Eventually, the bird was captured and banded by Scott Weidensaul. Here is Babe holding it right before its release and the bird resting in the palm of her hand seconds before it flew off.
Wednesday, November 13, 2002
Rufous Hummingbird in Bucks County ~ November 12, 2002
My long-time birding friend, Babe Webster, discovered a Rufous Hummingbird visiting her feeder. I managed to get these poor photos of it on a very dark, rainy day.
Rufous Hummingbird near Plumsteadville, Bucks County. Note the rufous on the back and the tail.
Eventually, the bird was captured and banded by Scott Weidensaul. Here is Babe holding it right before its release and the bird resting in the palm of her hand seconds before it flew off.
Eventually, the bird was captured and banded by Scott Weidensaul. Here is Babe holding it right before its release and the bird resting in the palm of her hand seconds before it flew off.
Tuesday, August 6, 2002
1996 Sharp-tailed Sparrow Record in PA Determined to be Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow! ~ August 5, 2002
Back in mid-November of 1996, Brian and Tiffany Hardiman found a Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Lake Minsi, Northampton County. The next day, the bird was refound and netted and photographs were taken by Rick Wiltraut and Jason Horn. My November 12, 1996 entry documents the original sighting.
However, it wasn’t too long after the bird’s discovery that the Sharp-tailed Sparrow had been officially split into two distinct species, the Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow and the Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow; and there was a limited amount of information available describing how to separate these two similar-looking species.
An article in the April 2001 edition of ABA's "Birding" magazine titled "Song of the Sharp-tail" helped point out most of the differences between the two, but the photos of the Lake Minsi bird showed some characteristics of both.
Here in PA, Nelson’s Sharp-taileds are found annually in very small numbers, usually on the grassy islands found in the lower Susquehanna River during the month of October. They breed in the north-central U.S. and Canada and their migration path sometimes sends them through PA. The Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed, on the other hand, is strictly a coastal bird, very rarely straying inland. Mainly because the Nelson’s was the most likely of the two to be found in PA, it was generally agreed that the bird was probably a Nelson’s. One of the photos was sent to the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee (PORC), which eventually determined that Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed could not definitely be ruled out. It turned out that the committee’s hesitance to initially accept the record as a Nelson’s was the correct determination after all.
A few years later, Rick Wiltraut was looking at a specimen of a Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow and a photo of the Lake Minsi bird. Something didn't look right to him, especially the bill shape and the streaking on the back. He began to wonder if the Lake Minsi bird might actually be a Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow. He called several people about his concerns, including me.
Since only one PA record of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow existed, I decided to try and get some expert opinions by using a computer list service called “ID Frontiers” that deals solely with bird identification challenges. I scanned all of the available photos into my computer and sent them out with all of the other details that I recalled about the sighting. The very next day, I got a response from Jim Rising, the author of the guide, “The Sparrows of the United States and Canada”. He wrote:
“If those pictures were taken along the coast, I don't think that we would hesitate to call the bird a Saltmarsh----and I am pretty confident that that is what it is. The bill does look OK to me to be Saltmarsh, although a bit small. Why don't you send the photos to Jon Greenlaw. He knows these birds better than I, especially the coastal ones. I'd be really curious to hear what he thinks, and what others think as well. Please do keep me posted. There is one specimen of a Saltmarsh from western PA, identified by Kenneth Parkes, in the Carnegie Museum, I think. I don't know of any other inland records. Let me know if you know of some. Thanks for sending these, and keep me posted about your decision, if you will.”
I quickly got a response from Jon Greenlaw of the Archbold Biological Station in Venus, Florida, stating:
“There is little doubt that your bird is a bona fide Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow. It is indeed unusual for this species to appear inland away from the coast. In this case, easternmost Pennsylvania near the New Jersey border is not very far from the New Jersey and Delaware Bay coasts. Your photo documentation of Saltmarsh STSP should be archived somewhere for future reference. The usual course is to submit your observations as a report to your state bird records committee and let them verify identification for purposes of converting your report to a state record.”
