Sunny Walter's
Washington Nature Weekends

Tweeters Bird Sightings - January

Sightings on this page are extracted from the Tweeters sightings.
This list is to help casual birders find out where they can reliably see birds
so most rare bird sightings
are omitted.

(Note: Items in red are of special interest to Sunny.
As a photographer I'm partial to large birds or large flocks of small birds)

Sunny's Selections from Recent Tweeters NW Bird Sightings:
January

1/1/04
Arboretum

Lots of hummingbirds on the yellow blooms of the mahonia in the Arboretum today - kinda have a 'szzzng' call.  And I managed to flush a lot of thrush - varied, I believe - from fluffing up the fallen leaves.  The winter garden's witch hazels are all in bloom and smell so sweet!  Nice place to be this morning.

Fran Joy     Seattle     edfran@juno.com



1/1/04
Nisqually NWR

 
Today my mother and I spent a few hours between 10:30am-1pm at the Nisqually NWR in northern Thurston Co.,as conditions remained cold and windy at times with increasing rain showers during the mid afternoon. We encountered several noteworthy species (as we walked the entire McAllister Creek trail and to the Twin Barns from the main parking lot), including the 2 lingering Ross' Geese that were easily observed in the large open field at the entrance to the refuge from I-5 amongst a very large flock of grazing "Cackling" Canada Geese. Overall birding conditions were quite slow, but we were able to locate a few additional species of note including the following:
  • 2 Pied-billed Grebes
  • 8 male Eurasian Wigeons, 1 male Eurasian/Am.Wigeon intergrade, 9 Ring-necked Ducks
  • 7 Northern Harriers, 6 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Merlin, 1 adult Peregrine Falcon
  • 3 Virginia Rails
  • 12 Am.Coots
  • 1 Black-bellied Plover, 7 Least Sandpipers, 450+ Dunlin, 3 Long-billed Dowitchers, 1 Wilson's Snipe
  • 87 Ring-billed Gulls, 2 adult Western Gulls
  • 2 Downy Woodpeckers
  • 1 Brown Creeper, 13 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 8 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
  • 1 adult Northern Shrike
  • 42 Golden-crowned Sparrows, 25 White-crowned Sparrows
  • 10 Western Meadowlarks
After birding the Nisqually NWR we briefly checked the offshore waters off of nearby Luhr Beach and located the following notable species,despite fairly rough water conditions:
  • 2 Red-throated Loons, 1 Red-necked Grebe
  • 45 "Black" Brant
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/2/04
Pierce County

Today my mother and I birded the Dash Point area to Ruston Way area of Pierce Co. Our first highlight of the day was Hermit Thrush in three separate locations along Marine View Drive(S.R.509).
  • Best location was a brushy hillside immediately south of the Chinook Landing Marina at 2pm, where we located up to 25 birds that were actively heard calling,as we "pished" and imitated a Northern Pygmy Owl that really excited the birds to be even visible. The specific location hosted primarily Hermit Thrushes and up to 34 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Anna's Hummingbird with just a few Song and Fox Sparrows and Spotted Towhees that were noted.
Our second main highlight of the day was the albino Yellow-billed Loon that was observed at fairly close range along Ruston Way just north of the Lobster Shop(south of Asarco)at 4pm,as it mainly loafed on the surface of the water while surface feeding.
 
Gog-le-hi-te Wetland area and additional areas bordering the Puyallup River, including the rendering plant immediately east of the Gog-le-hi-te, which produced our highest concentrations of gulls for the day.
  • Thayer's Gulls with approxiatemetly 1,200+ birds
  • A new area has been cleared at the Gog-le-hi-te wetland, which may be possibly set aside for shorebird habitat or of additional purposes, as we located 8 Killdeer and 14 Dunlin at this location, which lies immediately east of the sheltered cove.
Additional noteworthy species of note:
 
Dash Point public fishing pier
  • 1 Red-throated Loon, 6 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 25 Rhinceros Auklet, 12 Common Murre
  • 1 Band-tailed Pigeon
Browns Point Lighthouse
  • 3 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 5 Common Murre, 1 Marbled Murrelet, 8 Rhinceros Auklet
  • 8 Am.Goldfinch at a Browns Point feeder
Marine View Drive
  • 135 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 15 Northern Pintail at the south end of the Hylebos waterway along Marine View Drive
  • 3 Spotted Sandpiper along Marine View Drive (north of the Chinook Landing Marina)
  • 17 Least Sandpiper observed foraging on logbooms with up to 3 Black Turnstones
  • 30 Cedar Waxwing, 35 Yellow-rumped Warbler
 Miscelaaneous Locations:
  • 14 Red-tailed Hawk at various points during the day(including an adult dark-morph bird along Marine View Drive between Browns Point and Dash Point)
  • 5 Rhinceros Auklet along Ruston Way
  • 1 Mourning Dove along S.R.509 (west of Taylor Way)
  • 7 Purple Finch at the intersection of S.R.509 at Taylor Way
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/1-2/04
Kitsap Peninsula west to Port Townsend
Grays Harbor

HOOD CANAL
  • 2 YELLOW-BILLED LOON from pulloff on hwy, S side of the bridge.
  • 10 Marbled Murrelet
POINT NO POINT
  • 15 Red-throated Loon
  • 360+ Brandt's Cormorant, 20 Pelagic Cormorant
PORT GAMBLE AREA
  • 5 Brant, 40 White-winged Scoter, 2 Long-tailed Duck
  • 20 Red-throated Loon
  • 20 Horned Grebe, 25 Red-necked Grebe, 50 Western Grebe
  • 2 Lincoln's Sparrow
PORT LUDLOW
  • 1 Barrow's Goldeneye
  • 35 Red-throated Loon incl. one w/ radio transmitter, 4 Pacific Loon, 1 Common Loon
  • 20 Horned Grebe, 10 Red-necked Grebe
  • 2 Brandt's Cormorant
  • 10 Pigeon Guillemot, 8 Marbled Murrelet, 1 Rhinoceros Auklet -alternate plumage.
INDIAN ISLAND
  • 30 Brant
  • 2 Harlequin Duck, 15 Surf Scoter, 70 White-winged Scoter, 5 Long-tailed Duck
  • 5 Pacific Loon
  • 1 Canada Goose -only one of day.
FORT FLAGLER STATE PARK
  • 65 Brant
  • 16 Harlequin Duck, 12 Long-tailed Duck, 25 Red-breasted Merganser
  • 10 Red-throated Loon, 8 Pacific Loon
  • 50 Black-bellied Plover, 120 Dunlin, 25 Sanderling
  • 4+ Thayer's Gull
  • 4 Marbled Murrelet
  • 1 Hairy Woodpecker
OAK BAY COUNTY PARK
  • 6 Harlequin Duck
  • 3 Eared Grebe
  • 1 Thayer's Gull
  • 2 Marbled Murrelet
PORT TOWNSEND WATERFRONT
  • 2 Black Turnstone, 20 Dunlin
  • 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 1 Lincoln's Sparrow
KAH TAI LAGOON
  • 1 Snow Goose
  • 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
POINT HUDSON
  • 10 Red-throated Loon, 25 Pacific Loon, 2 Common Loon
  • 5 Brant
POINT WILSON
  • 5 Harlequin Duck
  • 12 Pacific Loon
  • 20 Brandt's Cormorant
----------------

1/2/04 - coast, between Hoquiam and Raymond.

Nisqually NWR, Thurston Co (8:00-8:25)
  • 2 ROSS'S GOOSE -along entrance road w/ 500 Cackling.
  • 12 Black-bellied Plover
  • 1 Red-breasted Sapsucker, 1 Northern Shrike
  • 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT-marsh behind visitors center.
Capitol Lake (8:45-9:10)
  • 3 Ring-necked Duck, 60 Greater Scaup, 80 Lesser Scaup
Wakefield Rd, S of Elma, Gray Harbor Co (9:45-10:20)
  • 3 Trumpeter Swan
  • 1 Northern Harrier, 2 Hairy Woodpecker
  • 30 Song Sparrow, 4 Lincoln's Sparrow
'K' Street field, Hoquiam (10:45-11:40)
  • 2 Greater White-fronted Goose -one seemed to be injured, 2 Pink-footed Goose -foraging busily
  • 10 Dusky Canada Goose plus 2 Vancouver-types
  • 6 Western Meadowlark
Hoquiam STP (11:50-12:00)
  • 35 Canvasback, 8 Hooded Merganser
  • 1 Rough-legged Hawk
  • 20 Least Sandpiper
Midway Beach/Warrenton Cannery Rd, Pacific Co (1:00-1:40)
  • 5 Semipalmated Plover, 30 Sanderling
Tokeland Marina (2:00-2:20), somewhat low tide.
  • 6 Red-breasted Merganser
  • 1 Common Loon
  • 8 Willet, 1 Long-billed Curlew, 12 Western Sandpiper
Hwy 105, milepost 13 near Tokeland (2:35)
  • 650 Marbled Godwit
Hwy 105 just N of Raymond (3:00)
  • 700 Glaucous-winged Gull, 300 Western Gull, 200 Gl-winged x Western, 10+ Herring Gull, 6 Thayer's Gull
Raymond Sewage Treatment Plant (3:10-3:30)
  • 6 Greater Scaup, 80 Lesser Scaup
  • 1 NELSON'S GULL
  • 40 Pine Siskin
Hwy 101 S of Artic (3:45)
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon
Brady Loop Road (4:00-4:25)
  • 12 Tundra Swan
  • 4 Northern Harrier, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 American Kestrel
  • 25 American Pipit
  • 1 Spotted Towhee
Charlie Wright     Sumner WA     charlie@birdwright.com



1/2/04
Washington BirdBox

This is Steve Mlodinow.  We birded from Point No Point to Port Townsend.  The main highlight were two YELLLOW-BILLED LOONS. These were on the south side of the Hood Canal Bridge on the west side of
the Hood Canal.


Bob Norton     Joyce (near Port Angeles), WA     norton36@olypen.com



1/4/04
Midway Beach Rd.,Pacific Co.

