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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hamhed" data-source="post: 3346514" data-attributes="member: 70825">Dec 25:Determined to reduce our time on the road today,  we set off on foot in the not too early morning to explore the Forest Service road that led out the back end of Kingston and up into the Black Range.  The road followed a fork of Percha Creek, a small, stony and shallow stream, climbing very slowly through open forest that is typical of winter woodlands.  Though we began with House Finches and Juncos at the Lodge, we were soon hearing the raspy call of the Mountain Chickadee and the nasal sound of White-Breasted Nuthatches.   We passed a pair of Hermit Thrushes in a tangled thicket while a Red-breasted Nuthatch called far up the hillside.  Our best find was well up the coarse gravel road, a mixed flock containing a male Williamson’s Sapsucker.  Brief but good views were gotten as it moved away with a Hairy Woodpecker, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and more White-breasted Nuthatches.  We missed identifying the Bluebirds that were also in that section of wood as we were focused on the uncommon Sapsucker.   On our return, a group of Stellar’s Jays moved high through the evergreens, seeming much shyer than their reputation as the bold visitors to picnic areas.  I tried to envision the place in the breeding season.  Cordilleran Flycatchers, Grace’s Warblers, Band-tailed Pigeons and Spotted Owls could all be there.  All we had to do was come back.Enjoying our walk and trying not to think of reports of a potentially disrupting winter storm “Goliath”, we backtracked through town and started up Rt. 152, a mountain pass of a road, closed to traffic due to ice at 8000 foot elevations.   Bird life was nearly non-existent but we did have fine views of the late morning sun on distant snow-crowned mountains.  A mile west and a few hundred feet up, we decided to return for lunch and go back to north Percha Road for further exploration.</blockquote>

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