Subject: Rattlesnake Lake (King County) outing
Date: Apr 23 15:53:00 2002
From: Hal Opperman - hal at catharus.net


Hi Tweets,

Irresistably provoked by this morning's sunny weather, I headed to
North Bend, then south three miles to Rattlesnake Lake to see if
spring was happening over there yet. Conclusion: yes, it is.

The lake is at the base of the Cascades, at an elevation of 900 feet.
Typically crowded with recreationists in summer, it was nearly devoid
of other humans early this morning. There were lots of VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWS feeding over the lake, and three BARROW'S GOLDENEYES napping
and preening toward the north end. Eight COMMON LOONS were on the
lake just the other day, according to the folks at the education
center. Loons nest on the reservoir in the Cedar River Watershed,
not far away. Several WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were singing on
territory near the parking areas; several more GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROWS were in the brush and deciduous trees near the lake. Those
same trees were full of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, many of them singing.
Males seemed to have their full red crowns on permanent display.

Walking around the north end of the lake I heard my first
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS of the year (at least two birds), and
saw my first HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER (silent; busily flicking its tail
while perched, and evidently finding plenty of small insects on the
wing). A HAIRY WOODPECKER was very vocal in a grove of trees near
the northwest corner of the lake.

Heading up the trail to Rattlesnake Ledge, I heard one TOWNSEND'S
WARBLER right near the start. The woods along the trail were thick
with VARIED THRUSHES, but few were singing. Most of the way up
(elevation maybe 1,800 feet) two silent HERMIT THRUSHES were foraging
on the forest floor. It looks like they've started up to their
mountain breeding grounds. (I saw another one foraging down at lake
level, well back in a patch of brush.)

The salmonberry is blooming, and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS have definitely
noticed. Emboldened by hormones, WINTER WRENS are singing loudly and
allowing themselves to be seen easily.

It snowed lightly last night above 1,500-2,000 feet, and there was
maybe an inch still on the ground up at the ledge (elevation 2,079
feet). The higher one went, the fewer the birds, but two TURKEY
VULTURES did float by at eye level. Lots and lots of noisy COMMON
RAVENS in the area, too.

Throw in a demonstrative PILEATED WOODPECKER and the usual
year-rounders (chickadees, nuthatch, etc.) and it all adds up to a
satisfying early-spring outing, where the Puget Lowlands meet the
mountains -- a great place to keep an eye on this time of year.

Hal Opperman
Medina, Washington
hal at catharus.net