Hoping to find a blue jay I birded eastern Adams Co. No luck on the jay but
found a Harris Sparrow in the blackberry patch just south of Bassett Park in
Washtucna (Delorme Pg 55 6B). The bird pished up easily. I found it at
noon today (Friday 9th).

Earlier at 1:00 am I birded Hatton (Delorme pg54 2B) and while being saved
by a owner of the dog that wanted to take me on the owner asked what I was
doing. I said I was birding and she said she thought she had seen a owl
last night I pointed to a great-horned across the street and she ran out to
me all excited as I let her use my binos to view it. This of course brought
out another neighbor who was wondering what we were doing. In the course of
conversation I asked if they had any other owls around. The male told me he
had heard a owl earlier in the year and did a imitation, a long-eared I told
him. As we sat there looking at the how (sorry to some of you) the guy said
he and his wife had heard this call and were wondering if it was a owl. He
began to imitate it, as he got the first note out I started to say ( because
I know better right?) it was mourning dove. He finished a pygmy-owl call
and to my amazement received a response. I could not believe it so I called
and again a response. I joyfully told the guy what it was, he continued
that they have heard it several times over the last several days. After we
talked about burrowing owls I went to find the pygmy. It was calling from
the south-east corner of town, Cherry St. As I started someone from that
corner began their project with a powertool (table saw?) blasting away. The
bad news I looked and looked called several times but could not find the
owl.

I did not find anything of interest at Hatton Rest Area, Bassett Park or
Hooper

Bob Flores
Othello, WA

Bob Flores