & 4 Jan  (TM).  Unexpected,  however, 
was  a Pomarine  flying  close  to  shore  at  Punta 
Gorda,  Belize,  only  25  km  to  the  nw.,  also  on  4 
Jan  (TM).  Surprisingly,  this  was  the  first  report  of 
any  jaeger  species  in  Belize  s.  of  Stann  Creek.  A 
flock  of  6 Pomarine  Jaegers  was  seen  from  shore 
16  Jan  (JTe,  GB)  at  the  port  of  Cristobal  near 
Colon,  Panama.  At  least  2 Ring-billed  Gulls,  2-1- 
Herring  Gulls,  and  a juv.  Sabine’s  Gull  were  at 
Costa  del  Este,  Panama  City  2 Dec  (DM,  DeM, 
RKa,  KK,  GB,  BA,  LS).  The  first  two  are  regular 
but  rare  in  Panama,  and  the  3rd  is  rarely  seen 
from  shore.  Of  the  5 Kelp  Gulls  reported  last  fall 
on  the  outskirts  of  Panama  City  (DM,  KW,  SH), 
one  remained  until  5 Dec.  At  least  10  Elegant 
Terns,  a rare  and  irregularly  seen  species  in 
Panama,  were  at  Costa  del  Este  3 Dec  (GA). 

DOMES  THROUGH  WOODPECKERS 

A Caribbean  Dove  heard  near  Nova  S.F.  16  Dec 
(LJ)  was  the  first  documented  from  mainland 
Belize.  They  are  rumored  to  be  in  n.  Corozal 
District,  an  area  that  is  seldom  birded,  but  no 
specific  records  have  surfaced.  Two  Mourning 
Doves  were  near  Big  Falls,  Toledo  19  Dec  (LJ). 
This  species  is  an  uncommon  fall  migrant  but 
rare  in  winter  in  s.  Belize.  The  Common  Ground- 
Dove  is  also  a rare  fall  and  winter  stray  in  s. 
Belize,  so  6 in  separate  areas  on  the  Punta  Gorda 
C.B.C.  19  Dec  (m.  ob.)  were  quite  unexpected.  A 
female  Maroon-chested  Ground-Dove  at  Cerro 
el  Pital,  Chalatenango  27  Dec  (GMGD 
*K.U.N.H.M.)  was  only  the  2nd  reported  from  Ei 
Salvador;  however,  it  is  found  just  across  the  bor- 
der in  Honduras  and  was  expected  to  occur  at 
this  site.  Two  Yellow-headed  Parrots  along  the 


This  adult  Kelp  Gu!l  was  one  of  five  found  28 
September  2001  at  Costa  del  Este,  on  the  outskirts 
of  Panama  City;  one  of  them  remained  until  at  least 
5 December.  These  birds  were  the  first  of  this 
species  ever  reported  in  Central  America,  but  its 
appearance  was  anticipated,  given  the  rash  of 
recent  records  from  the  northern  and  southern 
Caribbean  and  Gulf  of  Mexico.  (If  only  more  tropi- 
ca! travelers  wouid  check  the  local  gulls!) 
Photograph  by  Darien  Montanez. 

Moho  R.,  Toledo  19  Dec  (RE)  were  s.  of  Punta 
Gorda,  where  this  species  was  reported  last  fall 
after  Hurricane  Iris,  thus  establishing  a new 
southernmost  locality  for  this  globally  endan- 
gered species  in  Belize.  Two  Lesser  Swallow-tailed 
Swifts  at  Parque  Deininger,  La  Libertad  12  Jan 
(TJ,  JF)  confirm  that  this  species  is  found  in  the 
lowlands  of  El  Salvador,  where  it  had  previously 
been  reported  only  above  600  m elevation. 

An  individual  of  the  rare  pacifitca  subspecies  of 
White-bellied  Emerald  was  reported  from  the 
Abaj  Takalik  Maya  Ruins,  Retalhuleu,  Guatemala 
24  Feb  (JB).  Totally  unexpected  was  the  report  of 
a male  Sparkling-tailed  Hummingbird  near 
Tres  Leguas,  Orange  Walk  23  Feb  (BF  et  al.).  The 
bird  was  well  described  and  would  be  the  first 
record  for  Belize  if  accepted  by  the  B.B.R.C.  An 
American  Pygmy  Kingfisher  on  Caye  Caulker  30 
Dec  (J&DB)  may  have  been  the  individual  seen 
in  the  same  location  more  than  a year  and  half 
previously  (29  Mar — 28  Apr  2000).  This  nonmi- 
gratory  species  is  otherwise  unrecorded  from  the 
Belize  cayes.  Emerald  Toucanets  were  reported 
with  greater  frequency  in  the  lowlands  of  Belize 
this  winter  than  normally.  Two  apparently  pure 
Hoffmann’s  Woodpeckers,  respectively  at  San 
Felipe  and  Pasaquina,  La  Union  26-27  Dec  (NH) 
would  be  the  first  for  El  Salvador  if  correctly 
identified.  Only  last  summer,  Hoffmann’s  x 
Golden-fronted  hybrids  had  been  photographed 
and  collected  for  the  first  time  in  Ei  Salvador  in 
the  same  general  area. 

WOODCREEPERS  THROUGH  PIPITS 

The  first  Northern  Barred-Woodcreepers  in  five 
years  were  reported  in  El  Salvador  by  OK  this 
winter:  one  at  El  Imposible  N.P.,  Ahuachapan  20 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


233 


Dec  (’^K.U.N.H.M.),  and  another  20  km  to  the 
e.  at  San  Pedro  Puxtla,  Ahuachapan  18  Jan.  A 
Mountain  Elaenia  1 km  e.  of  Santa  Maria  de 
Jesus,  Quetzaltenango  6 Feb  (JB)  was  in  an  area 
of  Guatemala  where  it  was  previously  unrecord- 
ed. In  Belize,  an  Olive-sided  Flycatcher,  rare  in 
the  lowlands  in  winter,  was  seen  19  Dec  (MM) 
along  the  lower  Rio  Grande,  Toledo;  the  last 
Eastern  Wood-Pewee  of  the  fall  was  recorded  at 
Canton  Farm  near  Altun  Ha,  Belize  District  15 
Dec  (LJ);  and  for  the  2nd  winter  in  a row,  a 
female  Vermilion  Flycatcher  was  found  at 
Gallon  Jug,  Orange  Walk  23  Jan  (HGdS,  RK), 
where  it  is  considered  a stray.  Two  Western 
Kingbirds  at  DuPlooy’s  Jungle  Lodge  s.  of  San 
Ignacio  27  Feb  (TW  et  al.)  represented  only  the 
2nd  and  3rd  records  from  Belize.  Two  Blue- 
headed Vireos  were  reported  from  the 
Caribbean  lowlands  this  winter,  one  at  Tikal, 
Guatemala  21  Jan  (HGdS,  RK)  and  one  at 
Hidden  Valley  Inn,  Mountain  Pine  Ridge  5 Mar 
(MEG,  Field  Guides,  Inc.).  The  latter  was  only 
the  2nd  ever  reported  in  Belize;  however,  it  is 
likely  that  this  newly  recognized  species  has 
been  overlooked  in  the  past. 

A Violet-green  Swallow  at  Ensenada  Lodge  e. 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Temisque,  Guanacaste  in 
the  last  week  of  Jan  (lA,  JZ,  AD,  EC,  JBl)  was 
unusual,  especially  in  the  Costa  Rican  lowlands. 
Large  roosts  of  Cave  Swallows  of  the  migratory 
pale-rumped  pallida  group  can  now  be  found 
along  El  Salvador’s  coastal  plain  in  Dec  and  Jan. 
This  year  it  was  last  recorded  18  Feb  at  El 
Imposible  NP  (OK).  Farther  s..  Cave  Swallows 
were  recorded  in  Costa  Rica,  apparently  for  the 
first  time.  On  31  Jan,  JRZ,  AD,  EC,  and  JBl 
observed  5-8  pallida  types  in  a mixed-species 
swallow  flock  at  Ensenada  Lodge,  and  on  18 
Feb,  one  was  seen  with  a large  group  of  Barn 
Swallows  along  the  entrance  road  to  Chomes 
(EA,  RD).  Three  Cliff  Swallows  at  Izalco  1 Feb 
(OK,  BJO)  were  the  first  of  the  spring  in  El 
Salvador.  A Gray  Catbird  at  Lago  de 
Coatepeque,  Sonsonate  25  Jan  (OK)  represent- 
ed only  the  4th  record  for  El  Salvador,  and  an 
American  Pipit  at  Colima,  Cuscatlan,  on  the 
shoreline  of  Cerron  Grande  Res.  2 Jan  (NH, 
REIP)  was  only  the  3rd  reported  in  El  Salvador. 

WARBLERS  THROUGH  TANAGERS 

A Blue-winged  Warbler  was  at  Izalco,  El 
Salvador  1 Feb  (BJO),  where  it  is  relatively 
scarce.  A Golden-winged  Warbler  at  Finca 
Patrocinio,  35  km  n.  of  Retalhuleu  on  the  Pacific 
slope  of  Guatemala  13  Jan  (JB)  was  also  unex- 
pected. In  El  Salvador,  Nashville  Warblers  were 
recorded  in  three  separate  localities  on  27  Dec, 
9 & 13  Jan  (DRE,  OK,  JF).  With  more  than  two 
dozen  records  now,  this  species  is  more  frequent 
in  winter  in  El  Salvador  than  is  reflected  in  the 


literature.  A Chestnut-sided  Warbler  at  El 
Palmar  Viejo,  Quetzaltenango  12  Dec  (JB)  was 
on  the  Pacific  slope  of  Guatemala.  A male 
Townsend’s  Warbler  reported  by  JS  on  the 
Punta  Gorda  C.B.C.  19  Dec  from  the  hills 
behind  San  Felipe  was  refound  by  LJ  21  Dec, 
thus  establishing  the  first  record  of  this  species 
in  Belize.  A Kentucky  Warbler  at  San  Pedro 
Puxtla,  Ahuachapan  18  Jan  (OK,  CH 
*K.U.N.H.M.)  became  the  3rd  specimen  and 
6th  record  for  El  Salvador.  A Hooded  Warbler  at 
El  Palmar  Viejo  12  Dec  (JB)  and  another  at  San 
Pedro  Puxtla  13  Jan  (OK,  GMGD  ’^K.U.N.H.M.) 
were  on  the  Pacific  slope  where  the  species  is 
scarce. 

A Rose-throated  Tanager  near  Salt  Creek 
Estate  16  Dec  was  at  the  s.  limit  of  its  range  and 
the  first  ever  for  the  Belize  City  C.B.C.,  begun  in 
1969.  A Scrub  Euphonia  seen  on  Caye  Caulker 
17  Jan  (J&DB)  was  the  first  ever  reported  from 
the  Belize  Cayes.  It  is  a casual  visitor  to 
Ambergris  Caye,  which  is  in  fact  a long  thin 
peninsula  10  km  n.  of  Caye  Caulker.  A pair  of 
Elegant  Euphonias  was  at  Chan  Chich  Lodge 
near  Gallon  Jug,  Orange  Walk  in  mid- Jan  (JM, 
HGdS,  RK).  Scarce  anywhere  in  Belize,  these 
were  the  first  reported  n.  of  the  Maya  Mts. 
Perhaps  the  most  interesting  find  of  the  winter 
in  El  Salvador  was  a small  population  of  Blue 
Seedeaters  at  El  Imposible  N.P.,  3 males  and  2 
females  at  scattered  locations,  9 Jan — 18  Feb 
(ph.  OK,  CH,  BJO,  and  CZ).  Only  two  previous 
records  exist  for  the  country,  both  from  other 
areas.  At  least  6 Stripe-headed  Sparrows  2 km  e. 
of  Tilapa,  San  Marcos  27  Jan  (JB)  were  at  a pre- 
viously unknown  locality  in  sw.  Guatemala. 
Relatively  scarce  in  winter  in  Belize  was  a female 
Painted  Bunting  at  Laguna  Village,  Toledo  12  8c 
19  Dec  (LJ).  Rare  in  cen.  Panama  was  a pair  of 
Orange-crowned  Orioles  near  Gamboa  24  Jan 
( LP) . Four  Yellow-winged  Caciques  at  Ocos,  San 
Marcos  3 Feb  (JB)  were  on  the  Guatemalan  side 
of  the  border  with  Mexico.  The  species  is  known 
to  occur  on  the  Mexican  side  but  had  not  been 
reported  previously  on  the  Guatemalan  side. 
Two  Chestnut-headed  Oropendolas  in  the 
Biotopo  Mario  Dary  19  Feb  (CB,  JVG,  Field 
Guides,  Inc.)  were  on  the  Pacific  slope  of 
Guatemala  where  unexpected. 

Undocumented  reports 

Three  American  Robins  reported  by  a visiting 
N.A.  birder  in  early  Feb  on  a golf  course  at  Santa 
Ana  in  the  Central  Valley  of  Costa  Rica,  if  cor- 
rectly identified,  would  represent  the  first  con- 
firmed record  for  Costa  Rica. 

Cited  observers  (country  coordinators  in  bold- 
face): Bill  Adsett,  Joel  Alvarado,  Eduardo 
Amengual,  Seth  Ames,  George  Angehr 


(Panama),  Ingrid  Ayub,  Chris  Benesh,  Guido 
Berguido,  Jason  Berry,  Jim  and  Dorothy 
Beveridge,  Jim  Black  (JBl),  Ernesto  Carmen, 
Eric  Castro,  Robert  Dean,  Gabriela  Margarita 
Garcia  Deras,  Adolfo  Downs,  Roberto 
Echeverria,  Megan  Edwards  Crewe,  Douglas  R. 
Escobar  D.,  Jesse  Fagan,  Field  Guides  Inc.,  Bert 
Frenz,  Cameron  Gilles,  Cullen  Hanks,  Nestor 
Herrera,  Gonzalo  Horna,  Steve  Huggins,  Tom 
Jenner,  Lee  Jones  (Belize),  Rafael  Campos,  Karl 
Kaufmann,  Rosabel  Kaufmann  (RKa),  Richard 
Knapton,  Oliver  Komar  (El  Salvador),  Mark 
MacReynolds  (MMa),  Francisco  Madrigal, 
Tristan  McKee,  Bruce  and  Carolyn  Miller,  Jose 
Moh,  Darien  Montanez,  Delicia  Montanez 
(DeM),  Mario  Muschamp,  B.  J.  O’Shea,  Luis 
Paz,  Guy  Poisson,  Ricardo  Enrique  Ibarra 
Portillo,  Rafa  Robles,  Wilfredo  Rodriguez,  Julio 
Sanchez  (JSa),  Loyda  Sanchez,  Juan  Sho,  Hector 
Gomez  de  Silva,  Jose  Tejada  (JTe),  Julie  Tilden, 
Jamie  Trejos,  Jay  VanderGaast,  Jim  Watt,  Tom 
Wheeker,  Ken  Wysocki,  Carlos  Zaldana,  James 
R.  Zook  (Costa  Rica).  a 


Assist  in  bird  conservation, 
research,  and  outreach  in 
the  Neotropics  by  donating 
your  used  but  still  function- 
ing birding  equipment  to 

Birders'  Exchange, 

American  Birding  Associa- 
tion, 720  West  Monument 
St.,  PO  Box  6599,Colorado 
Springs,  CO  80934-6599. 

http://americanbirding.org/ 
programs/consbex,  htm 


234 


North  American  Birds 


West  Indies 


ATLANTIC  OCEAN 


Anms^ 


• -mHAmis,  ■ ■ ■ 

• e*®'*' ”“**  * Cshos  & 

^Qimtlmgml 

DOMiNSCAN 


iBUC 


4mMCh 

KJf^slon 


■ St. 

