As much fun as it is to bird in far away places, there is always a feeling of “what did I miss” that accompanies being away.  In 2013 when I did my (first?) Big Year in the State, I spent 11 days in Texas during the peak of migration (April) and then essentially all of November in Peru (heavy duty birding on an organized trip) and Florida (light birding on a non-birding trip).  I know I missed some birds while I was away but those were fun trips in their own right and there is more to birding than just having a Washington list.  Right?  Right…

Returning from elsewhere though it always feels like I need to get out and revisit some favorite places and especially in early summer, one of those places is Calispell Lake in Pend Oreille County north of Spokane.  I first visited the area in 2012 – on a WOS Conference trip.  The first trip where I really got to know and fell in love with Calispell Lake was a terrific trip with Jon Isacoff and George Pagos in June 2013.  Jon was the best possible tour guide.  George and I joined him as part of our own two day whirlwind in Eastern Washington that found 108 species and added 10 new birds to my year list.

Calispell Lake

While I wanted to get back to Pend Oreille County and particularly Calispell Lake because of the beauty I also had a list of target birds – some new for the year and some new photos for the year and those targets to some degree determined my route and schedule.  However I had originally thought it would be a three day trip and as it turned out, some of the successes and some changes in the weather cut that short and once again it was but a two day visit – a VERY LONG two day visit.

A first stop was at the Hyak area feeders at the Snoqualmie Summit to see what hummers were around – even early in the morning some Rufous Hummers were coming for their sugar fix – a good way to start a trip.  Next I hit Bullfrog Pond – continuing to move its way up on my favorite birding stops and one where I can generally find Gray Catbirds and also a good spot for Veery.  Both were new for the year and easily found.  The Catbirds cooperated for a photo but the Veeries were heard only (many).  All told 33 species but nothing new or exciting.  Birds do not have to be either new or exciting to be greatly valued and appreciated and I just like the feel of this area anyhow so I was in very good spirits when I left.

Gray Catbird

I continued East with Potholes Reservoir being the next spot on my agenda.  Along the way I had one of those strange coincidences that occur in birding.  Heading south on Highway 26 on the east side of the Columbia I saw a birder getting back into her car putting a scope away.  As a corollary of the rule to look for the birders when you are chasing a bird, I always try to ask birders I meet what they have seen.  Turns out this birder was Carol Riddell -an Edmonds neighbor.  She, too, was off on an Eastern Washington quest – travelling to meet a friend.  We shared notes and headed off to similar but different locations.  Potholes was a bust as it often is and the hoped for Forster’s Tern was a no show – not much else showed either and the long necked grebes out in the reservoir were Westerns and distant – not Clark’s and close.  My consolation prize were some first of year (FOY) Eastern Kingbirds.

Eastern Kingbird

Lind Coulee can be a great birding spot or can be almost completely devoid of birds.  On this day, it was mostly the latter BUT one of the very few birds present was indeed a lovely and fairly nearby Clark’s Grebe.  Last year a single Clark’s Grebe swam close to a Western providing one of those guidebook comparison experiences where the field marks could be easily noted.  This year I was pleased to see the red eye completely outside the black making it a Clark’s Grebe and although alone still a great photo opportunity.

Clark’s Grebe and Western Grebe (Lind Coulee 2015)

Clark’s Grebe (Lind Coulee 2016)

Terry Little is a great source for birds/areas in Spokane and environs and I followed an Ebird post of his to visit the Hawk Creek area in Lincoln County where birds were plentiful including a Least Flycatcher with its constant Che-Bekking call.  Also in Lincoln County I birded 7 Mile Road a usually dependable place for Grasshopper Sparrows (which cooperated and posed again).

Grasshopper Sparrow

My next stop was Ames Lake where I had numerous Black Terns last year.  There were at least 25 present Wednesday afternoon but none the next day. (It was much windier the second day and this was the only difference.)  There may be a better way but I had to backtrack on I-90 and park on the freeway shoulder to get a shot at the terns and the photo – my last stop before my low budget hotel outside Spokane.  Thankfully there was no visit from the Washington State Patrol.

