Tweeterites:

Yesterday (5/07), while scouting for owls along the Chinook Pass Hwy for a
Big Day, I decided to hike up the closed portion of the road west of Morse
Creek. The highway is plowed but huge cones of snow tower by the roadside.
Some were more than 20' high. There were numerous warning signs to hikers
and X-C skiers to beware of blasting, but it was evening, so I just trusted
the DOT wouldn't be shelling in the night.

Twas a beautiful evening. I walked 2.5 miles west from Morse Creek (from
3,900' to 4,700') and was accompanied by the muffled hootings of Blue Grouse
the entire distance. How many? I can't say.

Once it became darker (first one at 8:30 pm), I heard N. Saw-whet Owls.
Several were at the westernmost groves of Douglas firs, very close to the
avalanche path vegetation of subalpine fir and yellow cedar. I found it
intriguing saw-whets were so close to subalpine vegetation, though clearly
in montane forest on these steep south slopes.

Getting back to my car at 10:00 pm, I could still hear Blue Grouse! I hadn't
appreciated this bird calls so late into the night. Or, does this happen
only early in their breeding cycle?

I did not detect Barred Owls here as usual, perhaps on account of the deep
snow. It isn't hard to predict breeding success of many mountain birds might
be lowered this year on account of the awesome snowpack. The Yakima Basin
averages 170-180% of normal in terms of snowpack at this time.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA