Subject: [Tweeters] Othello blackbirds
Date: Jan 8 19:17:30 2005
From: Hill - hill at smwireless.net


I spent a few minutes near the Para Ponds just outside Othello around noon today. The 4-6" of snow on the ground has forced blackbirds to "feeding stations" such as cattle feedlot operations. I estimated 20,000+ using the area, including some very large numbers for the dead of winter. Brown-headed Cowbird numbers were a minimum of 600 (probably more than 1000), and there were several thousand Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Most of the birds were on the ground out of view, and those on the wires were difficult to ID without a scope, but I did watch a couple of Tricolored Blackbirds perched briefly and expect there are plenty more. My guess is a scope and a little time will turn up a few Rusty Blackbirds as well.

A Mountain Chickadee continues at my feeder in town.

Randy Hill
Othello