Post by Dave on Aug 25, 2010 20:45:19 GMT -8
Hello Birders. I have returned from a family camping trip with my wife and 2 sons. Great time, and the intinerary was designed around seeing National Parks, some beach time, and arriving in SE Arizona. We saw 275 bird species and I added 58 birds to my ABA life list.
Here is the journal. List will follow.
July 1-3 we had a family reunion near Birch Bay, WA. The ocean had Common Loons, Pelagic Comorants, Caspian Tern. The nearby woods showed our first Swainson’s Thrush, Chesnut-backed Chickadees, Bewick’s Wren, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Western Tanager, and Pileated Woodpecker. Belted Kingfisher was patrolling the water nearby.
July 3-4, we traveled over the Cascades to Yakima WA. A stop at Snowqualmie Pass had breeding Lincoln’s and Fox Sparrows. We stayed at Yakima Sportsman State Park. In the surrounding habitat was Gray Catbird, Downy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Rufous Hummingbirds, Wood Ducks. A stop at Fort Simcoe had breeding Lewis’ Woodpecker. In the sage nearby was Vesper and Lark Sparrows. Along the roads were Western and Eastern Kingbirds, Western Meadowlark and American Kestrel.
July 5 – we travelled from Yakima WA to Sisters Oregon down Hwy 97. The descent to the Columbia river was very scenic and the vast farmland in North Central Oregon was relatively birdless except for a Say’s Phoebe at a rest area. In Sister’s Oregon we stayed at Coldspring Campground where I photographed two Whiteheaded Woodpeckers feeding their young in a dead snag. I also saw a Downy Woodpecker feeding its young and Rednaped and Redbreasted Sapsuckers were present. Pygmy Nuthatch was numerous. Green tailed Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Mountain Chickadee, and a White-breasted Nuthatch were in the Ponderosa Pines and undergrowth. Empids were numerous but the only calls I could clearly identify were Hammonds Flycatcher and Western Wood Peewee.
July 6 – We went to the Klamath Falls area after the day in Crater Lake National Park. Beautiful weather and scenery. No real birding but a Clark’s Nutcracker was hard to miss and there were a number of Black-crowned Night Herons and Great Egrets along the highway. Western Grebes were on Upper Klamath Lake and probably Clark’s Grebe as well, but we never stopped to check them out. We spent the late afternoon in the campground pool.
July 7 – We drove the auto loop at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and then went to Lassen Volcanic National Park. At the refuge, there were plenty of White-faced Ibis, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Cinnamon Teal, some Tri-coloured Blackbirds (among the thousands of Red-winged), even some Sandhill Cranes! Huge place, and just sampled it before moving on. Rather hot and dusty gravel road for a young family! Lassen Volcanic was much cooler, although the mountain pass road was still closed due to snow. We stayed at Manzanita Lake, a very beautiful lake that seemed like it was just down the road from Chilliwack! The birds thought so too, with nesting Bufflehead in good numbers – somewhat rare according to their bird checklist?? – 3 White-headed Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, MacGillvray’s Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, etc.
July 8 – We left early and moved on to Lake Tahoe. We left around 530am (kids sleeping) only to be hit by a deer that seemed to come from nowhere and slammed into the side of the truck. Took out my driver’s side mirror and put some good dents in the two door panels. I will need to get a mirror sometime, but so far they have to order it in and that will mean we will need to stay put in a place for a number of days and be near a decent-size town. Perhaps that will wait for Tuscan or Los Angeles. It still seems to work well to do the few hours of driving early while the kids are zonked, so we might stick too it! I should mention that the deer’s life expired so my son had intimate looks at an animal he had only seen passing glances of before. And this one was sleeping!
July 9 – We drove to Yosemite east and stayed at Trumbull Lake Campground, another B.C.ish looking place. A very generous man (who probably has grandkids) caught a nice Rainbow Trout and let my son reel it in. It was quite the process while Breyden methodically turned and turned until finally the prize was on shore. Another new experience, thanks to a generous man. I birded Mono Lake but did not see any phalaropes. Eared Grebes and California Gulls dominated the lake. In an area of promising looking sage, I followed a rabbit with extremely long ears in the sagebrush and pished away. Up came a Lark Sparrow, a small group of Blue-grey Gnatcatchers (I didn’t know they would be in such a dry area!), a Sage Thrasher flew in, and after many Gray Flycatchers, a SAGE SPARROW posed nicely for a photo. My first lifer of this trip, and neat habitat to see it in too!
July 10-11 – Still in Yosemite, camping on the west side. We have checked out the easier, stroller-friendly sites in the valley and are relaxing in a KOA with a pool. Acorn Woodpeckers obviously nest on the grounds and I can hear their goofy calls while typing this report. 2 were sitting on a branch above the pool while swimming yesterday afternoon. There is a short nature trail from this camping spot and this morning had Hutton’s Vireo, California Towhee, Wild Turkey, Acorn Woodpeckers, and Western-Scrub Jay.
