Hello Bob and tweeters,
First ,i am happy you all saw this Hoary Redpoll.We had a good chance to
watch this bird for over an hour,and was manly concentrating on the white
rump what was showing almost all the time some time sticking out as a
hunch -back.No birder mention this fieldmark in there sighting.And i must
say ,this bird looked a lot larger than the nearby Common showing clearly in
our photos.The way most of all birders and sofar 7 birders saw this bird
saying that this bird stood out.As we approached the area where Donald
Andrews live,we saw a flock of birds flying in to the big tree in his front
yard,Patrick said Common Redpolls.But after looking, closer he told me there
is a Hoary also,.I said,sure sure and figured this going to be onother of
this light colored Commons what been sighted.But seeing this bird in the
Scope convinced me right away with out even looking and study this
bird.This is what i had seeing in Cameron Eckerts photos in comparison.The
bird also flew away in to the Sage .but quickly returned.He trying to get on
to the distel feeder,but the Godfinches took over on this,he landed on a
stick next to the feeder or feeding on the ground.This was my first CBC in
Electric City and i think we was so lucky to find this bird.

Ruth Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net
Tacoma
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Flores <rflores at qosi.net>
To: Inland Birds <inland-nw-birders at uidaho.edu>; Tweeters
<tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 8:40 PM
Subject: Fw: Electric City Hoary Redpoll


> 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
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>