Wildflower Bloom in Mount Adams Country: Bird Creek Meadows

Round the Mountain Trail #9 from the South Climb Trail to Bird Creek Meadows and up to the Overlook to Hell Roaring Valley

A view to the head of Hell Roaring Valley and Mt. Adams from the Hell Roaring Overlook.......October 13, 2006.

The photo at right shows fall color in Bird Creek Meadows, Mt. Adams.........October 13, 2006.

Wildflowers in Bloom along the Round the Mt. Trail #9 and at Bird Creek Meadows:

* Indicates the wildflower is in bloom.

1. White Bark Pine: Pinus albicaulis - Quite a few mature trees can still be seen above 6000' at the western edge of Bird Creek Meadows.

2. Mt. Hemlock: Tsuga mertensiana -

* 4. Merten's Rush: Juncus mertensianus -

* 5. Subalpine Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. subalpinus - Surprisingly, quite a few plants of this species trying to rebloom at 7000'.

*6. Low Mt. Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii - A couple of plants still in bloom.

*7. Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus var. flexuosus - Several plants seen still in bloom.

* 8. Martindale's Desert Parsley: Lomatium martindalei - A couple of plants still in bloom along Trail #9.

9. Dwarf Bilberry: Vaccinium caespitosum - The tasty berries are ripe and the leaves have turned a brilliant red color!

*10. Mt. Bog Gentian: Gentiana calycosa var. calycosa - The most common wildflower in bloom at this time. Found mainly in meadows near Trail #9.

* 11. Magenta Paintbrush: Castilleja parviflora var. oreopola - A couple of plants still trying to bloom near 6500'.

*12. Cascade Aster: Eucephalus ledophyllus var. ledophyllus (formerly Aster ledophyllus) -

*13. Arrow-leaf Groundsel: Senecio triangularis - A number of plants still in bloom in streams in the Bird Creek Meadows area.

Animals Seen

Large owl? (no horns?)

Red-tailed Hawks

Goshawk

several Cooper's Hawks

Blue Grouse - one male seen

Crossbills ? - A flock seen at distance plucking seeds from fir cones.

Mountain Chickadee - several

Dark-eyed Junco- numerous

Red-breasted Nuthatches - several

Yellow-rumped Warbler -several

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - numerous

Camp Robber / Gray Jay- several

Clark's Nutcracker- a few seen at this altitude

Northern Flicker

Least Chipmunks: Tamias minimus ? - several

California Tortoiseshell - One seen making a beeline south before the next day's snowfall hits.

Small orangish-brown butterfly, about the size of a crescent, also flying south with no stopping.

White Butterfly - Unknown species investigating the few flowers in bloom.

Brilliant dwarf huckleberry leaves along the Round the Mt. Trail #9 in Bird Creek Meadows..................October 13, 2006.

Paul Slichter