Tweets,

This past weekend offered an opportunity to bird around the Leavenworth
area. Best birds of the trip were the first and last.

After arriving on June 5, spent an hour on Blackbird Island right in town
and was immediately greeted by calling Veery. Several Yellow Warbler
provided decent views and a Downy Woodpecker showed up briefly. A couple of
Gray Catbird were quite vocal in the shrubs adjacent to the path.

On June 6, my wife and I took a couple of casual strolls through, Ski Hill
and in the Camas Meadow Natural Area. Most numerous birds at Ski Hill were
Western Wood-Pewee and Western Tanager. Purple Finch were calling all over,
but well hidden. Also heard only: Dusky Flycatcher and Cassin's Vireo.
After hearing several, a couple of Nashville Warbler finally showed
themselves, in exuberant song.

The Camas Meadow is a magical place, for both birds and the flower display.
Many more Western Tanager, plus Black-headed Grosbeak (rather
drably-plumaged males), Evening Grosbeak, both Warbling and Cassin's Vireo,
Western Wood-Pewee, Willow and Dusky Flycatcher, and one Lazuli Bunting
visible, though several more were heard. Several more Nashville Warbler
were occasionally visible. While trying to call one in with poor chip
imitations, another warbler came zooming out of the brush to within two
feet of my face, did a 90 degree turn back into the brush, but, thankfully,
allowed good views: a MacGillivray's Warbler.

Next morning, I returned to Blackbird Island to the same cast of
characters--the Veery almost drowning out all else--but doubled the count,
including a young male Rufous Hummingbird and a very cooperative Warbling
Vireo.

Later that morning, we spent an hour walking around the Leavenworth Fish
Hatchery. Added to the list here were several Dark-eyed Junco in full
trill, Swainson's Thrush singing and an active Eastern Kingbird.

One the way back home, we stopped at Lake Wenatchee SP for lunch, with
accompaniment from both Townsend's and Yellow Warblers. The last stops of
the trip were along Lake Wenatchee Highway, north of the lake. Just past
the quarry, on a stroll through the brush, there was a singing Nashville
Warbler and Willow Flycatcher, plus another song that I didn't recognize
until it jumped out of the bushes for about 30 seconds of good views: a
Black-throated Gray Warbler.

Weather was perfect as was the entire trip.

Scott Ramos
Seattle