Despite the rather icy and cold weather conditions my mother and I ventured over to the coast in both Grays Harbor and Pacific Cos. We arrived at Midway Beach Rd. at 1:15pm and remained until 3:15pm.
  • Our first highlight being the immature gray-morph Gyrfalcon. The bird was immediately located just north of the end of the road at Midway Beach Rd. resting on the ground next to a stand of driftwood,where it was photographed at relatively close range. We were surprised at how close the bird allowed us to approach it,although a couple planes flying low over the beaches then landing nearby kept the bird alert. We watched the Gyrfalcon for 45 minutes,as it would fly to 3 separate low  perches along the upper beach,before finally flying to the south to an unknown location.
  • Our main highlight of the day was 6 Western Bluebirds foraging in dune grass and vegetation and scattered Scot's Broom observed south of the end of Midway Beach Rd. at 2:30pm. We received a report of 3 Western Bluebirds near North Cove on January 2nd from an active birder,so there could be a small winter population of this species in the general area.
Additional highlights noted from this location include the following:
  • 5 Pacific Loons
  • 1 Northern Harrier, 1 immature Northern Goshawk(observed circling over the stands of trees immediately east of the sand dunes north of end of Midway Beach Rd.)
  • 15 Killdeer
  • 45 Sanderlings, 2 Western Sandpipers, 35 Least Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 5 Wilson's Snipes
  • 5 "Streaked"Horned Larks, 4 Marsh Wrens
  • 3 Hermit Thrushes, 18 Varied Thrushes, 3 Am.Pipits
  • 18 "Sooty"Fox Sparrows, 15 Golden-crowned Sparrows, 17 Western Meadowlarks
 Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/5/04
Juanita Bay Park
  • This afternoon at 3:00 there were 2 Trumpeter Swans that flew into the bay at Juanita Bay Park.  There was also a Wilson's Snipe feeding on the beaver dam, and a Western Gull in the bay.
  • Yesterday there were 4 Dunlin and a Least Sandpiper feeding along the mud on the far end of the bridge.  Today that whole area is completely frozen with no sign of them.
Ryan Merrill     Kirkland, WA     merrillr@bc.edu



1/5/04
Capitol Lake waterfowl

I think the freezing conditions forced some waterfowl out of shallow waters and into large lake and marine areas. Capitol Lake had more wigeons than I've seen before. Here's my count from this afternoon:
  • 230 Gadwall. 140 Bufflehead, 87 Coot
  • 418 Greater Scaup, 63 Ring-necked Duck, 1065 American Wigeon, 4 Eurasian Wigeon
  • 42 Ruddy Duck, 6 Redhead, 1 Canvasback, 93 Mallard
  • 6 Shoveler, 22 Green-winged Teal, 4 Northern Pintail
  • 12 Hooded Merganser, 7 Common Merganser, 5 Common Goldeneye
  • 57 Canada Goose
Included in this tally is everything on the north and south basins of Capitol Lake, plus Percival Cove and the area above Interstate 5, including the lower river at the old brewery.

As I worked my way from north to south, I was closing in on large numbers of waterfowl at the south end of the lake when an adult Bald Eagle decided it was time to do some hunting and the air was alive with ducks for a minute or two. I estimated about 800 wigeon (and fewer of other species) were flying from the eagle.

Kelly McAllister     Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife     Olympia     mcallkrm@dfw.wa.gov




Interesting Natural History Note
1/9/04
Hummingbird Lek

Eugene and Nancy Hunn wrote:
When does a group of males on adjacent territories become a "lek"?


This is really the question.  I use the term lek, because the adjacent territories are literally only a few meters in area with lots of territorial displays, whisking displays  over females and lots of chasing.  I just don't know what else to call it.  Male mist-net captures are concentrated an open area, which is where we see most of the displaying chasing and whisking.  Female captures split between the areas where males concentrate and areas with plenty of cover consistant with nesting habitat.  This activity goes on from late-March through mid-April, then abruptly stops. Late-May and early-June we start catching hatch-years.

Rufous Hummingbirds have been reported to nest in colonies of up to 20 with nests only a few meters apart.  This, of course, is not lekking but it is interesting, especially since the behavior appears to have been reported at Cape Disappointment.

Mike Patterson       Astoria, OR      celata@pacifier.com 



1/9/04
Renton area gulls

Ryan Shaw, Tracey Norris, and I briefly checked two areas on the south end of Lake Washington this afternoon.  The highlight was definitely two Glaucous Gulls on the sandbar at Cedar River estuary. 
There is still plenty of rare gull potential in this area.

South Lake Washington, Renton (3:30-4:30pm):
  • 14 Canvasback
  • 10 Mew Gull, 20 Ring-billed Gull, 5 California Gull, 20 Thayer’s Gull, 60+ Herring Gull (60+)
  • 2 Glaucous Gull (1-1W, 1-2W)
  • 16 Western Gull, ~8000 Glaucous-winged Gull, 500 Gl.-winged x Western Gull, ~10 Gl.-winged x Herring Gull
  • 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (1)
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park
To get to the park, take I-405 to exit 5.  Drop down the hill on Park Drive to the light at the bottom of the hill. Turn right on Lk Washington Blvd, go approx. one block, and turn left into Coulon Park.  Stay to the left and continue to the tennis court/big toy area where you can park.  From there you can walk out on Duck Island to view thousands of gulls and various waterfowl on the lake and on logs in the area.

Cedar River
The Cedar River enters Lake Washington between Renton Airfield and Gene Coulon Park.  From the park, return to Park Avenue and turn right (south).  Continue about 1/2 mile to 6th Street. Turn right and continue to the Cedar River.  Follow the road along the river to the end where there is a parking lot.  If the gate is open (it sometimes is closed in adverse weather), walk through to the Cascade Canoe & Kayak center.  There’s excellent viewing of thousands of gulls loafing on the sand spit from the deck around the building.

Charlie Wright     Sumner, WA     charlie@birdwright.com



1/9/04
RBA Vancouver, BC -- Jan. 9/04
 
Sightings for Friday, January 9,
  • A ROCK SANDPIPER was seen in the company of 3,000  to 4,000 Dunlin along the north shoreline at the foot of the Robert's Bank Jetty.  Also seen here was a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER.
  • At the Tsawwassen Jetty's compensation lagoon were 2 MARBLED GODWIT.
Tuesday, January 6
  • Reported from the Reifel Refuge were 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS.
  • Two SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen at Brunswick Point.
Larry Cowan     Port Coquitlam, BC     lawrencecowan@shaw.ca



1/11/04
Ocean Shores birding and beyond
 
We began our day along Wenzel Slough Rd. west of Vance Creek Co. Park near Elma, where the previously reported White-tailed Kite was immediately observed perched atop a large deciduous tree upon our arrival to the location east of the Elma Airport at 8:30am. Other species noted at this location included:
  • 68 Tundra Swans, 7 Trumpeter Swans
  • 2 Wilson's Snipes
  • 1  Hairy Woodpecker.
Continuing west our next stop was the large, open fields at the south end of "K" Street in Hoquiam from 9:30am-10:15am, where we located only 1 Pink-footed Goose and 1 Greater White-fronted Goose amongst a small gathering of Canada Geese that were all observed at close range, but remained wary.  Also:
  • 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Merlin
  • 900+ Dunlin along the Hoquiam River at "K" Street
  • 8 Western Meadowlark
Hoquiam STP
  • 23 Canvasback, 9 Ruddy Duck
  • 5 Least Sandpiper
We arrived at Ocean Shores at 10:20am
Ocean Shores Golf Course
  • Flock of 13 Greater White-fronted Geese.
Ocean Shores Jetty - conditions were quite calm and somewhat slow.  
  • Highlights were a single dark-morph Northern Fulmar, 48+ Black-legged Kittiwakes, and up to 14 dominant race Rock Sandpipers.
  • 7 Surfbirds, 22 Black Turnstone
  • Off the Ocean Shores Jetty
    • 35+ Red-throated Loon, 20 Pacific Loon
    • 28 Black Scoter, 2 Common Murre
Oyhut Wildlife Area
  • 2 Northern Harrier, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 Peregrine Falcon
  • 450+ Dunlin
Lake Minard
  • 2 Eared Grebe (observed from Tonquin Ave.)
  • 14 Ruddy Duck
  • 1 immature Peregrine Falcon along Marine View Drive near Lake Minard
Ocosta Third Street was fairly productive during our visit between 3:15pm-4pm.
  • We observed 4 species of shorebirds actively foraging in the flooded fields south of S.R.105 during high tide:  5 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Long-billed Dowitchers, 8 Black-bellied Plover, 45 Dunlin 
  • We observed the Sora previously reported onto Tweeters along the partially flooded edges along Ocosta Third Street, as it actively foraged and called several times during our visit along with up to 4 Virginia Rails nearby. 
  • Our last species of the day was an Am.Bittern also noted at this location, as it allowed fairly close approach and views before retiring back into the thick marshy vegetation. 
  • Also saw 1 Peregrine Falcon
 Ruth and Patrick Sullivan     godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/11/04
Westport, Midway Beach, Tokeland 11Jan 04

I spent today making a few stops along the coast.  Some of the notables:

Westport jetty [Westport, Grays Harbor Co] 8:00-~10:30
  • 10-15 Black Turnstone, 1 Rock Sandpiper, 7 Surfbird
  • 5 Killdeer - near the parking lot
  • 1 Bonaparte's Gull
  • 2 Pacific Loon, 1 Common Loon 1
Midway Beach [Midway, Pacific Co] 11:00 to ~2:30
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon [south of the road]
  • ~50 Snowy Plover!  [see below], 1 Semipalmated Plover!
  • ~ 1000 Dunlin, ~ 200 Sanderlings, 10-20 Western Sandpipers, ~5 Least Sandpipers
  • 1 Wilson's Snipe [south of the road, in the marshy area]
  • 4 American Pipits, 5 Western Meadowlarks
Most all of shorebirds were north from where the road comes in to the water [nb: You can get around the 'lake' at the end of the road and out to the beach by going north a ways along the edge of the water - south doesn't work as well...].  I spent a long time just enjoying the Sanderlings & Dunlin as well as the constant present of Snowy Plovers -- my only other luck with them here has been in little trickles, never even approaching 10.  Today, they were all over the place. The stayed mostly off the water a bit, but roughly parallel with the huge Dunlin flock -- not all the way back in the live grass, but rather wandering the beach and sitting amongst some of the 'drift-grass.'

