So instead of going to Wenas or to see a BTCU, I went birding in East
King County. Started with a hike to Rattlesnake Ledge above Rattlesnake
Lake near North Bend. On the way up just about the only thing to be seen
was Townsend's Warblers. (I guess I saw and heard Juncos, CB Chickadees
and a Winter Wren but that takes away from the story) Once at the top
the first and only bird I saw was a Townsend's Solitaire (a lifer). From
there I drove over to Forest Service Road 70 (east of Enumclaw and
Green Valley). Yes, I saw a Townsend's Chipmunk. Are there any other
Flora or fauna named after my guiding naturalist? I've heard of 5 falcon
days, 10 Corvid days but a 3 Townsend day? Have I started something?
Also, on the more serious side, I saw a adult Northern Goshawk (another
lifer) soaring overhead on FSR 70 at the turnout between mileposts 12
and 13. It was amazing how much the Goshawk looked like a buteo when
soaring but also like a big falcon because of the long tail. Then all
that I learned in Bud Anderson's Hawkwatching class clicked and I
realized what I was looking at. All around a good day, hope everyone had
a good time at Wenas.
Scott Hoskin
Seattle, WA
bludog at earthlink.net