Subject: Seattle Audubon bird hotline for 2-17 & 2-25-95 by E. Hunn
Date: Feb 27 08:23:56 1995
From: Eugene Hunn - hunn at u.washington.edu


Hello birders, this is the Bird Brain, voice of Seattle
Audubon's Equal Opportunity Bird Sightings Hotline for
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1995, at 8 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].

The adult male FALCATED TEAL has been seen daily through
February 8th on Tofino Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver
Island. Look for it at low tide off Sharpe Rd. in Tofino.
For details call the Victoria, BC, bird hotline at 604-592-
3381.

The EMPEROR GOOSE is still being seen through Feb. 11 on
Graveyard Spit, the southern extremity of the Dungeness
Spit. Look for it from the parking lot at the Oyster
factory. A second EMPEROR has been hanging out in La Push
for the past two months. Look for it at the end of River
Rd. at the Quilleute Seafood Co. Two ROCK SANDPIPERS were
with other rock shorebirds at Ediz Hook at Pt. Angeles Feb.
6

A single SNOWY OWL was seen sw of Moses Lake along Potato
Hill Rd. 1/4 mi south of Baseline Rd. Access is south off
I-90 via SR 17. A hardy BURROWING OWL has made it through
the winter so far at the east bound onramp of I-90 at
George.

A gray GYRFALCONs was seen February 14 on the Samish Flats
along Bayview-Edison Rd. s of the T-junction. A male
EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was on the Samish River at the
bridge Feb. 16. A report of a STILT SANDPIPER with LONG-
BILLED DOWITCHERS at the first slough crossing on the
Bayview-Edison Rd. north of SR 20 would be the first ever
winter record for this species, but verification is needed.

Two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were seen at the Skagit WMA near
the parking lot at the boat launch Feb. 9 and an AMERICAN
TREE SPARROW was spotted there Feb. 11. Two SHORT-EARED OWLS
were seen at the Jensen Access on the Skagit WMA FEBRUARY
11.

The adult male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER remains a regular
visitor at Marilyn & Bill Hatheway's Mercer Is. feeder.
Call ahead at 232-6199 to arrange a visit. A TOWNSEND'S
SOLITAIRE has been hanging out for the past three weeks on
Finn Hill at the Denny Park Heights subdivision on 120th Pl
in se Seattle. A male HARLEQUIN DUCK is hanging near shore
north of Shilshole Marina at Golden Gardens Park. The
HARRIS' SPARROW was relocated Feb. 12 at the Edmonds marsh
near observation platform #4.

Immature GLAUCOUS GULLS are reported at Pt. No Point through
Feb. 13, at the Anacortes ferry dock Feb. 11, and at the
Dungeness Light house also Feb. 11.

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD has been seen regularly just west of
Montesano in Grays Harbor Co. Cross the Wynoochee River
bridge, then turn left on Aldergrove St. and continue to the
end at Devonshire. It has been seen through Feb. 6 in the
apple tree on the se corner of this intersection or along
the the railroad tracks.

Feb. 5 there were 366 MARBLED GODWITS and 10 WILLETS in one
flock 2 mi southeast of the North River on the n shore of
Willapa Bay in Pacific Co., while 37 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS
were nearby that day at Tokeland.

Fifteen LONG-BILLED CURLEWS were at the North Cove mud flat
at Ocean Shores Feb. 5, as was a single winter adult BLACK-
LEGGED KITTIWAKE at the Ocean Shores STP. A PALM WARBLER was
reported near the Silver King Motel at the Ocean Shores
Marina and two ROCK SANDPIPERs were with a flock of
SURFBIRDS and BLACK TURNSTONES on the Ocean Shores Jetty,
both Feb. 6.

Two spots for WHITE-TAILED KITES near Chehalis are west of
I-5 off SR 6. The first is along SR 6 between Goff Rd and
Adna High School 3.5 miles west of I-5 near a red barn on a
curve. The other is south from SR 6 via Curtis Hill Rd. 4.5
mi to Boistfort Valley Rd, then left 1 mile to King Rd.,
then left on King 0.3 mi. Another WHITE-TAILED KITE was on
the Columbia White-tailed Deer Refuge west of Cathlamet Feb.
4 and yet another was spotted at Westport where the road
turns off toward the jetty Jan. 30.

A flock of 2000+ SNOW BUNTINGS was spotted Feb 9 southeast
of Omak on the Colville Indian Reservation in Okanogan
County. The flock was foraging along the road east of
Monse, DeLorme Atlas pg. 100, C-4. Nearby that day a
LAPLAND LONGSPUR was found with a flock of 40 SNOW BUNTINGS
along Timentwa Rd., 1/2 mi e of the Wakefield/Cameron Lake
Rd.

Mike Denny reports 8 LESSER GOLDFINCHES at Lyle Feb. 3 and
six immature GLAUCOUS GULLS at the so-called poop piles
north of the Wallula pulp mill in Walla Walla Co., Feb. 10.

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.

***

Hello birders, this is the Bird Brain, voice of Seattle
Audubon's Bird Sightings Hotline for SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25,
1995, at 10 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].

Spring has sprung: Swallows have returned: TREE SWALLOWS
were noted at Ridgefield NWR Feb. 20 and at Nisqually NWR
Feb. 21; VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were spotted over Lake
Sammamish State Park Feb. 23.

The adult male FALCATED TEAL has been seen daily through
February 19th on Tofino Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver
Island. Look for it at low tide off Sharpe Rd. in Tofino.
For details call the Victoria, BC, bird hotline at 604-592-
3381.