July 12-13 – Sunset State Beach near Monterey. We travelled across the state today which surprisingly took only a few hours. Acorn Woodpeckers dominated the first hour until we reached the interstate. Western Kingbirds then took over! Northern Mockingbird was new for the trip, as was Cattle Egret, Northern Harrier, and Loggerhead Shrike. On the coast, the new habitat meant new birds and Brown Pelican, Surf Socter, Western Gull, Heermann’s Gull, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, and Least Sandpiper were quickly added. Bushtits were in the coastal scrub for species #155 on the trip. We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the 13th – a very kid-friendly place with lots of hands-on displays and activities. Very impressive place, as were the Brandt’s Cormorants and Pigeon Guillemont on the rocks nearby.
July 14 – We drove the Big Sur coast today – beautiful! It is not a long drive, but certainly slow going. We stopped at Julia Phieffer State Park for a walk to the waterfall overlook. Fantastic scenery and Wrentit and Olive-sided Flycatcher were added. The Olive-sided Flycatcher was a shocker as I didn’t expect it to be so coastal and actually dismissed the familiar call as something new that sounded like Olive-sided Flycatcher. Nice vegetation along the trail with lots of Bushtits and California Towhees. We camped a San Simeon State Beach which has a boardwalk near the beach. Green Heron and Ash-throated Flycatcher were new (#164).
July 15 – A short hop to Pismo State Beach today. We stopped a Morro Bay and saw California Thrashers running through the scrub. At Pismo State Beach is (besides the beach) a small pond with willows and a nice trail. Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Anna’s Hummingbird, and Oak Titmouse were all new.
July 16 – We drove for about an hour today to an RV place called Flying Flags in Buellton. We needed laundry facilities, showers, swimming pool, etc. We made good use of all of these, and the Western Bluebirds were a bonus right in the campground! On the way to the campground we saw our first Black Oystercatchers and a nearby park had Band-tailed Pigeon.
July 17-18 – On to Oxnard, California and McGrath State Beach Campground. This place was a real shocker! Shorebird migration was happening, and the beach had an inner lagoon/river estuary that was loaded with birds! Nesting Snowy Plover and California Least Tern, plus migrating Western Sandpipers, Sanderlings, 1 Baird’s Sandpiper, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Dowitchers, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwits, Ruddy Turnstone, Wilson’s Phalarope, Black Oystercatchers, Greater Yellowlegs, Semi-palmated Plovers, Forster’s and Caspian Tern, ELEGANT TERN (Finally! – lifer #2 on the trip) and a supporting cast of Western Gull, Heermann’s Gull, and Ring-billed Gull. Throw in a bunch of pelicans and egrets with some Horned Larks on the beach dunes and you have the ultimate recipe for good birding!
July 19 – We drove to Mt. Pinos in search of Mountain Quail. So far, no quail, but I will check tonight and tomorrow morning. Calliope Hummingbird (#184) are up here though, as are multiple White-headed Woodpeckers, Green-tailed Towhees, Western Bluebirds, and noisy flocks of Mountain Chickadees and Pygmy Nuthatches. A big sparrow caused my to do some head-scratching until I realized it is a subspecies of Fox Sparrow, the Large-billed California Fox Sparrow. Quite skulky, until pishing becomes just too interesting to resist popping up into view. Plenty of House Wrens and Common Raven around. We are camping in the somewhat primitive campground near the peak. The temperature certainly is comfortable!
July 20 - Camped in Banning, California
July 21 - Arrived in Phoenix. Today was a longer day of driving we left at 8:00 and arrived here around 2:30. The kids did great while driving. We stopped for 15 minutes at a rest area and then at a Burger King for lunch (for air conditioning and a kids place). When we pulled in the campground we did the first birding of the day
We got Common Ground Dove, Gambel's Quail and 15 chicks, Northern Cardinal, Cactus Wren, Gilded Flicker (lifer - no picture yet - number 3 of the trip). Tomorrow we hope to do some early birding while in the cool of the day and then do some driving while it starts getting warm. Anyways I have been out of the pool for 15 minutes and am getting a little warm so will join the rest in the pool.
July 23 - We arrived at noon today in Huachuca City to a comfortable 28 degrees. A T-storm just went over as well, so everything got a good washing.
