Date: 7/2/26 10:44 am From: Jerry Tangren via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] evening grosbeaks in urgent trouble on hwy 20
I haven’t seen this in the discussion, but does WADOT already have a policy statement?
—Jerry Tangren
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> on behalf of Shelf Life Community Story Project via Tweeters <tweeters...>
Sent: Thursday, 02 July 2026 10:26:15
To: David Swinford <dgswinford...>
Cc: Robert O'Brien via Tweeters <tweeters...>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] evening grosbeaks in urgent trouble on hwy 20
My friend at DNR said to flood the phones at the NW Regional WSDOT office. Even if they don’t care about the birds, the people who DO care are causing traffic hazards by swerving, braking suddenly, running along the shoulder. They’re going to end up with a pile up on HWY 20 if they don’t do something. Seems like some robust street cleaners could scrub / rinse the salt from that stretch of road any/or THEY could create some temporary traffic slowing measures.
On Jul 2, 2026, at 9:31 AM, David Swinford via Tweeters <tweeters...> wrote:
A quick solution might require some old fashioned conservation activism. What if local birding clubs, dedicated to conservation and informing the public got a few volunteers together to block the road? Not to stop traffic but to establish something of an information checkpoint to stop drivers briefly and inform them of the natural phenomenon occurring on the road ahead so they are aware and can take appropriate action?
While you have your group of volunteers together, inform the local media, DOT and State Patrol and/or local law enforcement and tell them what you are going to do and why. If it's in the National Park, tell them too. I, in my eternally naive state, believe the agencies would likely support it. I visualize flashing lights on an emergency vehicle ahead of the checkpoint manned by smiling bird club volunteers, appreciative drivers and happy birds, if they experience such things. First responders and the relevant agencies would love the feel good press they would get from supporting efforts to mitigate wildlife slaughter. More durable solutions might also follow.
My quick research found a post on June 23 on a large public Facebook group with 167K members titled KOMO #SoNorthwest Photography. It's a place for Northwest photographers to share their photography. The post featured some beautiful photo's of North Cascades nature but noted the bird carnage on SR20. Someone submitted a short video in response to that post showing mixed flocks of Evening Grosbeaks and Cassin's Finches picking at gravel alongside the road. There was another FB post by Nikita trying to raise awareness on Facebook by posting a photo that was apparently too graphic for Facebook and was blocked! If a photo of bird slaughter was too graphic for Facebook, then maybe some real activism is needed.
.
On Wed, Jul 1, 2026 at 3:56 PM Scott Downes via Tweeters <tweeters...><mailto:<tweeters...>> wrote:
I work for WDFW and regularly work with WSDOT on projects. To get a solution together it’s likely this needs to get to their regional biologist and to the WDFW district biologist to discuss solutions. Both road salt and grit (sand) can be an attractant but also used for road projects for safety. I’ll send those contacts to you tomorrow from my work email.
On Jun 30, 2026, at 7:45 PM, via Tweeters <tweeters...><mailto:<tweeters...>> wrote:
Hi Tweeters,
I drove to the north cascades on Saturday for a hike, and I saw an absolute horror.
Something absolutely horrible is happening right now on the North Cascades highway (SR-20). Definitely hundreds, if not thousands of little birds are getting murdered. Right after the highway starts to climb up after the Diablo reservoir and reaches the sub-alpine areas until it goes back down after the Washington pass, these little birds are attracted to the road for some reason. Flocks of birds are sitting on the median line, rumble strips and sides. There are many birds and they are just getting plowed through by the car drivers. I have never seen something so horrible before. There are dead birds on the road every few feet. Literally. I have also never seen birds being so attracted to the roadway before either. I drove this stretch of the highway at 15mph for an hour and made several other drivers mad (their problem!), and I didn’t hit any birds, but it is just horrible carnage out there regardless. Looking online, I found out the birds are called evening grosbeaks and several people think that most likely birds are on the road because they are attracted to the road salt. If that is true, at least we can do something to save them. Why is WSDOT still using road salt? Who can we complain to ban road salt??? This is unacceptable.
I see many other people reported the same situation online, looks like evening grosbeaks are getting killed by thousands since Hwy opened.
1. I have already messaged WSDOT on their social media, but they didn’t respond.
2. Is the guess even correct, and the birds are attracted to the salt? If so, why I have not seen this problem in years past.
3. Most important: what can we do to help the birds?
