Subject: Tricolored Blackbirds at Wilson Creek again!
Date: Apr 25 22:24:01 1999
From: Geopandion at aol.com - Geopandion at aol.com


Tweeters,
I just returned from a solo overnight-trip east of the Cascades.
Saturday was a beautiful, clear-blue sky day with summer-like temperatures in
the 80's. Lots of bird song and migration activity. The highlights on
Saturday: a Nashville Warbler in the elms at the entrance to Frenchman
Coulee; Black-necked Stilts, Avocets, and Lesser Yellowlegs along Dodson
Road; and a few Swainson's Hawks and Western Kingbirds along Frenchman Hill
Road. White-crowned Sparrows by the hundreds were everywhere.
On Sunday I awoke to 14 displaying Sage Grouse at Leahy Jct. After
watching for an hour or so, I headed south to Wilson Creek. There were 9
male Tricolored Blackbirds (Agelaius tricolor) along with 5 or 6 females that
were distinctly darker that I took for Tricolored also. They were feeding
along with 250 other blackbirds (cowbirds, Yellow-headed, and Red-winged) I
had side-by-side comparisons of Red-winged (A. phoeniceus) and Tricolored at
about 30 yards with a Kowa 824 spotting scope. The marsh is quite full of
water and is just starting to green up. The Yellow-headed Blackbirds were
holding territories in the marsh as were a few Red-wings, but I could find no
Tricoloreds on territory. The flock was feeding on left-over grain in a feed
lot along the Burlington Northern RR at the east side of Wilson Creek. Toby
Andrews posted excellent directions last July, but in case you don't have
them, here they are again:
DeLorme Atlas Page 69, Township 22 North, Range 29 East (sections
1,2,3,10,11,12) and 30 East (sections 7,8,9).
Take the exit to the north from State Highway 28 into Wilson Creek.
As you go past the grain elevator and enter Wilson Creek, you will be on
Railroad Street. Go past the Post Office and take the second right turn which
is Fourth Street. Go a long "city block" to Maple Street and turn left. Go
1/4 mile, cross the bridge and turn right on Kanniwai Creek Rd. Continue on
this gravel road for about 2.5 miles (there are basalt cliffs in the area and
a pair of Ferruginous Hawks-- I could not locate the nest). When you get to
23 NE, turn right down hill to the RR tracks. DONOT cross the tracks, but
turn left (east) before (north) of the tracks and proceed for about a mile
until the road ends--actually it continues for another 75 yards or so, but
there is a pull-out here adjacent to the tracks. Cross the tracks and there
is a fence as you face south and a gate if you face east. The flock of
blackbirds was feeding on the other side of the fence not more than 30- yards
away. I asked permission to cross the fence and walked to the marsh. The
water is high, but there are good views of the marsh, especially now. In
July the vegatation was so thick it was impossible to see into the marsh.
Now the birds holding territory are easily observed all the way across the
marsh. Please respect private property and ask for permission to enter. The
owners are nice folks, but don't want their cows disturbed. I counted 17
White Pelicans all with breeding "horns" on their bills. Is this a range
expansion?
I am not presently on "Tweeters", so if you need more information
write to me at:

George Gerdts
<geopandion at aol.com>
Bainbridge Island, WA
206-842-8138