July 22 to September 18, 1996
by Colin Dillingham

Curry County is losing one of its most active birders as John Blithe heads back to England after his 18 month stay in Agness. Although we're sad to see him go, it's a shame he can't take his fellow countrymen, the European Starling and House Sparrow with him.

The foggy evening of September 10 turned out to be an incredible time to view Leach's Storm-petrels at the South Coast Lumber Company mill on Carpenterville Road. Over 115 petrels were seen in about an hour (CD/MS). A flock of 9 Blue-Winged Teal on 9 August at the Wedderburn oxidation ponds was a good showing for this normally rare Curry visitor (CD/JD/JB).

Fred Hummel found Curry County's second record of American Avocets when he scoped a flock of 20 birds on 24 August at the Pistol River mouth, which followed Sharon Bazor's first County record from this spring at Hubbard Creek mouth. JB found a large group of 10 Marbled Godwit on 5 September at the Rogue River mouth. A flock of 66 Whimbrel on 8 August at Myer's Creek (CD) was large, but not highly unusual for the fall migration. A single Semipalmated Sandpiper was seen 9 August by CD and JD. Semipalmated sandpipers were unrecorded in the County just a few years ago, but have turned out to be almost annual with intensive shorebird watching. Two Pectoral Sandpipers on September 13 were joined by a third on September 14 at the Wedderburn Oxidation Ponds (CD/JB). A Stilt Sandpiper 9 August at the Rogue River mouth by CD/JD was Curry's second.

An immature Parasitic Jaeger was seen flying along the sand, landing momentarily on Bailey Beach, just north of the Rogue River on 4 September (CD/JB). An impressive flock of 27 Elegant Terns were found at the Rogue River mouth on 9 Aug (CD/JD). A Willow Flycatcher at Jerry's Flat on September 18 was unusual (CD/JB). AB found a Say's Phoebe on September 6 on Oceanview Drive in Harbor that pleased many observers because it was such a cooperative rare bird.

Curry's second record for White-breasted Nuthatch was present from at least 22 July through 20 August at the Long Ridge banding station up the Chetco River (CD/JB/JD/AB). A single White-breasted Nuthatch was encounted 22 July through August 12 and thought to be a lost individual, but when both an adult plumaged individual and a juvenile were seen on 20 August, local breeding was suspected. The latest Yellow-breasted Chat recorded in the county was found September 18 at Jerry's Flat up the Rogue River by CD and JB.

Observers: Colin Dillingham-CD, Jean Dillingham-JD, John Blithe-JB, Alan Barron-AB, Mark Stevens-MS.