Subject: early spring and the Balde Eagle Festival
Date: Feb 6 20:08:06 2003
From: hill - hill at cbnn.net


While reading over a backlog of messages I read about the early appearance
of treefrogs, which reminded me that I had forgotten to post a note
following Saturday's trip up through Douglas County to Grand Coulee. I was
disappointed in the lack of birds along the way during such a gorgeous
sunshiny day, with only singles of Prairie Falcon and Northern Shrike to
break the monotony of Horned Larks and ravens. Banks Lake was dense fog
coming south until reaching Steamboat Rock SP, where the sunshine
reappeared.

Just a few birds of note in the park area. A single Bohemian Waxwing was
mixed in with a large flock of starlings near the south entrance to the
park, using the Russian-olive trees. Also several American Tree Sparrows,
which are quite reliable in the same area of olive trees. I the lake
between the north and south park entrances there were three male
Red-breasted Mergansers, which seem to occur annually on Banks Lake. I
reached the Northrup Canyon eagle roost around 14:40, and there were already
a half dozen Bald Eagles circling farther up the canyon. I stayed until
17:30, tallying eagles coming in to the roost. The results: 62 adults, 44
sub-adults, 3 age undetermined. I don't think I saw every eagle coming in
either. These birds are one highlight of the Balde Eagle Festival in Grand
Coulee over the weekend of Feb. 15 and 16 (and Monday is a holiday!)

Back to the original reminder of early spring. Around 15:30 on 2/1 from the
eagle observation area of Northrup Canyon, one or two tree frogs were
calling. We're talking about a cold canyon! Treefrogs must be able to warm
up quicker than the rest of the amphibians in eastern WA. Does anyone out
there have an answer as to the adaptive significance of this "winter
emergence"?

Randy Hill
Othello