Bruce Labar, Marcus Roening and I met at the Roy-Y Park & Ride at 7:20 AM and headed for Longmire Rainier NP in hopes of finding a few FOY Pierce birds. At Longmire it was generally quiet but we managed to find a small flock of mixed chickadees, CBC’s mostly, but at least 2 Mountain Chickadees. We also enjoyed a pair of dippers on the river from the bridge area. As always amazed at how they “dip” under the rushing water and bob back up again oblivious to the cascade of freezing water. Two large flocks of Pine Siskins were FOY for Marcus.
We made several stops on the way back, best by far was hearing and then seeing a FOY WA Pygmy Owl on a back road out of Ashford.

 

 

 

 

We met Will Brooks on 416th and he told us he had heard a California Quail at Kreger Lake so we continued out to that stop. No CAQU but we were all pleased by a FOY pair of Cinnamon Teal.
Our last stops around the 13th Division Praires at Ft. Lewis yielded two California Quail and a Western Bluebird, but we were not able to locate the Horned Larks Will had seen and heard earlier.
A great day with 2 WA and 5 Pierce FOY birds.