Hello Tweeters,
Yesterday, Bill and I were treated to a spectacular sight, a
beautiful Orange-crowned Warbler, Vermivora celata lutescens , flaring his
orange crown as he sat on a branch near the top of a 30 foot Western
Hemlock tree singing and singing, facing first this way and then that way.
We viewed him at eye level through a 30 power Optolyth Scope with fluorite
optics as we stood on the Viewing Platform facing the Silt Retention Dam
along the North Fork Toutle River near the Mt. St Helens National Volcanic
Monument. It was certainly a view of a life time. We were so lucky to have
been in the right place at the right time.
Nearby, Song Sparrows perused the bushes while Winter Wrens and Warbling
Vireos carried on a contest for the loudest and longest song coming from
the dense forest. A single bird that flew by just above the Orange-crowned
Warbler turned out to be a Band-tailed Pigeon after we scoped him atop a
large hemlock tree, bending its top over further than it already was.
As we reached the top of the dam we observed Cliff Swallows nesting on
the concrete face of the dam while Violet-green Swallows used the white
pipes dotted across the dirt face of the dam. A Spotted Sandpiper and
several Killdeers searched for food on the silt floor of the dam. Even a
few Mallards swam in the puddles while a Great Blue Heron stalked the
ripples of the Toutle River below the spillway. Goldfinches and
White-crowned Sparrows found the meadow below the dam to their liking.
Really quite a variety of birds to see and hear on this short hike to the
Silt Retention Dam. Oh yes, about 30 Roosevelt Elk also grazed the meadow,
many bulls showing the velvet stubs that will soon become large antler
racks.
We continued to Johnston Ridge Observatory stopping at all the viewing
areas where soaring Turkey Vultures, calling Ravens, trilling Juncos and
one Red-tailed Hawk completed the list of birds sighted. A beautiful day
and we did see Mt. St. Helens, though a few clouds floated across its
jagged top.


Bill and Erin Woods
Woods Tree Farm Redmond, WA U.S.A. <wwwbike at halcyon.com>