I spent the day up on Mt. Baker [Whatcom Co], where the birds
cooperated despite a good bit of fog for much of the morning.
The day began, near the Artist's Point parking lot, with a SOOTY
GROUSE [female] trying to avoid detection by not moving while sitting
next to me on top of a log. Then, in flew a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL --
it was the only one I got a great look at, but I believe there were
several small flocks around the parking lot area.

I meant to take the [1 mile] Table Mountain trail, but took the wrong
path from the outset. Once I'd realised as much, I figured I might as
well just hike Ptarmigan Ridge. The one mile planned hike turned into
a 12-15 mile hike by the time I made it up to the glacier [Camp
Kirby, I think] and back.

A few miles along Ptarmigan ridge, the trail lived up to its name,
with a family of WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN - mom and 3 or 4 mid-sized
young, poking around about 20 feet from the trail.

I'd heard them earlier, I think, but when I made it up to the glacier
at the end of Ptarmigan Ridge trail, 10-20 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH
were hanging out right along the edge of the glacier, looking very
worn but still maintaining a bit of their breeding plumage.

On the way down, I paid attention to one of the many flocks of
AMERICAN PIPITS.... I think I'd earlier noticed a couple smaller
birds with the flocks, but since I didn't have anything in mind that
could have been mixing in with them, I just let it slide. It took one
landing directly in front of me to realize I had a LAPLAND LONGSPUR
hanging out with the Pipits! The Longspur still had some black
markings on its breast & sides - something I haven't seen before.

Throw in Evening Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, Gray Jays a Fox Sparrow
and many Dark-eyed Juncos, and it was definitely a very good day in
the hills.

On the way home, I stopped along SR 9 south of Van Zandt, between
Nelson & Strand Roads and saw one of the EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES Marv
Breece reported last week.

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA