Just a note to say that Ruth and Patrick gave us the curse on our way up to Paradise yesterday ("Guaranteed birds" Ruth says, thus sealing our doom). I'm kidding of course, Gary and Jan Wiles and I had a great time shorebirding with those two at Alder Lake...Patrick even got us Semipalm Plover and Sandpiper as well as Harlequin Duck for Pierce Co. (although looking at the Delorme today I realize that this spot could possibly cover three counties from one viewpoint...maybe I need to consult some GPS sites and figure out where the counties begin and end).

Anyway, we dipped on Ptarmigan at the Paradise point location, we met a few other birders there who had been there almost all day without success. We stayed at the spot until about 3:45 or so with only a few G/C ROSY-FINCH and AM. PIPITS to keep us company. However, I did get mooned by an attractive female ice-climbing student (she seemed to think her boulder made a nice private toilet). A ranger told Gary that she had seen Ptarmigan at this spot the last six days, so we were definitely at the right spot...just no birds. I shall return!!

Near the Paradise Inn parking lot we had a small fallout of 10 O/C WARBLERS with a family of MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES. Usual GRAY JAYS and CLARK'S NUTCRACKERS near the Inn, had a few flyby flocks of EVE. GROSBEAKS. Nice day to be out, the fog cleared by 3:30 and we got glimpses of the mountain.

Jason Paulios
Jpaulios at earthlink.net
Olympia, WA