I recorded 7 more males for a total of 15 for Happy Camp. It was also a travel day to Klamath Falls and a time to decompress in a hotel for the night.
I also managed to get some video of a Western Tanager, one of my 3 target species along with Bullock’s Oriole and the Black-headed Grosbeak.
Western Tanager male
Day-list California: Siskiyou Co., Happy Camp
California Quail
Mourning Dove
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Steller’s Jay
Northern Raven
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Warbling Vireo
Nashville Warbler
Hermit Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
17 June 2012
It was difficult to find MacGillivray’s Warblers in the Siskiyou Mountains near Happy Camp. It is dense pine-juniper forest that does not provide a lot of good breeding habitat. I had to hunt through clearings from clear-cuts and or riparian habitat within this coniferous forest.
One of the highlights was a change from Red-naped Sapsucker to the Red-breasted Sapsucker and a new addition of the Hermit Warbler.
There is also some interesting folklore associated with this area. First is the presence of Sasquatch. The famous video was taken near Happy Camp and the Fort Klamath River. This (hoax) sighting has lured serious (?) investigators who think they now may have DNA evidence. (Summary) Can you believe it?
The second controversy is more serious. It concerns debate about converting some of this area into a National Monument which could restrict land use (mining, logging, etc.) in the area. Look at the photos below and see if you can determine which side these people have taken. This is California's version of our Northern Pass issue in NH.
Sasquatch sculpture
National Monument Controversy (Pro versus Con).
Camp site at Poker Flat
Day-list: California: Siskiyou Co., Happy Camp
California Quail
Mourning Dove
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Warbling Vireo
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Hermit Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warb;er
Wilson’s Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Daek-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
One of the highlights was a change from Red-naped Sapsucker to the Red-breasted Sapsucker and a new addition of the Hermit Warbler.
There is also some interesting folklore associated with this area. First is the presence of Sasquatch. The famous video was taken near Happy Camp and the Fort Klamath River. This (hoax) sighting has lured serious (?) investigators who think they now may have DNA evidence. (Summary) Can you believe it?
The second controversy is more serious. It concerns debate about converting some of this area into a National Monument which could restrict land use (mining, logging, etc.) in the area. Look at the photos below and see if you can determine which side these people have taken. This is California's version of our Northern Pass issue in NH.
Sasquatch sculpture
National Monument Controversy (Pro versus Con).
Camp site at Poker Flat
Day-list: California: Siskiyou Co., Happy Camp
California Quail
Mourning Dove
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Warbling Vireo
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Hermit Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warb;er
Wilson’s Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Daek-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
16 June 2012
I finished recording birds just north of Fort Bidwell. The prize sighting of the day there was a Golden Eagle. I went back to the Modoc NWR in Alturas and found a special life bird for me, the Tricolored Blackbird. I missed this species on several other visits to California.
After finishing up in NE California, I headed to Happy Camp in the Siskiyou Mountains to the west. I arrived late around 9:30. As soon as I was about to camp for the night I head a bear in the woods and had to find another campsite about 3 miles down the road. It was well worth it.
I have birds list for Fort Bidwell and a return trip to the Modoc NWR.
Photo of Alkali Lake from Fort Bidwell
Modo NWR
Video of Cinnamon Teal male
Video of Cinnamon Teal female
Day-list: California: Modoc Co., Fort Bidwell area
Turkey Vulture
Golden Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
California Quiail
Rock pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Western Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Steller’s Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Northern Raven
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Warbling Vireo
Yellow-rumped Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Green-tailed Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Day-list: Modoc Co., Modoc NWR, Alturas
American White Pelican
Great Egret
Canada Goose
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Redhead
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
California Quail
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
Avocet
Spotted Sandpiper
Wilson’s Phalarope
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
Northern Flicker
Western Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Northern Raven
House Wren
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Tricolored Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer’s Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock’s Oriole
House Finch
House Sparrow
After finishing up in NE California, I headed to Happy Camp in the Siskiyou Mountains to the west. I arrived late around 9:30. As soon as I was about to camp for the night I head a bear in the woods and had to find another campsite about 3 miles down the road. It was well worth it.
I have birds list for Fort Bidwell and a return trip to the Modoc NWR.
Photo of Alkali Lake from Fort Bidwell
Modo NWR
Video of Cinnamon Teal male
Video of Cinnamon Teal female
Tricolored Blackbird
Day-list: California: Modoc Co., Fort Bidwell area
Turkey Vulture
Golden Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
California Quiail
Rock pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Western Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Steller’s Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Northern Raven
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Warbling Vireo
Yellow-rumped Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Green-tailed Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Day-list: Modoc Co., Modoc NWR, Alturas
American White Pelican
Great Egret
Canada Goose
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Redhead
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
California Quail
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
Avocet
Spotted Sandpiper
Wilson’s Phalarope
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
Northern Flicker
Western Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Northern Raven
House Wren
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Tricolored Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer’s Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock’s Oriole
House Finch
House Sparrow
15 June 2012
Although I was taking a day off, I decided to try and record some birds around 5 am before the highway traffic near Alturas began to pick up. I had no luck until I hit the ski area road to the Cedar Pass ski resort. It made Pat’s Peak look gi-normous. I recorded several birds there and moved on to Fort Bidwell about 25 miles north of Cedarville.
Day-list: California: Modoc Co., Cedarville area
Turkey Vulture
Swainson’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
California Quail
Sandhill Crane
Spotted Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-naped Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Western Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Steller’s Jay
Western Scrub Jay
American Crow
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Warbling Vireo
Yellow-rumped Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Green-tailed Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Dark—eyed Junco
Brewer’s Blackbird
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Day-list: California: Modoc Co., Cedarville area
Turkey Vulture
Swainson’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
California Quail
Sandhill Crane
Spotted Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-naped Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Western Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Steller’s Jay
Western Scrub Jay
American Crow
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Warbling Vireo
Yellow-rumped Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Green-tailed Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Dark—eyed Junco
Brewer’s Blackbird
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Thursday, June 14, 2012
14 June 2012
I am ahead of schedule and tired so I took the day off and just went birding at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge near Alturas, California. It was a festival of waterfowl but many other western species were there also. I have several videos of some of these birds below. All of these birds frequent wetlands and marshes during one or more times of the year. Preserving wildlife refuges is critical to their survival. There was also a female Mule Deer with 2 fawns in the marsh.
Black-necked Stilt
Lesser Scaup
Marsh Wren
Tree Swallow near nest box
Sooty Grouse
Mule Deer female with fawns
Day-list: California: Modoc Co., Modoc NWR, Alturas
Black-crowned Night Heron
Canada Goose
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Redhead
Lesser Scaup
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
Wilson’s Phalarope
Franklin’s Gull
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
Western Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-billed Magpie
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Common Yellowthroat
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock’s Oriole
13 June 2012
I left Jarbidge on 12 June for my next study site in the Santa Rosa Mountains. I had a very good day recording 24 MacGillivray’s Warblers. A highlight for this study area was my first sighting of Chukars (see video below). The Chukar was introduced for hunting.
View of Paradise Valley from atop the Santa Rosa Mountains
Chukar video
Day-list: Nevada: Humboldt Co., Paradise Valley (Santa Rosa Mountains)
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
Prairie Falcon
Mourning Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Common Nighthawk
Red-naped Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Western Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Northern Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Mountain Bluebird
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock’s Oriole
House Finch
Pine Siskin
Day-list: Nevada: Winnemuca Co., Sheldon NWR – Dufurrena Ponds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Redhead
Ruddy Duck
Black-crowned Night Heron
Northern Harrier
American Coot
American Avocet
Willet
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
12 June 2012
I arrived at my next study in Jarbidge, Nevada in the Humboldt Mountains. The town of Jarbidge is in a gulch at the base of the mountains. It was a thriving mining community at one time and the place of the last stagecoach robbery in 1916 (see below). I included a typical breeding habitat photo below where I found males singing to proclaim territory ownership. I was fortunate to finally take some video of male Cassin’s Finch while camping on the night of 11 June. There were several meadows and one large lake at the base of the mountains on the Charleston Rd. where I found the waterfowl and took some video of female and male Wilson’s Phalaropes.
Jarbidge History
Jarbidge study site
Jarbidge habitat of MacGillivray’s Warblers
Cassin’s Finch male video
Wilson’s Phalarope female video
Wilson’s Phalarope male video
Day-list Nevada: Elko Co., Jarbidge
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
Prairie Falcon
American Coot
Killdeer
Wilson’s Phalarope
Mourning Dove
Red-naped Sapsucker
Warbling Vireo
Northern Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Mountain Bluebird
American Robin
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Green-tailed Towhee
Vesper Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Lazuli Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer’s Blackbird
Bullock’s Oriole
Cassins’ Finch
Pine Siskin
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