WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS AT CLOVER SPRINGS CAMPGROUND

24 AUGUST 2008

Yakkers,

Lori and Stan Isley and Ellen and I birded upper elevations of the Ahtanum
Creek
drainage west of Yakima today. Birding was hampered some by breezy weather.

We started high on the Middle Fork of the Ahtanum at Clover Springs
Campground where the heavy cone crop on the Engelmann Spruce continues to
attract White-winged Crossbills. We saw small parties of these beautiful
birds in a number of the spruce trees but only knew there were more when 30
or so burst into flight chatterring as they flew. In the trees at the meadow
edges we closely viewed a Pacific-slope Flycatcher, a very uncommon migrant
at high elevations.

>From the top of Darland Mountain (6,950 feet elevation) we took in the
gorgeous vista which included a "Seven Volcano View" from south to north:
Jefferson, Hood, Adams, St. Helens, Goat Rocks, Rainier, and Glacier Peak.
Plus the Stuart Range and down to Yakima...cool!

For the third time in a month we traipsed about the logging roads on the
north side of White's Ridge along the North Fork of the Ahtanum in hopes of
finding Spruce Grouse. With four of us, separated, in suitable habitat,
including a number of bushwhacks up and down streamside wet growth; we
thought our chances were good. Alas, the Fool Hen is not so foolish and
eluded us once again. No matter, the trek was a good leg stretcher and we
did see plenty of birds including Black-billed Magpies in a forest opening
at 5,300 feet elevation. Magpies are known to occasionally wander upslope
after breeding but actual records hereabouts are few.

We had good looks at several Mule Deer that had tails with more blackish
than a typical Muly hence intergrades with the coastal Black-tailed Deer. We
also spooked a sizeable party of Elk in a regenerating clearcut which
stampeded off into the trees.

Stan noted a pencil-thin garter snake(Western Terrestrial?) near wet
vegetaion. We admired this tiny creature, boldly striped with bright yellow
lines.

Species list:

Sooty Grouse - 1
Turkey Vulture - 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1+
American Kestrel - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Hairy Woodpecker - 2
Northern Flicker - 5
Western Wood-Pewee - 1
Pacific-slope Flycatcher - 1
Cassin's Vireo - 1
Warbling Vireo - 5
Gray Jay - 3
Steller's Jay - 5 including one that mimicked a Gray Jay
Clark's Nutcracker - 2
Black-billed Magpie - 3 at 5,300 feet elevation
Common Raven - 2
Mountain Chickadee - 10
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 3
Brown Creeper - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2
Mountain Bluebird - 2
Townsend's Solitaire - 1
Hermit Thrush - 7
American Robin - 1
Orange-crowned Warbler - 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 15
Townsend's Warbler - 10
MacGillivray's Warbler - 4
Wilson's Warbler - 1
Western Tanager - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 50
Dark-eyed Junco - 50
White-winged Crossbill - 30
Pine Siskin - 75
Evening Grosbeak - 5

Andy and Ellen Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net