Hi, folks.

Just got back from my day of birding for the Olympic Natl. Forest/Black =
Hills Audubon/Partners in Flight neotropical migrant monitoring program. =
The site I birded included 10 points in the old-growth along the South =
fork of the Skokomish River and Rule Creek.

The protocol for this survey is kind of interesting: a point count of =
all the birds heard/seen within 0-3, 3-5, and 5-8 minutes at each =
station. We have to separate the birds within 50 meters from those =
observed more than 50 meters from the point. Not a lot of 'species =
richness' and not a whole lot of variety, but it was a beautiful morning =
in the old growth! Pat Grover, a forestry Tech from the Hood Canal RD =
was my 'guide' to the stations - they had us do fewer stations at this =
site this year, used to be 18 now it's 10 - I don't know if it had to do =
with matching 'our' protocol to other Natl Forest surveys or what... =
Here's the birds I saw/hear (mostly heard, as birds are hard to see up =
in the canopy...) :

Winter Wren 15 birds at 8 sites
Varied Thrush 13 birds at 7 sites
Swainson's Thrush 2 birds at 2 sites
Chestnut-bk Chickadee 15 birds at 7 sites
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 8 birds at 6 sites
Golden-crowned Kinglet 8 birds at 5 sites
Warbling Vireo 1 bird at 1 site
Western Tanager 6 birds at 6 sites
Oregon Junco 2 birds at 2 sites
Hermit Thrush 2 birds at 2 sites
Pileated Woodpecker 2 birds at 1 site
Hammond's Flycatcher 1 bird at 1 site
Red-breasted Nuthatch 4 birds at 2 sites
Steller's Jay 2 birds at 1 site
Brown Creeper 1 bird at 1 site
Hairy Woodpecker 1 bird at 1 site
Hermit/Townsend's Warb 2 birds at 2 sites (sorry, I can't tell the two =
apart by call well enough...)
Blue Grouse 1 bird 'booming' at 1 site
Gray Jay 2 birds at 1 site

Also, 'kip' calls from at least 10 Red Crossbills at 4 stations, and 2 =
or 3 Vaux' Swifts circling over the canopy at 4 stations.

If I missed anything here, it's because I've been up since 1:00 a.m., =
and I'm kind of rummy :-)

No mosquitos or no-see-'ums to be found - too early, yet for that =
elevation (about 1,500 feet) ? I'm being bitten here in west Olympia =
every evening...

Lots of neat stuff seen driving/walking in and out of the count area. A =
western toad at first light on the trail in. Several blue and ruffed =
grouse broods along the roads on the drive out. Juncos carrying =
caterpillars. A 3-minute look at a Warbling Vireo 10m away in the full =
sun. Robins and Olive-sided Flycatchers and Song Sparrows along the =
river trail on the way out. Pileated woodpeckers serenading us back at =
the pickup when we returned to the trailhead. Banana slugs. Mating =
millipedes and some pale tan land snails about an inch and a half =
across. And, even though I've heard them practically my whole life, it =
always impresses me that all that music can come out of a bird as small =
as a Winter Wren.... Didn't hear any Murrelets or Band-tailed Pigeons =
this time out.

Anyway, had a great time on a sunny day in the ancient forest this =
morning and wanted to share...

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net