Tokeland Marina [Tokeland, Pacific Co] 2:45 - 3:30
  • Marbled Godwit [1 flock, no good estimate today]
  • ~15 Willet, ~20 LB Dowitcher
  • 1 Black-bellied Plover [at Graveyard Spit, 7th St]
Matt Bartels     Seattle, WA     mattxyz@earthlink.net



1/11/04
Tacoma Birding

Gog-li-hi-ti wetland
  • Thayer's Gulls, 1 Western Gull,, 1  Herring Gull, 1 Mew Gull
  • 3 American Goldfinches
Marine Park on the waterfront
  • 10 Bonaparte's Gulls, 40+ Mew Gulls
  • 3 Rhinocerous Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots
  • Red Necked Grebes, Barrow's Goldeneyes
Further down by the old Asarco Plant
  • 16 Black Scoters (20 to 50 feet off shore)
  • 12 Black Turnstones
  • 4 Horned Grebes
  • 1 Common Merganser, Red Breasted Mergansers, 1 Hooded Merganser
Titlow Park + Beach
  • 12 Mew Gulls, 1 Ring Billed Gull
  • 50+ Western Grebes, 6 Pelagic Cormorants
David Hayden     Lakewood, WA     dtvhm@nwrain.com



1/11/04
Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert (selections)

Sightings for January 11
  • In Kelowna, the gray morph GYRFALCON continues at Marshall's Feedlot, which is located along the W. side of Hwy 97 at McCurdy Road (CC).
  • At the N. end of Osoyoos Lake were 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS (LN,JS,JG)
  • Two GOLDEN EAGLES were also noted at the Vernon Dump on Birnie Road on Jan 10. 
  • Noted on the Vernon Commonage on Jan 10 were up to a dozen ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.
  • At Old Vernon Road and Lindley Road in Kelowna, 14 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were feeding in the horse pasture.
  • A massive flock of 1,000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were feasting on unpicked grapes at the Cedar Creek Winery along Lakeshore Road in Kelowna.
Sightings for January 3
  • On Jan 2, the BARN OWL was again seen along Bulman Road at the S. end of the Kelowna Airport (TF). Watch for the bird at dusk and after dark near the SE. corner of the Shadow Ridge Golf Course as it hunts the fields on the S. side of Bulman Road.
  • On Kelowna's Westside, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was in Kalamoir Park near the Sunnyside Road entrance. Two additional NORTHERN GOSHAWKS were seen along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, E. of Okanagan Falls, on Jan 2. The birds were seen at km 4.7 and km 8.
  • The boreal forest along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, while cold and snowy, produced good birds including a flock of 30 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at km 20, 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES between km 22 and 23, a flock of 18 PINE GROSBEAKS at km 12 and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at km 13 on the Venner Meadows Road.
  • A male EURASIAN WIGEON was at the N. end of Vaseux Lake on the 2nd, as were 53 TRUMPETER and 3 TUNDRA SWANS.
  • Along Meadowlark Road, off Black Sage Road, near Osoyoos, up to 15 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were foraging in the vineyard on the N. side of the road.
  • On Jan 3, 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 3 NORTHERN PINTAILS were on Osoyoos Lake, on the N. side of Hwy 3 at the bridge.
Sightings for January 1
  • The gray-phase GYRFALCON put in his 2004 appearance at the Marshall's Feedlot on the W. side of Hwy 97, at McCurdy Road in Kelowna (CC,RM).
  • SE. of Kelowna, at the McCulloch Cross Country Ski Trails, the resident GREAT GRAY OWL was seen swooping over the Log Cabin Trail by a skiier (AB).
Chris Charlesworth     c_charlesworth23@hotmail.com



1/12/04
Nisqually NWR

Steve Nord and I did a bit of morning birding today at Luhr Beach and then Nisqually NWR in Olympia.  Very high tide at Luhr seemed to push many of the waterfowl flocks out further making it difficult to see much. 
  • We did see a long line of BRANT off to the west which was interesting since we usually get them over on the Nisqually River side.  
  • Large numbers of COMMON GOLDENEYE with W/W and SURF SCOTERS thrown in.  
  • Had at least 5 EARED GREBES around.  2 WESTERN-looking GULLS and a couple of nice adult BALD EAGLES with scattered immatures around too.
Nisqually
  • The Wigeon numbers were phenomenal around the Twin Barns area at Nisqually.  We picked out 7 EURASIAN WIGEON drakes mixed in and later did a recount when the flock moved to the large ag field north of the Barns where we had 8 EURASIANS.  
  • Found the N. SHRIKE at the very end of the McAllister Creek trail.  
  • Also the ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was in closer today and had great looks at it from the Twin Barns and also McAllister trail.  We had a distant R/L HAWK seen along the dike from the Barns, so there may be two of these birds around.  
  • Had the adult PEREGRINE in the fir north of the refuge headquarters and later watched an immature PEREGRINE make some dives at the large Wigeon flock in the ag field.  
Many of the ponds at Nisqually are still frozen over.

Jason Paulios     Jpaulios@earthlink.net     Olympia, WA



1/12/04
Skagit Birding

Today I birded from Samish Island to Fir Island finding 73 species with the following highlights:

West 90:
  • 2 Barn Owl, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Gyrfalcon
  • 1 Ring-necked Pheasant (male)
Breazeale:
  • 2-3 Barn Owl
  • 1 Hutton's Vireo
Ryan Merrill     Kirkland, WA     merrillr@bc.edu



1/12/04
Spokane Co. (Liberty Lake) Grackle

Around the lake we found, American Kestrel, a Merlin, and flock of 20 Bohemian Waxwings.

Then  I decided to park in the Burger King parking lot and hopefully wait for the grackle to appear. After ten minutes, the COMMON GRACKLE flew up on a light pole and then alighted on the Burger King sign. The grackle flew behind the Burger King and began feeding on some pizza crust in front of a pizza parlor.
The location is just south of the I=90 exit for Liberty Lake (DL: Pg. 89, C8).

Gina Sheridan     Spokane, WA     gsherida8502@yahoo.com



1/12/04
RBA: N ID / E WA / NE OR -- 01/12/2004

LAPLAND LONGSPURS were reported from a couple of WA sites.
  • First, 2 or 3 longspurs were mixed with Horned Larks just west of Royal Lake on and near Columbia NWR and
  • on the Grant and Adams county line, according to Randy Hill. To get there, turn north on Road D SE, about 2 miles west of the Grant and Adams county line along WA 26. Go about 2 miles, then right on Road 15.1 SE. Watch for flocks in the next mile. WA DeLorme 53, B-5.
  • The second batch of 4 longspurs were seen by Mike and MerryLynn Denny mixed in among 1000s of  Horned Larks in Walla Walla Co WA. The birds were up on Eureka Flats, west of Clyde along Sheffler Road. WA DeLorme 41, A-5.
Kas Dumroese     dumroese@iglide.net



1/13/04
Skagit Flats Snow Geese

Today I went to the Skagit Flats (Stanwood, WA) to find thousands of Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens).  I took the rural route from the south (Marine Drive) and, upon driving down the slight grade before crossing the
Stillaguamish River, I scanned the fields, but didn't see any large patches of white.  Feeling a little disappointed, I continued on north.  And there they were!  I should have looked straight ahead instead of west towards the sound!  The majority were back in the field a ways to the west merging into a less dense population near the paved road where I was.  So I pulled off onto a two-track farm road just a few yards so I wouldn't be a traffic hazard, which put me between two large flat fields and south of the geese.  As I sat quietly in my vehicle the geese worked their way (they were munching grass at a pretty good clip) towards the corner of the field near me.  Soon, geese from the inner area started flying in, in groups of 6-10, to join those nearer the paved road (and my vehicle).   Before long the field by the main road on the north side of the two-track was filled with Snow Geese, causing quite a few travelers to slow down or even come to a stop.  

It wasn't long before geese were foraging within 8 feet of me.  After a while some of those flying in from the west edge of the mass decided to land in the field on the south side of the two-track (farm road) and geese already on the ground started moving, as a group, slowly across the two-track to join those to the south.  I was surrounded (well, almost....there were about 6-8 brave geese who wandered behind my car which was facing in towards the fields...so I was surrounded by hundreds of geese on three sides).  And I, despite the dampness of the off and on light rain, had all my windows down so I could enjoy the goose chatter...I was about to say cacophony, but the sounds were more enjoyable to my ears than that word might imply!

What I found really interesting, both visually and behaviorally, was that, as the geese moved from the north side of the farm road to the south side, many stopped and remained on the two-track.  As I looked forward through my windshield, they formed a dense carpet the width of the road for about a quarter of a mile ahead!  The field actually changed smoothly into the dirt track on the north side, but there was a low fence (just posts and a wire) and a ditch on the south edge of the track.  Some of the geese flew over these obstacles and landed a few yards away, but many of the others just stopped and filled up the farm road!  Is this typical goose behavior?  

Judy Rowe Taylor      Mukilteo, WA      caratfeathers@aol.com



1/13/04
Sacramento Valley

Your story reminds me of the time a number of years ago when I was doing a Christmas Count down in the Sacramento Valley. Our area was out west of Lodi and was predominantly open fields. We had a good day, and at the end had special permission to go into a California Dept of Fish & Game preserve area for Sandhill Cranes. We go there at dusk, and shortly after we arrived the cranes started to arrive. They were all calling as they came in, and the numbers kept building and building. By the time the spectacle ended we estimated that we had at least 14,000 Sandhills in that small area. I can still hear the wonderful sounds of that evening.

Brian Bell     Woodinville WA     bellasoc@isomedia.com



1/13/04
West 90 & Samish Flats

Today I ventured to the West 90, primarily to see the Gyrfalcon.  No such luck, but I was amazed to see no less than 8 Short-eared Owls fluttering around the fields hunting.  I've never had such great looks at them.  It definitely made the trip from Bellevue worthwhile.

Also seen were one male Northern Harrier, eight female Harriers, one Peregrine Falcon, four Bald Eagles, two Rough-legged Hawks and numerous Red-tailed Hawks  -  all by simply panning my scope 360 degrees!

Lou Ann Harris      Bellevue, WA     montlou@earthlink.net




1/14/04
Geese and Cranes

Caratfeathers@aol.com wrote:
Does any one else from around the world have a story about a favorite place for watching thousands of geese, cranes, etc.? 
_____________

Without a doubt my favourite goose place is Beaverhill Lake in Tofield, Alberta (outside Edmonton).
In a good year the sky is filled with them (snow and white fronted geese, with occasional Ross as well).

Arthur Berman     North Vancouver, BC     aberman@telus.net
_____________

The Snow Geese are indeed absolutely brilliant right now--approachable and numerous!
 
I love going down to Fir Island and seeing them. Sometimes, however, the quixotic drive to count or estimate the flock intereferes with the pleasure of being surrounded by such an immense flock of white birds.
 
Not only were there ten thousand Snow Geese there on Fir Island, but over at Jensen Access there were at least an additional 70,000 or more ducks out on the bay.  A hundred thousand birds would not be any stretch at all, since there were big flocks of swans, rafts of gulls, Dunlin flocks flying here and there, etcetera!
 
