Oregon & Washington 
David Irons 
Douglas Schonewald 
Brad Waggoner 
Bill Tweit 
I t’s hard to imagine how future autumn sea- 
sons might surpass this one in terms of 
mega-rare discoveries. Like 1974 in Cali- 
fornia, 2008 may serve as this Region’s endur- 
ing fall benchmark. The season’s six Regional 
firsts nearly matches the output — seven new 
birds for the Region — of the past hve autumn 
seasons combined. These included two species 
from the Southern Hemisphere, and two more 
unlikely to appear on anyone’s short list of 
“what’s next?” An invasion of sorts from the 
desert Southwest — The Cactus Express — de- 
livered to our Region several species and sub- 
species previously unknown, or nearly so, in 
the Pacihc Northwest. These events have re- 
shaped our notion of what is possible. The Re- 
gion’s roster of pelagic species continues to 
grow, with two additions this fall. However, 
concerns persist about declining numbers of 
the more expected marine birds. For the sec- 
ond consecutive fall, inshore flights of some 
tubenoses were, for reasons unknown, far su- 
perior to offshore counts. Exceptional cover- 
age of eastside vagrant traps included one for- 
mer Regional Editor taking up residence at 
Malheur 15 September-9 October. In addition 
to producing some major rarities, these efforts 
boosted the detections of expected vagrants. 
Impressive tallies of Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, 
Black-throated Blue, and Blackpoll Warblers 
were all at least double the norm. This season’s 
particularly colorful quilt reminds us to ac- 
1 knowledge the ever-increasing pool of talented 
and dedicated observers who supply us with 
reports, for without their efforts meaningful 
I commentary would be nearly impossible. 
Abbreviations: Ankeny (Ankeny N.W.R., 
Marion); F.R.R. (Fern Ridge Reservoir 
W.M.A., Lane); Finley (Finley N.W.R., 
Benton); Nisqually (Nisqually N.W.R., 
Thurston); N.S.C.B. (North Spit Coos Bay, 
Coos); O.S. (Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor); 
P.N.E (Point No Point, Kitsap); ES.B. (Port 
Susan Bay, Snohomish); ET. (Puget Trough); 
Ridgefield (Ridgefleld N.W.R. Clark); S.J.C.R. 
(South Jetty, Columbia R., Clatsop); W.V 
(Willamette Valley); W.W.R.D. (Walla Walla 
River Delta, Walla Walla); “eastside” and 
“westside” refer to areas e. and w. of the Cas- 
cade Crest, respectively. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH CRANES 
A major push of Greater White-fronted Geese 
during the first week of Oct coincided with 
the season’s first significant low-pressure sys- 
tem, which grounded many flocks and in- 
creased detection of low-flying migrants; 
1500+ passed over Portland during a 15- 
minute period 7 Oct (G. Neavoll). Lone imm. 
Emperor Geese at Hillsboro 14 Oct+ (GGi et 
al.) and Corvallis 23 Oct 0 - Simmons) were 
in the W.V, where not annual. Single Snow 
Geese near Bay Center, Pacific (CW) and 
Burlington, Skagit (RT), both 24 Aug, were 
more than a month early. Blue Geese again 
joined the s. Skagit/n. Snohomish Snow Goose 
flock, with 6 noted 11 Oct-9 Nov (SM). A 
banded ad. Snow Goose originating from 
Banks L, Canada graced Fir L, Skagit 8 Nov 
(M. Axelson); some Snows from both Banks 1. 
and Siberia’s Wrangel 1. winter in California’s 
Central Valley. (As nearly all the Wrangel 
birds pass through w. Wash- 
ington and w. British Co- 
lumbia, it is thought that 
Blue Geese first arrived on 
Wrangel after pairing with 
Snow Geese in the Central 
Valley, and then migrating 
to Wrangel to breed. One is 
left to wonder if this Banks 
1. Snow Goose is paired with 
a Wrangel native and now 
part of the “Wrangel popu- 
lation” rather than a direct 
vagrant.) Eight stray Ross’s 
Geese were detected 31 
Oct-22 Nov, including 4 in 
e. Washington and 2 in 
Crook 2 Nov (CG); westside singles visited 
Finley 9 Nov (L Millbank) and Sauvie I. 22 
Nov (B. Sundstrom). Single minima and tav- 
erneri Cackling Geese at O.S. 7 Aug (CW) 
had probably summered locally; migrants 
typically arrive in late Sep. Four minima were 
near Potholes Res. 26 Oct (SM, BW); this tax- 
on is now found annually in e. Washington. 
Black Brant rarely wander far from salt water, 
and most inland reports involve singles Oct 
and later; a flock of 12 at Ridgefield 21 Sep (R. 
Windemuth) was thus most surprising. Single 
Brant were at Kent, King 18 Oct (CW), at 
Ridgefield 7 Nov (BF), and at Marymoor, King 
26 Nov (B. Bell). For the 2nd consecutive 
year, an exotic Red-breasted Goose turned up 
in the n. W.V; one was at Fernhill Wetlands, 
Washington 26 Oct (HN). 
An ailing Tundra Swan frequented FR.R. 27 
Aug+ before succumbing 17 Sep (LM, DF). 
Three westside Tundras, 2 in Oregon and one 
in Washington 20 Sep-8 Oct (TA), were about 
a month early. Single Bewick’s Swans at 
Chickahominy Res., Harney 26 Oct (ph. SDn) 
and Ridgefield 1 Nov (ph. C. Ledford) are the 
Region’s first during the fall season; the 20+ 
antecedent records have occurred 9 Dec+. A 
Eurasian Wigeon at ES.B. 14 Sep (SM, DI) was 
the earliest report by three weeks. A goodly 5 
Eurasians were in e. Washington, matching 
last fall’s tally, which was the best since 2003. 
An American Black Duck was noted again at 
Juanita, King 3 Aug-18 Oct (RM). We’ve 
learned that a waterfowl breeder in Wood- 
inville. King has had up to 20 free-flying Amer- 
ican Black Ducks in his collection during the 
past five years, half of which have disappeared. 
It is quite possible that the Juanita bird origi- 
nated from this collection. A Blue-winged Teal 
X Northern Shoveler at Ridgefield 29 Nov + 
(ph. SC) is the first report of this rare hybrid 
for Washington. The season’s only Eurasian 
Teal was at Fernhill Wetlands, Washington 26 
Oct (LN, C. Warren). A tally of 15,000 Green- 
winged Teals at Lummi Bay 29 Nov matched 
the Washington record (SM, RM). 
This season’s Tufted Duck stopped at Philo- 
math 8 Nov (WDR). Three fuzzy juv. Buffle- 
heads at Migraine L., Grant 4 Aug were well s. 
of known e. Washington breeding sites. (One 
wonders if the local Wood Duck nest box pro- 
gram contributed to this rare nesting record or 
if, like the Barrow’s Goldeneyes at L. Lenore, 
Buffleheads are cliff-nesting in rimrock cavi- 
ties.) The 50,000 Surf Scoters that passed Boil- 
Oregon finally joined the list of Pacific states with Greater Shearwater records when 
this bird appeared 27 kilometers off Newport, Lincoln County on 9 August 2008. The 
Oregon & Washington region's two antecedent records are both from Washington. 
Photograph by Dan Barton. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 1 
143 
