- RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* as above
* October 21, 2002
* IDWA0210.21

- birds mentioned

Long-tailed Duck
Surf Scoter
Thayer's Gull
Pectoral Sandpiper
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Boreal Owl
Blue Jay
Purple Finch
Common Grackle
Snow Bunting
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

- transcript

hotline: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
Date: October 21, 2002
Phone: (208) 882-6195
Compiler: Kas Dumroese
Transcriber: Kas Dumroese - dumroese at iglide dot net

This is Kas Dumroese with the Northern Idaho / Eastern Washington /
Northeastern Oregon bird hotline for Sunday 21 October (2002). This hotline,
sponsored by Palouse Audubon, is usually updated every Monday evening.
Transcripts of this RBA and membership info are available on-line at
http://www.palouseaudubon.org

Leave a message anytime during this recording by pressing 2 and then #.
Please give me good directions, your fellow birdwatchers will appreciate it.

A BOREAL OWL was heard 15 Oct in the Entiat Mountains northeast of
Leavenworth, Chelan CO WA by Dave Beaudette. From US 2 at Leavenworth head
north on the Chumstick Highway. Just past the 2 milepost and the Eagle Creek
sign turn right onto the paved road which is the Eagle Creek Rd. Go about
5.7 miles to the end of the pavement. Turn left onto FS Rd 7520 and take
this road about 5.8 miles to the junction with FS Rd 5200. At this junction
go left-north onto FS Rd 5200 heading to Sugarloaf Peak. The bird was heard
along FS Rd 5200 at elevation about 4500.

An adult plumaged COMMON GRACKLE was at the feeder of Dennis Rockwell in
Kennewick, Benton Co WA this past week. Dennis lives at 12906 S Haney Road.

A single SNOW BUNTING was at Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai Co ID on 20 Oct
according to Shirley Sturts. The bird was on the beach along North Idaho
College. For access, take Northwest Blvd then turn south on Lincoln Avenue,
right onto River Avenue, and follow it up onto Rosenberry which forms a dike
along the Spokane River and the beach. See "A Birder's Guide to Idaho" p 49.

Two LONG-TAILED DUCKS are persisting at the south end of Soap Lake, near the
town of Soap Lake, Grant Co WA. Reported last week, they were seen again on
15 Oct, as were 5 SURF SCOTERS, by Mark Houston. WA DeLorme 69, A-5.

A nice variety of shorebirds were at Cold Springs NWR near Hermiston,
Umatilla Co, OR on 18 Oct. Craig & Judy Corder report 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS,
4 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 10 DUNLIN, 1 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, and 200 + KILLDEER. OR DeLorme 85, A-8.

Two SURF SCOTERS were at the northwest end of Sprague Lake in Lincoln Co WA
on 15 Oct. A group of 4 THAYER'S GULLS were in the middle of the lake in
Adams Co WA according to Mark Houston. Sprague Lake is south of I-90 west of
Sprague. WA DeLorme 71, B-8.

The female PURPLE FINCH reported last week visiting the feeder of Larry
Moskwik near Elk, Spokane Co WA is still present. If you'd like to see the
bird seen 12 and 13 Oct, give Larry a call at 509.292.8168.

A large raft of 150 WESTERN GREBES were on Columbia River, Benton Co WA
about 12 miles upstream from McNary Dam, Wallula Gap on 20 Oct according to
Craig & Judy Corder.

A BLUE JAY has been in southern Othello, Grant Co WA since 14 Oct according
to Randy Hill, who verified the identity on 20 Oct. The jay is using the
south end of the Sundance Road loop off Atkinson Road about 4 miles south of
Othello. Take WA 24 and turn east on Atkinson, then about 0.75 mile to the
Sundance loop south. WA DeLorme 53, B-7.

Another WA BLUE JAY was seen at the Tekoa, Whitman Co WA golfcourse this
past week according to Alison Meyer.

Two GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES were seen 15 Oct on the north side of Coeur
d'Alene Mountain, Kootenai Co ID according to Bill O'Connell. To get there,
take I-90 east from CdA, take exit 22 (ID 97) south and at milepost 94 turn
up the Forest Service road on the north side of Beauty Creek. They were just
west of the old picnic and vista area along the road. See "A Birder's Guide
to Idaho" p 51 and ID DeLorme 60, B-2.

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