The Washington BirdBox is a voice mailbox sponsored by the Washington
Ornithological Society. To leave a message about a notable sighting, or to
listen to recent reports from other birders, call (206) 281-9172 and follow
the prompts.
Report operational problems to Rachel Lawson, system administrator.
She can be reached at Lawson at softhome.net or (206) 282-5593.

Please address any corrections (such as errors in place names or observers)
to the transcriber, Phil Kelley.

Wednesday, January 19, 8:40, PM. Hello, this is Wayne Weber, from Delta, BC
with a report from Skagit County for Wednesday, January the 19th. A RUSTY
BLACKBIRD was present with a blackbird flock near Cowtown, which is a farm on
Fir Island Road, West of Conway, Skagit County. I believe this is probably the
same RUSTY BLACKBIRD that has been seen two or three times previously this
month along Wylie Road, which is the access road that goes from Fir Island
Road into the Skagit Wildlife Area. At today's location, which is where there
were a couple of CATTLE EGRETS 2 or 3 weeks ago, is probably less than 2 miles
from the location along Wylie Road. Also of interest was a BARN SWALLOW,
which I saw along Mann Road, about half a mile east of Wylie Road, just north of
the Skagit Wildlife Area entrance. Also in the area of interest were at least
10,000 SNOW GEESE, feeding in the field north of Fir Island Road, and about
130 TRUMPETER SWANS, scattered in the area.

Thursday, January 20, 5:59, PM. Hi, this is Bill Tweit, reporting that I,
and several others, saw the REDWING this morning at the corner of 4th and
Percival, between about 8:15 and 8:30. Good luck. Good birding. Bye.

Tuesday, January 25, 10:11 AM. Hello, my name is Lynn McDonald and I called
the Audubon Society and got your number. Yesterday, driving by 175th, by the
Ronald Bog in North Seattle, I spotted a unusual goose that I had never seen
before, and I've lived in Seattle 69 years. It was brown and white and had a
black bill with a knob on top. And I came home and got on the computer and
the closest thing I could see to it, it looked just like a CHINESE BROWN GOOSE.
It was a single goose with its head held high and its beak up in the air. It
was in the parking lot at the Ronald Bog. My number is 206-364-7902

Monday, January 31, 10:13 PM. Hi, this is Sam Terry, 206-329-9038. Today I
followed up on Steve Mlodinow's post to Tweeters of a possible BURROWING OWL
at Fort Flagler State Park on Maristone Island. I went there, and indeed,
there is a BURROWING OWL, about half a mile west of Maristone Point, along the
North shore of Maristone Island. I ran into someone who has seen it before, who
thinks it has been there for at least 5 days now. It's been roosting on a
low, slumping portion of the big sand banks and it's hard to spot, but there is
some whitewash where it's sitting. Other than that the YELLOW-BILLED LOON is
still at Oak Bay County Park. That's it. Good luck and good birding.

Tuesday, February 1, 6:25, PM. Hello. This is Bob Sundstrom, 360-561-5049.
Along with Jack Rettinger, this afternoon around 5:00 PM, saw the BAIKAL TEAL
at the Kent Ponds. Saw it from the Southeast Tower in the channel closet to
the tower. Watched it for about 15 minutes period of activity, with lots of
sun, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, WIGEON, and other birds. It was very active later in
the day. That's it. Good birding.

BirdBox last accessed 5:59 PM, February 2, 2005.

Phil Kelley
Lacey, WA
360-459-1499
scrubjay323 at aol.com

"We were few and they were many. Now we are many and they are few."
Confucius