January 16 to February 28, 1999.
by Colin Dillingham

Eared grebes are always uncommon in Curry County, so one at Garrison Lake Feb 4 (NW) was nice to find. An American bittern was regularly found at Garrison Lake from December through the end of the period (NW). A displaying green heron on Feb 9 at Port Orford was unusual (NW). An immature snow goose found at Euchre Creek Dec 29 and present through February 28 is the fifth record I know of for Curry (CPD, NW). Curry’s long over due second Eurasian Wigeon Feb 4 – Feb 13 (ADB, EC, CPD, ALD, NW, JR, CR, FH, BS) was at the Pistol River bottoms. [It is still present in late March.]

Curry’s first tufted duck, a female, was found by NW at Garrison Lake on Feb 3 and was subsequently seen by JR, CR, CPD, ADB, ADB, EC, TJR, DM, FH, BS, MAM through Feb 16. NW found a female black scoter in the Port Orford boat basin on Jan 30. Jeff Gilligan and Gerard Lillie had the first turkey vultures of the spring on February 20 when they saw 2 flying north over Gold Beach. When NW & TJW saw what was probably the same golden-plover TJW saw earlier this winter on the Elk River bottoms, on Jan 17 They thought it might be a Pacific Golden-plover but was unsure.

Coos County’s first eastern phoebe found in late Dec by DJL, KAC, TJR is still being seen along the North Bank Rd out of Bandon at mile post 9. Western bluebirds were noted twice in the lowlands; eight on the old coast highway on Feb 6 (CPD) and a flock in the vicinity of Cape Blanco in late February (Jane Cra-mer). A Northern shrike wintered at Jerry’s Flat (CPD, ALD, MRS. DM had yet another clay-colored sparrow at Harbor on February 21.

Observers: Colin Dillingham (CPD), Angie Dillingham (ALD), Mark Stevens (MRS), Terry Wahl (TJW), Alan Barron (ADB), Eileen Cooper (EC), Dave Lauten (DJL), Tim Rodenkirk (TJR), Kathy Castelein (KAC), Nathanial Wander (NW), Don Munson (DM), Buzz Stewart (BS), Fred Hummel (FH), Jim Rogers (JR), Carrie Rogers (CR), Michael Miller (MAM).