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Six Years Later

In 2006, the Tripod wildfire raged through Okanogan County. Between late July and snowfall, it burned more than 175,000 acres of forest lands. Unlike the fires currently burning in Colorado and Montana, it did not burn any homes. Six years later, regeneration is producing a new kind of forest with wildlife friendly snags, wildflowers and new growth of willows and aspens. I spent part of Monday afternoon walking through a tiny bit of the old burn listening to birds and small mammals and admiring the flowers.

 

Burnt snags reflected in a small pond

 

 

Roger Lake – some trees survived in the boggy edges of this lake and it continues to be a great place for birds and other wildlife

 

 

Snags criss cross on the trail

 

Bog orchid grows in a wet spot

 

lupine

 

Spent flowers remind me of the fire

 

Lupine bud

 

Lupine from above

 

Scarlet gilia

 

Wild rose

 

Penstemon

 

Here is an article about the fire. And here is an article about a study on the effects of the fire.

 

 

Just a Few Bird Photos

Last week we identified 114 bird species. It seems like a lot but we missed an awful lot of so-called ‘common’ birds – all the owls, all the grouse, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers and the list goes on. And we saw no real rarities. It was pretty fun birding with lots of birds singing and we worked on learning and re-learning the bird songs and calls. It’s a challenge from year to year to keep them in my head. Some stick with me; for instance Rock Wren and Willow Flycatcher. Others – well let’s just say, it’s going to take many years for me to learn the few warblers we have in our region and remember them.

I managed to get a few photographs of birds. I didn’t really try too much bird photography. It is time consuming and we were really focusing on seeing and hearing a good variety of birds.

 

Hooded Merganser female at Lost Lake

 

 

 American Coot adult and chick

 

 

 

 

 

Spotted Sandpiper chick along Maryanne Creek Road

 

 

Spotted Sandpiper adult

 

 

 

Morning at Lost Lake

Lost Lake is really one of my favorite places to camp. It is a stunningly beautiful, quiet lake nestled in the Okanogan Highlands, surrounded by deep dark forest and at the far end rich wetlands. Common (not so common, really, in our state) Loons nest at Lost Lake each year. They struggle to raise their young while Bald Eagles search for easy meals of the tiny chicks. The loons’ call echoes off nearby cliffs, almost a lament at times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June Camping Trip

Life’s been busy recently and I’ve had little time for personal work. Couple that with an aching back and I’ve just not had anything recent to post.

Last week I got away with a friend for a few days of (car) camping in the Okanogan Highlands and the Sinlahekin valley. We planned  some serious birding adventures and were not disappointed. By the end of four days we had seen 114 species and along the way, we saw a few other things as well.

 

The Okanogan Highlands clouds are always spectacular

 

And then there’s litter

 

Lost Lake, where we stayed for two nights. One of my all time favorite camping spots.

 

Dog at the Chesaw Store

 

Phone booth at the Chesaw Store.

This area is so close to Canada that if you have your cell phone on, it will connect to Canadian cell towers and your bill will show extra and possibly unexpected charges.

 

Molson is an old ghost town between Oroville and Chesaw

 

 

Camp coffee

 

Camp site in the Sinlahekin valley

I have a few photos of birds to share and will get them posted soon.

 

 

A Good Walk This Morning

Not much time for a long walk with the dogs today so we made the most of it with sightings of a Great Horned Owl, Gray Catbird, American Kestral and two Rubber Boas.

This one is about eighteen inches long.

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