OREGON & WASHINGTON 
Moses L. (DS), Wannapum Dam S.P., Kittitas 
(SM), and Sentinel Bluffs, Grant (SM). They 
seem to be expanding their breeding range 
into the Columbia Basin, mostly at isolated 
parks and towns with mature trees, especially 
conifers. 
A Barn Swallow x Cliff Swallow hybrid 
enlivened P.S.B. 13 Jun (tSM, R. Shaw); this 
cross has only been recorded once previously 
in the Region. A w. Washington record 300 
Bank Swallows inhabited the colony near 
Concrete, Whatcom 9 Jul, providing further 
evidence of this species’ continuing establish- 
ment on the westside (TA), A single Bank at 
New River, Coos 10 Jul (KC, DL) was far re- 
moved from known breeding colonies. 
Though Rock Wrens are occasionally found 
in the nearby Coast Range, one along Beaver 
Creek Rd. near Seal Rock, Lincoln 5 Jul (C. 
Philo) was out of place on the coastal plain. A 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Gray Butte, Jefferson 
17 Jun (K. Owen) was at a site where they 
were suspected breeding in 2007; the only 
other county record came from nearby 
Haystack Res. in Jun 1992. A Veery was at 
their only westside breeding location near 
County Line Ponds, Whatcom 18-25 Jun 
(GB). Another Olive-backed Swainson’s 
Thrush (subspecies group swainsoni) was at 
Rainy Pass, Skagit 23 Jul (TA); the breeding 
range of Olive-backed in Washington was 
previously thought to be limited to ne. high- 
lands plus the Blue Mts. in Oregon, with all 
breeders on both slopes of the Cascade Mts. 
considered to be Russet-backed Swainson’s 
Thrushes (subspecies group ustulatus). Re- 
cent study has revealed that swainsoni breed 
extensively on the e. slope of the Washington 
Cascades and w. of the Cascades in British 
Columbia, so one would assume that small 
numbers breed w. of the Cascades in Wash- 
ington as well. A tally of 52 Hermit Thrushes 
along 4 km of trail between Union Gap and L. 
Janus, Snohomish 18 Jul set a Washington 
summer high count and displayed the amaz- 
ing breeding density these birds can reach in 
Washington’s Cascades (SM, DFi). A Gray 
Catbird, extremely rare in w. Washington, 
was near Snoqualmie, King 14-17 Jun (TB); 
the only previous King record was in 1931! In 
Oregon, 3 catbirds were away from tradition- 
al sites; a migrant lingered at Malheur 1-11 
Jun (AC et ah), and another likely migrant 
visited Pine Grove, Wasco 2 Jun (W. Gross, J. 
Fitchen, A. Frank). Another was along the 
Little Deschutes R. near Gilchrist, Klamath 18 
Jun (KS); Gray Catbirds have now appeared 
in nw. Klamath and sw. Deschutes for several 
consecutive breeding seasons, which suggests 
the establishment of a small and localized 
nesting population in the upper Deschutes R. 
watershed. Five Northern Mockingbirds in 
Oregon was about the seasonal norm; all 3 
westside birds were in Lincoln 1-11 Jun, and 
both eastside birds were in Klamath 2-3 Jun. 
The only mockingbirds in Washington, which 
averages about 2 per summer, were on the 
eastside at Sacajawea S.P, Benton 1 Jun (L. 
Ness) and n. of Ephrata, Grant 14 Jun (R. & 
C. Youel). A very tardy American Pipit was 
near Silverdale, Kitsap 1 Jun (BW, M. Breece); 
there are very few lowland records for this 
species in w. Washington during summer. A 
Phainopepla, only Washington’s 2nd if ac- 
cepted by the Washington B.R.C., was at Mill 
Creek, Snohomish 31 Jul and 5 Aug (tN. 
Johnson); Washington’s previous record came 
from Seattle in Sep 1994. 
A Townsend’s Warbler x Hermit Warbler 
near L. Janus 18 Jul provided Snohomish's first 
record of this hybrid (SM, DFi); Snohomish re- 
mains without a record of a pure Hermit War- 
bler. A Hermit Warbler at Mt. Vernon, Grant 
17 Jun (T. Winters) was nearly 200 km e. of 
the species’ normal breeding range in the Cas- 
cades. Oregon’s 7th Yellow-throated Warbler 
sang persistently as it moved quickly through 
Netarts, Tillamook 2 Jun (tD. Vander Pluym, 
tL. Harter). The season’s Black-and-white 
Warbler brightened Bullard’s Beach S.P. 24 Jun 
(tJW). American Redstarts were again noted 
at their isolated well-established colony at 
County Line Ponds, Wltatcom, with a maxi- 
mum of 8 ads. there 25 Jun (RM, TA. TB). 
