Subject: Re: Red-eyed Vireos -Reply
Date: Sep 03 12:36:37 1997
From: Howard Ferguson - FERGUHLF at dfw.wa.gov


About red-eyed vireos --> On the way to the Spokane office this
Wednesday morning I stopped off at a nice little Cottonwood/Aspen
stand (north of Spokane off of Hwy 2) and saw between 50 - 60
Red-eyed vireos along with 25-30 Western tanagers, cedar waxwings,
some common yellowthroats and yellow warblers. This is the most
red-eyed vireos and western tanagers I have ever seen together!
Almost all of the red-eyed vireos appeared to be this year's birds - all
were in fresh plumage having vivid bright colors. I believe that the after
hatch year birds (AHY) would not have completely molted yet. Is this
true?


Howard Ferguson
WDFW, Spokane
_______________________________________________
>>> <jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca> 09/03/97 03:50am >>>
** Randy asked -

> The Red-eyed Vireos are still singing in the Fort St.James area of
> central B.C.. Jack Bowling, when do they leave for the sunny south?
> It hit 0 on Friday night and -1 on Sat. night. I observed Barn Swallows
> still feeding young on a nest on Aug.27. We have hundreds of
American
> Pipits hanging around the open fields for the last week or so and I
> a group of 3 Great Blue Herons fly over on Aug.30.

Red-eyeds are on their way south soon but we have records into the
3rd week
of September for the P.G. area. Indeed they are late singers: one at the
Fort Nelson airport was still going strong when I left Aug. 28th last year.

I had two young Red-eyeds at 10 feet last weekend, in with the usual fall

mixed flock of chickadees and warblers. Quite the beautiful bird in new
feathers; much greener wing feather edging than in the adults' worn
plumage.

Barn Swallows always try to get off a 2nd brood out your way and
usually
manage it despite the first frosts usually coming just as the young are
fledging in late August. The pipits are right on time. The herons are
interesting because they do not nest colonially at these latitudes,
although there is evidence to suggest that a couple of pairs will nest
together. If you know of any nesting locations for them, please document
it
since they are few and far between. Near the end of July, young Great
Blues
suddenly appear at local lakes in c. B.C. where they spend the next 6-8

weeks or more foraging. A few of us did a Vanderhoof trip last
weekend and
saw three herons at the Sanctuary there, as well as another couple on
the
Nautley R. farther west.

cheers,
Jack








Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca