Subject: [Tweeters] Jasper Mountain Black-backed Woodpecker, Walla Walla Co.
Date: Jun 23 16:35:02 2007
From: mike denny - m.denny at charter.net


Hello All,

Today we looked around the eastern boarder of Walla Walla Co. and found some
very interesting species of birds and a plant. While working our way along
Jasper Mountain Rd. MerryLynn spotted a male Black-backed Woodpecker in part
of the Columbia Complex burn, she came and found me and we both located an
adult female Black-backed Woodpecker as well as the male bird in with five
Hairy Woodpeckers. So we sat in our chairs and watched for a possible nest
site cavity. We looked and watched and there was no nest cavity seen in the
area. We did get several photos of these woodpeckers. This is only the
second Walla Walla Co. record for this woodpecker species we are aware of.
This is a very rare sighting in this county and is number 303 on our life
Walla Walla County list and #216 for the 2007 yearlist in the county.

The next interesting sighting was of three Brewers Sparrows on territory out
in large areas of cut-over salvage in the Columbia Complex Burn. This is the
first summer we have come across Brewers Sparrows singing and holding
territory in logged off sites in a burned area. So it would seem that maybe
this species is not entirely a shrub-steppe obligate as thought. Or maybe
these are Timberline Sparrows that are not dependant on sagebrush? Last
Tuesday (19 June) there were also two Brewers Sparrows singing at Bennington
Lake east of Walla Walla. This is a rose bush and teasel covered area.

MerryLynn also found and I photographed our first discovery of a blooming
Phantom Orchid in the Walla Walla Co. Blue Mountains. This is a rare and
endangered WA state plant.

Great day out and about!!
Later Mike

********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
*******************************************************************