[obol] Breeding(?) White-crowned Sparrow, Klamath Co.

[Kevin Spencer]

OK Dave,
Before I give you my info on White-crowned Sparrows you'll have to let me know who honked the horn and made another white-crowned pop up. They'll be added to the Klamath County Birding Hall of Fame, which I think, isn't what they truely hoped for when they leaned into it. 

Anyway, the closest I've encountered nesting White-crowned Sparrows to Klamath County has been the Upper Sycan R., not far from the Lake/Klamath Cos. line. I've searched similar habitats nearby, to the west, in Klamath Co. but to no avail. They are also found in the Warners, east of Lakeview. I did have a report during a summer from the Upper Klamath Lake, and I believe that person reported that they believed they were a possible breeder, if not that had observations of breeding. That seemed like an unusual location for White-crowned Sparrow, but the habitat had willows and it was open. I don't know the specific breeding habitat requirements, but the location at Upper Klamath seemed more like the coastal habitat that I've seem them in during breeding season  in Humboldt Co., CA. I believe the person's initials reporting that would be (PJ), not sure, so if PJ is out there and recalls that report let me know. Other than that, Klamath Co. is void of White-crowned Sparrows during the summer months. One hypothesis might be that due to extremely dry conditions, nesting may have had a lackluster season, and there is either early post-breeding dispersal at higher elevations, or family units could already be on the move, at higher elevations still. I would second the motion made by Hendrick, that the Cascades may still hold many question marks and need further coverage. I have backpacked in many higher elevations in the Cascades during nesting season, but don't have any encounters with White-crowned Sparrows. Good observation Dave.

Unplug your horn.

Kevin Spencer
rriparia at charter.net


---- Dave Haupt <dhaupt at tulelake.k12.ca.us> wrote: 

=============
OBOL,
   Saturday at Williamette Pass ski area on a casual outing I heard the
"pink" call which I've heard a million times in the fall and winter, but
obviously not in the summer in Klamath County, because I had to track
down the source.  I had an agitated White-crowned Sparrow calling
repeatedly in an open brushy area in the parking lot of the ski area.  I
watched the bird's behavior for ~3 minutes until a member of my party
honked the horn of the van because I was taking too long and they were
all hot.  The honk happened to flush a second white-crown from the
brush.  Behavior-wise and date-wise (July 19) I'd suggest these birds
were a nesting pair.  Checking Steve Summer's book "Klamath Birds," and
"Oregon Birds" I couldn't really find (m)any breeding accounts for
White-crowned Sparrow in the County.  Is the species a common breeder
just west of this location?  Anyone have WCSP records in the summer in
Klamath County?

Dave Haupt
Klamath Falls
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