He continued by writing:
“All visible plumage and morphological (bill) characters in the photos fall within range of variation of Saltmarsh STSP. The combination of strong contrastiness between orange ochre malars and buffy breast, and strongly developed, relatively discrete streaking across the breast and down the sides and flanks confirm the ID. The dull (versus bright white) scapular streaks help to discount 'n. nelsoni.' The bill length is on the short side, as Jim Rising pointed out, but seems to fall within the range of variation found in Saltmarsh STSP.”
He also made some very interesting comments on some of the questions I had asked him:
(1) Yes, nominate Nelson's STSP can be boldly marked below, but it is distinguished by other features, notably strongly-patterned dorsum, little malar-breast contrast, and a small bill.
(2) The head profile (rounded versus flattened) has been oversold as a
character. The position of crown feathers is subject to the bird's
motivational state. There may be an "average" appearance, but that
is not helpful for critical ID's of individuals.
(3) Throat whiteness is variable in both species and most subspecies.
There often is a wash of buffy on the throat of Saltmarsh STs, but in
other cases, the throat can be quite white.
(4) Contrast between breast color and the white abdomen is not useful; it
depends much on wear. The buffy color on the breast is bright in
fresh-plumaged birds, but very dull and pale in worn birds. Your bird
is a fresh-plumaged bird, so you should expect some contrast.
(5) The dark markings around the eye is individual variation; no species-
specific significance.
(6) Discreteness of dark streaking on underparts also will depend to some extent on wear. In fresh-plumaged STs, streaks in Saltmarsh STs typically appear blurred along the edges; this is caused by some pale barb tips. Later, as feathers age and barb tips disappear, the streaks "harden", or become more strongly discrete.
(7) Grayish sides of the neck not species-specific in Saltmarsh STs.
Applying this great information to the photos made things a lot clearer.
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Lake Minsi, Northampton County. Note the unstreaked gray nape, which helps separate this species from Le Conte's Sparrow. Also note the dark face patch bordered by an orange triangle and the white streaks on the back. The dark streaking on the flanks and the dull white streaks on the back are characteristics of Saltmarsh.
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Lake Minsi, Northampton County. Note the dark streaking on the flanks and breast, and the orange malar stripe, which contrasts with the lighter breast. Both of these are characteristics of a Saltmarsh.
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Lake Minsi, Northampton County. Again, note the dark streaking on the flanks and breast, and the orange malar stripe, which contrasts with the lighter breast. Both of these are characteristics of a Saltmarsh.
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Lake Minsi, Northampton County. Note the fairly long bill in addition to the previously mentioned dark streaking on the flanks and breast, and the orange malar stripe, which contrasts with the lighter breast. All of these are characteristics of a Saltmarsh.
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Lake Minsi, Northampton County. Again, note the dark streaking on the flanks and breast, and the orange malar stripe, which contrasts with the more buffy breast. These are characteristics of a Saltmarsh.
Over the next few weeks, I received several other responses from ‘top-notch’ birders who also verified that the bird was indeed a Saltmarsh. So, thanks to Rick’s inquisitiveness and the photographic documentation, a previously questionable record became a 3rd Pennsylvania state record and one of the few inland records for the entire East Coast! Obviously, this was a new state and county bird for me. A special thanks goes out to Jim Rising and Jon Greenlaw, whose expertise confirmed this rare record.
However, it wasn’t too long after the bird’s discovery that the Sharp-tailed Sparrow had been officially split into two distinct species, the Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow and the Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow; and there was a limited amount of information available describing how to separate these two similar-looking species.
An article in the April 2001 edition of ABA's "Birding" magazine titled "Song of the Sharp-tail" helped point out most of the differences between the two, but the photos of the Lake Minsi bird showed some characteristics of both.
