-RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* November 14, 1997
* IDWA9711.14

-birds mentioned

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
SURF SCOTER
OLDSQUAW
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
CATTLE EGRET
SNOWY OWL
PRAIRIE FALCON
BEWICK'S WREN
BLUE JAY
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
COMMON REDPOLL
LAPLAND LONGSPUR

-transcript

HOTLINE: northern Idaho / eastern Washington /
northeastern Oregon
Date: November 14, 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.

As many as two OLDSQUAW were seen on Nov 8 and 9 on the north
end of Soap Lake, near the town of Soap Lake, Grant Co., WA,
according to Jim Acton and Warren Hall. Soap Lake is north-northeast
of Moses Lake. WA DeLorme 68-69, A right on the crease. Warren
also reports 15 or so WHITE-WINGED SCOTER and 3 SURF SCOTER
on Lenore Lake, southwest of Coulee City, Grant Co., WA on Nov 8.
Lenore Lake can be reached by taking WA 17 southwest from US 2,
just west of Coulee City. Check for the birds between the boat ramp
and the north end of the lake. WA DeLorme 84-85, right at the
bottom and right on the crease.

We have some suspicious CATTLE EGRET sightings. It may be an
invasion... Last week I reported twelve CATTLE EGRETS were along
the east shore of Banks Lake, in Osborn Bay, just southwest of Electric
City, Grant Co., WA on Nov 6, according to Gary Kuiper. On Nov 8,
Warren Hall reported 9 Cattle Egrets but the next day Jim Acton saw
only 5. These birds were in a pasture, with, yup you guessed it,
cattle, on the north side of US 2 opposite the railroad siding named
"Cement" near Coulee City, Grant Co., WA.

Also on Nov 9, 9 Cattle Egrets were observed along WA 127, 0.5
miles south of Dusty, Whitman Co., WA, about 20 miles west of
Pullman, according to Howard Ferguson. In Pullman, WA on Nov 8, 2
Cattle Egrets were on the Washington State University campus,
according to Deb Beutler. To get to where the Pullman birds were
sighted, from Pullman, take the Moscow-Pullman Highway east to the
airport sign and turn left. Continue for less than a mile past the
Stephan Center and animal science buildings to the fruit barn. Need
DeLorme coordinates?
Electric City is WA DeLorme 85, A-8.
The "Cement" railroad siding is WA DeLorme 85, C-6.
Dusty is at the junction of WA 26 and WA 127, WA DeLorme
56, B-3.
Pullman is WA DeLorme 57, C-7.

A flock of 10-15 SNOW BUNTINGS with "several" LAPLAND
LONGSPUR was observed by Jim Acton on Nov 12 and Warren Hall on
Nov 13 in western Spokane Co., WA. These birds were about 3 miles
northwest of Medical Lake, in a harvested potato field on the northeast
corner of the intersection of Manilla and Ladd Roads. This is about 2.5
miles south of US 2 and about 3 miles east of the Lincoln Co. line. WA
DeLorme 88, D-2 look for Espanola on the map.

A PRAIRIE FALCON, 5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, a SAY'S
PHOEBE, and a couple of TUNDRA SWANS were at Mann Lake, Nez
Perce Co., ID today, according to Charles Swift. Mann Lake is about 3
miles east of Lewiston. Also in Lewiston today on the Clearwater
River, near the grain terminal, were 100 or so BARROW'S
GOLDENEYE.

To get to Mann Lake, follow US 12 into Lewiston, cross the
Clearwater River, and at the traffic light just south of the bridge, head
up hill on 21st Street. Follow it up hill as 21st Street becomes Thain
near the Wal- Mart. Follow Thain and as it goes from 4 lanes to 2, and
curves right, turn left onto Powers Avenue. Follow Powers Avenue
about 5 miles to the reservoir. ID DeLorme 54, A-1.

Although two BLUE JAYS were residing near the University of Idaho
Arboretum in Moscow, Latah Co., ID since early October, apparently
only one is persisting. Look and listen for the bird in University
Heights on the southwest end of town, south of Taylor Ave, west of US 95,
and north of Palouse River Drive.

I had two COMMON REDPOLLS at my feeder south of Moscow, Latah
Co., ID on Nov 13. They were keeping company with 20 or so
American Goldfinch. The last group of sightings are all from the south
and east ends of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Benewah Co., ID. On Nov 8,
Mike Denny, Dan and Ila Svingen, Dave Holick and myself spied a very
late COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW at
Plummer Marsh in Heyburn State Park. A little further east on Lake
Chatcolet we had a single RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. South of
Harrison, Kootenai Co. ID we had a single BEWICK'S WREN and from
the Harrison Marina we viewed a couple of LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHERS on the Coeur d'Alene River delta. From Plummer, head
east on ID 5 to milepost 6.3 and turn left (nort h). Go 0.9 mile to
Plummer Creek bridge and marsh. We saw the merganser from the big
pull-out on ID 5 at about milepost 6.8. To get to the Bewick's Wren
site, follow ID 5 to St. Maries and take ID 3 north. At the junction
with ID 97, take ID 97 toward Harrison. At milepost 61.2, turn left
onto O'Gara Road, go past the high school, and in 4.3 miles look for a
dead-end road heading off to the left. Listen for the wren here. In
downtown, Harrison, turn west on Pine Street by Lakeview Lodge for a
good place to scope the marina and delta. ID DeLorme 60, C-1.

I have one unconfirmed, but quite probable sighting of a SNOWY OWL
south of Genesee, Nez Perce Co., ID this past week. It's time to be
looking for them.

If you view any of these birds, please let the hotline know.

If you need more information, give me a call at 208-883-0943.
Good birding!