Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: April 16, 1997
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at oneworld.owt.com

Birds reported:

American Avocet
Caspian Tern
Violet-green Swallow
Osprey
Ross' Goose (12) Garfield county
Brewer's Sparrow
Swainson's Hawk
Clark's Grebe
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Forster's Tern
Lincoln's Sparrow
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Calliope Hummingbird

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for April 16,
1997. For any questions regarding LCBAS call Mike Lilga at 946-8966.

To skip the message, push the star button on your phone and give your name,
phone number, and sightings after the tone.

Nancy LaFramboise reported 6 AMERICAN AVOCET on the Yakima Delta on April 7,
4 AMERICAN AVOCET plus 1 COMMON SNIPE on April 8, and on April 9 birding the
delta and Bateman Island with Ruth Fischer, Nancy and Ruth observed 3 WOOD
DUCKS, CASPIAN TERNS, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS 2 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS and a
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD.

Susan McCrary reported that as of April 12, OSPREYS have returned to the
nest on the tower in Sacajawea State Park.

Speaking of OSPREY, I (Bob Woodley) have seen them on the nesting platform
opposite the Hanford House and on the nest on the power pole opposite
Newcomer Street, both nests are on the Franklin county side of the Columbia
river.

Also on April 12, Mike and MerryLynn Denny found a flock of 12 ROSS' GEESE
plus 1 SNOW GOOSE at Willow Bar on the Snake River in Garfield county.
While somewhat far afield, this sighting is highly noteworthy for the number
of Ross' Geese.

On April 13, Bill and Nancy & Bill LaFramboise with Craig Corder and Judy
Stevens birded the south side of Rattlesnake Mountain and found most of the
bird species associated with sagebrush, the BREWER'S SPARROWS being
particularly vocal, and reported the first locally observed SWAINSON'S HAWK.

Nancy LaFramboise and I birded the Yakima delta and Bateman Island on April
15 and saw 2 CLARK'S GREBES, an adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, rather rare
this spring, two pair of Canada Geese with 22 small goslings, 2 newly
arrived FORSTER'S TERNS, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW
plus several more common bird species.

Lastly, COMMON LOONS and HORNED GREBES in the vicinity of Nelson Island are
now in full breeding plumage and quite handsome. Also, Jim Acton of Spokane
had a CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD at his feeder on April 9, so be on the lookout
for these gems.

To report your own sightings, preferably species newly arrived for the year,
please give your name, phone number and sightings after the tone. Thank you.


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