Hotline: Lower Columbia Basin
Date: February 27, 2006
Phone: 509-627-BIRD
Compiler and Transcriber: Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, billnanl at verizon.net

BIRDS REPORTED

Blue Jay
Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Orange-crowned Warbler,
Hermit Thrush
Common Loon
Blue Jay, Eurasian Wigeon
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Glaucous Gull
Sandhill Crane
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Long-tailed Duck, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, Mew Gull, other
more typical gulls
Say's Phoebe

TRANSCRIPT

This is the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society Bird Alert for February 27,
2006. For questions regarding LCBAS, please leave a message.

To skip the announcement, push the star button on your phone and give your
name, phone number, date, and sightings after the tone. As the date and
time function are not currently working, please be sure to leave the date of
your sighting.

On February 16, Stan Slippern reported that the North Richland BLUE JAY was
in his yard on Howell Street. This bird has a wide foraging area from
Howell to the Columbia River and from Saint to Hetrick Streets. When it
does call, it is quite noticeable but it is often quiet.

Johnson Park in Richland had a great assortment of birds on February 16.
Chris Johnson, Katie Harris, Lisa Hill and Nancy LaFramboise found over 20
HERMIT THRUSHES, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER as well as a GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW and 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS.

Shirley Sonnichsen reported a COMMON LOON at the west end of Columbia Park
in Kennewick on February 19.

Also on February 19, Matt Bartels of Seattle found a EURASIAN WIGEON among a
flock of approximately 700 American Wigeon in Columbia Park in Kennewick.
On February 20, Bob Woodley noted that a EURASIAN WIGEON has been in Groves
Park in Richland and had been there on previous days. He also had the above
mentioned BLUE JAY in his yard on that day as well as a Ruby-crowned Kinglet
and an Orange-crowned Warbler.

Judy Dietert reported a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET in her North Richland yard on
February 20.
There was an immature GLAUCOUS GULL at the Yakima Delta on February 22 as
seen by Nancy LaFramboise.

Scott & Judy Dietert reported the first of the season 5 SANDHILL CRANES over
Richland on February 25. There have been a few earlier reports from
Scootney Reservoir on the Tweeters listserve.

Also on February 25, Chris & Fred Simonen found a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW at
the Chamna Preserve in Richland.

Last but not least for the 25th, at the compost heaps near the Wallula Paper
Mill, Bob Flores and Steve Mlodinow had among the usual winter gulls 3 MEW
GULLS, 4 GLAUCOUS GULLS and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. These gulls travel
widely so these gulls could appear closer at any of the gull gathering
locations. They also saw a LONG-TAILED DUCK at the Port of Wallula that day
but it was not seen the following day.

Ruth Fischer found a SAY'S PHOEBE across the river from the Chamna Preserve
in Richland on February 27. A sure sign that spring is coming with its host
of exciting migrants.

To report your own sightings, please give your name, phone number, date, and
sightings after the tone. Thank you.

Visit the LCBAS web site at http://lowercolumbiabasinaudubon.org/

Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland WA