On Thursday, I found a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER at the Nile Rd burn near
Naches where this species has been reported by several other birders. To
get to this spot (p. 50 in De Lorme), go out Hwy 410 to Nile Rd. Go south
on Nile Rd. and turn onto FR 1600, also called Copper Springs Rd. Go about
9 miles until you see the burn on the left.

I birded the burn for about an hour and a half, and was walking back to the
road when a male Black-backed Woodpecker suddenly materialized right in
front of me. How do they DO that? After an altercation with a Hairy
Woodpecker, the Black-backed flew down and started whacking away at some
logs on the ground no more than 15 feet from my car. I watched it for
about 15 minutes until it flew up into a tree. There was also a pair of
Williamson's Sapsuckers in the burn.

Rachel Lawson
Seattle
RachelLawson at softhome.net