On Wednesday we went to Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park in Phoenix. Lots of stroller trails and cactus everywhere, including the snoopy-like Saguaros. It is not really a place designed for bird-watchers, more designed for plant-lovers, but both were interesting. For birds, 6 life-birds were there for me! The big Brown-crested Flycatchers were all over, Canyon Towhee was present with Abert's Towhee (I hadn't seen an Abert's in 4 or 5 years). Black-throated Sparrow, Broad-billed Hummingbird (lifer), Anna's, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Vermillion Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo, Cactus Wren, Canyon Wren, Phainopepla, Nashville and Yellow Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, Black-headed Grosbeak, Cardinal, Hooded & Bullock's Oriole and some Lesser Goldfinches and common doves, etc.
We spent a few hours and Breyden liked all the trails (he called it a maze). Quinten slept through most and had his bottle under the tree with the Ladder-backed Woodpecker in it.
We then drove down Hwy77 to Rose Canyon in the Catalina Mountains. Fantastic Saguaro Cactus scenery. After a number of stops (one had Yellow-eyed Junco - lifebird), we set up around 5 and I went for a walk and found 2 Olive Warblers! Another lifer and one on the highly wanted list for Southeast Arizona. So it was a great first day in SE Arizona. We camped in Rose Canyon.
This morning I woke up around 6 and went out for 2 hours. Walking randomly down Rose Canyon and to a small lake was productive with 3 lifebirds! Cordilleran Flycatchers were noisy and abundant, as was Yellow-eyed Junco, Pygmy Nuthatch and House Wrens. Small birds in the Ponderosa Pines had me guessing for a while, until the sun peeked over the hills and showed the yellow-throats and bluish backs of Grace's Warblers (lifer). Happy about that I headed up the canyon side trying to locate a drumming woodpecker (there is only 1 more woodpecker in Western North America that I have not seen and it is aptly named "Arizona Woodpecker" - I haven't seen it yet - these were Hairy Woodpeckers) Anyway a bird flew in that I thought was a swift - but it was a Magnificent Hummingbird - they are huge (and magnificent). Lifer #2 on the morning. Down at the lake side, 3 Painted Redstarts showed for another lifebird! I got some photos to share some time. The lake had a few token Mallards to bring me back to earth.
I went back up canyon to my sleeping family. (The night before we didn't get much sleep as it was so hot) We took Breyden out of bed and went for a swim in the pool with all 4 of us - Quinten included - at 9pm). Last night in the mountains was around 20 degrees. Kids were in bed around 730 and Breyden slept til 830 this morning. Quinten woke up around 700 Trichelle said but then zonked out again for another hour.
So around 930 we were packed up and drove to the top of the mountain where there were some hummingbird feeders filled with about a half-dozen Broad-tailed Hummingbirds (lifebird!)
Driving down, my dear wife pointed out a raptor that definitely looked different. It had long black fingers at the ends of the wings like you would expect on an eagle, but was smaller with light patches near the wingtips also. By the time I found a pull-out and was out of the truck, the bird was over the ridge and replaced by a soring Peregrine Falcon. Nice bird, and new for our trip list, but I really wanted the other guy back. Just when I was getting back into the truck, it appeared again calling like some drunk seagull. The bird books were out, and the ipod matched the call to identify it as a Common Black-Hawk. This a fairly uncommon bird for SE Arizona so I was real happy!
We then drove here (Huachuca City) and checked out a few campgrounds before selecting this one. We checked out the one down the road first and it had a Curve-billed Thrasher running around so that was timely (lifer). I should have thanked them before choosing this site at their competition place. The campgrounds here are mostly empty - winter is their peak season, only crazy folks camp here this time of year. This one had beautiful restrooms, laundry, electricity on each site, and a strong internet signal so for $20 a night, we make this our home until at least Monday.
Tom (my 2nd cousin from Michigan) is about an hour's drive away. He has called several times already, but in the mountains yesterday we did not have cell service, so I think he was super happy to finally connect today. I just talked to him and I think he is rather anxious to meet up. He wants to go try for Lucifer Hummingbird tonight - so hopefully around 5pm I will be on my way for another lifer!
The T-storm is past, the rain has stopped, Quinten is sleeping, Breyden is biking (we brought his tricycle along) with Trichelle to the laundry-place right now, and I need to get my birding things ready and the GPS programmed to take us to Lucifer Hummingbird. This has been scheduled as "Hummingbird weekend" in my mind. Stay tuned.
July 23 - Shortly after Tom arrived we went to Ash Canyon B&B for the Lucifer Hummingbird. After dropping into the comfortable patio chair, the first bird I put my binos on was a male Lucifer Hummingbird! How is that for a start to SE Arizona hummingbirds?
