- Jul 09 2:13 pm
#89082
July 9, 2019. Went out to see if I could add to our bird totals for the year. Decided to drive up Beaver Lake Road in Lake Country. Left relatively early and made it there around 0730. Although I didn't add any new birds, I started out with a bang ... just as the road starts going up past the industrial section of town I spied this Kestrel sitting on a wire ... he had a few Starling friends joining him.
Kestrel
European Starlings
About another kilometer up the road I stopped on the right -- first pullout by some very large trees. This was a productive location. At this point and just slightly further up the road, I saw these different specimens:
Bullocks Oriole (Male)
Bullocks Oriole (Female)
There were several different flocks -- Starlings, Brewer's Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.
They were pretty busy with their young -- as in this photo, young were crying while the parents were hunting:
As I drove up the road through the "meadows" area I saw these lovelies:
Vesper Sparrow
Mountain Bluebird
Western Meadowlark
Eastern Kingbird
Lazuli Bunting
I decided to drive up the road to a little higher elevation--between kilometer markers 8 and 9 is a cattleguard. I pulled over just past this area on the right. I had seen some sapsuckers/woodpeckers here last year and thought I would give it a try. I saw a Pileated Woodpecker low in the trees but couldn't get a picture. Pretty sure I saw a three-toed woodpecker but couldn't snap the shot of that one either. However, I did get this guy:
Red-naped Sapsucker
Saw a red-breasted nuthatch here as well as pine siskin. Song Sparrow and Chipping Sparrow hanging out in the area. I thought I saw a larger bird low to the ground -- finally got a clear shot:
Chipmunk "Bird"
Finally, I drove up about another 3 kilometers to the High Rim Trail trailhead ... the sign is on the left near a forestry road. In the past, I've seen ruby-crowned and golden-crowned Kinglets here. Also Pine Siskin. Today, I saw these four guys:
Western Tanager
Mountain Chickadee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Swainson's Thrush (these guys are hard to capture ... really skittish!)
It was a pretty productive two and a half hours ... just over 25 bird species. Besides those listed above, i saw Turkey Vulture, Common Raven, Robin, Junco, and Western Bluebird. If you are in the area, it's always worth a drive up Beaver Lake Road.
James
Kestrel
European Starlings
About another kilometer up the road I stopped on the right -- first pullout by some very large trees. This was a productive location. At this point and just slightly further up the road, I saw these different specimens:
Bullocks Oriole (Male)
Bullocks Oriole (Female)
There were several different flocks -- Starlings, Brewer's Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.
They were pretty busy with their young -- as in this photo, young were crying while the parents were hunting:
As I drove up the road through the "meadows" area I saw these lovelies:
Vesper Sparrow
Mountain Bluebird
Western Meadowlark
Eastern Kingbird
Lazuli Bunting
I decided to drive up the road to a little higher elevation--between kilometer markers 8 and 9 is a cattleguard. I pulled over just past this area on the right. I had seen some sapsuckers/woodpeckers here last year and thought I would give it a try. I saw a Pileated Woodpecker low in the trees but couldn't get a picture. Pretty sure I saw a three-toed woodpecker but couldn't snap the shot of that one either. However, I did get this guy:
Red-naped Sapsucker
Saw a red-breasted nuthatch here as well as pine siskin. Song Sparrow and Chipping Sparrow hanging out in the area. I thought I saw a larger bird low to the ground -- finally got a clear shot:
Chipmunk "Bird"
Finally, I drove up about another 3 kilometers to the High Rim Trail trailhead ... the sign is on the left near a forestry road. In the past, I've seen ruby-crowned and golden-crowned Kinglets here. Also Pine Siskin. Today, I saw these four guys:
Western Tanager
Mountain Chickadee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Swainson's Thrush (these guys are hard to capture ... really skittish!)
It was a pretty productive two and a half hours ... just over 25 bird species. Besides those listed above, i saw Turkey Vulture, Common Raven, Robin, Junco, and Western Bluebird. If you are in the area, it's always worth a drive up Beaver Lake Road.
James
James C
Professional Recreationalist
Professional Recreationalist