On a warm and muggy Saturday (6/21/08), Ron Dexter ran
a Spokane Audubon Field Trip in Mt. Spokane State
Park. We hiked about six miles round trip from the
Selkirk Lodge to the summit of Quartz Mountain.

As is typical for higher elevation birding, avian
activity was spotty. WILD TURKEY (lower elevation),
STELLER'S JAY, GRAY JAY, PILEATED WOODPECKER, RED
CROSSBILL, and PINE SISKIN was some of the first
species that we encountered. On a shady slope with
melting snowdrifts, we had excellent views of a male
VARIED THRUSH. In addition, we encountered SWAINSON'S
THRUSH (mostly heard).

Warblerwise, we had TOWNSEND'S, WILSON'S, and
YELLOW-RUMPED. CASSIN'S & WARBLING VIREOS, FOX SPARROW
& CHIPPING SPARROWS, COOPER'S HAWK, and crowd pleasing
WESTERN TANAGERs, kept the trailsides interesting.

Near the summit, we had a CLARK'S NUTCRACKER. This
nutcracker is quite difficult to come by in the park.
On the furrier side of the critter list, we were
treated with Red Squirrels and the Inland Northwest
endemic RED-TAILED CHIPMUNK.

>From the summit of Quartz Mountain, we enjoyed
sensational views of the distant Spokane skyline,
Tower Mountain, and the Idaho vistas of Spirit Lake,
Rathdrum Prairie, and Coeur d'Alene.

As a finale, a couple of quick stops outside of the
park boundaries, along Deadman Creek, provided us with
VEERY (heard only), AMERICAN REDSTART, WILLOW
FLYCATCHER, CEDAR WAXWING, GRAY CATBIRD, BLACK-CHINNED
HUMMINGBIRD, and YELLOW WARBLER.

This trip offered us good exercise, good company, and
good birds!

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA