While doing a census for the Kittitas County Breeding Bird Atlas Project
early 4 July I encountered a Black-backed Woodpecker in a clearcut area
with many standing grand fir snags. This is in T 17NR 15E Sec 15 on the
south slopes of Bald Mountain. To reach this site, take Forest Road (FS)
1702 east from Hwy 410 (nw of Yakima). At FS 1701, turn left (north),
proceed to FS 528, turning left (west). Go to the farthest sw spur
(unnumbered dirt track) high in a cut-over basin.

While Black-backs are often associated with burns, they also frequent
diseased timber. Grand fir seems particularly susceptible to root rot
diseases, which, at the least, weakens them. Evidently, there are
concentrations of insects in those trees attracting this scarce and nomadic
woodpecker.

Not far away, there was a male Black-throated Gray Warbler at Two Point
Spring in dense willows and alders in the mixed-conifer zone. From the
junction of FS 1701 and 528, go north ~ .75 mile to the first riparian zone
vegetation on the right (east) side of FS 1701. This species is seldom
reported from this area, I believe.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA