November 1 to January 11, 1998
by Colin Dillingham

On Nov 19 DM reported a loon, thought to be a yellow-billed loon. It was not seen again until Dec 2 when it was confirmed by ADB. The yellow-billed loon was last seen Dec 5 by MS. A Clark’s grebe also seen Nov 19 by DM and seen later on Nov 27 by RD. CPD saw 2 northern fulmar and 2 sooty/short-tailed shearwater at Cape Blanco and DM and JB found another fulmar during the Port Orford Cnristmas Bird Count (CBC) on Dec 27. Brown pelicans were very numerous throughout this strong El Niño event and have stayed late as evident by JF’s sighting of one at the Chetco River mouth on Dec 23 and an amazing 11 reported by 3 different parties during the Port Orford CBC. MAM reported a late green heron in lower Hunter Creek on Nov 23. The snow goose and Aleutian Canada goose that have been at Eucre Creek since Jan 1997 were joined by a white-fronted on Oct 30. and remained throughout the end of the period. Also at Euchre Creek Jan 4 was a gadwall which has been hard to find in Curry County the past couple of years (CPD).

CPD and ALD have two resident white-tailed kites at their new residence at Jerry’s Flat through the period. Terry and Tooze Wahl saw a golden eagle flying over Langlois while CPD missed it as he stared into a flock of chickadees, Hutton’s vireos and Townsend’s warbers. The year of the sandhill crane finished with a bang when JF saw 3 land briefly at the Chetco River mouth on Dec 22. Rail numbers were exceptional on the Port Orford CBC: 5 sora and 70 Virginia rails.

The third Curry record of red-naped sapsucker was found Nov 28 by ADB/CPD at the Sevey yard in Hunter Creek. TJW found a blue jay in Langlois on Nov 14 for the 2nd county record . Glen Sevey reported a second Curry record of blue-gray gnatcatcher on Nov 25 with a satisfactory verbal description. At least 3 northern mockingbirds were in Curry this period including two at Dorothy Sevey's house in Hunter Creek from Oct 30 -Nov 28 (ADB,KS,CPD) and a third at Oceanview Drive in Harbor on Nov19 (ADB). An immature northern shrike has established residency this winter on an island in the Rogue River at Jerry’s Flat, seen through the end of the period (CPD. ALD). Glen Sevey saw a male rose-breasted grosbeak at his Hunter Creek Feeder on Nov 14. Carrie Rogers reported an American tree sparrow on Nov 20 for the fourth Curry record. CPD and KS found a swamp sparrow on Jan 10 at Jerry’s Flat. CPD found a Harris' sparrow on Nov 26 at Dorothy Seveys’ feeder in Hunter Creek. JR found 3 Lapland longspur near the Sixes River mouth on Dec 27.

Observers are: Colin Dillingham (CPD), Don Munson (DM), Angie Dillingham (ALD), Jim Rogers (JR), Terry Wahl (TJW), Mark Stevens (MS), Alan Barron (ADB), Keith Slauson (KS), Mike Miller (MAM), Jim Furlong (JF).