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.
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