OREGON & WASHINGTON 
After first appearing about 32 kilometers to the north at Neskowin, Tillamook 
County, Oregon in November 2008, this immature Little Blue Heron took up resi- 
dence at Siletz Bay, Lincoln County, where it remained through the spring sea- 
son. In this photograph, taken 4 April 2009, it is beginning to show some dark 
feathering on the head. Photograph by Bill Medlen. 
our eyes. In this regard, we believe that this 
journal has no peer. 
Because this is a human endeavor, we are 
occasionally inspired to acknowledge the in- 
valuable contributions and, unfortunately, the 
departures of those who make these seasonal 
summaries possible. It is with great sadness 
that we report the unexpected passing of Lau- 
ra Dowlan, the wife of long-time Oregon con- 
tributor Steve Dowlan. With an understand- 
ably heavy heart, Steve has chosen to return 
“home” to Pennsylvania to be nearer extended 
family. During his years in Oregon, he was 
tireless in exploring and then reporting on his 
home patches, first in eastern Marion County 
and then northern Harney County. His discov- 
eries taught us much about these areas. Steve’s 
contributions to this journal and his compan- 
ionship in the field will be greatly missed. 
Additionally, this season marks the one- 
year anniversary of Steve Mlodinow’s retire- 
ment as our senior Regional Editor. A year 
ago, we were scrambling to cobble together 
our first report. Today, the high standards that 
Steve created during a ten-year run at this Re- 
gion’s helm continue to shape the way we 
craft our reports. Though his name no longer 
appears in the byline, his ongoing input and 
editorial suggestions invariably help to im- 
prove our final report. We were remiss in not 
giving him a proper send-off a year ago, per- 
haps because as the torch was being passed he 
never stopped supporting us with his ency- 
clopedic knowledge of the Region’s birdlife 
and critical eye for details. For these contri- 
butions and his enduring friendship, we are 
most grateful. 
Abbrevations: Ankeny (Ankeny N.W.R., Mar- 
ion); Baskett Slough (Baskett Slough N.W.R., 
Polk); E.E.W. (E. E. Wilson W.M.A., Benton); 
Finley (William L. Finley N.W.R., Benton); 
ER.R. (Fern Ridge Res., Lane); N.S.C.B, (N. 
Spit Coos Bay, Coos); O.S. (Ocean Shores, 
Grays Harbor); RN.P. (Pt. No 
Point, Kitsap); PS.B. (Port Su- 
san Bay, Snohomish); P.T. 
(Puget Trough); Ridgefield 
(Ridgefield N.W.R., Clark); 
W.W.R.D. (Walla Walla River 
Delta, Walla Walla). “Eastside” 
and “westside” indicate loca- 
tions e. and w. of the Cascade 
Crest, respectively. 
WATERFOWL 
THROUGH RAPTORS 
The 10,000 Greater White- 
fronted Geese resting on 
Tillamook Bay 28 Apr (TJ, OS, 
JW) made a westside spring 
record; 9690 passed Cape Flattery 26 Apr 
1996. Once scarce away from the Klamath 
Basin, increasing numbers of Greater White- 
fronteds are now being detected elsewhere on 
the eastside. The 2000 at McNary N.W.R. 8 
Mar (BD) was e. Washington’s 2nd highest 
tally ever. A Tule Greater White-fronted 
Goose (subspecies gambeli) at Othello 2 Mar 
(RH) was noteworthy, as this taxon is rarely 
identified (though likely regular) in Washing- 
ton. An apparent Greater White-fronted 
Goose X Cackling Goose hybrid inhabited 
Baskett Slough 24 Apr (WH). The Emperor 
Goose that wintered at Bandon remained 
through 4 Apr (H. Schubothe). A blue-morph 
Snow Goose at County Line Ponds, Grant 21 
Mar (M&MLD) and 2 at Sprague L., Lincoln 
21 Mar-3 Apr (CC, KK) adds to about 12 pri- 
or records from e. Washington. This morph 
has become regular in Washington since it be- 
gan breeding at Wrangel L, Russia in 1995. 
The only westside Blue was a modestly late 
bird at Samish Flats, Skagit 19 Apr Q- Meyer). 
