Subject: Monte Cristo Range--where is it?
Date: Jul 6 21:34:55 2004
From: Washington Birder - washingtonbirder at hotmail.com


Marv Breece and I birded the Monte Cristo Range this weekend looking for the perhaps going to be new species Thick-billed Fox Sparrows. On the way up we hit Bingen marina and found at least 5 Purple Martins, my first for eastern Washington. They were at the eastern most part of the marina. Earlier that morning (Sat.) we had 1 female Wild Turkey near Underwood just south of where we had thrown our sleeping bags at the edge of a clear cut.

A quick stop just to check to see if the Acorn Woodpeckers were around did not produce Acorn Woodpeckers, but did find Lewis's Woodpeckers, a nice flock of Lesser Goldfinches, and a couple of Ash-throated Flycatchers all close to Balch Road and east. Another quick stop at Conboy NWR and Trout Lake and west and south to our primary target--the Fox Sparrows.

We located 3 main spots with Fox Sparrows on territories. Wilson Cady had put the bug in our ear a year earlier when he reported seeing odd Fox Sparrows up there. The northmost was just south of Mann Butte, Skamania Co. at the jct. of FR070 and FR 8631. The other two spots were on FR 6610 the first was just past the FR 8631 jct with 6610 going east perhaps .35 miles and the second was a small saddle with hillsides to the south full of ceanothus with small evergreens. There is a nice camping area here where one can park off the road even though we never did encounter any vehicles. It is hard to estimate the numbers, but there seemed to be many birds here. Maybe as many as 30. They were very skittish, even if they spotted us looking at them at great distances they would drop and pop up somewhere else. We did leave some seed along the road. Also a bear left his calling card the first night and may have returned the next, but figured we were too tough to eat and didn't bother us. He sure had bad breath though!

The first spot was close to 3400 ft with the other two places on FR 6610 close to 3650 ft. thanks to Marv's altimeter. The Fox Sparrows did not have any traces of wing bars as most other varieties do. Also we noted all dark bills mainly grayish no pinkish, no yellowish on lower manibles. The spotting was very much smaller on the breast and not blotched as most Fox Sparrows. The call notes were like California Towhees chink notes which I heard every day as a kid growing up. Tapes did not lure them in, but occasionally would get them to start singing. Finally with time running out Marv attracted one bird with giving the Pygmy-Owl call to get photos of. The bills don't look huge like those I have seen growing up near Iowa Hill, California in brushy areas of manzanita (Arctostaphylos). Evenings and early mornings were best for Fox Sparrows singing.

We did have Hermit Warblers at several locations-did not see any hybrids. Also had Willow Flycatchers breeding up at 3650 feet--seemed quite high. Other notable birds flying over were Band-tailed Pigeons, one Peregrine Flacon heading south and one 1'st year Herring Gull heading south also. On the way home we stopped at Moss Creek Campground where a Red-naped Sapsucker pass through the camping area. Seemed odd that low and that far west. Moss Creek Campground is just north of Willard and most camping sites were empty which seemed odd for a holiday.

Directions from Trout Lake are:

Go west on Hwy 141. Continue west after entering Skamania County where the road is either FR24 or FR60. Turn south on FR041 and go by the road to Natural Bridges. At what appears to be a cross roads go west (right). Next you'll come to a "T" go left on FR061. Continue straight ahead on FR070 when FR061 turns left. FR070 leads into FR8631. Turn east and bird the brushy areas here. Or continue south to FR6610. When you reach FR6610 turn east. After 0.3-0.4 miles watch the small evergreens for Fox Sparrows perched on the tops or listen for their calls. Watch for the nice pull off and camping area farther down the hill. This is right before passing a log which has been cut out for cars to pass by. Ceanothus is everywhere and fragrant.

It was nice to concentrate on one target instead of charging all over the state. Perhaps more birders will venture into the Monte Cristo Range. You can get there from here.

Ken Knittle
Washington Birder newsletter
2604 NE 80th Street
Vancouver, WA 98665
mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com<mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com>
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