Cheam Mountain Sept 16

[Gord]

I went up Cheam Mountain today. The weather was perfect today between the clouds of yesterday, a surprise east wind last night and some rain, and the big rain promised for tomorrow. On the FSR near the parking lot a young Northern Goshawk flew by. Too fast to get the camera on it after identifying it. A Cooper's Hawk flew by soon after and a Sharp-shinned Hawk had been noted a few minutes earlier in the drive. Neat to see all three of our Accipiter genus hawks in fairly short order. It was chilly up there to start being just under freezing. Not surprisingly, the rain shower of last night was snow up here.

Spoon Valley looking north
IMG_9444 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Spoon Valley looking east towards Lady Peak
IMG_9446 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Spoon Valley's little stream
IMG_9447 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Mountain Ash berries
IMG_9448 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Spoon Lake
IMG_9449 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr


Birdwise, there was 29 species recorded. A Northern Pygmy-Owl tooting off in the distance just past Spoon Lake. Two Townsend's Solitaires were seen going tree top to tree top about midway up. Up near the top were a flock of at least 40 Horned Larks.
_0216217 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr


I was watching for raptors on migration and did see a few. Two Golden Eagles went over and I managed a record shot of one.
_0216188 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr


There were two bears feeding on the blueberries. This young guy with the big ears was doing well fattening up.
_0216193 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr


Beautiful up there as always! No ptarmigan again sadly. Been years now for me to see one on this mountain.

[dan]

Great Shots of Cheam and Lady peak, I was up there a week before on the 7th and saw the horned larks but could not get close enough to identify them.
good to know what they were. Thank you.

[Gord]

Dan, so glad it was helpful! Their sad-sounding "Wheedle Whee-Wheedle" flight call is helpful also to learn because, as you already experienced, they're not always easy to get a close look at.

[butterfly]

Beautiful shots!

[neal]

Great shots Good... a beautiful area.