As to places around the world, I cannot resist mentioning one--the Bosphorus in April. That's in European Turkey, just north and west of Istanbul. Thousands of White Storks fly across there, and if a birder can get up on the hills above this narrow strait, the flocks will fly so low that their wings can be heard!  Add in hundreds of Short-toed Eagles and a wonderful assortment of other raptors, plus goodly flocks of Black Storks, and you can see why it is considered such a world-class spot to observe big flocks of migrating birds!

Gary Bletsch      near Lyman (Skagit County)      garybletsch@yahoo.com
_____________

When I was the refuge biologist stationed at the Klamath Basin Complex of national wildlife refuges in 1955-56, I would see many thousands of Snow Geese. Among the first words my baby son said were geese, geese, geese as large flocks would fly over the biologist's house on the refuge.

Later in the fall and early winter when the waters at Tule Lake would freeze over, the geese would fly down into the Central Valley of California, especially the Sacramento Valley where they wintered. I was stationed at the Sacramento Valley Complex from 1956-60. We would make weekly aerial censuses of ducks and geese. I have aerial photos taken during one midwinter waterfowl count of 65,000 Snow Geese on one flooded rice field at the Colusa unit.  Many thousands were present on other units.  Incidentally, I have composite aerial photos of 1.5 million ducks on 560 acres called the Bean Patch.  We counted ducks on the photos using binocular microscopes and electric pencils under a sampling method.  We used to make special Ross Goose aerial censuses in the San Joaquin Valley in February and would come with a few thousand more of that species.

I was stationed at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge (now called Sonny Bono Refuge as assistant manager fron 1952-53, and we had lots of Snow Geese there, especially on the Sea itself, but nowhere near the numbers found in the Sacramento Valley.

Gene Kridler     Old Broken Down Retired Wildlife Biologist/Administrator     kridler@olypen.com



1/14/04
Cedar River Park, Renton
 
Gull flocks were most active and visible from the entire shoreline from Duck Island at Gene Coulon Park northward and from the mouth of the Cedar River,despite the shooting of fireworks made from a Renton Airport personnel to flush the gulls away from the area. Good numbers of gulls were noted at the mouth of the Cedar River, as the bathed, preened and loafed on the exposed sand spit, but would occasionally fly off to unknown areas such as possible roof tops, etc. The most noteworthy gull species noted during our visit and observed by other birders included up to 2 Glaucous Gulls (1st winter plumage) amongst good numbers of other Larus gulls, including good comparisons of Glaucous-winged, Herring, Thayer's, Western and various intergrades of different aged birds.

We mostly confined our visit to the Cedar River Park. Other noted species included the following:
  • 3 Red-necked Grebes, 1 Eared Grebe, 500+ Western Grebes
  • 14 Greater White-fronted Geese
  • 35+ Canvasbacks, 9 Barrow's Goldeneyes(noted only along the Cedar River)
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan      godwit@worldnet.att.net


 
1/14/04
Waterville Plateau 01/14/2004
 
Matt Dufort and I had a very enjoyable day birding on the Waterville Plateau in Douglas County on Wednesday, January 14, 2004.  It was the first time birding there for both of us.  We found 49 species, highlights are listed below:
  • 1 American White Pelican in Columbia River from Grange Road on Bridgeport Bar
  • > 500 California Quail: 1 covey of about 200, 1 of 150, plus several smaller coveys
  • 70 Gray Partridge: ~50 in Lamoine at owl roost mentioned in ABA guide (p383), groups of 16 and 5 on SR-172
  • 3 Ring-necked Pheasant - males
  • 500+ Horned Lark throughout the day in small flocks
  • 20 Bohemian Waxwing in Bridgeport at Diagonal St & Arden Ave
  • 3 Northern Shrike 
  • 15 American Tree Sparrow with 45 WC Sparrows on Bridgeport Bar
  • 100 Snow Bunting on Central Ferry Road (w/GCRF)
  • 40 Western Meadowlark on Bridgeport Bar
  • 300 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch  on Central Ferry Road (w/SNBU)
Ryan Merrill     Kirkland, WA     merrillr@bc.edu



1/15/04
Samish-Skagit

A Seattle Audubon trip to the Samish and Skagit flats (Skagit County) today started out in the rain north of Stanwood.
  • As we worked our way out thru Edison we kept picking up more red-tails and bald eagles. Just north of the West 90 (DeLorme p. 108, d5) we had a nice dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.
  • We went out to the end of Samish Island to the little WDFW access point at the end of Wharf Road (DeLorme p. 108, D4). We picked up SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, COMMON LOON, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE and BRANT. As we were leaving we got nice looks at a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER.
  • Back at the West 90 we saw SHORT-EARED OWLS everywhere. There were at least 12 flying, perching and generally giving us fantastic views. NORTHERN HARRIERS, male, female and immature were in plentiful supply. Almost all the raptors were spending time perched with wings out attempting to dry out after the rains. A MERLIN made a flyby while we were there.
  • As we made our way down toward the Brazeale Interpretive Center at the Padilla Bay Center we had a nice look at an immature PEREGRINE FALCON perched in the top of a large snag. 
  • After lunch, returning we stopped at the intersection of Bayview-Edison Rd and D'Arcy Rd to look at an interesting bird. It turned out to be a mature NORTHERN SHRIKE, a new bird for several folks.
  • We made one last pass out by the West 90, and on the way there we found the immature GYRFALCON perched on a crossarm of one of the power poles about half way from the "T" to the W90. Nice light and great looks at a life bird of many of the group.
  • We then turned south to work our way down to Fir Island. Along the way on Dodge Valley Road (DeLorme p. 95, D5) we had a nice female AMERICAN KESTREL. That completed a four falcon day for us - too bad that a prairie falcon has not been reported up that way this year.
  • As we came down off the bridge over the north fork of the Skagit River the fields to the east were covered with SNOW GEESE. We estimated that there were about 8000 birds packed tightly up by the road. We were able to study them for quite a while, when a BALD EAGLE came by and the whole group lifted off with much calling. After several circles by the eagle, it left to the west and the snowies settled down again.
Brian Bell     Woodinville Wa     bellasoc@isomedia.com



1/17/04
Eagles in Quinault

Just got back to Hoquiam from Lake Quinault.  We drove from the Lodge to where the Graves Creek Bridge is out.  Our count was 53 Bald eagles!  One way that is.  Did not count on the way back.  Spectacular!  We were up on the Skagit not quite a month ago and saw 43 before we left, running through a new snow fall, but were thrilled to hear from someone this week that there were eagles up the Quinault.  Worth the trip.

Karlene Lock       Hoquiam, WA       klock@techline.com



1/17/04
Eastern Grays Harbor Co.

Today I had the pleasure of leading a field trip for the Grays Harbor Audubon Society (GHAS) around the Elma/Satsop/Brady area.  We were treated to great views of a lot of raptors and waterfowl. 
  • Along the Brady Loop Rd., we encountered the following raptors:  Bald Eagle (immature), Red-tailed Hawk (at least 10), Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Harrier (several females, one male), and one Cooper's Hawk. 
  • On Brady Loop Rd. near Willis St., there was a nice group of Tundra Swans right next to a group of about 20 "Dusky" Canada Geese.  
  • Also, on our way down Brady Loop Rd. back towards the highway, a flock of 15 Western Meadowlarks flew across the road in front of us.
  • There were a lot of swans and geese on the move as well.  At Vance Creek park on the pond closest to the airport, there were about 50 Trumpeter Swans there in the morning.  This group included the green neck-collared Trumpeter swan (31T) that has been in the area for over a month now.
  • Up at the former Satsop Nuclear plant, we had one Eurasian Wigeon mixed in with the hundreds of other ducks on the mitigation pond.  Other species on the pond here included Mallard, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Northern Shoveler, and Ring-necked Duck.
  • We saw the White-tailed kite in the afternoon far to the east of the Elma airport -- on the eastern side of the road on top of a lone fir tree out in the field.  It was best viewed from Wakefield Rd. just south of Wenzel Slough Rd.
Tim O'Brien       Elma, WA        kertim7179@centurytel.net



1/17/04
Coastal Birding
 
Today my mother and I led a TAS (Tahoma Audubon Society) field trip to the Tokeland area, covering several areas in addition such as Wenzel Slough Rd.,Ocosta Third Street,Westport,Midway Beach Rd.,and the Hoquiam area(including the Hoquiam STP).

Midway Beach Rd
  • The immature Gyrfalcon was observed as several of us walked along the beach to the south of the dead end of Midway Beach Rd. at 12pm. The bird was spotted perched atop a driftwood snag on the horizon, but we managed to get closer to it and get better observations.
  • We also obtained excellent looks at a group of 20 Snowy Plovers resting calmly along the upper tide line, as we watched the Gyrfalcon
  • Our third highlight at this location was 10 Semipalmated Plovers foraging along the shoreline amongst a small flock of Sanderlings.
  • 15 Sanderling, 18 Least Sandpiper, 5 Wilson's Snipe, 5 "Streaked" Horned Lark
  • 3 Black-tailed Deer
Tokeland
  • At Tokeland the "large" shorebird flock was easily noted at the Tokeland Marina during slowly outgoing tide at 11am, where 800+ Marbled Godwits were noted with up to 13 Willets, 2 Whimbrels, 48 Long-billed Dowitchers and 45 Dunlins amongst that entire flock.
  • 1 Red-throated Loon, 7 Red-necked Grebe
  • 450+ "Black" Brant at Tokeland (in Willapa Bay)
  • 2 Merlin
  • 48 Black-bellied Plover, 200+ Dunlin, 22 Sanderling
  • 4 Trumpeter Swan
Westport
  • 1 Red-necked Grebe, 2 Black Turnstone, 1 Sanderling
Wenzel Slough Rd 
  • 74 Trumpeter Swan near Vance Creek Co. Park (near Elma)
  • 20 Dunlin flying along Wenzel Slough Rd.
  • 1 Western Scrub Jay
  • 2 River Otters near Vance Creek Co. Park
  • 2 Coyotes
Other Locations
  • 1 Am.Kestrel along Hwy.12 at Keys. Rd. near Satsop
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon along S.R.105 west of the Elk River bridge
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon along S.R.105 at North Cove
  • 6 Greater Yellowlegs at Ocosta (Ocosta Third Street, S.R.105 at Bottle Beach)
  • 20 Dunlin along S.R.105 west of Aberdeen
  • 2 Western Scrub Jay along 3rd Street at Elma
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan       godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/16/04
A few crows at Montlake Fill
About 4 pm yesterday, Jan. 15, there were at least 2,540 crows, as counted by counting numbers of groups of about 10 crows, within 300 yards on either side or the Ravenna Creek slough. Less than half were in trees, with the dime lot parking lot and the baseball field and the field north of it covered with crows.



