This report summarizes records received and evaluated by the Committee for the calendar year 1997, as well as any decisions pending from previous years. A total of 54 submissions were received by the Committee in 1997 of which 47 were circulated for evaluation, plus five from previous years.
Record submissions are assigned a sequential number in the order in which they are received with the year (of receipt) as a prefix. Not all submissions that receive a number are circulated. Birds are listed in phylogenetic order under each of two categories: Records Accepted and Records Rejected. Taxonomy and nomenclature follow the A.O.U. Checklist of North American Birds (1983) and all subsequent supplements.
After the common and scientific name follows the KBRC record number; the number of individuals seen with age or plumage notes; date(s) of observation; locality, including county, observer(s), with those documenting the record listed first; supporting physical evidence, if any ; and finally, comments and notes on changes in the bird's status on the KOS Checklist. Rejected records have the observer(s) names omitted and a brief explanation as to the reason for rejection.
RECORDS ACCEPTED
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata); 97-15; 1 adult in basic plumage; 29 November 1996; Cheney Reservoir, Reno Co; Pete Janzen, Chet Gresham, and Sandy Berger. 16th state record.
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata); 97-17; 1 adult in basic plumage; 20-24 April 1997; Clinton Lake, Douglas Co; Galen Pittman and Alexis Powell. 17th state record.
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata); 97-53; 1 individual in basic plumage; 16 December 1997; Wilson Lake, Russell Co; Mike Rader. 18th state record.
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena); 97-16; 1 individual molting into alternate plumage; 27 March 1997; Quivira NWR, Stafford Co; Pete Janzen. 14th state record.
Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii); 97-23 & 97-30; 1 or 2 adults observed engaged in courtship displays with a Western Grebe, possibly breeding later in the season; 26 April - 24 May 1997; Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton Co; Pete Janzen, Lloyd Moore, and mob.; photographs. Tenth state record, first record verified with physical evidence. Hypothetical status removed.
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus); 97-22; 1 adult in alternate plumage; 26 April 1997; near Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton Co; Pete Janzen and Chet Gresham. Seventh state record.
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus); 97-27; 1 adult in alternate plumage; 24 May 1997; Quivira NWR, Stafford Co; Galen Pittman. Eighth state record.
Wood Stork (Mycteria americana); 97-48; 1 immature observed for two days at a large residential pond; August 1985; Olathe, Johnson Co; Debarah Arnett and mob.; photograph. Sixth state record.
Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica); 97-02; 1 adult male; 18 January 1997; Tuttle Creek Reservoir, Pottawatomie Co; David and Amy Rintoul and John and Diane Row. 11th state record.
Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla); 94-09; 1 immature in first winter plumage, documentation not circulated when first received; 4-6 January 1994; Perry Lake, Jefferson Co; Richard Rucker, Joanne Brier, and Glen Koontz.
Mew Gull (Larus canus); 97-14; 1 adult originally documented as a "count week" bird for the 1995 Manhattan CBC; 17 December 1995; Tuttle Creek Reservoir, Riley Co; Lowell Johnson. First state record, added to the KOS Checklist as hypothetical.
Thayer's Gull (Larus thayeri); 97-12; 1 immature in first winter plumage; 8-10 November 1996; Perry Lake, Jefferson Co; Lloyd Moore and Mick McHugh; photographs. Uncommon winter resident that is rarely documented with physical evidence.
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides); 95-08; 1 immature in first winter plumage; 11-17 December 1994; near Wichita, Sedgwick Co; Pete Janzen, Dan Kilby, and Don Vannoy. First state record, added to the KOS Checklist as hypothetical. Record previously rejected, reconsidered, and accepted in 1997.
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides); 97-09; 1 immature in second winter plumage; 22 February 1997; Clinton Lake, Douglas Co; Mick Mc Hugh, Galen Pittman , and Phil Wedge. Second state record.
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides); 97-31; 1 immature in first winter plumage; 23 February 1997; Clinton Lake, Douglas Co; David and Emily Seibel. Third state record.
