Tweeters,

A number of birders have commented n the high number of Three-toed
Woodpeckers along FR-39 in the Tiffany Mountain area this year.

While driving FR-39 (northeast of Winthrop) on 5 July, Ellen and I bumped
into UW grad students sampling Engelmann Spruce on the west side of Roger
Lake, which is along this road. According to them, there has been an
outbreak of Spruce Bark Beetle (Dendroctonus falcipennis) in the area.
Apparently, an area of downed spruce (windblown?) on the Tiffany Lake trail
a few miles to the north about 5 years ago led to a local, but marked
increase in this beetle. The area affected is now spreading; it has now
spilled over into the next basin south which contains Roger Lake.

>From the summit of Tiffany Mountain, the affected area is exactly as
described by the researchers. The pattern of dying spruce is most pronounced
about Tiffany Lake, and less so to the south. The scene of dying spruce
makes the scientific name of this small (~1/4" long) beetle seem
particularly apt; it is indeed a "tree murderer with red wings." It seems to
most affect mature and large trees.Quite a number of seemingly unaffected
immature spruce remain in these forests.

These students went on to state the Forest Service should have salvaged the
blown down spruce, so as to prevent spread of damage to the forests here. I
didn't care to get into any discourse on this, but the Tiffany Mountain area
is a designated Natural Area, I believe. Natural processes are allowed to
run their course in such areas, if I'm correct. If so, it will be
interesting to see how widespread this outbreak becomes, and for how long
Three-toed Woodpecker population will remain elevated (at least numbers seem
to be high) in this area. On the other hand, a marked reduction in spruce in
this area may affect Boreal Owl and Boreal Chickadees, both dependent on
mature spruce and resident here. What a marvelous study on population
dynamics on the plate here! Somebody ought to run up there and see what
densities these three boreal species show in unaffected areas of spruce so
as to gain baseline data for down-the-road comparisions with the area now
being ravaged.

For those wanting to see lots of Three-toed Woodpckers, this IS the spot. We
encountered at least 3 nests, with incessantly begging young. George Gerdts
and Gene Hunn, and Kraig and Kathy Kemper all noted many woodepeckers along
the Tiffany Lake trail and in this region, too.

I also wonder if the areas of "Silver Snags" that one notes in the basins
both east and west of Harts Pass is old evidence of Spruce Bark Beetle
infection?

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net