(Please accept my apology for the delay in posting ...)

Greetings Tweeters,
>From July 8-10, my wife, Kris, and I led a class on the Breeding Birds of
Mt. Rainier for the Heritage Institute. We enjoyed outstanding weather and
some excellent birding. The class focussed on field methods that could be
used by K-12 teachers for studying birds with their students.

The birds below were detected, by sight or sound, during the dates above. We
used observation and data collection protocols as if we were conducting a
breeding bird atlas. I added notations for species that we "confirmed"
nesting, although the notations may not reflect the WA Atlas codes, per se.
The birds are listed in order of detection.

We birded the following locations:
Tuesday - Ohanapecosh, Tipsoo Lake
Wednesday - Box Canyon, Paradise
Thursday - Sunrise, Packwood Elementary

Please let me know if more information is needed or desired on any of these
birds.

Thanks,
Steve Shunk
Sisters, OR
steve at paradisebirding.com


HERITAGE INSTITUTE, SUMMER 2003
BREEDING BIRDS OF MT RAINIER, JULY 8-10

STELLER'S JAY
COMMON RAVEN
"OREGON" DARK-EYED JUNCO - NY: nest with young found inside the Ohanapecosh
campground, just feet from one student's campsite.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH - NY: nest with young found in a snag just below the
parking lot at Paradise.
VAUX'S SWIFT
AMERICAN ROBIN - FL/CF: adults feeding fledglings at Ohanapecosh; juveniles
seen many places.
PINE SISKIN
GRAY JAY - FL: fledglings/juveniles observed in the Paradise parking lot.
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
SONG SPARROW
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE - FL: fledglings heard begging for food at
Ohanapecosh.
TOWSEND'S WARBLER - CF: adult male observed carrying food at Tipsoo Lake.
EVENING GROSBEAK
VARIED THRUSH
CHIPPING SPARROW
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET - CF: adult carrying food at Tipsoo Lake
"AUDUBON'S" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
BALD EAGLE
WINTER WREN
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER
OSPREY
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE - CF: adult carrying food at Reflection Lakes
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
AMERICAN PIPIT
GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD - CF/NY: adult carrying food into a nest behind the
ventilation slats at Sunrise Lodge.
CEDAR WAXWING
RED-SHAFTED FLICKER - CF: adult observed carrying food below Paradise
parking lot
BLACK SWIFT (three birds flying over Box Canyon)
CLARK'S NUTCRACKER
RED-TAILED HAWK
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE
FOX SPARROW
AMERICAN CROW (Packwood)
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW
HOUSE SPARROW - NY: young seen popping heads out of active nest at Packwood
Elementary when adult brought food
BARN SWALLOW (Packwood)
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (behind Packwood Elem.)
AMERICAN DIPPER - VERY bizarre story! We were birding behind Packwood
Elementary, at the back corner of the fenced field. I was whistling a few
Pygmy-Owl toots and from over my left shoulder (from the school and highway)
flew a very young juvenile dipper! The bird perched on a low branch of the
nearest tree, with its mouth open, dipping away, and then disappeared into
the shrubs. Where is the nearest stream?! One of the most bizarre bird
experiences in my 14 years of birding.
TURKEY VULTURE
SPOTTED TOWHEE