Clark's Nutcrackers

A couple of days ago when we were at Crater Lake, in addition to the awesome view, we were treated to the sounds and sights of Clark’s Nutcrackers. It instantly took Jeanette and I both back to a backpacking trip in the high Cascades to Camp Lake in the Three Sisters Wilderness.  Clark’s Nutcrackers are very raucous birds that you can’t help but notice. During the day we would watch them pry open pine cones for the pine nuts, storing them in their throat poach until their cheeks were bulging. Then at twilight each evening they would gather into huge flocks and fly to lower elevations to store their nuts for the winter. It’s been some time since we had that experience, in fact 14 years this September, but the unique sights and sounds are still fresh in or memories.