Post by Gord on Oct 1, 2006 21:31:15 GMT -8
Went up at the last second Saturday morning. Unfortunately I didnt have much time, which was unfortunante for my legs and for birding potential.
On the way up with the window down I noticed a lack of little birds beyond some kinglets, chickadees and varied thrushes. Last time it was hopping with migrants!
On the trail before Spoon Valley ran into probably the same juv sharp-shinned hawk blasting around, this time after some sparrows; a mixed flock of juncos, white-crowned sparrows and Lincoln's sparrow.
In Spoon Valley I heard a golden eagle yelping and saw it (a juv) cruising the ridge. Amazing how the white in the tail and wings stands out. This would be one of two.
Things were pretty dead. At the 'landing' between Cheam and Lady a pair of blue grouse sat on the trail. I cant figure these things out. Some (most) of the time, they are all spooky and/or jump up from the edge of the trail at your feet with a loud flurry of wings leaving you scrambing around comically grasping for breath, your bear spray (if you're lucky enough to get it out, it's usually up-side-down at best) and dignity. Or, they just stand there not much more wild than an average ptarmigan.
A picture of the hen.
A little ways up the trail on my way to Cheam while looking at a mountain chickadee, a large flock of birds (about 40-50 birds) flew over my head and landed about 200 yds down the hill on trees and on the blueberries. They were bohemian waxwings! I have to be honest, but I wasnt expecting to see them. They were there for a minute, but flew off and circled around a little bit before flying out of sight to the east. Neat sounds they make. They sort of have a cedar waxwing quality to it, but really chattery and not clear and whistled like the cedar waxwings.
Up on top, there were a couple small flock of horned larks sneaking around. Also a huge flock of grey-crowned rosy-finches went over and landed on the ridge to the east. I estimated the flock to be around 150-175 birds strong!
Those were the highlights. No ptarmigan again.
Here's what I saw on the trip:
Northern harrier 2 (both juv)
Sharp-shinned hawk 3
Cooper's hawk 1
Red-tailed hawk 1
Golden eagle 2 (both juv)
Bald eagle 1 (juv as well)
Merlin 2
Blue (sooty) grouse 4
Band-tailed pigeon flock of 35-40
Northern flicker 1
Steller's jay 2
Common raven 1
Horned lark 12-15
Chestnut-backed chickadee 5
Mountain chickadee 1
Ruby-crowned kinglet 3
Golden-crowned kinglet 10
American robin 15
Varied Thrush 25
American pipit 8
Bohemian waxwing 40-50
Yellow-rumped warbler 1
Lincoln's sparrow 1
White-crowned sparrow 3
Dark-eyed junco 20
Grey-crowned rosy-finch 150-175
Purple finch 2 (juv or female)
Pine sisken 30
Fall colours are just unreal right now.
Pictures of one of the harrier juveniles.
On the way up with the window down I noticed a lack of little birds beyond some kinglets, chickadees and varied thrushes. Last time it was hopping with migrants!
On the trail before Spoon Valley ran into probably the same juv sharp-shinned hawk blasting around, this time after some sparrows; a mixed flock of juncos, white-crowned sparrows and Lincoln's sparrow.
In Spoon Valley I heard a golden eagle yelping and saw it (a juv) cruising the ridge. Amazing how the white in the tail and wings stands out. This would be one of two.
Things were pretty dead. At the 'landing' between Cheam and Lady a pair of blue grouse sat on the trail. I cant figure these things out. Some (most) of the time, they are all spooky and/or jump up from the edge of the trail at your feet with a loud flurry of wings leaving you scrambing around comically grasping for breath, your bear spray (if you're lucky enough to get it out, it's usually up-side-down at best) and dignity. Or, they just stand there not much more wild than an average ptarmigan.
A picture of the hen.
A little ways up the trail on my way to Cheam while looking at a mountain chickadee, a large flock of birds (about 40-50 birds) flew over my head and landed about 200 yds down the hill on trees and on the blueberries. They were bohemian waxwings! I have to be honest, but I wasnt expecting to see them. They were there for a minute, but flew off and circled around a little bit before flying out of sight to the east. Neat sounds they make. They sort of have a cedar waxwing quality to it, but really chattery and not clear and whistled like the cedar waxwings.
Up on top, there were a couple small flock of horned larks sneaking around. Also a huge flock of grey-crowned rosy-finches went over and landed on the ridge to the east. I estimated the flock to be around 150-175 birds strong!
Those were the highlights. No ptarmigan again.
Here's what I saw on the trip:Northern harrier 2 (both juv)
Sharp-shinned hawk 3
Cooper's hawk 1
Red-tailed hawk 1
Golden eagle 2 (both juv)
Bald eagle 1 (juv as well)
Merlin 2
Blue (sooty) grouse 4
Band-tailed pigeon flock of 35-40
Northern flicker 1
Steller's jay 2
Common raven 1
Horned lark 12-15
Chestnut-backed chickadee 5
Mountain chickadee 1
Ruby-crowned kinglet 3
Golden-crowned kinglet 10
American robin 15
Varied Thrush 25
American pipit 8
Bohemian waxwing 40-50
Yellow-rumped warbler 1
Lincoln's sparrow 1
White-crowned sparrow 3
Dark-eyed junco 20
Grey-crowned rosy-finch 150-175
Purple finch 2 (juv or female)
Pine sisken 30
Fall colours are just unreal right now.
Pictures of one of the harrier juveniles.
. You still have quite a nice list for this time of year.