Hi, Tweets

Turkey vultures are on the move northward so here is an update on what
winter vulture records I have at present. If you have others, I would be
happy to receive them. Thanks to Harry Nehls for the OBOL (no, not Owls
Booing Out Loud) winter report for Oregon.

Following are winter 2000-2001 reports for Washington, Oregon, and British
Columbia:

December
31 - 1 northeast of Chinook, Pacific County; 1 at Fern Ridge Reservoir,
west of Eugene, Oregon

January
05 - 1 at Fernhill Wetlands, Forest Grove, Oregon
07 - 1 at northern Curry County, Oregon
15 - 1 at Corvallis, Oregon
20 - 1 immature circling, then perching on a telephone pole at west Pitt
Meadows, B.C.
25 - 1 near Gold Beach, Oregon; 1 near Mollala, Oregon
28 - 1 near Carlsburg (west of Sequim)

February
01 - 1 soaring over Mt. Benson, Nanaimo, B.C.; 3 at Eugene, Oregon
02 - 1 at Tangent, Oregon; 1 near Sisters, Oregon (east of the Cascades)
03 - 1 over the Lougheed Highway, Maple Ridge, B.C.
04 - several at Curry County, Oregon
14 - 3 at Tangent, Oregon
18 - 1 at Ridgefield NWR

One can speculate about the December and January birds, that they could
very well be over-wintering birds, but turkey vultures are often on the
march northward in February, so many of the February birds are probably
vanguards of the main migration. I can't quite figure out the number of
birds in British Columbia and Oregon, but only three reported in Washington.

Any reports would be welcome!

Cheers, Diann
___________________________
Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
22622 - 53rd Avenue S.E.
Bothell, WA 98021
mailto: tvulture at halcyon.com
http://www.halcyon.com/tvulture/