'gVIRGINiS.' 




.c:  ^ 


Art*  Cbssso 
■■  O'^Sonsie 


Monisens.''  ^GusOaloupe 
■ goomwca 

■ - (Vtefftmjoe^ 

■ atucfatt 

■■  a rnsenIB  O' 
'.  LESSER 


O'ajJS.^ac^  ANTILLES 


Robert  L.  Norton 

8960  NEWaido  Road 
Gainesville,  Florida  32609 
(corvus0486@aol.com) 

Anthony  White 

6540  Walhonding  Road 
Bethesda,  Maryland  20816 
(spindalis@aol.com) 

Andrew  Dobson 

Warwick  Academy 
117  Middle  Road 
Warwick  PG  01 
Bermuda 

(info@audubon.bm) 

For  the  first  time  in  the  years  of  recording 
observation  from  this  Region,  reports  from 
Cuba  are  now  challenging  the  space  formerly 
allotted  to  expanded  coverage  of  the  other 
Greater  Antillean  islands — Hispaniola,  Jamaica, 
and  Puerto  Rico.  Four  reports  were  received  cov- 
ering late  November,  2-16  December,  7-16 
February,  and  21  February — 2 March,  the  latter 
two  during  expeditions  or  bird  surveys  spon- 
sored by  the  American  Birding  Association. 

Tony  White’s  original  impression  of  the  annu- 
al Christmas  Bird  Count  at  New  Providence, 
Bahamas  was  that  migrant  songbirds  were 
reduced  in  number  from  the  previous  year,  and 
this  was  blamed  in  part  on  hurricane  Michelle  (5 
November  2001).  WhOe  there  were  some  surpris- 
ingly low  counts,  e.g.,  one  vs.  18  Black- throated 
Blue  Warblers,  White  notes  that  the  trend  was  not 
uniform.  Nectivorous  birds  are  usually  the  hard- 
est hit  by  hurricanes,  but  nectivores  such  as 
Bahama  Woodstar  (31  vs.  45)  and  Bananaquit 
(54  vs.  38)  did  not  show  sharp  declines. 


Frugivores  such  as  Western  Spindalis  (15  vs.  15) 
and  Greater  Antillean  Bullfinch  (4  vs.  6)  also  held 
their  own. 

There  is  little  doubt  as  to  the  vagrant-of-the- 
season  award.  Andrew  Dobson  writes  that  pride 
of  place  goes  to  the  flock  of  five  Bohemian 
Waxwings,  a new  Bermuda  record.  Just  consider 
how  difficult  it  is  to  find  them  in  the  East  south 
of  the  Great  Lakes! 

We  are  saddened  to  report  the  passing  of 
Gibbon  McKenzie,  the  resident  birder  on  South 
Andros,  who  led  many  birders  to  the  only  nesting 
site  of  Cave  Swallows  in  the  Bahamas.  His  death 
is  a severe  blow  to  ornithology  and  birding  in  the 
Bahamas,  and  he  will  be  missed. 

Abbreviation;  B.N.T.  (Bahamas  National  Trust). 

GREBE  THROUGH  TERNS 

A pair  of  Pied-billed  Grebes  (DW)  was  feeding  3 
chicks  12  Feb,  reported  to  be  a very  early  date,  at 
Somerset’s  Long  Bay  Nature  Reserve,  Bermuda. 
Dobson  reports  a record-high  65  breeding  pairs 
of  Bermuda  Petrel  (Cahow)  are  established  with 
the  first  hatching  occurred  on  21  Feb  (JM).  This 
is  one  of  the  major  conservation  successes  of  the 
island  and  the  Region.  A Cory’s  Shearwater  (RP), 
a species  rarely  recorded  in  winter,  was  noted  off 
North  Shore,  Bermuda  14  Dec.  A Manx 
Shearwater  seen  off  Elbow  Beach,  Bermuda  16 
Feb  was  the  first  of  the  year  (SR).  Bracey  report- 
ed that  fishermen  saw  thousands  of  Audubon’s 
Shearwaters  and  a possible  Cory’s  Shearwater  off 
Great  Guana  Cay,  Abaco,  Bahamas  23  Jan. 

An  ad.  Red-billed  Tropicbird  was  seen  about 
19  km  w.  of  Grenada  (ML)  in  late  Feb,  and  2 or  3 
were  seen  on  14  Jan  just  off  Port  Elizabeth, 
Bequia,  St.  Vincent,  en  route  to  Mustique  (SE). 
About  50  imm.  Red-footed  Boobies  were  noted 


some  256  km  s.  of  Santo  Domingo,  Dominican 
Republic  (ML)  in  late  Feb,  and  a group  of  about 
50,  all  dark-morph  ads.  and  imms.,  was  seen  on 
14  Jan  actively  fishing  in  the  open  sea  between 
Bequia  and  Mustique,  St  Vincent  (SE).  Am  imm. 
Brown  Pelican  was  first  noted  at  Burgess  Point, 
Bermuda  8 Jan,  where  it  remained  for  a month. 
On  9 Feb,  PD,  LH,  MW,  and  AB  counted  29 
Neotropic  Cormorants  at  Cable  Beach  Golf 
Course  ponds,  New  Providence,  Bahamas. 

During  the  island-wide  count  on  Barbados  30 
Dec,  a single  Gray  Heron  at  Muddy  Waters  was  a 
good  find,  though  the  species  appears  annually 
here  now.  The  island-wide  count  on  Barbados 
also  produced  17  Little  Egrets,  including  two 
nests  (one  with  three  eggs  and  one  with  chicks), 
and  a total  of  26  Snowy  Egrets  (with  one  nest). 
Might  those  numbers  some  day  be  reversed?  A 
Great  Egret  was  at  the  Grand  Beach  Resort,  St. 
George’s,  Grenada  (where  uncommon)  10-12  Jan 
(SE).  A nesting  colony  of  10-15  Wood  Storks  was 
noted  at  Las  Salinas,  Zapata  peninsula,  Cuba  23 
Feb  (JC). 

A wild,  free-flying  Snow  Goose  has  been  pres- 
ent year-round  on  Hog  Cay,  Long  Island, 
Bahamas  since  Oct  1999.  The  local  landowner 
puts  out  200  pounds  of  grain  each  day  for  the 
West  Indian  Whistling-Ducks,  with  which  the 
Snow  Goose  consorts.  Three  Black-bellied 
Whistling-Ducks  apparently  lingered  here  for 
three  months  as  well  (GG,  fide  TW).  On  9 Feb, 
PD,  LH,  MW,  and  AB  counted  32  White-cheeked 
Pintails  at  Cable  Beach  Golf  Course  ponds.  The 
high  count  of  White-cheeked  Pintails  on  Culebra, 
Puerto  Rico  in  Jan  was  19  on  the  30th  (ESB, 
SWH).  On  2 Feb,  B.N.T.  members  counted  589 
ducks  of  seven  species  on  New  Providence.  High 
counts  were  243  White-cheeked  Pintails  and  186 
Blue-winged  Teal,  mostly  on  Maillis’s  ponds  in 
Adelaide.  A count  of  1 1 Green-winged  Teal  was 
also  on  the  high  side  for  this  island.  A Common 
Teal  found  at  Pembroke  Marsh,  Bermuda  16  Dec 
remained  into  late  Jan  (AD).  At  Lyford  Cay,  New 
Providence,  Bahamas,  Hallett  noted  a Ruddy 
Duck  16-24  Jan. 

A Swallow-tailed  Kite  (fide  AD)  seen  over 
Paget,  Bermuda  27  Feb  was  one  of  the  earliest 
ever  records  there.  An  ad.  Broad-winged  Hawk 
was  seen  well  perched  and  in  flight  near  Old 
Bahama  Bay  resort  grounds.  Grand  Bahama  16 
Jan  (BH);  there  is  no  previous  report  of  this 
species  from  the  Bahamas.  A Northern  Goshawk 
seen  over  Abbot’s  Cliff,  Bermuda  18  Jan  was  the 
first  since  1985  and  one  of  few  records  off  the 
continent  (WF,  DBW).  The  resident  race  of 
American  Kestrels  in  North  Andros,  Bahamas 
continues  to  expand  northward  {CC,fideTW)  in 
the  Bahamas.  Eccles  noted  3 Peregrine  Falcons  in 
the  Lesser  Antilles  in  winter:  one  coming  to  roost 
on  the  Fort  at  St.  George’s,  Grenada  12  Jan,  one 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


235 


on  the  cliffs  at  Chatham  Bay,  Union  1. 13  Jan,  and 
another  still  on  15  )an  over  the  fort  at  St.  Lucia 
N.P.,  Rodney  Bay,  St  Lucia. 

Soras  were  relatively  frequently  reported,  with 
10  an  unusually  high  number  at  Pembroke 
Marsh,  Bermuda  16  Dec  (AD).  A Piping  Plover 
was  found  at  Nassau,  Bahamas  23-24  Jan  (PD). 
An  American  Golden-Plover  was  studied  care- 
fully at  Daniel’s  Head,  Bermuda  8 Dec  (AD,  SR); 
the  species  is  considered  uncommon  here  in 
Dec.  In  St.  Vincent  and  the  Grenadines,  2 
American  Oystercatchers  (2nd  record  for  St. 
Vincent  and  the  Grenadines)  were  noted  at 
Monkey  Point,  Mayreau  L,  27  Dec  (fide  FH). 
Another  2 were  at  Culebra,  Puerto  Rico  31  Jan 
(SWH,  ESB).  A Curlew  Sandpiper  at  Congo 
Road,  Barbados  30  Dec  was  a great  addition  to 
the  C.B.C.  (EM).  Six  Least  Sandpipers  and  2 
Short-billed  Dowitchers  were  on  the  mud-flats 
around  the  lagoon  on  Mustique,  St.  Vincent  14 
Jan;  both  are  decidedly  uncommon  here  (SE). 

During  a cruise  through  the  n.  Caribbean  Sea, 
ML  also  noted  2 Pomarine  Jaegers  in  a flock  of 
boobies  256  km  s.  of  the  Dominican  Republic  in 
late  Feb.  On  27  Feb,  a moribund  subad.  light- 
morph  Parasitic  Jaeger  was  found  by  PK  on  the 
13th  hole  of  the  Lyford  Cay  Golf  Course,  New 
Providence,  Bahamas.  The  bird  died  that  night 
and  has  been  preserved  (AB).  On  25  Feb,  DF  saw 
2 first-winter  Herring  Gulls  off  Seven  Mile 
Beach,  Grand  Cayman  Island.  According  to 
Patricia  Bradley  (2000.  The  Birds  of  Cayman 
Islands.  British  Ornithologists’  Union  Checklist 
#18),  the  species  is  a very  uncommon  and  irreg- 
ular winter  visitor  in  the  Caymans.  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gulls  have  become  ever  more  common  in 
Bermuda  in  recent  years,  so  a record  21  birds  at 
the  Dockyard  26  Feb  was  not  entirely  unexpect- 
ed (SR).  An  apparent  Great  Black-backed  Gull 
was  seen  for  extended  periods  on  30  Nov  at 
Gibara,  Holguin,  Cuba  (DS,  m.  ob.);  observers 
should  beware  of  the  identification  pitfalls  posed 
by  the  similar  Kelp  Gull,  an  increasingly  frequent 
visitor  to  the  lower  Caribbean  basin.  A group  of 
4 Ring-billed  Gulls  in  the  port  area  of  Basseterre, 
St.  Kitts  18-21  Jan  was  unusual  here  (SE).  Black- 
legged Kittiwakes  were  present  at  Bermuda  early 
Dec — Jan,  with  a maximum  day  count  of  4 along 
South  Shore  (DW;  SR,  AD).  A Forster’s  Tern  win- 
tered this  year  in  Castle  Harbour,  Bermuda  and 
was  seen  regularly  along  the  Causeway  Nov — 
Feb  (m.  ob.).  A Forster’s  Tern  was  noted  at 
Nassau  on  23-24  Jan  (PD).  At  Guadeloupe,  an 
ad.  Caspian  Tern  was  found  27  Dec  at  Anse  du 
Canal,  together  with  a first-winter  Forster’s  Tern 
(the  latter  a first  documented  record  for 
Guadeloupe;  AL).  Seven  Sandwich  Terns  among 
a group  of  about  40  Royal  Terns,  were  off  the 
beach  south  of  the  “port”  on  Mustique,  St. 
Vincent  (SE). 


DOVES  THROUGH  SPARROWS 

On  North  Andros,  Bahamas,  3 Key  West  Quail- 
Doves  were  found  feeding  under  almond  trees  at 
Owens  Town  19  Jan  (MB,  JW,  DW,  MA).  At 
Soplillar,  Cuba,  Markus  and  Anita  Lagerqvist 
were  treated  to  the  shy  Blue-headed  Quail-Dove 
1 1 Dec.  Hepburn  and  Schaller  saw  a Barn  Owl  at 
the  Botanic  Gardens  in  Nassau,  Bahamas  on  New 
Year’s  Day.  A pair  of  Ashy-faced  Owls  (formerly 
Barn  Owl;  now  Tyto  glaucops,  race  insularis)  was 
seen  and  heard  10-11  Jan  at  the  Grand  Beach 
Resort,  St.  George’s,  Grenada  (SE).  The  male  was 
seen  well  (carrying  prey  to  the  nest),  and  one 
wonders  whether  a fresh  investigation  of  species 
limits  might  not  be  in  order  here,  given  the  strik- 
ing distinctions  from  Ashy-faced  Owls  on 
Dominica  (race  nigrescens)  and  Hispaniola 
(nominate  glaucops). 

The  Lagerqvists  report  that  Bee  Hummingbird 
has  not  been  reliably  or  consistently  seen  since 
hurricane  Irene.  Fernandina’s  Woodpecker  and 
Zapata  Sparrow,  also  Cuban  endemics,  have  like- 
wise become  more  difficult  to  find.  Judith 
O’Neale  visited  Cuba  in  Feb  and  did  not  find  Bee 
Hummingbird.  However,  the  A.B.A.  survey  man- 
aged to  find  one  22  Feb  in  the  hurricane-devas- 
tated area  of  Zapata  ( JC).  Two  or  3 birds  believed 
to  be  Gray-rumped  Swifts  (listed  by  Raffaele  et  al. 
as  “possibly  a year-round  resident,  but  probably 
only  seasonal”)  were  at  the  port  of  St.  George’s, 
Grenada  12  Jan  (SE).  A small  group  of  Barn 
Swallows  over  a lake  in  the  Grand  Etaing  N.P.  on 
Grenada  was  unusual  for  the  date — 11  Jan  (SE). 
On  14  Dec  near  Parque  Nacional  La  Belen,  the 
Lagerqvists  found  a Giant  Kingbird,  whose  range 
is  now  restricted  to  Cuba  (no  longer  on  Great 
Inagua  or  Caicos  islands).  Most  of  the  birding 
tour  groups  have  been  finding  this  species  in  this 
area  or  nearby,  but  it  is  clearly  rare  and  endan- 
gered throughout  Cuba  and  the  Isla  de  Pinos. 

Paul  Dean  reports  that  he  does  not  know  of 
any  reports  of  Great  Lizard-Cuckoo  on  New 
Providence,  Bahamas  in  the  past  two  years.  This 
bird  may  be  in  serious  trouble  on  this  island. 
After  19  years  of  survey  at  Vieques,  DG  reports 
that  Puerto  Rican  Woodpecker  populations  are  at 
their  zenith,  with  eight  pairs  and  20  individuals. 
Three  Eastern  Phoebes  overwintered  at  Port 
Royal  Golf  Course,  Spittal  Pond,  and  Kindley 
Eield  airport,  Bermuda  (AD).  Two  very  late  or 
wintering  Black-whiskered  Vireos  were  found  at 
Turners  Hall  Woods,  Barbados  30  Dec  (EM).  Two 
singing  House  Wrens  were  discovered  at  St. 
George’s  Cemetery,  Bermuda  4 Nov;  these  birds, 
very  rare  on  Bermuda  at  any  time,  overwintered 
here  (IF,  m.  ob.).  A Golden-crowned  Kinglet  was 
at  Ireland  Island  Cemetery,  Bermuda  16  Dec 
(DW),  with  another  at  Compston’s  Pond  24  Feb 
(SR).  A Hermit  Thrush  was  noted  at  Port  Royal 
Golf  Course,  Bermuda  9 Feb  (SR).  The  15 


European  Starlings  1 1 Nov  at  Diamond  Farms, 
New  Providence  (PD)  were  outnumbered  there 
during  the  C.B.C.  16  Dec  (TW),  which  counted 
62.  A flock  of  19  American  Pipits  (AD)  win- 
tered at  Kindley  Field  airport,  Bermuda,  where 
they  were  first  noted  5 Jan.  One  was  present  at 
Diamond  Farms,  New  Providence  1 Dec  (PD, 
m.  ob.).  A remarkable  flock  of  3 Bohemian 
Waxwings  at  Dock  Hill,  Bermuda  2 Dec  bog- 
gles the  mind;  the  eventual  flock  of  5 birds,  last 
seen  6 Jan,  provided  a new  record  for  the  archi- 
pelago and  one  of  very  few  (if  any?)  at  this  lat- 
itude anywhere  (JG,  m.  ob.). 

An  Orange-crowned  Warbler  was  seen  on 
the  C.B.C.  19  Dec  at  Princess  Ruby  Golf  Course 
at  Freeport,  Grand  Bahama  (TW,  LG),  and 
another  was  noted  at  the  chicken  farm  s.  of 
Marsh  Harbour,  Abaco  21  Jan  (BH,  WB).  A 
Yellow  Warbler  at  Port  Royal  Golf  Course, 
Bermuda  26  Jan  provided  a rare  wintering 
record  (SR).  A Kentucky  Warbler  (JM)  in  the 
Smiths  Hills,  Bermuda  29  Nov — Dec  was  like- 
wise rare  in  winter  there.  The  Vieques  island 
population  of  Adelaide’s  Warbler  seems  to  be 
increasing  according  to  DG’s  19-year  study. 
They  appear  to  exploit  all  habitats  on  the 
island.  Are  they  poised  to  jump  to  the  Virgin 
Islands  or  to  Culebra?  On  23  Feb,  MA  and  JT  of 
the  Kirtland’s  Warbler  Recovery  Team  found  a 
Kirtland’s  Warbler  on  North  Andros  n.  of  the 
Fresh  Cr.  Bridge.  On  20  Feb,  AS  saw  5 Yellow- 
throated  Warblers  in  one  tree  at  Ardastra 
Gardens,  Nassau,  Bahamas.  A Hooded  Warbler 
was  at  Marsh  Harbour,  Abaco,  Bahamas  13  Jan, 
further  evidence  that  this  species  winters  in  the 
Bahamas  (RP).  At  Barbados,  a male  Kentucky 
Warbler  at  Turners  Hall  Woods  provided  the 
3rd  record  for  the  island.  Three  Louisiana 
Waterthrushes  were  seen  well  on  St.  Kitts  19-20 
Jan,  2 along  the  Wingfield  Trails  in  the  rain  for- 
est, another  near  a small  lagoon  ne.  of 
Basseterre  (SE).  A Yellow-breasted  Chat  at 
Abbot’s  Cliff,  Bermuda  19  Jan  was  noteworthy 
in  winter  (PW). 

At  Treasure  Cay,  Grand  Bahama,  Bracey 
found  a female  Summer  Tanager  12  Jan;  anoth- 
er in  Bermuda’s  Botanical  Gardens  21  Jan  was 
exceptional  (DW).  A Blue  Grosbeak  discovered 
wintering  on  Cooper’s  Island,  Bermuda  in  Feb 
was  most  unusual  (DBW).  A Dickcissel  was  on 
Nonsuch  Island,  Bermuda  17  Feb  (DBW  et  al.), 
while  one  at  Prospect  Fields  12  Dec  was  one  of 
3 in  Dec  (SR).  Red-winged  Blackbirds  were 
recorded  during  the  annual  C.B.C.  at  Spittal 
Pond,  Bermuda  16  Dec  (AD,  PH).  An  Evening 
Grosbeak  was  present  in  Botanical  Gardens, 
Bermuda  31  Dec — 5 Jan  (GP).  In  the  U.S. 
Virgin  Islands,  House  Sparrows  were  widely 
distributed  in  w.  St.  Croix.  At  Staniard  Creek, 
North  Andros,  Black-cowled  Orioles  were  seen 


236 


North  American  Birds 


West  Indies — Hawaiian  Islands 


daily  during  a week-long  survey  (MA,  MB,  DE, 
}W),  but  only  one  oriole  of  the  15  counted  was 
not  an  adult.  This  suggests  that  the  Shiny 
Cowbird  may  already  be  affecting  breeding  suc- 
cess. 

Observers  (subregional  editors  in  boldface): 
Matt  Anderson,  Aileen  Bainton,  Mike  Baltz, 
Chuck  and  Nancy  Bell,  Woody  Bracey,  Edward  S. 
Brinkley,  Sandra  Buckner,  Chuck  Cable,  Julie 
Craves,  Paul  Dean,  Andrew  Dobson,  Stephen 


Eccies,  Dave  Ewert,  Ian  Fisher,  David  Freeland, 
Wendy  Frith,  Martin  Frost,  Lynn  Gape,  Daphne 
Gemmill,  Greg  Graham,  Jennifer  Gray,  Steven  W. 
Hairfield,  Bruce  Hallett,  Floyd  Hayes,  Tony 
Hepburn,  Peter  Holmes,  Linda  Huber,  Peter 
Kemp,  Chuck  Knapp,  Anthony  Levesque,  Mark 
Lockwood,  Markus  (MkL)  and  Anita  Lagerqvist, 
Jeremy  Madeiros,  Gary  Markowski,  Angel 
Martinez,  Eddie  Massiah,  Neil  McKinney,  Judith 
O’Neale,  Ron  Pagliaro,  George  Peterich,  Pedro 
Regalado,  Steve  Rodwell,  Freddie  Schaller,  AI 


Schirmacher,  Don  Shanahan,  Jasmine  Turner, 
Paul  Watson,  David  Wallace  (DW),  Michael 
Wakelin,  Tony  White,  David  Wingate  (DBW), 
Joseph  Wunderle,  Jr. 

Corrigenda 

I have  been  incorrectly  attributing  some  observa- 
tions from  Guadeloupe  to  Martin  Frost  (MF) 
when  they  should  be  attributed  to  Anthony 
Levesque  (AL).  My  apologies  to  both  observers 
who  graciously  informed  me  of  my  error. 


Hawaiian  Islands 


C fk  ^ small,  rocky  island  about 

km  north  of  NPihau.  The  island, 
a state  seabird  sanctuary,  is  uninhabited 
and  infrequently  visited.  There  has  been 
little  information  about  birdlife  on  Lehua. 
Eric  VanderWerf  spent  three  days  survey- 
ing birds  on  the  island  19-21  Feb. 
Highlights  of  the  survey  were  31  adult 
Black-footed  Albatross  and  8 nests  with 
chicks  and  50  adult  Laysan  Albatross  and  9 
nests  with  chicks.  Eric  counted  2352  Red- 
footed Boobies,  but  birds  were  still  return- 
ing at  dusk  when  it  became  too  dark  to 
count.  The  survey  turned  up  two  unusual 
migrants,  a Peregrine  Falcon  and  a first- 
year  Glaucous-winged  Gull. 


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) 

Heavy  rains,  which  started  in  November,  con- 
tinued through  January.  This  was  a return  to 
typical  wet  winter  weather  after  four  dry  winters. 
Drier  weather  returned  in  February.  We  had 
pretty  good  observer  coverage.  Reports  from 
tours  on  Hawai'i  Island  provided  regular  obser- 
vations of  some  very  rare  native  species.  Seabird 
reports  were  also  better  than  usual  with  a hand- 
ful of  boat  trips  and  a survey  of  Lehua  Island. 


Abbreviations:  E.  (Endangered  Species);  H. 
(Hawai'i  Island);  Hakalau  (Hakalau  N.W.R., 
Hawai'i  Island);  Hanalei  (Hanalei  N.W.R., 
Kaua'i  Island);  Honouliuli  (Honouliuli  Unit  of 
Pearl  Harbor  N.W.R.,  0‘ahu  Island);  K.  (Kaua'i 
Island);  Kanaha  (Kanaha  Pond,  Maui  Island); 
Kealia  (Kealia  Pond  N.W.R.,  Maui  Island);  Kii 
(Ki‘i  Unit  of  James  Campbell  N.W.R.,  O'ahu 
Island);  K.P.  (Kilauea  Pt.  N.W.R.,  Kaua‘i 
Island);  M.  (Maui  Island);  O.  (0‘ahu  Island); 
Waiawa  ( Waiawa  Unit  of  Pearl  Harbor  N.W.R., 
O'ahu  Island);  T.  (Threatened  Species). 

ALBATROSS  THROUGH  EGRETS 

At  least  2 Short-tailed  Albatross  (E.),  remained 
on  Midway  Dec-f,  one  on  Sand  Island  and  one 
on  Eastern  Island.  (MM,  BP).  A visiting  birder 
on  a boat  trip  west  of  Kaua‘i  26  Dec  observed  2 
Tristram’s  Storm-Petrels  (MH,  fide  DK). 
Tristram’s  Storm-Petrels  are  rarely  reported 
near  the  main  islands. 


Two  Cattle  Egrets  were  seen  on  Midway  Dec-29 
Jan  (BP,  MM).  Cattle  Egrets  are  abundant  in  the 
main  Hawaiian  Islands  but  rare  on  the  NW 
Hawaiian  Islands. 


Chandler  Robbins  replaced  the 
band  on  a Laysan  Albatross  tending 
a chick  on  Midway  in  February.  The  bird’s 
band  had  been  replaced  several  times  so  it 
took  a bit  of  digging  to  find  out  when  it 
had  been  first  banded.  It  was  discovered 
that  Chandler  Robbins  himself  had  first 
banded  the  bird  in  1956.  The  bird  was 
incubating  an  egg  at  the  time.  Since  Laysan 
Albatrosses  don’t  breed  till  they  are  at  least 
4 years  old  (NH),  this  bird  must  be  at  least 
50  years  old  and  is  probably  older.  This  is  a 
new  longevity  record  for  a U.S.-banded 
bird.  Long  may  it  soar! 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


237 


DUCKS  THROUGH  RAILS 

A Fulvous  Whistling-Duck  was  seen  at  Kii  1 Dec 
(PD,  RM,  MO)  but  not  thereafter.  Fulvous 
Whistling-Ducks  were  first  reported  in  Hawaii 
in  1982,  when  6 of  unknown  origin  were  found 
near  Kii.  Breeding  was  documented  in  1984. 
The  population  on  O'ahu  had  increased  to  a few 
dozen  birds  by  1990,  and  there  were  sightings 
on  Kaua'i,  Moloka'i,  and  Maui.  The  population 
dwindled  in  the  early  1990s.  For  the  past  few 
years,  only  a single  individual  has  been 
observed.  “Lonesome  George”  was  seen  regular- 
ly near  Kii  till  this  Dec.  It  appears  that  Fulvous 
Whistling- Ducks  have  now  disappeared  from 
our  islands. 

Numbers  of  wintering  waterfowl  were  low 
overall.  Northern  Shovelers  and  Northern 
Pintails  are  the  most  common  migrant  ducks  in 
Hawaii.  There  are  many  records  of  hundreds  of 
both  species  at  a single  site.  This  winter,  the 
largest  flock  of  shovelers  was  41  at  Kealia  29  Nov 
(MN).  The  largest  flock  of  pintail  was  about  50 
at  Kii  20  Feb  (MO).  There  were  good  numbers 
of  some  less  common  ducks.  Wigeon  of  both 
species  were  reported  from  Hawai’i  I.  to 
Midway  Atoll.  The  highest  count  was  19  at  Kii 
10  Jan  (KP)  and  2 Feb  (PD).  The  count  on  2 Feb 
included  at  least  10  Eurasian  Wigeon  (PD).  That 
number  matches  the  highest  counts  for  the 
species  in  Hawaii.  There  were  also  many  reports 
of  Green-winged  Teal.  The  largest  number 
reported  was  24  at  Kii  15  Dec  (PD,  RM).  Two 
Common  Teal  were  on  Midway  (BP)  and  at 
least  one  was  at  Kii  (PD).  Numbers  of  bay  ducks 
remained  very  low.  Lesser  Scaup  are  the  most 
common  bay  ducks  in  Hawaii.  Counts  of  20-f  at 
a single  site  are  not  unusual.  The  high  tally  of 
Lesser  Scaup  was  only  6 at  Kii  5 Jan  (MO).  One 
Tufted  Duck  was  on  Midway  Dec — 2 Jan  (BP). 
One  Bufflehead  was  found  at  Wailua,  K.  28  Dec 
(DK).  Tufted  Ducks  and  Buffleheads  are  both 
rare  in  Hawaii. 

Several  observers  had  a good  look  at  an  imm. 
(rusty-colored)  Northern  Harrier  along  the 
saddle  road,  H.  8 Feb  (LK,  fide  RP).  A light- 
morph  Rough-legged  Hawk  found  on  Midway 
Oct  remained  through  Dec-h  (MM,  BP).  A fal- 
con spotted  in  Kaneohe  during  the  Honolulu 
C.B.C.  21  Dec  was  identified  as  a Merlin  (tEV). 
A Peregrine  Falcon  was  later  observed  perched 
on  the  same  branch  where  the  Merlin  had  been 
seen.  The  Peregrine  was  found  several  times  12- 
25  Jan  (fTC).  Peregrine  Falcons  are  rare  but  reg- 
ular winter  visitors  in  Hawai,i  while  Merlins  are 
very  rare. 

Numbers  of  Hawaiian  Coots  (E.)  were  low  in 
some  areas.  Only  15  Hawaiian  Coots  were 
found  at  Hanalei  28  Dec  (DK),  and  the  count  at 
Kealia  had  dropped  to  104  by  21  Feb  (MN).  An 
American  Coot  was  discovered  5 Dec  at 


Waiakea  Pd,  H.  (tJR)  by  an  observer  with  little 
experience  with  the  native  Hawaiian  Coots. 
(American  Coots  are  very  rare  in  Hawaii  and  very 
similar  to  Hawaiian  Coots.)  Other  experienced 
observers  were  able  to  confirm  the  identification 
as  American  Coot  after  close  scrutiny  and  com- 
parison with  a nearby  Hawaiian  Coot  (DL,  v.t. 
RD). 