Black Tern

My motel was … well it had a bed … and even though breakfast (such as it was) was included, supposedly it was not available until 6:00 a.m. – a reasonable time for most but my birding usually gets me up early so I was pleased to find that I could grab something at 5:30 when I was up and ready to go.  An aside…the evening before I had dinner at a nearby spot that catered to truckers.  Interesting people watching for sure.  Also it had an all you can eat kind of buffet.  I passed and had a simple sandwich but if there were world records for most food stacked on a single plate, the holder would surely be the woman who sat two seats down from me – unbelievable.  On a much prettier note, my waitress, who I am guessing might have just turned 19 or 20 may well have been the finest looking young woman I have ever seen.  I told her so in a grandfatherly kind of way on my way out. I wish I knew someone in the modeling agency business as I think she would be a great model and I also think she could have used a better job.  (Would love to add a photo but none available.)

And back to birding…

I headed to Hafer Road in Stevens County.  I had good birding there last year and I had noted that Brian Pendleton had a Clay Colored Sparrow there recently so it was a gotta for the trip.  I arrived early around 7:00 a.m. and immediately started hearing and seeing birds.  In just over an hour along no more than a quarter mile of the road I found 34 species – quite a diverse list including Sora, a flyby Merlin, Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Wilson’s Snipe and Wilson’s Phalarope, House Wren, Gray Catbird and Black Chinned Hummingbird.  And the best two species were Clay Colored Sparrow and Least Flycatcher.  The former was heard and seen way uphill but absolutely would not move from its perch/territory to give me a photo.

The Least Flycatcher on the other hand was a real mystery at least at first.  I thought I heard a “che-bek” call almost as soon as I arrived and it seemed close.  I tried playback in shorter and longer doses off and on for parts of the first thirty minutes I was there – nothing – no calls, no movement.  So I concentrated on the other good birds.  Then I thought I heard the call again – seemingly further away and this time when I played, a male flew in from maybe 50 yards away and landed in a tree quite close but with the sun directly behind it.  Easy to tell it was an empid but the back light made for challenging photos and even for clear views.

The guy never shut up for the next 20+ minutes although my only other playback was moving 50 feet away and close to the other side of the road where sunlight was great.  No go as it simply would not move from two or three favorite trees – all uphill and backlit.  And it was joined by a second small empid and they could have been a nesting pair as only the one sang and the other remained fairly close but nearer to the trunk of the tree.  I got the best photo I could and left them alone.

Least Flycatcher (Calling nonstop – and thanks to Photoshop for any detail)

Now off to Pend Oreille County which took me to new territory going up and over a 4000 foot pass along Flowery Trail Road.  Good forest and a ski area tucked away meant I had to stop to see what was around.  I did not bird all that thoroughly and did not find a hoped for Clark’s Nutcracker, but there were several warblers and both Hermit and Swainson’s Thrushes and a Townsend’s Solitaire.

Swainson’s Thrush

My first target bird in Pend Oreille County was Bobolink which I think of as the “upside down bird” because it is darker below and lighter up above contrary to most birds.  A friend calls it “Blondie” because of the yellow/blond cap.  In any event it is a bird I look forward to seeing every year and especially to hearing as it sings in flight and as it flutters over the fields.  I headed to a spot near Cusick where I had Bobolinks last year.  As I was getting close driving on McKenzie Road through perfect habitat (although I was not thinking of that instead being focused on “the next road where they were supposed to be”) I had my window down and played the Bobolink calls to re-familiarize myself with them.  I was probably going 30 mph and bingo – a Bobolink flew up out of the field next to me and flew right in front of the car singing away.

The fields were perfect and the bird put on quite the aerial display often landing on higher weeds and then disappearing in shorter grass and then hovering.  I got a good photo on one perch and some ok of it in flight.  I continued another half mile at most to my “regular” spot where I found two more Bobolinks.  There are miles of good fields here and I am sure there are many more Bobolinks around.  It used to be that they were readily found at Lateral C at the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge but I think those birds are either gone, greatly diminished in numbers or unreliable.