Two ad. males and one ad. female were found 
12 jun near Carnation, King (C. Anderson), 
and later observations from there through 26 
Jul established King’s first breeding record 
(EH). An Ovenbird at Cold Springs Camp- 
ground w. of Sisters, Deschutes 26 Jul (H. Hor- 
vath) may have summered locally; there are 
few records outside of the traditional late 
May-early Jun window in which most of the 
Region’s records have fallen. A singing male 
Hooded Warbler in a sw. Portland yard 7 Jul 
(tT. Love) was most unexpected; the majori- 
ty of Oregon’s 11 antecedent records have 
come from vagrant traps during spring and 
fall migration. Breeding Yellow-breasted 
Chats have increased in w. Washington over 
the past five years, but this summer, only 3 
territorial males were noted 3-22 Jun. 
A subad. male Summer Tanager at Malheur 
headquarters 2 Jun (GF, TR) was followed up 
by a female 56 km to the s. at Page Springs 
Campground 6 Jun (J. Spencer); more than 
half of Oregon’s 17 prior records have come 
May-Jun. Clay-colored Sparrows reports con- 
tinue to increase in n.-cen. and ne. Washing- 
ton, with 10 birds on breeding territory noted 
from 6 Jun-5 Jul, nearly double the ten-year 
average. The lone extralimital Lark Sparrow of 
the season was at the Siltcoos R. mouth. Lane 
10 Jun (DF); this species is a rare but annual 
spring stray on the s. Oregon coast, but much 
rarer this far north. A single Black-throated 
Sparrow was at Steptoe Butte, Whitman 14 Jun 
(Terry Gray), and another male was near Van- 
tage 16-27 Jun (GG) (MH); the Vantage site is 
Washington’s most reliable site for this 
species, whereas Black-throateds are a recent 
addition to the avifauna of Steptoe Butte. Sim- 
ilarly, a Black-throated at Painted Hills S.P, 
Wheeler 20 Jun QGe) marks at least the 3rd 
consecutive year that they have appeared at 
this locale. Western Washington’s 6th 
Grasshopper Sparrow, and 2nd for summer, 
was at Ridgefield 9 Jun (BF). A late north- 
bound Golden-crowned Sparrow was in Seat- 
tle 4 Jun (fide CW), while another near Lo- 
rane, Lane 17 Jun (Dl) may have been sum- 
mering; most Golden-crowneds depart the Re- 
gion by mid-May. A Snow Bunting at Dunes 
Overlook, Douglas 6 Jun (R. Namitz) appears 
to be a summer season first for the Region; on 
the westside, this species is usually gone by 
mid-Apr, and there are few May records. 
Nine Rose-breasted Grosbeaks 1-23 Jun 
was a typical showing. A Lazuli Bunting at 
Cascade Head, Tillamook 7 Jul (PP) may have 
been summering; a few migrants are detected 
at this site most springs, but they are other- 
wise rare on Oregon’s n. coast. Indigo 
Buntings again showed exceptionally, match- 
ing the 6 found during summer 2008; histor- 
ically, the Region has averaged one or 2 per 
summer. Half of these birds remained or were 
initially detected during Jul, suggesting that 
they summered; Indigo Bunting x Lazuli 
Bunting hybrids, reported each of the past 
two summers near Eugene, went undetected 
this season. The Umpqua Valley’s lone Tricol- 
ored Blackbird outpost persists at Sutherlin, 
where 8 birds were present 2 Jun QH). After 
several years of suspected breeding in the 
general vicinity. Yellow-headed Blackbirds fi- 
nally bred at P.S.B. (SM, TA); there are only a 
few known active nesting locations in w. 
Washington, none of which are in Snohomish. 
The Great-tailed Crackle at Liberty L., 
Spokane continued from the spring period 
and was last reported 8 Jun (Ron Dexter); all 
5 in Oregon were w. of the Cascades. Wash- 
ington’s 6th Baltimore Oriole was at Rich- 
land, Benton 21 Jul (tPatricia Rutherford); 
this species remains surprisingly rare in that 
state, considering they appear annually in 
Oregon. Cassin’s Pinches, rare on the w. slope 
of the Cascades, included one near Mt. Hardy, 
Skagit 12 Jul (GB, H. Armstrong), 6 at Nach- 
es Pass, King 19 Jul (EH), and 3 at Mt. Hardy 
29 Jul (TA). The lone White-winged Cross- 
bills of the season were at Waldo L., Lane 20 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 4 
649 