July 24 - So my first day down here was about getting a taste of the hummingbirds in the mountains here. Wow! We did incredibly well in a very short time. Last night, it took 30 seconds to get Lucifer Hummingbird. Today, in about 30 minutes I had Blue-throated, White-eared, and Berylline! White-eared is real special and Berylline is the most rare. I have a picture of the rare Berylline getting some nesting material. I feel pretty blessed to have seen so many so quickly. There is one more possibility - Violet-crowned Hummingbird - but I have a better chance at that down near Patagonia where we hope to go sometime later in the week.
7 of these hummingbirds are lifebirds. Absolutely awesome experience to be among so many hummers. Incredible.
July 24 - August 6 Southeast Arizona
Many memories and no journalling from this area. One has to use time on the birds! Lifebirds were numerous. Here they are in order of appearance and I will gladly provide more detail on any of these if desired! Lucifer Hummingbird, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Bridled Titmouse, Mexican Jay, Blue-throated Hummingbird, White-eared Hummingbird, Berylline Hummingbird, Red-faced Warbler, Spotted Owl, Zone-tailed Hawk, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Summer Tanager, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Gray Hawk, Bell's Vireo, Thick-billed Kingbird, Tropical Kingbird, Hepatic Tanager, Chihuahuan Raven, Scaled Quail, Whiskered Screech Owl, Lucy Warbler, Varied Bunting, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Eastern Meadowlark, Botteri's Sparrow, Lesser Nighthawk, Five-striped Sparrow, Least Grebe, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Virginia's Warbler, Bronzed Cowbird, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Arizona Woodpecker and Elegant Trogon. Add another 70 species of birds I have seen before in Southern US and you can imagine an enjoyable 2 weeks!
August 7 - weekend at Grand Canyon with great views as well as Rock Wrens, Juniper Titmouse, etc.
August 9 - Zion National Park as well as California Condor!
August 11 - Arches National Park...views, arches, Black-throated Sparrow, etc.
August 12 - Antelope Island State Park near Salt Lake City had Burrowing Owls, Loggerhead Shrike, shorebirds, Sage Thrashers, etc.
August 14 - Home!
Here is the bird list:
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Western Grebe
Least Grebe
American White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
White-faced Ibis
Canada Goose
Brant
Wood Duck
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Cinnamon Teal
Green-winged Teal
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
California Condor
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Gray Hawk
Common Black-hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Zone-tailed Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Ring-necked Pheasant
Scaled Quail
Gambel's Quail
California Quail
Anerican Coot
Sandhill Crane
Semipalmated Plover
Snowy Plover
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Willet
Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Baird's Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Franklin's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western Gull
Heermann's Gull
Caspian Tern
Elegant Tern
Common Tern
Least Tern
Black Tern
Black Skimmer
Pigeon Guillemot
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Eurasion-collared Dove
Inca Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Whiskered Screech-Owl
Western Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl (heard only)
Barn Owl
Spotted Owl
Northern Pygmy Owl (heard only)
Elf Owl (heard only)
Burrowing Owl
Common Nighthawk
Lesser Nighthawk
Common Poorwill
Elegant Trogon
Belted Kingfisher
Vaux's Swift
White-throated Swift
Broad-billed Hummingbird
White-eared Hummingbird
Berylline Hummingbird
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Blue-throated Hummingbird
Magnificent Hummingbird
Lucifer Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Acorn Woodpecker
Lewis's Woodpecker
Gila Woodpecker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Arizona Woodpecker
White-headed Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Red-breased Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Gilded Flicker
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Buff-breasted Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
Thick-billed Kingbird
Tropical Kingbird
Cassin's Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Bell's Vireo
Hutton's Vireo
Plumbeous Vireo
Cassin's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
Western Scrup-Jay
Mexican Jay
Gray Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chihuahuan Raven
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Purple Martin
Bridled Titmouse
Juniper Titmouse
Oak Titmouse
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Verdin
Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Marsh Wren
House Wren
Winter Wren
Bewick's Wren
Canyon Wren
Rock Wren
Cactus Wren
Wrentit
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Gray Catbird
Sage Thrasher
Curve-billed Thrasher
California Thrasher
American Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
Phainopepla
European Starling
Virginia's Warbler
Lucy's Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Hermit Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Grace's Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Red-faced Warbler
Painted Redstart
Yellow-breasted Chat
Olive Warbler
Western Tanager
Hepatic Tanager
Summer Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Pyrrhuloxia
Blue Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Varied Bunting
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Green-tailed Towhee
Abert's Towhee
California Towhee
Canyon Towhee
Botteri's Sparrow
Rufous-winged Sparrow
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Five-striped Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Yellow-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Hooded Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Western Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Tricoloured Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Bronzed Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
House Finch
Purple Finch
Cassin's Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
And some pictures
Varied Bunting
Five-striped Sparrow
Bridled Titmouse
Cactus Wren
Common Black-hawk
Gray Hawk
Scaled Quail
Western Screech Owl
Whiskered Screech Owls
Elegant Trogon
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Hepatic Tanager (male)
Hepatic Tanager (female)
Lesser Goldfinch
Mexican Jay
Here is the journal. List will follow.
