Hi Tweeters,

Andy Stepniewski reported yesterday a Eurasian Collared-Dove in Yakima. I
saw it today with Bob Morse and a friend of his. All of us ended up with
questions about this bird. Here is a brief description:

- slightly larger then the Mourning Doves at the feeding area, the
bulkier head being especially noticeable;
- the shading of the head, breast, belly, back and wings matches
nicely with Sibley;
- the primaries appeared quite light gray unlike the dark gray
depicted in Sibley and National Geo;
- I felt the undertail coverts were white, Andy thought they were
slightly gray but there was no black in the undertail coverts area.

I will admit that I have little experience with this species with only one
observation of collared-dove in Louisiana last year. Andy has more
experience with the species. If would help if we could get a few more
people over here to see this bird. Here are the directions and best times:

Best times are apparently 6-8 AM, and 4-6 PM. To find this bird, take I-82
south from Ellensburg. As you approach Yakima, take Exit 31 west onto US-12.
Go to the
2nd exit (40th Ave.). Go past the 2nd light about .25 mile. At the end of a
large field on your right (actually a recently cleared Red Delicious
orchard) is a 1-lane gravel lane lying on the north side of a chain link
fence. Turn right onto this lane. In the 1st hollow from 40th (perhaps
100'), a lady from the adjacent mobile home park scatters seed through the
fence into the lane. Park just off 40th at first to look for this site so as
not to flush all the birds which come to this feeding station. You might
have to wait awhile for the Eurasian, but it apparently has been regular for
at least a week now.

Thanks,

Denny Granstrand
Yakima
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* Denny Granstrand *
* Yakima, WA *
* osprey at nwinfo.net *
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