Bob Vandenbosch     Bobvanden@aol.com

1/18/04
Montlake Fill

The crows at the Montlake Fill stage there before flying across to their Foster Island roost. This roost at one time contained perhaps 10,000 crows, though that number appears to have dropped a bit in recent years to ca.
6000. We try to count them as they leave at dawn on the Christmas Bird Count. There's another roost of ca. 5000 on the Newport Beach shore of Lake Washington. They appear to spread out from these roost all over the city during the day. Prof. John Marzluff and students at the UW have been studying local crow populations and should have more precise information.

Gene Hunn     enhunn@comcast.net



1/18/04
Skagit/Samish

I birded the Skagit and Samish flats today with my wife Jeni, seeing 55 species with some notable highlights. 
  • At the Jensen access we observed several Eurasian wideon and 2 American X Eurasian hybrids among a large raft of mallard / pintail / Am. wideon / teal.  
  • Also at the Jensen access we had nice views of a merlin chasing down some shorebirds.  
  • A large flock of Snow Geese was located adjacent to Mauplin rd where they were being periodically agitated by passing eagles.
  • Dodge valley rd. produced another Merlin and an American Kestrel.
  • Arriving in the Samish flats we had a close view of a Peregrine falcon on a power pole along Bayview-edison rd.,  immediately north of Sullivan rd.  
  • The West 90 produced the usuall suspects, Harriers, Short Eared Owls, Red Tailed Hawks, but also yielded a Rough-legged hawk and the immature Gyrfalcon, making for a 4 falcon day.  The Gyrfalcon perched for a while along Sammish Is. rd stretching back toward Bayview-Edison before flying off to chase three separate Red-tailed hawks.  
  • Last of the highlights was a Barn owl located in the metal barn immediatly north of the West 90.
 Todd Pollard       (425) 430-0310       toddapollard@yahoo.com



1/18/04
Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert

Sightings for January 18
  • On January 17 [and 11], the GYRFALCON was again observed at the Marshall's Feedlot in Kelowna. The feedlot is along the W. side of Hwy 97, just S. of the intersection with McCurdy Road.
  • 3 GREAT HORNED OWLS were at the Ranch Park Mobile Home Park on Jan 17.  The birds can be seen and heard hooting on a nightly basis in the park.
Sightings for January 11
  • At Rose's Pond, on the Vernon Commonage, an imm. GOLDEN EAGLE was seen on Jan 10 (CC). Also noted on the Vernon Commonage on Jan 10 were up to a dozen ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.
  • A massive flock of 1,000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were feasting on unpicked grapes at the Cedar Creek Winery along Lakeshore Road in Kelowna.
Sightings for January 3
  • On Jan 2, the BARN OWL was again seen along Bulman Road at the S. end of the Kelowna Airport (TF). Watch for the bird at dusk and after dark near the SE. corner of the Shadow Ridge Golf Course as it hunts the fields on the S. side of Bulman Road.
  • The boreal forest along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, while cold and snowy, produced good birds including a flock of 30 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at km 20, 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES between km 22 and 23, a flock of 18 PINE GROSBEAKS at km 12 and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at km 13 on the Venner Meadows Road.
  • A male EURASIAN WIGEON was at the N. end of Vaseux Lake on the 2nd, as were 53 TRUMPETER and 3 TUNDRA SWANS (CC,RT,RM,CS).
  • On Jan 3, 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 3 NORTHERN PINTAILS were on Osoyoos Lake, on the N. side of Hwy 3 at the bridge.
Chris Charlesworth       c_charlesworth23@hotmail.com       KELOWNA, BC, CANADA V1X 2X5
WWW.AVOCETTOURS.COM



1/18/04
To Neah Bay (Oystercatchers, Swallows)

The highlight was a flock (gathering?) of
64 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS at the last settlement before entering the Makah territory. It's not a record (Dennis' book gives high counts in the 70's from British Columbia not a long time ago), but certainly the most I've ever seen together.
  • Also 6 SWALLOWS (3 confirmed Barn), 1 very grotty ad NORTHERN SHRIKE, and 1 (?) CEDAR WAXWING.
  • Kittiwakes were seen well into the Strait.
  • Only 150 gulls on the beach and no glaucous/ GBBGull etc anywhere.
Nigel Ball       Bainbridge Island       nigelball@bainbridge.net



1/16-19/04
4 days of birdiing

Mike & MerryLynn Denny and I had 4 great days of birding beginning Friday Jan. 16.

Friday we spent most of the day checking gulls over looking for the Great Black-backed Gull which we missed.  We did see the 18 Greater White-fronted Geese, 1 Snow Goose, a Glaucous Gull, and 1 Eared Grebe.

Saturday we hit Mason County.  Highlights included:
  • Trumpeter Swans behind a barn in the field where Purdy Cutoff Rd. hits Highway 106
  • 1 Eurasian Wigeon at the mouth of the Hamma Hamma River
  • Several Canvasbacks, 1 Red-throated Loon, Scoters, Purple Finches, tons of ducks, were at the mouth of the Skokomish River using Terry Sisson's map from Washington Birder Vol. 11 #2 to get out to where the birds were.
Sunday the three of us hit Wahkiakum County after first stopping at Willow Grove near Longview where we saw 1 Cinnamon Teal and 1 White-tailed Kite.  
  • Later in Wahkiakum County we saw lots of White-tailed Kites from Julia Butler Hansen NWR to Rosburg taking the back roads.  
    • The refuge started us off with the Black Phoebe not showing, but was there later in the afternoon, Pipits, Dunlin, and a Western Gull just past the yellow barn.  
  • Altoona at first was poor until the fog lifted and we had Red-throated & Pacific Loons, Pelagic Cormorants, White-winged Scoters, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Ducks and MerryLynn found a 'County First' Long-tailed Duck diving with Scaup, later seen swimming down the swift current going west.  
  • In the moss covered trees (rain forest looking) on our way out we spotted a chickadee flock which produced Hutton's Vireos and a beautiful Townsend's Warbler. 
  • One last stop at the refuge along Brooks Slough Road were two White-throated Sparrows, one of which may have been genetically altered either with albinism or cross-breeding.
Monday, we concentrated on Cowlitz County from Woodland to Cougar.  
  • The day started off meeting Wilson Cady who was birding on the Dike Road.  We had just spotted a couple of White-throated Sparrows which was the beginning of the day of finding 11 different White-throateds.  
  • At Lyon's Park near the entrance we found several more White-throated Sparrows along with 14 California Quail where Marv Breece and I had seen them on Jan. 3.  
  • Not thinking we had covered all the area good enough we doubled back on some back roads and found 1 Clay-colored Sparrow along a weedy small ditch on Roberson Road which runs off of Whalen Road. 
  •  Other birds seen were 2 Copper's Hawks, 1 Thayer's Gull, Great Egrets, and approx. 500 Sandhill Cranes.  
  • From Woodland we hit Merwin Dam where 51 Barrow's Goldeneyes were crowding the Clark County side of the lake.  
  • At Speelyai Hatchery a Dipper was playing hide-and-seek with us along the creek.  
  • Snow was blocking the road heading up above Cougar so we headed home and celebrated at Who Song & Larry's with great food.
Ken Knittle       Vancouver, WA       washingtonbirder@hotmail.com



1/19/04
Okanagon, Northern Pygmy Owls

I just got back from a trip to the Okanagon with Ken Brown's Tahoma Audubon Society Intermediate Winter Birding Class.
  • Many great birds but what was outstanding was the Northern Pygmy Owls in the north part of the Okanogan in Chesaw (Delorme p.115, 8A) on Bolster Road.  3 owls were observed there.  I saw two at this location and got great scope looks, as well a great view of one in flight.  The flight pattern is undulating.  I missed seeing one of this bunch chase a Magpie. 
  • Then our group headed west towards Oroville.  (I believe we were on the Oroville-Toroda Rd).  On this road we saw two more owls on top of telephone poles.  Near a road called This A Way Road we got to watch one make two dives from the pole down into the snow.  Presumably the owl had driven birds to ground and was trying to catch one.  No luck for the owl but fascinating to watch.  If anyone is interested to go up this way 4 wheel drive would be strongly recommended. 
I never dreamed I would have a 4 Northern Pygmy Owl day.  Wow!  They overshadowed my two lifers, Gray Partridge and Bohemian Waxwings (absolutely lovely birds). 

Kathy Andrich       Roosting in Kent       chukarbird@yahoo.com



1/19/04
A day at the beach.
 
Midway Beach:  Tim O'Brien reported seeing the Gry, a Peregrine AND a Merlin all harrassing a LARGE flock of Dunlin.  I saw the flock, and it was huge!  Tom Kogut from Packwood was there and estimated the number at about 1000 birds.
 
Tokeland:  2 Whimbrel sleeping in with the Godwit flock.  There were 10 to 15 Willets mixed in and 20+ LB Dowitchers.  Grebes galore outside the marina including one Western, but the highlight was a dark Merlin that buzzed the sleeping flock of Godwits.  Didn't faze 'em.  They can sleep through anything.  The poor Merlin landed atop a tree nearby that just happened to be full of Crows.  He was NOT welcome!  Great to see the size comparison.  The Crows were half again larger than the Merlin.

