Hi Fred,
Ike Eisenhart, Jan and Keith Wiggers and myself observed both Mountain and
Western Bluebirds along the Columbia River west of Nespelem on 11 December,
1994. Habitat below the gneiss cliffs there is an apron of granitic talus
covered with shrubs: chokecherry, wild roses, serviceberry and bitterbrush.
Scattered western juniper were around and, most importantly hackberry
(Celtis reticulata), in this area, a rather rare berry-producing tree of
the elm family found mostly in the Snake and Grande Ronde Canyons of
extreme se Wash and Oregon in our area. I believe the diversity of
berry-producing plants below Grand Coulee, especially relict hackberry,
permit bluebirds to survive, at least into early winter here.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato, WA