SHOREBIRDS  THROUGH  TERNS 

A white-headed  stilt  was  discovered  near  KaOua, 
H.  6 Feb  (ph.  SW).  There  was  much  speculation 
that  it  might  be  a vagrant  Black-winged  (Pied) 
StOt  firom  Australasia,  but  the  consensus  is  that  the 
bird  is  an  aberrant  Hawaiian  Stilt  (DL,  JR). 
Hawaiian  StOts  (E.)  began  nesting  unusually  early 
this  year.  One  nest  was  observed  at  Kanaha  1 1 Feb 
(LT). 

A Whimbrel  of  the  North  American  race 
remained  at  Kii  Dec-i-  (PD).  The  Black-tailed 
Godwit  first  seen  on  Maui  26  Oct  2000  has  been 
at  Kii  since  Jan  2001  (m.  ob.).  It  remains  the  only 
one  of  its  species  reported  in  the  Hawaiian 
Islands.  As  of  late  Feb,  the  godwit  showed  no  signs 
of  molting  into  alternate  plumage  (PD).  A band- 
ed Wandering  Tattler  was  seen  at  Waiakea  Pond, 
H.  12  Jan  (JR).  This  bird  was  banded  in  Alaska  14 
Jul  1999  and  has  presumably  made  the  round  trip 
every  year  since  then;  it  was  missing  during  the 
summers  of  2000  and  2001  (RD).  A Red 
Phalarope  molting  from  juvenal  to  first-winter 
plumage  was  found  and  photographed  at  Kanaha 
on  the  C.B.C.  14  Dec  (ph.  NM).  A Common  Snipe 
on  Midway  Dec — 2 Jan  was  identified  as  a bird  of 
the  North  American  race  delicata  (tBP). 

Unusually  high  numbers  and  varieties  of  gulls 
were  reported  this  winter.  There  were  5-6  first- 
winter  Laughing  Gulls  at  Kii  29  Dec-l-  (PD,  RM, 
MO,  KP).  One  was  in  HHo,  H.  23  Feb+  (RD,  DP, 
JR).  One  first-winter  Ring-billed  Gull  was  spotted 
at  Kii  5 Jan  (MO)  and  19  Jan  (RM).  One  first- 
winter  Herring  Gull  was  observed  intermittently 
on  Midway  1-19  Jan.  Another  individual  was 
found  dead  7 Jan  (BP).  An  ad.  Slaty-backed  Gull 
was  present  on  Midway  12-15  Jan  (fBP).  First- 
winter  Glaucous-winged  Gulls  appeared  in  sever- 
al locations.  Seven  were  counted  at  Kinikini 
Ditch,  K.  2 Jan  (ph.  JD,  DK).  One  to  5 were 
around  Kii  Dec-h  (PD,  RM,  MO,  KP).  A 
Glaucous-winged  found  dead  at  Kii  23  Feb  (PD) 
was  noted  to  be  very  emaciated  (MS).  An  oiled 
Black-legged  Kittiwake  was  found  dead  on 
Midway  27  Feb  (WS). 

A Caspian  Tern  was  observed  on  the  Marine 
Corps  base  in  Kaneohe,  O.  several  times  12  Dec — 
9 Feb  (m.  ob.).  This  is  probably  the  same  individ- 
ual that  has  been  in  the  islands  since  Nov  2000. 
One  basic-plumaged  Common  Tern  was  seen  at 
Kii  29  Dec  (PD,  RM).  Both  of  these  species  are 
uncommon  in  Hawaii. 


PARAKEETS  THROUGH  PASSERINES 

Flocks  of  up  to  30  Red-masked  Parakeets  were 
observed  in  e 0‘ahu  Dec-h.  No  roosts  or  nests 
have  yet  been  located  (MO).  The  similar  Mitred 
Parakeets  seem  to  be  flourishing  in  the  Kona 
area,  H.  (RD).  Over  100  Red-crowned  Parrots 
were  counted  in  Pearl  City  4 Dec,  a high  count 
for  this  species  (PD). 

Two  Puaiohi  (E.)  were  found  in  Koke‘e,  K.  on 
the  Waimea  C.B.C.  24  Dec  (DK).  One  Puaiohi 
heard  singing  and  briefly  seen  16  Feb  was 
unbanded  (DL).  Apparently  captive-reared 
birds  released  in  the  area  have  successfully 
raised  young  or  have  attracted  wild  birds  to  the 
area — 

an  encouraging  development  for  this  very  rare 
species  (JF). 

An  Oahu  ‘Amakihi  was  seen  carrying  nesting 
material  8 Dec  in  Honolulu  (JR).  There  are  few 
nesting  records  for  this  species  and  none  in  Dec. 
We  received  over  a dozen  reports  of  Palila  (E.)  at 
Pu‘u  La'au,  H.  Dec-h  (DL,  DP,  RP,  JR).  Two  Maui 
Parrotbills  (E.)  and  2 ‘Akohekohe  (E.)  were  seen 
along  the  Waikamoi  boardwalk,  M.  9 Feb  (JR). 
At  least  5 ‘Akiapola‘au  (E.)  were  counted  near 
Kulani,  H.  16  Dec  (JR).  One  or  2 ‘Akiapola'au 
were  found  on  several  tours  of  Pu‘u  ‘0‘o  Ranch, 
H.  Dec-h  (RP).  One  or  2 ‘Akiapola'aU  were  also 
located  along  Pu‘u  ‘0‘o  trail,  H.  (JR)  and  at 
Hakalau  24  Feb  (RP). 

Only  3 Po'ouli  (E.)  remain  alive.  The  birds 
are  in  separate  territories  and  never  meet.  Staff 
and  volunteers  with  the  Maui  Forest  Bird 
Recovery  Project  are  trying  to  catch  one  of  the  2 
females  and  move  her  into  the  territory  of  the 
only  male.  The  first  step  was  to  have  been 
mounting  a radio  transmitter  on  the  male,  but 
he  has  avoided  capture.  Project  members  have 
given  up  on  capturing  the  male  and  are  now 
concentrating  on  capturing  the  female  (EV). 

Contributors:  David  Adams,  David  Bremer, 
Chad  Castle,  Tom  Coles,  Reg  David,  Jim  Denny, 
Peter  Donaldson,  Fern  Duval,  Andrew  Engilis, 
George  Fisher,  Nancy  Hoffman,  Michael  Hogg, 
David  Kuhn,  Lisa  Kummer,  Keith  Larson,  Dan 
Lindsay,  Richard  May,  Mark  McCaustland, 
Nadege  Meunier,  Mike  Nishimoto,  Mike  Ord, 
Rob  Pacheco,  Dorothy  Parker  (Dpa),  Bruce 
Peterjohn,  Kurt  Pohlman,  Doug  Pratt,  Thane 
Pratt,  Chuck  Probst,  Robert  Pyle  (RPy),  Bill 
Rathman,  Mark  Rauzon,  Chandler  Robbins, 
Jason  Rogers,  Wayne  Sentman,  Mike 
Silbernagle,  Lance  Tanino,  Eric  VanderWerf, 
Scott  Waddington,  Michael  Walther. 


238 


North  American  Birds 


Major  Negative  Impacts  of  Early  Intensive  Cattle 
Stocking  on  Tallgrass  Prairies;  The  Case  of  the 
Greater  Prairie-Chicken  {Tympanuchus  cupido) 


Mark  B.  Robbins 
A.  Townsend  Peterson 

Natural  History  Museum 
The  University  of  Kansas 
Lawrence,  Kansas  66045 

Miguel  A.  Ortega-Huerla 

Department  of  Geography 
and  Applied  Remote  Sensing  Program 
The  University  of  Kansas 
Lawrence,  Kansas  66045 

Abstract 

Human  impacts  on  tallgrass  prairies  and  their  biota  have  been  severe. 
Among  recent  impacts  is  the  shift  from  mosaic  or  rotational  burns  in  fall 
and  spring  to  broadscale  artificial  burns  annually  in  the  spring,  coupled 
with  “early  intensive  cattle  stocking.”  We  examine  the  effects  of  this  rela- 
tively new  management  regime  on  the  Greater  Prairie-Chicken 
{Tympanuchus  cupido).  First,  the  rapidly  decline  of  this  species  is  docu- 
mented— a broad  range  expansion  at  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century 
followed  by  a drastic  range  reduction  over  the  course  of  the  latter  half  of 
the  tv/entieth  century.  The  core  of  the  species’s  range  has  usually  been  con- 
sidered to  be  the  Flint  Hills  of  eastern  Kansas,  yet  this  region  has  seen  dra- 
matic population  declines  during  the  past  two  decades.  These  declines  are 
closely  associated  with  different  burning  regimes:  where  spring  burning 
regimes  and  associated  early  intensive  cattle  stocking  are  common, 
prairie-chickens  are  declining  dramatically,  whereas  where  spring  burning 
is  rare  and/or  rotated,  populations  are  stable.  We  suggest  that  this  relative- 
ly new  management  technique  works  to  the  great  detriment  of  the  Greater 
Prairie-Chicken — and  indeed  to  that  of  an  entire  suite  of  species  that 
depend  on  prairie  vegetation  that  is  not  burned  yearly. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  tallgrass  prairie  is  the  most  heavily  impacted  biome  in  North 
America,  with  less  than  5 per  cent  of  its  presettlement  extent  remaining 
(Samson  and  Knopf  1994).  Remaining  tallgrass  prairie  is  highly  frag- 
mented, with  the  largest  contiguous  unplowed  section  being  the  Flint 
Hills  region  of  extreme  northern  Oklahoma  and  eastern  Kansas 
(Reichman  1987,  Knapp  and  Seastedt  1998).  Because  of  their  great 
extent,  the  Flint  Hills  have  long  been  recognized  as  harboring  the  largest 
population  of  Greater  Prairie-Chickens  (Baker  1953,  Johnsgard  1973, 
Westemeier  and  Gough  1999)  and  other  species  restricted  to  tallgrass 
prairie. 

However,  beginning  in  1980  in  northern  Oklahoma  (L.  Holcombe, 
pers.  comm.)  and  soon  thereafter  in  Kansas — and  especially  in  the  past 
five  years — the  vast  majority  of  the  Flint  Hills  and  adjacent  areas  have 
been  managed  under  a fire  and  grazing  regime  called  early  intensive 
stocking  (Smith  and  Owensby  1978,  Launchbaugh  et  al.  1983).  In  con- 
trast to  the  mosaic  of  burned  and  unburned  areas  that  traditionally  char- 


acterized tallgrass  prairie  cattle  ranching  (burns  every  2-3  years,  with 
stocking  and  grazing  from  May  to  October),  extensive  portions  of  these 
regions  are  now  burned  annually  in  March  and  April,  in  preparation  for 
the  arrival  of  cattle  from  as  far  away  as  Mexico  {Lawrence  Journal-World, 
27  May  2001).  Arriving  by  truck  between  mid-March  and  mid-May,  cat- 
tle feed  on  newly  emerging  grass  as  soon  as  10  days  post-burn  and  con- 
tinue to  graze  these  areas  for  90-120  days  {Lawrence  Journal-World,  27 
May  2001;  Launchbaugh  et  al.  1983).  This  intense  grazing  regime  uses 
roughly  twice  the  stocking  rate  (Launchbaugh  et  al.  1983)  and  leaves 
much  of  the  Flint  Hills  devoid  of  grass  more  than  a few  centimeters  high 
until  at  least  mid-July. 

During  the  past  four  years,  we  have  been  stunned  by  the  extent  of  this 
intense  agribusiness  practice  in  the  Flint  Hills  and  surrounding  areas,  so 
here  we  investigate  what  influence  this  phenomenon  is  having  on  the 
native  biota.  We  focus  on  the  Greater  Prairie-Chicken  {Tympanunchus 
cupido)  and  present  a rangewide  analysis  of  its  distribution  and  popula- 
tion status.  In  order  to  investigate  prairie-chicken  population  trends  as 
they  relate  to  fire  regimes  and  grazing  intensity,  we  attempted  to  corre- 
late best  available  data  on  populations  in  the  Flint  Hills  and  adjacent 
areas  with  burned  areas  in  2000  as  detected  by  three  independent  long- 
term remote-sensing  operations. 

THE  GREATER  PRAIRIE-CHICKEN 

The  Greater  Prairie-Chicken  ranks  among  three  species  that  have  seen 
the  most  catastrophic  range  contraction  and  population  declines  in 
North  America  (Fig.  1;  Johnsgard  1973,  Schroeder  and  Robb  1993).  This 
species,  likely  numbering  in  the  tens  of  millions  in  the  late  1800s,  once 
ranged  from  the  Great  Plains  to  the  eastern  seaboard  (Johnsgard  1973, 
A.O.U.  1998).  The  easternmost  population,  known  as  the  Heath  Hen  {T. 
c.  cupido),  was  extinct  by  1932  (A.O.U.  1998).  The  subspecies  known  as 
Attwater’s  Prairie-Chicken,  T.  c.  attwateri,  formerly  distributed  along  the 
Gulf  coastal  prairie  from  southwestern  Louisiana  to  southern  Texas,  is 
now  critically  endangered,  with  a total  of  fewer  than  60  individuals  in 
two  isolated  populations  in  eastern  Texas  (Silvy  et  al.  1999). 

The  species  began  serious  range  contraction  in  the  first  few  decades  of 
the  twentieth  century,  disappearing  from  Ohio  and  Indiana  by  the  1930s. 
In  the  succeeding  50  years,  it  disappeared  from  almost  the  entirety  of  the 
eastern  sector  of  its  original  range,  although  stocking  from  Kansas  and 
Nebraska  populations  maintains  small,  intensively  managed  populations 
in  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  most  recently  Missouri  (Westemeier  and  Gough 
1999).  The  continent-wide  loss  and  fragmentation  of  native  grasslands 
has  been  the  primary  cause  for  these  declines  (Johnsgard  1973).  As  of 
1980,  apparently  viable  populations  remained  only  in  Kansas,  Nebraska, 
and  sparsely  in  South  and  North  Dakota,  Minnesota,  and  possibly 
Missouri  (Westemeier  and  Gough  1999).  Numerous  authors  considering 
the  distribution,  abundance,  and  continuity  of  the  species’s  distribution 
have  suggested  that  Kansas’s  Flint  Hills  constitute  a nucleus  of  the 
species’s  distribution  and  would  be  critical  to  the  species’s  long-term 
survival  (Svedarsky  et  al.  1999). 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


239 


Figure  1 . Greater  Prairie-Chicken  original  (light  gray  shading),  late  nineteenth-century  (black  outline),  and  present  distribution  (dark  gray  shading),  extracted  from 
Westemeier  and  Gough  (1 999). 


METHODS 

Distributional  data — Distributional  data  for  Greater  Prairie-Chickens 
that  summarize  the  species’s  original  range,  its  expanded  distribution  in 
the  late  nineteenth  century,  and  its  present,  highly  fragmented  distribu- 
tion were  drawn  from  Westemeier  and  Gough  (1999)  and  from  natural 
history  museum  specimens  (see  Acknowledgments).  We  digitized  this 
information  in  a GIS  environment  (using  ArcView  3.2)  and  saved  it  in 
raster  grid  format  for  further  analysis  at  a resolution  of  one  km.  We 
reduced  the  extent  of  the  species’s  distribution  to  reflect  current  cover- 
age by  native  tallgrass  and  mixed-grass  prairies,  based  on  the  U.S. 
Geological  Survey’s  world  land  use/land  cover  classification  at  one-km 
spatial  resolution  (“grassland”  and  “wooded  grassland”  cover  types). 

