Hi Tweets,

On Saturday morning, Cindy Sprecher and I hiked up Robinson Canyon (Exit
I-90 past Cle Elem at Thorpe and go south, following Thorpe cemetery road
until it ends at Robinson Canyon road, then stay on that as it turns into
gravel, then rough road). The area is part of the L.T. Murry WRA, with
fairly dry Ponderosa Pine woods, and with riparian woodlands along the
canyon floor. It's sort of like the Wenas Creek area, but without the
people/horses/3-wheelers.

We saw many Western Wood-Pewees, and a Gray Flycatcher, as well as a nice
assortment of higher elevation birds (Lincoln's Sparrow, Mountain
Chickadee, Calliope Hummingbird) where the area flattens out near the top of
the canyon. A large Accipiter flew through, which I tentatively identified
as a Northern Goshawk, but I was not able to verify this. Seemed like
pretty good habitat for Goshawk. Also a big Rattlesnake basking in the
road, which I almost stepped on (I was looking up at the time.)

While driving along the dirt road in, we flushed a Grouse. I only got a
glimpse of what seemed to me to be a fairly wide grey tail-band as it
vanished into the trees. I assumed it was a Blue Grouse. Later we were able
to observe another Grouse as it sat quietly. This one was uniform brown and
unmarked...another Blue Grouse (female) ?. The elevation for both these
observations was less than 3000'. I'm ruling out Spruce Grouse, based on
altitude, but I suppose I could be an idiot and both of these birds could
have been Ruffed Grouse? The Breeding Bird Atlas shows both Blue and Ruffed
Grouse as breeders in the area.

Anyway, its Grouse-city in Robinson Canyon right now!

Rick Romea
Seattle, WA
rromea at stioptronics.com

206-523-5831 (Home)
425-827-0460 X 316 (Work)
___________________________________

Flying isn't the hard part; Landing in the net is.
- Mario Zacchini, sensational human cannonball.