Rolan Nelson       rnbuffle@yahoo.com



1/19/04
Skagit

Other fun birds today included the following:
  • 8000 Snow Geese on Fir Island
  • at least 8 Short-eared Owls at the West Ninety (Samish Flats), along with a Barn Owl (quite cinnamon-colored below); and a (white-striped) White-throated Sparrow that has been at my feeder for about a month now.
  • the Gyrfalcon made an appearance at the West Ninety as well. Lately I have seen it more than I have seen Peregrines or Merlins out there.
Gary Bletsch       near Lyman (Skagit County)       garybletsch@yahoo.com



1/17-1/19
Waterville Plateau, Wenatchee

I've just returned from 2 days of birding up around the Waterville  Plateau [Douglas Co] and one in Wenatchee. The Plateau is good for birding right now.  Locations with notable birds:

Central Ferry Rd.
  • BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS - Saturday
  • Monday there was a flock of about 25, right about at the point where the road enters the Ponderosa Pines.  
  • Also in this location were: PYGMY NUTHATCH, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH,  MOUNTAIN & B-C CHICKADEES, RED CROSSBILLS & a HAIRY WOODPECKER.
Also, at the north end of CFRd., where the dirt road begins -  nice collection of birds in the orchard on both days.
  • BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS [~50+] circled around
  • CALIFORNIA QUAIL wandered in and around the trees
  • HOUSE FINCH & WC SPARROWS made up the bulk of the rest of the group.
Bridgeport Hill Rd:
  • SHARP-TAILED GROUSE - Saturday, just before dusk, a group of ~6 surprised me along the side of the road as I headed down. They were at about mp9.
  • COMMON REDPOLL - Monday, in the birch trees, as reported, at about mp 8. There is a closed-to-vehicles road here that can be walked down. I'd say there were 30-40 redpolls buzzing around from treetop to top.
Bridgeport Bar:
  • AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - Just a quick stop at the end of Grange road turned up several ATSP among the WC Sparrows today.   
  • A couple W.MEADOWLARKS were around, and 3 immature BALD EAGLES flew overhead chattering away.
  • COOPERS HAWK - One at the south side of the bridge to Brewster - just notable for the great look it allowed as it perched for a long while then flew off.
Waterville Plateau in general:
  • SNOW BUNTING: Many -- several sightings, Saturday and Monday. Several of the larger Horned Lark flocks [both arctic & yellow-ish ] held a SNBU or two. 
  • Also, today I came across 2 big flocks of mostly Snow Buntings, one over 100 strong, and one ~30-50. Both were on the road that heads north out of Mansfield and eventually turns west to connect w/ Bridgeport Hill Road. 
  • GRAY PARTRIDGE - 3 different groups of ~6 each today -- 2 along hwy 2 around Douglas, and one at about mp 30 on hwy 172 [a bit west of the junction w/ 17].
  • GREAT HORNED OWLS - 2 at dusk today. One at the corner of 172 and Q [about 1 mi west of hwy 17], and one a few miles south on hwy 17 from the 172 turn. Both were sitting on power-line poles in the open.
  • NORTHERN SHRIKE - many, everywhere. Over the course of the weekend, I'd say I saw at least 10-15 of them scattered about.
  • ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - 2 seen on Saturday.
WENATCHEE, Chelan Co : Horan Natural Area, Wenatchee Point Park
  • COOPERS HAWK - toying w/ California Quail
  • NORTHERN HARRIER - got too close to the COHA's game and got chased off.
  • AMERICAN KESTRAL - 2, one who chased after one of the Shrike for a while.
  • RED-TAILED HAWK - one came screaming by and took up residence on one of the trees,
  • BALD EAGLE - At least one adult.
  • N.SHRIKE - Minimum 2 here, but probably 4, and maybe up to 5 seen. If there were only two, they were following me way too closely for way too long.
  • YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER - 6 or more by the entrance way as I was leaving the park.
Matt  Bartels       Seattle, WA       mattxyz@earthlink.net



1/21/04
College Place Bohemian Waxwings

At about 11:05 this morning I discovered a flock of about 42 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in the maple tree on the east side of Larch between 5th and 6th St. in College Place,WA.

Sue Rogers        johrog@bmi.net       College Place, WA



1/21/04
Skagit.
  • After a great day of birding, myself and four friends decided to brave the hoards of owls and harriers flying around the Fish and Game area at the intersection of the East and West 90, and walk out to the dike.  The Gyr Falcon was practicing kleptoparasitism, stealing rodents from Harriers and Short-eared Owls, catching them in mid air and returning to its same perch in the middle of the field to chow them down.
  • As we walked out to the dike we stumbled upon an adult male harrier about forty feet away from us scarfing a Microtus species.  We had two scopes and the lighting was perfect.  I had never seen the color of the cere that well before. It was a beautiful olivey yellow, half concealed by rictal bristles.  It ate for about firteen minutes and was about to cough up a pellet for us when a Short-eared Owl spooked it up.  It was awesome.
  • The day ended with two Barn Owls flying around the parking lot, one with a vole in its talons.  What a beautiful place we live in.
Drew Wheelan       awheelan@hermaninstitute.org



1/21/04
S. Lake Washington, Renton

I took another trip up to the Cedar River area today with Fred Boesche, from 9:30am to sunset. 
  • The Great Black-backed was around, it was first spotted by Cameron Cox at a bit before 2:00pm at the rivermouth, then flushed by firecrackers over to Coulon Park where it was last seen at 3:15 or so when we lost track of it.  
  • The main flock of gulls started spewing out of the Cedar Hills landfill to the southeast at about 3:30, and had not stopped coming at 5:00 when Cameron and I left.  They roosted far out on the lake tonight rather than on the Boeing facilities, perhaps because of the calm water.
  • 18 Greater White-fronted Goose, 7 Canvasback, 2 Red-necked Grebe
  • 1 Peregrine Falcon perched amongst the gulls at Cedar River.
  • 20 Mew Gull, 15 Ring-billed Gull, 1 California Gull (ad), 80+ Herring Gull, 25 Thayer's Gull, 14 Western Gull, ~10,000 Glaucous-winged Gull (round 60% "pure"), ~15 Gl-winged x Herring Gull, 1 Glaucous Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull: Showed signs of a recent visit to the dump.
  • 1 Varied Thrush, 5 Yellow-rumped Warbler
The Cedar River enters the south end of Lake Washington between Renton Airfield and Gene Coulon Park.  From Coulon, go back out to Park Ave and turn right (south).  Continue about 1/3 mile to 6th St., turning right on 6th and continuing to Cedar River. Turn right at the river and go out alongside it to the lake.  Once you get out to the end there is a boathouse behind a gate, which is Cascade Canoe & Kayak.  The gate is now open during regular park hours, but they seem to occasionally close it during adverse weather.  There is superb viewing from here, scoping from the wonderful deck all around the Kayak Center.

Charlie Wright       Sumner       charlie@birdwright.com




1/23/04
Elma birding

I took advantage of a day off from work to get out and take a look around my usual areas of Brady Loop and Wenzel Slough Rd.  I noticed that there is a lot of singing going on these days.  Also, I don't know if its just me, but it seems that more and more robins are showing up. 
  • Along the Monte-Brady Rd. in route to Brady Loop from the west side, I had a very nice look at an adult Cooper's Hawk that was perched up in a cluster of trees along the road.  
  • On the west end of Brady Loop, the usual suspects were present including Tundra and Trumpeter Swans in the wetland area there. Also, the Rough-legged Hawk that hangs out in this area was perched up on an utility pole allowing great looks.  
  • Further along the loop just past the public fishing parking lot, there was a pretty large group of Canada Geese. One of the geese caught my attention quickly because it appeared to be a partial albino with about 50% of its usual brown areas being white.
  • At the intersection of Brady Loop and Foster Rd, there was what I thought at first another Rough-legged Hawk up in the top of one of the trees there. However, I changed my mind when I passed by it the second time because I had a better view of its tail feathers which were clearly tinged with red.  The hawk had an overall grayish-white coloration on its back which in combination with the red tail is leading me to a possible Krider's Red-tailed Hawk or perhaps just a light phase Red-tail.  The variation in red-tails sure does make identifying them a challenge sometimes!  
  • At the same location, I watched an adult Bald Eagle scare up some ducks out in the flooded fields.  After the Bald Eagle landed in a nearby tree it became the target for another Red-tailed Hawk to harass.
  • On the east side of Brady Loop, I noted a flock of about six American Pipits working one of the fields.  Also, near Willis St., there were more Trumpeters and Tundras milling about.
  • On Wenzel Slough Rd just past Bill Goeres Farm, I had a male Ring-necked Pheasant in the road.  
  • Someone stopped and told me that he had heard that a few Sandhill Cranes had been seen a couple days ago along the west end of Wenzel Slough. 
Tim O'Brien       Elma, WA       kertim7179@centurytel.net



1/24/04
Great Black-backed Gull at Renton
 
The Great Black-backed Gull and the gull flock it was associating with all flew up and scattered,but the Great Black-backed Gull was observed flying straight north over Lake Washington.

The gull flocks varied greatly today with only few gulls noted at the mouth of the Cedar River, beginning at 8:30am to increasing numbers throughout the day at this location with the largest concentrations of gulls noted from the floating logboom area at Gene Coulon Park most notably in the late afternoon and early evening until we left the location at 5pm.
 
Additional notable sightings that were observed during the day from both park locations:
  • 1 Red-necked Grebe, 1 Eared Grebe, 500+ Western Grebes
  • 18 Greater White-fronted Geese
  • 21 Canvasbacks, 3 Greater Scaup, 4 Barrow's Goldeneyes, 3 Hooded Mergansers
  • 12+ Bald Eagles
  • 3 Peregrine Falcons (2 adults and 1 immature bird noted from the mouth of the Cedar River,with one adult male observed banded)
  • 3 Dunlin
  • 7+ Barn Swallows (noted flying off Cedar River Park over Lake Washington)
  • A single River Otter observed during our morning visit from Gene Coulon Park.
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan        godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/24/04
Tricolored blackbirds Adams co, WA

Few of the WOS board members and I found atleast 5 tricolored blackbirds this afternoon to the west of the Para Ponds at the cattle feedlot (small one) on the north side of McManamon Rd.

Bob Flores       Othello, WA        rflores@smwireless.net



1/25/04
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS

Q:  Two RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at Leschi Marina (Lake Washington).  Is this early?  I know they come there before I hear them other places, but end of January seems new.

You can see blackbirds all through the winter at Montlake Fill. The birds seem to start actively displaying and staking out territories any time the weather seems remotely spring-like.

