May 12 to July 17, 1998
by Colin Dillingham

Michael Miller found a large flock of foraging seabirds on June 2 at the mouth of the Rogue River. The flock included unseasonable brown pelicans (60) and Heermann’s gulls (30) as well as 800 common murre and 100 pacific loons. CPD and MAM found the first blue-winged teal of the migration when they found a pair at Euchre Creek on June 5. TJW found a large flock of 24 blue-winged teal near Langlois on June 12, as well as a northern pintail, 4 northern shoveler, 1 green-winged teal, 1 cinnamon teal, 1 ruddy duck and a bittern. This is a similar species mix to the breeding waterfowl at Lake Earl. Perhaps the wetlands near Langlois provide suitable waterfowl breeding habitat. CPD and ADB found a pair of ring-necked ducks June 20 at TJW’s ranch on Elk River. These are unlikely breeders in Curry, so a pair in the middle of summer is interesting.

Elegent terns first made Curry this year on June 29 with 2 at the Rogue Mouth (CPD). The flock grew to 25 by July 10 (CPD,ALD). The best bird reported this season was Curry County’s first Least Tern. BS saw a small tern at Harris Beach on July 10, and was able to approach quite closely to the bird for good views. No other people were able to confirm this rarity, but Buzz plans to submit written details to the Oregon Bird Records Committee. Another oddity reported in the county was a second hand report of a great gray owl heard at lately prarie in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Apparently a couple of people talked to the Kalmiopsis Wilderness rangers and said they had heard the owl the night before approximately June 22. If this bird could be confirmed, it too would be a first county record.

One of the two pair of bald eagles on the Rogue River had two chicks, the second pair apparently failed in their nesting attempt. Curry County is now home to three pairs of peregrine falcons. Harvey Young reported a pair nesting along the Illinois River last summer and this nest site was confirmed with at least one chick this year (Jeep Pagel). Our lower Rogue River nest had 3 chicks, but the upper nest failed. A first California state record of a bristle-thighed curlew was in Crescent City on May 14 (ADB). This lends credence to a report by David Lauten of one possible bristle-thighed curlew at the beach by Flores Lake on May 6. Shorebird migration started in early July with a large group of shorebirds at the Rogue mouth. On July 10 a semipalmated sandpiper was seen (CPD), these are rare, but probably annual migrants in Curry County. Perhaps the most exciting shorebird observation was by Donna Hoffmann. She rehabilitated a red-necked phalarope, and when it seemed healthy, she released it into Garrison Lake in Port Orford. Unfortunately for the phalarope, a huge largemouth bass swam up and swallowed the phalarope whole!

TJW saw migrating black swift on May 13 at his ranch. ADB and EC found a chimney swift in Smith River at the corner of 2nd and Brookings (Del Norte County), a first county record. It was flying in courtship flights with a Vaux’s swift. TJW had what appeared to be two different eastern kingbirds this spring/summer. The first was found approximately June 1, the second on June 18-20. ADB saw the eastern kingbird on June 20 for his 300th county bird. Congratulations Alan! NW reported a large colony of nesting bank swallows on sand bluffs around Nesika Beach on May 23. He said they had been nesting there for several years. Mike Denny reported one flying about Euchre Creek on July 16. MRS found a canyon wren in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness on July 7. The bird was heard singing 1/8 mile past Windy Camp on the 1102 Trail (1/2-3/4 miles past 1102/1110 trail junction). Donna Hoffmann saw a northern mockingbird in her yard in Port Orford on June 10, TJW had one at his ranch on May 3 along with a sage thrasher present since April 30.

CPD found his 300th Curry County bird on May 12 when a Tennessee warbler showed itself in an alder thicket near Eagleview Drive on the lower Rogue River. Rose-breasted grosbeaks appeared to be plentiful this season with males at the following locations: Glen Sevey’s yard in Hunter Creek, May 28; TJW’s yard in Langlois, June 17; and NW’s yard in Port Orford, June 1. DM found Curry’s first spring record of a clay-colored sparrow on June 5 at Azalea Park in Brookings. TJW had singing vesper sparrows on his ranch on June 5 and CPD had them at Jerry’s Flat on May 9. TJW found a rare lark sparrow on May 4 at his ranch. TJW had a late golden-crowned sparrow on June 5 around his Elk River ranch. TJW reported at least 3 different yellow-headed blackbirds on his Elk River ranch between June 2 and June 19. NW found a hooded oriole May 3 at the cedar mill pond in Port Orford and Glen Sevey had one in his yard on May 21.

Observers are: Colin Dillingham (CPD), Angie Dillingham (ALD), Jim Rogers (JR), Terry Wahl (TJW), Mark Stevens (MRS), Alan Barron (ADB), Buzz Stewart (BS), Eileen Cooper (EC), Mike Miller (MAM), Nathaniel Wander (NW).