- RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* as above
* January 06, 2003
* IDWA0301.06

- birds mentioned

Yellow-billed Loon
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Long-tailed Duck
White-winged Scoter
Red-breasted Merganser
Eurasian Wigeon
Dunlin
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western Gull
Short-eared Owl
Snowy Owl
Blue Jay
Northern Mockingbird
Common Grackle

- transcript

hotline: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
Date: January 6, 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 Monday 6 January (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.

Between 26 Dec and 6 Jan many birders trekked to Wanapum Dam south of
Vantage, Kittitas Co WA. The action began with reports of a probable ARCTIC
LOON. Although much debate ensued, it appears this bird was not an ARCTIC,
although documentation will need to be sorted out by the rare bird
committee. However, several other good birds were in the same area: the
YELLOW-BILLED LOON is persisting, joined by a PACIFIC LOON and a
RED-THROATED LOON, a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, a third-winter and an adult
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and a LONG-TAILED DUCK
Wanapum Dam is about 5 miles south of Vantage on the Columbia River. WA
DeLorme 52, A-1.

A COMMON GRACKLE was seen 26 and 28 Dec Two Rivers County Park east of
Kennewick, Benton Co, WA by Dennis Rockwell. The bird was perched atop a
utility pole just west of Locust Lane between Finley Road and 22nd Street
and just across Finley Road from the County Park parking lot at the
southeast corner of the lagoon. WA DeLorme 39, C-8.

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD is along US 2 north of East Wenatchee, Chelan Co WA.
The bird, originally reported by Meredith Spencer and Rick Hendricks on 31
Dec, was seen 5 Jan by Dave Beaudette. The bird was seen along the east side
of US 2 [SR 97] north of East Wenatchee at the 135 milepost. The milepost
has been knocked over, so check mileage from the 134 or 136 mileposts.
Traffic is fast and furious here so be careful. The bird was in
Russian-olives across the highway from a driveway that has this address
posted on the gate: 134 93 SR 97. WA DeLorme 83, D-6 and 7.

A SNOWY OWL was along old Highway 2 about 2 to 3 miles west of Reardan,
Lincoln Co WA on 25 Dec according to Theresa Mathis.

In the Lewiston ID / Clarkston WA area were several good birds. Charles
Swift reports a first-winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL on the gravel bar in the
Clearwater River near the truck weigh station along US 95 east of Lewiston
on 2 Jan. At Mann Lake, Charles found 5 DUNLIN and a PRAIRIE FALCON. At the
Clarkston landfill, Charles observed a WESTERN GULL. And, on the Clearwater
River near the Lewiston grain terminal was a LONG-TAILED DUCK.

Dave Holick reports the 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS circling over fields near the
intersection of Darby and Olson roads about 1.5 miles NE of Moscow, Latah Co
ID were seen in the same location again this week. ID DeLorme 58, BC-1.

A BLUE JAY was in Spokane Co, WA on 29 Dec according to Matthew Moskwik. He
saw the bird on the south side of the Spokane River, directly across from
the Little Spokane River delta.

AN EURASIAN WIGEON was at Hat Rock State Park, Umatilla Co, OR on 25 Dec
according to Craig & Judy Corder. Another EURASIAN WIGEON was in Clarkston,
Asotin Co WA on 2 Jan according to Jane Westervelt. This bird was on the
grass near the boat ramp just north of the US 12 bridge between Clarkston
and Lewiston.

Elise Augenstein reports 2 MERLINS in Moscow, ID on 4 Jan. The birds were
near Rosauer's on the north end of town along Main Street.

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