Subject: [Tweeters] Fw: Wonderland Trail/Mt. Rainier birds 9/5-9/16
Date: Sep 18 20:54:00 2005
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

This message is for anyone interested in recent sightings from the
backcountry of Mt.Rainier.


Sincerely,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan


----- Original Message -----
From: "Noah Strycker" <birdboy at bkpix.com>
To: <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 3:16 PM
Subject: Wonderland Trail/Mt. Rainier birds 9/5-9/16


--------

Hello Tweeters -

My family spent two weeks from September 5-16 backpacking the 94-mile
Wonderland
Trail that encircles Mount Rainier. Though I didn't pack binoculars (too
much
weight!), I kept track of birds seen, and ended up with 48 species on the
trip.
The full list is below with comments on more interesting sightings:

Wonderland Trail Bird List, Mount Rainier National Park, 9/5/05-9/16/05:

-Mallard
-Northern Harrier
-Sharp-shinned Hawk
-Red-tailed Hawk
-**BLUE GROUSE - high count of 22 birds in 5 groups near Indian Bar on the
afternoon of 9/13, a few seen elsewhere including 1 with a small fledgling
at
Golden Lakes on 9/8.
-**WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN - group of 3 seen on a hike along the Upper
Skyline
Trail above Paradise on 9/16, apparently molting into winter plumage.
-Band-tailed Pigeon
-**GREAT HORNED OWL - heard at Golden Lakes on 9/8 and Mowich Lake on 9/11.
-**WESTERN SCREECH-OWL - 1 calling at Maple Creek early on 9/15.
-Vaux's Swift
-Belted Kingfisher
-Hairy Woodpecker
-**THREE-TOED WOODPECKER - pair along trail south of South Puyallup on 9/6.
-Northern Flicker
-Pileated Woodpecker
-Steller's Jay
-Gray Jay
-Clark's Nutcracker
-Common Raven
-Barn Swallow
-Mountain Chickadee
-Chestnut-backed Chickadee
-Red-breasted Nuthatch
-Brown Creeper
-Winter Wren
-**AMERICAN DIPPER - pair at Mowich Lake on 9/11, 1 at Nickel Creek on 9/14.
-Golden-crowned Kinglet
-Ruby-crowned Kinglet
-Mountain Bluebird
-Varied Thrush
-American Robin
-Hermit Thrush
-American Pipit
-Cedar Waxwing
-Orange-crowned Warbler
-Yellow-rumped Warbler
-Townsend's Warbler
-Wilson's Warbler
-Western Tanager
-Savannah Sparrow
-Golden-crowned Sparrow
-White-crowned Sparrow
-"Sooty" Fox Sparrow
-Song Sparrow
-Dark-eyed Junco
-Evening Grosbeak
-**GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH - flock of 15 at Panhandle Gap on 9/13 and 1 on
the
Upper Skyline Trail above Paradise on 9/16.
-Pine Siskin

*BLACK BEAR - 1 eating blueberries next to the trail south of North Puyallup
on
9/7.

Good birding,

Noah Strycker
Eugene, OR

--
www.noahstrycker.com