Subject: Blue Mountains
Date: Mar 23 15:42:04 2001
From: Andy Stepniewski - steppie at nwinfo.net


Tweeters,

Ellen and I toured extreme southeastern Washington 19 and 20 March and want
to share
some observations.

Tucannon River. The Tucannon Road parallels this river southeast from a
junction on US-12 20 miles north of Dayton. The canyon here is flanked with
basalt cliffs the entire distance, with farmland and riparian on the other
side. This is a beautiful valley! Courting Red-tailed Hawks were numerous
the entire distance. Several times we heard hooting Great Horned Owls,
though it was only 3 PM. Our first of many Wild Turkey encounters was up
this valley.

Asotin WRA. This site is mentioned in the Wahl/Paulson guide to WA
birdfinding. Access to the WRA at this time is closed, due to "Big Game
Winter Habitat" considerations. However, the approach was along riparian
pretty close to devastated by excessive grazing by cattle. We were appalled.
Aparently it is better than in the past, as Federal dam mitigation monies
has at least fenced off some of the riparian from cows.This is not to say
the
WRA upstream is not a gem; the approach however, is a
sad commentary for "Best Use" practises.

Field Springs State Park south of Clarkston. In the mixed Douglas-fir/
Western Larch/Grand Fir forest here, woodpeckers were everywhere, as
advertised. We had great looks at a Williamson's Sapsucker, heard Pileated
and Hairy Woodpeckers. Had a flicker nearby, too. The forest was alive with
the gleaning guild: nuthatches, chickadees, and kinglets.

Grande Ronde River. South from Field Springs State Patk on SR129 one winds
steeply
downhill into the Grande Ronde River valley. The grandeur of this valley
cannot be exaggerated. Before the uplift of the Blue Mountains, the river
was apparently a mature stream, meandering across a level landscape. Uplift
of the Blues was slow enough for the river to maintain its course.
The countless loops this river makes en route to its joining the Snake
makes for a spectacular scene. Bald and Golden Eagles, Red-tails, and
Prairie
Falcons were conspicuous on the precipitous canyon walls. Chukars were
easily seen and heard.

Anatone East from near Anatone is Montgomery Ridge Road, traversesing
high wheat country. Here, on a power pole, we had great looks at an adult
gray-phase Gyrfalcon. Later, we watched it soar against the magnificent
backdrop of the peaks in western Idaho, part of the Hells Canyon. Both
Mountain amd Western Bluebirds were encountered on this road, too. This road
winds steeply down to the Snake River, again through more dramatic cliff
country.

Chief Joseph WRA. South on the Snake River, we visited Chief Joseph WRA,
again in stupendous canyon country. Wild Turkeys were crawling all over the
headquarters here (a handout or two?). Bighorn Sheep clung to the canyon
cliffs, another treat.

There is a beautiful hike to take here: from the headquarters, a 4WD track
leads steeply up Green Gulch. We did not take it all the way to the
overlook over the Hells Canyon, but saw enough to prompt us to want to visit
this area again. It might be a place to look for the remnant Mountain Quail
coveys, purported to still exist in these canyons.

Snake River Canyon. Though not particularly birdy (Say's Phoebe, Rock
and Canyon Wrens appeared common), the drive along the Snake River from
Clarkston to Wawawai Cayon is through another very scenic area. I was very
impressed by the wonderful shrub-steppe plant communities mantling the
opposite
side of this very deep canyon. Much of it appears too steep for cows, hence
the
flora might still be reasonably intact? The upper draws also have a
wonderful
deciduous shrub community, which really invites exploration, too! We were
curious
why the reservoir behind Lower Granite Dam was virtually birdless.
Reservoirs
along the Columbia seem to have much more in the way of loons, grebes, and
waterfowl.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net