January 27, 2008
The weather for the January date was partly cloudy, dry and cold. Rain the previous day preceded
and followed by colder temperatures left a coating of ice on the trail and on roads but none on
vegetation. Birds were fairly active, especially during sunbreaks, with dippers singing in the
river and song sparrows singing along the trail. I saw lots of varied thrushes along the roads
early in the morning but only a few during the run. Lake Wilderness was frozen so all the ducks
had gone elsewhere. The one flock I saw on a gravel bar in the river were too far away to identify
though I suspect mergansers. Altogether I counted 23 species. I didn't try to count individuals.
Species
Notes
Mallard
Two flew over quacking
Great Blue Heron
One flew overhead
Glaucous-winged Gull
One overhead
Rock Pigeon
Three near bridge
Steller's Jay
Calling in woods
Northwestern Crow
Several calling
Common Raven
One calling
Black-capped Chickadee
Conifers
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
More common than black-capped, squeakier calls
Bushtit
Two flocks noticed
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Calling in tall firs
Brown Creeper
One singing, others overlooked
Winter Wren
Calling, tiny
American Dipper
Three singing in and along the river
American Robin
A few around
Varied Thrush
More common early along roads than on trail
European Starling
Singing in sunbreak
Spotted Towhee
Calling in underbrush
Song Sparrow
Singing
Dark-eyed Junco
Small flock in Scotch Broom
House Finch
Calling in neighborhood
Pine Siskin
Flocks of up to 30 in treetops
House Sparrow
Calling in neighborhood