T
tad
Guest
I’m sure everyone out there is wondering, 'What’s tad’s 2020 year list up to?
Let’s see…
I saw a duck!
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
But seriously, with the heat, covid, the fires and the forest closures I haven’t been out much since my last report, but here’s an update on my year’s life list. #193 Purple Martin, #194 Rivoli’s Hummingbird, #195 Pacific-slope Flycatcher, #196 Band-tailed Pigeon, #197 Graces Warbler, #198, Wilson’s Warbler, #199 Lazuli Bunting and DING, DING, DING, 2020 year bird #200 Nashville Warbler, #201 Townsend’s Warbler and #202 Rufous Hummingbird.
Normally, I’d be disappointed at such a low count this late in the year, but I haven’t been further than 90 miles away from home so I can deal with it. There’s still some fairly easy one’s I’ve missed if I ever get the gumption to chase them.
And a few photos. Although the forest is closed because of the recent fire, the highway has been reopened to the little village and cabin area at the top of the mountain, so my wife and I have made it up there a couple of times to walk around and cool off a bit. A couple of things. For one, the fire damage isn’t nearly as bad as we thought. We watched it burn for a month as it traveled 25 miles from one end of the range to the other. We thought the whole place was gone. What happened really is that the fire stayed down low and only 4% of the burn area could be called extreme. Otherwise it was kind of patchwork and a lesson in fire ecology. The second thing is that things are starting to move now with an amazing number and variety of woodland birds moving through the forest.
Two shots of one our local favorites, Red-faced Warbler
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
This is a Hermit Warbler. I thought it was a Townsend’s Warbler for a time, but the darker cheek patch is incomplete.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
A Steller’s Jay. This one looks like it just took a bath.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
A young Red-tail Hawk in the forest
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Here’s 2020 year bird #201 Townsend’s Warbler. Not the best photo. I have much better ones.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
I’m including this, not for it’s photographic magnificence but only because this Black Phoebe is a bird of the desert and shouldn’t be found at 8500’. I hardly ever find any rarities, but here’s one of them. I guess it got tired of the heat too.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Let’s see…
I saw a duck!
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
But seriously, with the heat, covid, the fires and the forest closures I haven’t been out much since my last report, but here’s an update on my year’s life list. #193 Purple Martin, #194 Rivoli’s Hummingbird, #195 Pacific-slope Flycatcher, #196 Band-tailed Pigeon, #197 Graces Warbler, #198, Wilson’s Warbler, #199 Lazuli Bunting and DING, DING, DING, 2020 year bird #200 Nashville Warbler, #201 Townsend’s Warbler and #202 Rufous Hummingbird.
Normally, I’d be disappointed at such a low count this late in the year, but I haven’t been further than 90 miles away from home so I can deal with it. There’s still some fairly easy one’s I’ve missed if I ever get the gumption to chase them.
And a few photos. Although the forest is closed because of the recent fire, the highway has been reopened to the little village and cabin area at the top of the mountain, so my wife and I have made it up there a couple of times to walk around and cool off a bit. A couple of things. For one, the fire damage isn’t nearly as bad as we thought. We watched it burn for a month as it traveled 25 miles from one end of the range to the other. We thought the whole place was gone. What happened really is that the fire stayed down low and only 4% of the burn area could be called extreme. Otherwise it was kind of patchwork and a lesson in fire ecology. The second thing is that things are starting to move now with an amazing number and variety of woodland birds moving through the forest.
Two shots of one our local favorites, Red-faced Warbler
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
This is a Hermit Warbler. I thought it was a Townsend’s Warbler for a time, but the darker cheek patch is incomplete.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
A Steller’s Jay. This one looks like it just took a bath.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
A young Red-tail Hawk in the forest
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Here’s 2020 year bird #201 Townsend’s Warbler. Not the best photo. I have much better ones.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
I’m including this, not for it’s photographic magnificence but only because this Black Phoebe is a bird of the desert and shouldn’t be found at 8500’. I hardly ever find any rarities, but here’s one of them. I guess it got tired of the heat too.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
