Hello birders, this is the Bird Brain, voice of Seattle
Audubon's Bird Sightings Hotline for THURSDAY, JUNE 16,
1994, at 9 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].

BLACK-THROATED SPARROWS continue to make news. Wilson Cady
saw one at a feeder near his home in Clark Co. June 9 for a
first county record and Vic Nelson reports another at the
Pt. No Point lighthouse June 7. The number of west side
Black-throated vagrants this spring is unprecedented and may
reflect drought conditions in their breeding areas.

A singing CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was found May 28 east of
Spokane. Go east from Spokane on I-90 to the Liberty Lake
exit, then north to the Spokane River. Take the Centennial
Trail west along the south bank of the river about 600
yards. Listen for the bird in low brush here. Another
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW returned to the site of a 1991
observation along Toats Coulee Rd. in n Okanogan Co. The
spot is 1.7 miles west of the Okanogan National Forest
boundary which is marked by a sign and a cattle guard. The
singing bird is on the brushy hillside above, that is,
north, of the road.

The mother of Seattle's first PEREGRINE chicks died after
hitting a building June 8. The three chicks were rescued
and at this poing are doing well having been adopted by a
captive PEREGRINE pair at a rehab center in Monroe. They
will be released to the wild. Call the special Falcon
Research Group hotline at 517-9513 for details of their
daily movements and to report observations.

A pair of LAZULI BUNTINGS has a nest operative at the
Russell Rd. P-Patch west of the Kent ponds. Two singing
male LAZULI BUNTINGS vied for space along the West
Snoqualmie River Rd. one mile south of the Osprey nest tree
at Seattle Audubon's Carnation marsh.

An AMERICAN BITTERN and a SORA were heard calling from the
Cherry Valley WRA wetland 1 mile east of Duvall at dawn June
15.

RED-EVED VIREOS were noted in Seattle at the Arboretum,
Seward Park, the Montlake Fill, and on the north bluff at
Discovery Park, which is unusual in the city. The exotic
WEAVER FINCH reported at the Montlake Fill through June 15th
has been identified by Dick Viet as a molting male RED
BISHOP, a central African species. It has a bright orange
head & tail, black face, and rufous striped mantle. It was
first seen there June 3 & 4. An EASTERN KINGBIRD WAS present
at the Montlake Fill June 12, but not since. A COMMON
NIGHTHAWK was seen over the Fill on the evening of June 14.

The CASPIAN TERN colony there has now reached over 3000
birds, with the first young hatching out June 13. A pair of
ARCTIC TERNs is apparently nesting on the south end of Jetty
Island. PURPLE MARTINS are prospecting for nests in pilings
north of the marina in Pt. Gardner Bay.

At the Everett STP June 5 Steve Mlodinow counted 17 species
of ducks. These ponds host some of the less common nesting
waterfowl species of western Washington. Three EASTERN
KINGBIRDS were located nearby June 7 on the ne corner of
Spencer Island. There is limited public access to Spencer
Island at present. Another EASTERN KINGBIRD was seen one
mile south of Duvall June 7 and a single WESTERN KINGBIRD
was one mile nw of Duvall that same day. Both KINGBIRDS are
rare nesters west of the Cascades.

Mlodinow also reports lingering PACIFIC, RED-THROATED, and
COMMON LOONS off Swantown and 70+ HARLEQUIN DUCKS at the
mussel platforms in Penn Cove on Whidbey Is., presumably
summering non-breeders.

Scott Atkinson reports a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER nest above
Long Swamp at the end of FSR 300 in Sect 31, T39N, R23E. He
also noted singing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES along the
Simikameen River just south of the Canadian border north of
Loomis in nc Okanogan Co.

Andy Stepniewski reports that all the usual breeding birds
are in place in the Lyle vicinity at the east end of the
Columbia Gorge in Klickitat Co., including LESSER
GOLDFINCHES ca 1/2 mi n of SR 14, along SR 142.

Mike Denny reports good numbers of the usual Walla Walla
area nesters in the foothills of the Blue Mountains
including CATBIRDS, CHATS, and VEERIES. There is a small
flock of FRANKLIN'S GULLS present at low water at the mouth
of the Walla Walla River at Wallula. WHITE PELICANS are
also seen regularly here.

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 Friday and 10-2 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.


