Tweeters,

This morning on my usual hike from home up and over Rattlesnake Ridge north
of Wapato WA, I observed and heard a Black-throated Sparrow in the same
area a pair ot two sucessfully bred in 1997 (species appears to have been
absent in Washington in 1998). The bird sang persistently for the 45
minutes I was in the area. It would fly from one singing perch atop a
sagebrush to another, often some distance away (50-100'), but always on the
south-facing side of the prominent ravine which seems to be its territory.
In 1997, there were at least two singing birds in this same area. At least
one pair bred successfully, fledging three young by early August.

For the past 10 or so years, a number of Lark Sparrows have been summer
residents in the same general area, though favoring north-facing sides of
ravines (denser cover of shrubs and grasses). This year I have noted Lark
Sparrows, but there seems to be very little singing. In the 45 minutes I
was observing the Black-throated Sparrow, I heard but one Lark Sparrow
song. A week ago on 12 June, I heard no singing, but observed a couple of
Lark Sparrows.

The same holds true for the Grasshopper Sparrows in nearby grassy tracts.
There was virtually no singing by this species today; I did catch a few
feeble songs, but no active singing. I ran into a loose group of four or
five hunkered down, but there was no sign of singing or being on territory.

I'm led to believe both Lark and Grasshopper Sparrows are present in
significantly fewer numbers this year on Rattlesnake Ridge north of Wapato
and showing reduced signs of breeding (singing, agitated behavior).

If my conclusions are correct, what might be the reason? Though it has been
a very wet winter and spring west of the Cascades, it has been drier than
normal in the Columbia Basin (hard to believe for you Wetsiders, huh?). The
spring months especially, have been very dry. The shrub-steppe landscape
appears very parched. One grass, the very attractive Cusick's poa (Poa
cusickii), a co-dominant component, along with bluebunch wheatgrass
(Agropyron spicatum) of the Grasshopper Sparrow habitat on the
north-facing ravines here, appears particularly parched. I observe no
flowering by the Cusick's poa this year; many of the plants appear dried
out and dying.

I would be interested in the musings of others who have been out birding in
the Columbia Basin this spring, especially if others have noted reduced
numbers and breeding activity of some shrub-steppe passerines.

Regarding Horned Lark and Western Meadowlark, the two most widespread and
abundant summer resident passerines in the Columbia Basin of Washington, I
can detect no difference in numbers or breeding activity thus far this
year.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA