Oregon and Washington: Summer 2023

A Brant at Summer Lake, Lake Co 23 Jun (Frank Hall) was only the second summer record for the eastside. A male Costa’s Hummingbird at Wenas Campground, Yakima Co 2–5 Jun (Michael Hobbs) provided Washington with its roughly once-a-year sighting. Meanwhile, a stakeout Costa’s Hummingbird in Bend found in late May lingered to 30 June after a good spring for the species in Oregon. A female Calliope Hummingbird was photographed at a feeder at Point Roberts, Whatcom Co 11 Jun (Melissa Hafting).

An adult female Bar-tailed Godwit seemed to oversummer around Tokeland, Pacific Co, WA 3 Jun–4 Jul (Matt Dufort). It was the only noteworthy shorebird sighting of the season. Two Horned Puffins returned to Smith Island, Island Co, WA 7 Jun+, where at least one has been seen for four consecutive years. A more impressive record of Horned Puffin came from researchers on Goat Island of Oregon Islands NWR, Curry Co 21 Jun (Will Kennerly, Eleanor Gnam), who reported an individual circling the island before flying off. The Laughing Gull found this spring at Tokeland, Pacific Co lingered through the entire summer season. Least Terns at Baskett Slough NWR, Polk Co, 5 Jun (Johnathan Reimer-Berg) and Josephine Campground, Josephine Co 9 Jun (Joy Jensen) were both first county records, and join a record from late May to make three records in two weeks in western Oregon. The Polk individual was taken by a Peregrine Falcon, while the Josephine bird was particularly shocking as it was found along a flowing boulder-strewn river far from any appropriate habitat. An Arctic Tern photographed from a kayak at Potholes Reservoir, Grant Co, WA 25 Jun (Matt Yawney) was late for this scarce spring migrant that sometimes shows up into early June.

Each state furnished one report of Short-tailed Albatross— from Daisy Bank, Lincoln Co 11 Jul (Will Kennerly, Nick Giordano) and offshore Westport, Grays Harbor Co 26 Jul (Westport Seabirds). Washington’s seventh Wilson’s Storm-Petrel was chummed in offshore Westport, Grays Harbor Co 29 Jul (Westport Seabirds). Building on a good spring showing, a couple Manx Shearwaters graced the Puget Sound, where they have become more regular in the last two years, perhaps suggesting nearby breeding. Seven seen together in Jefferson Co, WA, near Destruction Island 21 Jun (Scott Pearson) may represent a new high count for the state.

A Broad-winged Hawk photographed at Bahokus Peak, Clallam Co 11 Jun (Liam Hutcheson, Jason Vassalo) was the only summer season report. An apparent Yellow-bellied x Red-naped Sapsucker was photographed at Calispell Lake, Pend Oreille Co 4 Jun (Liam Hutcheson). Acorn Woodpeckers continue to pulse north on occasion, with an individual at Cape George, Jefferson Co, WA 23–26 Jul (Steve Hampton) representing a county first. An Eastern Phoebe was found very close to where an individual was seen for several weeks in 2022 at Calispell Lake, Pend Oreille 1 Jun (Jon Isacoff). An Ash-throated Flycatcher laid five eggs in a bluebird box near Twisp, Okanogan Co, WA 24 Jun (Scott Stluka), perhaps representing the farthest north confirmed breeding record of this species. Three coastal Eastern Kingbirds in WA were above average

It was an excellent year for Yellow-throated Vireo in the west with a few dozen in California between May and July. Oregon and Washington each furnished single June records. A singing bird at Goose Lake State Recreation Area, Lake Co 2 Jun (Tim Rodenkirk) was Oregon’s eigth, while another singing bird in Neah Bay, Clallam Co 11 Jun (Liam Hutcheson) was only Washington’s third. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers bred in Wahkiacus, Klickitat Co for at least the third consecutive year. This is the sole locale in Washington where the species has consistently bred, and they increased in abundance in 2023, culminating in a state high count of 12. The Pacific Northwest coast’s first Canyon Wren, found singing this spring at Neahkahnie Mt in Tillamook Co, continued through the summer. A Sage Thrasher at Montlake Fill, King Co 4–5 Jun (Carl Haynie) was a less-than-annual summer occurrence for the Puget lowlands.

White-winged Crossbills were reported sporadically through the WA mountains this summer, including south of their regular range, building on a good past few years for this irruptive finch. A Clay-colored Sparrow along Burrows Rd, Grays Harbor Co 22 Jul (Liam Hutcheson) was likely a very early fall migrant.

It was another average June for eastern vagrants, with a handful of the more expected species reported from each state. A singing male Baltimore Oriole was photographed and seen by many at Benson Pond, Harney Co 3–12 Jun (Peter Olsoy). Two Ovenbirds were reported in Oregon from Douglas and Lane Cos. A Black-and-white Warbler at Discovery Park, King Co 11 Jun (Matt Dufort) was surprisingly the only individual reported across the region this summer. A Tennessee Warbler was seen in Fields, Harney Co 2–3 Jun (Courtney Kelly Jett, Caleb Cetanni). A male Northern Parula was at Narrows Campground, Harney Co 8 Jun (Thomas Meinzen). More interestingly, a pair of Northern Parulas successfully nested at Tseriadun State Recreation Site, Curry Co 4 Jul+ (Kyle Cunningham, Tim Rodenkirk), producing at least two fledglings and providing Oregon with its first breeding record. A beautiful singing male Magnolia Warbler graced a residence outside of Cle Elum, Kittitas Co 11 Jun (Nicholas Hamill). A handful of Chestnut-sided Warbler were found between Oregon and Washington, and notably two were found together near Gig Harbor, Pierce Co 8 Jun–4 Jul (Cara Borre).

The most noteworthy eastern warbler of the summer was a Yellow-throated Warbler found at Page Springs Campground, Harney Co, OR 6 Jun (Lin Stern, Elijah Hayes). As with Yellow-throated Vireo, Yellow-throated Warblers showed in above-average numbers further south on the west coast this spring and summer. Three scattered Summer Tanagers in Oregon represented an above-average showing, as did the eight Indigo Buntings in Oregon and two from Washington.

Report edited by Andrew Keaveney, 29 Jun 2026.