Hey Tweeters,
Chased the Hoary Redpoll today with Ryan Shaw and Scott Downes. It was a
long day but well worth it as we found the bird visiting the previously
described feeders near Electric City in Grant County. It all started at
300hrs when I met Ryan in Tacoma after an hour of sleep. We then drove
(through whiteout conditions on the pass) to Ellensburg and picked up Scott
before continuing another 2 hours to Electric City. Ryan saw a Barn Owl on
the way in Grant County.
We arrived at the house just before 730hrs, and it was just getting light.
There was a steady, very cold breeze but we walked around to the side of the
house where we found a few COMMON REDPOLLS. There were about 15 or 20 present
in the area, feeding (?) in the sage as well as in trees and the feeders. It
didn't take long to find the HOARY REDPOLL with this flock, as it was overall
much whiter, with a very large white rump and unstreaked undertail coverts,
white supercilium, flat-faced look, and dark red cap. It also seemed to fluff
itself up more than the other redpolls it was with, often cocking it's tail
up. It was also a bit larger, quite noticable when side-by-side. It mainly
hung out under the feeders on the ground. I also got some video and captures
will be up on my website shortly. Also, beware that there are at least 2
*very* pale Commons in this area that could easily pass for a Hoary. However,
they do have around three or four streaks on their undertail coverts and are
just abberant Commons in my opinion. While we were there, several other
birders drove up including Kraig and Kathy Kemper, and they also observed the
bird well.
We left the redpolls at 820hrs and headed to Northrup Canyon, also in Grant
County. On the way we scoped a flock of gull on the Columbia and pulled out a
GLAUCOUS-WINGED from the Herring and Ring-billeds. At Northrup Canyon we had:
2 Bald Eagles
3 Horned Larks
2 Common Redpolls
1 BEWICK'S WREN
1 Rock Wren
1 AMERICAN TREE SPARROW

On the road again, we passed 3 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS near MileMarker 2.
We then tried to get me my life Chukar at Dry Falls interpretive center, but
it was not to be. In the last 4 years I've been in their habitat with them in
mind well over 30 times, but I will continue to miss them for a while yet
apparently. At Dry Falls there was a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE perching on the top
of the little gazebo there and then feeding in planted junipers. At Soap Lake
there were about 30 Eared Grebes and 150 Ruddy Ducks.
We then headed south looking for the Snowy Owl south of Moses Lake. We did
not see this bird but in a flock of about 15 Horned Larks by the side of the
road there was at least 1 SNOW BUNTING. We then attempted to bird the
Potholes, Vantage, Wanapum, and Cle Elum areas but the 40 mph winds (with
blowing dust) kept us from seeing anything else of note. So, that was our
day. We had around 60 species, not too bad for a chasing trip to eastern WA
in the winter. Good birding.

Charlie Wright, 13
Birdking88 at aol.com
Sumner, WA