 

Bobolink

 

Bobolink in Flight

My plan was then to head to Calispell Lake – going along the Westside Calispell Road at first but to cover the entire area and just slowly enjoy it.  The weather was changing however and got progressively worse as I worked my way south.  I stopped several times along the way and readily found both American Redstarts and Red Eyed Vireos.  I know these birds are often found elsewhere in Washington, but I believe this to be the most reliable area and one where they are in good numbers – obviously breeding.  The Vireos were posing on open branches singing away while the Redstarts were more furtive and often buried in the foliage. Finally one came out well enough for a decent shot.

Red Eyed Vireo

American Redstart

This area is also fairly reliable for Northern Waterthrush especially in the area by the bridge where I have had them annually.  By now the weather had really deteriorated though with both rain and winds.  I was able to hear and then see a couple of Waterthrushes but they remained very furtive and I could not grab a photo of any kind – my only disappointment that day.  (I include one from the same area last year taken 10 days earlier.)  This was almost a junk bird during my recent Alaska trip but is always a treat in Washington.

Northern Waterthrush

As I was stopped along the road a local pulled up in an ATV.  These intersections can go a number of ways – birders are not always welcome – but when they are it is a highlight of any trip.  He owned the land I was looking at and while not a birder, he knew quite a bit and we must have talked for 15 minutes about life there including the grouse and woodpeckers and ducks and birds of prey that were there to be found.  He gave me permission to enter the land and in better conditions I might have done so.  Almost on cue, a few minutes later I heard a Pileated Woodpecker on the property.  With it getting wetter, I decided it was time to leave and headed back south to try for Clay Colored Sparrow on Stroup Road where I have had them in the past and where Terry Little had reported one recently.

Stroup Road is in the Medical Lake area and is one of many grid roads in the basically farming/grassland country. When I got to the “regular” spot at the 90 degree bend to the west at the bottom of Stroup, I saw two cars parked.  I assumed they were birders in this way out of the way spot.  But instead it was some young folks doing I don’t know what.  My concerns that this would ruin the birding proved unfounded when they left shortly after I arrived and I found the photogenic Clay Colored Sparrow quickly. It is not colorful (clay is pretty dull), but the markings are so striking – a really beautiful bird – so it gets two photos.

Clay Colored Sparrow

No longer planning a second night away, the plan became one with another stop at Portholes searching for Forster’s Tern and then to try yet again for a Poorwill photo – this time at Robinson Canyon.  First, however, I decided to drive by Para/McCain’s Pond hoping for a photo of American Avocet and maybe the here again gone again Tricolored Blackbirds.  The Avocet cooperated and was accompanied by many Black Necked Stilts and a pair of Wilson’s Phalaropes.  The single Tricolored Blackbird clung tight to the reeds in the heavy wind.  As I was leaving I got a bonus bird as a Black Crowned Night Heron flew up and past me – my first photo of it this year.

American Avocet

Black Necked Stilt

Wilson’s Phalarope

Black Crowned Night Heron

When some time later I arrived at Potholes, there were five distant terns – four were clearly Caspians and the other was either a Common or a Forster’s.  Although they never came close – through my scope I finally got a good look to see the long reddish bill with a black tip making it a Forster’s.

Forster’s Tern (Potholes 2015)

I include the photo above from 2015 for two reasons – first because it is of a Forster’s Tern at Potholes albeit from a year ago and secondly because although there was no close-in Forster’s Tern this time, in almost the exact same spot there was a gorgeous Great Egret – which I had almost missed as I concentrated on the distant terns.

Great Egret

When I first started birding in Washington in the 1970’s, these birds were generally known as Common Egrets but they were definitely not “common” in Washington.  Their range has expanded greatly and are easily found at many places in Eastern Washington and far less frequently west of the Cascades.

