Dave Nunnallee:

>Twenty-five Western Tanagers; two score Northern Orioles; a dozen Solitary
>Vireos! Such sights, not uncommon at Malheur, Oregon, or at other migrant
>traps throughout the west during spring migration, are unthinkable in
>Washington.

While Malheur is naturally special, it has been enhanced by the planting
of a variety of tree species. For instance, there are a few large
Japanese Red Pines (I think - certainly non-native pines!) which invariably
attract a few Townsend's warbler - and last year a psychedelic Blackburnian
male. There are a couple of hawthorne trees at HQ which are often full
of waxwings and attract hummingbirds. Parts of HQ are so thick with
trees that good cover is provided for birds which favor the ground,
like northern waterthrush.

This is one reason why Malheur HQ outdoes similar lush spots such as
Frenchglen and Fields - though both of these do get share of rarities.

I've often wondered if there are other unknown good spots in the Great
Basin. On the Utah/Nevada border about 25 miles south of I80, there
is a grove of trees at a place known as Ferguson Springs. Last fall,
a Red-shouldered Hawk carcass was found - shot - there. Of course,
this was at the base of the Goshute Mountains, site of the largest
fall raptor flight in the Western US, but it was only the second record
for the state. Not not many birders in Nevada, though. While
I've been too busy trapping hawks to spend any real time birding there,
there is always a bunch of fall migrant type stuff there (i.e. varied
thrush) and I've often wondered what it would be like in spring.

And what it would be like if it were surrounded by large numbers of
a wide variety of trees, rather than just a few large cottonwoods.

To my knowledge, the spring - nor anywhere else for at least a hundred
miles north and south - is rarely if ever birded. I know for a fact
that Salt Lake City types, by far the closest birders, don't.

Also, Steve Herman has banded an awesome selection of birds on Hart
Mountain. Large numbers of migrants pour through without ever stopping
at a place convenient for birders.

-Don Baccus-