Hi Tweeters,



Dave and Sherry Hayden, Barb McDowell, and I birded a few locations along Hwy 12 on the east side of the Cascades.? Highlights include:



Hause Creek Rest Area (still gated closed): BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, CHIPPING SPARROW, YELLOW WARBLER, CASSIN'S FINCH, and NASHVILLE WARBLER.



Pull-out between mile post 82 & 83:? WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS were swirling around the cliffs on the opposite side of the road.? Some came quite close.? The cliffs contain numerous nests from last year, so it is likely that they are going to nest there again this year.? In the other direction, along the distant cliffs, we spotted a GOLDEN EAGLE.? Also seen were WESTERN TANAGER, LEWIS'S WOODPECKER, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, WESTERN KINGBIRD, and AMERICAN KESTREL.



Oak Creek Rd:? The highlight for me was the shear number of LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS.? We didn't attempt to count them, but I'm certain that there were more than 20 in the portion of the valley which we drove through.? This is the largest number of Lewis's that I have ever seen in one region in the state, including Fort Simcoe.? We also spotted HOUSE WREN, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, DUSKY FLYCATCHER, ROCK WREN, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE (the most difficult to correctly spell bird in the world), NORTHERN FLICKER,?and CALIFORNIA QUAIL.



Bethel Ridge Rd.:? We could only drive in for 5 miles before hitting the snow, so couldn't reach a couple of my favorite locations, but we still found at least 6 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS, several RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS, several DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES, SOOTY GROUSE (heard), WESTERN BLUEBIRD, CASSIN'S FINCH, CASSIN'S VIREO, CHIPPING SPARROW, and HAIRY WOODPECKER.? Notable misses included Williamson's Sapsucker and the other species of woodpeckers.



In all, we saw a little over 60 species at these and nearby locations, including 15 FOY species for me.? Good times.



Lonnie Somer

wheelermombi at comcast.net???

Olympia