Purple Martin in Eastern Washington
From: Stan Kostka, Seattle, WA
Date: 8/20/01
Time: 11:17:10 PM
Comments
There is great geographical and climatic difference between cool green Western Washington (where martins have been recovering somewhat in the last couple decades following the introduction of artificial cavities) and Eastern Washington (which is dry, semi desert in places). Anyway, I almost fell off my chair when I saw this, the first sighting of a purple martin well east of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State in over a decade.
-----Original Message----- From: David Beaudette To: Inland NW Messages Date: Friday, August 17, 2001 3:38 PM Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Chelan County Purple Martin
On August 16, I went on my evening walk at Wenatchee Confluence State Park in Chelan County, WA. I spotted a single Purple Martin in a swarm of about 400 birds; mostly Common Nighthawks, Bank and Barn Swallows, with a few Rough-winged Swallows and Vaux's Swifts, over the lake off the south end of Wenatchee Confluence State Park. As I worked through the gathering I identified a juv Purple Martin or possibly SY female Purple Martin in flight. Looking for the status of this species in eastern Washington I checked these two good references: 1] The Breeding Birds of Washington State by Smith, Matttocks and Cassidy, 1997. No breeding was indicated in eastern Washington with the following possible exception. There was a positive breeding record indicated for the southwest corner of Klickitat County/or southeast corner of Skamania County. By the way, this publication is great for getting an overview of habitat usage by each species. I use it a lot. 2] Birds in Washington State: a county comparison, by Ken and Laurie Knittle, 2001. This publication has checklists for all of the 39 counties of Washington State with abundance codes. There is also a handy Spreadsheet Comparison including all of the species found in the state. The species are listed on the left side of this spreadsheet and the counties across the top, with eastern Washington counties listed as the first group and western Washington counties grouped next. The Purple Martin is listed for only two counties in eastern Washington: a code 5 for both Benton and Okanogan Counties. A Code 5 means less than 5 records for that county. Does anyone know of any more records for eastern Washington or could this species possibly nest somewhere along the Columbia River in north central Washington? How about inland BC or Idaho? Good Birding, David Beaudette, Wenatchee, WA
Subject: Chelan County Purple Martin Stan Kostka Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 18:08:04 -0700
As far as Ive been able to determine, records of Purple Martins nesting that far east of the Cascades in Wa are very rare (over two records for all time). The most recent Wa sighting before yours Im aware of that far east was in Richland in Sept 1990, a non breeding female or SY male. a pair was reportedly breeding at Potaris on the Columbia in 1944. in northern Idaho at Mica Bay on Lake Coeurd'Alene probable nesting in 1974. and several other sites in southern Idaho and one in eastern Oregon in the 1960's, 70's, and early 80's, but nothing known to me currently. Horvaths 1999 Oregon survey found them gone from the Klamath. with the recent (last fifteen years) increase in martin populations along the lower Columbia due to nestbox installations, it is not unreasonable to think they may be moving up the river. They have currently been documented as far upstream as Bingen. martins range far post fledging pre migration. or maybe they are nesting that far east again already. in any case, this is an important sighting to add to the scant list of martin sightings that far east in Washington. hopefully you will find a breeding pair over there soon.
Stan Kostka Arlington, WA
