Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: February 29, 2000
Phone: 509-943-OWLS
Compiler: Bob Woodley
Transcribers: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at owt.com

Birds reported:

Northern Saw-whet Owl, Burrowing Owl
hybrid or part albino Ruddy Duck
Arctic Loon
Snow Goose
Prairie Falcon
Sandhill Crane
Dunlin, Least Sandpiper

-transcript

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for February
29, 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 19, Tony Greager called to reconfirm the presence of a NORTHERN
SAW-WHET OWL and 2 BURROWING OWLS near the Badger Mountain (& Powers)
Winery in the Rancho Reata district of southwestern Kennewick. Ruth
Fischer, Laurie Ness & I saw them there on February 10.

Tony also mentioned a strange duck at the McNary NWR. It was initially
identified as an Oldsquaw but in reality is a HYBRID (OR PARTIAL ALBINO) of
some sort. It is a stiff-tailed diving duck with a white head and dark
body and has remained on the pond at the headquarters.

My wife & I (Bob Woodley) scoped the loons just above Priest Rapids Dam on
February 11 and obtained an excellent look at the ARCTIC LOON which has
been present since early February.

Lucie Fritz reported 2 SNOW GEESE in with a flock of Canada Geese on Nelson
Island (off Leslie Groves Park in Richland) on February 26 and indicated
they had been there for several days. I (BW) checked them today and found
them about mid-island.

On February 27, Ruth Fischer observed a PRAIRIE FALCON perched on a rock
pile where County Well Road and Webber Canyon Road meet.

On February 28, Dennis Rockwell saw 124 SANDHILL CRANE proceeding northward
over Two Rivers Park.

Lastly, today I (BW) found 30 DUNLIN and 3 LEAST SANDPIPERS at the Yakima
Delta.

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