Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: January 4, 2002
Phone: 509-627-BIRD
Compiler and Transcriber: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at owt.com

BIRDS REPORTED

Christmas Bird Count highlights
White-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Sparrow, Harris' Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow
Western Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl, Bald Eagle
Common Redpoll, Townsend's Solitaire, Harris' Sparrow, Redhead
Spotted Sandpiper

TRANSCRIPT

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for January 4,
2002. For questions regarding LCBAS, please leave a message.

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

Happy New Year. The Tri-Cities Christmas Bird Count was a huge success
with 111 species found, breaking the previous record of 106. Unexpected
species included, Great Egret, Least Sandpiper, Anna's Hummingbird, Gray
Partridge, Hairy Woodpecker, and Snow Bunting. Common Redpolls finally
made an appearance in the area as noted later.

On December 23, Mary Lilga had a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH in her Richland
yard. Although Red-breasted Nuthatches are present in small numbers all
winter, White-breasteds are quite rare in the area.

An immature GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW has erratically appeared at Bob
Woodley's Richland feeder. It last appeared December 25. The
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW continues at the LaFramboise's Richland feeder and
has been joined by 2 HARRIS' SPARROWS. To schedule a visit, please call
627-3695.

Margaret Greger reported calling WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS in her Richland
neighborhood on December 24 and 26.

At Sacajawea State Park near Pasco, Wayne Heinz and Lucie Fritz discovered
3 GREAT HORNED OWLS and 14 BALD EAGLES. This is a great place to see Bald
Eagles, but take care not to flush these resting birds.

COMMON REDPOLLS appeared in very small numbers in early December. Several
were found on the Christmas Bird Count and on December 30, Bob & Pat
Woodley found 9 along Harris Street in Richland. The next day there were
30 behind the Battelle Sigma Building and 4 at a birch tree near the Park
Street entrance to Leslie Groves Park in Richland. This tree has had
Redpolls for the last several days. A nearby wild rose bush also has a
HARRIS' SPARROW and a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE has been seen along Harris
Street at several locations. 13 REDHEADS were at the south end of Nelson
Island off Groves Park on January 1st.

An over-wintering SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen by Laurie Ness at the
Esquatzel Flume along Columbia River Road, north of Pasco on January 3 .
This is where 2 American Dippers over-wintered last year.

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