Here in PA, Nelson’s Sharp-taileds are found annually in very small numbers, usually on the grassy islands found in the lower Susquehanna River during the month of October. They breed in the north-central U.S. and Canada and their migration path sometimes sends them through PA. The Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed, on the other hand, is strictly a coastal bird, very rarely straying inland. Mainly because the Nelson’s was the most likely of the two to be found in PA, it was generally agreed that the bird was probably a Nelson’s. One of the photos was sent to the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee (PORC), which eventually determined that Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed could not definitely be ruled out. It turned out that the committee’s hesitance to initially accept the record as a Nelson’s was the correct determination after all.
A few years later, Rick Wiltraut was looking at a specimen of a Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow and a photo of the Lake Minsi bird. Something didn't look right to him, especially the bill shape and the streaking on the back. He began to wonder if the Lake Minsi bird might actually be a Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow. He called several people about his concerns, including me.
Since only one PA record of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow existed, I decided to try and get some expert opinions by using a computer list service called “ID Frontiers” that deals solely with bird identification challenges. I scanned all of the available photos into my computer and sent them out with all of the other details that I recalled about the sighting. The very next day, I got a response from Jim Rising, the author of the guide, “The Sparrows of the United States and Canada”. He wrote:
“If those pictures were taken along the coast, I don't think that we would hesitate to call the bird a Saltmarsh----and I am pretty confident that that is what it is. The bill does look OK to me to be Saltmarsh, although a bit small. Why don't you send the photos to Jon Greenlaw. He knows these birds better than I, especially the coastal ones. I'd be really curious to hear what he thinks, and what others think as well. Please do keep me posted. There is one specimen of a Saltmarsh from western PA, identified by Kenneth Parkes, in the Carnegie Museum, I think. I don't know of any other inland records. Let me know if you know of some. Thanks for sending these, and keep me posted about your decision, if you will.”
I quickly got a response from Jon Greenlaw of the Archbold Biological Station in Venus, Florida, stating:
“There is little doubt that your bird is a bona fide Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow. It is indeed unusual for this species to appear inland away from the coast. In this case, easternmost Pennsylvania near the New Jersey border is not very far from the New Jersey and Delaware Bay coasts. Your photo documentation of Saltmarsh STSP should be archived somewhere for future reference. The usual course is to submit your observations as a report to your state bird records committee and let them verify identification for purposes of converting your report to a state record.”
He continued by writing:
“All visible plumage and morphological (bill) characters in the photos fall within range of variation of Saltmarsh STSP. The combination of strong contrastiness between orange ochre malars and buffy breast, and strongly developed, relatively discrete streaking across the breast and down the sides and flanks confirm the ID. The dull (versus bright white) scapular streaks help to discount 'n. nelsoni.' The bill length is on the short side, as Jim Rising pointed out, but seems to fall within the range of variation found in Saltmarsh STSP.”
He also made some very interesting comments on some of the questions I had asked him:
(1) Yes, nominate Nelson's STSP can be boldly marked below, but it is distinguished by other features, notably strongly-patterned dorsum, little malar-breast contrast, and a small bill.
(2) The head profile (rounded versus flattened) has been oversold as a
character. The position of crown feathers is subject to the bird's
motivational state. There may be an "average" appearance, but that
is not helpful for critical ID's of individuals.
(3) Throat whiteness is variable in both species and most subspecies.
There often is a wash of buffy on the throat of Saltmarsh STs, but in
other cases, the throat can be quite white.
(4) Contrast between breast color and the white abdomen is not useful; it
depends much on wear. The buffy color on the breast is bright in
fresh-plumaged birds, but very dull and pale in worn birds. Your bird
is a fresh-plumaged bird, so you should expect some contrast.
(5) The dark markings around the eye is individual variation; no species-
specific significance.
(6) Discreteness of dark streaking on underparts also will depend to some extent on wear. In fresh-plumaged STs, streaks in Saltmarsh STs typically appear blurred along the edges; this is caused by some pale barb tips. Later, as feathers age and barb tips disappear, the streaks "harden", or become more strongly discrete.
(7) Grayish sides of the neck not species-specific in Saltmarsh STs.
Applying this great information to the photos made things a lot clearer.
