Subject: [Tweeters] Wintering Raptors - North Columbia Basin
Date: Nov 17 09:16:33 2007
From: rfriesz - rfriesz at televar.com


Hi All,

To sample the wintering raptor population of the north Columbia Basin (Grant County), an 86 mile route was run Thursday (11/15). The route included portions of Dodson, White Trails (5NW), Frenchman Hills, Adams and Martin Roads.

A total of 57 raptors of seven species were recorded:

Northern Harrier 4
Red-tailed Hawk 23
Rough-legged Hawk 2
Merlin 2
American Kestrel 22
Prairie Falcon 3
Northern Shrike 1

The continued mild weather likely contributed to the lack of eagles, and low numbers of harriers, roughlegs and shrikes. It will be interesting to seen what another month will bring.

Other species of interest were large numbers of Canada and Cackling Geese (Hiawatha Valley), 75 TUNDRA SWANS (Birder's Corner), and large (sometimes huge) numbers of European Starlings.

The number of Swans at Birder's Corned dropped to 34 by Friday afternoon including one mortality floating under the electrical transmission wires.

Ron Friesz
Ephrata
rfriesz AT televar.com