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 (halop at accessone.com):
personal phone (425) 635-0503 is the person to report troubles with the
system.

Please contact me, Patti Gotz, by phone or e-mail (mailto:plsgotz at home.com)
if you have any
corrections, comments, or questions about this transcription.

January 9, 5:16 PM. Barry Levine, 206-526-8676 with an update on the
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE. I saw the bird today at about 3:30 by the Wolf Kill
Feed and Seed Store in Stanwood. The best way to get there if you're
coming north from Seattle is to take I-5, get off at Highway 532 which is
the Stanwood exit, make a left at the stop sign, and continue into the
town; take the first exit in Stanwood which is Pioneer Highway; go to the
right; and then go about 1/4 mile and make a left on Cedarhome Drive. The
Wolf Kill Feed and Seed Store will then be on your left down towards the
bottom of that hill. Good luck and good birding.

January 10, 3:54 PM. This Brian Bell, 425-485-8058. The GREAT-TAILED
GRACKLE was present this afternoon in Stanwood. It was in the parking lot
behind the police department which is located at 8727 271st St. N.W. which
is about a block west of the Wolf Kill Seed Plant. It was in the parking
lot from about 1:30 until about 2:15 when I left the area. During that
time it was perched on the top of telephone poles running behind the
buildings on the south side of the parking lot associating with BREWER'S
BLACKBIRDS and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS. If you go to see it, good luck and
good birding.

January 10, 8:42 PM. Hi, Tom Aversa at 782-7342. Just to let Birdbox
users know, it's probably already been on Tweeters, but the HAWK OWL is
still up north of Custer up near the Canadian border in Whatcom County. It
was seen real well today from Delta Line Road. Also had a WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW in Stanwood at Eide Road. And a PRAIRIE FALCON adult at the
little, beyond the west 90 on the Samish Flats. And a couple real pretty
adult male ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS; one near the West 90, a light morph bird;
and a dark morph bird just north of Route 20 on Bayview-Edison Road.

January 11, 11:47 AM. This is Bill Shelmerdine in Olympia, 866-9106,
that's a 360 area code or at work at 956-2282. Last night I received a
call from a Mrs. Crawford who described a bird from Pacific County, east of
Raymond that sounded very much like a juvenile WHITE IBIS. We talked about
it, she was pretty sure of the identification so I went out there this
morning. I tried to contact the Birdbox earlier and it did not go through
but I went out there this morning and sure enough, there is a juvenile
WHITE IBIS about 7 miles east of Raymond, just east of the little town of
Menlo, about one quarter mile east of Menlo's Store at the Crawford
Dairy. That's on the left side of the road as you're heading east on Hwy.
6. It is 1087 State Route 6. The woman's name is Joan Crawford. This is
a working dairy farm, if you would call ahead or ask permission, it is
private property. She is, at this point, welcoming birders to come
see. It's been there since Monday. It was there this morning, it's easier
to find in the morning and her phone number is 360-942-5858. And her name
is Joan Crawford.

January 11, 6:00 PM. This is Bob Morse in Olympia, 943-8600. The WHITE
IBIS is still being seen as of Thursday at the Crawford Dairy east of
Raymond. The bird has been there since Monday and according to Joan
Crawford, has been actively feeding in her pastures presumably on worms and
grubs. This may be the same bird seen in Newport, Oregon for two days in
mid-November and seen in Bay Center, Washington on 12/30 and Ilwaco on
12/31. Birders are welcome but should call Joan Crawford first at
360-942-5858. Bring a scope since birders will be asked to observe the
IBIS from the driveway and not go into the pastures. The address for the
Crawford Dairy is 1087 State Route 6. From Olympia, it's easiest to get
there by taking I-5 south to Chehalis, then taking State Route Highway 6
west. Seven miles after Lebam look for the name and number on the mailbox
on the north side of the road.

