Subject: RBA: N ID / E WA / NE OR -- 7/24/98
Date: Jul 28 12:04:54 1998
From: Dale Goble - gobled at uidaho.edu



-RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* July 24, 1998
* IDWA9807.24

-birds mentioned

shorebirds
Common Poorwill
Anna's Hummingbird
Clay-colored Sparrow
Tri-colored Blackbird

-transcript

HOTLINE: northern Idaho / eastern Washington /
northeastern Oregon
Date: July 24, 1998
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.

Although still being seen, the breeding colony of TRI-COLORED
BLACKBIRDS in Grant Co., WA seem to be on the move. First spotted
by Dave Beaudette (sp?) and WA first state record, the birds are still in
the same general area. To get to the original breeding area from the
town of Soap Lake, take WA 28 east toward milepost 73. Just east of
milepost 73, turn north onto road 22 NE toward Marlin. Go 1.9 miles
to the large pullout on the north side of the road. There's a piece of
orange flagging hanging from a tall mullein plant. Walk or drive north
another 50 yards toward the end of the pull-out and look for two
pieces of orange flagging on the barbed-wire fence. From here, look
down the steep slope into the cattail marsh. If you walk down, be
careful there are rattlesnakes. WA DeLorme 69, A-8. T22N, R30E, Sec 9.

Wayne Weeber (sp?) found the birds 0.1 mile west of the large pullout,
near the intersection of 22 NE and WA 28 on July 20. The birds were
feeding in the sage brush south of the road. Wayne estimated 50
Tri-coloreds, about 2/3 of which were females/immatures, along with
150 Yellow-headed Blackbirds and 20 Red-winged Blackbirds. The
birds flew to roost on the north side of the road in the marsh. In the
same general area, Wayne saw 60 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, 35
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, 15 AMERICAN AVOCETS, 2
BLACK-NECKED STILTS, 65 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 45 LESSER
YELLOWLEGS, and 25 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

A single, male ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD has been at the feeder of
Warren Hall in Spokane, WA since July 20. Give Warren a call at
509-624-8048 for the latest info and directions.

Two CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS are in extreme northern Idaho,
representing Idaho's 7th state record. The birds were first seen by Bill
Foster, Ted Eliot, and Earl & Bev Chapin around June 20 and were still
being seen this past week in Boundary Co. just south of the Copeland
Bridge. To get there, take US 95 north from Bonners Ferry about 15
miles and then take ID 1 toward Porthill. Go one mile and turn left
onto Copeland Road. Follow Copeland about 2.5 miles to the bridge
over the Kootenai River. Just before the bridge, turn left (south) onto
the gravel road that follows the dike. Go about 3 miles until the road
swings left and there are three large metal grain bins. There's a small
pull-out on the right. From here, you may be able to hear the birds
"bizzzing." You may scamper up the dike to look for the birds feeding
in the weedy area between the top of the dike and the river. ID
Delorme 48, A-3 and A Birder's Guide to Idaho p. 22-23.

A COMMON POORWILL was found singing west of Spokane on July
21 by Jim Acton and Warren Hall. The bird was easily heard in T25N,
R42E, Sec 4, just north of Trails Road and just east of the Great
Northern School Building. WA DeLorme 88-89, C-right on the crease.

Shorebirds were reported from Mann Lake, just east of Lewiston, Nez
Perce Co., ID by John and Marty Hirth. On July 20, they saw 3
PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 39 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 1 SPOTTED
SANDPIPER, 1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and 17 dowitchers, of which
the identifiable ones were LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. To get to
Mann Lake from the north side of Lewiston, take US 12 south into
Lewiston, cross the Clearwater River, and just across the bridge take
the first left toward East Lewiston via East Main Street. Follow East
Main St to the blinking yellow light and turn right onto Lapwai (aka
Lindsay Creek) Road. Follow Lindsay Creek Rd to its terminus with
Grelle Avenue, about 5 miles. Turn left onto Grelle, and just after
Grelle makes a sharp right turn, turn left onto Powers Avenue. Follow
Powers 1.3 miles to the reservoir. ID DeLorme 54, A-1.

If you need any information about the sightings, give me a call at
208-883-0943.

Good birding.