Hello Scott and tweetes,
I am glad that you also saw the Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk.We saw this bird on
all our three visit's to the refuge.I made sure i took photos of this bird
sitting and in flight since no birder mention this Hawk, and there where
many visiter looking for the Black Phoebe.And as you mention this Julia
Butler Hansen been not reported to often on sightings,this is wy the Black
Phoebe been discovert on the CBC.According to Tom Kollasch who is a Wildlife
Biologist this Phoebe been there since October.The Refuge itself got
reconstructed there habitat to attracting Shorebirds and Ducks.The first
large ponds comming from the Headquarters looking to you right,there we had
a good asorments of Shorebirds,there we had Black-bellid Plovers Dunlin
Western and Least Sandpipers.From the refuge you can drive to Wooland what
is not to far and bird the dike .As we reported in earlier messages not to
many birders birding this area,but it can be verry rewarding.There is a side
guide comming up in "WASHINGTON BIRDERS" about birding the Dike in
Woodland.One can find large group of Sandhill Cranes there what we missed
many times at the Ridgefield Refuge.It is most intersting to bird different
places to finding new birds.Cause Patrick makes a Couny list 'so for him it
is imported .

Ruth Sullivan
Tacoma
----- Original Message -----
From: Scott Atkinson <scottratkinson at hotmail.com>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 11:42 AM
Subject: Julia Butler Hansen NWR's BLACK PHOEBE


> Tweeters:
>
> I don't often chase for the same reasons Mike Patterson hinted at a while
> back, but was down in Portland on business yesterday and had just enough
> time in the late afternoon to stop by the Julia Butler Hansen NWR (4:15-45
> pm) near Cathlamet. The BLACK PHOEBE was not visible from the Visitor's
> Center; however, after about five minutes, I could hear it calling to the
> right in the blackberry thickets, closer to Hwy 4 and near a small stand
of
> Red Alder. It took about 10 minutes to finally spot the bird from when I
> first heard it.
>
> The bird was active near the water's edge. The sparrow action was good
here
> also, and another notable bird was found--a RED (EASTERN) FOX SPARROW,
which
> was in the company of several Sooty Fox and Song Sparrows, there was a
> Lincoln's near here, too. Then, perched near the top of a tall tree
visible
> from here on the north side of Hwy 4, there was a HARLAN'S (RT) HAWK, a
very
> black individual with a few white spots visible on the upper breast,
looking
> about as dark as I've ever seen one.
>
> I'd never been in this part of wWA and was impressed not only by the
birding
> potential of the area but also by its geographical beauty. Given my good
> fortune with the Phoebe, I find myself actually considering trying for the
> Lesser BB Gull in Tri-Cities, since I have yet to try.
>
> Scott Atkinson
> Lake Stevens
> email: scottratkinson at hotmail.com
>
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