Subject: [Tweeters] Larch Mountain, Clark County, WA. Rock Wrens
Date: Jul 31 15:47:19 2015
From: Bob - rflores_2 at msn.com


Although a late start I went up to Larch Mt to walk behind the Rd 1515 gate. This road is unmarked the adjacent road is marked 1520 so I am assuming I was on 1515. I arrived at 0950 hrs and returned to my car at 1225 hrs. It was a bit hot but nowhere near the heat when I came off the mountain. I had wondered about rock wrens ( Code 5) at the rock outcrops at the top (in the past I have tried without luck) and was hoping to find a mountain bluebird wandering through. I did indeed experience a lot of birds moving along the ridge and had mixed swallow/swift flocks on and off. A northern pygmy owl was perched along the road as I walked up it and in true fashion it allowed me to take pictures 15 yards away. Also seen along the road were MacGillivray's, yellow and orange-crowned warblers. Willow Flycatchers were common and I found two Hammond's and a single dusky as well. There were quite a few black-headed grosbeak and cedar waxwings around with several western tanager noted. I was surprised to bump into a house wren and four evening grosbeak. Most of the rest were expected birds and their numbers. When I arrived at the boulder outcrop I was immediately confronted by a rock wren scolding me right along the road. This engagement grew to 5 birds and with these birds moving around so much while I was there I am counting them as a family of 5. I was able to get several photos but have not looked at them yet but the fact being they were close.

One last thing I watched a swarming group of swifts and swallows at the boulder outcrop hoping for a black swift but to my surprise I thought a white-throated swift past through my view. I tried to relocate it but without success as these birds moved through quickly and are swarming around. Now I am no where near confident that my view was good enough BUT if you are up there or another high peak keep an eye out. You just never know.

Bob Flores
Ridgefield, WA