Subject: Seattle Audubon hotlines for April 1 & 10, 1995 by E. Hunn
Date: Apr 18 09:50:16 1995
From: Eugene Hunn - hunn at u.washington.edu


Sorry these are so late. The April 16th hotline message will be posted
tomorrow.

Gene Hunn.

***

Hello birders, this is the Bird Brain, voice of Seattle
Audubon's Bird Sightings Hotline for SATURDAY, APRIL 1,
1995, at 9 AM.

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].

The impact of global warming was felt in Seattle with the
discovery of a pair of RESPELENDENT QUETZALS prospecting for
a nest in an old maple at Camp Long in West Seattle March
31. Judging by the male's tail length these birds must come
from the threatened Guatemalan population, which suggests an
alternative explanation somehow involving the CIA. This is
the first report of this quetzal north of the Isthmus of
Tehuatepec since the reign of Montezuma I.

Perhaps also attributable to the latest increment of global
warming is the quite unexpected appearance of a GREAT AUK
off West Point in Seattle during the ebb tide March 30.
This species was thought to have gone extinct in 1844.
Experts theorize that this individual may have been quick
frozen in polar ice before going extinct and was revived by
increasing sea temperatures. One problem: this North
Atlantic species is flightless.

Spring has sprung: And Seattle's nesting PEREGRINES have
three eggs in the nest as of March 30. The TV monitor in
the Washington Mutual Building provides the play-by-play
action.

Swallows have returned: TREE SWALLOWS AND VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWS have been widely reported on both sides of the
Cascades since late February, and CLIFF and ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOWS were reported near Bellingham last week.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS are back and a pair of GREEN HERONs is
building a nest just off the boardwalk at Juanita Bay Park
March 30. A singing SOLITARY VIREO was a bit early at Camp
Long in West Seattle March 30. A lone HERMIT THRUSH,
perhaps an early migrant, was at Woodland Park Zoo March 28.
An AMERICAN KESTREL is sometimes visible perched on power
poles beside the West Seattle Freeway bridge.

East of the Cascades we have widespread reports of returning
MOUNTAIN and WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, SAGE and VESPER SPARROWS,
SAGE THRASHERS, LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, and WHITE-THROATED
SWIFTS. CASPIAN TERNS were back at the Walla Walla River
delta March 31 and the MUTE SWAN is still present at the
McNary NWR as are 115 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE. A pair of
FERRUGINOUS HAWKS was back at the Lewandowski Rd. site n of
Sunnyside March 19: take care not to disturb these rare &
beautiful raptors.

TURKEY VULTURES were moving north along the east base of the
Cascades March 19. Two were were west of the Cascades near
Cathlamet west of Longview March 13, and two were over
Bainbridge Is. March 28.

An adult COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen at Pt. No Point
on the Kitsap Peninsula March 19 & 20; it was with a large
flock of BONAPARTE'S and other gulls; an adult LITTLE GULL
has also been seen with that flock off and on since March 1.
Call Vic Nelson at 638-2233 for an update. A CLARK'S GREBE
was with 600 WESTERN GREBES in Blakely Harbor on Bainbridge
Is. March 4.

The Hatheway's Mercer Island BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER is
still being seen regularly. Call Marilyn or Bill Hatheway
at 232-6199 to arrange a visit.

March 2 there were 150 MARBLED GODWITS and 3 WILLETS 1 mi
west of the North River on the n shore of Willapa Bay in
Pacific Co.

A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen near parking lot C on the
Ridgefield NWR March 17; it was being harassed by a HARLAN'S
RED-TAILED HAWK. Five GREAT EGRETS were at the junction of
Koonis and Dike Rds. just south of the refuge March 17 as
were numbers of SANDHILL CRANES. Six 1st year GLAUCOUS
GULLS were at Horseshoe Lake in Woodland, Cowlitz Co., March
13, continuing their mini-invasion of this winter. 1000
CACKLING CANADA GEESE at Ridgefield NWR March 13 is a very
high total.

A gray GYRFALCON was seen March 18 along Dodson Rd. 1 mi N
of I-90 west of Moses Lake. Two others were reported: one
March 15 on the Colville Plateau east of Monse in Okanogan
Co. and the other March 18 on the Waterville Plateau 5 mi n
of Sim's Corner in Douglas Co.

Several LAPLAND LONGSPURS with a few SNOW BUNTINGS were
found March 17 & 19 near the west end of Timentwa Rd on the
Colville Indian Reservation in Okanogan Co. This is DeLorme
Atlas pg. 100 & 101, C-5, T31N, R27E, Sects. 6 & 7.

For SAS field trips, or for information on conservation and
education issues please call the office at 523-4483 during
office hours, 10-4 Monday 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. Oh, yes, and "April Fools!"

