Fall 2016 – Committee Meeting

Explanation

Saturday, October 29, 2016, the Washington Bird Records Committee met at the Slater Museum for its annual meeting. Here’s a summary of our results.

 

42 reports were accepted as valid new records.

3 additional records were accepted as continuing sightings of records previously accepted at an earlier meeting.

23 reports were not accepted

2 decisions were tabled for further research

 

The WBRC accepted two species new to the state list: Least Auklet and Gray Wagtail.

In addition, with the split of the Western Scrub-Jay into two species, California and Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, an additional species was added to the state checklist.

Finally, the first photographed record of Blackburnian Warbler moved the species from ‘sight only’ status to full status on the state checklist.

Washington State Checklist: 515 species total, including 494 species

fully accredited (supported by specimen, photograph, or recording) and

21 species which are sight-only records (supported only by written

documentation).

 

Key:
Votes in parentheses (# accepted, # not accepted, # abstain)
[Notations: p=photo, v = video, a = audio, s = sketch]


ACCEPTED RECORDS

 

EMGO-1999-2 Emperor Goose 16 October 1999 — Eatonville, Pierce County, Diane Yorgason-Quinn [p] (7-0-0).

WWDO-2016-1 White-winged Dove 16-17 August 2016 — Neah Bay, Clallam County, Ryan Merrill [p, w], Denny Van Horn [w] (7-0-0).

WWDO-2016-2 White-winged Dove 29 April 2016 — Lynnwood, Snohomish County, Maria Ramberg[w, p] (7-0-0).

WRSA-2016-1 White-rumped Sandpiper 21 May 2016 — Blood Ponds, Walla Walla County, K. Dean Edwards [w, p] (7-0-0).

LEAU-2016-1 Least Auklet 25 June 2016 — Cohasset Beach, Westport, Grays Harbor County, Marnie Schumacher [p] fide Charlie Wright (7-0-0).NOTES: Found dead on beach. FIRST WASHINGTON RECORD.

LAGU-2016-1 Laughing Gull 20 May 2016 and 20 July – 16 August 2016 — Bottle Beach, Grays Harbor County, Judith Rowe Taylor [w, p], Geoff Malosh [p], Cara Borre [w, p], Tom Mansfield [p], Steve Giles [w,p], Michael Hobbs [p], Brad Waggoner [w,p] (7-0-0). NOTES: Earlier and later sightings considered both to be of the same individual.

ICGU-2016-1 Iceland Gull 11 February 2016 — Batemen Island, Richland, Benton County, Ryan Merrill [w, p, v] (7-0-0).

ICGU-2016-2 Iceland Gull 20 February 2016 — Elwha River Mouth, Clallam County, Bob Boekelheide [w] (7-0-0).

SBGU-2010-1 Slaty-backed Gull 29 October 2010 — Gog-le-hi-te/Puyallup River, Tacoma, Pierce County, Michael Charest [p] (6-0-1).

MUPE-2016-1 Murphy’s Petrel 4 May 2016 — ca. 93 km W of Ocean Park, 46.441, 125.264, Pacific County, Paul Lehman [w] (7-0-0).

MOPE-1999-1 Mottled Petrel 2 July 1999 – Long Beach Peninsula, Pacific County, UWBM #66991 specimen, video of specimen: Steve Mlodinow (6-0-1).

GRSH-2015-3 Great Shearwater 7 September 2015 — N48 00.0, W125 35.0, off-shore, Clallam County, Ken Lane [w, p] (7-0-0).

BRBO-2016-1 Brown Booby 23 July 2016 — offshore Westport, 46.9052455,-124.5355225, Grays Harbor County, G Scott Mills [w], Ryan Shaw [p],George Pagos[p] (7-0-0).

BRBO-2016-2 Brown Booby 10 September 2016 — south end of Swiftsure Bank,approx: 48o 28′ N, 124o 57′ W, Clallam County, Bob Boekelheide[w], Denny Van Horn[w], Ethan Goodman [w], John Comstock [w], Michael Barry [w] (7-0 0). NOTES: One BRBO accepted, a second bird possibly present but not endorsed by committee.

SNEG-1997-2 Snowy Egret 28 September – 15 October 1997 — Bay Center, Pacific County, Robert Sundstrom [p], Ruth Sullivan [p] (7-0-0).

SNEG-2016-1 Snowy Egret 30 July 2016 – 3 August 2016 — Fife, Pierce County, Bruce LaBar [w], Tom Mansfield [p], Ryan Merrill [p], Doug Schurman [p], Ken Brown [p], Diane Yorgason-Quinn [p, v], Jordan Roderick [p], Jordan Gunn [p], Michael Hobbs [p], Joshua Glant [p] (7-0-0).

YBSA-2016-2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 25 March 2016 — Wallingford, Seattle, King County, Katie Sauter Messick (7-0-0).

STFL-2015-1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 21 December 2015 — Sand Point, Clallam County, Jack Withrow [w, p, v] (6-1-0).

STFL-2016-1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 23 July 2016 — Marymoor Park, Redmond, King County, Kristin Johnson-Waggoner and Matt Waggoner [w,p] (7-0-0).

STFL-2016-2 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 10-25 August 2016 — SR 24 mp 67-68 outside Othello, Adams and Franklin Counties, John Puschock [w**,p], Tom Mansfield [p], Cara Borre [p], Steve Giles [p], RJ Baltierra [p], Joshua Glant [p], Jason Vassallo [p], Chuck Jensen [p], Terry Little [p], Carol Riddell [p], Richard Smethurst [p], Jeff Mills [p], Brad Waggoner [p] (7-0-0).

BGGN-2015-2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Eastern subspecies) – 12 October– 11 November 2015, Neah Bay, Clallam County, Ryan Merrill [p, a], Blair Bernson [p], Doug Schurman [p], Scott Ramos [p], Jordan Gunn [p,v], Brad Waggoner [w] (ID: 7-0-0, Eastern subspecies: 7-0-0). NOTE: Previously accepted to species, subspecies vote resolved at this meeting.

BRTH-2016-1 Brown Thrasher 10 April 2016 — Pasco, Franklin County, Lannie Smith [w] (7-0-0).

BRTH-2016-2 Brown Thrasher 13 June 2016 — Sedro-Woolley, Skagit County, Gary Bletsch [w, p] (7-0-0).

GRAW-2016-1 Gray Wagtail 24 September 2016 — 46.50.04, -124.52.01, ~27 miles off Westport, Grays Harbor County, Ryan Shaw [w,p], Jordan Roderick [p], Brad Waggoner [w,p], Bruce LaBar [w] (7-0-0). NOTES: FIRST WASHINGTON RECORD.

WHWA-2015-1 White Wagtail 7 November 2015 — Gog-le-hi-te, Tacoma, Pierce County, Michael Hobbs[w,s], Matt Bartels [w] (7-0-0).

OVEN-2016-1 Ovenbird 5 June 2016 — near Disautel, Okanogan County, Charlie Wright [w] (7-0-0).

BAWW-2015-7 Black-and-white Warbler 23 September 2015 — Moxee, Yakima County, Debie Brown [w] (7-0-0).

BAWW-2015-8 Black-and-white Warbler 25 May 2015 — Washtucna, Adams County, Philip Bartley [w] (7-0-0).

BAWW-2016-2 Black-and-white Warbler 10-11 June 2016 — Rancho Reata, Kennewick, Benton County, Tony Greager [w], Philip Bartley [p] (7-0-0).

NOPA-2016-1 Northern Parula 7-8 June 2016 — Kamiak Butte, Whitman County, Russ Koppendrayer [w], Mike Clarke [w, a], RJ Baltierra [w, a] (7-0-0).

MAWA-2016-1 Magnolia Warbler 5 June 2016 — Tatoosh Island, Clallam County, Tim Wootton [w] (7-0-0).

BLBW-2016-2 Blackburnian Warbler 18 September 2016 — Neah Bay, Clallam County, Bill Tweit, Ryan Merrill(p) (7-0-0). FIRST WASHINGTON RECORD DOCUMENTED BY PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS SPECIES.

CSWA-2016-2 Chestnut-sided Warbler 4 June 2016 — Lyons Ferry, Franklin County, Bob Flores [w], Jordan Roderick [w, p] (7-0-0).

BLPW-2016-1 Blackpoll Warbler 18 May 2016 — Bassett Park, Washtucna, Adams County, Robert Flores [w] (6-1-0).

BTBW-2016-1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 5-12 June 2016 — Blacksnake Ridge Rd., Dixie, Walla Walla County, Shep Thorp [w, v], Barb Webster [w], Ruth Godding [w], Kevin Black [p], Christopher Lindsey [p], Merry Lynn Denny [p], Mike Clarke [p], Melissa Cummins [p], (7-0-0).

RUBU-2016-1 Rustic Bunting 27 February 2016 — Acme, Whatcom County, Noah Sanday [w, p], Fanter Lane [w, p] (7-0-0).

INBU-2016-1 Indigo Bunting 7 March – 12 April 2016 — Mukilteo, Snohomish County, Brad Bond [p], Ryan Merrill [p], Tom Mansfield [p], Doug Schurman [p] (7-0-0).

INBU-2016-3 Indigo Bunting 25 June – 4 July 2016 — Peters Road, Randle, Lewis County, Bill Tweit [w], Whittier Johnson [p], Carol Riddell [p], Diane Yorgason-Quinn [p], Tom Mansfield [p], Grace & Ollie Oliver [p], Matt Bartels [a], Richard Smethurst [p] (7-0-0).

