Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: June 6, 1997
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at oneworld.owt.com

Birds reported:

Townsend's Solitaire
Burrowing Owl
Chipping Sparrow
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Yellow-breasted Chat
Golden Eagle
Black-necked Stilt and American Avocet chicks
Wilson's Phalarope
Common Nighthawk
probable Franklin's Gull
Violet-green Swallow
Long-eared Owl

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for June 6,
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.

On May 29, Dennis Rockwell observed a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in his yard at
Two Rivers Park (in Finley).

Ron and Carol Louderback reported seeing 5 BURROWING OWLS over the period
May 28-30. Owls were seen on S. Olympia in Kennewick near the landfill
entrance, the previously reported owls along Rt. 395 just south of 27th and
an owl at the old Pasco airport.

I (Bob Woodley) saw a late CHIPPING SPARROW migrant in Groves Park in
Richland on May 28 and the following day, Nancy LaFramboise and I found an
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE in WE Johnson Park, sharing
the branches of a dead bush and offering an excellent comparison between the
two similar species. Also seen were two or more YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS and
several other more common species.

On June 3, Nancy and I saw an immature GOLDEN EAGLE on a power pole near the
ponds off Dodd- Iowa Beef Road, 2.2 miles in from Highway 12. The ponds
contained a good variety of ducks and several BLACK-NECKED STILT and
AMERICAN AVOCET. 1-1/2 miles in from Highway 12 where these two shorebirds
species have nested, several downy young of both species were visible.

On or near the Walla Walla Delta that day we found 1 female WILSON'S
PHALAROPE , more American Avocet, 2 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS, and 2 probable
FRANKLIN'S GULLS.

Today, June 6, Mary Lilga saw several VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS near the Uptown
Shopping area in Richland and COMMON NIGHTHAWKS locally.

Also today I again birded with Nancy LaFramboise in WE Johnson Park. Birds
of note included an immature GOLDEN EAGLE flying over, a LONG-EARED OWL near
the north entrance and again, 2 or more YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. The Golden
Eagle was my first ever within Richland in 30 years of birding here.

Thus while birding is admittedly slowing down for the summer, you can still
find some interesting species locally.

To report your own sightings, please give your name, phone number and
sightings after the tone. Thank you.


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