March 1 to May 10, 1999.
by Nathaniel Wander

As with the weather, spring birds are arriving in fits and starts. Tree & Violet-green Swallows were first reported in Port Orford on 3/5, Northern Rough-wingeds on 3/27, Barn Swallows on 4/15, and a single Cliff Swallow on 4/22 (NW). On 5/1, a Bank Swallow was seen along Jerry’s Flat (CPD, TJR, MAM, & MRS). The Bank Swallow burrows in the Nesika Beach cliffs have been all but obliterated by winter landslides; it’s questionable if they will rebuild. Vaux’s Swifts have been seen since mid-April (CPD, FH, DM, BS), with a hundred or more living in a P.O. chimney (KB, JC, NW).

Turkey Vultures were first reported cruising over P.O. on 3/6, and NW saw an immature Golden Eagle over the Sixes River later that day. On 3/7, he spotted a light-phase Rough-legged Hawk cruising the south end of Humbug and found a late Merlin & a Bald Eagle on the Knapp Ranch, Langlois on 4/4. CPD reports Curry’s first confirmed White-tailed Kite nest along the Lower Rogue.

Shorebirds have been sparse this spring. NW reported two Marbled Godwits on 4/10 at the Gold Beach boat basin, as well as Greater Yellowlegs & Western Sandpipers at Euchre Creek. FH & BS saw a large number of Whimbrels & three Wandering Tattlers south of McVay Park on 4/23. Western Sandpipers & breeding-plumaged Dunlin were reported at Euchre Creek in late April-early May (FH, DM, BS, NW). On 5/8, KG & BS found a Short-billed Dowitcher along with Westerns at Meyers Creek, while NW saw a Ruddy Turnstone at P.O.’s 12th Street dock, and a large flock of Sanderling, & a small flock of Greater Yellowlegs flying over Garrison Lake.

NW found a pair of Blue-winged Teal on Port Orford’s Mill Pond on 5/10, and several observers viewed a bright male Cinnamon Teal at Euchre Creek throughout March & April (FH, DM, JR, BS, NW). FH & BS reported three late Harlequin Ducks off the Harbor beach on 4/23, and NW saw four Brant Geese in the Gold Beach boat basin on 4/6.

Black-crowned Night Herons began returning to the banks of the Chetco in mid-April (FH, DM, BS, NW). Green Herons have been occasionally seen in P.O., but the American Bitterns reported this winter are noticeably absent (NW). On 5/8, JR saw a Sandhill Crane northwest of Willow Creek on the road to Floras Lake.

Pigeon Guillemots appeared off P.O. in early April, with hundreds seen floating on dead calm seas on 4/16 (NW). CPD, TJR, MAM, & MRS saw a breeding-plumaged female Red-Necked Phalarope at Euchre Creek on 5/1–it remained until 5/3 (NW)–and KG & BS saw a male at Pistol River on 5/8, as well as Tufted Puffins off Harris Beach. TJR saw a Cassin’s Auklet off Otter Rock on 5/1.

Bonaparte’s Gulls & Caspian Terns passed through in large numbers throughout April. TJW reported a Franklin’s Gull from his ranch north of P.O. at the end of the month.

DM reported several sightings of Say’s Phoebes in Harbor from the end of March (also FH & BS), as well as near Pistol River. A Say’s was seen at Crook Creek on 4/11 by VS & NW. DM, FH & BS reported Western Kingbirds in Harbor in mid-April, NW spotted one at Denmark on 4/23, and three were seen between Agness & Nesika Beach by CPD, TJR, MAM, & MRS on 5/1. The same crew reported a Dusky Flycatcher from Agness, and a “late-first” Pacific Slope Flycatcher along the Rogue.

DM reported Common Yellowthroats from Harbor on 4/7; they turned up at Euchre Creek on 4/10, and around P.O. on 4/15 (NW). A male Yellow Warbler appeared in P.O.’s Buffington Park on 4/19 (NW), while AG & JG sighted a female nearby on 5/8. CPD reported a Black-throated Gray from the Lower Rogue on 4/23, and NW found several along P.O.’s Cemetery Loop on 5/8 & 9. CPD also found a Cassin’s Vireo (formerly the westernmost race of Solitary Vireo) on 4/23, while CPD, TJR, MAM, & MRS had a Nashville Warbler on 5/1. Wilson’s Warblers were first seen in P.O. on 5/5 (NW). On 5/9, FH saw ten Orange-crowned Warblers, and a Bullock’s Oriole, near the North Jetty in Harbor. Warbler season may be here at last.

JR saw a Sage Thrasher in the beachy scrub north of the Gold Beach sewer ponds on 5/6. NW found a trio of Red Crossbills amongst spruce at P.O.’s Buffington Park on 3/19, and had a male on a sunflower feeder on 4/5. Buffington Park has also been been popular with migrating sparrows: there were substantial flocks of Savannahs throughout April, as well as chipping Sparrows through 4/21. A Lark Sparrow was found among the latter on that date (NW). CPD, TJR, MAM, & MRS reported a pair of Vespers at Agness in a large mixed sparrow flock on 5/1.

Observers: Al Geiser (AG), Buzz Stewart (BS), Colin Dillingham (CPD), Don Munson (DM), Fred Hummel (FH), Jane Cramer (JC), Joan Geiser (JG), Jim Rogers (JR), Kathy Bodin (KB), Ken Goldwater (KG), Mike Miller (MAM), Mark Stevens (MRS), Nathaniel Wander (NW), Tim Rodenkirk, (TJR), Terry Wahl, (TJW), Veva Stansell (VS).