-RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* January 18, 1997
* IDWA9701.18

-birds mentioned

Siberian Accentor
Tufted Duck
Gyrfalcon
Prairie Falcon
Snow Bunting
Black Rosy Finch
Merlin
Oldsquaw
Great-tailed Grackle
Northern Cardinal
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Fox Sparrow
Townsend's Solitaire

-transcript

HOTLINE: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern
Oregon
Date: January 18, 1997
Phone: (208) 882-6195
Compiler: Kas Dumroese
Transcriber: Dale Goble
gobled at uidaho.edu


This is Kas Dumroese with the northern Idaho / eastern Washington /
northeastern Oregon bird hotline.

Currently there are three birds representing "firsts" for Idaho: Siberian
Accentor, Tufted Duck, and Northern Cardinal. Last weekend I went,
along with Dan and Ila Svingen, for these birds. Besides these rarities,
there were some other awesome birds in south-central Idaho. Please go.

A SIBERIAN ACCENTOR is residing between Hailey and Ketchum, ID,
about a 3-hour drive northeast of Boise. The bird has been present for
about three weeks. Take ID 75 to Hailey and then continue another 5
miles north of town to milepost 122. Turn left onto Hidden Hollow
Road and go a couple of blocks, parking where Hidden Hollow turns
right into Easy Street. Walk down Easy Street to Abbey (sp?) Lane.
There is an old green trailer and cottage. The accentor is coming to the
birdfeeder at the cottage, often with chickadees, juncos, and American
Goldfinches. It also frequents the gray house further down the road.
Please don't disturb residents in this semi-private subdivision.

If you plan to go for this bird, there are several other outstanding birds
in the area. The Hailey-Ketchum-Sun Valley area is one of Idaho's best
spots for BLACK ROSY FINCH. Birds are being seen along Morningstar
Drive just a mile or so north of the accentor location. I think a better
spot is the old mining town of Triumph, about 5 miles east of the
accentor. Take the East Fork Wood River Road to Triumph. The local
birders have been distributing maps with these locales on them. ID
DeLorme p. 37, C5. A few miles south of Hailey is the small town of
Gannett. A grey-phase GYRFALCON is hunting around town, as was a
PRAIRIE FALCON on Sat, Jan 11. We saw the GYR along Pumpkin
Center Road. There were also nice flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS here as
well. West of Gannett along US 20, at milepost 121 was a MERLIN on
Jan 11, according to Mike and MerryLynn Denny, and we saw several
nice flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS between milepost 125 and 145 west of
west of Fairfield. Gannett is on ID DeLorme p. 27, A6 and Fairfield is on
ID DeLorme p. 26, A3.

The TUFTED DUCK, which had disappeared around Christmas, was
relocated Sun, Jan 12, by Dan and Ila Svingen, Don Morgan, and myself
near Hagerman, west of Twin Falls. Take US 30 south from I-84 to
milepost 183.3, which is the entrance to the state fish hatchery. Follow
the gravel road and check the large ponds to the left after you cross the
small bridge. It was with about 2000 Ring-necked Ducks. ID DeLorme
p. 26, C3, just above the arrow to Buhl and right below "Vader Grade."

On your way to or from the accentor, a quick stop in Marsing, west
southwest of Boise will yield GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE, and the
Svingens and I saw an OLDSQUAW and a MERLIN there on Sun, Jan
12. Take I-84 exit 35 and go north on Northside Blvd to ID 55 (aka
Karcher); it's about a block. Tick the PEREGRINE FALCON on the sugar
towers and turn left. After 11 miles, the road curves left and it's
another 4.5 miles to Marsing. Just after you cross the river, turn left
into the park and the above-mentioned birds. ID DeLorme p. 34, C1,
about 0.5 inch above "Page 24."

OK, OK, closer to home, the adult male NORTHERN CARDINAL, first
seen on Sun, Jan 5, in Lewiston, ID is still being seen at the home of
Lloyd and Helen Hogden. To get there, take US 12 West into Lewiston,
cross the Clearwater River, and at the first traffic light, head up hill
(south) on 21st Street. At 16th Avenue, turn right (west) and continue
to 8th Street, which I think is the second traffic light. At 8th Street,
turn left (south). As you head up hill, and just past Mayfair Court, turn
right (west) onto Mayfair Drive. Follow this curvy road uphill, staying
left onto Mayfair Ridge. The Hogden's live at 2975 Mayfair Ridge, in a
brown house with brick accent on the left (east) side of the street.
They've been posting recent sightings on their door. Please let the
hotline know if you see the bird. If you're coming from Clarkston, WA
take US 12 East over the Snake River and immediately turn right (south)
onto Snake River Avenue. Follow it to the first traffic light which is is
16th Avenue and turn left (east). Follow 16th to the next traffic light
which is 8th Street and turn right (south). The rest of the directions
are as previously described.

Ila and Dan Svingen spied 2 ROCK WREN and a single CANYON WREN
along WA 129, just south of Clarkston on Mon, Jan 13. The birds were
on the rocks near milepost 39.
At Kiwanis Pond along the levee on the Lewiston side, just south of the
US 12 bridge over the Snake River, along Snake River Avenue, Ila saw a
FOX SPARROW on Wed, Jan 15 and directly across the river on the
Clarkston side was a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE on Thu, Jan 16.

Good birding!