Greetings,

Just got back from a nice trip to the Electric City area. Spent most of the
time looking
at the spectacular scenery of the area.
Yesterday, 7 January, I viewed the Hoary Redpoll at the residence of Don
Andrews, a few miles southwest of Electric City on SR 155, Grant Couny WA.
Delorme
Atlas page 85, A8. Common Redpolls were also present.
This bird was originally found by Patrick Sullivan on 5 January while
working on the Grand Coulee CBC. It was viewed by several birders on the
6th.
To find: At MP 21.55 on SR 155 turn onto Lake Ridge Ln NE. Don's residence
is a very
short distance down the road on the right. The number clearly seen out in
front is 55947.
Patrick's description of the bird is below.

Dave Beaudette
Wenatchee,WA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ruth Sullivan <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Date: Sunday, January 06, 2002 11:39 AM
> Subject: Hoary Redpoll near Electric City,Grant County
>
>
> >Hello Tweets,
> >
> >Yesterday(January 5th)my mother and participated on the Grand Coulee CBC
> >along with 17 other participants with fairly good conditions throughout
> most
> >of the day, but some occasional wind and minor snow/rain showers in our
> >personal area, where the main highlight was a female HOARY REDPOLL found,
> >well observed, and photographed at a feeder residence south of Electric
> >City(accessed off of Hwy.155)in Grant County. We located the bird upon
> >searching for feeders within our personal route after 12pm, where the
bird
> >was observed from 12:40pm-1:50pm. The bird was immediately picked out
from
> a
> >flock of 18 Common Redpolls and 43 American Goldfinches that were located
> >upon our arrival in our Leica spotting scope. The bird showed an obvious
> >white rump(visible in perched bird, as well as in flight), paler
upperparts
> >and underparts than the nearby smaller,more slender Common Redpolls. The
> >side and flanks showed very fine steaking, but the undertail coverts and
> >belly were completely white, but the clear upper breast showed some faint
> >buffy washing along with the facial area. The overall color of the face
and
> >upperparts were more pale buffier(dingy white) than we had expected, as
the
> >cheeks were pale, but NOT completely white, but noticeably paler than the
> >darker nearby Common Redpolls. The white wing bars were more broader and
> >apparent than the nearby Common Redpolls, showing more more white also in
> >the secondaries. The overall size of the bird was noticeably slightly
> >larger, plumper, shorter-necked, slightly shorter billed, and stockier
than
> >the nearby darker Common Redpolls, making ALL the listed features
apparent
> >to locate the bird at the thistle feeder, and in several decidious tress
on
> >the residence. The bird at times would attempt to forage at the feeder,
but
> >was somewhat less bold than the more aggressive American Goldfinches,
which
> >allowed the Common Redpolls to feed. The Hoary Redpoll due to being in
> >company of other finches near/and at a feeder should remain, as birders
> from
> >the CBC were planning to look for it. The flock of 18 Common Redpolls
was
> >our personal largest flock of the day, with 2 additional birds noted near
> >the Grand Coulee Airport, but a flock of 90 birds was noted by Meredith
> >Spencer in another area within the count circle. Surprisingly NO waxwings
> of
> >either species were noted. The preliminary results for the Grand Coulle
CBC
> >were a total of 84 species, but some additional count week birds could be
> >found and added.
> >
> >The notable highlights observed within our area, and to and from
> >destinations in the Grand Coulee/Electric City area, along with an hour
of
> >owling in Northrup Canyon) from 6:05am-7am inncluded:
> >
> >1 Eared Grebe
> >1 CLARK'GREBE(with nearby Western Grebes)
> >20 Red-breasted Mergansers(high count), with additional birds noted in
> other
> >areas.
> >1 GYRFALCON
> >1 Western Screech Owl
> >5 Northern Saw-whet Owls
> >1 Hairy Woodpecker
> >1 Brown Creeper
> >9 Canyon Wrens
> >1 Hermit Thrush
> >2 Varied Thrushes
> >1 Northern Shrike
> >1 white-striped WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
> >20 Common Redpolls
> >1 HOARY REDPOLL
> >
> >A few other highlights noted in others areas included within the count
> >included:
> >
> >4 Greater Scaup
> >2 Prairie Falcons
> >2 WILD TURKEYS
> >20 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS(observed by Bob Flores and Randy Hill, which is a
> >very high count for this seldom reported species within inland WA)
> >1 Steller's Jay
> >4 Gray-crowned Rosy Finches
> >
> >Upon our trip home after 6pm the weather conditions decreased with light
> >snow/rain showers starting in Ephrata to Vantage, then turning to
complete
> >moderae to heavy snow showers from Ellensburg to just west of Snoqualmie
> >Pass along I-90, then turning to heavy rain(with moderate wind)to about
the
> >Tiger Summit area, so we left home in the dark and came home in the dark
> >with 22 hours on the road.
> >
> >
> >Good birding,
> >
> >Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
> >GODWIT at worldnet.att.net