Hello Tweets,

Today Kraig Kemper, and my mother, and I birded the White Pass area in both Yakima and Lewis Counties, starting near Rimrock Lake, where we located 1 adult SPOTTED OWL with 1 owlet nearby. The weather throughout the day was pleasant, being not too warm, and NO rain, but partly to mostly cloudy, and perfect for any hiking. We birded along the north shore of Rimrock Lake, where a single RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was present, as were 2 RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS.By 10:45am, we were at White Pass campground, where we located a male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER at an active nestsite along Leech Lake at campsite # 8, but NO female, as we stayed shortly. Next, and our final stop of the day was made along FR 1284 in Lewis County, just S of White Pass, accessed west from Hwy.12. The road goes 2.7 miles to the west to a dead end, NOT 3 miles as the sign indicates at the base of the road, after turning off of Hwy.12. The road rises in elevation quickly after leaving the hwy., but is in realtively good shape for basic vehicle travel. At the end is a large clearing that overlooks the Goat Rocks, Old Snowy Mtn, Mt.Rainier abroad, and Goat Rocks Wilderness below. Just before the deadend is the Sand Lake-#60 trailhead. As we got out of our vehicles, I noticed a "burn", to the NW of us, which I was quickly interested in walking to. At this time Kraig departed my mother and I, as he had a long drive back to Seattle, as the time was 11:30am. After he left, my mother and I headed out on a vegetated trail that continued west of the deadend, and continues for 1/4 mile, winding to the northwest. The trail then narrows, and becomes more vegetated, but still passable, with only a few fallen trees, as it continues northwest closer to the "burn". I left my mother, where the trail gets rougher, as it crosses a rock slide, and into the forest, then to the burn, which is rather extensive, and visible from Hwy.12 below, as I have seen this loaction for many years, and have wondered how to get here, with minimal hiking, which I now know how, with the help of Kraig that partially suggested we try the road. So, as I arrived at the burn, I quickly came upon a pair of NORTHERN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS, then further up through a semi-forested draw up into the center of the burn, as it leveled off. I then came upon another pair of NORTHERN-THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS with one young. I continued a rather quick loop around the greater portion of this area, before dropping down lower, then came upon a family of BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS, then headed backed down to the partial trail, as I was excited in the finding a new area for both these birds, and in Western WA! The list for the "burn" included:

NORTHERN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER* (5 birds=2 pair,1 young)
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER*(4 birds=2 adults, 2 young)
NORTHERN PYGMY OWL(1 calling bird at the base of the burn)
HAIRY WOODPECKER(1 pair)
CLARK'S NUTCRACKER - 2 birds
GRAY JAY- 6 birds
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD*(1 pair)
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE(1 bird)

* indicated personal county bird

After heading down I met my mother near our vehicle, then birded the lower area along the vegetated traill closest to the vehicle with the following sightings:

1 pair of BLUE GROUSE with 3 young
2 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS
relatively good numbers of both Hermit and Varied Thrushes
8 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS
2 HERMIT/TOWNSEND'S WARBLER HYBRIDS
1 FOX SPARROW

Finally birding this location was great, as it approxiametely 1 mile from the deadend of FR 1284,despite minimal hiking, but was worth the effort! The area being close to White Pass, should be good for east-west migrants also, including raptors, but I feel now rather late in the season the nesting woodpeckers are at a stage of dispersal, but should linger in the burn, and other surrounding areas.

Good Birding,

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net
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