Subject: Selah Butte hike
Date: Feb 9 16:55:12 2003
From: Andy Stepniewski - steppie at nwinfo.net


Yakkers,

Ellen, Peggy Braile, and myself enjoyed a hike up Selah Butte in the
southern Yakima Canyon today (9 February). To reach this "trail," take Exit
26 from I-82 and go north on SR-821 (Canyon Road) a little more than 4
miles. Park in the wide pull out (1,250 feet) and take the old road uphill
from here. It soon switchbacks and ends a few hundred yards farther. From
here, a trail heads off steeply to the left. At about 2,200 feet, the
terrain becomes less steep for a bit until the final push to the summit
(3,025 feet). Habitats along the way include Bluebunch Wheatgrass on the
deeper soils, occasional patches of Big Sagebrush, and extensive areas of
cliff and talus.

We especially enjoyed watching a pair of Golden Eagles coursing low over the
steep and rocky slopes and soaring in wide circles, all the while being
dive bombed by a Prairie Falcon. On several passes, one eagle swung its
talons out in defense as the falcon sped by within a couple feet of its
target. After 10 minutes of this aerial battle, the eagles set down on a
rocky point, seemingly unfazed, and proceeded to copulate, a 10-second
affair.

Also memorable was a large flock of Gray-crowned Rosy Finches, the largest
I've encountered in Yakima County, which we watched feed along the very
steep break in the slope at about the 2,100 feet level. Though the hillside
was predominately grown to bunchgrasses, the finches honed in on the
occasional dense, weedy sections to feed.

Adding spice to the trip were sightings of several Mule Deer and 10 or so
Bighorn Sheep.

Here's a birdlist from this hike:

Great Blue Heron - 1
Common Merganser - 5
Bald Eagle - 3
Golden Eagle - 2
Prairie Falcon - 1
Chukar - 20+, largest covey seen was 10, another of 4, three other groups of
unknown number heard.
Rock Dove - 10
Black-billed Magpie - 4
Common Raven - 5
Horned Lark - 10
Canyon Wren - 5, singing away in the bright and warm sunshine!
Dark-eyed Junco - 15
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch - 400

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net