Kittitas County Hotspots Trip – Tuesday, May 14

Kittitas County offers some spectacular birding where the Ponderosa Pine forest meets the Subalpine Fir zone on the drier eastern slope of the Cascade Range, creating a habitat for birds not seen west of the mountains. We’ll hit the Railroad Ponds in Cle Elum, the Swauk Prairie, Teanaway area, the Ellensburg area, lower Robinson Canyon, and some other spots as time allows. We hope to find Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Vesper Sparrow, Mountain and Western Bluebirds, American Kestrel, Swainson’s Hawk, Bullock’s Oriole, Lazuli Bunting, various woodpeckers, and some warblers. We will leave from the open parking lot of the Tibbetts Park & Ride in Issaquah at 6:00 a.m. and return by late afternoon. A Discover Pass is needed in a couple of stops. Bring lunch, snacks, and liquids. There will be an additional carpool cost per passenger is $12.50. Registration for this trip is not required, but it is appreciated.

Field Trip Leader: Andy McCormick, 425-518-0892.

*This field trip is part of Eastside Audubon’s Birdathon fundraiser. A donation of $25 or more is encouraged to support the conservation, education, and advocacy work of our chapter.

Lazuli Bunting by Mick Thompson