2004 came in with quite a bang: snow on the first and more snow and freezing rain during the following week. This cold weather and snow got the birds moving around in search of food, but didn't seem to bring any rare northern species to our area. The possible Henslow's Sparrow produced what is known in birding circles as the "Patagonia Effect" (named after Patagonia Wayside in SE Arizona)--someone finds a "good" bird and others come looking for it and find additional "good" birds. Note the number of sparrows found at the Fisher Butte unit of Fern Ridge Reservoir after the date that the Henslow's Sparrow was found!

WATERFOWL
Greater White-fronted Goose (22) Jan 27 Meadowview Road AHy
Brant Jan 29; Cox Butte Road; JC
Trumpeter Swan (1 or 2) Jan 28; Airport area; DA,et al.
Tundra Swan (18) Jan 10; South Jetty; DP
Cinnamon Teal (pair) Jan 21; Airport area; LM,et al.
Canvasback (125) Jan 16; Siltcoos Lake; DP
Canvasback (10) January; Lane Memorial pond; m. ob.
Tufted Duck Jan 30; Siltcoos Lake; DP
Common Goldeneye Jan 22; Siltcoos River mouth; B&ZS
Common Goldeneye Jan 31; Crab Dock; B&ZS
Red-breasted Merganser (41) Jan 21; Crab Dock; RR

WATERBIRDS
American Bittern Jan 20; Fern Ridge Reservoir; EC
Great Egret Jan 29; Walterville; AR
Green Heron Jan 9; Millrace near the UO; SF

VULTURES & RAPTORS
Turkey Vulture (7) January; South end of FRR; m.ob.
Red-tailed Hawk (Harlan's) Jan 8; Lorane Hwy area; AT
Prairie Falcon Jan 9; Airport area; SM

RAILS, SHOREBIRDS, GULLS, & ALCIDS
Virginia Rail Jan 27; FRR: Royal Ave.; RR
Black-bellied Plover (10) Jan 14; W. Junction City; AP,BH
Black Oystercatcher (12) Jan 11; Bob Creek; A&DHy
Greater Yellowlegs (51) Jan 18; Meadowlark Prairie; RR
Lesser Yellowlegs Jan 10; FRR: Cantrell Rd.; DA
Rock Sandpiper Jan 19; South Jetty; SG
Bonaparte's Gull Jan 11; Crab Dock; J&JC
Herring Gull (12) Jan 28; Airport area; LM,et al.
Thayer's Gull (1) Jan 28; Airport area; LM,et al.
Rhinoceros Auklet Jan 21; Sea Lion Caves; RR

PIGEONS & OWLS
Burrowing Owl Jan 18; W. Junction City; LS
Short-eared Owl (2) Jan 27; FRR: Royal Ave.; RR

PASSERINES
Rufous Hummingbird Jan 26; Glenwood; MM
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker January; Florence; m.ob.
Acorn Woodpecker Jan 17; Willamette R. @ VRC; J&JC
Black Phoebe (2) Jan 31; Ada-Fiddle Creek; AC,et al.
Northern Shrike (3) Jan 3; West Eugene; A&DHy
Horned Lark (85) Jan 4; Airport area; FC
Horned Lark (flock) Jan 11; Mt. Pisgah; DW
Horned Lark (2) Jan 12; Hills Creek dam; DF
Horned Lark Jan 28; South Jetty Siuslaw R.; DP,SM
Tree Swallow (7) Jan 4; FRR: Royal Ave.; TR
"white-bellied" Swallow Jan 14; FRR: Fisher Butte; AP,BH
"white-bellied" Swallow (2) Jan 21; South Jetty; RR
Barn Swallow (5) Jan 4; FRR: Royal Ave.; TR
Barn Swallow (4) Jan 11; Carl Washburne SP; A&DHy
Barn Swallow (several) Jan 14; FRR: Fisher Butte; AP,BH
Barn Swallow (3) Jan 21; Siltcoos River mouth; RR
American Dipper (pair) Jan 17; Cape Creek; B&ZS
Western Bluebird (4) Jan 26; Skinner Butte; SG
Wrentit Jan 17; Willamette R. @ VRC; J&JC
Wrentit (3) Jan 21; Greenhill Rd.; LM,et al.
American Pipit (60-80) Jan 16; Airport area; VA
Lesser Goldfinch Jan 2; Eugene, near the UO; BN
American Tree Sparrow Jan 5; FRR-Fisher Butte; DF
Chipping Sparrow Jan 15+; College Hill area; DA
Chipping Sparrow Jan 21; Airport area; LM,et al.
Vesper Sparrow Jan 11; FRR: Fisher Butte; JS,LJ
Grasshopper Sparrow Jan 10; FRR: Fisher Butte; SM
Henslow's Sparrow (poss.) Jan 4; FRR: Fisher Butte; LM
Swamp Sparrow (2) Jan 4; FRR: Perkins Peninsula; AC,DF
Western Meadowlark (50) Jan 10; FRR: Fisher Butte; A&TM
Western Meadowlark (50) Jan 31; Meadowlark Prairie; SG
Brown-headed Cowbird Jan 10; FRR: Fisher Butte; PS
Bullock's Oriole (poss.) Jan 4; Oak Hill Rd.; fide CW

Abbreviations:

Crab Dock South Jetty of the Siuslaw River crab dock, Fiddle Creek SE corner of Siltcoos Lake, FRR Fern Ridge Reservoir, m.ob. many observers, South Jetty South Jetty of the Siuslaw River, VRC Valley River Center, SP State Park.

Thank You, Contributors!

DA Dennis Arendt, VA Vjera Arnold, EC Ellan Cantor, J&JC Jim & Judy Carlson, FC Fred Chancy, AC Alan Contreras, DF Daniel Farrar, SF Sam Fox, SG Steve Gordon, A&DHy Anne & Dan Heyerly, BH Bill Hunter, LJ Laura Johnson, MM Marcia Maffei, SM Sylvia Maulding, LM Larry McQueen, A&TM Allison & Tom Mickel, BN Bruce Newhouse, DP Diane Pettey, AP Al Prigge, AR Alan Reid, RR Roger Robb, TR Tim Rodenkirk, PS Paul Sherrell, LS Lars Skalnes, B&ZS Bill & Zanah Stotz, JS John Sullivan, AT Alby Thoumsin, CW Clare Watson, DW Dave Westerfield.