July 1-3 we had a family reunion near Birch Bay, WA. The ocean had Common Loons, Pelagic Comorants, Caspian Tern. The nearby woods showed our first Swainson’s Thrush, Chesnut-backed Chickadees, Bewick’s Wren, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Western Tanager, and Pileated Woodpecker. Belted Kingfisher was patrolling the water nearby.
July 3-4, we traveled over the Cascades to Yakima WA. A stop at Snowqualmie Pass had breeding Lincoln’s and Fox Sparrows. We stayed at Yakima Sportsman State Park. In the surrounding habitat was Gray Catbird, Downy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Rufous Hummingbirds, Wood Ducks. A stop at Fort Simcoe had breeding Lewis’ Woodpecker. In the sage nearby was Vesper and Lark Sparrows. Along the roads were Western and Eastern Kingbirds, Western Meadowlark and American Kestrel.
July 5 – we travelled from Yakima WA to Sisters Oregon down Hwy 97. The descent to the Columbia river was very scenic and the vast farmland in North Central Oregon was relatively birdless except for a Say’s Phoebe at a rest area. In Sister’s Oregon we stayed at Coldspring Campground where I photographed two Whiteheaded Woodpeckers feeding their young in a dead snag. I also saw a Downy Woodpecker feeding its young and Rednaped and Redbreasted Sapsuckers were present. Pygmy Nuthatch was numerous. Green tailed Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Mountain Chickadee, and a White-breasted Nuthatch were in the Ponderosa Pines and undergrowth. Empids were numerous but the only calls I could clearly identify were Hammonds Flycatcher and Western Wood Peewee.
July 6 – We went to the Klamath Falls area after the day in Crater Lake National Park. Beautiful weather and scenery. No real birding but a Clark’s Nutcracker was hard to miss and there were a number of Black-crowned Night Herons and Great Egrets along the highway. Western Grebes were on Upper Klamath Lake and probably Clark’s Grebe as well, but we never stopped to check them out. We spent the late afternoon in the campground pool.
July 7 – We drove the auto loop at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and then went to Lassen Volcanic National Park. At the refuge, there were plenty of White-faced Ibis, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Cinnamon Teal, some Tri-coloured Blackbirds (among the thousands of Red-winged), even some Sandhill Cranes! Huge place, and just sampled it before moving on. Rather hot and dusty gravel road for a young family! Lassen Volcanic was much cooler, although the mountain pass road was still closed due to snow. We stayed at Manzanita Lake, a very beautiful lake that seemed like it was just down the road from Chilliwack! The birds thought so too, with nesting Bufflehead in good numbers – somewhat rare according to their bird checklist?? – 3 White-headed Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, MacGillvray’s Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, etc.
July 8 – We left early and moved on to Lake Tahoe. We left around 530am (kids sleeping) only to be hit by a deer that seemed to come from nowhere and slammed into the side of the truck. Took out my driver’s side mirror and put some good dents in the two door panels. I will need to get a mirror sometime, but so far they have to order it in and that will mean we will need to stay put in a place for a number of days and be near a decent-size town. Perhaps that will wait for Tuscan or Los Angeles. It still seems to work well to do the few hours of driving early while the kids are zonked, so we might stick too it! I should mention that the deer’s life expired so my son had intimate looks at an animal he had only seen passing glances of before. And this one was sleeping!
July 9 – We drove to Yosemite east and stayed at Trumbull Lake Campground, another B.C.ish looking place. A very generous man (who probably has grandkids) caught a nice Rainbow Trout and let my son reel it in. It was quite the process while Breyden methodically turned and turned until finally the prize was on shore. Another new experience, thanks to a generous man. I birded Mono Lake but did not see any phalaropes. Eared Grebes and California Gulls dominated the lake. In an area of promising looking sage, I followed a rabbit with extremely long ears in the sagebrush and pished away. Up came a Lark Sparrow, a small group of Blue-grey Gnatcatchers (I didn’t know they would be in such a dry area!), a Sage Thrasher flew in, and after many Gray Flycatchers, a SAGE SPARROW posed nicely for a photo. My first lifer of this trip, and neat habitat to see it in too!
July 10-11 – Still in Yosemite, camping on the west side. We have checked out the easier, stroller-friendly sites in the valley and are relaxing in a KOA with a pool. Acorn Woodpeckers obviously nest on the grounds and I can hear their goofy calls while typing this report. 2 were sitting on a branch above the pool while swimming yesterday afternoon. There is a short nature trail from this camping spot and this morning had Hutton’s Vireo, California Towhee, Wild Turkey, Acorn Woodpeckers, and Western-Scrub Jay.
