OPAS -- bird sightings 2007 No 1

Bird Sightings -- Winter, 2006-7
By Bob Boekelheide

Following a blustery, snowy fall, the winter of 2006-7 continues to wallop the north Olympic Peninsula, bringing occasional snow, hail, and gusty winds to the lowlands through February. Contrary to the El Nino drought predictions, snow continues to accumulate in the Olympics, reaching above average depths for this date, almost 10 feet deep at Hurricane Ridge. Still, most weather fronts in January and February lacked the punch of storms that occurred during November and December, whose effects are still visible in the busted trees and downed limbs that litter western Washington. Total precipitation amounts at the River Center during this water-year show that we have already received almost as much precipitation so far this season as fell during many drought years between 2002 and 2005:

Month:           Oct. 06   Nov. 06   Dec. 06   Jan. 07   Feb. 07 (thru 2/24)     Total thus far
Inches Precip:            0.76       4.96    2.55       2.23      0.65                 11.15

Has the tumultuous fall and winter weather affected local birds? Undoubtedly yes, as counts of some species have seriously dropped off on Wed. morning birdwalks at RR Bridge Park. Birds as different as quail and kinglets have become fewer and farther between as the winter progresses.

In the unusual bird department, Judy and Don Johnston reported a possible Brambling visiting their feeder along East Sequim Bay on 1/15-16/07. Unfortunately the bird didn’t stick around, so they couldn’t get photos. Bramblings are a fairly common Eurasian finch, with several records in Washington that curiously clustered in the early 1990s.

On 1/20/07, Drew Wheelan reported an adult basic-plumaged Iceland Gull at the Elwha River mouth, along with 100 Mew Gulls, 25 Thayer’s Gulls, and a mix of pure Glaucous-winged and hybrid Olympic Gulls. One month later, on 2/16, my wife Barb and I searched the roosting gulls at the Elwha during the first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count, finding a striking adult alternate-plumaged Iceland Gull along with 8 Thayer’s, one California, 2 Herrings, 2 Westerns, several pure-looking Glaucous-wingeds, and lots of Olympic types. Could the Iceland Gull on 2/16 have been the same bird as on 1/20, before and after its pre-alternate molt?

Of the two subspecies of Iceland Gull, the bird on 2/16 appeared to be the nominate subspecies, glaucoides, which is least likely on the West Coast compared with the other subspecies known as Kumlien’s Gull. Iceland Gulls, as the name implies, are normally found in the North Atlantic Ocean. They infrequently breed in Iceland, being more at home further west around Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. During winter they regularly visit the Northeast U.S. There are several other records for Washington and sightings seem to be increasing as more people appreciate gulls, although nearly all other records are Kumlien’s type.

Another interesting gull was a first-winter Heermann’s Gull seen by the River Center Winter Birds class at Ediz Hook on 2/22.

Trumpeter Swans are more numerous around Sequim this year than they’ve been for several winters. A quick drive by Barb and me on 2/25 to the usual haunts (Schmuck Rd., Graysmarsh, Towne Rd., 3 Crabs) found 54 swans total, composed of 43 adults and 11 cygnets.

In early February, Les Jones discovered two dead swans at 3 Crabs, and, with the help of Shelly Ament of WDFW, has turned them over to Martha Jordan of the Swan Society for autopsies. Well over 1000 swans died in Whatcom County and southern B.C. over the past few winters, apparent victims of lead poisoning, which they get when they ingest lead pellets from spent shotgun shells. The autopsy may reveal whether these swans succumbed to the same fate.

Speaking of swans, a Mute Swan is hanging out at Ediz Hook, sighted by the River Center Winter Birds class on 2/22. Introduced Mute Swans are considered undesirable, since they are very aggressive and usually prevent other native waterfowl from nesting nearby.

Heard any owls lately? Two W. Screech-Owls tooted in the woods behind Chrilo Von Gontard’s home near Happy Valley on 2/18. Chrilo reports that Great Horned Owls hoot in the same area. The River Center’s Owl Prowl on 2/3 turned up 3 Screech-Owls along Woods Road, one very tentative N. Saw-whet Owl, and an energized Barred Owl that wouldn’t stop hooting near the top of Palo Alto Road. Many owls like Great Horneds lay eggs in mid-winter, so they may have chicks hatching by now.

Nesting Bald Eagles are seriously into courtship and nest building, in preparation for their egg-laying beginning in March. If you live near an eagle’s nest or regularly see one, keep track of the major events at the nest this year, such as when the female first sits long periods in the nest, when the chick(s) is visible in the nest, and when the chick(s) leaves the nest. Beth Oakes has been watching eagles at her home west of Port Angeles, noting that an adult eagle is adept at taking trout out of their pond, but the immature that comes to visit only takes ducks.

If you’re one of the really lucky ones that has an Osprey nest nearby, record the same data and relay the information to me at the River Center, please.

Despite wintry conditions in the mountains, John Bridge took a snowshoe walk from Slab Camp up the southeast side of Blue Mountain on 2/22, hearing the first Sooty Grouse booming this season at 4800 ft elevation. Sooty Grouse seem to vanish during winter, wisely retreating from their usual summer haunts in the sub-alpine zone. Apparently they move down slope to hide in the snowy middle elevation forests of the Olympics, where few people tread during winter.

Winter is time for birds to attack suet feeders, but the hybrid Hermit X Townsend’s Warbler eating suet at Carolyn Morillo’s feeder at Freshwater Bay in early January was a big surprise. This is the first Hermit-Townsend’s Warbler we’ve ever heard of around here during winter. A few other feeder watchers reported Townsend’s Warblers in the lowlands this winter, including Pat and Jack Fletcher at 3 Crabs on 1/16.

Pam Bedford spotted a Northern Shrike at the Dungeness Recreation Area on 1/14, and on 1/18 she spotted a Short-eared Owl at the same place. Paul Crawford reported an intergrade Red-shafted X Yellow-shafted Flicker in Port Angeles in early February, the only one we’ve heard about this winter.

Meadowlarks have essentially disappeared as a breeding species in Clallam County, but a few still winter in our area. Barbara Vanderwerf reports a neighbor watched 3 meadowlarks foraging in the snow around 1/10, and Bob and Barb Boekelheide discovered one lone male singing in the fields off Towne Road near the Dungeness Schoolhouse on 2/17.

Spring is springing! The first Turkey Vulture award goes to… an early winter sighting by Jane Stewart at McComb Road Nursery on 12/25/06? Perhaps you see the first spring TV. The first swallow award goes to… Nancy Wiersema, who saw two swallows flying over the Wiersema home near the Dungeness Recreation Area on 2/23/07. She couldn’t tell if they were Violet-greens or Tree Swallows; either is possible, but the first swallows around here are usually Violet-greens. The first Rufous Hummingbird award goes to…   no one yet. You could be the winner of this prestigious award when you report your first Rufous in early March. Time to get those hummer feeders ready!

Thank you very much for your sightings! Olympic BirdFest is right around the corner, so let us know if a different bird comes to visit. If you see anything noteworthy, please call us: Bob Boekelheide at 681-4076 (w) or 681-4867 (h) (email at bboek@olympus.net) or Bob Norton at 928-3053 (email at norton36@olypen.com).


