Transcribed by Lisa M. Smith
subplot at u.washington.edu
phone (206) 523-9229

The Washington BirdBox is a voice mailbox sponsored by the Washington
Ornithological Society. To leave a message about a notable sighting, or
to listen to the 12 most recent messages, call (206) 454-2662 and follow
the prompts. First-time BirdBox users may find it convenient, before
calling, to review the status of Washington's chickadee species.

[Mailbox previously checked at 7 a.m. Friday, 6 December.]

11:58 a.m. 12-06-96: Anna Coles, Seattle, Washington, reporting on Friday,
December sixth, about a sighting yesterday, Thursday, December fifth.
Several people in the School of Social Work on the University of
Washington campus saw what they called a "large white owl." It sounds a
lot like a SNOWY OWL--this is a second-hand report--that stayed most of
the day Thursday, December fifth, on the roof of one or two restaurants
across the alley from the Social Work Library. The Social Work Library is
on 15th Avenue NE (I think it's between 41st and 42nd), and the owl was on
the roofs of the restaurants between 41st and 42nd on University Way, or
"the Ave." [The owl] spent most of the day there; it was there 'til 6 p.m.
Several people saw it. People said they saw dark spots on the back and
head of the bird. It seemed alert. One of the people who saw it called the
Audubon Society, so there may be another record for it. It wasn't there
again this morning, but this is a report of a probable SNOWY OWL on the
University campus Thursday, December fifth.

1:30 p.m. 12-07-96: Ralph Risch--[message was cut off]

1:33 p.m. 12-07-96: Ralph Risch at 746-6181. [I] saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE out
in the Larsen Lake blueberry farm in Bellevue yesterday the sixth at
around noon, and he seems to be bopping around in there, so you'll
probably be able to see him from the trail that goes through.

4:35 p.m. 12-08-96: Steven Mlodinow. Steve Pink, Jim Flynn, and I went up
to Skagit County today, running away from the rain further to the south.
The WATER THRUSH was still at the Skagit Headquarters as were 1 or 2
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS. At the house in Bayview, at 1131 Bayview Edison
Road, the SCRUB JAY was still present, and across the street from that
yard there were 4 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS. Also, at the corner of Bayview Edison
Road and U.S. 20, or thereabouts, there were 2 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS.
Other highlights include EMU, OSTRICH, GUINEA FOWL, RED JUNGLE FOWL,
and... oh, PEACOCK, yes! We actually did have one other real bird--that
was along Skagit City Road north of Fir Island Road. In a flock of TUNDRA
SWANS and SNOW GEESE, there was an apparent ROSS'S-SNOW hybrid. This was
an immature bird that was mostly gray, like most immature SNOW GEESE, but
was clearly smaller, [with a] proportionately smaller bill--and shorter
bill--head shape seen somewhat intermediate between ROSS'S and SNOW GEESE.
That's about it. Good luck and good birding.

6:26 p.m. 12-08-96: George Gertz, calling in a sighting from Indian
Island, along with Nigel Ball and Thomas Ball. [We] had a sighting of a
Stint species--we thought RED-NECKED STINT--on the flats just as you come
onto Maristone [sp?] Island. It was seen from about 9 o'clock to 3:30 this
afternoon. The bird spent a good part of the high tide area on the jetty
at the Oak Bay parking lot. For further details, you can give George a
call at 206-842-8138, or Nigel Ball at 206-780-1437. Good luck finding it.
I think that bird should hang around. It was with a flock of about 40
DUNLIN and some SURFBIRDS and BLACK TURNSTONES.

8:34 a.m. 12-09-96: Mike Weil [sp?] of Redmond, 868-4679. Just of interest
to King County birders: Yesterday, on Sunday, I did the Carnation Farms
Road, and in-between the actual Nestle-Carnation training facility and the
bridge over the Snoqualmie River, there were approximately 80 MOURNING
DOVES in groups of about 30 in the trees on the north-hand side of the
road--just the small trees, specifically the ones overlooking the nature
sanctuary there--right next to the building with all the tires in front of
it. Just a ton of MOURNING DOVES. Good luck and good birding.

[Mailbox last checked at 6 p.m. Monday, 9 December 1996.]