The winds were fierce on Sunday, November 18 as we pedaled out
of Si View Park in North Bend and headed for the Snoqualmie
Valley Trail.
As soon as we reached the deep forested part of the trail, we no longer
felt as though we were about to be blown off our bicycles.
Unfortunately, it was not a good birding day for those of us who enjoy
hearing the birds, for the wind still roared through the treetops. On the
other hand, when we stopped above Rainbow Lake (about a mile down the
trail from Rattlesnake Lake) to look for ducks (saw female Buffleheads and
female Ringnecks), we heard the sound of an Osprey; and sure enough, there
was an Osprey sitting on a side branch of a very tall snag beside Rainbow
Lake. We have seen Osprey at this snag late in the fall in past years. It
was like seeing an old friend, expecting the Osprey to be there, and sure
enough, hearing and seeing one again.
Winds across Rattlesnake Lake produced whitecaps and clouds of
spray, making duck identification difficult; but the three
domestic geese will still there, and we identified some
Buffleheads and two Western Grebes. A flock of Black-capped
Chickadees seen along the trail, winter wrens scolding in several
places, and a Raven battling the winds as it flew high over
Rattlesnake Ledge completed our list of birds, except for the
plethora of American Crows at Si View Park.

Erin

Bill and Erin Woods Woods Tree Farm Redmond, WA U.S.A.
<wwwbike at halcyon.com>