Subject: [Tweeters] Washington Birdbox Report
Date: Aug 31 18:14:54 2006
From: Nancy Hertzel - autumn207 at comcast.net


This is the Washington Birdbox Report for Thursday, August 31, 2006.
Birdbox is sponsored by the Washington Ornithological Society.


Wednesday, August 30, 7:37 PM
This is Rachel Lawson at (206) 282-5593. Today, Penny Koyama, Steve
Deng, and I birded at Port Susan near Stanford. Waterfowl and shorebird
numbers were low, but in among the expected dowitchers, yellowlegs,
phalaropes, peeps, and other birds, we found one AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER,
one RED KNOT, three PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, one STILT SANDPIPER, and
strangely enough, one SHORT-EARED OWL that was very high up in a kettle
of 10 Turkey Vultures. If you go to Port Susan, don't forget to call
ahead for permission to enter the area. The number is (360) 419-0175.
That's it. Good birding.


Wednesday, August 30, 2:55 PM
Hello, this is Michael Hobbs with just a little bit more information
about the SMITH'S LONGSPUR that we saw today at Marymoor Park in
Redmond. There is a map on the website of Friends of Marymoor Park at
www.marymoor.org/map.htm and on that map, where we saw the Smith's
Longspur is on the soccer field marked 9-G. The bird was still there at
about 12:30 this afternoon, but activity in the park this afternoon --
there's a concert, so it may be hard to find by tonight. Bye.


Wednesday, August 30, 12:00 PM
Hello, this is Michael Hobbs, (425) 869-2370. We're at Marymoor Park in
Redmond, Washington, and there is a SMITH'S LONGSPUR. Looks very much
like the winter female in the National Geographic guide, very orangey,
has a solid black tail with white outer edges. It's on the grass soccer
fields which are just north of the snag row in between the dog area
parking lots; it's on the very green grass fields at the west edge on
the ground. It had been in a flock of House Finches, but the House
Finches have left and the Smith's Longspur remains on the ground.


Monday, August 28, 4:20 PM
Hi, this is Greg Toffic, (425) 760-8049, and I've just left Spencer
Island where I observed for about 45 minutes what I believe is the bird
reported this weekend by Guy McWethy as a LONG-TAILED STINT. This bird
was staying in close proximity to a bright juvenile Western Sandpiper,
along the cross dike right near where the new footbridge is, on the
south side of that, walking along the edge of the deeper water and often
up onto the steep muddy bank and back. It's noticeably larger than the
Western Sandpiper. The toes look enormous, bright yellow. It's a very
bright individual. Not sure what more to say at this point. The tide was
going out, and that's it. Good luck if you go looking for this bird.


Monday, August 28, 11:18 AM
This is Rachel Lawson at (206) 282-5593. Yesterday, August 27th, a
number of us on our way to and from a WOS board meeting found good
numbers and diversity of shorebirds in the Othello area. At the county
line ponds, we had three BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS; at the potato ponds were
three more BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS and one SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER; and at
Lind Coulee in the Potholes Wildlife area were at least three STILT
SANDPIPERS. That's it. Good birding.


Monday, August 28, 10:46 AM
This is Rachel Lawson, Birdbox system administrator, with a quick
summary of a couple of reports from Tweeters for Sunday, August 27th.
Charlie Wright reported a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK from the Kent Ponds in
Kent; and Ruth and Patrick Sullivan reported a WHITE-TAILED KITE from
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. That's it. Good birding.


Saturday, August 26, 8:34 PM
Hi, this is Hugh Jennings from Bellevue, Washington, phone number (425)
746-6351. This afternoon, Saturday, on a field trip with the East Lake
Washington Audubon Society, a WHITE-TAILED KITE was seen flying over
Foster Road off the Brady Loop Road. This was about 4:30 PM today. The
White-tailed Kite was found again a few minutes later, perched in a snag
and feeding on some prey. It stayed there for a long time 'cause it was
eating, and we got to have a lot of good looks at it.


Transcribed by Nancy Hertzel
Tacoma
Autumn207 at comcast.net