Over the next few weeks, I received several other responses from ‘top-notch’ birders who also verified that the bird was indeed a Saltmarsh. So, thanks to Rick’s inquisitiveness and the photographic documentation, a previously questionable record became a 3rd Pennsylvania state record and one of the few inland records for the entire East Coast! Obviously, this was a new state and county bird for me. A special thanks goes out to Jim Rising and Jon Greenlaw, whose expertise confirmed this rare record.
Saturday, November 10, 2001
Rufous Hummingbird in Northampton County ~ November 9, 2001
Arlene Koch looked out her window in Williams Township and saw a hummingbird at the feeder. Being November, it was unlikely to be a Ruby-throated and more likely to be a "Selasphorus". She called and asked me to come down and get some photos of it. As expected for that time of year, the bird turned out to be an adult female Rufous Hummingbird.
Rufous Hummingbird in Williams Township, Northampton County. Note the rufous sides and tail. This adult female represents the 2nd record for Northampton County.
Rufous Hummingbird in Williams Township, Northampton County. Note the rufous sides and central red gorget spot. This adult female represents the 2nd record for Northampton County.
Tuesday, June 5, 2001
California Trip ~ May 27, 2001
Since Babe Webster and I had both separately birded southern California once before, we were generally missing only the ‘harder-to-find’ species. In fact, most of them (Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Western Screech-Owl, LeConte’s Thrasher, and Sage Sparrow) were expected to be real ‘toughies’. The combination of searching for owls at night and birding the early morning hours meant finding time to sleep would be another challenge. Another “Red-eyed Birding Tour” was under way.
We took ‘US Air’ from Allentown to Los Angeles, with a plane change in Pittsburgh. We were happy to see no line at the Avis counter and were on our way in a 4-door Pontiac Grand Am (red again) just after noon, Pacific Time.
We hopped on the crazy I-405 (actually, the freeways aren’t crazy; it’s the drivers) and drove south to Upper Newport Bay. We found a few California Gnatcatchers (my first ‘lifer’ of the trip) on the brushy hillside at the intersection of Back Bay Drive and San Joaquin Hills Drive. Other notable birds seen in the area included Great Blue Heron, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bank and Barn Swallows, Common Yellowthroat, and California Towhee.
From there, we drove the short distance to the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Park. There, we found Green Heron, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, Barn Swallow, Bushtit, Common Yellowthroat, California Towhee, Hooded and Bullock’s Orioles, and American Goldfinch. Nearby Carr Park held Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Black Phoebe, Barn Swallow, and Great-tailed Grackle.
Next, we set the auto-pilot for Ventura. After checking into a Motel 6 and picking up some supplies at a Von’s grocery store, we headed north to Foster Park. Before dusk, we found Turkey Vulture, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Violet-green and Barn Swallows, Western Scrub-Jay, Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, and California Towhee. Our hopes for Western Screech-Owl were somewhat dimmed when we found the park full of noisy Memorial Day weekend campers.
We took ‘US Air’ from Allentown to Los Angeles, with a plane change in Pittsburgh. We were happy to see no line at the Avis counter and were on our way in a 4-door Pontiac Grand Am (red again) just after noon, Pacific Time.
We hopped on the crazy I-405 (actually, the freeways aren’t crazy; it’s the drivers) and drove south to Upper Newport Bay. We found a few California Gnatcatchers (my first ‘lifer’ of the trip) on the brushy hillside at the intersection of Back Bay Drive and San Joaquin Hills Drive. Other notable birds seen in the area included Great Blue Heron, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bank and Barn Swallows, Common Yellowthroat, and California Towhee.
From there, we drove the short distance to the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Park. There, we found Green Heron, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, Barn Swallow, Bushtit, Common Yellowthroat, California Towhee, Hooded and Bullock’s Orioles, and American Goldfinch. Nearby Carr Park held Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Black Phoebe, Barn Swallow, and Great-tailed Grackle.
