> This leads me to the question of, does anyone know which rare bird
> hotline I should call to report birds in the Cle Elum area? Thank you
>for your help.
>
> Donna Ferrill
> Brdr1 at aol.com
> Mukilteo/Cle Elum WA


The Washington Ornithological Society BirdBox offers statewide coverage
(206-454-2662). So does the Seattle Audubon Society RBA (206-933-1831)
which is a weekly summary tape compiled from various sources, including
the BirdBox. Both are transcribed onto tweeters (at least they have been
recently). The Lower Columbia Basin hotline in the Tri-Cities does not
usually include Kittitas County sightings, nor does the Palouse Audubon
Society's hotline in Moscow that typically covers the eastern edge of the
state along with northern Idaho and northeastern Oregon. Transcriptions
of these two regional hotlines are also posted to tweeters as updated
(approximately weekly). But none of the four rare bird phone lines is
truly comprehensive in coverage. All in all, phoning interesting
sightings in to the BirdBox is probably the best way to get the word out
to the broadest audience quickly since they are available to callers
immediately, without waiting for hotline tapes to be updated.

Hal Opperman
halop at u.washington.edu
phone 206-635-0503