July 12-13 – Sunset State Beach near Monterey. We travelled across the state today which surprisingly took only a few hours. Acorn Woodpeckers dominated the first hour until we reached the interstate. Western Kingbirds then took over! Northern Mockingbird was new for the trip, as was Cattle Egret, Northern Harrier, and Loggerhead Shrike. On the coast, the new habitat meant new birds and Brown Pelican, Surf Socter, Western Gull, Heermann’s Gull, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, and Least Sandpiper were quickly added. Bushtits were in the coastal scrub for species #155 on the trip. We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the 13th – a very kid-friendly place with lots of hands-on displays and activities. Very impressive place, as were the Brandt’s Cormorants and Pigeon Guillemont on the rocks nearby.
July 14 – We drove the Big Sur coast today – beautiful! It is not a long drive, but certainly slow going. We stopped at Julia Phieffer State Park for a walk to the waterfall overlook. Fantastic scenery and Wrentit and Olive-sided Flycatcher were added. The Olive-sided Flycatcher was a shocker as I didn’t expect it to be so coastal and actually dismissed the familiar call as something new that sounded like Olive-sided Flycatcher. Nice vegetation along the trail with lots of Bushtits and California Towhees. We camped a San Simeon State Beach which has a boardwalk near the beach. Green Heron and Ash-throated Flycatcher were new (#164).
July 15 – A short hop to Pismo State Beach today. We stopped a Morro Bay and saw California Thrashers running through the scrub. At Pismo State Beach is (besides the beach) a small pond with willows and a nice trail. Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Anna’s Hummingbird, and Oak Titmouse were all new.
July 16 – We drove for about an hour today to an RV place called Flying Flags in Buellton. We needed laundry facilities, showers, swimming pool, etc. We made good use of all of these, and the Western Bluebirds were a bonus right in the campground! On the way to the campground we saw our first Black Oystercatchers and a nearby park had Band-tailed Pigeon.
July 17-18 – On to Oxnard, California and McGrath State Beach Campground. This place was a real shocker! Shorebird migration was happening, and the beach had an inner lagoon/river estuary that was loaded with birds! Nesting Snowy Plover and California Least Tern, plus migrating Western Sandpipers, Sanderlings, 1 Baird’s Sandpiper, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Dowitchers, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwits, Ruddy Turnstone, Wilson’s Phalarope, Black Oystercatchers, Greater Yellowlegs, Semi-palmated Plovers, Forster’s and Caspian Tern, ELEGANT TERN (Finally! – lifer #2 on the trip) and a supporting cast of Western Gull, Heermann’s Gull, and Ring-billed Gull. Throw in a bunch of pelicans and egrets with some Horned Larks on the beach dunes and you have the ultimate recipe for good birding!
July 19 – We drove to Mt. Pinos in search of Mountain Quail. So far, no quail, but I will check tonight and tomorrow morning. Calliope Hummingbird (#184) are up here though, as are multiple White-headed Woodpeckers, Green-tailed Towhees, Western Bluebirds, and noisy flocks of Mountain Chickadees and Pygmy Nuthatches. A big sparrow caused my to do some head-scratching until I realized it is a subspecies of Fox Sparrow, the Large-billed California Fox Sparrow. Quite skulky, until pishing becomes just too interesting to resist popping up into view. Plenty of House Wrens and Common Raven around. We are camping in the somewhat primitive campground near the peak. The temperature certainly is comfortable!
July 20 - Camped in Banning, California
July 21 - Arrived in Phoenix. Today was a longer day of driving we left at 8:00 and arrived here around 2:30. The kids did great while driving. We stopped for 15 minutes at a rest area and then at a Burger King for lunch (for air conditioning and a kids place). When we pulled in the campground we did the first birding of the day
We got Common Ground Dove, Gambel's Quail and 15 chicks, Northern Cardinal, Cactus Wren, Gilded Flicker (lifer - no picture yet - number 3 of the trip). Tomorrow we hope to do some early birding while in the cool of the day and then do some driving while it starts getting warm. Anyways I have been out of the pool for 15 minutes and am getting a little warm so will join the rest in the pool. July 23 - We arrived at noon today in Huachuca City to a comfortable 28 degrees. A T-storm just went over as well, so everything got a good washing.
On Wednesday we went to Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park in Phoenix. Lots of stroller trails and cactus everywhere, including the snoopy-like Saguaros. It is not really a place designed for bird-watchers, more designed for plant-lovers, but both were interesting. For birds, 6 life-birds were there for me! The big Brown-crested Flycatchers were all over, Canyon Towhee was present with Abert's Towhee (I hadn't seen an Abert's in 4 or 5 years). Black-throated Sparrow, Broad-billed Hummingbird (lifer), Anna's, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Vermillion Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo, Cactus Wren, Canyon Wren, Phainopepla, Nashville and Yellow Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, Black-headed Grosbeak, Cardinal, Hooded & Bullock's Oriole and some Lesser Goldfinches and common doves, etc.
