Subject: Washington BirdBox 7/17 through 7/20
Date: Jul 21 01:05:35 1998
From: Jane Hadley - jhadle at halcyon.com


Transcribed by Jane Hadley
jhadle at halcyon.com
phone: (206) 328-7605

The Washington BirdBox is a voice mailbox sponsored by the
Washington Ornithological Society. To leave a message about a
notable sighting, or to listen to the messages from the last seven
days, call (425) 454-2662 and follow the prompts. Hal
Opperman, system administrator (halop at accessone.com;
personal phone 425-635-0503).

Please contact me (Jane Hadley) by phone or e-mail if you have
any corrections, comments or questions about this
transcription.

Monday, July 20, 3:37 p.m. Hi, Jason Starfire 206-542-3756.
Today, Scott Downes and I relocated the LARK BUNTING at
the previously described location. The bird was hanging out on
either side of the runway paralleling the grapefruit-sized rocks.
And the bird will not flush until you get right up on top of it, so
a bit of luck is involved in finding it. We managed to chase it
from bush to bush for 45 minutes. Also today we had three
BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS and both YELLOWLEGS at the Kent
Ponds. Til next time, good luck and good birding.

Sunday, July 19, 6:07 p.m. Hello, this is Craig Kemper,
206-789-9255, reporting for Saturday July 18th and Sunday
July 19th. On Saturday July 18th, Kathy(sp?) Kemper and I
traveled to Grant County following Dave Beaudette's
instructions to observe the TRI-COLORED BLACKBIRD,
which was seen with Bruce LaBar, oh, in the morning
overlooking the wetland below. A better view was afforded of
another male TRI-COLORED BLACKBIRD traveling back
toward the intersection of 22nd N.E. and State Route 28. A
quarter mile short of that intersection is a short gravel road that
serves two farm homes, which overlooks the wetland and
afforded, again, closer looks at the bird in question. On Sunday
July 19th, I traveled south to Pierce County to the 13th Division
Prairie, following Russell Rogers' directions, and at 8:15
observed a LARK BUNTING for five to 10 seconds when it
flew into a Scotch broom plant on the west side of the runway
200 yards further south from where Russell described having
flushed the bird the day before. Another 2 1/2 hours of walking
and driving the immediate area provided no further views of this
bird. Thank you.

Sunday, July 19, 2:23 p.m. Hi, this is Stephen Mlodinow. Today
Steve Pink, Casey Bietschel(?) and I went out to Whidbey
Island. The YELLOW-BILLED LOON is still present off of
Swantown Lake. This area is just north of the end of Hastie
Lake Road on the west side of the island, about a mile or two
north. That was about it for today. Yesterday, Steve and I along
with Jason Starfire and Jim Flynn went out to Ocean Shores
and Westport. Could not find any ELEGANT TERNS. Could
not find any BAR-TAILED GODWITS. We did have rather
impressive numbers of shorebirds, shearwaters and alcids. The
only notable species were two RED KNOTS on the beach at
Ocean Shores, one RED KNOT near the marina at Westport,
one SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at the Ocean Shores Game
Range, and one SEMIPALMATED SANPIPER at Bill's Spit near
high tide. That's it. Good luck and good birding.

Saturday, July 18, 1:25 p.m. Hello. This is Russell Rogers
calling on July 18th at about 15 after 1. About an hour ago, I
saw a LARK BUNTING at the 13th Division Prairie on Fort
Lewis. The bird was at Pacemaker Runway, which is an old
airfield just off of 8th Ave. S. As you come from the north on
8th Ave., you'll cross Muck Creek. At the first turnoff to the
right onto the gravel road, turn there, and you'll hit the old
runway, which is paved. About halfway down the airstrip,
there's some grapefruit-sized stones in the runway in a line. It's
the only sizable stones that you'll see on it, and the bird was at
that location. I flushed it from the side of the runway, and it
flew off towards the west into kind of the heart of the 13th
Division Prairie. That's about it. Also present at this location are
LAZULI BUNTINGS, VESPER SPARROW, HORNED LARK,
WESTERN MEADOWLARK and a lot of SAVANNAH
SPARROWS. Thanks and good birding.

[Messages last checked 12:50 a.m., Tuesday, July 21, 1998]
--
Jane Hadley
jhadle at halcyon.com
Seattle, WA