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides); 97-10; 1 immature in first winter plumage; 1 March 1997; Melvern Lake, Osage Co; Galen Pittman, Lloyd Moore, Art Swalwell, and mob.; photographs. Fourth state record, first record verified with physical evidence. Hypothetical status removed.
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus); 97-01; 1 immature in first winter plumage; 21 December 1996; Clinton Lake, Douglas Co; Mick McHugh and Mark Corder; video. Second state record, first record verified with physical evidence. Hypothetical status removed.
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus); 97-04; 1 adult in winter plumage; 21 December 1996; Wilson Lake, Russell Co; Mike Rader, Ben Nondorf, and mob.; photographs. Third state record.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla); 97-03; 3 immatures in first winter plumage; 1-9 December 1996; Tuttle Creek Reservoir, Pottowatomie Co; David Rintoul, Lloyd Moore, Lowell Johnson, and mob.; photographs. 12th state record.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla); 97-13; 1 immature in first winter plumage; 25 December 1996 - 2 January 1997; Perry Lake, Jefferson Co; Lloyd Moore, Alexis Powell, and mob. 13th state record.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla); 97-45; 1 immature in first winter plumage; 9 November 1997; Quivira NWR, Stafford Co; Tyler and Leon Hicks. 14th state record.
Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini); 97-11; 2 immatures in first winter plumage; 27 Sept - 12 Oct 1996; Quivira NWR, Stafford Co; Mike Rader and Harold McFadden; photographs. Occasional transient that is rarely documented with physical evidence.
Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix); 97-51; 1 individual in basic plumage; 21-22 November 1997; Wilson Lake, Russell Co; Mike Rader, Scott Seltman, and mob. First state record, added to the KOS Checklist as hypothetical.
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto); 97-33; 4 adults, probably breeding ; 15 May-21 June 1997; Goodland, Sherman Co; Galen Pittman, John Palmquist, Ken Sanderson, and mob. . First state record, added to the KOS Checklist as hypothetical.
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica); 97-20; 1 adult; 19-24 April 1997; Burns, Marion Co; Lloyd Moore, Galen Pittman, Dorthea Strotkamp, and mob.; photographs. Seventh state record.
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica); 97-44; 1 adult; 30 August 1997; Hutchinson, Reno Co; Lloyd and Linda Willbanks; photographs. Eighth state record.
Western Screech-Owl (Otus kennicottii); 97-06; 1 individual heard calling; 18 January 1997; Along the Cimmaron River, Morton Co; Chris Hobbs, Sebastian Patti, and Mike Rader. Third record.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris); 97-37; 1 adult male visiting feeders; 31 August 1997; Liberal, Seward Co; Mick McHugh and mob. Although this species is common in other parts of the state, confirmed records for southwest Kansas are rare.
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna); 97-05; 1 immature male at feeder ; August 1996; Elkhart, Morton Co; Lawrence and Ruth Smith; video. Fourth record.
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus); 97-36; 1 adult male at feeders; 28-29 July 1997; Perry Lake, Jefferson Co; Richard Rucker. Uncommon transient with few confirmed records of adult males.
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus); 97-52; 1 adult female identified from observations and measurements taken in the hand when captured and banded; 20 November - 6 December 1997; Overland Park, Johnson Co; JoAnn Garret, Nancy and Jane Leo, George Taylor, and Jan Hall. Uncommon transient with very few confirmed records of this bird in the hand.
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii); 97-40; 1 individual in worn fall plumage; 21 September 1997; along the Cimmaron River, Morton Co; Pete Janzen, Tyler Hicks, Carol Schwab, Chet Gesham. Fifth state record.
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens); 97-38; 1 individual ; 16 September 1997; Marias des Cygnes Wildlife Area, Linn Co; Mick McHugh. Very few confirmed records of this occasional transient and summer resident in any part of the state, other than extreme southwest Kansas.
Gray Vireo (Vireo vicinior); 96-39; 1 individual; 5 May 1996; Elkhart, Morton Co; Ted Cable, Mike Rader, Scott Seltman, and mob.; photographs. First state record, verified with physical evidence. Added to the KOS Checklist.