Large flocks of Snow Geese are now annual at 
McNary N.W.R. ; 1800 gathered there 8 Mar 
(BD). Singles at Slavin Ranch, Spokane 14 
May 0- IsacofO and Wannapum S.P, Kittitas 
16 May (M&MLD) were nearly a month late. 
Two Snows appeared along the s. Oregon 
coast, where less than annual; singles visited 
N.S.C.B. 22 Apr-1 May 0- Metzler, DL) and 
Cape Blanco 25 Apr (TJW). Four westside 
Ross’s Geese, 14 Mar-1 May, approximated re- 
cent spring averages; another single, present 
continually at Poulsbo, Kitsap since Dec. 
2000, finally disappeared 8 Mar (fide BW). 
Outstanding numbers of Ross’s graced e. 
Washington, where no fewer than 67 were re- 
ported 1 Mar-15 May. On 30 Apr, the 2nd and 
3rd largest flocks ever reported from e. Wash- 
ington — 36 and 24 birds, respectively — visit- 
ed Philleo L., Spokane (MW) and Rock L., 
Whitman (fide E Haywood). Two late Ross’s 
were still on Beulah Res., Malheur 31 May 
49.2 
(RN). Now annual during spring in Harney, 
4+ blue-morph Ross’s frequented the Bums 
area 14 Mar-10 Apr (SD. R. Vetter). A Red- 
breasted Goose of unknown provenance con- 
sorted with Cackling Geese at Finley 1 1 Apr+ 
(R. Armstrong, m.ob.). Single “Gray-bellied” 
Brant at Long Beach, Pacific 12 Apr QG), Ten- 
mile Cr., Coos 19 May (HH), and Yaquina 
Head, Lincoln 30 May (WH), were rare strays 
from their expected haunts in the PT. Single 
Trumpeter Swans tarried at Horn Rapids S.P 
1-20 May (B&NL), PS.B. 17 May (SM), and 
Crocker L., Jefferson 22 May (MB, KK); this 
species normally departs by mid-Apr. Tundra ' 
Swans also dawdled, the latest being 3 at Mid- 
way Beach, Pacific 21 May (E. Huston). A Be- ; 
wick’s Swan, first detected at Brady, Grays I 
Harbor in Jan, remained through 24 Mar i 
(KB); this subspecies has occurred in Wash- 
ington in five of the past six years. 
Forty-nine Eurasian Wigeons in e. Wash- i 
ington 8 Mar-8 May obliterates the previous | 
seasonal record (34 in 2006). Twelve at Tyson J 
Ponds, Walla Walla 13 Apr (M&MLD) is the j 
largest flock ever recorded in that subregion. ' 
Yet another Mallard x American Wigeon hy- 
brid appeared in Washington; this one, near 
Port Townsend, Jefferson 14-19 Apr, was just 
the 3rd for the Region, all since Dec 2008. 
The Mallard x Gadwall hybrid (“Brewer’s 
Duck”) that enlivened Randall Park, Yakima 8 i 
ji 
Mar was nearly as rare (ph. DG). The Mallard j; 
X Northern Pintail near Kent, King 1 Mar ! 
(EH) and a Cinnamon Teal x Blue-winged j 
Teal hybrid at Burns, Harney 3 Apr (CM) were 
more expected; these crosses are detected an- I 
nually in the Region. Washington’s 4th Baikal 
Teal, at L. Terrell, Whatcom 17 Mar (ph. P 'i 
Woodcock), was the 3rd in the past 11 
months; seven of the Region’s eight records j 
have come since 2004. Eurasian Teal showed j 
well with 14 on the westside (7 per state) and j 
3 on the eastside 1 Mar-21 Apr. All 8 ‘ 
Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal inter- *i 
grades were on the westside, 7 of these in | 
Washington. Four Tufted Ducks was about 
average, with one making its 4th consecutive ; 
spring appearance at ER.R. 11-26 Apr (A. 
Heyerly, m.ob.). All three scoter species ap- 
peared inland, where very rare in spring; Port- 
land hosted a Surf Scoter 3 Apr (AF), and a 
White-winged Scoter was on L. Chelan, 
Chelan 14 Mar (W. Weber), only the 10th in 
spring for e. Washington. Three White- 
wingeds flew up the Columbia R. past Ridge- 
field 25 Apr (BE). A Black Scoter at Wander- 
mere L., Spokane 8 Mar (tTL) furnished just 
the 2nd spring record and 12th overall for e. 
Washington. Though annual in spring on the 
eastside, 8 Long-tailed Ducks was a seasonal 
record; these included 6 at Wannapum Dam 1 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