DICK-1995-1 Dickcissel 24 May 1995 — Edison, Skagit County, Keith & Jan Wiggers [w], Gretchen Johanson [p] (7-0-0).

DICK-2016-1 Dickcissel 26-28 May 2016 — Wa’atch Beach Drive, Neah Bay, Clallam County, Jonathan Scordino [w, p], Adrianne Akmajian [p], John Gatchet [p] (7-0-0).

COGR-2015-2 Common Grackle 7 November 2015 and 6 February 2016 — Blood Ponds, Dodd Rd., Walla Walla County, Merry Lynn Denny [w], Christopher Lindsey [w, p] (7-0-0).

COGR-2016-2 Common Grackle 29 March 2016 — Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Deborah Essman [w, p] (6-0-1).

 


RECORDS ACCEPTED AS CONTINUING SIGHTINGS OF PREVIOUSLY-ACCEPTED RECORDS

 

Slaty-backed Gull continuing from fall 2015 through 21 May 2016, then returning in July 2016 and continuing to present – Tacoma, Pierce County, Lucas Bobay [p], Brian Pendleton [p], Michael Charest [p], Blair Bernson [p], Bruce LaBar [p], George Pagos [p], Shep Thorp [p] (6-0-0).Accepted as a continuing record of SBGU-2012-1, present in the same location at least since 2012.

Brown Booby, 13-14 Sep 2015, off-shore waters from Edmonds, Point-No-Point, Kitsap, Snohomish and Island Counties, Josh Adams [w], Blair Bernson [w], Jeff Bouton [w] (7-0-0). This sighting was accepted as a continuing record of BRBO-2015-1, present at Edmonds on 21 August 2015 and accepted at the Fall 2015 meeting.

Hooded Oriole records from 2006 and 2007. A Hooded Oriole in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, King County was present in 2005 and accepted as HOOR-2005-1. The committee neglected at the time to review and vote on the 2006 and 2007 sightings of this bird as it returned. At the 2016 meeting, those later records were reviewed and accepted as returning instances of the original sighting: 2 May – 14 July 2006, 12 April – 23 May 2007 — Magnolia, Seattle, King County, Denny Granstrand [p], Eugene Hunn [w], Patrick & Ruth Sullivan [p], Catherine Conolly & Rod Brown [p] (6-0-0).


REPORTS NOT ACCEPTED

 

KIEI-2005-1 King Eider 18 December 2005 — Discovery Park, Seattle, King County (0-5-2).

KIEI-2016-2 King Eider 14 February 2016 — Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor County (1-6-0).

COEI-2016-1 Common Eider 18 March 2016 — Salt Creek County Park, Clallam County (0-7-0).

LIGU-2016-1 Little Gull 12 September 2016 — Birch Bay, Whatcom County (0-6-1).

SBGU-2015-2 Slaty-backed Gull 24-29 September 2015 — Edmonds, Snohomish County (0-7-0).

SBGU-2015-3 Slaty-backed Gull 27 November 2015 — Tokeland, Pacific County (1-6-0).

MUPE-2016-2 Murphy’s Petrel 14 May 2016 — Westport Pelagic, Grays Harbor County (0-7-0).

LBHE-2013-1 Little Blue Heron 5 August 2013 — Birch Bay, Whatcom County (0-7-0).

LBHE-2016-1 Little Blue Heron 16 August 2016 — Ann Lake, Chelan County (1-5-1).

EAPH-2016-1 Eastern Phoebe 31 August 2016 — Washtucna, Adams County (1-6-0).

HORE-2000-2 Hoary Redpoll 10-17 March 2000 — Elk, Spokane County (5-2-0).

BAWW-2016-1 Black-and-white Warbler 14 May 2016 — Bradley Lake, Pierce County (1-6-0).

BAWW-2016-3 Black-and-White Warbler 2 May 2016 — Hwy 20 by Diablo Lake, Whatcom County (0-6-1).

BLBW-2016-1 Blackburnian Warbler 21 May 2016 — Horn Rapids, Richland, Benton County (1-5-1).

CSWA-2016-1 Chestnut-sided Warbler 26 April 2016 — Vancouver, Clark County (2-3-2).

BTBW-2015-1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 18 October 2015 — Neah Bay, Clallam County (1-5-1).

INBU-2016-2 Indigo Bunting 24-28 March 2016 — Toppenish, Yakima County (4-3-0).

COGR-2016-1 Common Grackle 18 March 2016 — Fisher Slough, Skagit County (0-7-0).

OROR-2015-3 Orchard Oriole 22 October 2015 — Neah Bay, Clallam County (2-5-0).