Burn  detection. — We  used  three  approaches  to  summarize  the  extent 
and  spatial  distribution  of  spring  burning  within  the  range  of  the 
species,  using  the  year  2000  as  an  exemplar  year.  First,  we  downloaded 
the  year  2000  results  of  the  ATSR  world  fire  atlas  facility,  which  provides 
detection  of  nighttime  fires  for  the  entire  world.  However,  because  con- 
trolled burns  on  prairies  are  carried  out  mostly  in  daytime,  this  approach 
greatly  underestimated  frequency  of  fires  in  the  region. 

Second,  we  inspected  LandSat?  Thematic  Mapper  images  to  identify 
recently  burned  areas.  Here,  the  color  composite  scheme  in  the  visible 
bands  allows  easy  visual  detection  of  burned  areas  as  black  smudges  on 
the  landscape  (M.  Jakubauskas,  pers.  comm.).  These  images  were  con- 
sulted, and  crude  digitizations  developed,  at  the  U.S.  Geological  Survey 
website.  However,  because  images  are  available  only  every  16  days,  and 
cloud  cover  in  the  spring  is  frequently  sufficient  to  compromise  image 
quality,  we  were  able  to  evaluate  spring  2000  burns  only  in  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  Flint  Hills  region  (1999  and  2001  provided  even  less  areal 
and  temporal  coverage  for  cloud-free  imagery). 

To  provide  a more  complete  view  of  spring  burns  (in  2000),  we 


explored  a second  approach  to  detecting  recently  burned  areas. 
Important  assumptions  of  this  approach  are:  first,  in  spring,  that  the  gen- 
eral trend  is  of  greening  of  the  prairie  landscape;  and  second,  that  burns 
and  cloud  cover  are  the  principal  factors  that  could  reduce  greenness.  In 
satellite  imagery,  the  normalized  difference  vegetation  index  (NDVI) 
presents  an  approximation  of  how  green  a landscape  is:  the  proportion 
of  photosynthetically  absorbed  radiation,  calculated  as  (ch2  - chi)  / (ch2 
-I-  chi),  where  ch2  represents  the  0.58-0.68  p portion  of  the  visible  spec- 
trum, and  chi  represents  the  0.725-1.1  p portion  of  the  infrared  spec- 
trum. Hence,  we  used  NDVI  images  (one-week  composites)  for  March- 
April  2000  and  performed  the  following  manipulation  in  ArcView  (ver- 
sion 3.2):  ( 1 ) find  grid  squares  in  which  NDVI  in  a given  week  is  higher 
(greener)  than  in  the  following  week;  (2)  find  grid  squares  in  which 
NDVI  value  in  a given  week  is  higher  than  in  two  weeks  later.  Given  that 
cloud  cover  in  the  Great  Plains  rarely  lasts  more  than  a week  in  spring, 
(3)  find  grid  cells  in  which  both  (1)  and  (2)  are  fulfilled.  These  grid  cells 
are  those  that  “browned  down”  in  spring  and  remained  browner  for  at 
least  10-14  days.  We  assumed  that  cloud  cover  is  not  a factor  for  such 
extended  periods  of  time  and  that  drying  of  soils  and  vegetation  (which 
would  cause  a lower,  or  browner,  NDVI  value)  owing  to  drought  (not 
common  in  spring)  or  spring  plowing  is  not  a factor;  however,  these 
assumptions  prevented  our  application  of  this  approach  outside  of  the 
Flint  Hills  region. 

To  validate  our  hypothesis,  we  used  two  approaches.  First,  we  com- 
pared frequency  of  these  long-term  brown-downs  (apparent  burns)  in 
the  Flint  Hills,  where  spring  burns  are  frequent,  with  northern  and  east- 
ern Douglas  County,  where  spring  burns  are  infrequent  and  of  very  small 
extent  (ATP  and  MBR,  pers.  obs.).  Second,  we  compared  the  distribution 
of  fires  and  burns  detected  by  the  three  independent  methods  (indeed 
three  independent  sensors)  to  evaluate  spatial  coincidence.  Burn  data 


240 


North  American  Birds 


Grazing  and  Greater- Prairie  Chickens 


Figure  2.  Greater  Prairie-Chicken  present  range  (Westemeier  and  Gough  1999),  with  the  distribution  of  grassland  and  wooded  grassland  (In  black)  overlain  to  indicate 
probable  true  distribution  in  those  areas. 


were  also  evaluated  qualitatively  with  our  own  observations  of  burned 
areas  in  the  region. 

Population  trends. — Trend  data  for  each  state,  as  well  as  for  regional 
and  local  populations  of  Greater  Prairie-Chickens,  were  assembled  from 
Svedarsky  et  al.  (1999),  supplemented  with  information  provided  by  J. 
Taylor,  D.  McCrea,  B.  Sandercock,  and  D.  Wiedenfeld.  Trends  for  two 
regions  in  Nebraska  and  on  a statewide  basis  for  Kansas,  Oklahoma,  and 
South  Dakota  were  assembled  from  lek  data  for  which  >8  years  of  data 
were  available  and  are  presented  as  three-year  running  averages  for  the 
period  1980-2000.  Although  data  for  South  Dakota  and  Kansas  are 
directly  comparable  (males/lek/square  mile),  data  for  Nebraska  and 
Oklahoma  were  available  only  in  other  forms  (as  average  number/lek 
and  as  population  density  index  [number  of  males/lek  x number  of 
leks/square  mile],  respectively);  nonetheless,  all  of  these  indexes  are 
intercorrelated,  resulting  in  similar  interpretations.  While  we  are  aware 
that  these  survey  data  do  not  translate  directly  into  population  density 
estimates — and  are  not  directly  comparable  from  state  to  state — we 
present  the  information  available  from  each  state  to  illustrate  the  likely 
population  trends  across  the  range  of  the  species. 

RESULTS 

Prairie-chicken  distribution. — Historical  patterns  of  prairie-chicken 
distribution  show  a dynamic  range  for  the  species.  Originally  more 
southerly  in  its  distribution  in  the  Great  Plains,  it  expanded  greatly  to  the 
north  and  west  at  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century  (Fig.  1).  Its  present 
distribution  is  now  dramatically  reduced  to  a few  small  patches  in  the 
eastern  sector,  and  one  larger  swath  in  the  central  Great  Plains,  extending 
from  Kansas  and  northern  Oklahoma  north  to  South  Dakota  (Fig.  1). 

This  “present”  distribution,  however,  includes  several  land  cover  types 
not  used  by  prairie-chickens,  and  so  we  reduced  it  to  reflect  the  geo- 


graphic distribution  of  tallgrass  and  mixed-grass  prairie  (Fig.  2).  The 
species’s  core  range  may  be  said  to  lie  along  the  western  fringe  of  its  pres- 
ent range  (South  Dakota,  Nebraska,  Kansas);  its  actual  and  potential  dis- 
tribution elsewhere  is  reduced  to  small,  isolated  fragments. 

Spring  burning. — The  three  approaches  to  assessing  spring  burn  fre- 
quency revealed  simUar  geographic  patterns:  burns  were  concentrated  in 
the  Flint  Hills  region,  from  northernmost  Oklahoma  north  to  northern 
Kansas  in  the  vicinity  of  Manhattan  (Fig.  3).  As  predicted,  the  Flint  Hills 
saw  extensive  fires  and  burning,  whereas  Douglas  County  did  not.  The 
actual  fires  detected  (ATSR  sensor  data) — being  nighttime  fires  in  a 
region  where  controlled  burns  are  done  in  no  small  part  in  the  daytime 
(ATP  and  MBR,  pers.  obs.) — are  clearly  but  a subset  of  the  true  number 
of  fires  in  the  region. 

The  LANDSAT7  imagery,  where  cloud-free  imagery  existed,  showed  a 
much  broader  pattern  of  burned  areas.  In  the  Flint  Hills,  upland  areas 
(the  actual  prairies)  were  almost  ubiquitously  burned,  but  floodplains 
along  rivercourses  were  seldom  burned;  these  areas  are  largely  cropland 
and  obviously  protected  from  the  prescribed  burns. 

The  apparent  burned  areas  (three-week  brown-downs)  detected  via 
AVHRR  imagery  coincided  closely  with  areas  detected  via  the  LANDSAT7 
imagery.  These  areas,  although  considerably  more  difficult  to  interpret 
directly  as  burned  areas,  appear  to  represent  landscape  features  rather 
than  cloud  contamination,  given  close  correlation  with  land  cover:  prairie 
vegetation  browned  down  (=  burned),  whereas  cultivated  areas  along 
watercourses  did  not  (Fig.  4).  Correlation  with  known  fires  (ATP  and 
MBR,  unpubl.  data)  is  quite  close,  and  indeed  where  LANDSAT7  imagery 
was  available,  coincidence  of  the  two  hypothesized  burned  areas  was  quite 
close. 

In  sum,  much  of  the  tallgrass  prairie  from  northern  Oklahoma  north 
to  northern  Kansas  is  burned  each  spring.  Our  observations  each  year,  as 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


241 


Figure  3.  Fire  occurrences  between  15  March  and  15  May  2000  in  the  Flint  Flills 
region  (few  or  no  fires  or  burns  were  detected  by  the  fire-detection  sensor  or  by 
the  LANDSAT7  imagery  outside  of  this  region).  Nighttime  fires  detected  via  the 
World  Fire  Atlas  are  shown  as  dotted  circles;  burns  apparent  on  the  LANDSAT7 
imagery  are  shown  in  black;  and  apparent  burned  areas  detected  by  brown-down 
over  consecutive  weeks  are  shown  in  light  gray. 

well  as  more  casual  inspection  of  imagery  from  other  years,  confirm  that 
the  year  2000  was  not  unusual  but  rather  is  quite  representative  of  burn- 
ing patterns  in  recent  years.  None  of  the  approaches  we  employed  detect- 
ed extensive  spring  fires  or  burns  in  Nebraska  or  South  Dakota.  Hence, 
the  core  of  the  range  of  the  species  is  subjected  to  two  diametrically 
opposed  fire  management  schemes:  spring  fires  dominate  in  Kansas, 
whereas  spring  fires  are  much  less  frequent,  and  typically  entail  rotation- 
al burning,  in  Nebraska  (T.  Labedz,  pers.  comm.)  and  South  Dakota  (D. 
McCrea,  pers.  comm.). 

Population  trends. — Population  trends  differ  markedly  among  regions 
(Fig.  4;  presented  as  three-year  running  averages).  Nebraska  and  South 
Dakota  populations  were  increasing  or  are  stable.  Kansas  and  Oklahoma 
populations,  however,  declined  precipitously  since  1980:  lek  counts  (both 
states)  and  hunting  harvest  data  (Kansas)  both  indicated  steady  declines 
in  populations.  Causal  interpretation  of  differences  in  population  trends 
as  resulting  from  differences  in  fire  management  schemes  is  of  course  not 
necessarily  warranted;  however,  the  association  is  clear. 

DISCUSSION 

The  analyses  above  point  to  two  important  lessons:  first,  that  the  Greater 
Prairie-Chicken  is  undergoing  a major  decline  in  the  core  area  of  its  dis- 
tribution; and  second,  that  fire  management  practices  and  intensive  graz- 


ing in  this  core  area  appear  responsible  for  local  declines  and  extirpations. 
The  combination  of  fire  and  intense  grazing  has  been  demonstrated  to 
have  a major  negative  impact  on  forb  growth  and  reproduction,  and  on 
populations  of  invertebrates  and  vertebrates  (Zimmerman  1997, 
Kaufman  and  Kaufman  1997,  Rohrbaugh  et  al.  1999).  For  example, 
Kaufman  and  Kaufman  ( 1997)  stated  that  “annual  burning  of  rangelands, 
a common  ranching  practice  in  the  Flint  Hills,  may  be  the  factor  that 
most  affects  small  mammals  of  the  tallgrass  prairies  of  central  North 
America  [...]  Our  results  of  ungrazed  tallgrass  prairie  on  the  Konza 
Prairie  [in  the  Flint  Hills]  suggest  that  large-scale  burning  at  an  annual 
frequency  will  have  a negative  impact  on  many  if  not  all  small  mammals.” 
This  result  is  echoed  for  virtually  the  entire  fauna  and  flora  of  this  region. 

Given  that  the  Kansas  prairies  are  the  focus  of  a 4.9-billion  dollar  beef 
industry  in  Kansas  (Lawrence  Journal-World,  27  May  2001),  and  with  the 
instigation  of  the  early  intensive  stocking  regime  (Smith  and  Owensby 
1978),  the  Greater  Prairie-Chicken  is  experiencing  serious  population 
declines  in  this  region.  Applegate  and  Horak  (1999)  summarized  Kansas 
population  trends  from  two  data  sets  for  1960-1996.  Both  data  sets 
demonstrated  steep  population  declines  since  the  early  1980s,  with  the 
more  reliable  data  set  (booming  ground  censuses)  indicating  an  overall 
decline  of  approximately  65%  in  the  past  20  years.  These  population 
declines  are  also  reflected  in  numbers  of  prairie-chickens  taken  annually 
by  hunters  in  Kansas:  from  a mind-boggling  109,000  birds  in  1982  to  ca. 
12,000  in  1998-1999  (Kansas  Department  of  Wildlife  and  Parks). 

The  situation  in  Oklahoma  mirrors  that  of  Kansas,  with  significant 
declines  since  1982  (Horton  and  Wolfe  1999).  The  two  largest  prairie- 
chicken  populations  in  Oklahoma  are  at  the  southern  terminus  of  the 
Flint  Hills,  where  intensive  early  stocking  was  implemented  in  1980  (L. 
Holcombe,  pers.  comm.).  Horton  and  Wolfe  (1999)  and  Applegate  and 
Horak  (1999)  suggest  that  the  intensive  early  stocking  regime  is  the  pri- 
mary reason  for  the  declines.  In  contrast,  Nebraska  and  South  Dakota, 
which  harbor  the  largest  populations  outside  of  Kansas,  have  shown  pop- 
ulations that  are  stable  or  increasing  in  the  same  period.  Particularly 
revealing  are  the  stable  populations  in  southeast  Nebraska  just  to  the 
north  of  the  Flint  Hills  ( Johnsgard  200 1 ) . Although  survey  data  for  south- 
eastern Nebraska  are  available  for  only  the  past  seven  years,  their  stability 
is  clear  (Taylor  2000,  Johnsgard  2001,  J.  Taylor,  pers.  comm.):  unlike 
Kansas’s  Flint  Hills  and  Osage  Plains,  southeastern  Nebraska  prairies  are 
not  subjected  to  annual  spring  burning  and  the  early  intensive  stocking 
regime  (T.  Labedz,  pers.  comm.). 

The  intensive  grazing  regime  in  Kansas  is  not  limited  to  the  Flint  Hills 
but  has  also  become  standard  practice  in  the  Osage  Plains  of  eastern 
Kansas.  Just  in  the  past  5-6  years,  the  remaining  fragmented,  tallgrass 
prairie  in  the  Osage  Plains  has  begun  to  be  burned  in  spring  annually  ( W. 
Brecheisen  pers.  comm.,  ATP  and  MBR,  pers.  obs.).  Like  the  Flint  Hills,  we 
strongly  suspect  that  prairie-chicken  declines  in  this  region  (=  “eastern 
cropland”  and  “blackjack”  in  Applegate  and  Horak  1999)  are  largely  relat- 
ed to  the  annual  spring  burning  and  cattle  stocking. 

