This post is prompted by a visit to Eastern Washington yesterday – March 26th. More specifically it is prompted by an early stop on our visit to the Northern Pacific Railroad Ponds in South Cle Elum. This is my go to place for Pygmy Nuthatches. They nest in trees just off the road – easy access and easy parking out of the way of the many large trucks that are often roaring by. I have never missed finding this species there where they are permanent residents. I often hear them chattering as a group before getting a visual and they are very responsive to playback and pishing – coming in to pose for the camera.

Someone responded to seeing that photo with an “Ooh, so cute!” and that led me to think of some the taxonomically close group of small birds also found at the Ponds that might bring that same response. “Railroad Ponds” does not conjure up images of cuteness but the following photos might change that association.

There are two other nuthatch species found in Washington: Red Breasted and White Breasted. The first is very common at the Ponds and the second can sometimes be found there as well. I have found all three species at this location on a single visit. Both have to be included in Washington Cuties.

Closely related to the nuthatches are the chickadees. On one trip to the Ponds, we had the three most common species of Washington Chickadees in the same tree. There is overlap in range and habitat for Chestnut Backed, Mountain and Black Capped Chickadees, so not so hard to find them in the same area but this triple header was a first and only.

If we are talking, cuteness we have to add the other Washington Chickadee species – the Boreal Chickadee that I have only seen in extreme northeastern Washington. If one ever made it to Cle Elum county listers would go crazy.

There are at least two other indisputable cuties to be found at the Railroad Ponds – not including any baby birds which are almost all cute, with some definite exceptions at least to human eyes.

Close to all of the above at least taxonomically are the wrens. With the recent addition of a confirmed Winter Wren, seven species of wren have been found in Washington, of which five have been reported at the Railroad Ponds. When chattering in angry response to a provocation, they may not be so cute, but generally speaking, they are – perhaps “cute with an attitude”. Most common at the Railroad Ponds are Bewick’s, Marsh and House Wrens. Pacific Wrens are somewhat less so and there have been only a couple of reports of Rock Wren. I might rank Canyon Wren at the top of the Wren Cuteness ladder and while all wrens have great songs, I would rank its song on top as well. But not present at the Ponds.

Another species found at the Ponds that is very closely related to all shown here and especially the wrens is the Brown Creeper. I guess it has to be included as pretty cute, but it has always struck me as odd in appearance although very appealing in behavior as it creeps along tree trunks and branches searching for tiny insects to devour. Probably more common than I realize everywhere, it is easy to overlook.

The last of the closely related Washington cuties found at the Ponds are the two species of Kinglets. Their golden and ruby crowns are best seen when the birds are agitated. Definitely more colorful then but another case where at those times they may be “cute with attitude”.

I think I just need a distraction today and writing serves that purpose for me. Did not expect it would be writing about cuteness, but somehow it worked. It also helps that the sun is shining…