 

REPORTS NOT ACCEPTED: SPECIES WITH ORIGIN UNCERTAIN

(ID accepted, but not accepted because of origin)

BBWD-1989-1 Black-bellied Whistling Duck late April to end of May 1989 — Vancouver, Clark County (ID: 7-0-0; Origin: 0-7-0).

EUGO-2016-1 European Goldfinch 3-4 May 2016 — Myrtle Edwards, Seattle, King County (ID: 7-0-0; Origin: 0-7-0).

EUGO-2016-2 European Goldfinch 7 May 2016 — Discovery Park, Seattle, King County (ID: 7-0-0; Origin: 0-7-0).

EUGO-2016-3 European Goldfinch 16 May 2016 — Covington, King County (ID: 7-0-0; Origin: 0-7-0).


REPORTS DEFERRED FOR FURTHER REVIEW

 

RFSP-2015-3 “Red” Fox Sparrow 3 November 2015 — Yakima, Yakima County.

RFSP-2015-4 “Red” Fox Sparrow 10 November 2015 — Woodland Bottoms, Cowlitz County.

 


ADDITIONAL ACTIONS

 

Black-headed Gull records from Spring 2016: In the spring the committee accepted the identity and presence of two Black-headed Gulls at Crescent Lake, Snohomish County in February and March 2016. Left undecided until the Fall meeting was whether to combine these two records into a single event record or consider them as separate events: The two will be treated as independent records.

BHGU-2016-1, Black-headed Gull [one w/ a vertical head stripe and worn secondaries] – 1-6 Feb 2016, Crescent Lake, Snohomish County, Jeffrey Bryant [w], Marv Breece [w], Vickie Scales [p], William Fletcher [p], Chris Clark [p] (7-0-0).

BHGU-2016-2, Black-headed Gull [one with a face spot and fresh secondaries] – 2-14 Feb and 20-22 March 2016, Crescent Lake, Snohomish County, Marv Breece [w], Tom Mansfield [p], Jordan Roderick [p], Gregg Thompson [p], Mark Tamboulian[p], Doug Schurman [p], Grace & Ollie Oliver [p], Ryan Merrill [p], Joshua Glant [p], Jordan Gunn [p], Josh Adams [p], Shep Thorp [p], (7-0-0).
Slaty-backed Gull records from Gog-le-hi-te, Pierce County: The committee reviewed the 2012 and 2013-2016 records of Slaty-backed Gull, SBGU-2012-1 and SBGU-2013-1. Both records will be merged into a single record, SBGU-2012-1 due to the belief that these all pertain to the same individual bird.

Brown Booby records from Fall 2015: The committee deliberated over whether the many Brown Booby sightings from Fall 2015 were all individual records or if any should be considered the same individual wandering. Other than the one report mentioned above [BRBO-2015-1], all other reports were maintained as independent records, all accepted at the Spring 2016 meeting:

BRBO-2015-4, Brown Booby – 15 Sep 2015, 46.5717x-125.2451, Pacific County, Brian Sullivan [w,p], Paul Fenwick [w] (7-0-0).

BRBO-2015-5, Brown Booby – 12-26 Oct 2015, Dungeness Bay from 3 Crabs beach, Clallam County, Bob Boekelheide [w], Dow Lambert [p], Doug Schurman [p], Ryan Merrill [p] (7-0-0).

BRBO-2015-6, Brown Booby – 16 Oct 2015, Discovery Park, Seattle, King County, Evan Houston [w], Steve Giles [w] (7-0-0).

 

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher records from Fall 2015: The committee deliberated over whether the many Blue-gray Gnatcatcher sightings rom Clallam County in Fall 2015 were more likely to represent individual records or if any should be considered the same individual wandering. All reports were maintained as independent records, all accepted at the Spring 2016 meeting:

BGGN-2015-1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Eastern subspecies) – 26 Sep 2015, Neah Bay, Clallam County, Ryan Merrill [w, p] (7-0-0).

BGGN-2015-2, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Eastern subspecies) – 12 Oct – 11 Nov 2015, Neah Bay, Clallam County, Ryan Merrill [p, a], Blair Bernson [p], Doug Schurman [p], Scott Ramos [p], Jordan Gunn [p,v], Brad Waggoner [w] (7-0-0).
BGGN-2015-3, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (no subspecies determinable) – 25 Oct 2015, Cape Flattery, Clallam County, Bruce Paige [w, p] (7-0-0).

BGGN-2015-4, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (no subspecies determinable) – 3 Nov 2015, Clallam Bay, Clallam County, Brad Waggoner [w, p], Blair Bernson [p] (7-0-0)

 

 

No species removed or added to the review list.

The Committee decided to review criteria for evaluating “Red” Fox Sparrows before completing review of the subspecies.

Ryan Merrill rotated off the committee at the conclusion of this meeting. Bill Shelmerdine has joined the WBRC as Ryan’s replacement.

 

 

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