Today we left Vancouver a little before 3 am and saw a beautiful sunrise coming down Satus Pass. At 7:30am I had hiked up Hardy Canyon about 300 feet above a lone Ponderosa Pine and had good views of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. The first awareness was strange baby bird sounds coming from one bird and with pishing the Gnatcatcher immediately came closer to check me out by landing in the top of a large bush. I couldn't see it clearly until it flew east 50 feet into the top of another bush. I did not hear it sing nor did I hear it's scolding call they often give. I noticed a large white whatever hanging in a bush on the east side of the draw. I figured this was to mark the spot for someone else. The bird was just below this white flagged object.

Also along the creek was 1 Gray Catbird, Warbling Vireos, Black-headed Grosbeaks, American Goldfinches, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewees and up the draw were Western Bluebirds, Eastern Kingbirds, Vesper Sparrow, etc.

Heading home at 8 am to avoid the heat we drove over White Pass. On the Pass many Pine Siskins, Townsend's Warblers and several swallows. I did not get a response of any Spotted Owls in Lewis Co. Figure they leave after raising their young so as to not deplete the food source. I did have Hermit Warblers singing in the large Douglas Firs.

The temperature by now was in the low 80's so we headed home with memories of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

Ken Knittle, Vancouver, WA
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