Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: March 30, 1997
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at oneworld.owt.com

Birds reported:

Burrowing Owl
American Avocet
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Black-backed Woodpecker
Ferruginous Hawk, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Northern Goshawk
Long-eared Owl
Sandhill Crane, Brant, Ross' Goose
Fox Sparrow
Bonaparte's Gull
Townsend's Solitaire
Downy Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwing
dark phase Ferruginous Hawk
Prairie Falcon, Chukar, White-throated Swift, Say's Phoebe

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for March 30,
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
sightings after the tone.

On March 20, Ruth Fischer reported that the BURROWING OWL that nested near
the Meadow Hills Veterinary Clinic on Gage Blvd had returned to its old burrow.

Also on March 20, Nancy LaFramboise and I (Bob Woodley) found 4 AMERICAN
AVOCETS on the Yakima Delta. Their numbers had increased to 11 on March 24.

Nancy Loman reported 10 to 20 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS in her West Richland
yard on March 21.

Also on March 21, Ron and Carol Louderback observed in Bickleton, numerous
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, 2 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES, and a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER.
The woodpecker was found in the first grove of conifers west of town.

Dave Swain (?) birding in the Juniper Dunes Wildlife Area north of Pasco on
March 24 found 2 FERRUGINOUS HAWKS, about 70 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, a few
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK.

Dale Litzenberger reports that a pair of LONG-EARED OWLS are nesting in a
willow tree near the Ringold hatchery headquarters as of March 25.

SANDHILL CRANES are present near the Scootney Reservoir and at various Royal
slope locations according to Randy Hill of Othello. Randy also mentioned
that a BRANT was found on Royal Lake northwest of Othello on March 20 and a
ROSS' GOOSE was there on March 26.

Also on March 26, Nancy LaFramboise and I found a LONG-EARED OWL, both
kinglets, and a FOX SPARROW among the more common birds in WE Johnson Park
in Richland.

A BONAPARTE'S GULL was observed in Two rivers Park on March 27 by Dennis
Rockwell.

The following day, Mary Lilga noted a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in her North
Richland yard.

2 DOWNY WOODPECKERS and a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS were seen by Shirley
Sonnichsen in the wildlife preserve on the south side of the Yakima River on
March 29.

Lastly, also on March 29, Bill and Nancy LaFramboise and I observed a
dark-phase FERRUGINOUS HAWK along Horn Rapids Road and along the road west
of the Midway Power Station near Vernita, we found a pair of PRAIRIE FALCON,
several CHUKAR, about 30 WHITE-THROATED SWIFT, and 4 SAY'S PHOEBES.

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