The Washington BirdBox is a voice mailbox sponsored by the Washington
Ornithological Society. To leave messages about a notable sighting, or to
listen to messages from the last seven days, call (425) 454-2662 and follow
the prompts. Hal Opperman, system administrator, personal phone (425)
635-0503. Transcribed by Bob Norton. Please contact me at (360) 928-3053 or
at norton360 at aol.com if you have any corrections, comments, or questions.

BIRDBOX previously accessed May 14 about 11 AM.

[I apologize for the premature transmission. The rechargeable tape
recorder batteries ran down so I laid down for a nap to recharge my own
batteries as well as the recorders. My wife sent an email including the
incomplete transcription. Bob Norton]

Friday, May 14, 8:31 PM. Hello, this is Dave Beaudette (206)
365-2083. This report for May 14 at the Kent Ponds in King County. All of
these birds were seen in the southeast area of the Kent Ponds. The bird of
the day was a single SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER with WESTERN SANDPIPERS. Also
present, about 190 WESTERN SANDPIPERS and about 20 LEAST SANDPIPERS. There
were also 4 DUNLIN, one VAUX'S SWIFT, one BANK SWALLOW, three BALD EAGLES of
which two were adults and one was a young bird. Also present one
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, 22 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and one SEMIPALMATED
PLOVER. That's all for now. Good birding.

May 14, 9:14 PM. Hi, this is Tom Aversa (206) 782-7342 reporting for
a two day trip to Okanogan County the 12th and 13th. Migration was very slow
-- passerines. A lot of birds not in yet. I did have some interesting
sightings. Near Havilah, Muskrat Lake there was two SANDHILL CRANES and a
BLACK TERN. A couple of WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS up there at the Havilah Snow
Park. One right near the parking lot, seems to be on territory, might be an
easy bird to see. Also had an EMPIDONAX FLYCATCHER just south of Oroville on
the west side of the river at the Cline (?) site that was visually a LEAST
FLYCATCHER, unfortunately it was silent. Also had GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW near
Havilah. At the Cathama (?) Bar to the south there was a COMMON TERN,
carefully identified, along with a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and quite a few
CASPIAN TERNS. Also had a SOLITARY SANDPIPER near Cameron Lake near the Loop
Road right on the main road

Saturday, May 15, 1:19 PM. Hi, this is Stephen Mlodinow. Today Casey
and I went up to Kellogg Lake Road and had a couple of TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES
before the first bridge crossing over Olney Creek. Had a good variety of
WARBLERS including my first MACGILLIVRAY'S. At the Monroe Prison Farm Pond
there was a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and several TEAL both BLUE-WINGED and
CINNAMON.
Yesterday afternoon, of some interest, there were about 900 WESTERN
GREBES and 2000 SCOTERS viewable behind Jetty Island. There were also about
30 COMMON TERNS but, as of yet, no ARCTIC TERNS and there was a GRAY WHALE.
Good luck and good birding.

May 15, 6:47 PM. Hi, this is Rick Romea. Today at Nisqually out on
the far corner of the outer loop trail in a pond we had a WILSON'S PHALAROPE
in breeding plumage. Also in the area was a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.
Thanks. Bye.

Sunday, May 16, 6:38 PM. Hi, This is Stephen Mlodinow. Dennis Duffy
and I today, about from about 2:30 to 3:30 had a bird that very well fit the
description of a one year old WHISKERED AUKLET. And, no, we weren't smoking
anything funny and I haven't gone completely off my rocker. We watched the
bird for about an hour at the Kennedy Lagoon Corner of Penn Cove. It
eventually moved out in to the middle of the cove where it was a speck but
when we first found it and for a very long period of time it was actually
hanging out with Shovelers and Surf Scoters close to the corner of Kennedy's
Lagoon. The bird had a dark slaty or blackish head and chest paling a bit on
to the back and on to the flanks. The only truly pale area or whitish area is
on the undertail coverts and the adjacent vent. Much less than a CASSIN'S
AUKLET. This is, of course, viewable only in flight. The bird was very small.
It's got a stubby, reddish or orangish bill paling toward the tip and a white
eye and a delicate round head with a slight peak behind the eye. It's really
quite noticeable, if it's close enough to see as it was for most of the time
we were watching.
So, on a much more lesser note: at the end of Thomie Road south of
Stanwood there was a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE and three
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS the first thing in the morning. That's it. Good luck
and good birding.

Monday, May 17, 10:24 AM. This is Hal Opperman (425) 635-0503.
Yesterday, Sunday, May 16, Dave Swayne and I birded up around Baring in
Northern King County and we found a VESPER SPARROW in the town of Baring. It
was on the lawn in front of a house on 637th Place NE, which is a cul de sac
running north from a street that parallels highway 2 on the north side. It's
a short street with only one house on the east side which belongs to the
Lanes. The SPARROW was in the southwest corner of their yard near a large
maple. We also saw a BLACK SWIFT so it looks like they are back in their
breeding area. Thank you.

BIRDBOX last accessed about noon May 17.