Here are the highlights of a search for n.e. Washington specialties, and
other stuff relished by someone who lives farther south (Eugene, OR).
First, thanks to Hal Opperman and Andy Stepniewski for the great
bird-finding tips in A Birder's Guide to Washington. This is an outstanding
book, which teaches so much about ecology, geology, and even human history,
as it guides.
Second, road conditions and high country birds. I tried to get to Salmo
Pass, Pass Creek Pass, and Bunchgrass Meadows on June 8 and 9. Salmo Pass
Rd 2220 was open as far as the top of the long grade that tops out less
than a mile from the pass. Beyond that, it is snow-covered. I camped (June
8)on the road at that point. At nightfall, a grouse flew from a tree behind
me but at eye level about 20 yards from where I had been puttering around
for a good hour. I caught sight of it as it flew into the trees 50 yards up
the road. All I can say was that it was about the right size for a spruce
grouse. Another tantalizing possibility was three high-pitched short
begging calls, of the sort given by Aegolius owls, just after the hermit
thrushes stopped vocalizing. The elevation at this spot should be over
5500'. Forest is spruce-fir. That was it for night sounds. I was treated to
two Pine Grosbeaks singing from the tiptops of tall trees at dawn. Later
there were a couple of fly-overs. Two Fox Sparrows sang along the almost
flat, snow-covered part of the road leading up to Salmo Pass. A nice flock
of Red Crossbills were so badly back-lighted I couldn't make out anything
about plumage. They vocalized constantly with red-crossbill-like flight
calls, except they had an accent unfamiliar to me. A new call-type for me.
Sadly, no Boreal Chickadees, but I did come across several Mountains. I
thought the south-facing grassy areas at 5900 feet might have some
White-crowned Sparrows, but I found none.

The road to Bunchgrass Meadows was closed (June 9) at the base with a
locked gate.

The Pass Creek Pass Rd was blocked with snow and a downed tree just over
Pass Creek Pass. At the pass at midday I heard in the distance (up slope
among the snags) some unfamiliar trills. I thought they might have been
made by White-winged Crossbills, but I think they were too simple. There's
a Townsend's Solitaire nest in the cutbank by the roadside 100 or so yards
down the road on the other side of the pass. Mtn. Bluebird and Olive-sided
Flycatcher were also present.

There is a wonderful Bank Swallow colony on the face of the roadcut above
the road, just north of MP 11 of highway 31.
A colony of Cliff Swallows had the rocky road cut about a mile to the south.

The Bobolinks were respendant on Meadow Rd at Cusick.

Outside the corner area:

Least Flycatcher: yes at Turnbull on June 9. First aspen grove on the right
past the pay station. Three ponderosas right by the fence. Very vocal. I
did not find a Least Flycatcher at Phillips Farm County Park north of
Moscow. I tried the afternoon of June 8 and the next morning. I did find a
pair of Willow Flycatchers where the Least was supposed to be (in the
aspens); they were interesting because of the lack of singing; the only
vocalizations were whit and whee-o.

My only redstart of the trip was along Old River Rd, Coeur d'Alene River,
north of Kingston, Idaho.

I was in the area, so I checked the Centennial Trail east of Spokane, but
no Clay-colored Sparrow. In fact, one vesper in two visits was the only
sparrow.

The main reason for my trip was to record Western Flycatchers. I appreciate
directions provided by Charles Swift, Lisa Hardy, and Charlie Wright. I
found lots. The most surprising location was less than a mile north of the
Grande Ronde on Highway 129. Possibly a migrant, but all the requisites of
a breeding territory were there. The second most surprising location was
the Palouse City Park. Thanks to Charles for pointing out to me that they
inhabit the towns in the Palouse. Palouse, by the way, is one of Ned
Johnson's collecting sites, so I felt the aura of history in that place.

All the WEFLs I encountered gave Male Position Notes that were either good,
two-part COFL calls, or were intermediate between COFL and PSFL, but
tending toward COFL. The songs were intermediate, but I think a little more
like COFL. Overall, the sounds made in the Blues, Palouse, Selkirks, and
along the Coeur D'Alene north of Kingston were not that different from the
ones I recorded in the Warner Mtns of Oregon's Lake County.

For a full layout of vocal variation in the Western Flycatcher complex, visit

http://www.appliedbioacoustics.com/research/wefl

Thanks,
Arch McCallum
Eugene, OR