Apologies if this is too far off topic, but I don't know a better way to
get the word out about these records. The short story is that I ran across
an index box in a vintage store in Portland which contains over 100 index
cards with notes of bird sightings in the Eugene-Coburg-McKenzie River area
made by a woman named Ruth Hopson Keen. In researching her online, I
discovered that she was a well known Oregon naturalist, was the first woman
Ranger Naturalist at Crater Lake, was past president of the (then named)
Geologic Society of the Oregon Country, taught at PSU and kept a 26 year
photographic record of Collier Glacier on the Three Sisters.
Before moving to Portland she lived in Eugene, belonged to the Obsidians
and was an avid birder. She kept meticulous records of the birds she saw,
mostly from 1942-1944, and in company with other birding friends (one of
whom lived down the street from me growing up in Eugene!) and a man named
'Mr. Harwell of the National Audubon Society.'
It's a fascinating collection of observations (anyone seen a Gairdner's
Woodpecker or Anthony's Green Heron lately?) and I am certainly willing to
share it with anyone who might be interested. I'm hoping to find a
permanent place where it will be appreciated but in the meantime will hang
on to it. Please contact me personally by email if you are interested in
seeing them.
Nancy Brown
NE Portland