During  observations  in  the  past  three  years  in  the  Flint  Hills,  we  have 
found  only  two  bird  species  (Common  Nighthawk  Chordeiles  minor,  and 
Upland  Sandpiper  Bartramia  longicauda)  that  commonly  utilize  grass- 
lands subjected  to  spring  burning  and  intense  early  stocking.  Even  for 
these  species,  trampling  by  cattle  may  be  an  important  source  of  nest 
mortality,  as  has  been  documented  for  Eastern  Meadowlarks  (Sturnella 
magna)  in  the  Flint  Hills  of  Oklahoma  (Rohrbaugh  et  al.  1999). 

In  contrast,  tallgrass  prairie  and  fallow  pasture  not  burned  for  at  least 
one  year  generally  hold  the  full  complement  of  tallgrass  prairie  bird 
species,  including  prairie-chickens  and  the  severely  declining  Henslow’s 
Sparrow  (Ammodramus  henslowii)  (Zimmerman  1988,  1997).  Indeed,  in 
the  Kansas  Breeding  Bird  Atlas,  Henslow’s  Sparrow  was  recorded  in  only 


242 


North  American  Birds 


Grazing  and  Greater- Prairie  Chickens 


Figure  4.  Population  trends  (presented  as  three-year  running  averages)  in  the  core  of  the  geographic  distribution  of  the  Greater  Prairie-Chicken:  stable  or 
increasing  populations  are  apparent  in  Nebraska  (Taylor  2000;  J.  Taylor,  pers.  comm.)  and  South  Dakota  (Fredrickson  et  al.  1999),  where  spring  burning  is 
rare  or  absent;  whereas  precipitous  declines  are  observed  in  Kansas  (Applegate  and  Horak  1 999)  and  Oklahoma  (Horton  and  Wolfe  1 999),  where  spring  burn- 
ing is  dominant.  See  Results  for  explanation  of  data. 


nine  of  112  Flint  Hills  survey  blocks  (six  of  74  priority  blocks  in  the 
region),  and  its  scarcity  there  was  attributed  to  “grazing  and  burning 
practices”  (Busby  and  Zimmerman  2001).  Prior  to  major  modifications 
to  prairie  ecosystems  wrought  by  Euro-Americans,  this  species  was 
undoubtedly  widespread  and  abundant — if  not  ubiquitous — throughout 
the  Flint  Hills  and  the  adjacent  Osage  Plains.  Today,  we  estimate  that  less 
than  1%  of  the  original  range  of  Henslow’s  Sparrow  in  these  regions 
remains  inhabited. 

Moreover,  an  entire  suite  of  birds,  mammals,  reptiles,  and  insects  sim- 
ilarly thrive  in  prairie  that  is  not  burned  yearly  but  that  sees  a variety  of 
burn  fi-equencies  (Knapp  and  Seastedt  1998);  these  species,  like  the 
prairie-chickens,  are  becoming  endangered  regionally  by  the  yearly  burn- 
ing regime.  Not  surprising,  the  three  largest  tracts  of  tallgrass  prairie  in 
the  Flint  Hills  (Konza  Prairie  and  Fort  Riley  Military  Reservation,  Kansas; 
and  Tallgrass  Prairie  Preserve,  Oklahoma)  that  are  not  subjected  to  the 
intensive  early  stocking  regime  harbor  the  largest  populations  of  both  the 
prairie-chicken  and  the  sparrow  (Zimmerman  1993,  Cully  and  Michaels 
2000,  Reinking  et  el.  2000). 


CONCLUSIONS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS 

Based  on  the  trends  and  patterns  documented  herein,  as  well  as  on  our 
observations  of  prairie  species  across  the  Flint  Hills  region  in  recent  years, 
we  and  numerous  colleagues  involved  with  tallgrass  prairie  biotas  are 
convinced  that  the  spring  burning  regime  with  early  intensive  livestock 
grazing  represent  a serious  threat  to  numerous  elements  of  biodiversity. 
Greater  Prairie-Chickens,  as  well  as  several  other  species  (e.g.,  Henslow’s 
Sparrow),  have  suffered  drastic  reductions  in  distribution  and  population 
size  in  the  state.  This  threat  is  of  particular  concern  given  that  the  Flint 
Hills  region  is  considered  to  hold  the  core  populations  of  these  species — 
this  situation  thus  constitutes  a threat  to  the  global  survival  of  an  entire 
suite  of  species. 

In  short,  spring  burning  followed  by  early  intensive  stocking  of  cattle 
on  an  annual  basis  make  the  prairie  all  but  uninhabitable  for  these 
species.  This  technique,  combined  with  other  problems  (e.g.,  invasion  of 
the  prairies  by  Sericea  cuneata  [Fabaceae],  resulting  in  spraying  for  con- 
trol), could  easily  place  the  species  in  serious  danger  of  regional  extirpa- 
tion or  even  extinction  altogether.  We  concur  with  recommendations 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


243 


made  by  Applegate  and  Horak  (1999)  and  Horton  and  Wolfe  (1999) 
regarding  burning  regimes;  reducing  burn  frequency,  adjusting  the  sea- 
sonality of  burning,  and  reducing  grazing  pressure  constitute  critical 
components  of  the  strategy.  In  effect,  for  prairie  to  represent  a viable 
habitat  for  these  species,  a mosaic  of  burn  frequencies  of  1-5  years  is  nec- 
essary (Knapp  and  Seastedt  1998).  Hence,  a system  centered  around  rota- 
tional prescribed  burning,  combined  with  reduced  grazing  pressure,  is 
highly  recommended. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

J.  Taylor  (Nebraska  Game  and  Parks  Commission),  D.  McCrea  (South 
Dakota  Department  of  Game,  Fish,  and  Parks),  and  D.  Wiedenfeld 
(Sutton  Avian  Research  Center)  kindly  provided  unpublished  popula- 
tion data.  Pete  Earls  and  colleagues  in  the  Department  of  Botany, 
Oklahoma  State  University,  D.  Wiedenfeld,  and  Bob  Hamilton  of  The 
Nature  Conservancy  kindly  provided  burn  data  for  the  Tallgrass  Prairie 
Preserve.  We  benefited  greatly  from  informal  discussions  with  and  infor- 
mation provided  by  J.  Hubbard,  W.  Brecheisen,  B.  Sandercock,  T.  Labedz, 
and  P.  Johnsgard,  and  reviews  of  manuscript  drafts  by  B.  Busby,  C. 
Freeman,  and  S.  J.  Dinsmore.  Museums  providing  specimen  data  regard- 
ing prairie-chickens  include  U.S.  National  Museum,  American  Museum 
of  Natural  History,  Illinois  Natural  History  Survey,  Field  Museum  of 
Natural  History,  Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology,  University  of 
California,  and  the  Nebraska  State  Museum.  Enrique  Martinez-Meyer 
and  Mark  Jakubauskas  (Kansas  Applied  Remote  Sensing  Program)  pro- 
vided sage  advice  about  geospatial  and  remotely  sensed  data. 

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— Received  1 October  2001;  accepted  5 December  2001. 


244 


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Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


245 


Bucking  the  trend: 

Increasing  numbers  of  Black-necked 
Stilts  in  Canada 


Cheri  L.  Gratto-Trevor 

Prairie  and  Northern  Wildlife  Research  Centre 

Canadian  Wildlife  Service 

Environment  Canada 

1 1 5 Perimeter  Road 

Saskatoon,  Saskatchewan 

S7N  0X4  Canada 

(email:  cheri. gratto-trevor@ec.gc.ca) 

ABSTRACT 

Since  the  late  1970s,  sightings  of  Black-necked  Stilts  {Himantopus  mexi- 
canus)  in  Canada  have  increased  greatly  in  Alberta,  Saskatchewan,  and 
British  Columbia.  While  drought  in  areas  farther  south  initially  may  have 
led  to  prospecting  breeders  in  Canada,  stilts  now  breed  consistently  in 
southern  Alberta,  and  records  of  breeding  in  Saskatchewan  are  few  but 
increasing.  As  yet,  there  are  no  breeding  records  elsewhere  in  Canada. 
Black-necked  Stilts  in  Alberta  initiate  nests  several  weeks  later  than  stilts 
farther  south  but  terminate  egg-laying  at  similar  times.  A relatively  large 
percentage  of  nests  in  southern  Alberta  (17%)  had  clutches  of  more  than 
four  eggs  compared  with  areas  farther  south  (1%),  and  these  large  clutch- 
es were  usually  deserted.  Reasons  for  this  are  not  known,  but  may  have 
been  due  to  a large  percentage  of  inexperienced  breeders  and/or  a female- 
biased  sex  ratio.  Nevertheless,  fledged  young  were  produced  in  southern 
Alberta  each  year,  and  the  population  is  apparently  still  growing. 

INTRODUCTION 

Recent  studies  suggest  that  numerous  species  of  North  American  shore- 
birds  are  decreasing  in  numbers  (e.g.  Howe  et  al.  1989,  Morrison  et  al. 
1994,  Duncan  1997,  Gratto-Trevor  et  al.  1998,  Morrison  et  al.  2001a).  A 
notable  exception  is  the  Black-necked  Stilt  (Himantopus  mexkanus).  The 
estimated  world  population  of  this  species  is  850,000,  with  about  150,000 
in  North  America  (Rose  and  Scott  1997,  Morrison  et  al.  2001b).  Black- 
necked Stilts  breed  primarily  in  the  southwestern  United  States,  Mexico, 
and  into  South  America.  Their  breeding  range  has  expanded  northward 
in  the  past  20  years,  and  they  are  now  established  as  local  breeders  in 
Washington,  Oregon,  and  Montana  (Rohwer  et  al.  1979,  Berkey  1987, 
Paulson  1993,  Robinson  et  al.  1999).  Sightings  have  also  increased  in 
North  and  South  Dakota  (Berkey  1989,  Martin  2000a).  Until  the  mid- 
1970s,  there  had  been  very  few  records  of  Black-necked  Stilts  in  Canada 
(Godfrey  1986).  The  purpose  of  this  paper  is  to  describe  increases  and 
breeding  records  for  western  Canada  since  the  1970s,  examine  whether  the 
increases  represent  permanent  breeding  populations  in  Canada  or  are 
solely  due  to  droughts  farther  south,  and  describe  breeding  phenology, 
clutch  size,  nest  success,  and  return  rates  for  Black-necked  Stilts  ne.sting  in 
southern  Alberta. 

METHODS 

Breeding  records  and  sight  records  were  obtained  from  various  published 
and  unpublished  reports,  especially  the  journals  American  Birds,  Field 
Notes,  and  North  American  Birds.  Because  this  is  a large  and  distinctive 
shorebird,  questions  of  identification  to  species  rarely  arose. 


My  assistants  and  I searched  for  Black-necked  Stilt  nests  from  1995  to 
2000  in  southern  Alberta,  primarily  at  Kitsim,  a series  of  wetlands  owned 
by  the  Eastern  Irrigation  District  (E.I.D.)  and  managed  for  waterfowl  and 
cattle  production  by  Ducks  Unlimited  (D.U.)  Canada.  Kitsim  is  about  12 
km  southwest  of  Brooks,  Alberta.  A few  nests  were  located  at  Kininvie 
South,  also  an  area  with  wetlands  owned  by  the  E.I.D.  and  managed  by 
D.U.  Canada,  located  about  40  km  southeast  of  Brooks,  Alberta.  Searches 
were  carried  out  by  walking  around  wetlands  and  observing  the  behavior 
of  the  stilts.  Searches  were  carried  out  annually,  but  time  spent  searching 
varied  greatly  among  years.  When  nests  were  located,  they  were  marked 
with  a small  flag  10  m north  of  the  nest  and  normally  checked  every  7-14 
days  during  the  nesting  period.  In  1999  and  2000,  nine  adults  in  total  were 
captured  on  nest  at  Kitsim  and  given  individual  color-band  combinations. 

Surveys  for  Black-necked  Stilts  were  carried  out  during  the  breeding 
season  from  1995  to  2001  at  both  Kitsim  and  Kininvie  South  but  more 
often  and  more  completely  at  Kitsim.  The  number  of  surveys  was  not  con- 
sistent among  years,  although  Kitsim  was  searched  each  year  at  least  once, 
usually  numerous  times,  before  incubation  (late  April  to  mid-May),  less 
often  during  the  main  incubation  period  (mid-May  to  mid-June),  and 
multiple  times  after  hatching  (mid-June  to  mid-July).  The  central  priori- 
ty of  my  research  in  this  area  was  a breeding  study  of  Willets 
(Catoptrophorus  semipalmatus)  and  Marbled  Godwits  (Limosa  fedoa),  but 
information  on  stilts  was  collected  because  they  breed  at  so  few  locations 
in  Canada.  Streamflow  data  were  obtained  from  the  United  States 
Geological  Survey  website  <http://water.usgs.gov/nwis/annual>.  Only 
sites  in  the  U.S.  Great  Basin  with  complete  data  records  from  1955  to  2000 
were  included  in  the  analysis. 

RECENT  AND  HISTORICAL  OBSERVATIONS 

Before  1970,  reports  of  Black-necked  Stilts  in  Canada  were  rare:  several  old 
specimens  (no  date  given)  from  New  Brunswick,  a potential  nest  in 
Saskatchewan  in  1894,  a specimen  from  Newfoundland  in  1947,  three 
birds  seen  in  Saskatchewan  and  one  in  Ontario  in  1955,  and  two  separate 
sightings  in  Manitoba  in  1969  (Godfrey  1986).  In  the  1800s  the  birds  bred 
as  far  north  as  New  Jersey  (now  normally  only  to  Delaware;  Robinson  et 
al.  1999),  so  those  seen  in  eastern  Canada  may  have  been  stragglers  from 
the  small  eastern  population.  The  increase  in  Canadian  records  since  the 
1970s  has  occurred  primarily  in  western  Canada,  especially  west  of 
Manitoba.  Most  records  of  breeding  birds  have  been  in  Alberta  (e.g., 
Dekker  et  al.  1979,  Chapman  et  al.  1985,  Semenchuk  1992),  with  the 
remaining  few  in  Saskatchewan  (e.g..  Smith  1996). 

The  first  verified  sightings  from  Manitoba  were  in  1969  and  the  next 
not  until  1978  (McNicholl  et  al.  1972,  Godfrey  1986).  The  species  has  been 
seen  occasionally  since  1978:  in  1980,  1981,  1994,  1998,  and  2000, 
although  nesting  has  not  been  verified  there  (Chapman  et  al.  1985,  Koes 
and  Taylor  1994,  1998,  2000). 

Since  the  first  verified  sighting  of  Black-necked  Stilts  in  British 
Columbia  in  1971  (Campbell  and  Anderson  1972),  birds  have  been 
observed  in  16  of  the  subsequent  30  years,  with  a maximum  of  60  report- 
ed in  1987  (Bowling  1992,  1994,  Campbell  et  al.  1990,  Mattocks  1988, 
Shepard  1999,  Siddle  1990,  1991,  1994).  The  birds  have  been  observed 


246 


North  American  Birds 


Black-necked  Stilts  in  Canada 


Figure  1.  Sightings  of  Black-necked  Stilts  reported  from  Saskatchev/an  (SK) 
and  British  Columbia  (BC)  from  1955  to  2000.  See  te}d  for  references.  The 
maximum  seen  in  British  Columbia  was  60  in  1 987. 

much  more  frequendy  since  1978  than  previously  (Fig.  1),  but  no  breed- 
ing records  exist  for  British  Columbia.  This  increase  in  sightings  in  British 
Columbia  is  probably  related  to  the  establishment  of  local  breeding  pop- 
ulations in  Washington  State  and  Oregon  (Rohwer  et  al  1979,  Paulson 
1993,  Robinson  et  al.  1999). 

