RBA

* northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
* as above
* January 11, 2005
* IDWA05.01.11

- birds mentioned

Red-breasted Merganser
Long-tailed Duck
Cackling Goose
Eurasian Green-winged Teal
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous Gull
Snowy Owl
Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Tricolored Blackbird
Lapland Longspur

- transcript

hotline: northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon
Date: 11 January 2005
Internet only.
Compiler: Kas Dumroese
Transcriber: Kas.... dumroese at moscow dot com

This is the northern Idaho / eastern Washington / northeastern Oregon bird
hotline. Transcripts of this RBA and Palouse Audubon membership info are
available on-line at http://www.palouseaudubon.org

On 3 Jan in Wallowa Co OR, Eric Henze and Margaret LaFaive found several
flocks of 15 or so AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS along Golf Course Road, Evans Leap
Lane, and School Flat Road northwest of Enterprise. Golf Course Road goes
north from OR 83 on the west side of the Safeway. They also found about 25
LAPLAND LONGSPURS in a mixed flock of 75 SNOW BUNTINGS and 75 HORNED LARKS
along Golf Course Road about 5 miles from the Safeway. OR DeLorme 87, B-7.

On 6 Jan below McNary Dam on the Columbia River in McNary Wildlife Park,
near Umatilla, Umatilla Co OR, Craig and Judy Corder report a single sooty
FOX SPARROW and 2 GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS. Check either WA DeLorme 29, A-6
or OR DeLorme 85, A-7.

On 5 Jan Gina Sheridan spied an immature SNOWY OWL from the intersection of
Wagner Farm and Carstens roads. This is probably the same bird reported from
the same general area the past couple of weeks.WA DeLorme 88, C-2.

On 8 Jan Randy Hill reports about 20,000 blackbirds near Para Ponds just
northwest of Othello, Adams Co WA. In the flock were TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS
and Randy thinks that with a scope and some time, some Rustys are probably
there as well. From Othello go north on Broadway (west end of town extending
north from WA 24) past the processing and storage facilities. When the road
crosses the RR tracks it becomes McManamon Road. Continue across the canal
and down the hill past the two potato sheds. The Para Ponds are just beyond
on both sides of the road. WA DeLorme 53, B-7.

Two LONG-TAILED DUCKS are persisting at the Lewiston, Nez Perce Co ID grain
terminal along the Clearwater River. On 9 Jan Nancy Miller reported seeing
them again. You can scan the area with a spotting scope. Park in the
eastern-most parking lot along the US 12 bypass and levee.

A raft of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were near Steamboat Rock State Park,
southwest of Electric City, Grant Co WA on 9 Jan according to Barb and Doug
Schonewald. Along the roadway south of the park access, they also found a
first winter THAYER'S GULL and the previously reported first winter GLAUCOUS
GULL. Further north at the Coulee Playground was a single first winter
THAYER'S GULL and a second winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. WA DeLorme 85, AB-7.

On 10 Jan Doug Schonewald found a single male EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL at
Neppel Landing Park on Moses Lake, Grant Co WA. Across the street at North
Parker Horn were many CACKLING GEESE. Also that day at Perch Point on
Potholes Reservoir was a single LONG-TAILED DUCK. Perch Point gravel pit
[aka Medicare Beach] on Potholes Reservoir, Grant Co WA. Potholes Reservoir
is southeast of Moses Lake. From I-90 in Moses Lake, take exit 179. Turn
south on WA 17 and go about 1 mile, then turn right onto Road M SE. Drive
about 6 or 6.5 miles and turn right onto Road 6 SE. Go west about 3 miles.
Here the road goes up a steep hill and turns sharply right amongst a village
of trailer houses. Just past this sharp right, turn left onto an unimproved
dirt road toward Potholes Reservoir. Continue on to the gravel pit (aka
Perch Point or Medicare Beach). Right on the bottom of WA DeLorme 69, 6 and
7 or right at the top of page 53, 6 and 7.

A first winter THAYER'S GULL was with Ring-billeds and California south of
Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai Co ID on 9 Jan by me. The birds were loafing in the
elk pens near the landfill, about 14 miles south of Coeur d'Alene. ID
DeLorme 60, BC-1.

Good birding!

Kas