jesscubb's Identifications

Not very many of these were located in the Pack Forest, and many of the ones that I saw had fallen from the wind. They are very distinctive with the peeling bark and the dark red color and the smooth, coffee colored tree under the peeling bark.

Dark back and wings with white spots on the side, underneath each wing is a large red feathered area, white breast. Recognizable long upright dark tail, crow like call recognizable as well.
Habitat description: 30 yr old dense douglas fir stand planted by weyerhaeuser after clear cut, in usual western hemlock-western redcedar vegetation. Patches of deciduous trees, maple, alder, cottonwood. 400ft above sea level south and east facing hill in tolt river watershed where it meets the snoqualmie river. habitat divided into residential forested plots. separated by old logging roads.

I saw this Vole, foraging through leaves on the ground behind a log around mid afternoon. It didn't seem to notice me or get scared when I got close to it. It was very small and greyish brown in color. It had a short tail, and its ears were not immediately discernable.