Copyright © Daniel Poleschook	Bird Sightings 2007 No 1 Bird Sightings -- Winter, 2006-7 By Bob Boekelheide Following a blustery, snowy fall, the winter of 2006-7 continues to wallop the north Olympic Peninsula, bringing occasional snow, hail, and gusty winds to the lowlands through February. Contrary to the El Nino drought predictions, snow continues to accumulate in the Olympics, reaching above average depths for this date, almost 10 feet deep at Hurricane Ridge. Still, most weather fronts in January and February lacked the punch of storms that occurred during November and December, whose effects are still visible in the busted trees and downed limbs that litter western Washington. Total precipitation amounts at the River Center during this water-year show that we have already received almost as much precipitation so far this season as fell during many drought years between 2002 and 2005: Month: Oct. 06 Nov. 06 Dec. 06 Jan. 07 Feb. 07 (thru 2/24) Total thus far Inches Precip: 0.76 4.96 2.55 2.23 0.65 11.15 Has the tumultuous fall and winter weather affected local birds? Undoubtedly yes, as counts of some species have seriously dropped off on Wed. morning birdwalks at RR Bridge Park. Birds as different as quail and kinglets have become fewer and farther between as the winter progresses. In the unusual bird department, Judy and Don Johnston reported a possible Brambling visiting their feeder along East Sequim Bay on 1/15-16/07. Unfortunately the bird didn’t stick around, so they couldn’t get photos. Bramblings are a fairly common Eurasian finch, with several records in Washington that curiously clustered in the early 1990s. On 1/20/07, Drew Wheelan reported an adult basic-plumaged Iceland Gull at the Elwha River mouth, along with 100 Mew Gulls, 25 Thayer’s Gulls, and a mix of pure Glaucous-winged and hybrid Olympic Gulls. One month later, on 2/16, my wife Barb and I searched the roosting gulls at the Elwha during the first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count, finding a striking adult alternate-plumaged Iceland Gull along with 8 Thayer’s, one California, 2 Herrings, 2 Westerns, several pure-looking Glaucous-wingeds, and lots of Olympic types. Could the Iceland Gull on 2/16 have been the same bird as on 1/20, before and after its pre-alternate molt? Of the two subspecies of Iceland Gull, the bird on 2/16 appeared to be the nominate subspecies, glaucoides, which is least likely on the West Coast compared with the other subspecies known as Kumlien’s Gull. Iceland Gulls, as the name implies, are normally found in the North Atlantic Ocean. They infrequently breed in Iceland, being more at home further west around Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. During winter they regularly visit the Northeast U.S. There are several other records for Washington and sightings seem to be increasing as more people appreciate gulls, although nearly all other records are Kumlien’s type. Another interesting gull was a first-winter Heermann’s Gull seen by the River Center Winter Birds class at Ediz Hook on 2/22. Trumpeter Swans are more numerous around Sequim this year than they’ve been for several winters. A quick drive by Barb and me on 2/25 to the usual haunts (Schmuck Rd., Graysmarsh, Towne Rd., 3 Crabs) found 54 swans total, composed of 43 adults and 11 cygnets. In early February, Les Jones discovered two dead swans at 3 Crabs, and, with the help of Shelly Ament of WDFW, has turned them over to Martha Jordan of the Swan Society for autopsies. Well over 1000 swans died in Whatcom County and southern B.C. over the past few winters, apparent victims of lead poisoning, which they get when they ingest lead pellets from spent shotgun shells. The autopsy may reveal whether these swans succumbed to the same fate. Speaking of swans, a Mute Swan is hanging out at Ediz Hook, sighted by the River Center Winter Birds class on 2/22. Introduced Mute Swans are considered undesirable, since they are very aggressive and usually prevent other native waterfowl from nesting nearby. Heard any owls lately? Two W. Screech-Owls tooted in the woods behind Chrilo Von Gontard’s home near Happy Valley on 2/18. Chrilo reports that Great Horned Owls hoot in the same area. The River Center’s Owl Prowl on 2/3 turned up 3 Screech-Owls along Woods Road, one very tentative N. Saw-whet Owl, and an energized Barred Owl that wouldn’t stop hooting near the top of Palo Alto Road. Many owls like Great Horneds lay eggs in mid-winter, so they may have chicks hatching by now. Nesting Bald Eagles are seriously into courtship and nest building, in preparation for their egg-laying beginning in March. If you live near an eagle’s nest or regularly see one, keep track of the major events at the nest this year, such as when the female first sits long periods in the nest, when the chick(s) is visible in the nest, and when the chick(s) leaves the nest. Beth Oakes has been watching eagles at her home west of Port Angeles, noting that an adult eagle is adept at taking trout out of their pond, but the immature that comes to visit only takes ducks. If you’re one of the really lucky ones that has an Osprey nest nearby, record the same data and relay the information to me at the River Center, please. Despite wintry conditions in the mountains, John Bridge took a snowshoe walk from Slab Camp up the southeast side of Blue Mountain on 2/22, hearing the first Sooty Grouse booming this season at 4800 ft elevation. Sooty Grouse seem to vanish during winter, wisely retreating from their usual summer haunts in the sub-alpine zone. Apparently they move down slope to hide in the snowy middle elevation forests of the Olympics, where few people tread during winter. Winter is time for birds to attack suet feeders, but the hybrid Hermit X Townsend’s Warbler eating suet at Carolyn Morillo’s feeder at Freshwater Bay in early January was a big surprise. This is the first Hermit-Townsend’s Warbler we’ve ever heard of around here during winter. A few other feeder watchers reported Townsend’s Warblers in the lowlands this winter, including Pat and Jack Fletcher at 3 Crabs on 1/16. Pam Bedford spotted a Northern Shrike at the Dungeness Recreation Area on 1/14, and on 1/18 she spotted a Short-eared Owl at the same place. Paul Crawford reported an intergrade Red-shafted X Yellow-shafted Flicker in Port Angeles in early February, the only one we’ve heard about this winter. Meadowlarks have essentially disappeared as a breeding species in Clallam County, but a few still winter in our area. Barbara Vanderwerf reports a neighbor watched 3 meadowlarks foraging in the snow around 1/10, and Bob and Barb Boekelheide discovered one lone male singing in the fields off Towne Road near the Dungeness Schoolhouse on 2/17. Spring is springing! The first Turkey Vulture award goes to… an early winter sighting by Jane Stewart at McComb Road Nursery on 12/25/06? Perhaps you see the first spring TV. The first swallow award goes to… Nancy Wiersema, who saw two swallows flying over the Wiersema home near the Dungeness Recreation Area on 2/23/07. She couldn’t tell if they were Violet-greens or Tree Swallows; either is possible, but the first swallows around here are usually Violet-greens. The first Rufous Hummingbird award goes to… no one yet. You could be the winner of this prestigious award when you report your first Rufous in early March. Time to get those hummer feeders ready! Thank you very much for your sightings! Olympic BirdFest is right around the corner, so let us know if a different bird comes to visit. If you see anything noteworthy, please call us: Bob Boekelheide at 681-4076 (w) or 681-4867 (h) (email at bboek@olympus.net) or Bob Norton at 928-3053 (email at norton36@olypen.com).