July to September, 1999.
by Colin Dillingham

DM went fifteen miles off of Brookings and found Black-footed Albatross and one Pomarine Jaeger. DJL found a dead Laysan Albatross on a Coos County beach in early September. NW saw several early fall ducks: a Green-winged Teal and a Northern Shoveler on August 24 at Euchre Creek, and a Bufflehead on August 30 at the mouth of Sixes River. NW also reported a Cinnamon Teal at the Gold Beach boat basin from July 13-16.

KAC and DJL found nine American and Pacific Golden Plover in Coos County during the Shorebird Festival (Sept 11-12) at the north spit effluent ponds. They also found a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Bandon Marsh during the festival, both of which have never been recorded in Curry (these birds seen by CPD, TJR, MJM and JMM also). NW saw a Ruddy Turnstone, still in breeding plumage. The Turnstone was seen on July 19 at the Rogue River mouth. DM reported a Semipalmated Sandpiper from Gold Beach harbor on July 28, and NW reported one at Euchre Creek on July 31. DJL and KAC found a Stilt Sandpiper near the Golden Plovers in Coos County during the shorebird festival. DM found a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at New River on September 8, the fourth county record. TJW found the bird of the fall, a Ruff at the mouth of Elk River. This is only the second Curry County Ruff and the first since 1981. NW found a Pectoral Sandpiper on August 24 at Euchre Creek, while CPD and HLD found three at Jerry's Flat on September 6. NW described a Wilson's Phalarope he found at the Port Orford boat basin, only the third record for the County, and the first in fifteen years.

Jeff Harding found a dead Arctic Tern on the North Shore of Floras Lake. CPD, KAC, DJL, JMM, Keith Paul and Deborah Henry captured, banded and photographed an Empidonax Flycatcher that appears to be a Least Flycatcher at Cape Blanco on August 25. Feather samples were collected for DNA analysis to confirm the specific identification. This is the second county record; the first was on September 1, 1985 also at Cape Blanco.

NW and CPD kept close track of the nesting colony of Bank Swallows at Nesika Beach this season. Slumps last winter eliminated all their previous burrows. CPD was able to photograph them May 22, 1999 and estimated 80 bank swallows present. On June 7 and July 10, NW counted 114 excavated burrows. Approximately 36 adults were feeding young on July 10 (NW), and by August 25 the burrows were deserted (CPD). JR found an interesting Cliff Swallow nest at the Elk River fish hatchery on July 14. The birds lined a nest box with mud and made a small mud overhang above the entrance to the nestbox.

Observers are as follows - Colin Dillingham (CPD), Henry Dillingham (HLD), Terry Wahl (TJW), Dave Lauten (DJL), Tim Rodenkirk (TJR), Kathy Castelein (KAC), Nathaniel Wander (NW), Don Munson (DM), Jesse McDowell (JMM), Melissa McDowell (MJM), Jim Rogers (JR)