Tweeters and Kas:

Regarding nest records for various western states and provinces:

BRITISH COLUMBIA: The Birds of British Columbia, Vol.2, (page 396), 1990,
by R.W.Campbell, et al. lists "two definite nesting sites" and supporting
papers:

Beebe, F.L. 1959. A nesting record of a Black Swift. Murrelet 40:9-10.

Grant, J. 1966. A Black Swift nest in British Columbia. Canadian
Field-Naturalist 80:60-61.

ALBERTA: W.R.Salt, and A.L.Wilk in their The Birds of Alberta (2nd ed,
1966, the Queens Printer, Edmonton) say that "the first nest to be found in
the Rocky Mountains was discovered in Johnston's Canyon near Banff on
September 2,1919. It contained one well-fledged young. No other nests have
been recorded in the province although black swifts have been observed at
various places in the Banff and Jasper National Parks."

Since then I know of one additional record from the same location:

Kondla, N.G. 1973. Nesting of the Black Swift at Johnston's Canyon,
Alberta. Canadian Field-Naturalist 87:64-65.

OREGON: In 1990 Evanich wrote (p.103) in The Birder's Guide to Oregon
(publ. Portland Audubon Society) that "they probably nest" at Salt Creek
Falls, implying no nests had been found up to that time (or possibly he
didn't know). In 1994 Gilligan, et al. wrote in Birds of Oregon (Cinclus
Publications, McMinnville, OR) (page 176), "The Black Swift is known to
breed in Oregon only at Salt Creek Falls, Lane Co.", implying one or more
nests had been found by that time. Perhaps they are published in Oregon
Birds (published by Oregon Field Ornithologists, I think. Address:P.O. Box
10373, Eugene, OR 97440).

WASHINGTON: I don't know of the location you mention (T40N, R10E) in
Whatcom Co., but Larrison (in Larrsion and Sonnenberg, 1968, Washington
Birds. Seattle Audubon Society) says on page 156 that he found the first
nest(s) in the state on Mount Pilchuck (Snohomish Co.) in the cirque of
Lake 22. He says this was in July but doesn't give the year. I would guess
it would likely be in 1946 or 47, based on the fact that he collected small
mammal specimens there in those years.

Gordon Alcorn shows a picture of a Black Swift egg on page 136 (plate 25)
of his Northwest Birds, Distribution and Eggs (1978. Western Media
Printing, Tacoma). I believe all the eggs picture in that book are in the
Puget Sound Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound. You
might check with Dennis Paulson to see whether that egg was from
Washington.

MONTANA: Two references re two nesting locations in western Montana:

Hunter, W.F., and P.H. Baldwin. 1962. Nesting of the Black Swift in
Montana. Wilson Bulletin 74:409-416.

Hunter, W.F., and P.H.Baldwin. 1972. Black Swift nest in Glacier National
Park. Murrelet 53:50-51.


OTHER STATES: I have references for several other western states, should
you want them: Colorado (3 refs), Utah (1), Arizona (1), California (10).



Richard E. Johnson
Washington State University
Pullman
johnsonre at wsu.edu







>Tweets,
>
>I'm working on a paper describing Idaho's first confirmed BLSW nest.
>I've visited Tweeters archives for this subject, and I see WA has
>only one confirmed nest, T40N R10E SE in Whatcom Co. Does anyone
>know of a published account of this (ie Field Notes, WOS newsletter)?
>
>Same story for OR -- the only confirmed nest is at Salt Creek Falls.
>Does anyone know of a published account of this one?
>
>How about documentation for nests in BC? Alberta?
>
>Thanks for your help.
>
>Kas Dumroese
>Moscow, ID