Tweeters,

I've been in Yakima County for 22 years, birding much of that time. Here's
the blow by blow account of the triumphal day when I finally added Spruce
Grouse to my county list.

SPRUCE GROUSE ON WHITES RIDGE ALONG THE NORTH FORK OF AHTANUM CREEK:
FINALLY!!!
20 AUGUST 2000

I made a diligent effort to find Spruce Grouse in Yakima County twice in
October 1999 with no success, following the advice of Randy Hill, Columbia
NWR biologist, who knows an area in the county where he regularly finds this
species. He suggested this grouse may be found on northerly aspects of
Whites Ridge along the North Fork of Ahtanum Creek. But, sighting of this
bird has proved difficult for me, despite repeated attempts. Today was my
third try in 2000! I guess the third time was a charmer, as two hens, each
with broods about two-thirds grown were encountered (actually tripped over)
in this area.

Ellen and I spent from about 10 AM to 4 PM bushwhacking over rugged
terrain with innumerable fallen logs and steep slopes along small creeks on
the northerly aspects of Whites Ridge. We stayed as close to the lush creek
bottoms, on a hunch (and prior experience) that Spruce Grouse broods would
be most likely in this habitat. Well, the hours went by with no sign of
grouse; it was only as we were finishing this debilitating exercise that
Ellen remarked that I was taking her on a variant of a "Wild Snipe Hunt."
I smiled, at least it was good exercise and it was a beautiful day, what
more can one ask?

It seemed like only a few minutes later, just as we emerged from one creek
bottom and met an old logging road that she gasped "Andy, there's a
grouse...not five feet from your feet." There it was, a youngster, frozen in
alarm by the side of the gravel road. A second later, the adult hen Spruce
Grouse began its somewhat distinctive alarm or contact call, a sort of
chicken-like cluck. We spent a few minutes snapping some photos and admiring
these dark and mottled birds, with patterning (at least ventrally) not
unlike Marbled Murrelet in breeding plumage, a species which also occurs in
dark Pacific Northwest forests (in the breeding season). This family group,
with four 2/3 grown young were on Whites Ridge (T12N R13E ec. 14) about 1.5
mile up gravel road from N. Fork Ahtanum Creek. The birds were beside a
small stream, with alder and much herbaceous vegetation as a groundcover. I
was elated, a new Yakima County bird - # 269 for me! And. a "Lifer" for
Ellen.

Not 30 minutes later, we tripped upon another family group with a hen Spruce
Grouse and five 2/3 grown young on Whites Ridge (T12NR13E Sec. 14), this
time only about 0.5 mile up road south from the N. Fork Ahtanum Creek.
These birds were on the gravel road ~ 100 m south N. Fork Ahtanum Creek.
There were scattered Grouseberry patches along with Big Huckleberry, with a
nearby tributary to the North of Fork Ahtanum Creek just 100 m east, where
much herbaceous vegetation was also evident.

Examination of the widespread Spruce Budworm outbreak in this drainage
revealed true firs (Abies, sp.) and spruce (Picea, sp.) were the genera
most affected, with a majority of this years shoots destroyed by the
caterpillars of the moth. On careful inspection, it's evident Lodgepole Pine
(Pinus contorta) is also being attacked, though damage appeared small, as
yet, as well Mountain Hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana).

Birds noted on this hike from 4,400' to 5,600' on the north slopes of Whites
Ridge:

Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
Spruce Grouse - 11
Hairy Woodpecker - 1
Three-toed Woodpecker - 1, flaking away on a Western Larch bole
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker - 2
Gray Jay - 1
Steller's Jay - 3
Clark's Nutcracker - 10
Common Raven - 5
Mountain Chickadee - 25
Chestnut-backed Chickadee - 20, along creeks -and lower slopes, not in
Subalpine Zone
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 10
Brown Creeper - 2
Winter Wren - 10, even a little song!
Golden-crownedKinglet- 20
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3
American Robin - 3
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1, in Mountain Alders at 5,000'
Nashville Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's Warbler - 5
Townsend's Warbler - 5
MacGillivray's Warbler - 5
Western Tanager - 5
Chipping Sparrow - 10
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco - 10
Pine Siskin - 20
Evening Grosbeak - 3

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
Steppie at nwinfo.net