After waking up at dawn, I tidied up my sleeping gear in my car and headed over to Sun Mountain Lodge near Winthrop. This location has acquired a reputation as the go-to spot for Dusky Grouse in Washington. While the pressure was off since I had just finally seen one in BC, it would still be a ‘Washington bird’ for me and only the second time I had seen the species. Arriving at the parking lot, it was immediately apparent that the hotel grounds and immediate vicinity were very birdy, with numerous Pine Siskins, Cassin’s Finches, Mountain Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches evident. I was surprised and skeptical to see what looked like a female Purple Finch in with the Cassin’s but eventually had at least two birds and heard their characteristic ‘pik’ flight calls. Multiple flyover sightings of Red Crossbills and Evening Grosbeaks rounded a nice set of montane finches. The hilltop position and irrigated green lawns and lush tree foliage likely made the location a minor migr...
This blog covers my sightings of birds and other wildlife, mostly from the Goleta area, on the southern Central Coast of California, but also from my regular travels elsewhere, primarily to North America, including Mexico, and Europe. You can contact me via: nlethaby@gmail.com if you have any questions.