Tweeters -

This morning (6/17) my Dad and I hiked up to Camp Muir on Mount Rainier.
What an awesome view it is from up there! And because of the great weather
we could forever. On the way up, we saw several GREY-CROWEND ROSY-FINCHES,
as well as GREY JAYS, COMMON RAVENS, and CLARK'S NUTCRACKERS. On the way
down, I attempted to persuade my Dad to follow me to a glissade track, and
although he refused numerous times, telling me that it wouldn't work out
because we wouldn't end up back on the trail, I insisted. Finally he gave
in, and we continued above a rock outcropping with plenty of heather. Just
as we were about to hop onto the snow, I noticed something moving out of the
corner of my eye. I turned my head, and there, on a rock eating from the
heather, was a mottled brown and white WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN! It was no
more than four feet away from us, and we got several pictures with our
point-and-shoot camera (they probably won't turn out). It was completely
unexpected and this wasn't even a birding hike! We watched it for several
minutes, noticing its red eye-comb and other various beautiful markings.
What a bird!!! Later on our descent I heard the whooping of a BLUE GROUSE,
and we stumbled across it was we descended through some trees. This elegant
male was strutting his stuff, sacs inflated and feathers puff out. It was
amazing to see his courtship display! This was also another new bird for me.
What a great non-birding hike! Two extremely memorable lifers on a
gorgeous day on Mount Rainier.

Tyler Davis, 15
Mercer Island, WA
Turaco14 at aol.com