Tweets,

Over this past weekend, 5 of us (Sharon Aagard, Lee and Mark Crawford,
Joan and Scott Ramos) visited several sites in areas between Blewett
Pass and the West Fork Teanaway River. The lower elevation areas were
quite birdy, even in the 90+ heat on Saturday and even in the afternoon
doldrums.

In the area near the old Park Campground on the lower roads of the old
Blewett Pass highway, we had dozens of *Swainson's* and *Hermit Thrush*,
*Townsend's Warbler* and *Cassin's Finch*, several *Calliope Humminbird*
and a surprising number of *MacGillivray's Warbler*. While observing one
of the hummers visiting thistle in a small glen adjacent to our camp at
about 5:30 am, a very robust-looking coyote sauntered by, skirting the
camp by only a few feet.

On the Forest Discovery Trail at Blewett Pass, we had a *Cooper's Hawk*
and an not very satisfying look at a *Black-backed Woodpecker*. The best
bird on this trail was a recently fledged fuzzball of a *Warbling Vireo*
(http://picasaweb.google.com/nearpost/Blewett#5358215400055055186).
Frequent calls were rewarded with two adults bringing tidbits, but the
youngun stayed in the shrubbery, almost invisible.

The best birding of the trip was in the Teanaway Campground on the West
Fork Teanaway River. Besides offering a large area of free camping and
several access points to the soothing coolness of the river, there is a
long strip of riparian shrub and woods that were very productive. On two
extended walks in this area, we had *Red-naped* and *Williamson's
Sapsucker*, *Hairy* and *Pileated Woodpecker*, plus *Northern Flicker*.
Surprisingly, since this area is only 2200 feet in elevation, we still
had *Swainson's* _and_ *Hermit Thrush*, plus *Veery*, all singing within
a 100 m radius. We stumbled upon a flock of at least 18 young and 3
adult *Wild Turkey* and a group of at least 4 *Grouse* (probable Sooty).
A couple of *Nashville Warbler* made brief appearances, and *Lazuli
Bunting* were singing and showing everywhere. In our campsite, we were
treated to *White-breasted Nuthatch*, *Western Bluebird* (many
immatures) and *Savannah Sparrow* feeding on the ground. Other notables
included several small flocks of *Red Crossbill* crossing the meadow and
a brilliant male *Bullock's Oriole*. We also saw *Common Nighthawk* in
the evening and *Vaux's Swift* in the early morning.

On the return, we stopped at the bridge over the Teanaway River on the
Red Bridge Rd and found an *American Dipper*, plus *Violet-green*,
*Cliff* and *Northern Rough-winged Swallows*. Also, at the Northern
Pacific Railroad Ponds in Cle Elum, a mother *Barrow's Goldeneye* and 4
chicks were still around, and the *Pygmy Nuthatches* that had nested
there were out and about with their young.

Good weather and good birding.
Scott Ramos
Seattle


Trip list, Blewett Pass and West Fork Teanaway trip, July 10-12, 80 species

Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Barrow's Goldeneye
Sooty Grouse
Wild Turkey
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
Vaux's Swift
Calliope Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Williamson's Sapsucker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Hammond's Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Cassin's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Gray Jay
Steller's Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
American Dipper
Western Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock's Oriole
Cassin's Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
Evening Grosbeak