Subject: Re: Hermit Warbler
Date: May 6 21:45:48 1998
From: bboek at olympus.net - bboek at olympus.net


Scott, (& Tweeters)

Concerning your question about Hermit Warbler locations:

Last year, a consistent, relatively easily-accessible place in Clallam
County to see Hermit Warblers (most are probably Hermit-Townsend's
hybrids, but, gosh, at least their heads look like a Hermit) was along
Olympic National Forest Road (FR) 120 south of Moeller Creek. FR 120
branches off FR 2860 about 2 miles before FR 2860 crosses the Dungeness
River at the Dungeness Trailhead. There's a mound of dirt across the
road so you have to walk about a mile to the site. This is about 15 air
miles/25 car miles south of Sequim, WA, accessible off US Hwy 101 on Palo
Alto Road, which turns south from 101 near Sequim Bay State Park.

Unfortunately, the old DeLorme Atlas (P. 77, copyright 1988) has the
wrong Forest Service Road numbers. It shows FR 120 and FR 2860 as FR
2950. Have these been corrected in the new edition?

This is on Section 35, T 28 N, R 4 W. The best singing males were
consistently within 1 mile south of where FR 120 crosses Moeller Creek.
The road is a great place to see them because the birds sit in the tops
of the conifers downhill of the road, frequently in full view at eye
level. The area (including most of the northeastern Olympic Peninsula?)
demonstrates a classic overlap between Townsend's and Hermits -- you can
see and hear a variety of plumages and songs within one to two miles of
this site.

If you see them there this year, please let me know. Thanks!

Bob Boekelheide
Sequim