I stopped for gas and a sandwich in Ellensburg and headed to Robinson Canyon.  A good thing about birding in Washington in June is that there is plenty of daylight.  But that is not so good for owling or for trying to find Common Poorwills which are best seen as their eyes reflect spotlights or headlights on dusty roads – when it is dark. I arrived at the Canyon around 8:00 p.m. which meant I still had well over an hour before the sun would be down.  I drove in and opened the gate and drove the full length of the Canyon to see what was around (just over a mile perhaps).  I could I.D. Pacific Slope, Hammond’s and Gray Flycatchers and Western Wood Pewees and some Robins and Cedar Waxwings.  Time to rest and wait for the dark.  I did so at an open area not too far past the gate and probably dozed a bit from the long day. Around 9:00 P.M. I started hearing some of the “poor will” calls from which the eponymous Common Poorwill takes it name.  They seemed to come from the hillsides along the canyon.  So far so good.  Now if only one or two would come down for a dust bath in my path.

About 9:15 I drove back up to the end of the road and figured I would just slowly head back down as it got dark.  At 9:30 I started this trek and … nothing.  No longer hearing the calls and definitely not seeing any birds on the road.  When I got back down to the gate, I found two boys with flashlights setting up a camp (or at least I think that is what they were doing).  They had clearly just arrived since I had been there recently.  I figured they had disturbed whatever birds may have been around as they came in so it was time to leave…defeated yet again.  I opened and then reclosed the gate and started home.  About a half mile down the now paved road, red eyes gleamed in my headlights and then rose up from the side of the road and flew off.  Of all places a Common Poorwill had been in the 18 inch wide strip next to the pavement in some grass.  Once again – no photo.

Common Poorwill was one of only three of the 359 species I saw in Washington last year that I failed to photograph.  The others were Boreal Owl and Flammulated Owl.  I still have hopes for photos of them this year – but not doing well so far.

The missed Common Poorwill photo aside, it had been a really fun trip.  Too many miles but definitely not too many birds.  Not sure if I will get back to Pend Oreille this year – can pass through on the way to Salmo Mountain if I give that a go again.  But I hope to be back many times – just a gorgeous place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting to Nome from Adak meant a flight first to Anchorage and then another to Nome.  The first flight was in a combo Alaska Air cargo/passenger jet and again there was lots of room.  A comfortable connection in Anchorage and then another Alaska Air combo heading north.  This time the plane was pretty full – lots of birders on board – but the flight was relatively short and easy.  As I waited for my bags at the quite small Nome airport, I heard a voice “Are you Blair?” and turned around to see a woman from near me in Edmonds, WA whom I had never met but with whom I had exchanged birding information/photos.  Small world – birding in Alaska – and here was Pam Meyers.  I want to add a shout out here for Alaska Airlines.  Just as had been the case with my April trip to Colorado, all flights were on Alaska Airlines and every aspect of the intersection with them was fantastic – easy, quick, friendly, efficient and smooth.

Our first stop was to pick up our vehicle in “Downtown” Nome.  Only four on this trip so it was an extended cab pickup with a back seat.  Very serviceable and definitely good for our purposes.  Then it was a short ride to check in to our Nome abode.  Can’t say I have ever stayed at a place with “Dredge” in its name but “Dredge No. 7 Inn – Sluicebox” was to be our Nome Home.  Apparently has something to do with Nome’s gold mining history. Perfectly comfortable.

Whatever its previous gold boom past, today Nome is a pretty dismal town – certainly more going on than Adak, but not much.  Flat, not scenic, somewhat downtrodden etc.  However, once out of the town, it is spectacular with the ocean, vast tundra, mountains and rivers.  Quite the beautiful place with lots of good birds.  It is also as far north as I have been and definitely the land of the Midnight Sun as on more than one night we were birding in good light until midnight and at most there were perhaps 3 hours of dim light – never completely dark.

There are basically three main roads out of Nome – Council Road and Teller Road each to another “town/settlement” of those names and also the Taylor Road but better known at least for birders as the Kougarok Road. During our four day stay we birded the full length of each including more than one trip on the Council Road. I am going to take the liberty here of going out of sequence and just sharing birding stories without regard to timing – trying as best I can to provide some locational details – and definitely lots of photos.  As on Adak, John was a great guide – finder and identifier of birds.  We ran into lots of other birders – some local and others on organized trips.  For the most part information was shared – always beneficial especially in large areas where pinpoint information can be very helpful.

The main “targets” for the trip were probably Bluethroat, Arctic Warbler and Bristle Thighed Curlew with next in line being Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Willow Ptarmigan, Northern Wheatear, Red Necked Stint, Bar Tailed Godwit and Gray Cheeked Thrush.  There was also an outside chance for White Wagtail and maybe some Eiders in addition to Common Eider which we had seen on Adak.  As it turned out we found all of these birds except for the Bristle Thighed Curlew despite a very thorough search and this included a Spectacled Eider, the only Eider I had not seen.  I had also already seen Northern Wheatear, Bar Tailed Godwit and Red Necked Stint in Washington but the looks here especially in breeding plumage were superior and greatly enjoyed.  We also lots of other great birds including many Redpolls both Common and Hoary and the most surprising to me was the number of Long Tailed Jaegers which seemed to be everywhere.  Also had many Parasitic Jaegers – all great looks. Some other “common” birds were Lapland Longspurs, Glaucous Gulls and Northern Waterthrushes.  I had seen and photographed all of them in Washington, but these breeding birds were spectacular.

Nome birds in no particular order:

Red Necked Phalarope – Beautiful in perfect light along the Council Road

Yellow Billed Loon – found by John in the sea off Council Road.  First one I have ever seen in breeding plumage.

Red Throated Loon – the most common loon – seen often – primarily along Council Road.

Pacific Loon – we tried to make it into an Arctic Loon but settled for tis beautiful Pacific Loon in breeding plumage.

Bar Tailed Godwit – several were seen – both male and female.

Black Scoters – in sea off Council Road.

Sabine’s Gull – a very fun find as there was a flock of at least 80 in the “grass” and ponds along Council Road.

Arctic Tern – Much more common than the Aleutian Terns but both were present.

Bluethroat – One of the prized finds – several seen and heard along Kougarok Road.

 

Arctic Warbler – We found quite a few in a number of places.  A Nome specialty.

Wheatear (Male and Female) – A mated pair on Kougarok Road.

Long Tailed Jaeger – We saw these everywhere from the coast to the mountains.  Quite common and quite beautiful.

Parasitic Jaeger – not nearly as common as the Long Tailed Jaegers but seen frequently mostly at the lower elevations.

Glaucous Gull – the dominant gull.  We also saw some Kittiwakes and Mew Gulls but at most a single Glaucous Winged Gull (or so John said…inside joke)

Short Eared Owl – several seen as we had on Adak.

Gray Cheeked Thrush – seen and heard almost everywhere including in a little clump of brush next to our lodging.

Willow Ptarmigan (Male and Female) – We saw several in the tundra.  This was the 19th gallinaceous bird I have seen this year.  There are only 4 more “regulars” in the ABA area and I am tempted to try for them all.

Rock Ptarmigan (Winter Plumage) – a consolation on our failed search for the Bristle Thighed Curlew – very cool to add this white form to the breeders we saw at Adak.

Northern Waterthrush – another very common bird – hard to get to sit still for a picture but found almost everywhere.

Spectacled Eider – We were told of this rarity by another group – Hastings Creek/Bay off Council Road. We may have missed a Steller’s Eider but at least I had seen one many years ago in Washington.  This was one of the best birds to me for the whole trip.

Common Eider – We saw many in the sea off Council Road and John located a single immature King Eider in a small flock of Common Eiders as well.

Long Tailed Ducks (Male and Female) – In a pond off Council Road.

Hoary Redpoll – Common Redpolls were more numerous and were abundant in town, but we saw many Hoary Redpolls out in the tundra especially.

Common Redpoll – heard and seen frequently including at our motel.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail – We ended up seeing 3 or 4 including two at Teller.

White Wagtail – rarer of the wagtails – one or maybe two seen at pond near Teller.

Red Necked Stint – brilliant in the sunshine together with a number of Western Sandpipers and a single Dunlin.

American Golden Plover – Another consolation prize in our unsuccessful attempt to find the Bristle Thighed Curlew.

Pacific Golden Plover – Seen on both the Council and Kougarok Roads – lower elevation than the American Golden Plovers.

