This morning Locke and I visited the ghost town of Electra on the Mokeulmne river to try and snag some more water birds, we did see an unidentified sandpiper, but, during our visit I came to a decision.
Until I have a good camera, which is supposed to happen sometime in the next month, there isn't really a point in having a blog about a big year. After all I could claim that I saw just about anything and without proof, there really is no point.
That said, I will continue to bird and scout out new locations, but until I get my new camera Little Big Year is on hiatus.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Another scorcher. If I ever do another big year, which I will, I will definitely start the year in a different season. After living in Humboldt for seven years I find this heat unbearable.
Locke and I started out extra early today (8:00) after his breakfast to check out the impound dam near Sutter Street and the Middle School. The impound damn was built in the early 1900's in order for the Argonaut mine to store they mine tailings. Before this the mines were allowing the sediments they drudged up from below the earth to run down the various streams that feed the central valley. Naturally, farmers in the valley became upset when the streams that irrigated their crops became clogged with the tailings, hence the impound damn. These days the western end of the dam is clogged with toxic soil (a process using cyanide was used to leach the remaining gold ore out of the tailings was developed in the earlier part of the last century) and the eastern end, at the head of the damn is marsh land. Unfortunately we couldn't manage to get close enough of to the marsh to see any new birds, but we did see a very upset Red-tailed Hawk and some very angry Red-winged Blackbirds. At the middle school we were visited by some Common Ravens, but the main reason we went to the school was to try to get a bird's eye view of the marsh, which it turns out, you can't get from the school.
All is not lost though, during the walk I noticed a spur off one of the cul-de-sacs that seemed to overlook the marsh and a largish pond too. So perhaps tomorrow we'll attempt to check that out.
Locke and I started out extra early today (8:00) after his breakfast to check out the impound dam near Sutter Street and the Middle School. The impound damn was built in the early 1900's in order for the Argonaut mine to store they mine tailings. Before this the mines were allowing the sediments they drudged up from below the earth to run down the various streams that feed the central valley. Naturally, farmers in the valley became upset when the streams that irrigated their crops became clogged with the tailings, hence the impound damn. These days the western end of the dam is clogged with toxic soil (a process using cyanide was used to leach the remaining gold ore out of the tailings was developed in the earlier part of the last century) and the eastern end, at the head of the damn is marsh land. Unfortunately we couldn't manage to get close enough of to the marsh to see any new birds, but we did see a very upset Red-tailed Hawk and some very angry Red-winged Blackbirds. At the middle school we were visited by some Common Ravens, but the main reason we went to the school was to try to get a bird's eye view of the marsh, which it turns out, you can't get from the school.
All is not lost though, during the walk I noticed a spur off one of the cul-de-sacs that seemed to overlook the marsh and a largish pond too. So perhaps tomorrow we'll attempt to check that out.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Phew, what a hot past few days. Over the holiday weekend we were desperate to escape the weather so we drove up the mountain to Silver Lake and Hope Valley. Luckily we saw a few new birds as well as having a wonderful mini-vacation.
At Silver Lake I was anticipating some Mountain Chickadees and Achille swore he heard them whenever he would be off by himself somewhere. He came back from the toilets announcing their presence so I headed up to the toilets and began searching the lodge poles and junipers for some birds. Immediately some movement caught my eye and I spotted a small warbler with a yellow spot on his head and a yellow throat: a Yellow-rumped Warbler which I cannot recall is on my list or not. As we were leaving the lake to walk over to the Kit Carson Lodge we suddenly noticed a Bald Eagle perched above the beach we had just been lounging on. Score! As a small side-trip on the way to the lodge we went down into a small gulley where a very shallow pond is formed by snow run-off. We spotted a female Bufflehead on the pond all by her lonesome.
Later we headed further up the mountain to Hope Valley where I hoped to spot some Willow Flycatchers but alas, again I was left unhappy with zero new birds for that part of the trip. At one point I was certain I was tracking a Mountain Bluebird in a lodgepole but then noticed the cougar tracks near bye and realized that I was a large prey item. Suddenly birding seemed unimportant and I hurried back to the car where my baby was sleeping and my husband was waiting paitently.
The first new bird I spotted that day was actually back in Jackson at Safeway where I realized that the Barn Swallows swarming around the water tower where joined by Bank Swallows.
So 3 new species for that day, not great but we'll head back up the mountain again soon.
Last night I spotted a Barn Owl out back so, four new species in 7 days. Not good at all.
At Silver Lake I was anticipating some Mountain Chickadees and Achille swore he heard them whenever he would be off by himself somewhere. He came back from the toilets announcing their presence so I headed up to the toilets and began searching the lodge poles and junipers for some birds. Immediately some movement caught my eye and I spotted a small warbler with a yellow spot on his head and a yellow throat: a Yellow-rumped Warbler which I cannot recall is on my list or not. As we were leaving the lake to walk over to the Kit Carson Lodge we suddenly noticed a Bald Eagle perched above the beach we had just been lounging on. Score! As a small side-trip on the way to the lodge we went down into a small gulley where a very shallow pond is formed by snow run-off. We spotted a female Bufflehead on the pond all by her lonesome.
Later we headed further up the mountain to Hope Valley where I hoped to spot some Willow Flycatchers but alas, again I was left unhappy with zero new birds for that part of the trip. At one point I was certain I was tracking a Mountain Bluebird in a lodgepole but then noticed the cougar tracks near bye and realized that I was a large prey item. Suddenly birding seemed unimportant and I hurried back to the car where my baby was sleeping and my husband was waiting paitently.
The first new bird I spotted that day was actually back in Jackson at Safeway where I realized that the Barn Swallows swarming around the water tower where joined by Bank Swallows.
So 3 new species for that day, not great but we'll head back up the mountain again soon.
Last night I spotted a Barn Owl out back so, four new species in 7 days. Not good at all.
