Subject: Washington BirdBox: May 30 through June 25
Date: Jun 27 21:42:16 1996
From: "Lisa M. Smith" - subplot at u.washington.edu


WASHINGTON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY BIRDBOX
30 May to June 25 1996

Prepared by Lisa Smith and Russell Rogers. Minor editorial changes have
been made to some messages to enhance readability.

The BirdBox is a service of the Washington Ornithological Society (WOS).
To access the BirdBox call (206) 454-2662 and follow the directions.
Black-capped, Chestnut-Backed, Mountain and Boreal Chickadees are resident
in Washington State.

To Join WOS send check for $20.00 for single membership or $25.00 for
family membership to: WOS, Post Office Box 31783, Seattle, Washington
98103-1783.

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9:24 a.m. 05/30/96: Chris Chapel, 360/705-8361. I want to report a
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW seen on Thursday, May 23rd. [An] adult. This was
west of Richland. Interstate 82. Take the Benton City exit. Go south on
Weber Canyon Road approximately one-fourth mile. Turn right on McBee Road,
or McBee Grade. That's a gravel road. You'll be following McBee Road more
or less west for approximately a mile. I don't have an exact mileage
figure on that, but you'll be passing through a large native grassland
owned by BLM. When you get to the top of the slope, there'll be a dirt
road turning off to the right off the main gravel road. At that
intersection, right at the top of the slope, you'll see a stand of big
sagebrush. The BLACK-THROATED SPARROW was seen in this stand of big
sagebrush right near that intersection. It's mature big sagebrush. It was
around noon on the 23rd. The bird was quite visible and active.

12:02 a.m. 06/02/96: Steven Mlodinow. Went out to Spencer Island June
first in the afternoon. Had 3 or so EASTERN KINGBIRDS, which were actually
on the extreme north end of Edie Island but were easily visible from the
east side of Spencer Island north of the crossdike. Also, from the
crossdike looking north, there was a male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, which
was singing. At the Everett Sewage Ponds, visible from the gravel road
along the south side, there was quite a number of SCAUP, including a pair
of courting GREATER SCAUP, a good number of BUFFLEHEAD, and a RING-NECKED.

9:30 p.m. 06/02/96: Dave Beaudette, 206/365-2083. On the evening of June
2nd, the 3 EASTERN KINGBIRDS were still present along the north dike road
at the northeast corner of Spencer Island. Also, an adult ARCTIC TERN was
at the Everett Sewage Ponds, both north and south of the gravel road.

10:54 a.m. 06/03/96: Chris Middleton, 523-4179. I don't know if it's
worthy of the BirdBox, but I've been seeing a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE at Magnuson
Park on Sandpoint in Seattle. I've seen it several times the last week of
May, and it's kinda on the north slope of the hill where people fly kites.

12:16 p.m. 06/04/96: Steven Mlodinow. Steve Pink and I birded around
Everett, after being shown HERMIT WARBLERS down at McChord Air Force Base.
Highlights included six species of SWALLOWS at the Everett Sewage Ponds,
the best of which was a BANK SWALLOW. Then, at the Everett Public Boat
Launch area, we were able to see 3 ARCTIC TERNS, heard a PURPLE MARTIN,
which was our seventh species of swallow, and had six species of GULL,
including a very fine adult WESTERN GULL and an immature MEW GULL.

2:40 p.m. 06/04/96: Doug Knutsen in Hansville at the north tip of Kitsap
Peninsula. My wife and I saw a BLUE JAY on Saturday morning, June first,
at our house on Skunk Bay. The BLUE JAY was apparently in the company of a
STELLER'S JAY. I can be reached at 356-5405 during the workday.

11:15 p.m. 06/04/96: Dan Stephens. On Sunday June 2nd, at Meadow Creek
Campground, I got a good look at a bright LE CONTE'S SPARROW. The location
of Meadow Creek Campground is Township 27 north, range 17 east, section 3
and southeast, northeast [T27N, R17E S3 SE NE]. It's on Delorme Atlas,
page 82. It's two miles north of Fish Lake, which is right near Lake
Wenatchee. Feel free to give me a call if you want more details. It's easy
to find. My office number is 509/664-2503, and my home is 509/662-7443.
I'll be going back up Saturday to look for it again, but I'd appreciate
other people getting up there and trying to relocate it.

8:20 a.m. 06/06/96: Scott Hoskin, 206/789-8990. I'd like to leave a
message to thank the person who put up a PURPLE MARTIN box where I saw the
PURPLE MARTIN last week down in Shilshoe. I went down to check, and they
are in the process of building a nest right now. So, thanks again whoever
did that. [You] can give me a call if [you] need help with keeping up or
monitoring [the Purple Martins'] progress.

9:28 p.m. 06/07/96: Gary Blech [sp?], 360/853-7203. Today June 7th I found
one EASTERN and one WESTERN KINGBIRD at Corkendale. That's just west of
Marble Mount on Highway 20 in Skagit County, where the big power lines
cross the highway.

12:21 p.m. 06/08/96: Dave Rudehome [sp?], 509/997-2167. A male singing
MAGNOLIA WARBLER was present, located near Twisp, Washington, 6.36 miles
up. Please call for directions if interested. This is Saturday, June 1,
about 12:30. [Dave corrects this date in a second message below.]

4:06 p.m. 06/08/96: Tracee Geernaert, 206/938-6301. A single EASTERN
KINGBIRD was again present on Spencer Island on the east side of the
crossdike trail facing Edie Island. It was flycatching in Steamboat Slough
there. It's June 8th. It was there about 9:30 or so.

6:19 p.m. 06/08/96: Dave Rudehome [sp?], 509/997-2167. Apparently, I made
an error on my last recording about the male MAGNOLIA WARBLER. It was
found today, which is June 8th, not June 1. The bird has been singing and
sticking to a regular spot all day long. Feel free to call me to get
directions. It's out at Twisp 6.36 miles up ??? [sounds like Tishera] Road
and then up a dirt road to my home.

10:42 p.m. 06/08/96: Steve Mlodinow. Today Steve Pink and I went birding
mostly along the Snohomish River or Skykomish River drainage all the way
from the mountains and all the way down to the Everett Sewage Ponds area.
The first thing we had were some DUSKY FLYCATCHERS. This is the same spot
they nested last year. To get there, go to Skykomish on US 2 and take
Forest Road 65 north into Snohomish County. Shortly after entering the
county two roads will branch off together to the right. One is 6530; the
other is 6520. Take 6520 until it essentially ends and 6526 begins. At
that turn there is an old road, which is now a path, that continues in the
direction that 6520 was headed. Walk along here and there are at least 3
DUSKIES along here. Last year there were up to seven, so I imagine there
may even be more. Also, from that area further up from 6526 until 6526
ends, there were a fair number of TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES. We had at least
seven.

Going back to Forest Road 65, you go north from 6520. A couple of stream
crossings up, we had a HARLEQUIN DUCK. Also nearby a GOLDEN EAGLE. Then
back down toward Startup on Kellogg Lake Road, go north from US 2 to the
first road that goes off to the left. Go a quarter of a mile roughly, and
there was a LAZULI BUNTING singing there, as it has been since the spring.
Down at Spencer Island along with the WESTERN KINGBIRD we had 2 female
PURPLE MARTINS and a BANK SWALLOW. And then at the public boat launch at
the Port of Everett--the program cut me off. I believe I was at a WESTERN
GULL at the Port of Everett, and finally, 5 PURPLE MARTINS at the Port of
Everett, a male and four females, apparently ignoring the boxes that were,
I presume, put up for them.

10:48 p.m. 06/08/96: Steven Mlodinow. An addendum to the next message [on
the tape, which is actually the previous message in the transcript]: there
are two birds I forgot, one of which is a HORNED GREBE at the Everett
Sewage Ponds, and the other one was a COMMON NIGHTHAWK, flying over the
Silver Lake area in south Everett.

5:47 a.m. 06/09/96: Scott Atkinson, 360/691-7232. No luck on either of the
KINGBIRDS along Route 20 at Corkendale, but I did find the AMERICAN
REDSTARTS at ??? just northeast of Marble Mount just before the Whatcom
County sign where you cross into Whatcom County. Just on the river side of
Route 20, look for a small otter pond. There was a female singing
continuously. [See Scott's addendum below for a correction.] Also had a
count of 4 LAZULI BUNTINGS at various places. These were all singing males
between Rockport and Marble Mount. And then, for Sunday June 2nd, I'd like
to belatedly report 2 RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS at the south shore of Lake
McMurray.

