Subject: [Tweeters] WOS Conference Friday June 11 2010 Blewett Pass trip
Date: Jun 16 08:16:56 2010
From: B&PBell - bellasoc at isomedia.com


Hi Tweets

On last Friday I lead the Blewitt Pass trip at the WOS Conference over in Wenatchee. We saw OSPREY on the way to Leavenworth, as well as TREE, VIOLET-GREEN, CLIFF and BARN SWALLOWs. In the parking lot at the Safeway we had a singing WILSON'S WARBLER. We started out driving Mountain Home Ranch Rd. out of Leavenworth. This route climbs uphill from near the Safeway at the east end of Leavenworth. We went thru a nice variety of Ponderosa Pine habitats, getting into some mixed Ponderosa/Douglas Fir, and some small meadows. In these areas we saw and heard NASHVILLE, YELLOW, YELLOW-RUMPED and MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERs, as well as lots of WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, a GRAY and a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, BLACK-CHINNED, CALLIOPE and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDs, some WESTERN TANAGERS, a few RED CROSSBILLS, CHIPPING SPARROW and DARK-EYED JUNCO. A CASSIN'S VIREO tantalized us at one point but refused to come into view. A couple of WARBLING VIREOs did finally show themselves. We heard a PILEATED WOODPECKER.

On the ridge crest there is a large stand of trees burned a few years ago. We searched diligently but only saw one NORTHERN FLICKER (red-shafted race), but lots of WESTERN WOOD-PEWEEs. From on top of the ridge we had a great view down into the Icicle Valley and the junction with the Wenatchee River. With Peregrine Falcons nesting up Icicile Canyon we searched the sky, but didn't see any. Just after the crest there is a nice riparian area in which we saw or heard VEERY, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, and HOUSE WREN.

Next we went up Camas Creek Rd. At the top we saw LAZULI BUNTING, PURPLE and CASSIN'S FINCHes, a couple of nice RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERs, a DUSKY GROUSE, BLACK-CAPPED and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEEs, RED-BREASTED and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHes, HOUSE WREN, CEDAR WAXWINGs, PINE SISKINs and TOWNSEND'S WARBLER. On the way back down we had a WILD TURKEY cross the road.

We did a quick drive over the Old Blewitt Pass road - lots of nice habitat there, but we had to move along in order to meet our U.S.F.S. guide. We did see WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, and TOWNEND'S WARBLER. We joined our guide, and after agreeing that we would not disclose our location, were taken to a SPOTTED OWL territory. After a strenuous hike up a hillside we were all rewarded with nice looks at the owl. The Forest Service has been studying Spotted Owls in the area since 1989 and has gotten lots of good information.

Other birds that we saw during the day included: MALLARD, COMMON MERGANSER (flyover), TURKEY VULTURE, RED-TAILED HAWK, ROCK PIGEON, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, SAY'S PHOEBE, WESTERN KINGBIRD, STELLER'S JAY, AMERICAN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, SWAINSON'S and HERMIT THRUSHes, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, SPOTTED TOWHEE, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, HOUSE FINCH, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, EVENING GROSBEAK, and HOUSE SPARROW.

It was a great day, clear with comfortable temperatures. We finished the day having seen 64 species and some great country. My thanks to Dan Stephens for showing me parts of the route I hadn't been over before.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mail to bell asoc at iso media dot com