Tweeters,

Randy Hill, Columbia NWR biologist spent last week in the upper North Fork
of Ahtanum Creek in the Cascades west of Yakima. His group reported a total
of 12 SPRUCE GROUSE, mostly on the north slopes of White's Ridge (east of
Darland Mtn.). He has also noted BOREAL OWL in past years in this area.

Today, Steve Pink (and friend), and myself went there to try to duplicate
Randy's findings. We left Wapato at 0330 and arrived near Blue Lake on the
Cascade Crest at about 0500 in Subalpine Fir forest. We called in 1 BOREAL
OWL, which quite nearly skimmed our heads. We owled for two more hours,
noting only shooting stars.

At dawn, we hiked up the closed (a blessing that a number of roads are
off-limits to vehicles) logging road complex south of Snow Cabin Campground
in search of SPRUCE GROUSE. Fortunately, though hunters were around in the
area, none chose to hike up into the road we were on; we had this wonderful
area all to ourselves. We spent about four hours combing this north-facing
mountainside, concentrating especially along stream edges, but found no
grouse.

I was impressed by conifer tree diversity, consolation indeed. Besides the
Western Larch which spangled the slopes with their beautiful and varied
tints of golden, I noted:

Lodgepole Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Western White Pine
Whitebark Pine
Engelmann Spruce-some with fresh cones, but nary a crossbill in the
neighborhood
Grand Fir
Noble Fir-a few in open areas
Subalpine Fir
Douglas Fir
Western Hemlock-a few along streams
Mountain Hemlock

After the hike, we drove up to Darland Mtn. at nearly 7,000' in brilliant
fall sunshine and had a "Six Volcano View." From south to north were: Mt.
Jefferson, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, the Goat Rocks (an eroded
volcano), and Mt. Rainier. Also visible were the Stuarts north of
Ellensburg.

We were excited and highly recommend this trip to Darland Mountains summit.
I can readily appreciate why Bob and Barb Boekelheide made a trip up here
an annual rite at the Summer Solstice (in years when when snow conditions
permitted) when they lived in the Wapato area.

Birds noted above 1,500 m:

LOON, SP. - 1, flying perhaps 300' over Darland Mtn., in a direct-line
trajectory to the Columbia River mouth!
ACCIPITERS - 0, we tried
RED-TAILED HAWK - 2
BOREAL OWL - 1
NORTHERN FLICKER - 1
GRAY JAY - 3
STELLER'S JAY - 4
CLARK'S NUTCRACKER - 30, conspicuous, flying over the tree-tops
COMMON RAVEN - 35+, easily the most conspicuous bird today
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE - 15
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE - 5
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH - 5
BROWN CREEPER - 4
WINTER WREN - 3
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET - 15
WESTERN BLUEBIRD - 2, summit of Darland Mtn.
AMERICAN ROBIN - 5
VARIED THRUSH - 3
DARK-EYED JUNCO - 25
CASSIN'S FINCH - 5, summit of Darland Mtn.
PINE SISKIN - 5

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA