Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: March 22, 1996
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at oneworld.owt.com

Birds reported:

Dunlin
Long-billed Curlew
Western Bluebird
Sage Sparrow
Rock Wren
Say's Phoebe
Violet-green Swallow
White-throated Swift
Glaucous Gull
Tundra Swan
Merlin
Caspian Tern
American Avocet
Cliff Swallow

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for March 22,
1996. For any questions regarding LCBAS call Mike Lilga at 946-8966.

On March 16, Dennis Rockwell counted 154 DUNLIN on the Walla Walla Delta.
On the same day, my neighbor told me he had seen 3 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS fly
over my house. However, my wife and I were birding along Case Road, on the
south side of Rattlesnake Mountain and found a single female WESTERN
BLUEBIRD among the more common birds.

On March 17, visiting birders from Vancouver, BC told Nancy LaFramboise that
they had seen a LONG-BILLED CURLEW near Sunnyside, so they are indeed back.
(Long-billed Curlews are now being seen along Horn Rapids Road - a good
place to find them locally.)

Also on March 17, Tony Greager found a SAGE SPARROW just south of Kennewick
on Olympia. On Owens Road, a continuation of Olympia, he found some ROCK
WRENS. A SAY'S PHOEBE was seen at the Owens Ranch site. While further
along his route, Tony observed 20 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, 1-3 WHITE THROATED
SWIFTS, and 3 SAY'S PHOEBES in the Wallula Gap area, a first year GLAUCOUS
GULL at the compost piles near the pulp mill and a pair of TUNDRA SWAN at
the McNary Refuge.

A MERLIN, visiting his yard, probably with supper in mind, was reported by
Bill LaFramboise on March 18.

A CASPIAN TERN visiting Two Rivers County Park on March 19 was noted by
Dennis Rockwell.

Two days later, March 21, on the Walla Walla Delta, I found 2 AMERICAN
AVOCETS, 190 DUNLIN, the first year GLAUCOUS GULL, and 2 CASPIAN TERNS.

Finally, just prior to this message (3/22), Nancy LaFramboise saw 5 CLIFF
SWALLOWS flying in the canyon paralleling Leslie Road.

To report your own sightings, please give your name, phone number and
sightings after the tone. Thank you.


Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland, WA
wlafra at oneworld.owt.com