Next, we set the auto-pilot for Ventura. After checking into a Motel 6 and picking up some supplies at a Von’s grocery store, we headed north to Foster Park. Before dusk, we found Turkey Vulture, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Violet-green and Barn Swallows, Western Scrub-Jay, Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, and California Towhee. Our hopes for Western Screech-Owl were somewhat dimmed when we found the park full of noisy Memorial Day weekend campers.
California Trip ~ May 28, 2001
We drove the short distance to Island Packers and took the boat trip to Scorpion Anchorage at the eastern end of Santa Cruz Island. I had purposely scheduled the boat trip to Prisoners Harbor well in advance so that we would land in prime Island Scrub-Jay area, but Island Packers screwed up that plan when they called me the day before we left home and said that the trip to Prisoners was cancelled and that our only option was to take the boat to Scorpion. Birding from the boat on the way to and from the island produced Western Grebe, numbers of Sooty Shearwaters, Brown Pelican, Double-crested, Brandt’s, and Pelagic Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Western Gull, Caspian, Common, Forster’s, and Least Terns, Pigeon Guillemot, and one ‘lifer’ Ashy Storm-Petrel. Babe saw a pair of Murrelets that I never did.
After landing at Scorpion Anchorage, we quickly headed up Scorpion Canyon. The farther up we went, the more difficult it became to hike the rocky creekbed. We realized that the time was fast approaching when we’d have to turn back in order to make it back to the boat on time. Just as we started to turn around and head back, we heard a jay call. Soon after I spotted a jay way up near the top of a hill, several others flew in close by and gave us good looks. We went from defeat to success in a matter of minutes, getting our first Island Scrub-Jays.
Island Scrub-Jay near Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island, California.
Other birds found along our hike out and back included Brown Pelican, California Quail, Western Gull, Allen’s Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, Common Raven, White-breasted Nuthatch, Rock and Bewick’s Wrens, Rufous-crowned and Song Sparrows, Western Meadowlark, Lesser Goldfinch, and to our surprise, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
A poor documentation photo of our unusual sighting of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak near Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island, California.
We were back on the mainland by around 2 PM.
Back in the car, we made a quick stop in Santa Barbara at the Andree’ Clark Bird Refuge. There, we found Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Cliff Swallow, and Common Yellowthroat.
We then headed north to Happy Canyon Road, east of the town of Santa Ynez. Along the road, we spotted Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, California Quail, Acorn Woodpecker, “Red-shafted” Flicker, Black Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Western Scrub-Jay, Yellow-billed Magpie, Western Bluebird, Phainopepla, Lark Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, and Lesser Goldfinch. About 12 miles up the road, we birded the area around a small campground where a Northern Pygmy-Owl had been seen about two months earlier. Although we had no luck with the owl, we did find Steller’s Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Tanager, House Wren, and my first Mountain Quail. The bird flew across the road and called from the hillside right next to the car.
We then had to make the long drive to Maricopa. It got dark by the time we reached Route 33 and crossed the very windy summit of Pine Mountain. I saw a Coyote run across the road near the turnoff to Quatal Canyon, where we took a short drive looking for Common Poorwill. We turned around after a few miles, finding only Black-tailed Jackrabbits, and continued on down into Maricopa, where we spent the night at Motel 8.
After landing at Scorpion Anchorage, we quickly headed up Scorpion Canyon. The farther up we went, the more difficult it became to hike the rocky creekbed. We realized that the time was fast approaching when we’d have to turn back in order to make it back to the boat on time. Just as we started to turn around and head back, we heard a jay call. Soon after I spotted a jay way up near the top of a hill, several others flew in close by and gave us good looks. We went from defeat to success in a matter of minutes, getting our first Island Scrub-Jays.
Other birds found along our hike out and back included Brown Pelican, California Quail, Western Gull, Allen’s Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, Common Raven, White-breasted Nuthatch, Rock and Bewick’s Wrens, Rufous-crowned and Song Sparrows, Western Meadowlark, Lesser Goldfinch, and to our surprise, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
We were back on the mainland by around 2 PM.
Back in the car, we made a quick stop in Santa Barbara at the Andree’ Clark Bird Refuge. There, we found Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Cliff Swallow, and Common Yellowthroat.
We then headed north to Happy Canyon Road, east of the town of Santa Ynez. Along the road, we spotted Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, California Quail, Acorn Woodpecker, “Red-shafted” Flicker, Black Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Western Scrub-Jay, Yellow-billed Magpie, Western Bluebird, Phainopepla, Lark Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, and Lesser Goldfinch. About 12 miles up the road, we birded the area around a small campground where a Northern Pygmy-Owl had been seen about two months earlier. Although we had no luck with the owl, we did find Steller’s Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Tanager, House Wren, and my first Mountain Quail. The bird flew across the road and called from the hillside right next to the car.
We then had to make the long drive to Maricopa. It got dark by the time we reached Route 33 and crossed the very windy summit of Pine Mountain. I saw a Coyote run across the road near the turnoff to Quatal Canyon, where we took a short drive looking for Common Poorwill. We turned around after a few miles, finding only Black-tailed Jackrabbits, and continued on down into Maricopa, where we spent the night at Motel 8.
California Trip ~ May 29, 2001
We headed out at dawn to the corner of Petroleum Club Road and Kerto Road. There, we birded the desert sagebrush northeast of the intersection, getting great looks at the “canescens” form of Bell's Sparrow (a ‘lifer’ for both of us), and LeConte’s Thrasher (a ‘lifer’ for me and much better looks for Babe than the one she had seen on her previous trip with Bucks County Audubon). The sparrow was seen singing from the top of the sagebrush, and the thrasher was seen singing from the top of a metal post. Other birds found there included a few Burrowing Owls, Northern Mockingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Brewer’s Blackbird, and Common Raven. As expected, ravens were seen practically everywhere during the trip.
After an excellent breakfast at Tina’s Restaurant in Maricopa, we made the long, steady climb toward Mount Pinos. Along the way, we saw a Prairie Falcon, Western Kingbird, Cliff Swallow, Western Scrub-Jay, Western Bluebird, California Towhee, Lark Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Brewer’s Blackbird, and Lesser Goldfinch.
When we reached the end of Mount Pinos Road, we hiked the gated road from the parking lot to the summit. We were surprised to find that we had the whole place to ourselves. There was no one else around. There, we heard Mountain Quail and Chipping Sparrow, and saw “Red-shafted” Flicker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Violet-green Swallow, Steller’s Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, American Robin, “Audubon’s” Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, “Oregon” Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Cassin’s Finch, and the “Thick-billed” Fox Sparrow.
A stop at McGill Campground produced White-headed Woodpecker in addition to some of the species seen at Mount Pinos. We checked out the area at the back of the campground since we would be returning later that night to listen for owls. A quick attempt to find Northern Pygmy-Owl came up empty. As it turned out, we would be unsuccessful in finding this elusive owl.
We headed down Frazier Mountain Park Road and stopped at an elongated pond lined with tules. After carefully studying the blackbirds that were there, we determined that they were “Bicolored” Blackbirds. California Quail and American Coots were also noted there.
We checked into the EconoLodge in Gorman, ate at the adjoining ‘Sizzler’ (we did eat once in a while), and then took a nap before heading back up to McGill Campground. At the campground, we heard a few soft ‘toots’ at dusk, but struck out beyond that. At the Mount Pinos parking lot, we checked out the constellations and saw some 'shooting stars'.
After an excellent breakfast at Tina’s Restaurant in Maricopa, we made the long, steady climb toward Mount Pinos. Along the way, we saw a Prairie Falcon, Western Kingbird, Cliff Swallow, Western Scrub-Jay, Western Bluebird, California Towhee, Lark Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Brewer’s Blackbird, and Lesser Goldfinch.
When we reached the end of Mount Pinos Road, we hiked the gated road from the parking lot to the summit. We were surprised to find that we had the whole place to ourselves. There was no one else around. There, we heard Mountain Quail and Chipping Sparrow, and saw “Red-shafted” Flicker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Violet-green Swallow, Steller’s Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, American Robin, “Audubon’s” Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, “Oregon” Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Cassin’s Finch, and the “Thick-billed” Fox Sparrow.
A stop at McGill Campground produced White-headed Woodpecker in addition to some of the species seen at Mount Pinos. We checked out the area at the back of the campground since we would be returning later that night to listen for owls. A quick attempt to find Northern Pygmy-Owl came up empty. As it turned out, we would be unsuccessful in finding this elusive owl.
We headed down Frazier Mountain Park Road and stopped at an elongated pond lined with tules. After carefully studying the blackbirds that were there, we determined that they were “Bicolored” Blackbirds. California Quail and American Coots were also noted there.
We checked into the EconoLodge in Gorman, ate at the adjoining ‘Sizzler’ (we did eat once in a while), and then took a nap before heading back up to McGill Campground. At the campground, we heard a few soft ‘toots’ at dusk, but struck out beyond that. At the Mount Pinos parking lot, we checked out the constellations and saw some 'shooting stars'.
California Trip ~ May 30, 2001
Just before sunrise, we drove the stretch from Gorman through Palmdale and headed up Highway N3 into the San Gabriel Mountains. Near the town of Vincent, our only Greater Roadrunner of the trip ran across the road. A little farther up, we turned onto Aliso Canyon Road and stopped at several places to listen for the “belli” subspecies of Bell's Sparrow. We never did hear any, but we did find California Quail, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Western Scrub-Jay, California Thrasher, and Spotted Towhee.
We continued a short distance up Highway N3 and turned onto Road 3N17 (the road to Mount Gleason). Only about a tenth of a mile from the highway, we stopped to check out the chaparral found there. On the uphill side of the road, we found a Bell’s Sparrow calling from several perches atop the brush, giving us great looks at it through a scope. I then discovered a trail that went up very close to its territory and was able to get a photo.
The "belli" subspecies of Bell’s Sparrow in the San Gabriel Mountains, California. This bird sang from a perch on a sage-covered hillside, giving us excellent views. It was seen along Road 3N17 near the junction of Highway N3.
A Wrentit was also found there.
Back on Highway N3, we stopped at a canyon overlook where we found White-throated Swift, Acorn Woodpecker, Steller’s Jay, Black-headed Grosbeak, and heard our only Canyon Wren of the trip.
We reached Highway 2 and headed east to the Chilao Visitors’ Center where we saw White-headed Woodpecker and Band-tailed Pigeon. As it turned out, we found both of the visitors’ centers at Chilao and Grassy Hollow closed. This seemed strange to us since it was after Memorial Day and now summertime. In fact, we encountered very few people during our stay in the San Gabriels, making it one of my favorite places on the trip. Clark’s Nutcrackers were seen at the turnout near Dawson Saddle. Eventually, we reached the Pines Motel in Wrightwood. The motel was lacking in many areas, but it was bearable.
After dropping off our suitcases, we headed back to Vincent Gulch Divide. While walking around the fenced edge of the large parking area, Babe almost stepped on a coiled Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, a subspecies of Western Rattlesnake! It never rattled and eventually moved a little closer to the fence where it coiled up again. A search for Calliope Hummingbird there and at the willows below Big Pines came up empty.
While slowly driving around the town of Wrightwood looking for hummingbird feeders, we found Band-tailed Pigeon, Anna’s Hummingbird, Acorn and Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, “Red-shafted” Flicker, Violet-green Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, Black-headed Grosbeak, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Bullock’s Oriole. Many of these birds were seen from Mrs. Bechtel’s backyard, a lady who we met while birding the area. She showed us photos of raptors that she used to rehabilitate while living in Alaska years before.
After dinner, we headed west to the exit road of Buckhorn Flat Campground along Highway 2. There, after dark, we heard at least 5 different Flammulated Owls calling. As we got closer to one of the owls, a large helicopter came over and circled several times as if they were searching for someone. After that, the owls stopped calling. We then headed a little farther west to a spot where I was told a ‘Flam’ had been heard earlier in the month. There, we heard a bird on both sides of the road, but could never get a look at it. A really bright ‘three-quarter’ moon probably didn’t help our chances.
