Subject: Mt Rainier Kestrel action and a sad death of an ouzel
Date: Jul 30 21:28:38 2003
From: Rob Sandelin - floriferous at msn.com


Today was the last of a three day trip up and around Mt. Rainier. Saw
ptarmigans of course, to keep my record going, interestingly enough not in
the locations listed but about 100 feet uphill from the Paradise Visitor
Center in the trees. Today was a kestrel swooping and diving along Mt.
Burroughs above Sunrise on the east side. There were several types of
insects, including small grasshoppers and it was obviously going for
something close to the ground, it was very dramatic, soaring low over the
slopes, then making quick pivots and turns to grab something small.It was
cool to watch it maneuver so precisely. On the hike down the wonderland
trail saw a redtail go after a ground squirrel. The hawk came from the
downhill side, moving fast uphill, maybe 6 feet off the ground. There was a
squirrel on a outcrop, the hawk swooped, then dropped into some trees so we
could not tell if it was successful or not.

Sad story. While camped on the Ohanapecosh river we were entertained by a
juv. ouzel begging food from an adult. The juv. sat on a rock midstream as
several of us swam in the wonderful cool, green water. (this is the only
river in the park which does not come off a glacier and so is very choice
for swimming) One of the parents found a drowned ouzel, with its foot
entangled in abandoned fishing line. It was very sad, and we held a nice
little ceremony and decided that ouzels would hereby be titled, Keepers of
the river, untied it and let its body follow its spirit downstream.

The keepers of the river are some of my all-time favorite birds, so if you
are fisherperson as well as a birder, please do what you can to limit how
much line you leave behind.

Rob Sandelin
South Snohomish County at the headwaters of Ricci Creek
Sky Valley Environments <http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm>
Field skills training for student naturalists
Floriferous at msn.com


-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Linda Adams
Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 3:05 PM
To: Tweeters
Subject: Ptarmigan Ptimes Ptwo (and map info)


Hi Tweets--

I went up to see the Panorama Point Ptarmigans today at Paradise, Mt.
Rainier. I saw two males in the same place mentioned in previous posts. I
apparently missed the female and chicks by a few minutes. A great day, a
great hike (start early to avoid the hot sun!), and two life birds (American
Pipit was new, too; no doubt I have seen or heard these before but not
identified as such).

By the way, a map of the Paradise area trails is available online at

http://www.npsgov/mora/general/maps/paradise.pdf

Thanks for the postings, and thanks also to Craig, whom I met on the trail
and gave me directions to where they were this morning, and to Jay, who
graciously allowed me to look at them through his scope.

Linda Adams
Puyallup, WA
NWBirder at xemaps.com
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