Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: September 11, 1997
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at oneworld.owt.com

Birds reported:

Western Wood-Pewee, Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager, Sharp-shinned Hawk
Winter Wren
Groves Park migrants
Hudsonian Godwit, Marbled Godwit, other shorebirds, Sabine's Gull
Philadelphia Vireo
Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds
Yakima Delta shorebirds (14)
Common Tern
Sabine's Gulls (4-5)

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for September
11, 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 August 31, Mary Lilga found a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, WARBLING VIREO, &
WESTERN TANAGER in her North Richland yard while on September 2 she noted a
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK passing over.

An early WINTER WREN was discovered in Two Rivers Park on September 3 by
Dennis Rockwell.

In Groves Park in Richland on September 3 were WARBLING VIREOS,
ORANGE-CROWNED, NASHVILLE, YELLOW-RUMPED, YELLOW, and WILSON'S WARBLERS, a
WESTERN TANAGER, and a lone CHIPPING SPARROW. CEDAR WAXWINGS and
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS were added to the list the following day (Bob Woodley)

On September 6, birders at the Walla Walla Delta determined that the
HUDSONIAN GODWIT was still present and accompanied by a single MARBLED
GODWIT. Other shorebirds included SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, WESTERN and LEAST
SANDPIPER and 1 RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. A short distance upriver, a SABINE'S
GULL appeared.

The following day, September 7, Richard ____, a birder from Los Angeles,
reported a PHILADELPHIA VIREO at the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge but
presumably without confirmation.

As of September 8, a BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD was still regular at the
feeder of Marian Goheen in Hills West, Richland.

On September 8 & 9 the Yakima Delta returned to its old glory and yielded 14
species of shorebirds including SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, KILLDEER, AMERICAN
AVOCET, BOTH YELLOWLEGS, SOLITARY, SPOTTED, WESTERN, LEAST, BAIRD'S,
PECTORAL and STILT SANDPIPERS, COMMON SNIPE and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. On
the 8th, 2 COMMON TERNS were also present.

On September 9, tom Berghdorf reported that he'd seen an adult SABINE'S GULL
in the Columbia River off the Richland Marina on September 6 and again on
September 8.

This must be the year of the SABINE'S GULL locally because on September 10,
there were an adult and 3 immature of this species off the south end of
Nelson Island in Groves Park in Richland.

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