We called it a night and headed back to Wrightwood, occasionally straddling or driving around the rocks on the highway from the many rockslides. About five miles from town, a deer ran across the road in front of the car. When I hit the brakes, the styrofoam cooler chest in the trunk tipped over, sending the melted icewater running into the trunk and down onto the back seat. I quickly stopped the car, realizing that there had to be a wet mess in the back. When I went to hit the trunk button on the key chain, I also accidentally hit the door lock button without knowing it. As we both got out to quickly put the things back in the cooler, I closed my door since my side was partly on the road. Luckily, Babe left her door open or we would’ve been locked out of the car with it sitting in the road, the lights on, and the engine running. We finally reached our motel in Wrightwood around midnight.
We continued a short distance up Highway N3 and turned onto Road 3N17 (the road to Mount Gleason). Only about a tenth of a mile from the highway, we stopped to check out the chaparral found there. On the uphill side of the road, we found a Bell’s Sparrow calling from several perches atop the brush, giving us great looks at it through a scope. I then discovered a trail that went up very close to its territory and was able to get a photo.
A Wrentit was also found there.
Back on Highway N3, we stopped at a canyon overlook where we found White-throated Swift, Acorn Woodpecker, Steller’s Jay, Black-headed Grosbeak, and heard our only Canyon Wren of the trip.
We reached Highway 2 and headed east to the Chilao Visitors’ Center where we saw White-headed Woodpecker and Band-tailed Pigeon. As it turned out, we found both of the visitors’ centers at Chilao and Grassy Hollow closed. This seemed strange to us since it was after Memorial Day and now summertime. In fact, we encountered very few people during our stay in the San Gabriels, making it one of my favorite places on the trip. Clark’s Nutcrackers were seen at the turnout near Dawson Saddle. Eventually, we reached the Pines Motel in Wrightwood. The motel was lacking in many areas, but it was bearable.
After dropping off our suitcases, we headed back to Vincent Gulch Divide. While walking around the fenced edge of the large parking area, Babe almost stepped on a coiled Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, a subspecies of Western Rattlesnake! It never rattled and eventually moved a little closer to the fence where it coiled up again. A search for Calliope Hummingbird there and at the willows below Big Pines came up empty.
While slowly driving around the town of Wrightwood looking for hummingbird feeders, we found Band-tailed Pigeon, Anna’s Hummingbird, Acorn and Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, “Red-shafted” Flicker, Violet-green Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, Black-headed Grosbeak, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Bullock’s Oriole. Many of these birds were seen from Mrs. Bechtel’s backyard, a lady who we met while birding the area. She showed us photos of raptors that she used to rehabilitate while living in Alaska years before.
After dinner, we headed west to the exit road of Buckhorn Flat Campground along Highway 2. There, after dark, we heard at least 5 different Flammulated Owls calling. As we got closer to one of the owls, a large helicopter came over and circled several times as if they were searching for someone. After that, the owls stopped calling. We then headed a little farther west to a spot where I was told a ‘Flam’ had been heard earlier in the month. There, we heard a bird on both sides of the road, but could never get a look at it. A really bright ‘three-quarter’ moon probably didn’t help our chances.
We called it a night and headed back to Wrightwood, occasionally straddling or driving around the rocks on the highway from the many rockslides. About five miles from town, a deer ran across the road in front of the car. When I hit the brakes, the styrofoam cooler chest in the trunk tipped over, sending the melted icewater running into the trunk and down onto the back seat. I quickly stopped the car, realizing that there had to be a wet mess in the back. When I went to hit the trunk button on the key chain, I also accidentally hit the door lock button without knowing it. As we both got out to quickly put the things back in the cooler, I closed my door since my side was partly on the road. Luckily, Babe left her door open or we would’ve been locked out of the car with it sitting in the road, the lights on, and the engine running. We finally reached our motel in Wrightwood around midnight.
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