Hi Ho Tweets -

This past weekend I took a couple of woodpecker classes over to the Nile
burn and vicinity. We ran into rather different weather on Saturday and
Sunday, but had good birding both days.

We were somewhat low on woodpeckers on Saturday but had lot of other
birds while the rain fell on other areas than where we were with the
exception of coming over Snoqualmie Pass. It was raining so heavily and
steadily that we didn't stop at the Stampede Pass exit, which turned out
to be a good location on Sunday. On Sunday, we had light rain most of
the day (looked like it was raining much more heavily around us) but had
a very nice day for woodpeckers.

Saturday, we did have very nice looks at White-headed Woodpecker at the
burn, including both male and female working on a nest hole in 15 foot
tall snag. We heard Williamson's Sapsucker drumming most of the
afternoon, but could never quite locate it. Lots of Northern Flickers.
We had a pair of Pygmy Nuthatches feeding young at a nest hole in a
small Ponderosa Pine on the burn. As we were having lunch we had a male
Calliope Hummingbird come and perch in the top of a tree about 20 feet
away - great looks. An accomodating Townsend's Solitaire let us get some
very nice observations. House Wrens were singing.

We stopped at the junction of US12 & SR410 to look for Lewis' Woodpecker
both on the way up and returning in the afternoon. The afternoon stop
was remarkable in that we had a large wave of Western Tanagers, almost
all male, moving thru. Just as we got to the stop we noticed a group of
tanagers moving thru the Garry Oaks. This kept up for about 15 minutes,
and we estimated that we had probably more than 60 tanagers go through.
We also had several Warbling Vireos moving through and one Cassin's
Vireo. Got great looks at Bullock's Orioles.

Sunday, we had clear weather on the way over so we stopped at the
Stampede Pass exit. We had looks at a Hairy Woodpecker and very nice
looks at a Red-naped Sapsucker perched on a log in the middle of the
river, and heard a Pileated Woodpecker. While on the bridge we got very
nice looks at an American Dipper and a pair of Harlequin Ducks. We had a
Canada Goose perched on top of a 40 foot snag, Common Merganser in Swamp
Creek, Vaux's Swift overhead, Cassin's and Warbling Vireos,
Orange-crowned, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Wilson's and Townsend's Warblers.

Once on the east side of the Cascades we began running into rain,
although it never rained heavily on us. We stopped at the Oak Creek
(WDFW) feeding station about a mile up US12 where we had Bullock's
Oriole, Purple Finch, White-throated Swift, Cliff and Violet-green
Swallows, and Lazuli Bunting.

At the burn, we had several quick glimpses of Williamson's Sapsucker
(male), a Hairy Woodpecker, several Northern Flickers and Pygmy
Nuthatches feeding young (different location than Saturday). As we were
eating lunch a local Yakima birder stop by who was really familiar with
the burn. He pointed out several areas of the burn to check out,
including the site of last year's Black-backed nest hole. After lunch we
checked the lower part of the burn out, following suggestions and had
scattered looks at White-headed Woodpecker (both male and female). The
female White-headed was roaming widely on Sunday and we saw her toward
the south end and north end of the burn. We had nice looks at Townsend's
Solitaire, and the second pair of Pygmy Nuthatches. Western Bluebirds
were scattered over the burn, and we had one Mountain Bluebird. The
House Wren were still singing. Near the south end of the burn, lookin
down into the canyon we had three Clark's Nutcrackers.

We were fortunate to be guided to a pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers
building a nest hole and watched for some time. Around us were Evening
Grosbeaks and Purple Finches at feeders. Steller's Jays were cruising
the area and we watched a Douglas Squirrel make repeated attempts to get
into a feeder.

On the way home, we stopped at a location along the Naches River for
Lewis's Woodpecker suggested by the Yakima birders and got decent views
of one. This made for an 8 woodpecker day.

Ospreys were on the nests along I-90 both days, we also saw Red-tailed
Hawk, Bald Eagle, American Kestrel and Turkey Vultures.

Our grateful thanks to the Yakima birders for the help to us!

Full lists below.

