Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: February 9, 2000
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at owt.com

Birds reported:

Arctic Loon
Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose
Common Grackle
Fox Sparrow
Bald Eagle, Dunlin, Long-billed Dowitcher
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Fox & White-throated Sparrow
Burrowing Owl

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for February 9,
2000. For any questions regarding LCBAS call Mike Lilga at 946-8966.

To skip the message, push the star button on your phone and give your name,
phone number, and sightings after the tone.

On February 1, it was reported that Andy Stepniewski and other birders had
found an ARCTIC LOON (first Washington record if accepted) on the Columbia
River behind Priest Rapids Dam. Mike Denny saw the loon just behind the
dam on February 4 and several of us found it well upstream on February 5.
Take Highway 243 about 2 miles north of Desert Aire and turn left onto Road
26 SW. Go to the parking lot near the river and look for the loon here.
It may be clear across the river so a scope is necessary. (Be aware that
there are also Pacific Loons & possibly a Red-throated Loon here, making
the identification more challenging.)

On February 2, Laurie Ness reported a blue morph SNOW GOOSE and a GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE with 1000 Canada Geese along South Columbia River Road
about 1/2 mile from its intersection with Taylor Flats and Dent Roads in
Franklin county.

Also on February 2, Dennis Rockwell observed a COMMON GRACKLE in Two Rivers
Park. Unfortunately the bird disappeared when Dennis went for his camera.

Laurie Ness found a FOX SPARROW on February 5 in the cottonwoods in the
playground near the south end of Goethals Street in Richland.

Also on February 5, the LCBAS Bateman Island bird walk (first Saturday of
the month) yielded 2 adult BALD EAGLES, 25-30 DUBLIN, and 2 LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHERS among other species seen.

On February 6, Mike Denny discovered a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL among the
myriad other gulls brought close by chumming on the Walla Walla Delta.
Apparently the gull spends the day at the Walla Walla Landfill on Sudbury
Road (and the late morning along Hussey Road) and roosts on the delta at
night.

Today, Nancy LaFramboise observed a FOX SPARROW and A WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW along the main trail on Bateman Island and Ruth Fischer found a
BURROWING OWL near an artificial burrow on the WSU campus. It is just east
of the road that proceeds north up the hill on the campus.

To report your own sightings, please give your name, phone number and
sightings after the tone. Thank you.



Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland, WA
wlafra at owt.com