10:17 p.m. 06/09/96: Scott Atkinson, 360/691-7232. I have one more good
bird from Skagit County. Today June 9th, at approximately 8:30 a.m., at
the meeting point of Mann Road with Fir Island Road immediately west of
Conway, a single BLUE JAY. The bird flew in from the east and continued in
that direction and, unfortunately, could not be found subsequently in
Conway itself; so it's presumed to have continued eastward. I'd also like
to make a correction on the AMERICAN REDSTARTS reported a couple of
messages back. The best entry point is a small dirt road .3 miles south of
the Whatcom County sign. This is on the river side of Route 20. You walk a
very short distance down that road, and you'll see the otter pond on your
left. This is where the female was singing.

6:01 a.m. 06/10/96: Dave Beaudette, 206/365-2083, for June the 9th. In
Okanagan County the MAGNOLIA WARBLER was present from 9 to 10 a.m. at the
site previously noted in the BirdBox. [Then] in King County there is an
old, unsigned, paved road that heads west from Stevens Pass and is north
of US 2. Go down this road 1.4 miles to the first switchback. At this
point was a singing NASHVILLE WARBLER and a singing DUSKY FLYCATCHER. In
Snohomish County, the LAZULI BUNTING was present at the site north of
Startup as previously noted by Steve Mlodinow.

8:25 a.m. 06/10/96: Steve Mlodinow. Yesterday morning Casey and I were
waiting to be seated at Anthony's. [We] took a walk outside with our
binoculars and had 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, which is, I believe, a first
Snohomish County record. They were flying south along Jetty Island and
then landed in the southern portion of Jetty Island, which is mostly rock.

9:17 a.m. 06/10/96: Susan McDougal, 206/542-2840. I'd like to report that
on June 1st we saw 6 VESPER SPARROWS on Stuart Island, which is in the
north San Juans.

3:58 p.m. 06/10/96: Joe Miles, 206/639-0123. I was birding east of Kent on
Saturday morning, June 8th. I saw an unusual duck. I've looked it up, and
it's a RINGED TEAL, native to South America. It was sighted east of the
intersection of the Kent STP highway and 124th Avenue SE. It was a male.

9:53 p.m. 06/10/96: Kevin Aenerud, 523-6195, calling to report a LEAST
FLYCATCHER seen today, June 10th, north of Cle Ellum just off Highway 97.
It was calling frequently and appears to be on territory. To find the
bird, go north on 97 from I-90. Take the right turn towards Liberty, and
in 4/10 of a mile look for a dirt road on the right side, which follows
down to the stream. Park nearby. Walk the dirt road upstream, and shortly
after passing under three utility lines, look for the FLYCATCHER on, or
near, the first cottonwoods on the left side of the dirt road. Also in the
cotton--[there's a glitch in the tape at this point] RED-NAPE SAPSUCKERS
were nesting.

9:21 p.m. 06/11/96: Ed Deal in Seattle, 723-4742. The AMERICAN REDSTART
was still present [this morning at 10:30] at the location described a few
messages back. Two birds were singing, only one seen. The one I saw fit
the description of a spring male, first year, basically female plumage
with some black in the bib area. Thanks for the excellent directions.

10:19 p.m. 06/12/96: Scott Ray, reporting for Mike Denny, who has a male
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK on territory east of Walla Walla up Koby Eye [sp?]
Creek. Mike's number is 509/529-0080.

7:43 p.m. 06/13/96: Patrick Sullivan from Tacoma, Washington,
206/564-7419. The male MAGNOLIA WARBLER previously reported on the BirdBox
was again noted today at 12:30 p.m. approximately seven miles west of
Twisp along Twisp River Road. The bird was very cooperative and sang quite
often. The birds [noted] in the area included VEERIES, RED-EYED VIREOS,
and several AMERICAN REDSTARTS.

12:35 p.m. 06/15/96: Steve Mlodinow. [I] spent from 6:30 to about 11 this
morning walking around Spencer Island and the Everett Sewage ponds.
Tallied about 68 species. Highlights included YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS
(there was a pair of these), at least 1 ARCTIC TERN, at least 1 BANK
SWALLOW, at least 1 PURPLE MARTIN, 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS, and an EASTERN
KINGBIRD--all of these on Spencer Island. Also, 6 COMMON LOONS flew over
in three groups, all in breeding plumage, heading downstream along the
Snohomish. There were also 16 species of duck, the highlight of which was
an AMERICAN WIGEON with six young.

