Subject: RBA: Portland, OR 5-6-99
Date: May 6 01:46:35 1999
From: Harry Nehls - hnehls at teleport.com


- RBA
* Oregon
* Portland
* May 6, 1999
* ORPO9905.06

- birds mentioned

Black-footed Albatross
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
Brown Pelican
Cattle Egret
KING EIDER
Bald Eagle
Black-bellied Plover
Black-necked Stilt
Greater yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Red Knot
Baird's Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Red-necked Phalarope
Parasitic Jaeger
Franklin's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Sabine's Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Vaux's Swift
White-throated Swift
COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Western Tanager
Clay-colored Sparrow
LARK BUNTING
Harris's Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird

- transcript

hotline: Portland Oregon Audubon RBA (weekly)
number: (503) 292-0661
to report: Harry Nehls (503) 233-3976 <hnehls at teleport.com>
compiler: Harry Nehls
coverage: entire state

Hello, this is the Audubon Society of Portland Rare Bird Report. This
recording was made Thursday May 6. If you have anything to add call Harry
Nehls at 233-3976.

A male LARK BUNTING in mostly breeding plumage continues to be seen
northeast of the Medford Airport. It is most often seen near the
intersection of Cirrus and Pech Streets.

A male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD is now visiting a feeder in Bend. The resident
COSTA'S at a Grants Pass feeder continues to be seen.

A female KING EIDER was found April 29 at the base of the South Jetty of
Coos Bay, at Bastendorff Beach. It has not been relocated. That day a
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS was observed close off Cape Arago.

Extremely heavy and conspicuous migrations occurred along the coast
during the week. Unusually high numbers of FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS,
SABINE'S GULLS, and RED KNOTS have been reported just offshore. The
STORM-PETRELS are now being seen inside many of the estuaries. RED-NECKED
PHALAROPES, BONAPARTE'S GULLS, KITTIWAKES, loons, and shorebirds
comprised the majority of migrants. The movement was most conspicuous off
the Boiler Bay Viewpoint where up to four PARASITIC JAEGERS harassed the
swarms May 3.

A FRANKLIN'S GULL was at Brookings April 29. An early BROWN PELICAN was
at Coos Bay May 3, and another was at Yaquina Bay the next day. The
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW continues to be seen at Darrel Faxon's farm near
Toledo.

Migrations inland were not nearly as conspicuous as along the coast, but
huge swarms of VAUX'S SWIFTS, BARN SWALLOWS, and CLIFF SWALLOWS were
reported. COWBIRDS, WESTERN KINGBIRDS, WESTERN TANAGERS, and BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAKS were reported from many areas. Among the migrant shorebirds
were many BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES.

On May 4 a gathering of 21 BALD EAGLES was observed on the east side of
Sauvie Island. On May 2 a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT was at the Sandy River
Delta near Troutdale. A HARRIS'S SPARROW was at Steigerwald NWR near
Washougal April 29.

Two BLACK-NECKED STILTS were at Ankeny NWR April 29. A PECTORAL SANDPIPER
was at Ankeny May 3. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS are now back at the
Breidwell Road Marsh near Amity. On April 28 a SOLITARY SANDPIPER and a
GREATER YELLOWLEGS were there.

On April 30 an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was at the Merlin Rest Area north
of Grants Pass.

A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was at Hatfield Lake near Bend May 1. Huge numbers of
waterbirds are still gathered in the flooded farm fields south of Klamath
Falls. Up to 21 WHIMBRELS, 31 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and 104
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were among the swarm. A CATTLE EGRET was nearby on
May 4.

Landbird migrations east of the Cascades have been very slow as cold
weather continues to hang on. The mountains continue to have deep snow.


Thats it for this week.


Harry Nehls
Portland, Oregon
503-233-3976
hnehls at teleport.com