[obol] Re: Gray Jays in the Coast Range
- From: "Karan Fairchild" <alderspr@xxxxxxxx>
- To: <5hats@xxxxxxxx>, "'OBOL'" <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 09:10:09 -0700
I would support much of the Coast Range Gray Jay discussion, and David Irons
reflection on bird abundance and diversity in the Oregon Coast Range: it is
definitely under-birded, also Darrell's contention that regions of the Coast
Range vary.
What you are likely to find is very constrained by habitat, and varies
tremendously at all scales. If you're doing murrelet or spotted owl
surveys, you're very likely to encounter Gray Jays (unless your employer has
you on a fool's errand). If you're sampling for "free-to-grow"
reforestation requirements, you'll miss them and most flycatchers-because
you'll be visiting ahead of good Willow Flycatcher cover. You might see or
hear a lot of Mountain Quail, but your sampling will miss the peak nesting
use of Common Nighthawk. It all depends on where and when you're
sampling.
And it's not just age and size and complexity of forest communities that
limit species detections. Mechanical and/or chemical control of competing
vegetation will totally change the current--and future-bird communities.
The increased frequency of thinning on federal and state lands in the Coast
Range for conifer growth will probably benefit Hammond's Flycatcher and
Hermit Warbler populations, but will reduce breeding and detections of
Western Wood Pewee, American Robin, and Gray Jay.
One final note on sampling bias-locked gates, poorly maintained roads, and
restricted access are extremely abundant and widespread; these you WILL find
everywhere in the Coast Range. Exploring it is a tremendous adventure!
Jim Fairchild
Benton County Coast Ranger
From: obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Darrel Faxon
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 6:41 AM
To: OBOL
Subject: [obol] Gray Jays in the Coast Range
"are absolutely everywhere"
I beg to differ. Back in 1940 when the original Birds of Oregon was
published, Gabrielson and Jewett commented that the species was more common
in the northern Coast Range. I have very limited experience in that section
of the state, but in the few visits I have made there, I found the species
with regularity. Here at Thornton Creek in the central Coast Range it is a
different story. I have lived here my whole life, have worked outdoors for
the most of it, and therefore have had ample opportunity to encounter Gray
Jays on an almost daily basis had they in fact been present. On average, I
have encountered them about once each year. Usually it has been on or near
the higher ridges, but I have spent considerable time there without seeing
or hearing any. There have been exceptions. One fall a flock of about
twenty of then invaded the valley bottom and feasted for several weeks on
ripe cascara berries. But for the most part they are decidedly rare in this
location. I do think (although the impression is only based on anecdotal
evidence) that my encounters with the species at this location has declined
correspondingly to the change from secondgrowth forest to young regenerating
plantation forest which has occurred in all the surrounding country over the
past thirty years.
Darrel
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