Tweeters,

Yesterday I took advantage of a good morning forecast to visit Mount Rainier for what might have been my last trip into the high country for the year. I traversed the Golden Gate Trail to Skyline Trail to Panorama Point, and then took the High Skyline back to the Skyline and back to Paradise. I searched the upper part of the Skyline and High Skyline for Ptarmigan and Rosy Finches. I was able to locate 1 family group of White-tailed Ptarmigan (1 adult female and 3 large young) feeding in the area between the two trail systems about ? mile east of Panorama Point. They were seen from the High Skyline Trail. The only Rosy Finches (2 groups, 5 total) were seen from the upper trail above Panorama Point, they were moving around and did not settle.

Also of interest were 5 Black Bears (2 singles and 1 sow with 2 cubs) feeding in Huckleberry patches. There was also a Townsends Solitaire toward the eastern end of the Skyline Trial and an American Dipper at the crossing of the upper Paradise River.

Cheers and good Birding,
Bill Shelmerdine, Olympia
mailto: georn1 at hotmail.com