...or -- My Whirlie-gig Trip to Portland --
Friday, 05Dec97 -- Do I really have time to do all this in one short almost
winter day, I ask myself? Oh sure; why not.

And then..., WHY didn't I check my email before I launched out-o-here for
Portland?!! grrr! I might have seen Patrick Sullivan's update on the
Bainbridge Island CATTLE EGRET which seems to have moved to right alongside
Rt. 3 where I probably zoomed right by while my head was buried in maps and
heading to Bainbridge Island.

Nor did I know Patrick had just been to the South Port Orchard Airport the day
before to report sighting two Mountain Quail. No matter, I was already headed
there via Tacoma Narrows anyway at the crack of dawn. My thanks to Jim
Flynn's posting of directions way long long ago last May (5/18/97 to be exact)
which I'd saved in a "Washington birds to look for someday" file. My strategy
was to be there by sunrise or shortly thereafter on this frosty but sunny
morning, thinking the odds of finding the Mountain Quail would be at it's
best. Past experience with these and other gallinaceous birds have often
proven early morning sortes especially rewarding, as the birds are just waking
up and often out in exposed places soaking up the morning's first warming rays
of sunshine, while busy pecking around in the gravel and dust bathing, and
they haven't been disturbed yet. This was in fact the case; the strategy and
hopeful expectations playing out perfectly. In only a matter of a few
minutes, I found a covey of 11 MOUNTAIN QUAIL doing just what I was looking
for at 0839hrs.

The South Port Orchard Airport (NOT to be confused with the Kitsap Co.
Airport) can be located in Delorme, p62, A-3, T22/23N, R1E, sect34/3. Sorry;
it's right on the border of those coordinates, but obvious when you look at
the map. The airport which is along the west side of Sidney Road SW appears
essentially abandoned as an airport, probably having seen nothing larger than
a model airplane in many years. In it's place is some research facility
called "Lender Research" painted on an old creamy yellowish colored hanger.
Park behind this building, and walk west through the obvious opening in a
narrow strip of Scotch broom near a trailer and you will see a fabric runway
(for model airplanes) on your left as well as a seldom used gravel road going
south. I found the 11 Mountain Quail ~150 meters south of the fabric runway,
sunning, dusting, and picking gravel in the road, which is bordered lightly
with grass and Scotch broom. Your orientation at this point is SW of the
airport buildings complex and it's all mostly flat and completely out in the
open.

The Mountain Quail could be anywhere on the west side of the airport and seem
to be especially fond of the areas of Scotch broom, so walk slow and be very
quiet. No scuffing along or tripping over things, talking, or sudden animated
movements. Just slowly cruise through there smooth like a gentle breeze. The
quail are very shy and wary and will dash off for cover at the slightest hint
of disturbance, but will usually soon return if that disturbance wasn't of
such colossal scale such as to reveal your presence or if someone made some
unforgivable loud noise or movement. After studying the birds for a few
minutes, I just quietly turned around and walked away leaving them still in
the road and in peace. If you can't find them, be sure to maintain a constant
vigilant awareness listening for the tell-tale rustle of little tiny quail
feet slowly sneaking around in the bush as you wander quietly about. One
might even make a muffled warning squawk at this point (quail, that is; NOT
you or me). In spring, I'd expect them certainly to be more vocal at least at
dawn. They were completely silent throughout Friday morning's visit.

I've noted periodic queries and threads regarding the Kitsap County Mountain
Quail on Tweeters in the past echoing frustrations and disappointment that
some have experienced in searching for these birds, so perhaps these tips may
be of help. There doesn't seem to be any problem in just driving in and
walking off on your own. I inquired with some people there if it was ok to
look around, and they seemed surprised that I thought it necessary to even
ask. The folks there were even familiar with the quail noting that they see
them sometimes down wandering around the buildings and parking area. Early
early morning is very important so as to get there before anyone else can
disturb the area (e.g. model airplane enthusiasts), as well as for the other
reasons mentioned. So, don't be tardy.

Then, off to Bainbridge Island I go for the CATTLE EGRET at the intersection
of High School & Fletcher Bay Roads. It's gone. Been gone now for two days;
last being seen there on 12/03 by the woman who phoned in the original report
and lives there tells me as she was driving out the driveway. So, I was
wasting my time and the bird was probably all the time over along Rt. 3 north
of Silverdale east of S.R. 3 in the Clear Creek Valley, thanks to the ever
vigilant radar eye and nose of Patrick Sullivan. I spent an hour or so
looking, adrenalin rushing a bit each time I laid eyes on the Cattle Egret
sized buff-crowned white cat situated in the grass along the edge of the small
pond looking at first and each of every other glance everything like a Cattle
Egret. Another screeching stop was 1/4 mile east of Fletcher Bay Rd. along
High School Rd, to view the very rare and reclusive PALE SPADE-BELLIED GOGGLE-
EYED HERON standing motionless along the edge of a wooded pond on the north
side of the road. Phew; what a bute! Check this one out. It looks happy
there; I think it will be around for a long long time.

Next it was the ferry back to Seattle, gorgeous sunny crossing but no birds of
special interest, then blazing through town and back on I-5 south. Coming
full circle, I'm back to where I started; it's past noon, and I'm still headed
to Portland (again), passing by nearly within spitting distance of the dreaded
American Lake Little Gull which I didn't want to mess with now, and on to look
for the Black Phoebe at Washougal and not quite yet having lost sight of my
primary mission for going to Portand being a non-birding related errand.

The BLACK PHOEBE (Friday, 12/05, 1515hrs) was found exactly as advertised and
at the Washougal Sewage Ponds, access point the first gate (open) east of 32nd
Street east of Washougal. Upon walking out along the west side road, I
instantly heard the Black Phoebe's distinctive chip and saw the bird. I
probably spent all of 15 seconds there looking at it, if that. I walked out;
hmm, Black Phoebe; turned around and dashed back, feeling a little guilty
about driving all this way from Seattle for a 15 second encounter. BUT!!! It
was so damned cold and windy there I could hardly stand it! The Columbia
Gorge gales were blasting down from the east, penetrating right to the bone.
I couldn't stand up, hang on to my cap, and the bitter wind was whipping even
the sewage ponds up into fecal spray over me and glasses. And I sure didn't
want me or any part of me getting blown over the fence into the *forbidden
zone* where I'd surely be promptly arrested. I saw nor heard NOTHING else
except the Black Phoebe and some distant gulls and ducks huddled in the lee at
the far east end of the ponds which I could care less about at this point.
It's amazing that I could even 'hear' the phoebe much less see it flit up into
the exposed tops of the willows, fluttering and clinging to a branch with one
foot. How can that nutty bird stand it there and still remain attached to the
same depression and patch of willows for so long?!!? It could go just about
anywhere else and find the same thing that would be more inviting,
comfortable, and less hostile. Maybe it's just the splendid view of the
Columbia River and Mt. Hood one gets from there.

By the time I returned home later in the evening, I still felt chilled to the
marrow, something a hot shower, bowl of hot soup, and an early night to bed
could only begin to cure. Brrrr... I still feel that chill right now as I
write this.

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)
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God was my co-pilot,
but when we crashed in the mountains,
I had to eat him :-))
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