- RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* as above
* March 24, 2003
* IDWA0303.24

- birds mentioned

Yellow-billed Loon
Pacific Loon
Red-throated Loon
TUFTED DUCK
Long-tailed Duck
Eurasian Wigeon
Ross's Goose
ICELAND GULL
Glaucous-winged Gull
Snow Bunting

- transcript

hotline: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
Date: March 24, 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 24 March (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.

A TUFTED DUCK is in northern Idaho. Lisa Hardy found a male TUFTED DUCK in
Kootenai Co ID on 21 Mar. Many folks saw it over the weekend and today, 24
Mar. Up to 18 other waterfowl species have been tallied as well, including
EURASIAN WIGEONS, GREATER SCAUP, and lots of CANVASBACK. Take I-90 exit 34
(Rose Lake), turn north to the T intersection and turn right (onto Canyon
Road). Go 1.9 miles, turn right onto River Road. After you go over the
interstate, turn right (downhill) onto the graveled road (River Road). River
Road runs south along the edge of the flooded fields that are west of
Tamarack Ridge; these fields can be seen from the interstate. Very roughly a
mile past the turn onto gravel, you will see an open pasture on the left,
and a street sign "Allgood Ct.". ID DeLorme 60, B-3. A nice map can be found
in "A Birders Guide to Idaho," p 53.

A COMMON GRACKLE perhaps the same bird seen last spring, was seen again east
of Yakima, Yakima Co WA about 2 weeks ago. Denny Granstrand reports that
Richard Repp found the bird. To get there, take the Nob Hill Blvd / WA 24
exit off I-82 in Yakima; go east on WA 24 for about 2 miles to the stop
light at Birchfield Road. Turn right onto Birchfield and go south. After
about 1 mile the road curves to the right and then eventually curves back to
the left. Look for the bird between the curves, generally on the east side
of the road. If you go, please park well off the road. Neighbors were upset
by nearly-road-blocking parking practices last time. WA DeLorme 51, D-5.

On 22 Mar Barb and Doug Schonewald found 7 LONG-TAILED DUCKS in Grant Co WA.
The birds were on the Columbia River at the WA 26 river access just south of
I-90. WA DeLorme 52, A-1.

On the Columbia River at Wanapum Dam south of Vantage, Kittitas Co WA the
YELLOW-BILLED LOON is persisting below the dam, as is a RED-THROATED LOON, a
PACIFIC LOON, and a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. All were seen on 22 Mar between
the dam and downstream islands by Barb and Doug Schonewald, and during the
proceeding couple of weeks by Scott Downes and Charlie Wright. Wanapum Dam
is about 5 miles south of Vantage on the Columbia River. WA DeLorme 52, A-1.

On 15 Mar in western Walla Walla Co WA Mike and MerryLynn Denny report 2
ROSS'S GEESE in a flock of 800 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at milepost 300
along US 2. Just a little further south were 2 EURASIAN WIGEONS on the pond
east of the Iowa Beef processing plant. Follow Dodd Road east of Iowa Beef
and take the old railroad bed south to the largest pond. The Eurasians were
still there today 24 Mar. On the infamous Wallula poop piles 4 miles north
of the jct of US 12 and US 730 were 3 GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS. At the same
place on 16 Mar John and Sue Rogers relocated the sub ad second winter
ICELAND GULL reported on 8 Mar by the Denny's. WA DeLorme 40, D-1.

Thousands of TUNDRA SWANS, a ROSS'S GOOSE, and a single EURASIAN WIGEON were
on Calispell Lake just SW of Usk, Pend O'Reille Co WA according to Cindy
McCormack. Along with Theresa Mathis and Howard Ferguson, the birds were
seen 15 Mar. South of the lake was a flock of 50 SNOW BUNTINGS. WA DeLorme
105, B-6.

Another EURASIAN WIGEON was just north of Moscow, Latah Co ID on 15 Mar
according to Charles Swift. It was in the seasonal pond on the east side of
US 95 just a mile or south north of Moscow. Parking is a problem here. Be
very careful. I saw the bird on 23 Mar as well.

Two more EURASIAN WIGEONS were in Umatilla Co OR on 15 Mar. The birds were
along Stateline Road 4 miles west of Umapine according to Mike and MerryLynn
Denny. OR DeLorme 86, A-2.5.

SANDHILL CRANES are moving through central WA. Look for them 10 or so miles
west of Othello WA south of WA 26 along Crab Creek. On 16 Mar Randy Hill
report 3500 cranes, 15000 geese, and 40000 ducks in the area. WA DeLorme 53,
B-5.

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