Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: May 27, 1997
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at oneworld.owt.com

Birds reported:

Evening Grosbeak
Calliope Hummingbird
Hermit Warbler
Burrowing Owl
Vaux's Swift
Pine Siskin
Hermit Thrush
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eastern Kingbird
Cattle Egret
Franklin's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Wilson's Warbler, House Wren, Long-eared Owl
White-faced Ibis
Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet
Wilson's Phalarope
Long-billed Dowitcher
Black-headed Grosbeak

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for May 27,
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 14, Mary Nowakowski had 11 EVENING GROSBEAKS and a male CALLIOPE
HUMMINGBIRD at her feeders in Richland.

The following day, Nancy LaFramboise and Ruth Fischer made a spectacular
find, a HERMIT WARBLER on Bateman Island, a first record for the Tri-Cities.

Also on May 15, Mary Davidson of Kennewick reported a BURROWING OWL sitting
on a power line along Highway 395 just south of 27th. The owl was there for
at least a week.

I (Bob Woodley) found 2 VAUX'S SWIFTS in Groves Park (Richland) on May 19
and Dennis Rockwell observed a PINE SISKIN at his feeder in Two Rivers Park
in Finley on May 20.

On May 22, Mary Lilga found a HERMIT THRUSH in her Richland yard.

A GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL and a Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid were noted in Two
Rivers Park on May 23 by Dennis Rockwell. Also present in the park were the
first reported EASTERN KINGBIRDS.

The following day, Dennis Rockwell found a CATTLE EGRET in breeding plumage
feeding with the gulls on the compost piles near the Wallula pulp mill and
on the Walla Walla Delta he found 3 adult FRANKLIN'S GULLS and 2 first year
BONAPARTE'S GULLS.

Also on May 24, Bob Gerding observed 3 WILSON'S WARBLERS, 4 HOUSE WRENS,
and a LONG-EARED OWL on Bateman Island.

Dennis and Glenda Rockwell made a great find on May 25 along Dodd-Iowa Beef
Road where 2.2 miles in from Highway 12, at a pond on the south side of the
road, they found a WHITE-FACED IBIS. On the north side of the road, 1 1/2
miles from Highway 12, they discovered at least 32 nesting BLACK-NECKED
STILTS and 16 AMERICAN AVOCETS.

At the ibis location on May 26, the ibis was missing but Dennis Rockwell and
Ruth Fischer observed a pair of WILSON'S PHALAROPES and numerous ducks,
stilts and avocets. I added 1 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER to their list.

Lastly Jay Catter (sp?) reported BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS in Groves Park on
May 26. This species is quite common locally now.

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