Day 290: I spent the morning in Ohop Valley again, taking bad pictures of good birds. Some days are like that. I spotted Yellowthroats in two locations, and Cedar Waxwings whose similar Zorro masks fooled me for a second when that was all I could see of the bird between leaves. I could hear Chickadees, but only saw one emerge, following right behind a Hairy Woodpecker to take advantage of the bugs it drummed up from a cavity. By the time I'd focused in, I got a shot of Chickadee tailfeathers and then zip! The bird was gone. Something I am nearly certain was a Pacific Slope Flycatcher perched on a distant wire with the sun at its back. The burned-out image shows the markings, but even my powerful zoom couldn't pull it in close enough to be 100% positive of the identification.
Thus you see it: my photo for today's edition of 365 Caws is of Hardhack, then; a member of the Spiraea family and one which interbreeds with Rosy Spiraea where the two species' ranges overlap. Hardhack is a common sight in low-altitude wetlands in western Washington, and it and the wild roses offer the perfect habitat for elusive, shy birds. That's okay. I know where you live, you stinkin' little Warblers, and you can't evade me forever!
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