Snow Bunting – the only one we saw – on the Kougarok Road – why couldn’t it have been a McKay’s!!??

Fox Sparrow (Red) – heard and seen at a number of locations.

Yellow Warbler – seen and heard frequently.

Blackpoll Warbler – Council Road – male and female – and lots of mosquitoes.

Sandhill Crane – we saw a good number including a small flock.

Lapland Longspur (Female) – not as common as Redpolls but seen frequently.

We also had good mammal sightings including many Musk Ox, Moose with Calf and a Red Fox.

Musk Ox – we saw several small herds – a “life mammal”.

Moose with Calf – the calf did not appear for quite awhile – certainly looked like it was not very old.

Red Fox – seen on the Council Road.

And of course there was great scenery along the way.

And finally (photo wise at least) the tundra was full of beautiful wildflowers.

On this Nome portion of my trip I added 55 new birds to my Alaska State list bringing the total to 142 (with 129 seen on the trip to all places in Alaska this year).  New life birds were: Gray Cheeked Thrush, Arctic Warbler, Bluethroat, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Willow Ptarmigan and Spectacled Eider – making it 16 altogether for the Alaska trip in total.  Some misses and some surprise finds – as it almost always is.

There was not a lot of interaction with locals – offered some ivory jewelry in Teller where we also surprisingly found a small store with cold sodas – not even hideously over-priced.  Food was not fantastic but there were some decent options in Nome.  Definitely a popular place for birders as we intersected both with birders on their own and also several organized groups including one of local educators.  The weather was fantastic – no rain and very little wind.  High temperature was maybe 70 and the low in the morning was probably high 30’s.  The long days were great but I am sure I would not enjoy the corresponding long hours of darkness in the winter (nor the snow or below zero temperatures).  I brought sun block and insect repellent and needed both but surprisingly bugs in only  a very few places.

It was time to go home and once again Alaska Airlines delivered.  Good flight back to Anchorage and then they even moved me up to an earlier flight back to Seattle.  Continuing to lead a charmed life, my bags were among the first on the carousel at baggage claim and my ride was on time and it was back to civilization.

I do not expect I will return to either Nome or Adak – but Nome is certainly doable on one’s own – if accommodation and a rental car (both in short supply) can be arranged.  I heard many stories about other Alaska birding meccas including Gambell, Attu and the Pribilofs.  Maybe some day.

 

 

 

 

 

This was the focus of the Zugunruhe Bird Tours trip that had both caught my attention and also gave me the most apprehension.  The tour description is included in my previous blog post – essentially it was to be 4 days/nights at sea with some great Alaskan birds as the targets.  For most birders the highlights were to be Whiskered Auklet and Short Tailed Albatross with a good chance at Mottled Petrel.  Also as described in that earlier blog post, plans were changed and weather both cut off a day at sea and also changed our destination from Sequam Pass to a more protected area.

After another good dinner prepared by Nicole, we left our dock in sheltered seas but that changed as we hit open water and the boat tossed and turned.  Not terrible and not scary but this was my first night at sea and sleep was not easy – probably more because of a worry about “what if it gets worse” rather than the conditions themselves.  There were maybe only 5 or so hours of darkness anyhow, so sleep was short in any event.  But we were here to bird and not to sleep, so getting up and about was welcome even with the boat’s tossing and pitching.

Time out for a description of boat, crew and birders.  The Puk Uk was indeed quite comfortable and seaworthy.  Onboard Billy Choate was our captain and he was joined by First Mate Oxsana and Cook Nicole – all terrific.  John Puschock was our leader and Neil Hayward was helping John as co-leader and spotter.  Both had also just led a trip to Attu on the Puk Uk and were terrific with the birds in Alaska.

John Puschock

Neil Hayward

Neil is the current ABA Big Year leader with 749 species seen in 2013.  I just finished reading his brand new chronicle of that year, Lost Among the Birds: Accidentally Finding Myself in One Very Big Year.  Especially enjoyable to birders, it is a great read in any event as Neil very honestly deals with emotions, psychology and “life”.  Highly recommended to everyone.

