My cousin, son and I did a day hike to Elbow Lake in Whatcom County yesterday. This is south of the middle fork of the Nooksack, in the Twin Sisters Wilderness.

I was surprosed to see a Belted Kingfisher on little Doreen Lake, right next to Elbow Lake. I get up in the mountains seldom enough so that they may be regular in such situations, for all I know.

My first ever Coast Giant Salamander (Dicamptodaon tenebrosus) was spotted right in the middle of the trail about 3000 feet elevation. What a thrill!

Dan Logen
Stanwood