Harris' Sparrows have been recorded in the TriCities and surrounding area
before, but this year seems to be an especially good one. Not only are
there birds in several locations, but a few sightings are of more than 1 bird.


Here's a summary of local sightings to date:

10/15/96: 1 Harris' Sparrow at Two Rivers County Park, Finley (at feeder)

10/20/96: 1 Harris' Sparrow Columbia Park, Kennewick

12/11/96 to at least 1/3/97: 2 birds at the Umatilla NWR (actually in
Oregon but since when do birds see state lines?)

12/19/96: 1 bird in our yard (Richland). This bird was joined by a second
one on 1/20/97. For some reason our yard has attracted Harris' Sparrows
before, so these birds were not too surprising. One is still being seen,
2/23/97.

1/4/97: Lower Columbia Basin CBC. If memory serves correctly, at least 1
Harris' Sparrow was seen in each of the Tri-Cities. The bird for Richland
was NOT the one at our feeder.

1/8 to at least 1/17/97: 3 birds at a feeder in Washtucna

1/11/97: 1 bird at Two Rivers County Park, Finley (along Nature Trail)
This could be the same bird as 10/15/96 but then see next entry.

2/2/97: 3 (maybe 4) birds seen at Two Rivers County Park, Finley (along
Nature Trail)

2/9/97: 3 birds at Dalton Lake, Franklin county

2/23/97: 1 seen at Bateman Island, Richland and another at Two Rivers
County Park


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