John and Neil were superb and obviously accomplished birders, but others in the group were quite impressive as well, and there was also a fascinating situation/dynamic in that one in the group, Olaf Danielson was well into his own Big Year and seemed poised to break Neil’s record – and Neil was essentially helping him do so.  Olaf in fact already held one Big Year record – having seen the most ABA species in one year – nude – shoes, hats and gloves the only exceptions to the no clothes requirement.  Olaf’s Nude Big Year was in 2012 and 2013 (so not a calendar year) and resulted in 594 species seen in the buff.  Of course there was a book (Olaf is a fiction writer as well as birder, businessman and doctor) and of course it is titled Boobies, Peckers and Tits – the next book on my reading list.

The Rock Ptarmigan was species 700 for the year for Olaf on Adak and he was to add many more during the pelagic and then the return to Adak and he kept his clothes on for all of them.  Olaf’s daughter accompanied him. I had her name as Lauren but believe she goes by Lena or maybe that is the name and I am wrong about the other.  In any event she is 16, bright, personable and able to both put up with her father and also with a boatload of birders living in close quarters – quite impressive.  Impressive too were our other birders.  I shared my berth with Bart Whelton from Spokane and Jay Gilliam from Norwalk, Iowa.  Both were good company and good birders with ABA lists over 700 and for Bart – a world life list of more than 6000.  He had bird lists from places I had not even heard of and had also been to the international spots where I had birded making shared stories easy.

Chris Feeney is from Georgia and was working hard to reach the lofty heights of 800 ABA species.  Every new bird was precious and Chris was dedicated and talented in finding them.  I think that after Adak and the pelagic, Chris was around 790 (hope I am not short changing him).  Rounding out the group were Paul Budde (from Minnesota but now in Washington, D.C.) and Don Harrington – another Minnesotan.  Sadly, I did not spend enough time with Paul to learn his story – in part because he may have been the most dedicated birder on deck braving the wind and spray outside more than any of us.  Clearly a superb birder I know he has been very active in the Minnesota Ornithological Union.  Don also was on my Nome trip and is a great photographer – and that will be my last comment on him.

Back to the boat – here are some photos of the interior and our crew.  I really cannot say enough about how good they were and the food really was outstanding.

Nicole in the Galley

John, Bart and Chris at the Benches/Tables

Our Bunks

Captain Billy, Nicole, First Mate Oxsana, John and Jay

Olaf and Lauren/Lena Danielson

And now again – back to the birds…

As anyone who has taken a pelagic trip knows, it is an up and down matter – both as relates to the movement of the boat and the presence and absence of birds.  There are long periods of time with little or no activity, short bursts of frenzied activity, some sustained activity – especially with chumming and the constant sense of possibility.  One challenge is that with some species being so scarce – if you miss the one sighting that may have been the only time the bird was seen and you are out of luck.  So there is great incentive to be out on the deck and also great value in having many trained eyes and good shared communication.  Heavy seas and heavy winds (often going together) are additional challenges.  All in all however, the weather was not too bad and it was possible to find places on the deck where there was at least some shelter from the wind and despite heavy cloud cover, there was very little rain – a big plus.

I am not going to chronicle what was seen when and how many – just going to cut to the chase and then embellish a bit.  The two stars of the show for everyone (well except me in a way) were the Whiskered Auklets and the Short Tailed Albatross.  The former were numerous and mostly quick flybys or floating on the water but neither close at hand nor in good light.  The latter was a single bird – and only a juvenile but oh boy what a bird – especially very up close and personal at our chum stop.  I had an extremely brief and poor look and quick picture of an immature Short Tailed Albatross on a Westport Pelagic trip in 2014 so it was not the prized lifer that it was for almost everyone else on board.  But being able to see it so well made it easy to appreciate and admire its size and power.  Especially the case when it was paired so readily with numerous Laysan Albatrosses both in flight and on the water.

Short Tailed and Laysan Albatrosses

A Short Tailed Albatross is a big bird – 3 foot body and 7 foot wingspan and weighing over 16 pounds (a lot for a bird).  When you see a Laysan Albatross alone, it looks big as well but weighs half as much with shorter wings and body.  Both are amazing flyers.  The Laysan is not common in Washington but I have been fortunate to see one up close and get a good photo and some are seen most years.  All albatrosses have huge bills and big feet gving them a gawky look but oh can they fly.

