Activity is beginning to ramp up at Skinner Butte in Eugene. Highlights this morning were BT GRAY WARBLER, CASSIN'S VIREO, and an EMPID. I found the latter hawking in a tall-ish maple about 2/3 of the way down the north slope. Due to the distance and the shadows, I didn't get a great look at it, but it appeared to me to be a Hammond's (short bill, more gray than green). I ran into the Mickels on the way out, who thought they heard a Pac-slope call. Since it's still early in the month, it seems unlikely that both are present. I'll let somebody who gets a better look/listen to ID it. More intriguingly, I spoke to somebody who reported seeing a PALM WARBLER (near the bottom of the north slope, I believe). I had never met this person before, but he seemed confident in the ID, particularly the very rufous crown. I was going to look for it, but got distracted by the Empid. Others of interest included at least two CHIPPING SPARROWS and a chick visible in the BALD EAGLE nest. For at least the past week and a half, there has been a very red SONG SPARROW (similar to one of the southwestern forms) hanging out in the area just north of the parking lot, but I didn't see it today. Brandon Eugene