Hello Tweets,

Yesterday(October 14th)we enjoyed another nice day hiking and birding at Chinook Pass along with Joseph Higbee that joined us for a good part of the day. The weather began partly sunny with some high clouds drifting in all around,then by 1pm the skies completely clouded up,but conditions remained calm all day. We arrived at along Hwy.410 at Chinook Pass at 11am and almost immediately had a flock of 200+ GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES flyover in a tight flock from the lower parking lot to Naches Peak. The birds were seen 2 other times during the next hour,but at a distance as they wandered around the area. This is most likely the same group of birds that we noted at this location on the 12th of October,but additional flocks could be in the area too gathering up for fall/winter dispersal. We stood over the next hour scanning the nearby ridges for migrant raptors,as crowds of people walked around and hiked along nearby trails.

We encountered far fewer raptors than our previous visit,but several species were still noted with accipiters topping the list in overall numbers of diversity. Before beginning our hike along the Pacific Crest Trail towards the Dewey Lakes we were able to get scope views of a single adult Golden Eagle,Prairie Falcon and both Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks,as well as several Red-tailed Hawks. A walk to the main parking lot and restrooms from where we parked produced several Townsend's Solitaires and Varied Thrush in small gathered flocks,as well as in nearby Mountain Ash bushes.

We began our uphill climb along the Pacific Crest Trail just after 12pm and arrived back to the our vehicles around 2:30pm and overall took a nice slow hike with great panoramic views(although somewhat hazy)of Mt.Rainier and distant ridges,as well as Mt.Adams. It was a nice "loop" trail from Chinook Pass around Naches Peak then hiking from above the Dewey Lakes. The entire trail was rather slow for birds,but we did encountered a few highlights beginning with an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE encountered just north of the Dewey Lakes then watched it briefly in our spotting scope before moving on. We saw presumably the same bird atop a ridgeline further west of the Dewey Lakes,as we stood atop a view point. It was nice seeing this bird at higher elevations and figured the bird was most likely in active migration. Our other main highlight along the trail was our first of 2 female PINE GROSBEAKS for the day,which were both noted at different locations. The first bird was observed and photographed just west of the Dewey Lakes on our dissect around and towards Tipsoo Lake. The bird came in to the imitation of a Northern Pygmy Owl,as did several Mountain Chickadees and a roaming flock of Gray Jays.

When we arrived back to our vehicles we mainly stayed in and around Hwy.410,where our other Pine Grosbeak was noted at a short distance in our spotting scope. Very few raptors were noted during the remainder of the afternoon most likely due to the change in weather and fairly heavy cloud cover too. Just before 5pm a NORTHERN PYGMY OWL called just east of Hwy.410 and then came very close to the road allowing great views. This was presumably the same bird than we noted during our last visit and at nearly the same time of day too! The bird was very active flying back and forth over the highway,as it called but also sat atop a faithful perch near our vehicle. The bird finally flew below the highway and into more dense stands of evergreen tress never to be seen or heard again.

We ended the day owling at Chinook Pass,where conditions remained fairly calm with some isolated patches of fog in areas. We were able to have success with only one owl species,which was a single calling BOREAL OWL heard giving it's usual "skew" call notes from typical habitat. It was well worth the evening,despite an otherwise quiet evening.


We have posted a few photos from yesterday's sightings onto our website,which can be accessed at the following link: http://www.pbase.com/godwit/recent_photos/

In addition we have placed a few scenery photos onto our website from various locations along the Pacific Crest Trail,which can be accessed at the following link: http://www.pbase.com/godwit/scenery/


A list of other highlights noted during our day at and around Chinook Pass included the following:

1 Northern Harrier
8 Sharp-shinned Hawks
6 Cooper's Hawks
2 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS
10 Red-tailed Hawks
3 Golden Eagles
1 Merlin
2 Prairie Falcons
1 WILSON'S SNIPE(observed flying over Chinook Pass from the direction of Tipsoo Lake,as it continued eastward)
12 Gray Jays
9 Clark's Nutcrackers
15 Mountain Chickadees
2 Winter Wrens
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet(with several Golden-crowned Kinglets)
13 Townsend's Solitaires
30+ Varied Thrushes
2 Golden-crowned Sparrows
12 Red Crossbills
40+ Pine Siskins


On a side note mammals were very few with the exception of a few Pikas,a 1 calling Douglas' Squirrel and 1 Townsend's Chipmunk.


Good birding,


Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com