[obol] Boreal birds of Cathedral Provinical Park (B.C)

[khanh tran]

Hi OBOLERS!!

If you want to find some elusive boreal species with relative ease, I highly 
recommend this park and lodge.  The lodge is located 30 km SW of Keremeos, 
British Columbia (about an 8 hour drive from Portland).  Great food, 
beautiful scenery, and excellent for boreal species.  A hot tub  to soak in  
and a nice bottle of good wine after a tough day of birding.  Doesn't get 
any better than this.

I just got back from the WONDERFUL trip from Cathedral Provinical Park. It 
was very productive for finding birds but obtaining a variety of photos of 
different species was a different story.  Finding the birds was easy except 
for the ptarmigans which required a difficult hike up the mountains.  
Despite the blowing, residual smoke from the northcentral Washington fires, 
it didn't affect birding at all.

I got all my target birds including BOREAL OWLS, BOREAL CHICKADEES, AND 
WHITE TAILED PTARMIGANS.  "Gravy birds" included numerous SPRUCE GROUSE, 
WHITE WINGED CROSSBILLS, PINE GROSBEAKS, NORTHERN THREE TOE WOODPECKERS, AND 
GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCHES.

I missed the ptarmigan at Cathedral but was determined to find one at Mt. 
Rainer on the way back.  And, I did!!  After three tries and 25 miles of 
hiking.

Priceless moment was when a male spruce grouse was heard and found 
displaying on a branch.  Also, got some good photos of these birds.  They 
are so unbelivablely tame!!

Here is the countdown of species found:

Boreal owls:   4 heard with skiewing calls at two different locations
Boreal chickadees:   12 birds
White tailed ptarmigan:   1 female at Mt. Rainer.
Spruce grouse:   12 birds total (6 males, 1 female, 5 young!!!)
White winged crossbills:   two separate flocks about 30 birds total
Pine grosbeaks:   4 birds
Gray crowned rosyfinches:   20 birds
Northern three-toe WP: lost count....

Good birding and happy fall,

Khanh Tran