Mike and Tweeters,

Next time you hear a Common Poorwill, if it's at all close by, try
playing a tape or giving a whistled imitation of its call. Poorwills
are VERY responsive to perceived intruders within their territories,
especially early in the nesting season (May & June). I have repeatedly
had Poorwills literally circle around my head and/or perch within 10
feet in response to a tape or imitation. It is then easy to get a good
look at the bird, using a flashlight or car headlights.

In a number of places in southern B.C., Poorwills will also sit in the
middle of (gravelled) rural roads while they are foraging, and
cruising SLOWLY along a road through known Poorwill habitat will
sometimes prove successful in seeing one. If the bird is facing you,
the orange eye-shine in the car headlights can be seen long before the
bird is close enough to flush.

As far as "counting" Common Poorwill (or other nocturnal birds) on
your life list, the American Birding Association rules allow you to
"count" a bird you have only heard. However, I agree that it's much
more satisfying to see a new bird, and not just hear it.

As for me, my first Common Poorwill was accidentally flushed during
the daytime at Penticton, B.C. in 1962.... never mind, I do have my
share of "jinx" birds too, at least on my B.C., Washington, and Oregon
lists.

Wayne C. Weber
Kamloops, BC
contopus at home.com



----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com>
To: <TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 7:22 AM
Subject: Re: jinx bird, not hardly!!


> I'm not sure that Tropical Kingbird can qualify as a jinx
> bird under any circumstances in the Pacific Northwest.
>
> I chased Northern Saw-whet Owl around for 20 years, hearing
> them, but never seeing them before finding one in a Wood
> Duck Box.... that's a jinx bird.
>
> I'm going on 30 years never having seen a Poorwill even
> though I've heard them on multiple occasions in four
> Oregon Counties.... that's a jinx bird.
>
> I only seem to be able to find dead Barred Owls (going
> on 5 for Clatsop Co now).... that's a jinx bird.
>
> Regularly occurring in appropriate habitat, but never there
> when you go looking for them. Tropical Kingbird is a
> irregular vagrant... no big deal in missing this one.
>
> --
> Mike Patterson When I despair, I remember
> Astoria, OR that all through history
> celata at pacifier.com the way of truth and love have always
won.
> There have been tyrants, and murderers,
> and for a time they can seem
invincible,
> but in the end they always fall.
> Think of it...always.
> - Mahatma Gandhi
>
> http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html
>