> Can someone refer me to a good source of information about the northward
> range expansion of the Western Scrub Jay? Has the species always been found
> north of the Columbia? Or is that a relatively recent development?

I did a search of WOS newsletter archives (
http://wos.org/newsletterarchives.htm ) for the 21 years between Nov
1988 and Dec 2009 for both "scrub jay" and "scrub-jay." The newsletters
contain the Washington Field Notes of unusual sightings.

The Western scrub-jay sightings start to accelerate beginning in 1995
and 1996 and continued to pick up after that, though fairly level in
recent years. The highpoint was the 62 sightings reported in the Field
Notes published during 2006. (Note that sightings reported in Field
Notes during a given year often actually occurred the previous year. So
those 62 sightings reported during 2006 are a mix of 2005 and 2006
sightings.) A fair number of the sightings come from the same locations
year after year.

In an article for the August 1999 WOS issue, Ruth Sullivan reports a
hybrid of a scrub-jay and a Steller's jay in a Spanaway yard. Her
article begins thus:

"For long years now there have been
sightings of scrub jays coming more north into
Washington state. My first sighting of this
species was in 1986 in the north end of
Tacoma. Since 1998, there have been many
sightings of scrub jays as far north as Seattle or
maybe even further north."

The August 2003 Field Notes for Western scrub-jay said: "Reports from
northern edge of range included" Seattle and Dungeness sightings. This
would seem to indicate that these locations were now considered part of
the scrub-jay range, whereas earlier they were characterized as being
north of the normal range.

I personally am wondering if reports have leveled off in recent years
because the bird is now more common and sometimes not reported even
though seen. (I am a guilty party.)

Here is what the newsletter archive search turned up:

1. The first mention of the species in WOS newsletters was in the
October 1989 issue, which reports that scrub-jays "are present" in Lyle
(near the Columbia River). Another mention of scrub-jays in Lyle
appeared in the December 1989 issue.

2. The next mention isn't until two scrub-jays were seen at a West
Seattle feeder at the end of June and beginning of July 1993.

3. A scrub-jay seen in Elma, Grays Harbor Co., on Oct. 8, 1993 was
described in the Field Notes as "a local first."

4. Another was seen on the Tacoma CBC in December 1993.

5. Hal Opperman reported one at Bellevue feeder on Apr. 23, 1994.

6. A scrub-jay was seen on Mar. 6, 1995 in North Tacoma.

7. A scrub jay was seen in Seattle by Erica Norwood on July 30, 1995 and
described in the Field Notes as "uncommon north of Tacoma."

8. Dennis Paulson reported a scrub-jay at Goldendale on Aug. 26, 1995
and the Field Notes described this sighting as "Near eastern and western
limits of range in WA."

9. In October 1995, a scrub-jay described in the Field Notes as *"*North
of normal range" was seen by Russell Rogers at Indianola in Kitsap County.

10. A scrub-jay seen in West Seattle on Dec. 4, 1995 was described in
the Field Notes as "locally uncommon."

11. The Field Notes for all six1997 WOS issues reported sightings of 25
individuals at Buckley, Graham, Medina, Tokeland, Kennewick, Satsop,
Point No Point, Seattle, Hannsville, Bayview, Mt. Vernon, Rock Creek,
Bremerton, and Cle Elum.

12. The Field Notes for all six of the1998 WOS issues contained reports
of 6 individuals at Satsop, Seattle, and Vashon Island.

13. 1999 Field Notes: 29 individuals at Mercer Island, Montlake Fill,
Point No Point, Seattle, Sequim, UW Arboretum, Bellevue, Kent, Elma,
Tacoma, Westport and Renton. (In the October 1999 issue, Michelle
Blanchard, reporting on a sighting of a scrub-jay near the intersection
of Highways 12 and 410, commented, "As in Puget Sound, this species is
evidently spreading north in eastern Washington.")

14. 2000 Field Notes: 4 individuals in Marysville, Seattle, and Yakima
Co. (The February Field Notes describes scrub-jays as "Rare in most
parts of e WA.")

15. 2001 Field Notes: 20 individuals at Enumclaw, Point No Point, Fort
Lewis, Roy, Stanwood, Dungeness, Tacoma (where 8 were reported), Seaview
and Menlo in Pacific Co., Two Rivers in King Co., and Oak Bay in
Jefferson Co.(The August 2001 Field Report says "Expanding north in w WA.")

16. 2002 Field Notes: 27 individuals (including young of a
Steller's-scrub-jay mixed pair) at Seattle, Brady Loop Rd, Elma, Renton,
Chelan, Asotin Co, and Clallam Co.

17. 2003 Field Notes: 39 individuals + young.

18. 2004 Field Notes: 34 individuals at Lummi Island, Seattle, Grays
Harbor, Yakima, Clallam Co., Klickitat Co., Mt. Vernon, Bremerton, Port
Townsend, Fife, Garfield Co., and Leadbetter Point.

19. 2005 Field Notes: 16 individuals at Yakima Co., e. and w. Klickitat
Co., Kitsap Co., Hoquiam, Bainbridge Island, Bellevue.

20. 2006 Field Notes: 62 individuals at Seattle, Point No Point,
Aberdeen, Marrowstone Island, Tokeland, Conboy Lake, West Richland,
Everett, Ocean Shores, Maury Island, Port Angeles, Bay City, Fort
Simcoe, Port Townsend, Kirkland, Poulsbo, Bremerton, Grays River,
Sequim, Cle Elum, Selah, and Skagit Co.

21. 2007 Field Notes: 29 individuals in King, Clallam, Skagit, Yakima,
Kitsap, Snohomish, Klickitat, Grays Harbor, Benton, and Spokane counties.

22. 2008 Field Notes: 28 individuals in Jefferson, King, Yakima,
Pacific, Kitsap, Benton, Snohomish, and Grays Harbor counties.

23. 2009 Field Notes: 30 individuals in Klickitat, Yakima, Grays Harbor,
King, Kitsap, Jefferson and Pacific counties.

Jane Hadley
Seattle, WA