Marv Breece and I spent the evening of July 24 and most of July 25 exploring
the Capitol Forest in Thurston and Grays Harbor County. We found Red
Crossbills at nearly every stop, many of them singing. One good scope view
showed very large bills. These bills looked larger than the typical type 3
Red Crossbills (which have large bills too) that I tend to compare all the
rest to. I have no idea which type these were. Perhaps those who are into
studying them may want to pay a visit to this area.

Other commonly heard and seen birds were Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Willow
Flycatchers (along Buck Ridge Road, under the power lines), Evening
Grosbeaks, Winter Wrens, Band-tailed Pigeons, and Swainson's Thrush. A
Porkcupine was seen near dark on the C-Line Road coming up from Porter.

Roads explored were C-4000 to C-Line back to C-4500 where we spent the night
near 2000 ft. No owls were calling although we did have a Northern
Pygmy-Owl earlier that day on C-4000. The following morning we explored
C-4500 where we found a small flock of Wilson's Warblers and a few Hermit
Warblers feeding in the early morning sunlight. These two species did not
like each other and would chase each other. We continued down C-4000 to
Buck Ridge Road where there was Olive-sided Flycatcher, Orange-crowned
Warbler, Bushtits, and Willow Flycatchers everywhere. We did not go far on
this road, but retraced our steps back up C-4000 and followed B-1000 down
going northwest into Porter Creek drainage to the B-Line Road. Below the
nice looking campground at Porter Creek we took a road down stream which
crossed Porter Creek and there we found a Dipper for Grays Harbor County.
Afternoon we stopped along Howanut Road southeast of Oakville close to the
first bridge and after we were just about ready to leave a Red-eyed Vireo
popped into view.

We drove up Cedar Creek Road also called D-Line to D-3000 which we took back
up to D-1000 and back to C-Line and ended our day going down C-4500 for the
last time. We found the afternoon birding was tough as not much, save the
Crossbills, were vocalizing.

Ken Knittle
mailto:washingtonbirder "at" hotmail.com

Washington Birder newsletter
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Vancouver, WA

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