- RBA
* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* as above
* February 23, 2003
* IDWA0302.23

- birds mentioned

Yellow-billed Loon
Long-tailed Duck
Glaucous Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Mew Gull
Western Gull
Snowy Owl
Blue Jay
Rusty Blackbird
Harris's Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Lapland Longspur

- transcript

hotline: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
Date: February 23, 2003
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 23 February (2003). 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.

On 21 Feb, Mike and MerryLynn Denny report an ad LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on
the Walla Walla River Delta in western Walla Walla Co WA. They indicate the
best time to find the bird is between 4 pm and dark. Also on the delta were
46 DUNLIN, an EURASIAN WIGEON, a MEW GULL, an ad GLAUCOUS GULL, and 3
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS. The delta is just north of the jct of US 12 and US
730. WA DeLorme 40, D-1.

Many folks again reported SNOW BUNTINGS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS. Although
birds were reported across the Waterville Plateau region of central WA, most
observers reported seeing the largest flocks along US 2 near Atkins Lake in
Douglas Co. Atkins Lake is about 8 miles west of Coulee City. WA DeLorme 85,
CD-5.

Tracey Norris and Ryan Shaw and Rick and Barb Nau report a single SNOWY OWL
southeast of Moses Lake, Grant Co WA on 15 Feb. The bird was on equipment
near L SE and 4 SE. WA DeLorme 69, D-6.5. These roads are between WA 17 and
Potholes Reservoir.

On the Columbia River at Wanapum Dam south of Vantage, Kittitas Co WA the
YELLOW-BILLED LOON is still persisting below the dam, as it has all winter.
Charlie Wright and others and Rick and Barb Nau saw the bird on 15 Feb and
Tracey Norris and Ryan Shaw saw it on the 16th. Wanapum Dam is about 5 miles
south of Vantage on the Columbia River. WA DeLorme 52, A-1.

The ad WESTERN GULL is still persisting in the Lewiston ID / Clarkston WA
area. It was seen by Keith Carlson on 21 Feb on the Lewiston levee near the
confluence. On 15 Feb, it spent most of the afternoon at Swallows Park on
the Clarkston side. Stephen Lindsay reports a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL at
Swallows Park on the 16th. The 2 EURASIAN WIGEONS are also persisting along
the rivers. ID DeLorme 54, A-1.

In the Bridgeport area of Douglas Co WA on 11 Feb, Dave Beaudette saw the
BLUE JAY near 7th Street and Fairview Avenue at the west entrance to Marina
Park. It's been around since early December. Two LONG-TAILED DUCKS were at
the Wells Wildlife Area on the Bridgeport Bar on the 11th according to Dave
and on the 15th according to Charlie Wright and others. Dave reports seeing
the ducks at the access where Grange Road make a sharp curve,1.4 miles from
WA 173. Grange Road leaves WA 173 at milepost 7.7. Nearby was an ad male
RUSTY BLACKBIRD. On 23 Feb, Patrick and Ruth Sullivan report a SWAMP SPARROW
at the west end of the Bridgeport Bar in a large, extensive weedy area
bordering the Columbia River. WA DeLorme 100, D-3.

In Colville, Stevens Co WA, The HARRIS'S SPARROW and about 20 AMERICAN TREE
SPARROWS reported by Warren Current were seen again on 17 Feb by Mark
Houston. The birds are in the weedy lot that has a small stand of aspen on
the north side of the Rural Resources building, which is due west of the
southernmost traffic light along the main drag. WA DeLorme 118, D-1.

On 11 Feb, Tom Munson and Mark Houston spotted a single BLUE JAY near the
mouth of the Little Spokane River, a few miles northwest of Spokane. WA
DeLorme 88, B-4.

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