Key Birding Locations

Alta Lake State Park

180-acres lakeside, dry pine forest, high rock cliffs

Duck (Ruddy, Ring-Necked and Wood), Scaups (Greater and Lesser), Bonaparte's, Gull (California and Glaucus-Winged), Flycatcher (Dusky and Hammond's), Western Wood-Pewees, Say's Phoebes, Kingbird (Eastern and Western), Cassin's Finches, California Quail, Hummingbird (Calliope and Rufous), Pygmy Nuthatches, Hairy Woodpeckers, Golden Eagles, White-Throated Swifts, Common Poorwills

Methow Valley Wildlife Area at Pipestone Canyon 

Mixed forest and 1-mile gorge

Eagle (Golden and Bald), American Kestrel, Canyon Wren, Grouse (Sooty and Dusky), Swallow (Cliff and Violet-Green), White-Breasted Nuthatch, Nashville Warbler, Lazuli Bunting

Mac Lloyd Park 

20-acre city park in Winthrop

American Goldfinch, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, Violet-Green Swallows, Harlequin Ducks, Pine Siskins

Pearrygin Lake State Park

962-acre park surrounding lake with sandy beaches, riparian eastern shoreline, dry, rolling land and ponderosa pine

Eagle (Golden and Bald), Hawk (Red-Tailed, Red-Shouldered, Sharp-Shinned and Cooper's), Northern Harriers, Owl (Great Horned, Pygmy, Northern Saw-Whet and Screech), Warbler (Orange-Crowned, Wilson's and Yellow-Rumped), Yellow-Throats, Veery, American Redstart and Lazuli Bunting

Big Valley Wildlife Area 

847 acres of riparian are, deciduous and coniferous forest

Lazuli Bunting, Wood Duck, Vireo (Red-Eyed and Warbling), Veery, Swainson's Thrushes, Cassin's Finches, Cedar Waxwings, Woodpecker (Downy, Hairy, Pileated and White-Headed), Sapsucker (Williamson's and Red-Naped), Swallow (Barn, Violet-Green, Tree and Northern Rough-Winged)

Tawlks-Foster Suspension Bridge 

Methow River, tree-sheltered shoreline

American Redstart, Harlequin Duck, Hummingbird (Rufous and Calliope), Black-Headed Grosbeak, Cassin's Finch, Red Crossbill, Common Merganser, American Dipper, Nuthatch (Red-Breasted and White-Breasted), Mountain Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco

Mazama Audubon Trails 

22 acres of giant cedars, beaver ponds and river. Privately owned but open to birders. 

ACCESS: From Hwy 20 at milepost 179.5 in Mazama, turn east onto Lost River Rd. Drive 2.5 miles. Turn left into lodge parking.

Swainson's Thrush, Warbler (MacGillivray's and Townsend's), Vireo (Red-Eyed and Warbling), Veery, Ruffed Grouse, Red-Naped Sapsuckers, Woodpecker (Pileated, Downy and Hairy), Mountain Chickadee, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Brown Creeper, Pine Grosbeak

Klipchuck Campground

Coniferous forest beside a creek

Calliope Hummingbird, Warbler (Towsend's and MacGillivray's), Swainson's Thrush, Cassin's Vireo, Flycatcher (Dusky and Hammond's), Williamson's Sapsucker, Woodpecker (Pileated, Downy and Hairy)

Washington Pass Overlook 

Alpine, coniferous forest

Clark's Nutcracker, Gray Jay, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Red-naped Sapsucker, Chickadee (Mountain and Chestnut-backed), Brown Creeper, Dark-eyed Junco, Woodpecker (Pileated, Downy and Hairy)

Wildlife Viewing

A wide variety of mammals call this region home. Watch closely, you might see:

• Deer (Mule, White-Tailed and Black-Tailed)
• Big Horn Sheep
• Rocky Mountain Elk
• Mountain Goat
• Muskrat
• Beaver
• Bobcat
• Mountain Lion
• Coyote
• Red Fox
• Black Bear

• Raccoon
• Yellow-bellied Marmot
• Cascade Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel
• Chipmunk (Townsend's, Yellow Pine and Least) 
• Squirrel (Douglas, Northern Flying)
• American Pika
• Northern River Otter
• Wolverine
• American Badger
• Shrew (Vagrant, Water, Marsh and Merriam's)
• Nuttal's Cottontail
• Jackrabbit (Black-Tailed and White-Tailed)
• Coast Mole
• Mice (North American Deer, Northwestern Deer, Northern Grasshopper, Western Harvest, Great Basin Pocket, Pacific Jumping)
• Bushy-Tailed Woodrat
• Norway Rat
• Vole (Montane, Long-Tailed, Southern Red-Backed, Western Heather and Sagebrush)
• Porcupine
• Northern Pocket Gopher
• Short-Tailed Weasel
• Mink
• American Marten
• Skunk (Western-Spotted and Striped)

To see more of Pete Freund's photos from the Cascade Loop and beyond, see his Flickr Page