Mount Margaret Backcountry
In an attempt to escape the city for a weekend, my boyfriend and I headed to Mount Margaret Backcountry, a rugged and gorgeous setting north of Mt St Helens in the Blast Zone of the 1980 eruption.
We hiked 6 miles in to Panhandle Lake.
It was here at our campsite that I was spoiled with an entire weekend of just the sounds of nature. One of the songsters that stood out was the Yellow Warbler! Yay! I was thrilled to spend more quality time with this one.
Another vocal singer I heard long before I spotted it on the treetops was the Slate-colored Fox Sparrow. The “chevrons” on the chest helped me narrow it down to Fox Sparrow, and the greyish upperparts and unique song helped me distinguish it from the four subspecies of Fox Sparrows.
Many Flycatchers perched and sang near the campsite, including Olive-sided and Willow Flycatchers.
Near the lake I got up-close views of a Spotted Sandpiper…
And the millions of tadpoles in the lake. I’m glad we brought the water filter.
And finally, one of the more common fellas, the Yellow-rumped Warbler, was fluttering around the branches and snapping up delicious insects.
What a fun trip! And a great getaway. Some more pics:
Tweets and chirps,
Audrey