We spent a few hours and Breyden liked all the trails (he called it a maze). Quinten slept through most and had his bottle under the tree with the Ladder-backed Woodpecker in it.
We then drove down Hwy77 to Rose Canyon in the Catalina Mountains. Fantastic Saguaro Cactus scenery. After a number of stops (one had Yellow-eyed Junco - lifebird), we set up around 5 and I went for a walk and found 2 Olive Warblers! Another lifer and one on the highly wanted list for Southeast Arizona. So it was a great first day in SE Arizona. We camped in Rose Canyon.
This morning I woke up around 6 and went out for 2 hours. Walking randomly down Rose Canyon and to a small lake was productive with 3 lifebirds! Cordilleran Flycatchers were noisy and abundant, as was Yellow-eyed Junco, Pygmy Nuthatch and House Wrens. Small birds in the Ponderosa Pines had me guessing for a while, until the sun peeked over the hills and showed the yellow-throats and bluish backs of Grace's Warblers (lifer). Happy about that I headed up the canyon side trying to locate a drumming woodpecker (there is only 1 more woodpecker in Western North America that I have not seen and it is aptly named "Arizona Woodpecker" - I haven't seen it yet - these were Hairy Woodpeckers) Anyway a bird flew in that I thought was a swift - but it was a Magnificent Hummingbird - they are huge (and magnificent). Lifer #2 on the morning. Down at the lake side, 3 Painted Redstarts showed for another lifebird! I got some photos to share some time. The lake had a few token Mallards to bring me back to earth.
I went back up canyon to my sleeping family. (The night before we didn't get much sleep as it was so hot) We took Breyden out of bed and went for a swim in the pool with all 4 of us - Quinten included - at 9pm). Last night in the mountains was around 20 degrees. Kids were in bed around 730 and Breyden slept til 830 this morning. Quinten woke up around 700 Trichelle said but then zonked out again for another hour.
So around 930 we were packed up and drove to the top of the mountain where there were some hummingbird feeders filled with about a half-dozen Broad-tailed Hummingbirds (lifebird!)
Driving down, my dear wife pointed out a raptor that definitely looked different. It had long black fingers at the ends of the wings like you would expect on an eagle, but was smaller with light patches near the wingtips also. By the time I found a pull-out and was out of the truck, the bird was over the ridge and replaced by a soring Peregrine Falcon. Nice bird, and new for our trip list, but I really wanted the other guy back. Just when I was getting back into the truck, it appeared again calling like some drunk seagull. The bird books were out, and the ipod matched the call to identify it as a Common Black-Hawk. This a fairly uncommon bird for SE Arizona so I was real happy!
We then drove here (Huachuca City) and checked out a few campgrounds before selecting this one. We checked out the one down the road first and it had a Curve-billed Thrasher running around so that was timely (lifer). I should have thanked them before choosing this site at their competition place. The campgrounds here are mostly empty - winter is their peak season, only crazy folks camp here this time of year. This one had beautiful restrooms, laundry, electricity on each site, and a strong internet signal so for $20 a night, we make this our home until at least Monday.
Tom (my 2nd cousin from Michigan) is about an hour's drive away. He has called several times already, but in the mountains yesterday we did not have cell service, so I think he was super happy to finally connect today. I just talked to him and I think he is rather anxious to meet up. He wants to go try for Lucifer Hummingbird tonight - so hopefully around 5pm I will be on my way for another lifer!
The T-storm is past, the rain has stopped, Quinten is sleeping, Breyden is biking (we brought his tricycle along) with Trichelle to the laundry-place right now, and I need to get my birding things ready and the GPS programmed to take us to Lucifer Hummingbird. This has been scheduled as "Hummingbird weekend" in my mind. Stay tuned.
July 23 - Shortly after Tom arrived we went to Ash Canyon B&B for the Lucifer Hummingbird. After dropping into the comfortable patio chair, the first bird I put my binos on was a male Lucifer Hummingbird! How is that for a start to SE Arizona hummingbirds?
July 24 - So my first day down here was about getting a taste of the hummingbirds in the mountains here. Wow! We did incredibly well in a very short time. Last night, it took 30 seconds to get Lucifer Hummingbird. Today, in about 30 minutes I had Blue-throated, White-eared, and Berylline! White-eared is real special and Berylline is the most rare. I have a picture of the rare Berylline getting some nesting material. I feel pretty blessed to have seen so many so quickly. There is one more possibility - Violet-crowned Hummingbird - but I have a better chance at that down near Patagonia where we hope to go sometime later in the week.
