- RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* as above
* June 17, 2002
* IDWA0206.17

- birds mentioned

Harlequin Duck
White-faced Ibis
Black Swift
ALDER FLYCATCHER
Least Flycatcher
Common Grackle

- transcript

hotline: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
Date: June 17, 2002
Phone: (208) 882-6195
Compiler: Kas Dumroese
Transcriber: Kas Dumroese - dumroese at iglide.net

This is Kas Dumroese with the Northern Idaho / Eastern Washington /
Northeastern Oregon bird hotline for Monday 17 June (2002). This hotline,
sponsored by Palouse Audubon, is updated every Monday evening. Transcripts
of this RBA and membership info are available on-line at
http://www.palouseaudubon.org

If you wish to bypass this recording and simply leave a message for me,
including the date of your sighting and the DeLorme atlas page numbers and
coordinates if you have them, push the star button on your telephone now.
Otherwise wait for the beep at the end of the tape. Please give me good
directions, your fellow birdwatchers will appreciate it.

An ALDER FLYCATCHER was first seen 8 June near Crab Creek, Lincoln Co WA by
Bob Flores.There has been much commentary on this bird. I'd suggest as many
folks as possible go see for yourself. Here are Bob's directions to the
bird: From the main road in Ritzville take Division Street toward the
Cemetery. Marcellus veers right off Division heading north. After several
miles at the county line there is a "Y" in the road, take the right arm
(Rocky Ford Road). Stay on Rocky Ford to the main stem of Crab Creek. Bird
the north side. The ALDER is in the first large patch, when you get to the
riparian fence along the thicket listen for the bird. The ALDER likes to sit
up on the top of two trees in the thicket. It also forges low around the
thicket and this is when it would work its way past us at close distance. WA
DeLorme 71, B-5.

LEAST FLYCATCHERS are present in both WA and ID. In WA, Ken Knittle found
one in Douglas Co. Head south over the bridge (WA 173) over the Columbia
River at Brewster, then head west to Central Ferry Canyon Road. Go up
Central Ferry Canyon Road. The bird is in the poplar thicket just uphill
from the end of the pavement. WA DeLorme 100, D-2.

In ID, Charles Swift reports 4 LEAST FLYCATCHERS singing at Kootenai NWR
just west of Bonners Ferry, Boundary Co ID this past weekend. ID DeLorme 62,
A-3.

I observed 2 LEAST FLYCATCHERS near Rose Lake, Kootenai Co ID on 15 Jun. To
get to this spot, take I-90 east from Coeur d'Alene to exit 24 and head
south on ID 3. Go about 3 or 4 miles or so to Rose Creek Road at milepost
113.8. Pull in and park. Head back up to the highway and follow it west a
couple hundred feet and then head down and into the cottonwood/Quaking Aspen
grove. This is part of the CdA WMA and open to the public. ID DeLorme BC-3
and Chain Lakes Route on p. 56 of The Birders' Guide to Idaho.

The COMMON GRACKLE reported about 2 months ago near Yakima, Yakima Co WA by
Denny Granstrand is still present. To get to the spot from I-82 east of
Yakima, take the Nob Hill Blvd/Highway 24 exit off I-82. Go east about 2
miles, passing the K-Mart on the right with a traffic light at the highway.
The next traffic light will be Birchfield Road. Turn right at the light onto
Birchfield Road. Go .9 miles south. The road takes a curve to the right. The
grackle usually hangs out at the house on the right side of the road just
after the curve. It is frequently seen in the trees and bushes in front of
the house or in the corrals just south of the house. If not seen there, it
might be found on either side of the road for about 200 yards to the south.
Listen for its odd "song" that is a combination between high-pitched squeek
and whistle. WA DeLorme 51, D-5.

Another COMMON GRACKLE is in Ephrata, Grant Co WA. The bird was seen by Teri
Pieper the morning of 15 Jun at 7th and D streets, 416 D to specific. The
home owners report they'd seen the bird for quite some time; this is
apparently the same bird reported by Bill Tweit on 3 Jun. WA DeLorme 68,
B-4.

One to two WHITE-FACED IBIS are near Para Ponds near Othello, Adams Co, WA.
Randy Hill observed a single bird on 11 Jun and Bob Flores reports 2 birds
on 12 Jun. The birds were along the shore of the wetland 100 yards south of
McManamon Road. WA DeLorme 53, AB-7.

A female HARLEQUIN DUCK was on Smith Creek in Boundary Co ID this past
weekend according to Charles Swift. The bird was above the small hydro dam
about 6.5 miles up Forest Service Road 281. Also, where Smith Creek passes
under Westside Road Charles reports seeing 4 BLACK SWIFTS. From Bonners
Ferry, head north on US 95 14 miles to milepost 522.9, turn north on ID 1
(Copeland Road). At the Y continue straight across the Kootenai River to the
T intersection. Turn right onto Westside Road which will turn into FS Road
281 in about 9 miles. See A Birders' Guide to Idaho p 23 and ID DeLorme 48,
A-2-3.

If you have any questions about birds on the report, call me before 9 pm at
208.883.0943. If you see any of the birds mentioned in this report, be sure
to let me know.

Good birding.

Kas