Yesterday (13 June 2006) Janeanne Houston and I visited the Nile and Mud Lake Burns in search of woodpeckers. We left Seattle at 5:30AM, but the birding along the way was so good that we did not reach our first burn (Mud Lake) until about 12:30PM. The road to Mud Lake burn is off of Hwy 410 about 2 miles west of the intersection with Hwy 12.

East of Chinook Pass, on Hwy 410, a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL responded to a pygmy toot and permitted good looks of the bird. One or two PINE SISKENS and a host of EVENING GROSBEAKS were also seen. EVGR's were everywhere throughout the day, or so it seemed. BLUE GROUSE were booming at various locations yesterday. Along the Naches River we spotted 2 female HARLEQUIN DUCKS.

A "quick" stop at a riparian area at the west end (really northwest) of Nile Road (loop) was full of birds such as VEERY, GRAY CATBIRD, and BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, just to name a few. Near the other end of this loop we spotted a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT swarming with swallows.

Along Mud Lake Road, we had our only WESTERN KINGBIRD of the day. Between the lake and the yellow gate, Janeanne spied an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. A fine find, indeed! Flying low over the lake was a COMMON NIGHTHAWK. At the burn itself, we observed a GRAY FLYCATCHER. Woodpeckers at Mud Lake burn included DOWNY, HAIRY, FLICKER and a female WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER.

On to the Nile Burn which is along FR1600 (road to Clover Springs) off of Nile Road. Be careful to stay on FR1600 and travel about 9 miles from Nile Road. There is a burned area closer than 9 miiles, but the burn we visited is up the road a bit. Here we observed a male and female WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER as well as 2 male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS. See DeLorme page 50 for Nile Road and Mud Lake, both along Hwy 410, NW of Yakima.

Our Yakima specie count for the day was 85. The birds were many and vocal.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA