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Whiskey Dick Unit (day hike), LT Murray Wildlife Area
May 2020
Synopsis
April seemed painfully long with the shutdown of state lands in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. When they finally reopened at the beginning of May, we took a day hike around the Whiskey Dick area of the LT Murray Wildlife Area between Kittatas and Vantage. This wildlife area is the perfect place for some social distancing. We saw few people: most wizzed by on their ATVs and just a couple of other hikers in the distance. There are plenty of jeep trails and open sage/grasslands to easily wander around without coming into prolonged contact or even close contact with other people.
May is a perfect time to visit this area for its blooming wildflowers: lupin, hawksbeard, penstemon and the hedgehog cactus. Sagebrush birds, including the Brewer's, Vesper, Sagebrush Sparrows and Sage Thrasher were singing from the brush. A Short-eared Owl patroled the open hillsides in the afternoon sun. Short-horned Lizards scuttled across jeep trails.
Whiskey Dick Ridge is a wonderful place to neader and mentally recharge during these trying times.
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Pictures (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
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Bird List
California Quail |
Chukar |
Northern Harrier |
Swainson's Hawk |
Red-tailed Hawk |
Short-eared Owl |
Dusky Flycatcher |
Loggerhead Shrike |
Black-billed Magpie |
Common Raven |
Horned Lark |
Northern Rough-winged Swallow |
Barn Swallow |
Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
Rock Wren |
Bewick's Wren |
Sage Thrasher |
Mountain Bluebird |
House Sparrow |
House Finch |
Brewer's Sparrow |
White-crowned Sparrow |
Golden-crowned Sparrow |
Sagebrush Sparrow |
Vesper Sparrow |
Savannah Sparrow |
Spotted Towhee |
Western Meadowlark |
Bullock's Oriole |
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
Lazuli Bunting |
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Critters |
Short-horned Lizard |
Least Chipmunk |
Cottontail |
Elk |
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Flowers in bloom |
Antelopebrush |
arrowleaf balsamroot |
Hooker's balsamroot |
Desert Parsley |
Douglas Brodiaea |
Lupine |
Simpson's hedgehog cactus |
milkvetch |
Yellow Fiddleneck |
Yellow desert fleabane |
Bearded hawksbeard |
Thyme buckwheat |
Western groundsel |
Gairdner's beardtongue |
Thompson's paintbrush |
Franklin's sandwort |
Shaggy fleabane |
death camas |
Threadleaf phacelia |
Phlox |
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Butterflies |
Ochre Ringlet |
Silvery blue |
Juba skipper |
Checkerspot sp |
Swallowtail sp. |
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Information
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Email: Birder AT NWBirding.com
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