Hi Tweets:

An East Lake Washington Audubon field trip on Thursday, July 8, from
Snoqualmie Pass to Easton yielded the target birds but also a huge surprise. The 2
cars were about to go off on Exit 53 to Snoqualmie Summit for a comfort stop
before continuing west, when a "lump" was spotted along the wide I-90 shoulder.
After a sudden stop, 8 people were out of the cars with binoculars up, scopes
adjusted, all focused to see a female Blue Grouse with one chick in the
gravel. Our good luck find was tempered by the knowledge that the grouse were so
close to the highway. Eventually the adult followed her chick into the greenery
away from the road. At the beginning of the day, Lincoln's and Fox Sparrow
were seen well while singing in the vicinity of the Summit West trail at the
Pass. A foraging Hermit Thrush seemed oblivious to the birding group. Rufous
Hummingbirds were abundant there as well as about 8 miles up the Hyak exit
road. Warbler species included MacGuillivray's, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Wilson's,
Townsend's, and Orange-crowned. An American Dipper, Hairy Woodpecker and
Red-breasted Sapsucker were seen at Stampede Pass. Many Evening Grosbeaks were at
the gravel site in Easton along with a few Bank Swallows. A total of 56 bird
species were seen and/or heard including a Caspian Tern at Snoqualmie Pass.
A tern was also seen there in mid-May.

Joyce Meyer
Woodinville, WA
www.elwas.org