Bryan Gates wrote:

>We picked the hotest day of the year at Hurricane Hill (85 to 88 F) and
>were there at mid day, so few birds were seen or heard. The total was at
>least 14 species, including American Kestrel, Northern Flicker, Rufous
>Hummingbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Mountain
>Chickadee(? reported to me - what other chickadee might be up that high?),
>Gray Jay, Steller's Jay, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped
>Warbler, Chipping Sparrow(?), Dark-eyed Junco and Red Crossbill. Nothing out
>of the ordinary here.

Bryan, as far as I know, there aren't any Mountain Chickadees on the
Olympic Peninsula. Chestnut-backed is the abundant one, Black-capped local
in the lowlands. Chipping Sparrow is an uncommon breeding species on the
Peninsula but is known to breed in the Hurricane Ridge area.

What's interesting about the mountain forests of the OP is the relative
lack of bird species. Note from your list that there are almost no
Neotropical migrants, while this group would be common components of a
visit to the same elevations in the Cascades.

>And I still want to know if there are any White-tailed Ptarmigan in the
>park...?

I don't think so!

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416