10 June 2012

I ended this study site’s recordings with 31 MacGillivray’s Warblers. They were very numerous and now back in their regular breeding habitat of Aspen stands with dense undergrowth. The last bird, MM31 was in a mix of willow and aspen stand (see photo below). I also was lucky to take some interesting videos including a MacGillivray’s Warbler male singing (MM30), a Sandhill Crane on the nest with a recently hatched chick, the red-shafted version of our Northern Flicker with the red moustache (we have the yellow-shafted with a black moustache in New Hampshire).

MacGillivray's Warbler habitat

MacGillivray’s Warbler singing (MM30)

Sandhill Crane and Chick

Northern Flicker (red-shafted morph)

Day-list Idaho: Cassia Co., Magic Mountain area, Sawtooth National Forest, 10 June, 2012

Mallard

Turkey Vulture

Cooper’s Hawk

Northern Goshawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Swainson’s Hawk

American Kestrel

Sora

Sandhill Crane

Killdeer

Mourning Dove

Common Nighthawk

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Calliope Hummingbird

Red-naped Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Western Kingbird

Warbling Vireo

Steller’ Jay

American Crow

Tree Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Mountain Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

House Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Mountain Bluebird

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

European Starling

Cedar Waxwing

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

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

Lazuli Bunting

Red-winged Blackbird

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Western Meadowlark

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Blackbird

Cassin’s Finch

Pine Siskin

9 June 2012

I was awakened in the middle of the night by the hooting of a Great Horned Owl. Although it was great to hear and I had not heard one in a few years , I needed the sleep badly for the next day. I was on a record-setting pace to record MacGillivray’s this day but it all came to a sudden halt around 9 am when it began snowing. There was a storm from the Pacific NW that brought rain to the Twin Falls area but snow to the upper elevations where I was working.

Day-list: Idaho: Cassia Co., Magic Mtn., Sawtooth National Forest

Green-wined Teal

Sharp=tailed Grouse

Turkey Vulture

Swainson’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

American Coot

Killdeer

Mourning Dove

Eurasian Collared Dove

Great Horned Owl

Red-naped Sapsucker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Western Wood Pewee

Warbling Vireo

American Crow

Cliff Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Bushtit

Mountain Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

House Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Mountain Bluebird

Swainson’s Thrush

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

European Starling

Yellow Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Green-tailed Towhee

Vesper Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Bullock’s Warbler

Cassin’s Finch

Pine Siskin

8 June 2012

I finished recording birds this morning in Wyoming. Once again they were primarily in the willows along Lander Creek. After recording from this area, I travelled on to Magic Moutnain, Idaho (Sawtooth National Forest) where I had recorded and collected MacGillivray’s Warblers for my thesis work 27 years ago. I encountered some interesting events along the drive. I took some photos of a wind farm in Idaho, west of Pocatello. I also took video of some Sandhill Cranes foraging in the grass near the Gray Lake NWR. Finally, in Twin Falls I took some photos of the Snake River canyon in town.


Wind Farm



Sandhill Cranes video




Snake River canyon



Day-list
Wyoming: Lincoln Co., Smith’s Fork Rd., south of Smoot, Bridger National Forest, 8 June, 2012

Ruffed Grouse
Bald Eagle
Swainson’s Hawk
Spotted Sandpiper
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Red-naped Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Northern Raven
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Mountain Bluebird
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Yellow Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Green-tailed Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Brewer’s Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Cassin’s Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch

7 June 2012

I had an average day recording MacGillivray’s Warblers. They were not present in large numbers. They were also in the willows along the stream that is not their usual habitat – see photo below. I re-visited the Allred Flat campground where I had studied these birds 27 years ago during my thesis research but it was closed for the season for insect spraying.

Willow habitat

American Robin brooding young on a nest

Day-list

Wyoming: Lincoln Co., Ham Fork, Kemmerer and then north to Smith’s Fork Rd. for more sampling (south of Smoot).

Ruffed Grouse

American Wigeon

Mallard

Turkey Vulture

Northern Harrier

Swainson’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

Sandhill Crane

Spotted Sandpiper

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Red-naped Sapsucker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Willow Flycatcher

Western Kingbird

Warbling Vireo

Steller’s Jay

Northern Raven

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow

Black-capped Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

House Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Mountain Bluebird

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Wilson’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Vesper Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Lincoln’s Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Cassin’s Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

6 June 2012

I just arrived at the next study site along the Ham Fork in the Bridger National Forest. This site is just north of Kemmerer, Wyoming. I was able to take some video of Western Grebes in the Lake Niva Reservoir while driving to the study site. This species was once merged together with Clark’s Grebe but have since been separated based on morphological, behavioral and DNA evidence.

I also managed to take video of White-Crowned Sparrows and some strictly western species: Lewis’ Woodpecker and Mountain Bluebird.

Camp site along the Ham Fork

Western Grebe video

Lewis’ Woodpecker video

Mountain Bluebird video

White-crowned Sparrow video

Day-list

Wyoming: Lincoln Co., Ham Fork, Kemmerer, Wyoming.

Canada Goose

Gadwall

Ring-necked Duck

Western Grebe

Sandhill Crane

Killdeer

Spotted Sandpiper

California Gull

Mourning Dove

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Lewis’ Woodpecker

Red-naped Sapsucker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

American Crow

Northern Raven

Cliff Swallow

House Wren

Mountain Bluebird

American Robin

Yellow Warbler

Vesper Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Black-headed Grosbeak

Western Meadowlark

Brewer’s Blackbird

House Sparrow

5 June 2012

I finished up recording birds in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and am staying at the Econolodge in Rock Springs, Wyoming so I can clean up, do some laundry and eat a real meal.

Day-list

Wyoming: Carbon Co., Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest south of Riverside, 5 June 2012

Wild Turkey

Red-tailed Hawk

Swainson’s Hawk

American Kestrel

Mourning Dove

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Red-naped Sapsucker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Warbling Vireo

American Crow

Tree Swallow

Black-capped Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

House Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Mountain Bluebird

Swainson’s Thrush

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

Yellow Warbler

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Green-tailed Towhee

Vesper Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Cassin’s Finch

Pine Siskin

Evening Grosbeak

House Sparrow

Click here to hear MacGillivray's Warbler MB11.

I was also able to take some video of a male Brewer’s Blackbird feeding in the grass.

4 June 2012

I recorded more MacGillivray’s Warblers in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

Day-list

Wyoming: Carbon Co., Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest south of Riverside, 4 June 2012

Turkey Vulture

Red-tailed Hawk

Mourning Dove

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Red-naped Sapsucker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Warbling Vireo

Steller’s Jay

Gray Jay

American Crow

Northern Raven

Tree Swallow

Mountain Chickladee

House Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Mountain Bluebird

Swainson’s Thrush

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

American Redstart

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Green-tailed Towhee

Vesper Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Western Meadowlark

Brewer’s Blackbird

Cassin’s Finch

Pine Siskin

Evening Grosbeak

House Sparrow