***

Hello birders, this is the Bird Brain, voice of Seattle
Audubon's Bird Sightings Hotline for MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1995,
at 9 AM.

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

For sick or injured birds call PAWS at 743-3845 [or 743-
1884].

Spring has sprung: And Seattle's nesting PEREGRINES have
three eggs in the nest as of March 30. The TV monitor in
the Washington Mutual Building provides the play-by-play
action. An AMERICAN KESTREL is sometimes visible perched on
power poles beside the West Seattle Freeway bridge.

Rare migrants include an apparent adult BROAD-WINGED HAWK
over Richmond Beach March 31, a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE at
Magnuson Park April 2, and a MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD at Magnuson
Park April 7-10. Six CACKLING CANADA GEESE were on the
Montlake Fill April 9.

All our swallows have returned: TREE SWALLOWS AND VIOLET-
GREEN SWALLOWS have been widely reported on both sides of
the Cascades since late February. CLIFF, ROUGH-WINGED, and
BARN SWALLOWS were reported in early April at the Montlake
Fill and other spots near Seattle. Two PURPLE MARTINS had
returned to nest sites on the Hylebos Waterway in
Commencement Bay near Tacoma April 5 with others reported
April 9 at Nisqually NWR.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS, COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, and ORANGE-
CROWNED WARBLERS are in, as are SAVANNAH SPARROWS and the
pugetensis race of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW The OSPREYS
returned to the Carnation Marsh nest March 14, and a pair of
GREEN HERONs is building a nest just off the boardwalk at
Juanita Bay Park March 30. A singing SOLITARY VIREO was a
bit early at Camp Long in West Seattle March 30.

The Hatheway's Mercer Island BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER is
still being seen regularly. Call Marilyn or Bill Hatheway
at 232-6199 to arrange a visit.

A SNOW BUNTING was on Ediz Hook at Pt. Angeles April 3 and a
single CLARK'S GREBE was near the Edmonds fishing piers
April 4. A SCRUB JAY was on the 13th Divison Prairie at Ft.
Lewis April 3. A free-flying male MANDARIN DUCK was among a
flock of WOOD DUCKS at Johnson Lake on Ft. Lewis March 30.

East of the Cascades we have widespread reports of returning
MOUNTAIN and WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, SAGE and VESPER SPARROWS,
SAGE THRASHERS, LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, and WHITE-THROATED
SWIFTS. CASPIAN TERNS and AMERICAN AVOCETS were back at the
Walla Walla River delta March 31. A pair of FERRUGINOUS
HAWKS was back at the Lewandowski Rd. site n of Sunnyside
March 19: take care not to disturb these rare & beautiful
raptors.

A male TUFTED DUCK was on Brown Lake between Omak and
Concunnully April 2. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD has been seen
regularly at a feeder in Spokane. Call 509-924-6778 for
details. Also near Spokane is a pair of BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKERS nesting in a burn along SR 291 along the Spokane
R. about 1 mile s of Seven Mile just nw of Spokane. A
THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was reported at the Hyak parking area
just east of Snoqualmie Pass April 1.

TURKEY VULTURES were moving north along the east base of the
Cascades March 19. Two were were west of the Cascades near
Cathlamet west of Longview March 13, and two were over
Bainbridge Is. March 28.

An adult COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen at Pt. No Point
on the Kitsap Peninsula March 19 & 20; it was with a large
flock of BONAPARTE'S and other gulls; an adult LITTLE GULL
has also been seen with that flock off and on since March 1.
Call Vic Nelson at 638-2233 for an update. A CLARK'S GREBE
was with 600 WESTERN GREBES in Blakely Harbor on Bainbridge
Is. March 4.

A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen near parking lot C on the
Ridgefield NWR March 17; it was being harassed by a HARLAN'S
RED-TAILED HAWK. Five GREAT EGRETS were at the junction of
Koonis and Dike Rds. just south of the refuge March 17 as
were numbers of SANDHILL CRANES. 1000 CACKLING CANADA GEESE
at Ridgefield NWR March 13 is a very high total.

A gray GYRFALCON was seen March 18 along Dodson Rd. 1 mi N
of I-90 west of Moses Lake. Two others were reported: one
March 15 on the Colville Plateau east of Monse in Okanogan
Co. and the other March 18 on the Waterville Plateau 5 mi n
of Sim's Corner in Douglas Co.

Several LAPLAND LONGSPURS with a few SNOW BUNTINGS were
found March 17 & 19 near the west end of Timentwa Rd on the
Colville Indian Reservation in Okanogan Co. This is DeLorme
Atlas pg. 100 & 101, C-5, T31N, R27E, Sects. 6 & 7.

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