The EMPEROR GOOSE is still being seen through Feb. 29 on
Graveyard Spit, the southern extremity of the Dungeness
Spit. Look for it from the parking lot at the Oyster
factory. A second EMPEROR has been hanging out in La Push
for the past two months. Look for it at the end of River
Rd. at the Quilleute Seafood Co. A MARBLED GODWIT was seen
from the Oyster house parking lot Feb. 19 & 20. Two ROCK
SANDPIPERS were with other rock shorebirds at Ediz Hook at
Pt. Angeles Feb. 6

A single adult SNOWY OWL was seen sw of Moses Lake along
Potato Hill Rd. 1/4 mi south of Baseline Rd. Access is
south off I-90 via SR 17. A second adult SNOWY OWL was
spotted by the SAS winter tour group ca. 2 miles N of
Lamoine Rd/8th NW along F NW/Logan Rd. northeast of Douglas
on the Waterville Plateau, DeLorme Atlas pg. 84, T26 N, R24
E, Sect. 7. A hardy BURROWING OWL was seen Feb. 11 at the
east bound on-ramp of I-90 at George.

A gray GYRFALCON was seen February 22 at the Jensen Access
to the Skagit WMA on Fir Island. Several immature GLAUCOUS
GULLS have been reported in gull flocks on the Samish Flats.
The guidebooks can be misleading. First winter GLAUCOUS
GULLS can be very pale, but should have dark eyes; 2nd
winter birds retain the pink bill with neat black tip but
should have pale eyes and some gray on the back. Other
immature GLAUCOUS GULLS were reported at Pt. No Point
through Feb. 13, at the Anacortes ferry dock Feb. 11, and at
the Dungeness Light house also Feb. 11.

A bright PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER was conspicuous in a flock of
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and DUNLINS along the Bayview-Edison
Rd. s of the T-junction with Samish Is. Rd. on the Samish
Flats Feb. 19 & 20. A STILT SANDPIPER was reported with
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS at the first slough crossing on the
Bayview-Edison Rd. north of SR 20 Feb. 9. Both are
outstanding winter records.

A female PINE GROSBEAK was near the American Camp Historical
Park Interpretive Center on San Juan Island FEb. 21. WHITE-
THROATED SPARROWS, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and a SWAMP
SPARROW have been seen near the boat launch near the Skagit
WMA headquaters in recent weeks. Two SHORT-EARED OWLS were
seen at the Jensen Access on the Skagit WMA Feb. 11, while
six-eight SHORT-EARED OWLS appear to be wintering on the
Lummi Flats north of Bellingham.

The adult male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER remains a regular
visitor at Marilyn & Bill Hatheway's Mercer Is. feeder.
Call ahead at 232-6199 to arrange a visit. The beach south
of Alki Pt. at low tide hosted 55 SURFBIRDS and 3 BLACK
TURNSTONES Feb. 18The HARRIS' SPARROW was relocated Feb. 12-
22 at the Edmonds marsh near observation platform #4.

Feb. 5 there were 366 MARBLED GODWITS and 10 WILLETS in one
flock 2 mi southeast of the North River on the n shore of
Willapa Bay in Pacific Co., while 37 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS
were nearby that day at Tokeland. Fifteen LONG-BILLED
CURLEWS were at the North Cove mud flat at Ocean Shores Feb.
5. A PALM WARBLER was reported near the Silver King Motel at
the Ocean Shores Marina and two ROCK SANDPIPERs were with a
flock of SURFBIRDS and BLACK TURNSTONES on the Ocean Shores
Jetty, both Feb. 6.

WHITE-TAILED KITES are reported near Chehalis west of I-5
off SR 6 between Goff Rd and Adna High School 3.5 miles west
of I-5 and south from SR 6 on King Rd. via Curtis Hill and
Boistfort Valley Rds. Other WHITE-TAILED KITEs were on the
Columbia White-tailed Deer Refuge west of Cathlamet Feb. 4
and at Westport where the road turns off toward the jetty
Jan. 30. A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen at parking lot C on
the Ridgefield NWR Feb. 20. A SWAMP SPARROW was also at
that spot.

A flock of 2500+ SNOW BUNTINGS was spotted Feb 9 & 18 seven
miles east of Monse along the Wakefield-Cameron Lake Rd. on
the Colville Indian Reservation in Okanogan County: DeLorme
Atlas pg. 100, C-4, T31N, R26E, Sect. 33. A LAPLAND
LONGSPUR was found with a flock of 40 SNOW BUNTINGS nearby
Feb. 9 along Timentwa Rd., 1/2 mi e of the Wakefield/Cameron
Lake Rd. A flock of 500 SNOW BUNTINGS was along F NW/Logan
Rd. 2 mi N of Lamoine Rd./8th NW on the Waterville Plateau
Feb. 19, not far from the Snowy Owl.

Large flocks of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were reported last weekend
in Ellensburg, n of Chelan Falls on McNeil Canyon Rd., and
just east of Oroville along the Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd. A
flock of 50+ GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES was seen foraging
along SR 17 six-eight mi N of the town of Soap Lake Feb. 18
& 20. SAY'S PHOEBES had returned to several Columbia Basin
locations by Feb. 12+. Mike Denny reports six immature
GLAUCOUS GULLS at the so-called poop piles north of the
Wallula pulp mill in Walla Walla Co., Feb. 10.

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.