Transcribed by Christy Anderson
christya at gte.net

Please contact me by e-mail if you have any corrections, comments or
questions. My apologies to anyone (or place) whose name I have massacred.


Mon, 12/29, 8:36 am. Hi, this is Steven Mlodinow. Yesterday I got word that
Ted Peterson had a TREE SPARROW at Spencer Island near the barn just after
you cross to the island. Good luck and good birding.

Sun, 12/28, 9:32 pm. This is Steve Mlodinow. Today Dave Kopel and I went
down to Carter Ridgefield NWR, the river unit, by the entrance kiosk, a
mixed flock of CANADA GEESE, mostly smaller types. There was a BLACK BRANT
also at the point beyond the kiosk. About half a mile down where the road
makes a sharp turn to the left where we walked the hedgerow heading right
we had a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and in the pond on the other side of that
hedgerow was a TRUMPETER SWAN. Total number of trumpeters in the area was
over 3000. We then went over and got the long-staying EMPEROR GOOSE near
Troutdale Oregon just east of Portland. We then went over to Silvie Island
over by the pellet(?) plant, which is the southeastern part of the island
where the Slaty-backs were in 1993, there was a SLATY-BACKED GULL again
today. It was found yesterday. There also was a GLAUCOUS GULL there
yesterday. And yesterday and today there was a GLAUCOUS/GLAUCOUS-WINGED
HYBRID. And that's about it. GLAGB. (Good luck and good birding.)

Sat, 12/27, 9:30 pm. Hello this is Scott Atkinson, 360-691-7232. Today I
was up at the Skagit Game Range and I did find the GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE. It
was about 100 yds east of the isolated spirea patch that is apparently the
main location where it has been seen previously. Also in the same general
area, one immature HARRIS' SPARROW. three AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, up to
three WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and an immature SWAMP SPARROW. I was
unsuccessful in relocating the Common Redpoll and Northern Waterthrush
reported in yesterday's Birdbox.

Sat, 12/27, 5:08 pm. Hi this is Steve Mlodinow. Today Dave Kopel and I
birded the Samish Flats and Whidbey Island. On the Samish Flats at the West
90 there was a PRAIRIE FALCON, on Sunset Road just east of Farm-to-Market
Road, on the south side of the road there was an adult gray-stage GYRFALCON
around 3 pm. And at Swan Town (?) Lake on Whidbey Island, there was a
GREEN-WINGED TEAL of the Eurasian subspecies, was still present. GLAGB.

Sat, 12/27, 2:36 pm. Hi, this is Dave Beaudette, 206-365-2083. I spent
several days birding Grant County on Central Washington, was pretty slow.
The only bird of note was a SNOWY OWL, on a power pole along Road M SE,
present the afternoon of Dec. 25th. From Moses Lake head SE on SR 17, then
right on Road M SE. The bird was seen about a half a mile past Road 3 SE.
DeLorme page 69, D7.

Fri, 12/26, 6:42 pm. Hi this is Scott Downes 361-7073. Went up to the
Skagit Game Range this morning and had the WATERTHRUSH actively hopping and
calling, about 8:30 this morning. Craig Kemper and I relocated the bird
only through call and about 12:30 this afternoon in a group of alders near
where the Swamp Sparrow was recorded. In this flock of about 150 PINE
SISKINS. In this was one COMMON REDPOLL. I looked for the Swamp Sparrow
and despite hearing its call could find no visual confirmation, but with
its call, am sure it's still around.

Fri, 12/26, 6:38 am. This is Marv Bries, 206-634-1725. Yesterday morning,
Christmas morning there was a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER in Discovery
Park. It was on the South Beach Trail.

Thurs, 12/25, 9:43 pm Hi this is Steve Mlodinow. The only thing we had in
the afternoon of note is the probable SLATY-BACKED GULL, at the Everett
public boat launch. It was a third-year bird. Had some Oregon and Southern
California birders along to compare to the Western Gulls that they're
familiar with, and they uniformly seemed to feel that this did not appear
to be a Western Gull. So I think we'll certainly need to get photos and
further information in the future. In any case, I also want to give you
better directions to the Swamp Sparrow and the Northern Waterthrush. The
main dike that I was speaking of in the next message is a gravel road that
starts in between the two parking lots, at the Skagit Game Range
headquarters. It actually starts closest to the lot that is not the boat
launch parking lot. This dike road runs south towards the open water, at
the edge of the game range. It runs along several fields and then it passes
through an alder woodland which is narrow. After you get through the
woodland, along the river that's to your right, or the ditch that's to your
right, there's some marshy grassy patches, and that's where the Swamp
Sparrow was. It was calling, it was an immature bird. You walk further
down, and this gravel dike it comes to a T with a straight forward
continuation with a muddy path. This T is where the actual tidal mash
begins. It was around that area where the Waterthrush was calling
frequently.

Thurs, 12/25, 12:46 pm This is Steve Mlodinow. Today Cathy Caswah(?), Dave
Louden, Dave Kopel, Jim Flynn and Jason Starfire went to the Skagit Game
Range and between 8:30 and 11:30 we had the GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE, we had
three TREE SPARROWS, we had an immature WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and then
further down the main dike, which goes north-south between the 2 parking
lots, at the location where the dike hits the marsh, we had a NORTHERN
WATERTHRUSH. Just before that location, the dike rose to a group of alders,
actually larger than any other group at the Game Range, and in the marsh
along the river right there we had a SWAMP SPARROW. Also elsewhere in the
Game Range we had another WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. There was also a couple
of SLATE-COLORED JUNCOS, and a small flock of MEADOWLARKS. GLAGB.

Wed, 12/24 10:19 am Hello birders, this is Wayne Weaver from Delta BC,
604-597-7201. Just to report that yesterday, 12/23, the GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE
was still present near the headquarters of the Skagit Wildlife area. I saw
it along with Dennis Jones from Burlington, between about 3 and 4 pm, along
the spirea hedgerow along the west side of the cornfield, a little farther
north I gather than it's usually been seen. Dennis also had a couple of
TREE SPARROWS and I had at least one SAVANNAH and three LINCOLN SPARROWS,
but nothing else unusual.

Tues, 12/23, 12:33 pm. Hello this is Wayne Weaver, 604-697-7201. Just
wanted to let people know that the XANTUS' HUMMINGBIRD is still coming to
the feeder in Gibsons BC. It was there at least yesterday, 12/22. Also the
near full breeding-plumaged COMMON EIDER which has been present in
Vancouver for some time has been seen as recently as 12/20 just west of
Spanish Banks in Vancouver. This bird does move around a bit. If you're
interested in seeing either one of these birds, please phone the Vancouver
area rare bird tape at 604-737-3074.

Mon, 12/22, 6:32 pm. This is Steve Hampton, visiting birder from
California, currently at 253-564-5014 This morning on the Pt. Townsend
Keystone ferry, 12/22, a dark SHEARWATER, presumably a Short-tailed, flew
by going north with the wind. And there were nine ANCIENT MURRELETS as
well.