A possible  Black-necked  Stilt  nest  was  collected  in  Saskatchewan  in 
1894  (Godfrey  1986),  but  the  first  verified  record  there  was  not  until  1955 
(McLellan  1955),  and  the  second  in  1971  (Renaud  and  Renaud  1975). 
Since  then,  birds  have  been  seen  more  frequently  (Fig.  1),  virtually  annu- 
ally since  1994  (GoUop  1987,  1988,  1989,  1990,  Harris  1981,  Koes  and 
Taylor  1990, 1991,  1995,  1997, 1998,  1999,  2000,  Roy  1996,  Smith  1996;  B. 
Hepworth,  pers.  comm.;  A.  R.  Smith,  pers.  comm.).  Breeding  in 
Saskatchewan  has  been  reported  eight  times:  at  Blackstrap  in  1987 
(Wedgewood  and  Taylor  1988),  Bradwell  in  1989  (Salisbury  et  al.  1989), 
Unity  in  1995  (Koes  and  Taylor  1996),  Chaplin  Heritage  Marsh  in  1997 
(Koes  and  Taylor  1997),  Chaplin  Lake  in  1999  (J.  Bilyk,  pers.  comm.),  near 
Mossbank  in  2000  (Koes  and  Taylor  2000),  the  D.U.  marsh  at  the  south 
end  of  Chaplin  Lake  in  2001  (nest;  G.  Beyersbergen,  pers.  comm.),  and 
southwest  of  Ogema  in  2001  (young;  S.  Skinner,  pers.  comm.).  This  pat- 
tern of  sighting  increases  and  scattered  breeding  records  appears  similar  to 
the  situation  in  North  Dakota,  which  has  had  increased  sightings  since  the 
late  1980s,  a first  verified  nesting  in  1993,  and  three  breeding  records  by 
2000  (Berkey  1989,  1993,  Martin  1999,  2000b). 

The  first  verified  record  of  the  species  in  Alberta  was  not  made  until 
1970  (Weseloh  1972)  and  the  second  in  1972  (Sadler  and  Myres  1976), 
although  parts  of  a specimen  were  reportedly  picked  up  in  the  Brooks  area 
in  the  mid-1950s  (Salt  and  Salt  1976).  Subsequent  sight  records  came  in 
1972,  1974,  1977,  1980,  1982,  1983,  and  every  year  since  1988  (Sadler  and 
Myers  1976,  Chapman  et  al.  1985;  C.  Wallis,  pers.  comm.).  Nesting  was 
first  verified  in  the  province  at  Beaverhill  Lake  in  1977  (Delcker  et  al.  1979), 
and  since  then  in  numerous  locations  in  southern  Alberta,  including  New 
Dayton,  Calgary,  Stirling  Lake,  Tyrell  Lake,  Leduc,  Taber,  Pakowki  Lake, 
Kininvie  Marsh,  and  Kitsim  (Chapm.an  et  al.  1985,  Dickson  1989;  L. 
Bennett,  R.  Dickson,  D.  & T.  Dolman,  T.  Korolyk,  W.  Smith,  C.  Wallis,  pers. 
comm.;  pers.  obs.)- — all  in  the  prairie  ecozone. 

Reports  of  the  species  in  American  Birds  from  1955  to  1995  (Fig.  2a) 
show  an  increase  both  in  frequency  of  sightings  and  in  numbers  observed. 


After  about  1995,  the  birds  were  considered  sufficiently  common  so  as  not 
to  be  enumerated  carefully  in  regional  reports.  Black-necked  Stilt  records 
in  Alberta  (W.  Harris  and  C.  Wallis,  pers.  comm.),  in  addition  to  those 
observed  at  Kininvie,  indicate  that  at  least  70  adults  were  reported  in  1996 
and  about  100  in  1997.  As  noted  below,  at  a single  location  in  2001 
(Kitsim),  117  stilts  were  seen  in  one  day.  These  are  all  incomplete  census- 
es of  the  province.  The  total  number  currently  breeding  annually  in 
Alberta  is  unknown,  but  appears  to  be  at  least  50  pairs,  and  probably  con- 
siderably more,  with  numbers  increasing  almost  annually.  This  pattern  of 
increased  sightings  and  regular  nesting  records  since  the  1977  “invasion”  is 
similar  to  the  situation  in  Montana  (Serr  1977,  Faanes  1984,  Berkey  1987, 
1992,  Martin  1992,  1998). 


Figyre  2.  a.  Sightings  of  Black-necked  Stilts  reported  from  Alberta  in 
American  Birds,  1959  to  1996  (Gammell  1960, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 

1 989, 1 990,  Koes  and  Taylor  1 990, 1 991 , 1 993, 1 994, 1 995, 1 996,  Serr 
1977).  Arrows  represent  drought  years  (between  1975  and  1996)  in  stilt 
breeding  areas  farther  south; 

Figure  2.  b.  IVlean  average  annual  streamfio’#  rates  from  the  Great  Basin, 
USA,  1959  to  1996.  Data  obtained  from  United  States  Geological  Survey 
website:  <http://water.usgs.gov/nwis/annua!>. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


247 


50 


1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 


Figure  3.  Pairs  of  Black-necked  Stilts  observed  during  the  breeding  sea- 
son at  Kitsim,  Alberta,  from  1995  to  2001 . 

RELATIONSHIP  WITH  GREAT  BASIN  DROUGHT 

Some  authors  have  suggested  that  increased  sightings  and  breeding 
attempts  north  of  the  species’s  normal  range  occur  when  drought  condi- 
tions exist  in  the  United  States  (e.g.,  Dekker  et  al.  1979,  Rohwer  et  al.  1979, 
Smith  1996).  Droughts  occurred  in  the  southern  Great  Basin  in  1977- 
1978  and  1989-1992  (Rohwer  et  al.  1979.;  L.  W.  Oring,  pers.  comm.). 
Droughts  in  this  area  appear  to  correlate  well  with  averages  of 
average  annual  streamflow  rates  from  this  region  (Fig.  2b;  original 
data  from  United  States  Geological  Survey  website: 
<http://water.usgs.gov/nwis/annual>).  While  droughts  earlier  than  1977 
(Fig.  2b)  did  not  result  in  Black-necked  Stilt  “invasions”  of  Prairie  Ganada, 
that  in  1977  apparently  did.  However,  while  drought  conditions  farther 
south  may  have  originally  led  to  prospecting  Black-necked  Stilts,  the  birds 
now  seem  to  be  established  local  breeders  in  parts  of  southern  Alberta,  and 
populations  remain  in  years  when  there  are  no  droughts  to  the  south 
(Fig.  2). 

KITSIM,  ALBERTA  NUMBERS 

At  Kitsim,  Alberta  from  1995  to  2001,  six  to  approximately  40  pairs  of 
Black-necked  Stilts  have  been  seen  each  year  (Fig.  3),  with  numbers 


Table  1.  Number  of  Black-necked  Stilt  adults  observed  at  Kitsim, 
Alberta  in  2001. 


Date 

Number  seen 

26  April 

50 

1 May 

39 

3 May 

86 

4 May 

96 

8 May 

107 

10  May 

117 

12  June 

76 

14  June 

74 

20  June 

86 

26  June 

69 

3 July 

66 

increasing  over  time.  Nests — up  to  1 1 in  any  one  year,  with  incomplete 
searches — have  been  found  in  all  years,  and  fledged  chicks  (up  to  40  in  a 
year)  have  been  observed  there  in  each  of  those  years.  Nest  searches  were 
not  carried  out  in  2001,  but  surveys  indicated  a large  jump  in  numbers 
of  stilts  using  the  area,  with  a maximum  count  of  1 17  on  one  day  (Table 
1 ).  Since  southern  Alberta  was  extremely  dry  in  the  spring  and  summer 
of  2001,  it  is  probable  that  the  birds  were  concentrated  in  the  few  sites 
with  suitable  habitat  and  shallow  water  conditions,  such  as  at  the  man- 
aged Kitsim  wetlands.  Kininvie,  which  in  the  past  has  have  numerous 
stilts,  had  very  few  in  2001:  much  of  the  area  was  dry,  and  vegetation 
around  much  of  Kininvie  South  was  very  low  due  to  intensive  grazing  in 
2000  and  2001.  A hail  storm  hit  the  area  in  June  2000,  and  at  least  three 
Black-necked  Stilts  died  as  a result.  The  higher-than-usual  numbers  here 
and  in  Saskatchewan  (34  adults  observed  13  May  2001  in  a D.U.  Canada 
marsh  at  the  south  end  of  Chaplin  Lake;  G.  Beyersbergen,  pers.  comm.), 
also  may  have  been  influenced  by  drought  conditions  in  at  least  parts  of 
the  Great  Basin  in  2001  (S.  Haig,  pers.  comm.). 

Return  rates 

Of  the  six  adults  (four  males  and  two  females)  banded  at  Kitsim  in  1999, 
three  were  seen  back  at  Kitsim  in  2000.  All  were  males.  Of  the  three 
adults  banded  there  in  2000  (one  male  and  two  females),  only  the  male 
was  seen  at  Kitsim  in  2001.  Therefore,  overall  site  fidelity  (returns  in  the 
following  year)  was  44%  overall:  0%  of  females  and  80%  of  males.  There 
is  little  information  on  Black-necked  Stilt  return  rates,  except  that  site 
fidelity  is  apparently  often  low  (Robinson  and  Oring  1999).  In  northern 
Utah,  22%  of  marked  adults  were  seen  in  the  area  in  the  following  year: 
20%  (1/5)  of  males  and  25%  (1/4)  of  females  (Sordahl  1984).  The  high 
return  rate  of  males  in  Alberta  may  be  an  artifact  of  small  sample  size,  or 
may  be  a result  of  small  populations  in  Canada  and  relatively  limited 
suitable  breeding  habitat  in  southern  Alberta  in  most  years.  Stilts  are 
often  semi-colonial  breeders,  so  others  may  be  attracted  to  the  few  sites 
already  occupied  by  stilts  in  Alberta.  In  any  case,  the  fidelity  of  specific 
individuals  to  breeding  sites  in  Canada  in  subsequent  years  lends  cre- 
dence to  the  existence  of  permanent  breeding  populations  in  Alberta. 

Breeding  phenology  and  clutch  size 

Not  surprisingly,  stilts  in  Alberta  began  breeding  an  average  of  several 
weeks  after  those  farther  south  (Table  2),  although  the  termination  of 
breeding  in  a season  was  similar.  As  with  most  North  American  shore- 
birds,  clutch  size  is  normally  four  (Robinson  et  al.  1999).  The  incidence 
of  supernormal  size  clutches  (more  than  four  eggs),  however,  is  consid- 
erably greater  in  Alberta  than  in  the  main  part  of  the  breeding  range 
(Table  3).  A large  proportion  of  large  clutches  has  been  noted  elsewhere 
in  the  northern  extent  of  their  range  as  well  (Rohwer  et  al.  1979).  Most 
of  the  large  clutches,  based  on  egg  color,  apparently  represented  two 
females  laying  eggs  in  the  same  nest  (Rohwer  et  al.  1979,  Robinson  et  al. 
1999;  pers.  obs.). 

Few  eggs  of  supernormal  dutches  hatched  successfully  in  Alberta 
(Table  4):  even  in  the  one  successful  clutch,  only  two  of  the  seven  eggs 


Table  2.  Timing  of  egg-laying;  Alberta  versus  areas  farther  south. 


Alberta 

Utah^ 

California^ 

Venezuela^ 

Date  of  earliest  egg 

4 May 

23  April 

18  April 

April 

Date  of  latest  hatch 

18  July 

10  July 

19  July 

end  July 

1 Sordahl  1981  2Ro!)ir?son  etai.  1999  ^McMeil  1971 


248 


North  American  Birds 


Black-necked  Stilts  in  Canada 


Black-necked  Stilts,  like  most  shorebirds,  lay  four  eggs  on  average.  The  inci- 
dence of  supernormal  clutches,  such  as  this  clutch  of  seven,  was  found  to  be 
unusually  high  in  Alberta,  much  higher  than  in  core  breeding  range  farther 
south.  Most  of  these  eggs  in  large  clutches  did  not  hatch  successfully.  The 
reason  for  this  finding  is  not  known.  Photograph  by  the  author. 


Table  3.  Proportion  of  abnormally  large  clutches  (>4  eggs|  in  Alberta 
versus  California. 

Percentage  of  nests  with  more  than  4 eggs 

Kitsim/Kininwie,  Tulane  Basin,  Lassen  County, 

Alberta^  California^  California® 

1 7.6  (6/34)  0.7  (1 5/21 95)  1 .1  (3/278) 

The  present  study  (1995-2000) 

2 Robinson  et  al.  1999  (1987-1989) 

3 Robinson  et  a!.  1999  (1992-1994) 


Table  4.  Success  of  normal  f3-4  egg)  and  supernorma!  (S~7  egg)  size 
clutches  at  Kitsim,  Alberta,  19i5-2000. 


Nest  Fate 

Norma!  clutch 
Percentage  (n) 

Supernormal  clutch 
Percentage  fn) 

Hatched 

66.7  (16/24) 

20.0  (1/5) 

Depredated 

29.2  (7/24) 

0.0  (0/5) 

Deserted 

4.1  (1/24) 

60.0  (3/5) 

Flooded 

0 (0/24) 

20.0  (1/5) 

eventually  hatched.  Desertion  of  these  clutches  was  common.  In  con- 
trast, many  of  the  normal-sized  clutches  hatched,  and  only  one  was 
deserted.  It  is  not  known  why  abnormally  large  clutches  appear  to  be 
more  common  in  areas  north  of  normal  range,  but  this  may  be  a result 
of  a larger  proportion  of  inexperienced  breeders  in  these  areas,  and/or  a 
female-biased  sex  ratio  in  these  areas.  Perhaps  females  are  more  likely  to 
range  farther  from  historic  breeding  areas  than  are  males. 

CONCLUSIONS 

Increasing  numbers  of  Black-necked  Stilts  are  being  noted  in  western 
Canada.  While  most  nests  have  been  in  southern  Alberta,  nests  in 
Saskatchewan  are  becoming  more  common.  If  the  greater  proportion  of 
large  clutches  (more  than  four  eggs)  in  Alberta  is  the  result  of  inexperi- 
enced breeders,  or  an  unbalanced  sex  ratio,  it  would  be  useful  to  deter- 
mine whether  the  sex  ratio  is  indeed  female-biased  in  this  population 
and  in  other  newly  “colonized”  areas  such  as  Saskatchewan,  and  whether 
the  sex  ratio  and  percentage  of  large  clutches  in  these  areas  will  decrease 
over  time. 

Acknowledgements 

I would  like  to  acknowledge  especially  the  help  of  Dana  Pearson,  as  well 
as  Al  Smith,  in  locating  reports  of  Black-necked  Stilts  in  the  Canadian 
Prairies.  I appreciated  reports  of  unpublished  sightings,  other  informa- 
tion, and/or  comments  on  the  manuscript  from  a large  number  of  peo- 
ple, including  L.  Bennett,  G.  Beyersbergen,  J.  Bilyk,  R.  Dickson,  D.  and  T. 
Dolman,  A.  Farmer,  S.  Haig,  T.  Koroiyk,  L.  W.  Oring,  S.  Skagan,  S. 
Skinner,  A.  R.  Smith,  W.  Smith,  C.  Wallis,  and  N.  Warnock. 

