Dear Tweeters,
First I want to thank everyone who contributed to the great trip I had to
your fine state. I was there from 7/16 to 7/22 and put more than 800 miles
on the poor little Suzuki rental car that saw places it was never meant to
see. It didn't have much ground clearance. I think the guy in the Jeep was
surprised to see it there. That was the spot where I got the White-headed
Woodpecker (only the 2nd time I have seen one) above the Wenas Campground.

That was just after getting the Black-backed Woodpecker at the Niles Burn.
Thank you Denny Granstrand.
I got to see the Red-breasted Sapsucker 3 times. Once at the Blevins Lake
rest area west of Packwood on Hwy 12, once at Nisqually NWR and again the
last morning in Issaquah. It had been something of a jinx bird.
I understand this is a much debated bird, but I feel confident of the
Northwestern Crow that was much smaller than AMCR (American Crow) and had a
really different call. That was around Westport and Tokeland.
The pelagic trip from Westport provided the 4th lifer which you have all
already heard about. That was the Xantus' Murrelet (hypoleuca race). Great
looks from 50 - 100 feet. There were other great birds on a boat trip that
had some of the best weather I've ever experience on a pelagic trip.
The Manx Shearwater was a real surprise.
Some highlights for me were: Purple Martin at Tokeland flats; Cedar Waxwings
everywhere; I heard a Chestnut-sided Warbler at the Nile Burn; Purple
Finches at Nile Burn; a flock of Lewis Woodpeckers west of Naches; and all
the pelagic birds.
Of course, the scenery in the Cascades was great and Rainier was awesome,
even coming from Colorado.
Thank you all.
Ira Sanders
Golden, CO
zroadrunner at comcast.net