We are looking forward to an exciting summer of field trips this season. We will be having fewer trips, averaging about two per month, but a significant number of them will be to new areas, including some Washington classics and some areas virtually unexplored for butterflies.
DIFFICULTY
We use trip difficulty ratings to help participants better plan their trips. While most of our trips are suitable for nearly everyone, there are a few which are more rigorous and which require moderate physical fitness.
Difficulty 1 = Easy, mostly by car, minor walking along roads Difficulty 2 = Fairly limited amounts of walking, some slopes involved
Difficulty 3 = Moderate difficulty, up to 1.5 miles walking with moderate slopes. Difficulty 4 = Difficult. Hiking required, trails or terrain are steep in places.
Difficulty 5 = Very Difficult. Steep, extended hiking on trails or terrain.
SCHEDULING & WEATHER
Weather is always a major factor for planning butterfly trips in Washington, particularly March through June. The key to dealing with weather is flexibility; our leaders reserve the right to make last-minute itinerary changes in order to provide you with the best possible butterfly experience. On occasions it may be necessary to cancel or postpone an outing if the weather will not permit a viable alternative. The flow of the season is also important, and to maintain the best possible schedule it may be necessary to adjust some trips to earlier or later dates to best match the seasonal weather patterns. WBA will make every effort to keep you informed of any changes.
THE TRIPS
April 3 Schnebley Coulee, Difficulty 2
Leaders: Jon Pelham and Dave Nunnallee
An exceptionally cold spring has forced our traditional first ttip of the season to this later date. Low elevation shrub-steppe near Vantage, with early desert wildflowers. Expect Sheridan’s Hairstreaks, several species of whites, maybe early swallowtails, perhaps scorpions or a rattlesnake.
April 27 Tahuya Peninsula, Difficulty 1
Leader: Idie Ulsh
This fascinating area near Hood Canal has excellent heath-salal habitat, with Hoary Elfins, Bramble Hairstreaks, Western Pine Elfins and other springtime specialties. Idie “lives” part-time in this area at her cabin, and knows all the best spots.
May4 Reecer Creek, Difficulty 1
Leaders: Jon Pelham and Dave Nunnallee
This canyon northwest of Ellensburg, with its large range of elevation options, always has a “sweet spot” which we will attempt to find. At this season we may still find Moss’ Elfins, and many other springtime species should be present together with many kinds of emerging wildflowers.
May11 Colockum Pass, Difficulty 2-3
Leader: Jon Pelham
Not actually to the pass, this trip will go to Jon’s secret lower elevation haunts near the Colockum Pass Road, northeast of Ellensburg. Expect some nice buckwheat and sage habitat along an open ridge, with an interesting assortment of checkerspots, blues and whites. Jon has studied this area for years, and knows it very well.
June 1 Oak Creek Canyon, Difficulty 2
Leader: Bob Hardwick
Oak Creek is a “classic” Washington butterfly locality which WBA has not yet visited. Bob has considerable eiq,erience in this area, which is a large state wildlife recreation area west of Yakima. Propertius Duskywings should still be around, together with a nice suite of other spring butterflies. An upland road closure may still be in effect, and if so we may have to do some walking on good roads.
June 5 Black Canyon, Difficulty 1
Leader: Dave Nunnallee
Another classic Washington location not yet visited by WBA, Black Canyon is tributary to the Methow Valley west of Pateros, Okanogan County. This will be a very long drive, so we will start early, leaving Ravenna at 6:00 AM, and the Issaquah Park and Ride at 6:30 AM. Black Canyon is shrub-steppe/ open pine forest in its lower parts, with roads available to much higher elevations. At its prime, Black Canyon can be spectacular, with many species of Okanogan butterflies. If the ceanothus and dogbane are in fresh bloom, several hairstreak and swallowtail species should be nectaring on them in abundance.
July 13 Chumstick Mountain, Difficulty 1
Leaders: Jon Pelham and Dave Nunnallee
Most of us have enjoyed trips to this exceptional area in Chelan County, northwest of Wenatchee. This is some of the best butterfly habitat in the state. With a wide range of elevations from Swakane Canyon to the mountain top, only weather can prevent us from having a fine trip. Well over 50 species of butterflies are possible here.
August 3 Twin Lakes, Whatcom County, Difficulty 1-3 (your choice)
Leader: Dave Nunnallee
Magnificent alpine mountain and lake scenery, together with a virtually unsampled butterfly fauna, promise to make this a thoroughly enjoyable trip of exploration and discovery. Relax near the lake
shore, or walk trails through flowery alpine meadows, and help us “discover” this scenic area north
of Mount Baker, near the Canadian border. We need four-wheel-drive vehicles with moderate clearance to navigate part of the road. If you can drive such a vehicle please consider volunteering.
August 10 Kachess Ridge, Difficulty 4
Leader: Dave Nunnallee
We will drive on back logging roads to the 5000 foot ridgetop between Lake Kachess and Lake Cle Elum in Kittitas County, where the road ends in an old clearcut. Good trails, but very steep in places, will take us about 1.5 miles into the ridgetop virgin forest and to some scenic, hidden wet meadows. This area is vittually unexplored for butterflies. The habitat looks very good, so we should find some nice surprises while we explore this exciting and scenic new area.
September 7 Mount Townsend, Difficulty 4
Leaders: Jon Pelham and Dave Nunnallee
WBA has previously visited Mount Townsend on the northeast Olympic Peninsula, but this time we intend to hike a significant distance up the main mountain trail. This is a classic alpine Washington butterfly locality, with a number of subspecies that are found only in this area. The trail has been described as “unrelenting” in its climb up the mountain, but the butterflies, wildflowers and scenery should make it worthwhile. This area is just outside of the national park, so nets are permitted.
You’re invited to join a beginners-only group to try your hand at finding butterflies using a field guide and binoculars, practicing the lingo, and learning how to identify butterflies. You’ll visit one of the best butterfly sites in King County, near Fall City for a relaxed learning adventure into the world of butterflies. The only requirement for participants is an interest in discovering what’s out there!
Beginners Only Field Trips
Sunday, July 7 and Saturday August 17
Leader:Shirley Sekarajasingham
The leader is Shirley Sekarajasingham, whose interest in butterflies (and other bugs, plants, reptiles, mammals, etc.) grew out of an active interest in birds. She has been watching butterflies around the world for ten years now. Shirley has returned to live in the Northwest after several years in Southeast Arizona, where she was the founding president of the Southeast Arizona Butterfly Association. There will be two field trips-Sunday, July 7 and Saturday August 17. You are welcome to join either or both trips. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the downtown Redmond Park and Ride, 8178 – 161st Ave. NE. Bring your lunch (the trip will last until about 2 p.m.) binoculars (if you have them), and a butterfly field guide (if you can). Recommended guides are B11tterflies of Cascadia by R. M. Pyle, or Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West by Jeffrey Glassberg.
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