Subject: [Tweeters] Little Bunting Joseph, OR...No 01/29, 01/30
Date: Jan 30 19:19:34 2013
From: Kevin Black - Kevin.Black at wallawalla.edu



Hi Folks,

I made a last minute mad dash for the Little Bunting yesterday and today. I came up empty handed. Both days I was in Joseph I scoured the feeders that it was being seen at on previous days. I birded the Joseph feeders yesterday 3PM-5PM and today 7AM-9AM. There are several feeders in the neighborhood and so it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. The feeders it was being seen at on previous days did not have many birds (yesterday mostly) and other feeders around the neighborhood held more birds-so naturally I checked those feeders too. Along with the feeders that the Little Bunting visited that Alan Contreras et al mentioned there were a few that had a good amount of birds too:

On the 300 block of Lake I believe there is a house by fellow named Wayne Brons who said he has seen the bird at his feeders before (last week), he is not a birder but he saw pictures of the Little Bunting and thought that's what he saw. His feeders had by far the most birds both days. Today there were redpolls, siskins, and goldfinch. Yesterday I had a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet eating his suet. His house is purple and is a across or near the Joseph United Methodist Church.

At the corner of Pine and North College-a house diagonal to the road have a couple feeders hanging. I believe his name was Alan Bronson (I'm not fabricating the Bronson as related to the name of Brons lol). Both of these feeders are a few blocks from the original feeders the birders have seen the bird at but... who knows where this little guy will show up.

Regarding road conditions: HWY 204 (Weston-Elgin HWY) had 2-3 inches of packed snow on the road in the blue mountain wilderness part. There was a 2WD Prius that made it over-I'm sure he had either studded tires or chains. I happened on Pete Fahey from Issaquah and his friend Lynn today who flew in from California last night. I've birded with Pete before and I met him through Tim Brennan from Renton. He had drove into Joseph from 84 to 82 (from La Grande I'm sure) he had 2WD and no traction tires... brave man. He said there wasn't too much snow and he made it of course.

My consolation prize was seeing a NORTHERN PYGMY OWL and getting good pics of it. I had fun overall even though I didn't get to see the Bunting. Let's hope the Bunting shows up again! I will probably give it another go if it shows up however working Friday through Sunday doesn't help.

On the way home I had two Brown-Headed Cowbirds at the Wallula Poop/Saw Dust Piles which was odd.

Pics at :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eager_like_a_deer/

Good Luck and Good Birding,

Kevin Black
kevin.black at wallawalla.edu<mailto:kevin.black at wallawalla.edu>
Richland, WA



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