Subject: Re: Woodpeckers in Washington
Date: Jul 25 08:48:23 1996
From: Jerry Tangren - tangren at wsu.edu


>My wife and I will be birding in western Washington during the week of
>August 2-11, 1996. We're concentrating on the Olympic Penninsula and San
>Juan Island areas; however, I'd like to observe several species of
>woodpeckers that don't occur in Louisiana. I have one day set aside for
>birding east of Seattle.
>
>Does anyone know of good spots to observe any or all of the following
>woodpeckers within two hours of Seattle:
>
>* Lewis's Woodpecker
>* White-headed Woodpecker
>* Black-backed Woodpecker
>* Three-toed Woodpecker
>
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>Marty Guidry
>guidryrm.linknet.net
>Baton Rouge, LA

Did I miss responses to this inquiry?

I don't know about Lewis' within two hours of Seattle. However, the Stevens
Pass and Blewett Pass areas should produce the other three species. I just
don't know of any current dependable spots. Three-toed woodpeckers should
be possible in the forests around Stevens Pass. Look for scaled bark and
listen for their tapping. Black-backed and White-headed should be possible
in the large burn areas around Leavenworth and Blewett Pass. The large
pines just past the fish hatchery up Icicle Creek in Leavenworth have
produced White-headed in the past.

Lewis Woodpeckers can be quite common along some of the lower drainages
along the east slope of the Cascades. However, I can't think of any good
spots within two hours of Seattle. Are they in the Cle Elum area? I haven't
looked recently.

If I were from Baton Rouge and could make a long long day of it, I would
head for the North Cascades and the Twisp-Winthrop area. That would be the
best bet to find all four woodpeckers, plus a lot more.

--Jerry Tangren
<tangren at wsu.edu>