Cassin's Vireo (Vireo cassinii); 93-16; 1 individual; 4 September 1993; North fork of the Cimmaron River, Morton Co; Mick McHugh and mob. This documentation was not circulated when first received. This record was reviewed in 1997 due to the recent action of the A.O.U. in splitting and elevating this former Solitary Vireo subspecies to full species status.
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana); 97-07; 1; 4 February 1997; Ulysses. Grant Co; Chris Hobbs, Sebastian Patti, and Galen Pittman. This irruptive causal visitor to Kansas has not had any recent confirmed sightings in the state.
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus); 97-18; 15+ individuals, possibly nesting; 19 April 1997; near Galena, Cherokee Co; Mark Corder; video. Sixth state record, first record verified with physical evidence. Hypothetical status removed.
Common Raven (Corvus corax); 97-50; 3 individuals; 8 November 1997; Point of Rocks, Morton Co; Sebastian Patti and Mike Rader. First confirmed record of this formerly common and extirpated species in Kansas since very early in this century.
Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla); 97-54; 1 individual; 25 December 1997 - 24 January 1998; Mission Hills, Johnson Co; Mick McHugh, Chris Hobbs, Roger McNeill, Mike Whited, and mob; photographs. First state record, verified with physical evidence. Added to the KOS Checklist.
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe); 97-19; 1 adult male; 5 April 1997; Cheyenne Co; Daniel and Lynn Busse, and Dale Henderson. First state record, added to the KOS Checklist as hypothetical.
Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana); 97-49; 1 adult female seen and heard calling; 8 November 1997; Point of Rocks, Morton Co; Sebastian Patti. Third state record.
Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius); 97-42; 1 adult female; 27 October 1997: Elkhart, Morton Co; Ruth and Lawrence Smith. There have been few recent confirmed sighting of this is causal winter visitor to Kansas.
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus); 94-14; 1 adult, documentation not circulated when first received; 9 July 1994; near Marias des Cygnes Wildlife Area, Linn Co; Lloyd Moore. This is the first confirmed summer record of this rare species in Kansas since early this century.
Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii); 97-08; 1 adult; 7 May 1996; Wichita, Sedgwick Co; John Northrup. Seventh state record.
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina); 97-34; 1 immature, Ayoung of the year@; 20 July 1997; near Perry Lake, Jefferson Co; Mick McHugh. There are very few AbreedingA records of this rare transient and casual summer resident in Kansas.
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla); 97-24; 1 adult; 4 May 1997; Elkhart, Morton Co; Ruth and Lawrence Smith. 15th state record.
Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii); 97-21; 8 individuals (3 males and 5 females in a flock) seen and heard calling; 8 December 1996; Wilburton crossing of the Cimmaron River, Morton Co; Pete Janzen and Jim Nickel. There are few records of flocks of this occasional winter visitor in Kansas.
White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera); 97-43 & 97-47; 1 adult male; 10-18 November 1997; Olathe, Johnson Co; Debarah Arnett, Chris Hobbs, and mob; photograph. There are few recent records, confirmed with physical evidence, of this irruptive winter visitor in Kansas.
RECORDS REJECTED
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens); 97-35; 1 individual; 28 July 1997; Tuttle Creek Reservoir, Riley Co; Identification questionable; description of the bird was sketchy and had insufficient details to eliminate other large soaring species.
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii); 97-41;
1 individual; 20-21 September 1997; Elkhart, Morton Co; Identification
questionable. Although the description was complete, no vocalizations were
heard and there were insufficient details to conclusively eliminate other
species of Empidonax flycatchers.
The following is a list of the members and alternates of the KBRC for the period covered by this report, plus Christopher Hobbs and Mick McHugh for the first part of 1997.
Position #1 : Pete Janzen
Position #2 : David Seibel, Chairperson
Position #3 : David Rintoul
Position #4 : Max Thompson
Position #5 : Lloyd Moore
Alternate #1 : Sebastian Patti
Position #6 : Galen Pittman, Secretary
Position #7 : Roger Boyd
Alternate #2 : Mike Rader
Submitted 1 May 1998
Galen L. Pittman, KBRC Secretary