Beaks and Bills
by Joe Meche
It’s always with great anticipation that we on the wetter, west side await news of the opening of Washington State Highway 20, the North Cascades Highway … the gateway to the sunny side of the mountains. Reports from WSDOT came in early enough for us to plan a short trip prior to our longer getaway in mid-May. This year, the scenic highway opened on April 22, almost a month before our 10-day escape. To celebrate this early opening, we shifted into gear to take a literal and figurative warm-up with two nights at a longtime favorite campground at the Pearrygin Lake State Park.
photo: Joe Meche
Say’s phoebe with food for the nestlings.
On previous trips to Pearrygin, we’ve kept short lists of particular sites that would be perfect to take our kayaks and be close to the water. This year we scored one that we’ve drooled over every time we walked through the park. I won’t tell you the number, however, just to keep the demand down. Actually, I think we lucked out this year because of the earlier date. Seems every place gets more crowded as the Memorial Day weekend approaches. The timing would also be good for birds, if past experience is any indication. Scheduling a mid-week visit was also a good idea!
In typical fashion, we left home on a rainy west side morning with a weather forecast for the east side that promised dry days for the duration of our stay. While nowhere near the much warmer days to come, temperatures proved to be well within our comfort range with nighttime temps on the chilly side … perfect for a cozy sleeping bag. The drive over the pass was yet another reminder of the beautiful place we call home. Snow was still evident as we gained elevation to see that access points to trailheads like Rainy Pass and Blue Mountain were closed. And, there was the obvious climate transition from west to east. No matter how many times we’ve crossed over Washington Pass … it never gets old.
After pausing in Winthrop at a couple of our usual stops, we pulled into our site at the state park and immediately knew that we were right all along. There was no more than 30 feet from where we’d lay our heads to where we’d launch our kayaks. We congratulated ourselves and set up camp for the next few days. Knowing Pearrygin Lake as we do, we weren’t deterred by the afternoon wind that came up, since our ideal site was totally protected by greenery enough to act as a buffer but open to the clear blue skies overhead.
In all the years I’ve been camping, there are few things that compare with a view of the dark, star-filled night sky from the confines of a cozy sleeping bag. Waking during the night to the brilliance of the Big Dipper right overhead was a definite highlight of this trip. I dozed and woke a few times as its position changed to circle the North Star. Adding to the visual highlight was listening to a pair of great horned owls calling back and forth to each other in the darkness. I was in star-gazing camper’s heaven when I burrowed deeper into my bag!
After a morning campfire with coffee and an energy bar, the flat-calm waters of the lake beckoned us to take our first paddle of the season … and the kayaks were launched accordingly. Our standard circumnavigation always takes us in the direction of the head of the lake, where numerous species choose to nest among the dense cattails. Except for the calls of Virginia rails and red-winged blackbirds, it seemed that we were just a week or two early for the big show. Belted kingfishers were active along the shoreline, as were common mergansers and buffleheads.
Despite the lack of the usual bird numbers, it was still an excellent morning to be on the water. The surrounding hillsides of the Methow Valley were carpeted with brilliant arrowleaf balsamroot blossoms. There was very little human activity except for a handful of human-powered craft similar to our own. The far side of the lake is the more primitive and the large Ponderosas that line the shore were equally brilliant in the morning sun. After an excellent two-hour paddle, it was easy to settle in to breakfast and another cup of coffee.
My neuropathy has limited me to a smaller radius of coverage on foot than before, but I did check in on a few places closer to our site. The willows along the shoreline leading to the boat launch area have always been good for yellow warblers, eastern kingbirds, and Bullock’s orioles. Once again, we were a bit early for those prime species but there were others about. Say’s phoebes were busy getting their nest ready under the eaves of the campground’s pump house; tree swallows were checking out the old nesting boxes they’ve used for many years; Brewer’s blackbirds and red-naped sapsuckers were constantly in and out of view; and Eurasian collared doves were calling through most of the day.
In all, our plan was a perfect excuse to do a bit of early camping, albeit a bit on the chillier side than we’re used to. Another perk for camping earlier in the season was the noticeable lack of fellow campers. While most of the folks in the larger RVs and trailers held the high ground in a different part of the park, those of us who had no need for the amenities of electrical and water hookups were just fi ne and happy to be closer to the water.
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Joe Meche is a past president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and was a member of the board of directors for 20 years. He has been watching birds for more than 60 years and photographing birds and landscapes for more than 40 years. He has written over 200 columns for Whatcom Watch.
