Thanks to all who responded to my alert about salvage logging and birding
in the Thunder Mt. fire. The road is now open to access this area from
Winthrop over Freezeout Pass (this is on page 114 of Delorme, access road
is Forest Service #39). If anyone is interested in coming out next week
(12-19) I will be there and would be happy to show folks around.The
three-toed woodpeckers are just beginning to fledge and there are lots of
them. There is an "area closure" on the best place to bird but you can get
a permit from the Tonasket Forest Service to enter the area. Call Don Rose
or Craig Bobzien at (509) 486-5118 to request your permit and make sure
you tell them your visit is because of the wonderful natural history that
the area offers!
There is more information on the ecology of the Thunder Mt fire at
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~mposs/Thunder/Thunder.html. I'll try to
keep this current with both the natural and unatural events that are
occurring up there. A letter or a phone call requesting cancellation of
the Thunder sale and that the adjacent Dog sale not be offered would sure
be helpful about now. Letters can be sent to
Sam Gehr
1240 South 2nd Ave
Okanogan, WA 98840
(509 826-3275
Phone calls to Don Rose or Craig Bobzien at (509)486-5118. Please contact
me for more information or if you'd like to visit the area. Thanks
Mary Poss
522-6506
mposs at u.washington.edu