-RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* February 16, 1996
* IDWA9602.16

-birds mentioned

Eurasian Wigeon
Barrow's Goldeneye
Harlequin Duck
Glaucous Gull
Mew Gull
Dunlin
Long-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Pygmy-owl
White-winged Crossbill


-transcript

HOTLINE: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
Date: February 16, 1996
Phone: (208) 882-6195
Compiler: Kas Dumroese
Transcriber: Dale Goble
gobled at uidaho.edu


This is Kas Dumroese with the northern Idaho / eastern Washington /
northeastern Oregon bird hotline.

February 10 Mike and MerryLynn Denny found a male EURASIAN
WIGEON at the Walla Walla River delta in western Walla Walla County
Washington. Also there were 2 adult and 1 second-winter GLAUCOUS
GULLS. On February 12, 6 DUNLIN were at the delta. The Walla Walla
River Delta is about 30 miles west of Walla Walla at the Columbia River,
just north of the junction of US 12 and US 730. Cross the Walla Walla
River and go 0.2 mile more. Just before milepost 307, take the gravel
road on the west side of the road. See Washington DeLorme p. 40, d-1.

A single MEW GULL was the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, City Beach on
January 26, according to Bill Gundlach.

Dan Svingen saw 50 or so WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS on February 11
just south of Grangeville, Idaho. The birds were at the Fish Creek cross-
country skiing parking lot. If you're looking at your DeLorme, check p.
55, c-4 -- the parking lot is right where the Snowhaven skier is located on
the map.

The female HARLEQUIN DUCK discovered a month or so ago in Walla
Walla was relocated on February 12 by Mike and MerryLynn Denny. The
bird was near the Mill Creek project office, about 300 yards east of the
community college.

Lots of hooting owls about. Andy Stepniewski reports a pair of tooting
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS in his Wapato, Washington yard. Shirley
Sturts has a calling NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL behind her home in Fernan
Lake, just east of Coeur d'Alene, and as I record this report tonight, a
Great Horn is hooting from my roof. Mike and MerryLynn Denny report 7
LONG-EARED OWLS near Clyde, Washington on February 13.
Washington DeLorme p. 41, a-5.

Unusual for the Palouse region was a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
just east of Moscow. The bird was near Robinson Park which used to be
Robinson Lake, although it was more lake-like than park-like this past
week.

Sure signs of spring this past week included many reports of SAY'S
PHOEBES from Washington and Idaho; AMERICAN ROBINS building nests
in Lewiston, Idaho; RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on territory throughout
the region; CANADA GEESE occupying a nest box near Moscow; a
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW near the Tri-cities yesterday; a singing
RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEE and a bat near Viola, Idaho; and the Sagebrush
Buttercups, a native wildflower, are blooming on Paradise Ridge near
Moscow.

Good birding!