3:29 p.m. 06/15/96: Wilson Cady, 360/835-5947. On June 11th on Belch Road
(at the pond Belch Road is in Klickitat County), there were 4 LESSER
GOLDFINCHES; and on June 15th at Steiggerwald NWR in Clark County,
unfortunately in an area closed to the public, there was 1 EASTERN
KINGBIRD and 1 LEAST FLYCATCHER.

5:21 p.m. 06/15/96: Kathleen Fullweiler [sp?], 623-6394. This is Saturday,
June 15th. I was over at the Montlake Fill by the University of
Washington, and I saw an EASTERN KINGBIRD. [I described it to] a woman who
was also birding, but did not see it, and she told me what it was. She
told me that it's a reportable bird, so that's what I'm doing.

10:44 p.m. 06/15/96: Scott Ray from Yakima. The LEAST FLYCATCHER near
Liberty and the singing male MAGNOLIA WARBLER near Twisp were both present
again today. The FLYCATCHER was seen about 11, and the MAGNOLIA WARBLER
about 5 this afternoon. For complete details on directions, listen to the
next few messages [refer to previous messages in this transcript].

10:19 p.m. 06/16/96: Dave Beaudette, 365-2083. Today, June 16th, I birded
the Beckler River drainage reached by way of Forest Service Road 65, which
heads north from U.S. 2 and starts just east of Skykomish. Go north on
Forest Service Road 65 and then right on 6520 to its junction with 6526.
Park and walk, continuing on 6520, which now becomes a footpath. Four
singing DUSKY FLYCATCHERS were found in the first mile and a half. And a
male drumming RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER was in the first patch of large trees
along the road approximately a mile and a half out.

11:15 a.m. 06/17/96: Scott Atkinson, reporting for Sunday, June 16th. I
went over to the Twisp site and found the male MAGNOLIA WARBLER just
before noon. Interestingly enough, I also heard secondhand of a report of
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and INDIGO BUNTING in the area from other observers
there. On the way over, in Skagit County, there were 3 EASTERN KINGBIRDS
at the Corkendale powerline crossing along Route 20. I also stopped at the
Mount Hardy burn just before Rainier Pass. There wasn't much in the burn
itself, but adjacent to the parking area there were 2 THREE-TOED
WOODPECKERS in heavy forest at the start of the trail. There was also 1
DUSKY FLYCATCHER and an out-of-place LAZULI BUNTING in the open area
there. Also, lastly, the 2 AMERICAN REDSTARTS were still at the county
line site northeast of Marble Mount.

8:05 p.m. 06/17/96: Barry Levine, 206/526-8676. Tonight, Monday June 17th,
at 7:30 I saw a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD in my neighborhood. That is located
on NE 72nd Street between Roosevelt and 12th Avenue NE. If you're
interested or want more info, please give me a call.

8:59 a.m. 06/19/96: Hal Michael in Olympia, Washington, 360/902-2659.
There is a SNOW GOOSE in amongst a flock of CANADA GEESE at Marathon Park
in the Capitol Lake area. It's been with these CANADAS for about the last
week and a half.

11:33 p.m. 06/19/96: Wilson Cady, 360/835-5947. One LEAST FLYCATCHER at
Elk Meadows RV Park one mile west of Trout Lake, Klickitat County, found
along the trail about one-quarter mile downstream of the picnic area,
DeLorme Atlas page 34 D-3.

10:52 a.m. 06/20/96: Linda Gilbert in Goldendale, reporting a LEAST
FLYCATCHER at Trout Lake. Go west from the town of Trout Lake past the
ranger station on the left, and turn right on Lake Road. Follow this road
to the Trout Lake access, where the road is blocked and becomes a trail.
Follow the trail approximately a hundred yards as it parallels Trout Lake
Creek. The bird was singing--and this was yesterday the 19th that I saw
this bird--it was singing loudly and repeatedly from perches on both sides
of the trail.