Hello birders, this is the Bird Brain, voice of Seattle
Audubon's Bird Sightings Hotline for THURSDAY, JUNE 23,
1994, at 2 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 BLACK-THROATED SPARROW invasion is in full force. More
than a dozen singing males were located in eastern
Washington during the past week. At least two were at White
Bluffs in Grant Co. Drive south into the Wahluke Slope WRA
on a road at mile 63 off SR 24 west of Othello 7.5 mi. to a
gate at the end of the road. Look for them in hop sage on
the bluff overlooking the Columbia River. Three more were
at the Konnowock Pass spot south of Moxee where several were
seen last year. At least six were heard along the west side
of the reservoir above Priest Rapids, which is closed to
public access. Two more were found west of Yakima in the
Ahtanum Creek area and two more in Klickitat Co. up Rock
Creek from the Columbia. This phenomenon may reflect
drought conditions in their normal breeding areas.

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was found near the Black-throated
Sparrow spot at White Bluffs. Walk two miles south on a
dirt road that takes off from the White Bluffs road parallel
to the bluffs. The mockingbird was singing at the power
post marked 12-6. This is in T13N, R28E, Sect. 18. DO NOT
DRIVE this road as the fire danger is extreme. Look for
SAGE THRASHERS, SAGE, BREWER'S, and LARK SPARROWS, and
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES as well.

The mother of Seattle's first PEREGRINE chicks died after
hitting a building June 8. The three chicks were rescued
and at this poing have been returned to the nest and are
being fed by their father. Call the special Falcon Research
Group hotline at 517-9513 for details of their daily
movements and to report observations.

A pair of LAZULI BUNTINGS has a nest operative at the
Russell Rd. P-Patch west of the Kent ponds. Two singing
male LAZULI BUNTINGS vied for space along the West
Snoqualmie River Rd. one mile south of the Osprey nest tree
at Seattle Audubon's Carnation marsh. Four males were
discovered singing 1 mile north of US 2 on Kellogg Rd. near
Startup.

Greg Toffic of the Woodland Park Zoo reports that a rare
Bali Myna has escaped. This is an endangered species. It
was spotted June 21 in Ballard near NW 55th & 12th NW. It
is starling sized, all white with a blue face patch. If you
spot it please call Greg at 684-4836. The exotic WEAVER
FINCH reported at the Montlake Fill through June 21th has
been identified by Dick Viet as a molting male RED BISHOP, a
central African species. It has a bright orange head &
tail, black face, and rufous striped mantle. It was first
seen there June 3 & 4. A female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was
at the Montlake Fill June 21 and BLACK SWIFTS were foraging
low over the fill June 17.

Scott Atkinson reports two NORTHERN BOBWHITES calling June
19 at Roy in Pierce Co. Go right on 4th St. E in Roy 1/2
mile to a chain link fence on the north side of the road.
Walk the path past the end of the fence into a clearing.

The CASPIAN TERN colony at the Everett Naval Base has now
reached over 3000 birds, with the first young hatching out
June 13. A pair of ARCTIC TERNs is nesting nearby on a pile
of dirt. PURPLE MARTINS are prospecting for nests in
pilings north of the marina in Pt. Gardner Bay.

At the Everett STP June 5 Steve Mlodinow counted 17 species
of ducks. These ponds host some of the less common nesting
waterfowl species of western Washington. Three EASTERN
KINGBIRDS were located nearby June 7 on the ne corner of
Spencer Island. Also on Spencer Is. June 18 was an adult
FRANKLIN'S GULL.

Mlodinow also reports lingering PACIFIC, RED-THROATED, and
COMMON LOONS off Swantown and 70+ HARLEQUIN DUCKS at the
mussel platforms in Penn Cove on Whidbey Is., presumably
summering non-breeders.

BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS are reported nesting at Mineral
Spring Camp ground along US 97 ne of Cle Elum and
WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS are nesting nearby at Swauk
Campground. Scott Atkinson reports a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER
nest above Long Swamp at the end of FSR 300 in Sect 31,
T39N, R23E. He also noted singing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES
along the Simikameen River just south of the Canadian border
north of Loomis in nc Okanogan Co.

Andy Stepniewski reports that all the usual breeding birds
are in place in the Lyle vicinity at the east end of the
Columbia Gorge in Klickitat Co., including LESSER
GOLDFINCHES ca 1/2 mi n of SR 14, along SR 142. LESSER
GOLDFINCHES were also found June 19 about the town of
Maryhill east from Lyle along the Columbia River. No
reports of ACORN WOODPECKERS have been received from the
Lyle colony for at least two years.

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 Friday and 10-2 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.