Hi, Tweeters

Well, it's April Fool's Day, but it's no joke that 850 turkey vultures
passed over Derby Hill in northern New York just today, and that 1,171 have
already passed into Ontario, Canada, via the Niagra Peninsula Hawkwatch
this season (which is only half over). However, I like to think that we
have quality birds in the Northwest, rather than quantity! Anyway, here is
our count . . .

Turkey Vulture sightings in the month of March 2000 in Washington, British
Columbia, and Oregon:

05 -- 1 at Duncan, B.C., 1 at Gibsons, B.C., 3 on Pender, B.C.
06 -- 1 adult south of Littlerock.
07 -- 1 at Nanaimo, B.C.; 2 near Gibsons, B.C.
11 -- 2 at Skamania Landing; 1 at Maryhill State Park
12 -- 1 near Bayview; 1 over Crab Creek
17 -- 3 immatures near Littlerock; 6 circling at Pysht; 1 north of Chinook
18 -- 1 at Poulsbo being harrassed by a redtail; 3 at Fort Worden
20 -- 1 over the Neawanna Wetlands
21 -- 1 at Ridgefield NWR; 2 over Guemes Island; 1 near McKenna; 7 at Fort
Worden
22 -- 1 adult near Centralia
23 -- 30 over Brinnon
24 -- 1 at Lantzville, B.C.
25 -- 8 in east Grays Harbor County; 3 at Brady; 1 south of Elma; turkey
vultures (no number) near Sooke, B.C.; 7 in Montesano; 1 in Aberdeen
26 -- 1 at Fields Oasis, Harney County, Oregon; 1 east of Reardon; 1 in
Montesano
27 -- 6 near Aurora, Oregon
28 -- 1 at Pitt Meadows, B.C.; 2 at Fort Worden; 8 north of Sequim
29 -- 3 at Carnation; 4 south of Campbell River, B.C.; 3 at North Bend; 1
north of Brady; 14 over Sequim; 2 at Lantzville, B.C.; 1 over Larry
Wilson's Dairy
30 -- 7 over Newcastle; 1 near Toppenish; 1 southeast of Chehalis; 5 at
Fall City
31 -- 3 on San Juan Island; 2-3 at Wakesiah Valley, B.C.; 2 at Lantzville,
B.C.; 8 over the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station; 6 near North Bend
briefly joined by a peregrine; 1 near Littlerock

Our vultures seem to be passing through in proper timely order. April
should be the big month; at most hawkwatches, this is the month with
usually the highest counts. As always, thanks so much for the reports sent
to me and to Tweeters. Every year gives us a bit more perspective as to
the turkey vulture's biology in the Pacific Northwest.

Cheers, Diann
___________________________
Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
22622 - 53rd Avenue S.E.
Bothell, WA 98021
mailto: tvulture at halcyon.com
http://www.halcyon.com/tvulture/