September 16 to November 12, 1998
by Colin Dillingham

Clark's grebes were found at the Rogue mouth, 2 on Oct 15 and 2 on Nov 7 (CPD, TJW) and 1 at Cape Blanco on Nov 7 (CPD, DJL, KAC, TJR). Large numbers of sooty shearwater migrate south in the fall past Curry County, but are usually well offshore. Therefore, 400 pink-footed and 2,000 sooty shearwater seen from land as they flew past Cape Blanco on September 24 was exciting (DJL, KAC, CPD, TJR). TJW and JR found 2 American bittern between Floras Lake and New River Nov 12. Snowy Egrets staged an impressive movement into Curry County this fall. Sightings were almost daily from September 19 through November 8. The largest single concentration reported were 6 at Jerry's Flat on Sept 19 (CPD). DM reported as many as 18 in Southern Curry County on October 1. CPD and TJW found a redhead at Euchre Creek on Nov 7. They are always difficult to find in Curry.

TJW found an American golden plover on Oct 9 on the Elk River Bottoms and CPD found one Oct 24 on cattle pastures north of Gold Beach off the Old Coast Hwy. They are annual during fall migration in Curry County, but quite difficult to find. A red knot found on Oct 24 with the golden plover on the cattle pastures north of Gold Beach is the latest record for Curry County. A Wilson's plover was found on September 10 on Bullard's Beach, approximately 1/2 mile north of the North Jetty of the Coquille River. This is the first Wilson's plover found in Oregon.

A possible pomarine jaeger was seen flying south past Cape Blanco on Oct 8 (DJL, KAC, CPD). An adult parasitic jaeger was flying south past Cape Blanco on Sept 24 (DJL, CPD, KAC, TJR). Two immature sabine's gulls, rarely seen from land, were found this fall: the first at Cape Blanco on September 3 (CPD, TR, DL, KC); the second at the mouth of the Pistol River on September 13 (ADB). Elegant tern numbers at the mouth of the Rogue River peaked between August 3-8 at 40-60 birds (ADB, DM, CPD, ALD).

Curry's third Gray Flycatcher was found Nov 8 at Jerry's Flat (CPD, ADB, EC). An amazing 6 Say's Phoebe were found this fall in Curry. TJW found singles at Elk River bottoms Sept 16, Oct 9, Oct 13; singles were also found at Cape Blanco Oct 15 (TJR), and Nov 7 (TJW, CPD) and at Jerry's Flat on Nov 8 (ADB, CPD). TJW found one tropical kingbird at Elk River bottoms on Nov 8 for the 10th record in the past 22 years for Curry. Two very late western kingbirds include one at the Elk River bottoms on Oct 13 (TJW) and one at Oceanview Drive in Harbor on Oct 14 (DM). TJW found Curry's 7th horned lark record on Oct 22 on Elk River bottoms.

TJW and JR found Curry's third blue-gray gnatcatcher at Floras Lake outlet confluence with Floras Creek on Nov 12. CPD found a northern mockingbird in Gold Beach on Oct 15 and TJW found one at Langlois on Nov 1. CPD/ALD (and Henry too) saw a wagtail that had a very white face, but a completely black back. It appears to be a leucopsis race of the White Wagtail, which may be a first record for North America for this subspecies. The record will be reviewed by the Oregon Bird Records Committee for further verification. Northern Shrikes were seen at 4 locations between Oct 1 and Nov 8 (SM, BT, CPD, KAC, DJL, BL, TJW, CPD, ADB,EC). An Oct 5 Cassin's Vireo at Euchre Creek is a typical late date for this species (SM). A warbling vireo on Oct 4 at the Winchuck River mouth is also typical for a late date (SM, BT, DJL, KAC, BL). Vagrant fall warblers included a Tennessee warbler on Oct 1 at Euchre Creek (CPD), a magnolia warbler at Elk River bottoms on Oct 4 (TJW, JG), a late black-throated gray warbler at Langois on Nov 1 (TJW) and palm warblers at Elk River bottoms Oct 4,5,13 (TJW, TW) and Jerry's Flat Oct 11 (CPD).

Spizella sparrows made a good showing in Curry this fall. An American tree sparrow was at the Sixes River boatramp on Nov 12 (TJW, JR) for about the fifth Curry record. A late chipping sparrow was at Euchre Creek Sept 19 (CPD, ADB, EC). Three clay-colored sparrows included one at Gold Beach Sept 27-28 (CPD, ALD), one at Elk River bottoms Oct 15 (CPD, BS, DM) and another one (or the same bird lingering?) at the same location on Nov 6 (TJW, TW). Phil Hicks submitted satisfactory details of Curry's second Brewer's sparrow record on Sept 14 at his feeder in Brookings. Swamp sparrow records included an early bird on Oct 1 at Harris Beach State Park (SM, BT, DJL, KAC, BL) and 3 at Floras Creek/New River on Nov 12 (JR, TJW). CPD, TJW, ALD found an amazing concentration of 11 white-throated sparrows coming to the Dillingham's feeder at Jerry's Flat on Nov 7. There was a great movement of Lapland longspurs this fall from Oct 2 through Oct 22. The most notable date was Oct 5 with 6 at Elk River, 2 at Gold Beach, at Cape Blanco, 1 at Sixes River, and 1 at Euchre Creek (ADB, SM, BT, DJL, CPD, KAC, BL, TJW). The largest concentration was record on Oct 9 when TJW saw 24 on Elk River bottoms.

ADB found Curry's third Bobolink record on Oct 5 at Sixes River bottoms. TJW found a yellow-headed blackbird on Sept 21 at Elk River bottoms, which is turning out to be a mecca for this species in Curry County.

Observers: Colin Dillingham (CPD), Angie Dillingham (ALD), Jamie Simmons (JS), Terry Wahl (TJW), Tooze Wahl (TW), Alan Barron (ADB), Dave Lauten (DL), Tim Rodenkirk (TR), Kathy Castelein (KC), Nathaniel Wander (NW), Don Munson (DM), Buzz Stewart (BS), Steve Mlodinow (SM), Bill Tweit (BT), Bruce Lamar (BL), Jeff Gilligan (JG), Jim Rogers (JR).