8:32 p.m. 06/20/96: Bruce LaBar in Tacoma, Washington, 206/272-1058. I had
a chance to go up to Twisp today to see the MAGNOLIA WARBLER. It's still
there singing, as it has been for the last week or so. If you need current
directions, or if the directions are no longer on the BirdBox, call Dave
Rudehome [sp?] at 509/997-2167. He will also be able to give you an update
on whether or not the bird is still being seen, because he lives right up
at the place.

2:02 p.m. 06/21/96: Dewey Lonborg [sp?] in Bellingham, Washington. I had a
sighting on north Lake Whatcom in the Silver Beach area on June 19th in
the evening, June 20th in the afternoon, of a HOODED ORIOLE, first-year
male in the yellow color.

5:31 p.m. 06/21/96: Beck, 823-9692. In Juanita Bay Park, north of
Kirkland, there's an ORIOLE nest. Got to the boardwalk farthest from the
parking lot in the corner. At the very beginning of that, in a cottonwood
tree, is the ORIOLE nest. At the end of that boardwalk, there's a
PIED-BILL GREBE sitting on a nest with six eggs, very visible, should be
hatching momentarily.

9:10 p.m. 06/21/96: Gary Blech [sp?], 360/853-7203. Today, June 21st, at
the Hardy Burn parking lot was 1 DUSKY FLYCATCHER. And just five
reflectors east of the entrance road to the Hardy Burn on Highway 20 at a
sapsucker well was a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. In the road itself were a CASSIN
FINCH, 3 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, and a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER.

7:45 p.m. 06/22/96: Steven Mlodinow. Today on Whidbey Island the big
highlight was a YELLOW-BILLED LOON in basic plumage. To look for this
bird, take the ferry from Mukilteo over to Whidbey. Go up 525. Before the
town of Freeland, you'll see a road going off to your left called Double
Bluff Road. Take this road 'til it ends at Double Bluff Park and looks
south into Useless Bay. The bird was somewhat distant from this point but
could be approached further by walking along the mudflat at the edge of
the bay. At high tide you cannot walk this edge, because the only
accessible areas are private property. Also in this area were a couple of
RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS. [I] shorebirded up in the Vancouver area as well
as on Whidbey today. Had a few returning or over-summering shorebirds,
including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER, LESSER YELLOW-LEGS,
GREATER YELLOW-LEGS, and LEAST SANDPIPER.

2:34 p.m. 06/23/96: John McMillan, 206/632-8917, reporting half a dozen
BLACK SWIFTS over the trail just north of the barn on Spencer Island
Sunday morning.

7:53 a.m. 06/24/96: Ben Freeman. This weekend I went to the Dungeness
area. On Saturday I walked the spit and hald 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS and 4 BLACK
OYSTERCATCHERS past ??? Spit on the bay side. Also, 5 HEERMAN'S GULLS
near the base of the spit on the bay side that day. On the following
morning there were approximately a hundred newts, Ruskin Newts [I hope I
understood Ben correctly!], along the trail.

8:04 a.m. 06/24/96: Mike Weil of Redmond, 868-4679, reporting for a trip
to the Okanogan this weekend. Starting with the MAGNOLIA WARBLER, which
was still off Twisp River Road near Twisp. Dave Rudehome [sp?], who was
the originator of the report on this species, pointed it out to me.
Thanks, Dave, for that, and thanks also to Dave for pointing out a pair of
BARRED OWLS in the Loop-loop [sp?] Campground. [I] spent the night in
Loop-loop [sp?] and had them calling basically a good portion of the
night. I'd also like to report on the way up to Tiffany Mountain at the
Mount Baldy Pass, about 4 or 5 BOREAL CHICKADEES, as well as just over the
other side of the pass, a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER.

10:53 a.m. 06/24/96: Ed Swan, 206/725-5013. On June 22nd Linda Barnes and
I saw 1 female HARLEQUIN DUCK with two young swimming on the Methow River
downstream from Methow. Another single female was on a large rock in the
middle of the river.

6:29 p.m. 06/25/96: Dave Rudehome [sp?], 509/997-2167. The male MAGNOLIA
WARBLER is still present near Twisp, Washington. Today is Tuesday evening.
The bird's still singing fairly frequently and frequents the trees and
also the brush surrounding the area as described in previous messages. Use
those directions. The FLAMMULATED OWL was seen Sunday evening and is still
present in the area.