In  the  field,  this  project  received  financial  or  logistical  support  from 
the  Canadian  Wildlife  Service  Prairie  and  Northern  Region 
(Environment  Canada),  the  Alberta  North  American  Waterfowl 
Management  Plan  Centre,  Ducks  Unlimited  Canada  in  Alberta  (espe- 
cially via  T.  Sadler).  Field  assistants  included  D.  Pearson,  H.  Johnston,  A. 
Neudorf,  G.  Perrin,  A.  Keeley,  G.  Thibault,  and  S.  VanWilgenburg.  I 
appreciated  permission  to  carry  out  fieldwork  on  lands  belonging  to  the 
Eastern  Irrigation  District  (through  R.  Martin). 

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— Received  13  December  2001;  accepted  12  February  2002. 


250 


North  American  Birds 


it's  twilight,  with  the  sighting  of  a lifetime  in  range.  Victory  binoculars  were  made 
for  this  moment.  Thanks  to  patented  lens  and  prism  coatings,  they  transmit  more 
light  to  the  eye.  So  birds  appear  brighter  in  low  light.  All  four 
Victory  models  are  backed  by  a lifetime  warranty.  For  a Zeiss 
retailer  near  you,  call  1-800-338-2984  or  visit  zeiss.com. 

"Based  on  blue,  red  and  green  light  transmission  tests.  Data  on  file. 


251 


One  of  five  Western  Kingbirds  detected  in  the  Hudson — Delaware  Region  this 
winter,  this  cooperative  bird  was  photographed  at  Cedar  Swamp  Wildlife 
Management  Area,  Delaware  (very  near  the  Dusky  Flycatcher!)  on  New  Year’s 
Day  2002.  Photograph  by  Matt  Hoberg. 


A second-basic  Ivory  Gull  in  Delta,  British  Columbia  spent  4-23  December 
around  the  shipyard  at  the  Deltaport  Jetty,  where  strong  nighttime  illumina- 
tion allowed  birders  to  study  this  beauty  well  into  the  night!  This  bird  repre- 
sented Vancouver’s  first  and  the  province’s  sixth  record,  photographed  here 
20  December  2001 . Photograph  by  Ruth  Sullivan. 


This  immature  gray-morph  Gyrfalcon  was  the  first  for  Texas.  It  was  found  on 
21  January  2002  and  faithfully  roosted  on  a water  tower  through  the  end  of 
the  period.  Interestingly,  this  Arctic  falcon  had  never  even  been  reported  in 
the  state  previously.  Photograph  by  Jimmy  McHaney. 


This  fine  Dusky  Flycatcher  was  found  on  New  Year’s  Eve  Day  at  Cedar  Swamp  Wildlife  ■ 
Management  Area,  New  Castle,  Delaware,  where  It  remained  through  22  January 
2002.  Except  for  a hypothetical  record  In  Pennsylvania,  this  represents  potentially  the  I 
Region’s  first  and  one  of  few  anywhere  in  the  East.  It  was  photographed  here  on  1 I 
January  2002.  Photograph  by  Ray  Wilson. 


Wisconsin’s  first  Ross’s  Gull  was  enjoyed  6-8  December  2001  near  Ashland. 
This  photograph  was  taken  on  the  first  day  of  its  visit.  Photograph  by  Travis 
Mahan. 


This  White-winged  Crossbill  at  Lawrenceville,  New  Jersey  was  one  of  up  to 
20  in  the  area,  present  from  mid-December  into  January  (here  8 January 
2002).  The  species  was  one  of  several  winter  finches  that  staged  substantial 
irruptions  this  tall  and  winter.  Photograph  by  Rick  Wiltraut. 


252 


North  American  Birds 


Pictorial  Highlights 


This  Mew  Gull  at  Cherry  Island  Landfill  near  Wilmington,  Delaware,  was  found  15 
February  2002  by  the  photographer  (and  our  own  Photo  Editor).  Extensive  exami- 
nation by  gull  experts  suggest  that  this  bird  was  one  of  the  Old  World  races  (canus, 
kamtschatschensis,  or  heinel},  but  field  separation  of  these  subspecies  has  not  yet 
been  resolved.  Among  other  characters,  the  large  size,  longish  legs,  rather  dark 
upperwings,  and  pale  eye  would  appear  to  point  to  one  of  the  Asian  subspecies 
{kamtschatschensis  or  heinei).  Inasmuch  as  other  Siberian  species— Slaty-backed 
Gull  and  Long-billed  Murrelet— were  documented  in  the  Hudson-Delaware  Region 
this  season,  a third  ambassador  from  that  area  is  not  unthinkable.  Delaware  has 
just  one  previous  record  of  the  species.  Photograph  by  George  L.  Armistead. 


It  was  a good  gull  winter  over  much  of  the  East,  and  the  Common  Gull  (as 
the  nominate  form  of  Mew  Gull  is  known  in  most  of  the  world)  was  a high- 
light in  several  regions.  This  adult,  found  among  20,000  gulls  of  10  species 
on  the  Chesapeake  Bay  C.B.C.  26  December  2001 , stood  out  among  the 
Ring-billed  Gulls  by  virtue  of  its  dark  eye,  more  delicate  bill  with  faint  zigzag 
band,  short  greenish-yellow  legs,  and  distinctive  primary  pattern  in  flight. 
Photograph  by  Robert  L Ake. 


This  adult  Slaty-backed  Gull  was  photographed  at  Seneca  Meadows  Landfill, 
Seneca  Falls,  New  York  on  23  February  2002.  It  is  conceivable  that  this  bird 
is  the  same  individual  that  was  seen  4, 8,  and  20  February  at  two  locations 
in  Sullivan  County,  New  York,  about  1 60  km  away,  but  it’s  more  likely  that 
two  birds  were  involved.  Photograph  by  Steve  Kelling. 


This  Mew  Gull  of  the  North  American  brachyrhynchus  race  (formerly  called 
Short-billed  Gull)  was  an  outstanding  find  at  Wheatley  Flarbour,  Point  Pelee, 
Ontario  26  February  2002  (the  fourth  for  Pelee).  This  taxon  strayed  to  many 
points  east  and  south  of  typical  range,  including  states  of  the  interior  Far 
West,  as  well  as  to  Texas,  Nebraska,  Oklahoma,  Wisconsin,  and  South 
Dakota.  Singles  of  both  brachyrhynchus  and  the  nominate  canus  were  again 
found  in  neighboring  Ontario;  observers  should  labor  to  distinguish  whenever 
possible  among  the  various  subspecies.  This  image  was  taken  1 March 
2002.  Photograph  by  Alan  Wormington. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


253 


Virginia  Rails  are  hardy  enough  to  overwinter  in  the  northern  tier  of  U.  S.  states  when  conditions  permit.  Even  when  winter  sets  in,  innovative  foraging  methods  allow  the 
toughest  birds  to  survive  until  milder  weather  arrives.  This  ice-fishing  bird  at  Hampton,  New  Hampshire  21  January  2002  was  another  testimony  among  many  to  the 
mildness  of  winter  2001  -2002.  Photograph  by  Dennis  Abbott. 


Perhaps  increasing  as  a vagrant  east  of  its  western  range,  Bullock’s  Oriole  put  in 
appearances  at  Quebec,  Florida,  New  Hampshire,  and  later  Virginia.  This  one  at 
Dover,  Strafford  County,  New  Hampshire  13  January  2002  was  the  first  for  that 
state  in  a quarter  century.  Photograph  by  Dennis  Abbott. 


Observers  who  began  visiting  landfills  in  the  Middle  Atlantic  region  about  20  years 
ago  saw  birds  resembling  Thayer’s  Gulls  in  small  numbers.  After  almost  two 
decades  of  documentation,  it  is  accepted  that  such  birds  occur  annually  on  the 
East  Coast,  especially  between  southern  New  England  and  northern  North  Carolina, 
but  birds  that  appear  intermediate  between  (supposedly  typical)  Thayer’s  Gull  and 
"Kumlien's"  Iceland  Gull  continue  to  cause  consternation — and  this  is  especially 
true  of  the  variable  first-winter  birds.  This  typical  first-winter  Thayer’s  Gull  (upper 
right)  showed  a relatively  heavy  build,  dark-centered  tertials,  a dark  secondary  bar, 
and  dark  outer  webs  to  the  primaries;  it  was  photographed  at  the  Salisbury, 
Maryland  landfill  15  January  2002.  Photograph  by  George  L.  Armistead. 


This  Cattle  Egret  was  caught  in  the  act  of  making  a transoceanic  flight  across  the 
Atlantic:  it  was  photographed  moving  east— northeast  at  20  ° 17’  N,  39  ° 03’  W, 
some  1472  km  from  the  nearest  land  (the  Cape  Verde  Islands).  W/hile  not  in  this 
journal’s  area  of  coverage,  this  bird  is  one  of  a handful  of  birds  photographically 
documented  over  the  Atlantic  in  the  process  of  "vagration,"  which  in  the  case  of 
this  species  led  to  colonization  of  the  New  World  some  50  years  ago.  Cattle  Egret  is 
now  a species  in  decline  in  some  parts  of  its  North  American  range;  causes  for  this 
decline  are  unknown.  Photograph  by  C.  J.  Lippincott. 


A new  difficulty  for  larophiles  at  landfills 
arose  this  winter  in  the  East  and  Midwest,  in 
Ohio  and  Virginia.  Birds  that  bore  strong 
resemblance  in  plumage  to  Glaucous- 
winged Gulls  were  found,  a first-winter  bird 
in  Ohio  and  this  adult  in  Virginia  at  Prince 
William  County  Landfill  (31  December  2001). 
Both  birds,  however,  seemed  a bit  too  deli- 
cate of  bill  and  head,  and  perhaps  too  small, 
to  be  "classic"  Glaucous-winged  Gulls,  and  it 
has  been  suggested  that  hybrid  origin  is  the 
most  likely  explanation  for  this  aberration. 
However,  nothing  about  the  plumage  of 
either  bird  suggested  an  admixture  of  genes 
from  a smaller  species,  such  as  Herring  Gull. 
Photograph  by  Stephen  C.  Rottenborn. 


Are  Southern  Lapwings  on  a slow 
march  northward?  Twentieth-centu- 
ry records  suggest  that  an  expan- 
sion or  increasing  northward  and 
westward  dispersal  of  the  cayen- 
nens/s  subspecies,  which  is  nonmi- 
gratory,  has  been  underway  for 
some  time.  The  species  was  consid- 
ered "casual"  through  the  1970s  In 
Panama  but  lately  is  known  to  be 
resident  there,  and  Costa  Rican 
records  are  now  beginning  to 
accrue,  though  the  species  is  still 
quite  rare  there.  Six  or  more  records 
from  Costa  Rica  this  past  winter 
season  included  this  bird,  noted  by 
Regional  Editor  Hector  Gomez  de 
Silva  and  party  about  five  km  south- 
east of  Jaco  19  February  2002. 
Photograph  by  John  Tayior. 


254 


N o R I H American  B i r n s 


Pictorial  Highlights 


A Townsend’s  Warbler  at  Sandy  Hook,  New  Jersey  on  3 December  2001  provid- 
ed the  Garden  State’s  eighth  record  of  this  hardy  western  species,  which 
appears  to  be  increasing  as  a vagrant  to  the  East.  Photograph  by  Rick  Wiltraut. 


This  Pine  Grosbreak  was  one  of  many  well  south  of  usual  haunts  in  the 
Northeast;  it  was  photographed  at  Georgetown,  New  York,  28  February  2002. 
Photograph  by  Sean  Sime/Housewren. 


An  Ipswich  Sparrow— the  phnceps  race  of  Savannah  Sparrow  that  nests 
almost  entirely  on  Sable  Island,  Nova  Scotia — frequented  Cape  Charles  Beach, 
Northampton  County,  Virginia,  for  several  days  in  January  (here  2 January 
2002),  feeding  on  Cape  Beach  Grass  seeds  (Ammophila  breviligulata).  Although 
the  Chesapeake  Bay  and  its  6400  km  of  shoreline  would  seem  to  offer  good 
winter  quarters  for  Ipswich  Sparrow,  which  favors  outer  dunes  and  barrier 
beaches,  the  loss  of  this  habitat  on  the  Bay’s  shores  has  been  substantial  in 
recent  decades,  and  there  are  fewer  than  20  Bay  records  of  the  taxon  in 
Maryland  and  Virginia.  Photograph  by  Edward  S.  Brinkley. 


The  odd  combination  of  Common  Redpoll  and  Painted  Bunting — both  species  on 
the  move  across  the  continent  this  winter— at  a feeder  near  Rogers  City, 

Michigan,  was  photographed  here  2 February  2002.  Photograph  by  William  Grigg. 


North  Carolina’s  first  documented  Green-tailed  Towhee  entertained  birders  at  a 
feeder  in  Southport  from  5 January  2002  through  the  spring.  The  species  is  a 
very  seldom  visitor  to  the  states  of  the  East  Coast.  Photograph  by  Van  Atkins. 


A Broad-winged  Hawk  on  Christmas  Eve  2001  at  Tantra  Park,  Boulder,  Colorado 
would  seem  outlandish,  were  it  not  for  the  similar  records  of  the  species  now 
being  made  all  through  the  East  in  early  winter  (see  the  Changing  Seasons 
essay).  This  bird  was  a first  in  winter  for  the  state.  Photograph  by  Bill  Schmoker. 


Volume  56  (2002),  Number  2 


255 


This  male  Blue  Seedeater  was  one  of  five  mist-netted  at  scattered  locations 
in  Parque  Nacional  El  Imposible,  El  Salvador  between  9 January  and  18 
February  2002.  These  birds  likely  represent  a small  but  previously  overlooked 
population.  The  Blue  Seedeater  has  been  reported  in  El  Salvador  on  only  two 
previous  occasions.  Photograph  by  Oliver  Komar. 


This  subadult  Masked  Booby  was  photographed  in  La  Jolla,  California  on  7 
January  2002;  it  is  likely  the  same  bird  that  was  later  present  80  km  north  of 
La  Jolla  at  Dana  Point  in  Orange  County.  Distinctions  from  Nazca  Booby  are 
subtle  and  include  bill  color  (greenish  yellow  in  Masked,  orangy  in  Nazca.) 
Photograph  by  Larry  Sansone. 


Extremely  rare  at  any  season  in  the  Pacific  Northwest,  Washington’s  first 
Yellow-throated  Warbler  (of  the  albilora  subspecies)  was  the  Oregon- 
Washington  Region’s  fourth.  It  remained  atTwisp  from  8 December  2001 
through  23  January  2002,  (when  a Sharp-shinned  Hawk  apparently  removed 
it).  Photograph  by  Ruth  Sullivan. 


Bohemian  Waxwings  invaded  northern  Colorado  this  winter  season.  These 
birds  at  Gross  Reservoir,  Boulder  County,  Colorado  2 February  2002  were 
part  of  a flock  of  300  birds.  Photograph  by  Bill  Schmoker. 


An  unexpected  bonus  during  nocturnal  trapping  of  pheasants,  this  Yellow  Rail 
was  one  of  at  least  two  caught  and  photographed  in  a closed  area  of  Grizzly 
Island,  Solano  County,  California  on  12  February  2002.  The  species  is  rare 
enough  on  the  West  Coast  that  observers  should  take  care  to  distinguish  it  from 
the  similarly  migratory  Swinhoe’s  Yellow  Rail  (Coturnicops  exquisitus)  of  eastern 
Asia.  Photograph  by  Anthony  Battiste. 


256 


North  American  Birds 


W^lll 


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