Subject: [Tweeters] A few questions from a visiting birder
Date: Dec 8 13:33:54 2006
From: Anne Brown - harelde at hotmail.com


Hi all,

My fiance and I will be visiting Washington State this winter, landing at
SeaTac on December 15th and leaving from Pasco on Dec 26th. We plan on
spending about 5 days birding on the west side of the Cascades, driving over
the mountains on the 20th or the 21st, and spending the rest of our time
visiting family in the Tri-Cities area, with a possible birding trip to
Moses Lake or Spokane.

We're still trying to figure out whether we'll be spending the first part of
our trip heading north from Seattle to the Skagit and Samish Flats and all
the way north to Blaine or if we will be going to the Pacific coast instead
(Ocean Shores in particular, and Nisqually on the way there). I have a few
questions about where to find some species that we would particularly like
to see.

1) First, I was wondering if there is any reliable place in western WA to
see mountain quail. It would be a lifer for us and we both have a
particular fondness for funny-looking gallinaceous birds.

2) We're also crazy about owls, and I was wondering if anybody knows if
there is still a snowy owl hanging out at the Blaine marina, or at any other
coastal location, or inland near Moses Lake? Also, is anybody aware of the
location of a long-eared owl roost in the Tri-Cities area or vicinity?

3) What are good places to see large numbers of snow geese (preferably areas
that are not currently being hunted)? I have seen some posts on this list
mentioning the "Hayden Snow Goose Preserve", but I have not been able to
find this place on a map. Is it open to the public, and if so, could
someone give me directions on how to get there?

4) Finally, what are good places to see Anna's hummingbirds and Townsend's
warblers at this time of the year? Or gray-crowned rosy-finches?

Thank you,

Anne Brown
Durham, North Carolina
harelde AT hotmail.com

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