Last May I found a road-killed Bushy-tailed Woodrat on the Old Hwy 14 at
the Katherine Creek trailhead parking area. Go to this URL to see the
tail from this animal, http://scray.home.wolfenet.com/BTWR/BTWR.htm .
These animals are very common in eastern Washington, especially along
rimrock and other rocky areas. Their large stick nests are often
visible as noted by other observers.

The easiest way I have found to locate territories is to look for their
"urinating posts" which appear as bright white streaks or blotches on
the top edges of prominent rocks and boulders around their territories.
Urinating posts will be used for many years and generations, I have
read. They are easily spotted from long distances and, in fact, can be
spotted at freeway speeds in suitable habitat in eastern Washington!
The white urinating posts are most easily seen on darker rocks like
basalt.



Scott Ray
Yakima
Mryakima at nwinfo dot net

-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Wilson Cady
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 1:00 PM
To: scottratkinson at hotmail.com
Cc: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov; rahnefall at sbcglobal.net;
tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Mystery mammal id help needed


Scott and TWEETERS,
I have seen the Bushy-tailed Woodrat (a.k.a. packrat)along the
Columbia River in Clark County. They are colonial and rather shy, so are
seldom seen.


Wilson Cady
gorgebirds at juno.com