Teri Pieper, Randy Hill and myself went up to Electric City to see the hoary
redpoll, see messages below, today (Jan 8). Teri and I saw the bird
immediately as re walked up the drive way at about 11:00am. What I noted in
my short viewing time was the flat face look and it's size, larger, which
took me by surprise alittle. I did not imagine it would look that much
larger. It's light colored body was apparent. As we yelled at Randy to
hurry, getting his camera gear, we lost track of the bird and it was gone.
We waited around and saw glimpses of the bird as flocks of finches and
redpolls came in and out of the yard. Pretty Frustrating. Randy got some
looks and we all left at 3:00 pm never getting a sustained look. The home
owner said the hoary has been showing up early in the morning and not
returning. We did see the suspect in the afternoon but only glimpses as the
birds moved around alot. It was interesting watching the flock come and go
as we tried to detremine where they were going. I observed flocks flying
into sagebrush patches, flying to a large rock outcrop across the highway
and even perching in a tree along the Ag. field near the Highway. Some
simply flew toward the golf course to the north. Teri and I drove around
looking for other feeders with no luck finding any. My advice get there
early. The homeowner is a very nice person and loves the attention.

Bob Flores
Othello, WA
rflores at qosi.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Beaudette" <drtbrdr at earthlink.net>
To: "Inland NW Messages" <inland-nw-birders at uidaho.edu>; "Tweeters Messages"
<tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 6:27 PM
Subject: Electric City Hoary Redpoll


> 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
>
>
>
>
>