Several ACORN WOODPECKERS put on a nice show for us today during our first visit to Dawson Creek in Hillsboro. Other good birds included an out of place SWAINSON's THRUSH, two BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, and a YELLOW WARBLER.  We tallied 24 species over two hours.  

ACORN WOODPECKER:

The target - acorns apparently ready for harvest:

The prize:

An old acorn cache:

A low pwipe call-note just a few feet of the trail alerted us to the presence of the SWAINSON'S THRUSH pictured below. This is the first time we've found this species in this habitat - we often hear their ethereal calls while hiking in mature coniferous forests. But even then, we rarely have an opportunity to actually see or photograph them. If not for the warblers that showed up overhead - I would have stuck to this bird like glue.  I guess the grass is always greener . . . .

We found the SWAINSON'S THRUSH in the trees located on the right side of the image below; and

a closer look at the same area from the opposite direction:

BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER:

With thanks to Adrian Hinkle for generously sharing his well earned knowledge -

the image below is of a YELLOW WARBLER (which I incorrectly identified as an Orange-crowned Warbler):

Interactive map of the location of Dawson Creek (click the arrow for directions):