Moving Upslope

This week's weather was mostly moody and turbulent, with nighttime temperatures dropping into the 40s.

Week in Review

In a sign of this week's moody weather, I set out for a sunny day hike to a peak near Loup Loup Summit yesterday and ended up retreating because thunder rolled in, and it started snowing on me!

In addition to the notable weather, large numbers of common nighthawks made an appearance on June 9. I noticed them darting across the sky multiple times over the course of the day, and at one point, I saw about 20 of them at the same time. The first nighthawk of the year was spotted on June 1, but it doesn't seem like they've arrived to nest in the valley yet. In fact, all the birds in this big movement appeared to be pushing north, because I saw only a single bird the next day.

While scanning the sky for nighthawks, I also spotted some Vaux's swifts. While it's possible they might have arrived a few weeks ago, these were the first ones I've seen this year. What's interesting is that I noticed them on the same day the nighthawks showed up.

Many baby birds are now leaving their nests and the sounds of the birdscape are shifting. Most of the nestboxes and busy parents around our yard have fallen silent because most families have scattered, and the few remaining babies are loudly demanding food as their parents try to entice them to finally leave the nest.

Except for all the mosquitoes, this is an exceptionally good time to walk through forests along the rivers because these habitats are full of singing birds right now. Western wood-pewee, veery, American redstart, warbling vireos, and other species are filling the woods with songs and calls, and the energy is fantastic. We are especially fortunate to have birds like veery and American redstarts because the Methow Valley is the furthest west they are found in the United States.

There's also a tremendous amount of noise and commotion along the river as spotted sandpipers argue and fight nonstop over their territories and mates. These diagnostic birds are one of only a handful of birds in the world that practice reversed sex roles. It's a fascinating behavior that I explored in this week's issue of my Lukas Guides newsletter.

Another topic that I plan on covering in an upcoming Lukas Guides newsletter is spittlebugs. Maybe you've been seeing their white foamy masses on plant stems lately? Sometimes it feels like they're everywhere, so it'll be a great topic to explore further and you'll learn more if you follow my Lukas Guides newsletter.

Observation of the Week: Mid-Elevation Flowers

While the big bloom of flowers around the lower parts of the valley has largely tapered off, and few flowers are blooming at higher elevations, this is the best time to see flowers in mid-elevation habitats.

For example, flowers are blooming abundantly around Loup Loup Summit right now.

Mid-elevation flowers are a delight because these habitats exemplify some of the best growing conditions around the Methow Valley.

It's easy to focus on the glorious flowers of high mountain meadows, but by the time high elevation flowers start blooming, mid-elevation flowers will be finished, so you really have to make a point of seeking them out.

Do you have any favorite places you've been seeing flowers lately?