Stuart MacKay        stuart@blarg.net



1/25/04
Post Office Lake 1/25

The Audubon Society of Portland's monthly trip to the Vancouver Lake lowlands of Clark County was very successful: good birds, good weather, and a good group.
  • The most unusual birds we had were 5 BARN SWALLOWS (one young bird, the others bright adults) at the north end of Post Office Lake and adjacent Campbell Lake, the continuing male EURASIAN WIGEON in Post Office Lake, the continuing imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW on Old Lower River Road, a PILEATED WOODPECKER in a large cottonwood visible from Vancouver Lake Park, scope-filling views of a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER in the parking lot at Vancouver Lake Park, and scope-filling views of a bathing BROWN CREEPER at Vancouver Lake Park. 
  • Large numbers of noisy SANDHILL CRANES at Post Office Lake (some starting to dance) and BALD EAGLES seemingly everywhere were also a treat.
Mark Miller       Vancouver, WA       snowyowl98683@msn.co



1/25/04
Renton

Big gull discussion.
Other highlights noted from both parks during the day included the following:
 
Gene Coulon Park
  • 1 Common Loon(observed flying over Lake Washington from Cedar River Park,then continuing north beyond Mercer Island)
  • 4 Red-necked Grebes, 500+ Western Grebes
  • 18 Greater White-fronted Geese
  • 25 Northern Pintail (observed flying over Gene Coulon Park), 2 Ring-necked Ducks
  • 8 Bald Eagles, 2 Red-tailed Hawks(including one bird that flew down and attempted to catch an Am.Coot unsuccessfully at Gene Coulon Park), 1 adult female Peregrine Falcon
  • 5+ Barn Swallows(observed flying over Lake Washington from both parks)
  • 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers
Noteworthy species observed during a fairly short visit made at the "old"Kent Ponds between 2pm-2:45pm
  • 4 Eurasian Wigeons (3 males,1 female), 7 Ring-necked Ducks, 43 Ruddy Ducks
  • 1 female Northern Harrier, 1 adult male Peregrine Falcon
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan       godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/25/04
Woodland WA

On Saturday, January 24th, I stopped in Woodland WA in Cowlitz, County on the way to Portland. 
  • I found a 1st Winter Harris's Sparrow - a very pleasant surprise. The bird was at the end of Roberson Road, off of Whalen Road in blackberry brambles, by small slough. Whalen road is shown in both the Delorme and the new, A Birder's Guide to Washington.   The bird was in a large flock of about 20 White-crowned Sparrows and 10 Golden-crowned Sparrows.
  • As a bonus is the large SANDHILL CRANE flight that happens just after 4:00pm.  I counted 500 of them flying south over me toward Ridgefield or Sauvie Island.  I had tried to find them earlier in the afternoon and I could hear them, but they were in a field not viewable from the dike road. On my return home Sunday, I stopped in at the same time and saw a similar flight of Sandhills - always magical.
Marcus Roening       Tacoma, WA       marcus.d.roening@gsk.com



1/25/04
Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert

Sightings for January 25
  • SE. of Kelowna, a male THREE-TOED WOODPECKER and a flock of approx. 30  COMMON REDPOLLS were found along McCulloch Road, near it's junction with Hwy  33. At nearby Idabel Lake, 3 BOREAL CHICKADEES were found.
  • On Jan 22, a trip to Vaseux Lake produced 46 TRUMPETER SWANS and 5 TUNDRA SWANS. Also noted in the South Okanagan was a male NORTHERN HARRIER along White Lake Road.
  • On Jan 24, the GYRFALCON was briefly seen at the Marshall's Feedlot in Kelowna. The feedlot is located along the W. side of Hwy 97, just S. of McCurdy Road.
  • On Jan 20, a flock of 200 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were noted along McCulloch Road, between Hwy 33 and the cross country ski trails. Also noted in this area was a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER and 6 PINE GROSBEAKS.
  • Along Philpott Road, off Hwy 33, E. of Kelowna, 3 CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES and 26 EVENING GROSBEAKS were noted near the green mailboxes at km 4.
Sightings for January 18
  • WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are plentiful in the sub-boreal forest along the upper reaches of McCulloch Road, S. of Kelowna. Numerous birds have been frequenting the ski trails and the parking lot at the nordic cross country ski area near McCulloch Lake.
  • 3 GREAT HORNED OWLS were at the Ranch Park Mobile Home Park on Jan 17. The birds can be seen and heard hooting on a nightly basis in the park.
Sightings for January 11
  • At the N. end of Osoyoos Lake were 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS and at the Southern Plus Feedlot in Oliver were 2 GOLDEN EAGLES and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.
  • Two GOLDEN EAGLES were also noted at the Vernon Dump on Birnie Road on Jan 10. At Rose's Pond, on the Vernon Commonage, an imm. GOLDEN EAGLE was seen on Jan 10. Also noted on the Vernon Commonage on Jan 10 were up to a dozen ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.
  • A massive flock of 1,000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were feasting on unpicked grapes at the Cedar Creek Winery along Lakeshore Road in Kelowna.
Chris Charlesworth       c_charlesworth23@hotmail.com



1/24/04
Douglas County & Northrup Canyon Eagle Count

Yesterday 14 birders participated in a Central Basin Audubon field trip to Douglas County and Northrup Canyon.

Several highlights were noted during our trip.
  • Our first highlight was a very aggressive Cooper's Hawk in Soap Lake. This bird was chasing harassing Black-billed Magpies which scattered in fear.
  • Our next highlight was a very obliging Golden Eagle perched on a power pole near Alkali Lake along SR-17. The mate of this bird perched on the bluffs on the other side of the highway.
  • Our most notable sighting occurred on the Waterville Plateau. Large flocks of Snow Buntings were found on Heritage Road near Atkins Lake, and later along Road L NE near the intersection of SR-172. These flocks numbered in the hundreds, with the first flock estimated at 250 and the second at over 300. Also sighted were several small groups of Snow Buntings mixed in with Horned Larks.
  • Also observed near the intersection of Road L and SR-172 was an adult Prairie Falcon perched on a large basalt outcrop.
  • Bald Eagle numbers were quite low, but this was expected as Banks Lake is almost completely frozen. A total of three adults and three immatures were observed, with one unidentified as to age. 
  • In addition to the Bald Eagles, two more Golden eagles perched on trees on the rim of Northrup Canyon.  
  • Northern Shrikes were observed scattered along the entire route, with most being adults.
  • As we headed home, a Great Horned Owl perched in a tree along SR-155 at dusk. A nice end to a good day.
Doug Schonewald       Moses Lake, WA       dschon8@donobi.net



1/25/04
Moses Lake 1/25
  • At Neppel Landing Park (site 27 on the Coulee Corridor bird map) a banded Canada Goose was observed. The white neck band had H 43 on it and I look forward to finding out where this goose came from. Also observed at this location were two Greater Yellowlegs. These birds are apparently wintering over in the area. Good numbers of Northern Shovelers in full dress sifted the surface, while good numbers of Common Mergansers fished the depths.
  • At Penn Plaza Kiosk (site 28 on the Coulee Corridor bird map) 43 Great Blue Herons and 11 Black-crowned Night-herons perched on the snow covered mud bar. With the white snow as a backdrop, it made for impressive viewing. A mature Bald Eagle perched along shore near a partially consumed goose carcass.
Doug Schonewald       Moses Lake, WA       dschone8@donobi.net



1/25/04
Samish & Skagit

Vicki King, Ilene Samowitz, Kristin Stewart and I looked for raptors in this area beginning with the Samish Flats around 9 am in chilly, windy weather with intermittent rain all day. The temperature never got out of the 30s.
  • Lots of dabbling ducks in ponds along Josh Wilson Rd
  • Mixed flock of some 50 Trumpeter and Tundra Swans along Thomas Rd (1 juvenile Trumpeter had a red neck band that seemed too tight). 
  • We began spotting the first of 40+ Bald Eagles almost immediately, and found the first of three Merlins for the day perched close to a Northern Shrike on Allen West Rd.
  • Dark phase Rough-legged Hawk near the East 90s on Samish Island Rd, and at the West 90 there were three Short-eared Owls hunting alongside two Northern Harriers.
  • Red-tailed Hawks dotted the area, we saw perhaps 36 today.
Heading south for the Skagit
  • We found 3 dozen Mourning Doves in a tree by Dodge Valley Rd
  • Thousands of Snow Geese digging up seed potatoes from a newly planted field near Rexville. 
  • A brief stop at the Jensen Access area gave us a look at a Peregrine Falcon that flew off over the water toward Stanwood. 
  • At the Skagit Wildlife Area on Fir Island Vicki spotted a Barred Owl roosting not far from the headquarters building.  A Cooper's Hawk perched 100 yards away watching a half dozen Barn Swallows above. All at once the Cooper's Hawk shot down into the Barred Owl's treeand confronted the much larger owl from about 3 feet away. The owl had dinner thoughts and leaped at the Cooper's who retreated to the next tree and scolded: kek-kek-kek-kek, then made another brief pass at the owl and flew away -- with the owl in pursuit to keep the hawk moving. Then the Barred Owl perched first on an open branch and then on a parking lot sign for victory pictures -- a beautiful bird! A Merlin dropped in to help us celebrate the end to a pretty good day in Skagit County. See maps in: Hal Opperman: A Birder's Guide to Washington, pp. 118 and 114.
Paul Webster       Seattle       paul.webster@comcast.net



1/25/04
Lake Sacajewa Birding

At Lake Sacajewa in Longview we had;
  • 4 Wood Ducks, 6 Lesser Scaups, 2 Eurasian Wigeons
  • 2 Scrub Jays
  • 2 Herring Gulls, 1 Thayer's Gull, 3 Ring Billed Gulls
  • 2  Pied Billed Grebes that reared up and looked as if they were running in place on the water.
Dave Hayden       Lakewood, WA       dtvhm@nwrain.com



1/27/04
Woodland

Today my mother and I birded several areas beginning along the Dike Access Rd. complex near
Woodland, Cowlitz Co. then traveling to the Juliet Butler Hansen NWR in Wahkiakum Co.

Our main highlight of the day was the immature Harris' Sparrow, which was observed near the
south end of Roberson Rd. (accessed off of Whalen Rd.) Whalen Rd. can be accessed from the west along Dike Rd. or from the east near Horseshoe Lake from the city of Woodland. The Harris' Sparrow was observed at 11:30am amongst a small flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows and House Finches in a small blackberry bramble patch(just north of a canal noted on the east side of the road north of the dead end of Roberson Rd.). The general area near the dead end of Roberson Rd. actually hosted fairly good numbers of both Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed "Oregon" Juncos,and other sparrows. There are scattered patches of blackberry patches and other vegetation (including vast grape vineyards) noted along both sides of the road, primarily north of the dead end and the area is primarily on private property and parking is very limited with several NO Trespassing signs posted along the road,as well.

Other noteworthy species noted from the end of Roberson Rd. included the following:
  • 3 Northern Harriers, 1 Am.Kestrel, 1 Barn Owl
  • 15 California Quail
  • 350+ Sandhill Cranes
  • 2 Western Scrub Jays, 4 Savannah Sparrows, 5 Lincoln's Sparrows
  • very large numbers of both Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbirds
 Additional notable highlights observed during our visit within the Dike Access Rd. complex (including Caples Rd.) included the following:
  • 5 Great Egrets
  • 28 "Dusky" Canada Geese
  • 4 Northern Harriers, 6 Am.Kestrels
  • 120+ Sandhill Cranes
  • 2 Wilson's Snipes, 25 Mourning Doves
  • 3 Western Scrub Jays, 54+ Savannah Sparrows, 12 Lincoln's Sparrows
We arrived at the Juliet Butler Hansen NWR headquarters in Wahkiakum Co.at 3pm,but were unable to locate the Black Phoebe lingering at this location. A few highlights noted within our fairly short visit to this area included the following:
  • 1 female Eurasian Wigeon, 1 Ruddy Duck
  • 8 adult White-tailed Kites, 3 Northern Harriers, 4 Am.Kestrels
  • 73 Dunlin, 25 Western Meadowlarks
On our way home we made a short,brief stop at a pull-off along Hwy.4 overlooking Willow Island (west of the Longview STP in Cowlitz Co.), where a pair of White-tailed Kites were observed hunting and sitting atop a large bush together.