Brian Bell
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia.com

Canada Goose S, Su (Stampede Pass)
Mallard S, Su (Stampede Pass, I-90 ponds)
Harlequin Duck Su (m,f) (Stampede Pass)
Common Merganser Su (Stampede Pass, Naches River)
California Quail S, Su
Double-crested Cormorant Su (ponds near Selah exit)
Great Blue Heron S, Su (heronry along I-82)
Turkey Vulture S, Su (along US12)
Osprey S, Su (I-90, I-82)
Cooper's Hawk S (I-90)
Red-tailed Hawk S, Su (various)
American Kestrel Su (US 12 east of Naches)
Killdeer S, Su
Rock Pigeon S, Su
Band-tailed Pigeon Su (Snoqualmie Pass)
Mourning Dove S, Su (US 12)
Vaux's Swift S, Su (Stampede Pass, Oak Creek WDFW)
White-throated Swift S, Su (Tieton River at Oak Creed WDFW)
Calliope Hummingbird S (Nile burn)
Rufous Hummingbird Su (Cliffdell)
Belted Kingfisher S (US12/SR410 junction)
Lewis's Woodpecker Su (along Naches R.)
Williamson's Woodecker S, Su (Nile burn)
Red-naped Sapsucker Su (Stampede Pass)
Hairy Woodpecker Su (Stampede Pass, Nile burn)
White-headed Woodpecker S, Su (Nile burn, m, f)
Black-backed Woodpecker Su (private property)
Northern Flicker S, Su (Stampede Pass, Oak Creek area, Nile burn -
red-shafted race)
Pileated Woodpecker Su (Stampede Pass - heard)
Western Wood-Pewee S, Su (US12/SR410, Naches R.)
Dusky Flycatcher ???
Western Kingbird S, Su (Oak Creek WDFW)
Cassin's Vireo S, Su (US12/SR410, Stampede Pass)
Warbling Vireo S, Su (US12/SR410, Stampede Pass)
Steller's Jay S, Su (SR410, Stampede Pass)
Clark's Nutcracker Su (Nile burn)
Black-backed Magpie S, Su
American Crow S, Su
Common Raven S, Su (Nile burn)
Tree Swallow S, Su (Oak Creek)
Violet-green Swallow S, Su (Oak Creek area, Stampede Pass)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Su (Oak Creek area)
Cliff Swallow S, Su (Oak Creek area)
Barn Swallow S, Su (Oak Creek area, Stampede Pass)
Mountain Chickadee S, Su (Nile burn)
Red-breasted Nuthatch Su (Stampede Pass)
White-breasted Nuthatch S, Su (Nile burn)
Pygmy Nuthatch S, Su (Nile burn, two pairs feeding young)
Brown Creeper Su (Stampede Pass)
House Wren S, Su (Nile burn)
American Dipper, Su (Stampede Pass)
Western Bluebird S, Su (Nile burn)
Mountain Bluebird Su (Nile burn)
Townsend's Solitaire S, Su (Nile burn)
Swainson's Thrush Su (Stampede Pass)
American Robin S, Su
European Starling S, Su
Cedar Waxwing S (Oak Creek area)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Stampede Pass)
Yellow Warbler S, Su (Oak Creek area, Stampede Pass)
Yellow-rumped Warbler S, Su (Nile burn)
Townsend's Warbler S, Su (US12/SR410, Stampede Pass)
Common Yellowthroat S (Oak Creek area)
Wilson's Warbler Su (Stampede Pass)
Western Tanager S, Su (US12/SR410 - at least 60, Stampede Pass)
Chipping Sparrow S, Su (Nile burn)
Song Sparrow Su (Stampede Pass)
White-crowned Sparrow S, Su (Oak Creek area, Stampede Pass)
Dark-eyed Junco S, Su (Nile burn)
Black-headed Grosbeak S, Su (US12/SR410, Cliffdell)
Red-winged Blackbird S, Su
Western Meadowlark Su (Oak Creek area)
Brewer's Blackbird S, Su
Brown-headed Cowbird S, Su
Bullock's Oriole S, Su (Oak Creek area, US12/SR410)
Purple Finch S, Su (Nile burn, Cliffdell)
Cassin's Finch S, Su (Nile burn)
House Finch S, Su
Pine Sisken S, Su (Nile burn)
American Goldfinch S, Su
Evening Grosbeak Su (Cliffdell)
House Sparrow S, Su