Hi Tweeters,

For those interested this is what I saw last weekend on the Cascade Loop of the Audubon Birding Trail. I will try to keep it brief but you know it isn't easy...
I know I didn't keep complete bird lists, so mostly the highlights.

#42 Washington Pass Overlook--Beautiful and hard to concentrate on birds due to the scenery. Heard many Hermit Thrush singing, many Red Naped Sapsuckers, also Gray Jay, Mt. Chickadee, Junco, and Pine Siskins.

#39 Methow Valley Sports Assoc. Suspension Bridge--Bit of a walk but easy and wished I could have spent longer. The riparian area on the other side of the bridge is loaded with birds. Yellow Warbler, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Downy Woodpecker, N. Flicker, Western Tanager, and two nesting Robins included.

#37 Sullivan Pond--A wonderful place at the top of a long hill (dirt road). Saw Ruddy Ducks and Coots displaying, many Coot chicks, Marsh Wrens, Yellow Headed Blackbirds. Also this was where I saw one unexpected bird but probably not all that unusual which was a Yellowlegs, not sure if Lesser or Greater.

#36 Pearrygin Lk State Pk.--East is left if you are trying to guess in the morning without a compass what the map is telling you. Many habitats in one. House Wren, W. Wood Peewee, Bullock's Orioles and fledglings, Spotted Towhee, Mourning Dove (many), and saw one female Canvassback on the lake.

#35 Riser Lake--Not very birdy when I was here in the midafternoon but enjoyed getting scolded by a pair of nesting Gray Catbirds down by the lake. They were calling me every bad name in the Catbird book.

#34 Mac Lloyd Park--Busy with people but enjoyed Veery singing in the bushes.

#33 Pipestone Canyon--The drive is not for the faint of heart as one stretch is a narrow (one car wide in spots) very steep and twisty dirt road. But the end result was worth it. Fabulously beautiful place. Meadows, soaring cliffs of interesting rock and formations. Hard to concentrate on birds with the view. This was where I ran into the only other birder of the trip. 3 young Blue Grouse, Western Tanager, Kildeer, tons of Spotted Towhees, Canyon Wrens (calls only, no singing), Mourning Dove call reverberating off the canyon was lovely. A few other interesting finds here. A pair of Say's Pheobe's and a Northern Harrier.

#32 Beaver Pond--Definitely worth a return trip. Birding was so good I even noted in book can it get any better? White Breasted Nuthatch (best look I have ever had of them so far-they were kind of fledgling fluffy, working some large stumps. Gray Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, House Wren, Blue Grouse with at least 4 fluffball babies, Red Naped Sapsucker and fledglings, Swainson's Thrush and Veery, Pie Billed Grebe, 2 immature Hooded Mergansers, Goldeneye female (looked like Common to me), Cedar Waxwings and Red Winged Blackbirds.

#31 War Creek Campground--Spent the night here for a whopping $5. Veery's and Swainson's Thrush serenading, Rufous Hummingbird, Yellow Warbler, Pine Siskin, Downy Woodpeckers acting like warblers working the leaves and limbs of trees. Raven, Western Tanager right in my campsite, Warbling Vireo, and probable Black Swifts, the wings looked more scythelike than Vaux's Swift.

#30 Big Buck Wildlife Area--Not too impressed with Shaw Lake but did see Goldeneye and babies diving. There is a trail not listed on the map that runs through the ravine leading up to the lake. It starts at a small pullout before you go up the hill. Saw lots of good stuff here. Saw Nashville Warblers, Black Capped Chickadee, Lazuli Bunting, and heard a Gray Catbird with the most amazing sounds coming from him including what sounded like woodpecker drumming.

Great road birds included several Red Tail Hawk, Chipping Sparrow, Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Western Kingbirds (many) including one couple with 3 fledglings, Lewis Woodpecker, Cliff Swallow, and a pair of Mountain Bluebirds building a nest in a box above Pearygin Park. Also in Twisp I guess I did see another birder who was fascinated by something in a tree off one of the bridges, being directionally challenged I went by her more than once and finally had to ask what she was looking at. It was a hummingbird nest. So I stopped the next morning when I had a bit more time and watched the two nestlings get fed. They were so civilized about feeding time, no jostling for position or any of that. Not sure what species. The female had a green back and the nestlings had thin black lines on the neck. In the book many species babies look like that...

Hope this might inspire or help anyone who is considering checking out this area. The birding map is very accurate with directions. Quite a few stops involved either walking (good excercize) or dirt roads. None of the walks were difficult. Bring bug repellant.

Happy Trails

Kathy

Kathy Andrich
Roosting in Renton
chukarbird at yahoo.com



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