Our final stop of the day was made at Lake Sacajawea in Longview,where 3 male Eurasian Wigeons and 1 Western Gull were noted.

Other highlights noted to and from destinations during the day included the following:
  •  22 Tundra Swans along I-5 at MP31 north of Kalama, Cowlitz Co.
  • 1 Cooper's Hawk along I-5 at Chehalis, Lewis Co.
  • 1 Red-breasted Sapsucker observed flying over I-5 south of Tumwater, Thurston Co.
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan       godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/28/04
Oregon Coast

Last weekend Karen and I drove along the Oregon Coast. Heavy rain and wind kept birding and tidepooling to a minimum, though we did see a variety of the usual birds one would expect along this most beautiful coast. The highlights were seeing about twenty Northern Elephant Seals at Cape Arago and lots of bull elk at the Dean Creek Wildlife Viewing Area near Reedsport (where we also enjoyed a pair of White-tailed Kites hovering while hunting).

Lee Rentz       Shelton, WA       lee@leerentz.com



1/28/04
FRS Radios

When I bird w/ friends we usually use a private channel and code.  But when we are trying to find out about a bird in the area we tune to the birders channel and code:  that is Channel 11, Code 22.  That is supposedly universal in our country so you can find out where a rare bird is from other birders not in your party.

Carol Schulz       DesMoines, WA       linusq@att.net



1/28/04
Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert

Sightings for January 28
  • The gray-morph GYRFALCON was seen by persistent observers at the Marshall's Feedlot in Kelowna on January 27. Interestingly, a GYRFALCON, most likely the same individual was seen earlier in the day on 27 near the Kelowna Airport.
Sightings for January 25
  • SE. of Kelowna, a male THREE-TOED WOODPECKER and a flock of approx. 30 COMMON REDPOLLS were found along McCulloch Road, near it's junction with Hwy 33. At nearby Idabel Lake, 3 BOREAL CHICKADEES were found.
  • On Jan 22, a trip to Vaseux Lake produced 46 TRUMPETER SWANS and 5 TUNDRA SWANS. Also noted in the South Okanagan was a male NORTHERN HARRIER along White Lake Road.
  • On Jan 20, a flock of 200 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were noted along McCulloch Road, between Hwy 33 and the cross country ski trails. Also noted in this area was a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER and 6 PINE GROSBEAKS.
  • Along Philpott Road, off Hwy 33, E. of Kelowna, 3 CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES and 26 EVENING GROSBEAKS were noted near the green mailboxes at km 4.
Sightings for January 18
  • WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are plentiful in the sub-boreal forest along the  upper reaches of McCulloch Road, S. of Kelowna. Numerous birds have been frequenting the ski trails and the parking lot at the nordic cross country ski area near McCulloch Lake.
  • 3 GREAT HORNED OWLS were at the Ranch Park Mobile Home Park on Jan 17. The birds can be seen and heard hooting on a nightly basis in the park.
Chris Charlesworth       c_charlesworth23@hotmail.com



1/22/04
Long Tailed Ducks

Mid-day, cruising down Bellingham and Samish Bays on the way to Capsante Marina, Anacortes aboard our powerboat "Favorite", I found myself in the midst of some 300 + Long Tailed Ducks feeding and moving about among the gulls and Western Grebes, all in their winter plumage.

They were in mid-bay, well offshore between Vendovi Island and Larabee State Park.  Looked like they occupied a sea surface area of about 300 acres. Blew me away, I've never seen that many before. 

John Dustrude       Friday Harbor       gig@ rockisland.com




1/24/04
Skagit/Samish Flats

Today I took a trip into Skagit County with Fred Boesche and Douglas Runde. What a great day it was.  Had a couple of highlights in northern Snohomish County before heading up and birding Skagit Flats, and finally enjoying some chaotic raptor activity at the end of the day at West 90.

Norman Road, Stanwood (9:00-9:30)
  • 20 Trumpeter Swan
  • 1 Cooper's Hawk
  • 15 Spotted Towhee, 3 Fox Sparrow, 1 Purple Finch
Big Ditch, Snohomish Co (10:00-11:00)
  • 100 Trumpeter Swan
  • 1 Horned Grebe, 10,000++ Dunlin
  • 1 Savannah Sparrow, 2 Lincoln's Sparrow, 1 SWAMP SPARROW
  • 55 SNOW BUNTING, 3 Purple Finch
Fir Island/Skagit WMA, Skagit Co (11:30am-2:00pm)
  • 10,000+ Snow Goose, 300 Trumpeter Swan
  • 2 Cooper's Hawk
  • 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Northern Shrike
  • 15 BARN SWALLOW, 2 Cedar Waxing, 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler,
  • 2 White-crowned Sparrow, 4 Brown-headed Cowbird, 5 Purple Finch, 1 American Goldfinch
Samish Flats/West 90 (2:45-4:45)
  • 75 Trumpeter Swan
  • 20 Eurasian Wigeon with hundreds of american wigeon
  • 50+ Northern Harrier, 2 Rough-legged Hawk, 2 Harlan's Hawk(1-Bayview-Edison Rd.; 1-Samish T), 1 GYRFALCON, 2 Peregrine Falcon
  • 30 + Short-eared Owl -- What a show
  • 5 Savannah Sparrow, 1 Lincoln's Sparrow
Charlie Wright       Sumner Wa       charlie@birdwright.com



1/29/04
Lincoln Co. Winter Bird Route

On Thursday, Joyce Alonso, Harold & Karen Cottet and I did the complete Lincoln Co. Winter Bird
Route as is detailed in the new "A Birder's Guide to Washington". Although the weather was decent in Spokane, we were dismayed to find ourselves enveloped in a thick blanket of fog on the West Plains. Visibility was so poor that we couldn't tell where the snow covered fields began and where the sky ended.  In spite of these poor conditions, we managed to stumble on to a few interesting birds.
  • Small numbers of SNOW BUNTINGS were widely encountered throughout the route (Stroup Rd. in Spokane, Co., and Lincoln Co. locations along Four Corners, Zeimantz, and Detour Roads).
  • Large flocks of Horned larks consisted of both the yellow merrilli race as well as the pale arcticola race. We saw three Northern Shrikes, five Rough-legged Hawks, No. Harrier, and few Kestels.
  • The most abundant bird of the day had to have been Gray Partridge. The Huns were eveywhere! We were rarely out of sight of them. We saw well 100+ Huns for the day.
Gina Sheridan       Spokane, WA       gsherida8502@yahoo.com



1/31/04
Centralia to Vancouver Lake birding
 
At Woodland we birded the Dike Access Rd. complex and noted a few highlights including:
  • 1 Am.Tree Sparrow, 1 adult White-throated Sparrow and up to 40 Savannah Sparrows amongst other sparrows along a ditch/canal at the west end of Caples Rd. This location seems to be very productive for sparrows in general, especially good numbers of wintering Savannah Sparrows. 
Other notable species encountered from the Dike Access Rd. complex during our visit between 2pm-2:40pm including the following:
  • 2 Great Egrets
  • 1 adult Cooper's Hawk
  • 1 adult Rough-legged Hawk
  • 7 Am.Kestrels
  • 400+ Sandhill Cranes
  • 1 Herring Gull
Mammal species of note during the day included the following:
  • 3 River Otters at Fort Borst Park in Centralia, Lewis Co.
  • 2 River Otters at Kress Lake north of Kalama, Cowlitz Co.
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan       godwit@worldnet.att.net



1/31/04
Upper Skagit River

Report of trip up the Skagit River (above Rockport) looking for Baldies...

Conditions: Skagit River running hard and fast. Lower reaches of River cloudy and mixed. Higher reaches faster but greener & clear. Lots of log piles from the river about. Took "shortcut" on way up through Johnson-Debay Swan Reserve.

Everett Sewage Ponds:
  • 2 Great Blue Herons
Johnson-DeBay Swan Reserve:
  • ~250 Tundra Swans
  •  ~50 Canada Geese
  • 4 Northern Harriers coursing abt in surrounding environs
  • 1 Double-Crested Cormorant (imm) in small creek as you go in
  • 1 Red-Winged Blackbird
  •  ~200 Mallards in the small creek as you go in  (Interestingly, the Mallards and the DBL-Cr Cormorant were all in the small creek on the South side of the entrance road. We saw nothing on the North side.)
Skagit River Hwy Area (up river from Johnson-DeBay on Old Skagit River Hwy to Rockport; SR20 above Rockport):
  • 33 Bald Eagles (Fair number of imm looking pretty bedraggled)
  • 8 Double-Crested Cormorants (Surprised the number of DBL-Cr'd about. Hadn't seen this many, or any for that matter, this far up the River)
  • 6 Common Goldeneyes
  • 10 Stellar's Jays (One flock of 6 moving as one)
  • 1 American Dipper
  • 3 Herring Gulls
  • 15 Barrow's Goldeneyes, abt equal male/female (Colors very crisp and
  • bright)
  • 1 Varied Thrush
  • ~150 Canada Geese below Rockport in and about the damp and/or flooded fields
The Dipper, Gulls, Barrow's, and most of the Eagles were seen above Marblemount at the various turnouts on SR20. The Americar Dipper was the highlight of the day for me. The bird landed on a rock in the River. He paused a moment then hopped into the River, bobbed a moment and then dived. Popped up about 10' up River from where he'd dove. Always read about this behavior but never observed it until this sighting. Very interesting.

Peter Sullins       Everett, WA       TheSullinsFamily@earthlink.net




1/31/04
Kites!

Well, the quest for White-tailed Kites was a complete Success at Julia Butler Hansen NWR on Saturday.  
  • Saw 6 Kites from one scoping position.  About every other tree for 1/4 mile had either a Kite, a Hawk, or a bald Eagle in it!  Raptor count for that one spot was 6 Kites, 2 Harriers, 1 Red-tail, and one Bald Eagle! And about 1/2 mile later was another Kite chasing a Bald Eagle!
Plus all the usual suspects,:
  • Ruffed Grouse, Tundra and Trumpeter swans (Ridgefield NWR), plus Nutria and 4 groups of River Otters!
Guy McWethy       Renton, WA       lguy_mcw@yahoo.com






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Links checked and updated on: February 3, 2004
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