Snoqualmie Falls Bird Survey Underway

Written by Andy McCormick

The Snoqualmie Tribe and Eastside Audubon have begun a year-long, once-a-month bird survey of the area around Snoqualmie Falls. The survey team is comprised of Tribal Government employees, some of whom are Tribal Members, and the local Audubon chapter. This work is the first joint bird count in the Snoqualmie Falls area. Parcels in the area were recently purchased by the Snoqualmie Tribe and the Audubon group has often had birding groups in the area. The collaboration grew from a mutual interest in studying the birds around Snoqualmie Falls. The tribe is working with the Audubon to provide appropriate access to some of their land for the survey team.

By meeting once-a-month to cover the same area, the team will learn which birds are year-round residents and when they are joined by migrating birds in spring and fall. The survey will also help determine which bird species are breeding in the area as nesting birds are observed in spring and summer. The knowledge gained during the survey will be helpful with habitat protection for birds and other wildlife, which is a goal shared by both the Tribe and Audubon.

The first survey morning was held on January 19. During the three-hour survey the team located 17 species of birds. It was a winter morning with overcast skies and temperature hovering around 40. Birds which winter in this area are hardy and many were busy feeding, and a few sang during the morning.

Flocks of Cackling Geese and Canada Geese got the day started as they flew over the area early in the day. Around the upper parking area across from the Salish Lodge, a large flock of Dark-eyed Juncos was foraging in the grass. The shrubs around the parking lot were alive with Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a Spotted Towhee, and some Song Sparrows. Steller’s Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Varied Thrush were heard calling. In the trees near the gift shop, which is being remodeled, the team found Black-capped Chickadees and one Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and more kinglets and towhees.

A pair of Mallards made their way along the Snoqualmie River below the falls and three gulls patrolled the area until a Bald Eagle flew in and perched on a snag across from the confluence of Tokul Creek. From the bridge over the creek three American Dippers were seen hopping into and out of the water as they foraged upstream. Dippers have been nesting in the Tokul Creek area for many years and it was good to see them.

Here is the list of birds and how many were seen and/or heard:

25 Cackling Geese
4 Canada Geese
2 Mallards
3 Western X Glaucous-winged hybrid gulls
1 Bald Eagle
1 Steller’s Jay
3 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
10 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Brown Creeper
3 American Dippers
1 Varied Thrush
19 Dark-eyed Juncos
5 Song Sparrows
3 Spotted Towhees