Since Mike Denny and Dennis Paulson have offered some
interesting comments on Gray Jays in dry Ponderosa
Pine forest, I wanted to add my own experience with
them in the Okanogan Highlands.

A typical, dry P-Pine forest that is interspersed some
Douglas Fir covers the northern slope of Sneed
Mountain (along the southern rim of Aeneas Valley).
Understory is of a xeric nature. Even near the summit,
there is nothing much more of a boreal nature.

In early August of this year, Patricia Lott and birded
this area and found many of the expected species (i.e.
W. Wood Pewee, WB & RB Nuthatches, Pine Siskin,
Cassin's Vireo, W. Bluebird, Lewis's Woodpecker, Red
Crossbill, Clark's Nutcracker, etc.). However, one of
the most common species that we encountered from
mid-elevations to the summit were GRAY JAYs! Given the
large numbers of Gray Jays, time of the year, earlier
summer sightings by Patricia, etc., I would have to
conclude that Gray Jays were resident here and were
not merely transients.

In retrospect, I know that this is the only time and
place that I have seen Gray Jays in dry P-Pine
habitat. Perhaps this area should be given more study.
Thanks go out to both Mike and Dennis for jogging my
memory on this site.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA

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