[obol] Cascara tree - Empid

[Darrel Faxon]

Romain,
    Like Dennis, I have not seen flycatchers eating Cascara berries, but 
have observed many other species doing so.  In addition to the ones named, I 
can think of Steller's and Gray Jays ( in fact here at Thornton Creek, 
Lincoln County, the Gray Jays often move into the valleys in August or 
September just to feast on them), White-crowned and Song Sparrows, and 
Wilson's, Orange-crowned, and Black-throated Gray Warblers.

Darrel
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dennis P. Vroman" <dpvroman at budget.net>
To: <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>; "Romain Cooper" <romain at frontiernet.net>
Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 12:19 PM
Subject: Re: [obol] Cascara tree - Empid


> Romain and Other,
>
> Cascara berries are readily feasted on by many species of birds, those
> Romain mentions (Band-tailed Pigeons too) and some others, like Hermit and
> Swainson's Thrushes.  At one banding location where Cascara is found, 
> there
> was a large influx of birds when the berries were ripe.  Have not tried 
> them
> myself, guess I fear the fact that the bark from this tree/shrub is (was)
> used to help folks that have been bound up for a while.
>
> Have never noticed any Flycatchers foraging on them, however.
>
> Dennis (north of Grants Pass)
>
>>A bushy cascara tree (Rhamnus purshiana) near our yard is full of
>> berries and birds.  Earlier, when in flower, lots of honeybees and
>> native pollinators were swarming over this particular tree.  Now
>> mostly Spotted Towhee, Black-Headed Grosbeak, Western Tanager, Am.
>> Robin and Purple Finch are feeding on the berries.  Today a
>> hatch-year Townsend's Solitaire was perched near the tree and a
>> Band-Tailed Pigeon flew over (didn't see either of them eating berries).
>>
>> An Empid flycatcher (probably Pacific Slope?  They are common in the
>> area. The bird had a distinct eye-ring.) was perched in the
>> cascara.  When I checked out the object in its beak, I was surprised
>> to see that it was a cascara berry (and not an insect).  It was
>> moving its head vigorously with berry in beak (perhaps trying to
>> dislodge the pit?).  I never saw the bird ingest the berry.  Shortly
>> thereafter, it assumed a fly-catcher pose and pumped its tail a few 
>> times.
>>
>> I never thought of any flycatcher (Tyrannidae) as eating
>> berries?  This one appeared to be in the process.
>>
>> Siskiyou Biological Services LLC
>> Romain Cooper
>> 10398 Takilma Road
>> Cave Junction, OR 97523
>> home office 541-592-2311
>> cell 541-415-1490
>
>
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