Colin, Your trip sounds fantastic. You will have no trouble finding
VARIED THRUSHES in the Mount Baker area. My family and I were just up
there on Friday and saw/heard VARIED THRUSH after V.T. We were on the
north side of Mount Baker on Highway 542 out of Bellingham.
A real good place to go to find PILEATED WOODPECKERS would be Camano
Island State Park. Just today I was talking to the Campground Host there
and he said that there is a trio of PILEATEDS that move around together,
he thinks they are youngsters and possibly nestmates. While we were there
last summer camping we ourselves saw an adult pair often during our stay.
The Camp Host also told us that their hummingbird feeder attached to their
motor home easily attracts a wealth of hummers.
A good place to go to outside of Everett, Washington which is rich with
bird life is SPENCER ISLAND. Everett also has JETTY ISLAND with a free
boat to it and has some wonderful birding opportunities. Spencer Island
is just a short drive and walk to get to it.
Good luck in planning your trip. I live in Marysville, Washington. There
are days I have a terrible time pulling myself away from my home because I
so enjoy watching the birds and wildlife that frequent my yard and
perimeter (we have pileated w.p., downy w.p., and flickers; black headed
grosbeaks, rufous sided towhees, varied thrushes, western tanagers, etc.).
------------->Kathie Webber
Marysville, Washington
Kwebber at sno.wednet.edu

On Sun, 7 Jul 1996, Colin Bradshaw wrote:

> Dear All,
> I got information information about Tweeters from Ted Becker who
> said some of you would be able to provide all the information I wanted.
> My family and I are coming to spend a two-week vacation in
> Washington in the first two weeks of August. We plan to spend the
> first week at Marblemount, N Cascades and the second week on the San
> Juans. I've birded the East coast of North America fairly hard, had 3
> spring trips to Texas and spent a summer in Manitoba. However, |'ve
> never got to the west coast so I know there will be a lot of good
> birds for me.
> I'm a fairly hard core birder,a member of the British
> Rarities Committee and a keen bird photographer so I'm used to
> finding my own birds all over the world but I have learned, in my
> dotage, that a little local knowledge can save a lot of heartache.
> I reckon I could just about find what I want in the San
> Juans, but if you have any certain spots for Surfbird, Tattler or
> Rock Sandpiper at that time of the year I'd be interested (or Elegant
> Tern for that matter) I missed Wandering Tattler twice in Texas by
> about 4 hrs though I've seen Grey-tailed a couple of times in China.
> I guess, however, that some of the passerines I'm particularly
> interested in may be available on the San Juans and you may also have
> a depth of knowledge about the birds of the North Cascades.I also
> want to spend time studying juvenile Western Sandpipers. I've seen
> lots of fall Semi-Ps and Leasts and lots of Spring (alternate)
> Westerns but juveniles are what I need to see (as these are the most
> relevant to searching for vagrants in UK). Are there any really
> good shorebird spots on the San Juans. I'll have a day at Iona, BC and
> some time at Seattle Airport when I fly out on the 16th so maybe
> there is somewhere there?
> I think the birds of the N Cascades will prove more of a
> problem in August especially as my kids(two girls aged 15 & 14)
> are much more interested in the social aspects of the holiday
> especially the chances of meeting sub-adult males!!!! so the
> opportunities to go on three-day hikes in the Mt Baker area are
> severely limited!
> Because of this the key species for me in this area are
> 1)the western warblers (Townsend's, Hermit, Black-throated ,Macgillivary's)
> 2)Hutton's Vireo,
> 3)Townsend's Solitaire,
> 4)Varied Thrush,
> 5)the western Flycatchers,
> 6) Lazuli Bunting,
> 7) Brewer's and Sage Sparrow (I guess I'll have to go a long way east to
> find Sage Sparrow
> 8)any of the western Woodpeckers,
> 9)Spotted and Pygmy Owl
> 10)anything special you can think of.
>
> The other thing I'd be really keen on is to get good views of
> Hermit Thrush. I've seen hundreds but they've all been at 200 yds thru' a
> scope singing on a snag! I'm meant to be one of Britain's authorities on
> Catharus Thrushes and it's a bit un-nerving to be so unfamiliar with one of
> the group!!
> I know this sounds like a hell of a shopping list but I'm
> more interested in these than, say, the Ptarmigan or Rosy Finches -
> although if you know any good sites for them...............
> We're staying in Clark's Cabins (do you know them?) for the
> first week (starting 3rd Aug) and the Inn at Friday Harbour(?) for the
> second weekgetting there on 11th). I have a birding friend from England and
> his family (2 more girls) staying there also. If you have 4 sons aged 17 -
> 13 and a partner who's into creative writing bring them over to meet us
> while you, me and Martin go birding or talk over a cold beer! Look forward
> to hearing from you
>
> Best wishes
>
> Colin Bradshaw
>
>