New birds: Sooty Grouse (confirmed)

Yesterdays record of Sooty Grouse was premature, as we hadn’t fully considered Dusky – these are recent splits of Blue Grouse. Now confirmed by better views, range and call. This ‘psycho’ male kept us under constant observation

It’s a relief to be staying somewhere with reasonably good WiFi again.

This morning, after a relatively late start, we birded first around our accommodation – getting much better views of Rufous Hummingbird and then later birding along various walking trails in the temperate rain forest, on the western slopes of the Olympic National Park. Apparently, this area gets twelve foot of rain a year – no wonder everywhere is so green! Yesterdays report of Sooty Grouse was, on reflection, premature as we hadn’t fully considered Dusky Grouse. So this morning we drove back to the location where we’d had brief flight views of the grouse yesterday. As we approached the spot we commenced carefully scanning the adjacent vegetation in the hope of another glimpse – no need to bother! From behind us the ‘psycho Sooty’ dive-bombed our car and landed in a road-side tree, from where it kept us under close and constant observation. We later watched it do the same to a passing vehicle – flying along-side and hitting the drivers wing-mirror! This sort of behaviour of ‘hormonal’ males has been reported on more than a few occasions. Net result, we got excellent and conclusive views. After lunch we recceid the birding sites around Grays Harbour but, since it was low tide at the time and it’s now getting late for Spring migrants, we saw very few shorebirds. However, today was a day of extraordinary views of some of the more ordinary species.

Male Rufous Hummingbird – remarkably these little creatures breed right up into Alaska. This was the twelfth species of ‘Hummer’ we’ve seen on the trip

The fascinating historic homestead at Kestner Creek, encountered on one of our walks this morning

A young American Dipper, watched being fed by the adults

For the past week or so we’ve been travelling with my brother Robin and his wife Gi. In the small hours of this morning we got the news that Gi’s Mum Gwen had sadly passed away. Not completely unexpected, Rob & Gi had already made plans to return home early to Australia, but a shock nonetheless. Our thoughts are with them..