7 of these hummingbirds are lifebirds. Absolutely awesome experience to be among so many hummers. Incredible.
July 24 - August 6 Southeast Arizona
Many memories and no journalling from this area. One has to use time on the birds! Lifebirds were numerous. Here they are in order of appearance and I will gladly provide more detail on any of these if desired! Lucifer Hummingbird, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Bridled Titmouse, Mexican Jay, Blue-throated Hummingbird, White-eared Hummingbird, Berylline Hummingbird, Red-faced Warbler, Spotted Owl, Zone-tailed Hawk, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Summer Tanager, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Gray Hawk, Bell's Vireo, Thick-billed Kingbird, Tropical Kingbird, Hepatic Tanager, Chihuahuan Raven, Scaled Quail, Whiskered Screech Owl, Lucy Warbler, Varied Bunting, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Eastern Meadowlark, Botteri's Sparrow, Lesser Nighthawk, Five-striped Sparrow, Least Grebe, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Virginia's Warbler, Bronzed Cowbird, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Arizona Woodpecker and Elegant Trogon. Add another 70 species of birds I have seen before in Southern US and you can imagine an enjoyable 2 weeks!
August 7 - weekend at Grand Canyon with great views as well as Rock Wrens, Juniper Titmouse, etc.
August 9 - Zion National Park as well as California Condor!
August 11 - Arches National Park...views, arches, Black-throated Sparrow, etc.
August 12 - Antelope Island State Park near Salt Lake City had Burrowing Owls, Loggerhead Shrike, shorebirds, Sage Thrashers, etc.
August 14 - Home!
Here is the bird list:
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Western Grebe
Least Grebe
American White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
White-faced Ibis
Canada Goose
Brant
Wood Duck
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Cinnamon Teal
Green-winged Teal
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
California Condor
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Gray Hawk
Common Black-hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Zone-tailed Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Ring-necked Pheasant
Scaled Quail
Gambel's Quail
California Quail
Anerican Coot
Sandhill Crane
Semipalmated Plover
Snowy Plover
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Willet
Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Baird's Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Franklin's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Western Gull
Heermann's Gull
Caspian Tern
Elegant Tern
Common Tern
Least Tern
Black Tern
Black Skimmer
Pigeon Guillemot
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Eurasion-collared Dove
Inca Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Whiskered Screech-Owl
Western Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl (heard only)
Barn Owl
Spotted Owl
Northern Pygmy Owl (heard only)
Elf Owl (heard only)
Burrowing Owl
Common Nighthawk
Lesser Nighthawk
Common Poorwill
Elegant Trogon
Belted Kingfisher
Vaux's Swift
White-throated Swift
Broad-billed Hummingbird
White-eared Hummingbird
Berylline Hummingbird
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Blue-throated Hummingbird
Magnificent Hummingbird
Lucifer Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Acorn Woodpecker
Lewis's Woodpecker
Gila Woodpecker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Arizona Woodpecker
White-headed Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Red-breased Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Gilded Flicker
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Buff-breasted Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
Thick-billed Kingbird
Tropical Kingbird
Cassin's Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Bell's Vireo
Hutton's Vireo
Plumbeous Vireo
Cassin's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
Western Scrup-Jay
Mexican Jay
Gray Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chihuahuan Raven
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Purple Martin
Bridled Titmouse
Juniper Titmouse
Oak Titmouse
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Verdin
Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Marsh Wren
House Wren
Winter Wren
Bewick's Wren
Canyon Wren
Rock Wren
Cactus Wren
Wrentit
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Gray Catbird
Sage Thrasher
Curve-billed Thrasher
California Thrasher
American Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
Phainopepla
European Starling
Virginia's Warbler
Lucy's Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Hermit Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Grace's Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Red-faced Warbler
Painted Redstart
Yellow-breasted Chat
Olive Warbler
Western Tanager
Hepatic Tanager
Summer Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Pyrrhuloxia
Blue Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Varied Bunting
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Green-tailed Towhee
Abert's Towhee
California Towhee
Canyon Towhee
Botteri's Sparrow
Rufous-winged Sparrow
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Five-striped Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Yellow-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Hooded Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Western Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Tricoloured Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Bronzed Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
House Finch
Purple Finch
Cassin's Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
And some pictures
Varied Bunting
Five-striped Sparrow
Bridled Titmouse
Cactus Wren
Common Black-hawk
Gray Hawk
Scaled Quail
Western Screech Owl
Whiskered Screech Owls
Elegant Trogon
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Hepatic Tanager (male)
Hepatic Tanager (female)
Lesser Goldfinch
Mexican Jay
. I actually did not count it up completely, but knew I was over 250. I will take your word on the 287. 
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