---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 17:16:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: Eugene Hunn <hunn at u.washington.edu>

Hello birders, this is the Bird Brain, voice of Seattle
Audubon's Bird Sightings Hotline for SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 1994,
at 3 PM.

To skip the details and just leave a message punch 5 and
wait for the tone.

For sick or injured birds call the Wild Bird Clinic at 941-
2174 [or PAWS at 743-3845 or 743-1884].

A pair of PEREGRINES are courting, copulating, and may nest
in downtown Seattle for the first time ever. The best
viewing spot is along the waterfront near the Aquarium.
Look for them foraging among the skyscrapers, over the
Harbor Is. cranes, or over Elliott Bay. Please report
observations to a special Falcon Research Group hotline at
517-9513.

Two YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were reported at the Montlake
Fill on the UW campus in Seattle April 4. A breeding
plumaged COMMON LOON and several colorful RED-NECKED GREBES
were off Alki Pt. April 9. A flock of 15 SURFBIRDS was on
the beach south of the point that day also. A vagrant RED-
NAPED SAPSUCKER was noted April 4 on Bainbridge Is. near the
Wing Point CC club house and flying over Cherry Ave. NE.

Adult LITTLE GULLS with Bonaparte Gull flocks have been
noted just north of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge April 6 and at
Pt. No Point on the north tip of the Kitsap Peninsula April
9 & 10. Two were present on the 10th as was an ELEPHANT
SEAL. A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was there on the 9th.

Late wintering rarities include an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
along the south bank of the Snohomish River off Lowell River
Rd. between Everett and Snohomish. It was seen 1 mi e of
the Rotary Club Park. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is still a
Jaime Ackers feeder on Bainbridge Is. Call him at 780-5230
to arrange to see it before it departs. One SWAMP SPARROW
was on Ebey Island east of Everett March 29.

An immature brown-phase GYRFALCON was reported on Damon Spit
at Ocean Shores on the late date of April 9.

Shorebirds were migrating at Ocean Shores April 9. Patrick
Sullivan reported numbers of WHIMBRELS, MARBLED GODWITS,
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, YELLOWLEGS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS,
DUNLINS, and LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS at the Ocean
Shores golf course, at the game range, on Damon Pt., and at
North Bay just north of the Marina along Olympic View Drive
at Sunset Ave. He reported as well a single immature BAR-
TAILED GODWIT with 75 MARBLED GODWITS at North Bay and one
LONG-BILLED CURLEW with 6 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS in the
Salicornia marsh at the west end of the Game Range. Ten
WILLETS were at the North River mouth on the north shore of
Willapa Bay March 25.

Spring migration is well underway on both sides of the
Cascade Mountains. The first SAGE SPARROWS were singing on
territory Feb. 20 in Schnebly Coulee along old Hwy 10 east
of Ellensburg between Kittitas and Vantage. SAYS PHOEBES
and MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were back in Schnebly Coulee March 5
while SAGE THRASHERS were common there March 24. ROCK WRENS
were singing near Vantage on the Columbia River March 24+.

WESTERN BLUEBIRDS had returned to nest boxes on Ft. Lewis
south of Tacoma by March 25. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and
COMMON YELLOWTHROATS were heard singing near Everett March
27 & 29. WHITE-CROWNED and SAVANNAH SPARROWS were singing
on territory throughout western Washington March 25.

Six LONG-BILLED CURLEWS were seen about 5 miles east of
Ellensburg March 24 and 21 BLACK-NECKED STILTS were back to
ponds just north of Othello in Adams County March 28.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS were noted on Ebey Island east of Everett
March 26 and near Woodland in Cowlitz County March 27. The
first CINNAMON TEAL sightings came from Everett, Seattle,
and Turnbull NWR sw of Spokane March 27 & 28.

TREE and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS are widespread in the Puget
Sound area in numbers. Pairs were copulating at the
Montlake Fill March 25. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS are widespread.
Two very early VAUX'S SWIFTS were reported over the Madrona
neighborhood in Seattle March 28, at least two weeks ahead
of schedule. East of the Cascades, WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS
had returned to the Sun Lakes in the Grand Coulee March 21
and to Vantage on the Columbia River by March 24.

Five TURKEY VULTURES were spotted on their way north near
Oak Harbor on Whidbey Is. March 18. fifteen were migrating
north over Sequim March 25, and scattered individuals were
noted elsewhere in the western Washington lowlands. OSPREYS
had returned to nest sites on southern Puget Sound and near
Ellensburg by March 26.

The SAS Sage Grouse Lek Tour to the Yakima Firing Center
March 19 found 14 SAGE GROUSE and a SAGE THRASHER. They
also spotted three FERRUGINOUS HAWKS north of Sunnyside in
the lower Yakima Valley.

For SAS field trips, or for information on conservation and
education issues please call the office at 523-4483 during
office hours, 10-4 Tuesday through Saturday.

That's all for now. If you have news to report, wait for
the tone, then give your name, phone number, and the
details. Thanks and good birding.