Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: March 31, 2004
Phone: 509-627-BIRD
Compiler and Transcriber: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, wlafra at owt.com

BIRDS REPORTED

Violet-Green Swallow, other swallows, Least Sandpiper
Long-billed Curlew
Western Kingbird
Long-billed Curlew, Ferruginous Hawk
Snow Goose
American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Greater Yellowlegs
Downy Woodpecker
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Turkey Vulture
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Caspian Tern

TRANSCRIPT

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for March 31,
2004. For questions regarding LCBAS, please leave a message.

To skip the announcement, push the star button on your phone and give your
name, phone number, date, and sightings after the tone.

On March 14, Dana Ward reported 10 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS at the Big Flat
Habitat Management Unit along the Snake River in Franklin county. On the
19th Chris Simonen and Nancy LaFramboise watched 4 species of swallow at
the Yakima Delta: TREE, VIOLET-GREEN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED AND
CLIFF. Two LEAST SANDPIPERS were also at the delta that day.

Barbara Clarke found a LONG-BILLED CURLEW between West Richland and Benton
City on March 15. It was also present on the 17th.

Jack & Murrel Dawson had 2 very early returning WESTERN KINGBIRDS at their
Benton City home on March 17.

Also on March 17, Bob Woodley reported 4 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS at Battelle in
North Richland as well as a FERRUGINOUS HAWK at a traditional nesting spot.

McNary National Wildlife Refuge in Burbank continued to have 2 SNOW GEESE
as noted by Chris Simonen on the 17th.

Bob Woodley reported the following shorebirds at the Yakima Delta on March
21: 16 AMERICAN AVOCETS, 2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS and 6 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

On March 21, Margaret Greger had a DOWNY WOODPECKER in her Richland
yard. These birds are becoming more obvious as they are drumming to
establish territories.

The March movement of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS was underway in our area
first noted on the 18th. Jack and Murrel Dawson found one in their Benton
city yard on March 22.

Laurie Ness observed a TURKEY VULTURE at the south end of Thayer Road in
Richland on March 24.

Though present in small numbers in mixed flocks through the winter, 8
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS made an appearance at their nesting marsh at the
McNary National Wildlife Refuge on March 25, reported by Chris Simonen.

At least 1 CASPIAN TERN was along the Yakima River near the Chamna Preserve
on March 29, seen by Ruth and Larry Fischer. There were 4 on the Yakima
Delta on March 30.

To report your own sightings, please give your name, phone number, date,
and sightings after the tone. Thank you.