Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: March 2, 1997
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at oneworld.owt.com

Birds reported:

Sandhill Crane
Tundra Swan
Violet-green Swallows
Snowy Owl
Western Scrub-Jay
Common Loon
Northern Hawk Owl (Cheney, WA)
Purple Finch
Pine Siskins
Red-breasted Merganser
Ferruginous Hawk
Bohemian Waxwing
Harris=92 Sparrow
Northern Mockingbird
Merlin
Northern Goshawk
Clark=92s Nutcracker
albino Starling

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for March 2,
1997. For any questions regarding LCBAS call Mike Lilga at 946-8966.

On February 20, Randy Hill of Othello reported that 5 SANDHILL CRANES were
seen in the Corfu area south of Highway 26, west of Othello on February 15
and up to 30 TUNDRA SWANS were on the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.
Randy also stated that the first VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were in the Corfu
area on February 20.

Also on February 20, Tony Greager reported that one of his students had
photographed a SNOWY OWL along Ayres Road in the Hover area on a prior date.

Nancy LaFramboise received word that the (WESTERN) SCRUB-JAY was still
present in its East Kennewick haunts.

On February 22, reports were received from Shirley Sonnichsen that a COMMON
LOON had been seen at the west end of Columbia Park on February 7, from
Dennis Rockwell that the NORTHERN HAWK OWL and numerous Bohemian Waxwings
were still present in Cheney, and from Carol Louderback that a PURPLE FINCH
was found in Hood Park. Carol also noted that 2 PINE SISKINS were in her
yard on February 23. PINE SISKINS were also reported by Scott Dietert on
February 26, and Ruth Fischer on February 27, in their respective Richland
yards.

Dennis and Dave Johnson observed on February 23, a male RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER east of the Bateman Island causeway, a FERRUGINOUS HAWK along
Chemical Drive (Kennewick) near the fairgrounds, 14 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and a
HARRIS=92 SPARROW on Bateman Island, and a (NORTHERN) MOCKINGBIRD along the
dike on the south side of the Yakima Delta. Ruth Fischer saw the
Mockingbird there again on February 25.

Also on February 23, Kathy Criddle found 2 SAGE SPARROWS behind that State
Patrol building off Highway 395, south of Kennewick and Bill and Nancy
LaFramboise birding in the Horse Heaven Hills observed a MERLIN along Travis
Road, =BD mile south of Cemetery Road, and an immature (NORTHERN) GOSHAWK at
the junction of Clodfelter and Tripleview Roads. An immature (NORTHERN)
GOSHAWK was also reported by Dennis Rockwell in Two Rivers Park on February=
28.

Locally very rare, a CLARK=92S NUTCRACKER was seen by Mary Nowakowski at her
birdbath in Richland on February 24 and confirmed the following day by Nancy
LaFramboise.

Lastly, an albino STARLING was present in the Wye Park in south Richland on
March 1 as noted by Dennis Rockwell.

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