Hi Tweets

Yesterday ELWAS was scheduled to take a trip to Table Mt. in the Mt. Baker area to search for White-tailed Ptarmigan. Because the Table Mt./Ptarmigan Ridge still has heavy snow cover, and because of predictions of rain for the area we did an about-face and went down to Mt. Rainier (birds have been seen above Paradise).

We were under heavy cloud cover most of the way down, with some thinning in the Graham area. But, by the time we got to Mt. Rainier the cover was solid. As we climbed up toward Paradise we went thru some light drizzle, and eventually were up in the clouds. It was 40F at Paradise and visibility was about 40-50 feet. A CLARK'S NUTCRACKER was calling as we got out of the cars. Because of the construction on the new visitors center and the Paradise Lodge, we took a detour and started up toward the Golden Gate trail. Lots of DARK-EYED JUNCOs and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER along the way, a very brief look at a juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. We stopped at the bridge over Ethel Creek where George Gerdt's (who we had seen down in the parking lot). pointed out an AMERICAN PIPIT feeding a juvenile. We got nice, albeit hazy looks thru the mist. Lots of remaining flowers.

Further up the Golden Gate we ran into George again, he was waiting for us with a hen SOOTY GROUSE with several chicks. The bird was right on the trail edge with young under her and a couple running around. The group stayed back until all people had caught up so everyone could get great looks - including a couple of Japanese tourists. After everyone had several minutes worth of fantastic views, the photographers edged forward for better pictures. The hen barely even blinked. Eventually the group slowly edged past, and a total of seven chicks were seen. The bird finally moved about two feet further up the trail, the after we were all past moved back down. At our closest we were probably less than two feet from the birds. Nothing like a highlight at the beginning of a walk. While we were watching the grouse several American Pipits were working the surroundings over. Juncos continued to be the most numerous birds.

The higher we climbed the thicker the clouds were, and they were wet even though not visibly dropping moisture. We stopped at every likely spot to peer thru the murk (visiblility still less than 30 feet) for target Ptarmigans. We finally turned around near Panorama Point (at least the trails indicated we were close even though there wasn't a hope of seeing the Point) and made our way back down the trail. On the switchbacks we ran into a HOARY MARMOT feeding in the new succulent greens. It paid little attention to us and we finally walked by about 15 feet away - it then moved a ways up the slope. A RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD came past on the way.

We walked down to the existing visitors center to be inside for lunch and saw EVENING GROSBEAKs on the way. While inside we saw AMERICAN ROBIN, SONG SPARROW, and PINE SISKIN. On the walk back to the cars there was a NORTHERN FLICKER (red-shafted) in a tree.

Our next stop was at Narada Falls - under the clouds with good visibilities. We walked across the parking lot and watched an adult STELLER'S JAY calling and four juvenile STELLER'S, their brown plumage still studded with down. One of our membes saw a mammal run down a tree - it turned out to be an AMERICAN MARTEN (sometimes called PINE MARTEN). There were three young martens cavorting in the vicinity and providing us with excellent looks. VAUX'S SWIFTS were overhead.

We took the walk down at Longmire and saw and heard MALLARD, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, VAUX'S SWIFT, PILEATED WOODPECKER, a flycatcher species (probably HAMMOND'S??), a vireo species, STELLER'S JAY, COMMON RAVEN, BARN & CLIFF SWALLOWs, BLACK-CAPPED & CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, heard MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, BROWN CREEPER, WINTER WREN, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, HERMIT THRUSH, VARIED THRUSH, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, WESTERN TANAGER, CHIPPING SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, DARD-EYED JUNCO, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, and RED CROSSBILL (heard). A DOUGLAS SQUIRREL calmly feed on new green leaves about 15 feet from us.

Other birds seen on the way to the mountain or on the way home included: GREAT BLUE HERON, an accipiter species, OSPREY, RED-TAILED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, KILLDEER, ROCK PIGEON, AMERICAN CROW, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, EUROPEAN STARLING, and HOUSE SPARROW.

In spite of the misty cloud cover we all judged it an entirely succesful day, with some fantastic highlights. We wound up with 48 species (great given that half the day we couldn't see very far) and some permanent memories.

Hope to have a list of the plant species that we saw soon.

Good Birding!

Brian H. Bell
Birding & Natural History Guide
Woodniville WA
bell assoc at isomedia dot com