Ron Friesz and I headed up toward Larch Mountain in eastern Clark County
this morning, hoping to match the Hermit Warbler that Dan Friesz led us to
yesterday up Little Kalama River Road in Cowlitz County. Driving up 139th
St. beyond Hockinson Heights toward the 4-Corners intersection we stopped ?
mile before the intersection and found a variety of breeders. At this
location where Ken Knittle thought he heard a White-winged Crossbill in late
April, we had two Gray Jays fly in over the road and perched within 25 yards
of the pavement. Continuing up L-1500 to 1.4 miles past the intersection
toward Larch Mountain, we tried the area where a Sooty Grouse was hooting
during the April WOS trip. As that day the cloud layer was suppressing bird
activity and we did not hear grouse. We did hear and see a Hermit Warbler
on the way in. On the way out we saw a hybrid Hermit-Townsend?s Warbler in
the same area. Lots of shooters out on the weekend up that way.



Randy Hill

Ridgefield

Re_Hill at q dot com