January 11, 8:26 PM. This is Rachel Lawson in Seattle at
206-282-5593. Today at Two Rivers Wildlife Management Area in Monroe,
there was one SCRUB JAY and the Snohomish GYRFALCON was at the usual
location on the Old Snohomish-Monroe Highway outside of Snohomish. That's
all. Good birding.

January 12, 5:49 PM. Hello, this is Dave Beaudette at
206-365-2083. Today, January the 12th, the State Route 6 WHITE IBIS was
seen at 8:00 AM at the site very well-described in the previous message by
Bob Morse. Thanks Bob for the great directions!

January 12, 6:21 PM. This is Rachel Lawson at 206-282-5593. Today on my
way home, I stopped at the Montlake Fill where I found one PALM WARBLER
associating with 4 or 5 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. They were in the area
around the big pond closest to the stadium. There was also one cackling
CANADA GOOSE. Good birding.

January 12, 6:31 PM. Paul Hicks here, 360-264-2462, reporting for Friday,
January 12th. And the WHITE IBIS at the location previously described was
there at about 2 o'clock seen by myself, Craig and Cathy Kemper and Dave ?
and I'm sure by others as well. On the way back, we saw WHITE KITES at the
previously described location near the town of Curtis at the Curtis Coal
Company property. To get there from I-5 west bound on Hwy 6, go 5-1/2
miles, turn left on Curtis Hill Road and after 3-1/2 miles, turn right on
Boistford Road and the Curtis Coal Company property is about one mile down
Boistford Road. You can continue on Boistford Road back to Hwy 6 as a
loop. Coming the reverse direction eastbound on Hwy 6, take a right on
Boistford Road and look for the sign "Boistford Valley Community Church"
near the railroad crossing. If you go by Rainbow State Park, you might
look for a DIPPER and also at the location at the bridge about a half mile
west of the park entrance. There were, by the way, four KITES seen at the
Curtis Coal Company property. Good luck and good birding.

January 13, 5:11 PM. This is Ruth Taylor, 206-781-7216. Just for the
information of those who might be going birding either tomorrow or on
Monday, that both the HAWK OWL and the GRACKLE were seen at the locations
detailed earlier on this tape, today. That's all. Good luck and good birding.

January 13, 9:52 PM. This is Barry Levine, 206-526-8676 reporting on a
field trip taken today by the Newport Ecology Class. Also in attendance
were Mike and Diane Weil, Wayne Iverson and Kay Tellefson. At Big Ditch
Access, two SNOWY OWLS were seen from the dike. On Fir Island, a HARLAN'S
HAWK and a GYRFALCON were noted. Both of these birds were seen by taking
Fir Island Rd. west from I-5 and where it takes a big bend to the right,
continuing straight ahead on a dirt track. At 72nd St. in Boundary Bay,
B.C. the BLACK-HEADED GULL as reported on the Vancouver hot line, was
seen. At Reifel Wildlife Refuge, one SAW-WHET OWL, one BARN OWL, 5
LONG-EARED OWLS and 2 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS were noted. That's it! Good luck
and good birding.

January 14, 1:20 PM. Hi, this is Jason Starfire 206-940-7836. Today
birding with Ryan Shaw and Sam Terry we managed to relocate the WHITE IBIS
in Raymond at the before-mentioned location. Then, returning to Seattle,
we had one HARLAN'S HAWK near I-5 across from Boeing Field. A belated
report from the 11th, one WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at Terrell Lake in Whatcom
County then two more WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS at the Skagit Game
Range. Thank you. Good luck and good birding.

January 14, 2:59 PM. Hi, this is Greg Toffic. Today about noon at the
Brady Loop Road, there was a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. It was in loose woods
across the street from the pond that are at the west end of the Loop Rd.
near the farmhouse with the red metal roof. Also, earlier in the day I had
one GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 2 MARBLED GODWIT, and 11 WILLETS at Tokeland. Good
luck and good birding.

