Stan and Tweeters,

Interesting, when Gina and hiked into Excelsior Pass up by Mt Baker last weekend and took the more difficult (but short) hike up to the north little dome, we had outstanding views of a pair of swifts. They were at very close range from time to time and circling and crossing over the approximately mile high dome (hard to watch them because of the spectacular view with not even a single tree blocking!). One was a Black Swift and the other was a Vaux's Swift. The flight style was very different plus size and color differences were completely apparent and as rough approximation the Black was twice the size of the Vaux's (now I am going to have to look up the sizes and see how close a guess that was). There were no other birds anywhere in the area at that time but on Yellow Aster Butte Trail and on Skyline Divide there were way more American Robins than I thought would be in that habitat but none on Excelsior in similar appearing habitat.

A couple of Turkey Vultures were below us on Skyline Divide and another hiker drew our attention to a Pheasant/Grouse that was a female Blue with at least one juvenile. I am not going to try to call it a Sooty or Dusky based on the conversations on range or determination by tail color, etc. Besides it was in deep shade and I didn't want to be guitly of harassing it out into the open.

Baker, Shuksan and dozens of other peaks in Canada and NW Washington were crystal clear. A good reason to hike through the forest for a couple of miles and get out in the open and 'ridge-run'. One fellow we met comes out from Chicago for a week every year so that he can just to get up 'high' and see the mountains.


Bob Taylor
Bonney Lake, WA
taylorrt at comcast.net


-------------- Original message --------------
From: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt <lynnandstan at earthlink.net>

> As I sat on the mile high summit of Mount Pilchuck this morning, a
> pair of Black Swifts rolled lazily over the ridge immediately west of
> the lookout. Moving from north to south, they passed by, easily
> within twenty meters of my perch, twittering as they drifted by,
> off to the south, over a sea of clouds. By far the closest I have
> ever been to a Black Swift.
>
> Stan Kostka
> lynnandstan at earthlink.net
> Arlington
>
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