On Mon, 6 Nov 1995, M. Smith wrote:
>
> They also occur up into Canada's Okanogan Valley. Personally, I have
> only seen them at Wenas Crk. area (thrice), and once at Camas Crk. Burn.
> The latter observation was timely, as it was on our birdathon woodpecker
> big day. We saw 5 species here in about 1 hour (RN Sapsucker,
> Black-backed WP, Hairy WP, White-headed WP,. Flicker). Yahoo!

While we are on the the subject of woodpecker big days, I must tell
everyone about August 16th 1994. I was leading a tour group around
Washington. Just a normal birding day, i.e. nothing targeted
in particular. We started out in Packwood heading east to Whites Pass. On
the way up to the Pass we saw a Pileated Woodpecker (#1)fly over the
road. 10 to 15 minutes later we arrive at the pass. Get out and proceed
to walk around the lake. Behind the gas station and motel on the north
side of the road we see a many Flickers (#2), a male Red-naped Sapsucker
(#3), and a male and female Williamson's Sapsucker (#4). We walk towards
the east around the lake, on the trail we see a female Three-toed
Woodpecker (#5) and a Hairy Woodpecker (#6). Further on down the trail we
see another Red-naped Sapsucker on the *same tree trunk just opposite* a
male Red-breasted Sapsucker (#7).

At this point I realize something great is going on and begin to devise a
WVS (Woodpecker viewing strategy). BTW, the time line for the first seven
was about two and a half hours, all seen before 9:00.

We head down the east side of the mountains and make my first mistake - I
start looking for woodpeckers. See, before I was just walking around,
pointing out birds, worrying that no one gets lost, did I lock the van,
if so are the keys in my pocket, and so on. That stuff is no longer a
concern of mine, seven woodpeckers seen by nine, five remaining, of which
all are east side birds and day is young.

Well the Ponderosa Pines around Rimrock Lake might as well have been rocks.
The only bird seen was a young Cowbird which I spent fifteen minutes
trying to ID. How embarrassing!

Highway 12 down to Naches - nothing but bugs hitting the windshield.

Wenas Road - Dusty

Wenas Lake - Dried up

No problem, I kept a stiff upper lip because next stop was Wenas Creek
Campground. The home field where my batting average was well into the
700's. Nope, deader than the proverbial door nail. It was so quiet there
you could hear the trees growing.

Now I knew something was out of wack. The only thing I could think to do
was close my eyes, touch my thumbs to my middle fingers, breathed deep and
concentrated on the middle of the doughnut for a few minutes.

When I came out of what ever it was I was in, there it was, sitting right
in front of me, gnawing on a pine cone. Yes! Chipmunks! I'm going to look
for Rodents.

Packing out of Wenas with a new attitude, looking for anything that has
to gnaw to survive.

I stop at the Beaver dam on the way out to look for the work-a-holic of
the gnawing world. As I do that the "Lady from Texas", and a fine one at
that I might add, calls out a Downy Woodpecker (#8). I keep looking for that
Beaver.

On Wenas Road heading towards Ellensburg I see a tree stump with another
Yellow Pine Chipmunk on it. We stop. Way in the background there is a
Marmot. Good karma! I get everyone out of the van to look for more
incisors. Behind me the "Lady from Texas" ask what that strange rattle is
bellowing out of the pines - as a White-headed Woodpecker (#9) flies into
view.

Now, if we could only find a Townsend's Ground Squirrel! It is starting
to get dark and I am starting to get worried. Are they even active around
dusk? Who knows!

Winding up the road into Kittitas County, just as I am about to lose
hope, a Townsend's Ground Squirrel sits atop a fence pole, and there in
the tree behind it, a Lewis Woodpecker (#10)!

As we get to Ellensburg, darkness falls. I think to myself, perhaps I can
sneak out with a flash light and drive up to Blewett Pass and look for
that Doug Squirrel nest, you know, the one with the Black-backs in it.

Disclaimer: The thing about the rodents is a lie. Although we did see all
the varmints mentioned. The center of the doughnut was thought about only
when eating the non-center. The Woodpeckers were real and seen at
those locations in that order. The really sad part is that I really did
want to push on to Blewett Pass and try for a grand slam.

--------------------------------------------------------
Russell Rogers
Sick Pup
4510 Glenn Way SW
Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 935-6280
rrogers at halcyon.com
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