January 14, 10:33 PM. Hi, this is Bill Tweit at 360-754-7098 reporting on
bird watching on the Waterville Plateau in Douglas County on January
14th. One SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in the upper part of Foster Creek feeding in
the birches in the early morning. Three STELLER'S JAYS in the town of
Bridgeport, an adult grey-faced GYRFALCON at the corner of Highway 172 and
Woods Road which is about 6 miles east of the town of Waterville. SNOW
BUNTINGS in a couple of places including a flock of 300 SNOW BUNTINGS
approximately 4 miles south of Highway 172 on Woods Road. That's all, good
luck and good birding.

January 16, 10:15 AM. Hi, my name is Gary and I'm calling from Ballard
Washington. I'm a regular visitor to Green Lake here in Seattle and I'm
always anxious to see the return of the BALD EAGLE pair that comes to
winter here every year. However, for the last three months, the return has
only brought one of the pair. I have not in any of my visits to Green Lake
this year so far for the last 3 months or so, have seen the second of the
pair. So, I'm a little concerned about what happened to one of the
mates. The bald eagles can usually be seen, or the bald eagle now can
usually be seen roosting in the higher trees on an island just off the
shore of Green Lake and like I said I've only seen one this year. And I've
been in touch with the Audubon Society to try to find out if one of the
mates has been lost. Thank you.

January 17, 12:01 PM. Hi, this is Bill Tweit, 360-754-7098 with a report
for January 17th, Wednesday. The WHITE IBIS was still present in the
morning at the Crawford Dairy in Menlo, Pacific County. We were there from
8:15 until 9:30. It was present and foraging in the usual pasture
location. It's visible from the driveway right in front of the
barn. Thank you very much and good birding.

January 17, 7:41 PM. Hello, this is Dave Beaudette at 206-365-2083. This
report is for the 17th of January in Snohomish County at the Marysville
Sewage Ponds were one first winter GLAUCOUS GULL and 4 CINNAMON TEAL. Good
birding.

January 19, 1:10 PM. This is Vic Nelson. Today at about 12:40 at Point No
Point at the northeast tip of the Kitsap Peninsula, I saw an ARCTIC LOON
approximately a quarter of a mile west of the lighthouse and in quite close
to shore. This is the first good sighting I've had for about 3
weeks. There were also three other species of LOONS here at the same time
for a good comparison. Yesterday there was a PRAIRIE FALCON here that was
present at the top of a tree between the lighthouse and the resort to the
west but has not been seen since yesterday. And finally there were 12
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in the pastures that are about half a mile south of
Hansville, just to the east of the road coming into Hansville.

January 21, 6:55 AM. Paul Hicks here, 360-264-2462, reporting for
Saturday, January 20. Reporting from near Conway at Mile Marker 4.1 on Fir
Island Road, a BARN SWALLOW over the ditch on the southeast side of the
road, at kind of a square farmhouse. Also, a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON at
the traditional winter roost along the water course by the green metal
barn. That's it. Good birding.

January 22, 2:45 PM. This is Bill Shelmerdine in Olympia, 866-9106. This
morning at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
was again present. This bird has been seen along the Dike Trail at the
junction of the Nisqually Overlook Trail. This area of the Dike Trail is
now open, it just opened yesterday I believe, and this morning the bird was
present just across the river in Pierce County and then flew back across to
the near side and favored the trees near the Dike Overlook Trail and just
south back toward the refuge buildings. Also on the refuge today were a
couple of NORTHERN SHRIKES and at least one ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. That's
it. Good luck and good birding.

January 24, 4:15 PM. Hello, this is Dave Beaudette at 206-365-2083. This
report is for the 23rd of January. The adult grey-morph GYRFALCON was seen
again in the large field along the old Snohomish-Monroe Road that is about
a half a mile south of the town of Snohomish. And at the Two Rivers
Wildlife Area near Monroe, a WESTERN SCRUB JAY was heard in the woods just
south of the large corn field there. The corn field is accessible from the
north parking lot. That's all for now. Bye.

BirdBox last accessed about 8:30 PM, January 26, 2001


Patti Gotz
Seattle, Washington - Roosevelt Neighborhood
plsgotz at home.com
206-524-3738