Short Tailed Albatross on Water

Laysan Albatross Landing

Albatrosses with Chum

We also saw a single Black Footed Albatross – the common albatross in Washington where I have seen as many as 170 on a single trip!!   The Short Tailed Albatross breeds on Islands off Japan and has a world population of fewer than 2500.  The Laysan breeds on Pacific Islands – particularly at Midway Island and has a world population of just under 1 million birds.

The most common species coming to our chum (and also seen while motoring) were Short Tailed Shearwaters and Northern Fulmars. I have seen both in Washington although there the former is far outnumbered by Sooty Shearwaters.

Northern Fulmar

Short Tailed Shearwater

All of these birds are Procellariformes or “tubenoses”.  The “tube” is a special gland that allows them to drink seawater and excrete the salt since they live primarily in the open ocean and do not have access to freshwater.  On most pelagic trips these birds are one of the highlights but especially in Alaska that honor is shared by the alcids – Northern Hemisphere birds replaced by penguins in the Southern Hemisphere.  These were the birds of most interest to me as they would be mostly life birds or at least life picture birds.  And of course the Whiskered Auklet was the real prize.  It is not that they are rare – just that they have a very limited range.  In fact all told we surely saw more than a thousand but only in very few places.

Whiskered Auklets

Whiskered Auklet on the Water

These guys do not come in for chumming and always seemed to be flying away from the boat so pictures were a challenge but all were thrilled to add this species to life or year lists – including me.  I also added Least and Crested Auklets to my life list and we also saw a few Parakeet Auklets (no photos).  They were far less common and again very difficult to photograph. A single poor picture of the former but none of the latter.

Least Auklet

On my trip to Glacier Bay I had looked very hard for and finally found a single Horned Puffin.  It was one of the birds I most wanted to see and photograph on this trip.  Surprisingly all puffins were few and far between and I managed to see only a handful of Horned Puffins and was able only to get pretty crummy photos.

Horned Puffin

Tufted Puffin

We had many Common Murres but a disappointment was that we had no Thick Billed Murres – not a life bird as I have seen the one that hung out at Ediz Hook in Port Angeles but a good photo would have been nice.  And while we did have some Ancient Murrelets, no Long Billed Murrelets which would have been a great surprise and welcomed.

Ancient Murrelet

While there were some misses on the trip (there always are) there was also a great unexpected bonus (which there sometimes are).  We never saw a Mottled Petrel – hopefully someday in Washington for example.  We had seen a few Back Legged Kittiwakes – nice and expected birds.  Again birds I have seen often in Washington.  What I had not seen and knew was only remotely possible was a Red Legged Kittiwake.  I believe it was Neil that first spotted the bird and I fortunately was on deck and close when he did.  It was not around long, but it was cooperative and while my photos do not show the red legs (they are folded up and tucked in when the bird is in flight), I could readily see the smaller yellow bill and darker mantle that distinguishes it from its black legged cousin.

Red Legged Kittiwake

As can be seen from all of the photos – it was pretty dismal gray the whole time we were at sea.  But all in all a very pleasant trip with moderate (15-25 knot) winds and ok seas.  It is tempting to go into details on some of Nicole’s food creations but I am trying to lose some of the weight gained on the trip and do not want to be tempted – especially the amazing pizzas she created from scratch. We generally anchored for the nights in calm sheltered waters and I slept much better than expected and fortunately had no seasickness at all.  Neither did anyone else.

I was not sure where to insert this trip highlight and figure this is as good a spot as any.  It is often the case that small birds will inadvertently fly onto ships at sea.  This is true on pelagic birding trips as well and I have seen a number of passerines on Westport trips.  But we were treated to some truly special visitors on our journey.  One night we had both a Leach’s and a Fork Tailed Storm Petrel fly on board.  Another time we were visited by one of the Whiskered Auklets. The latter was not able to get up enough “go” to fly off over the railing so it was captured and viewed closely by all before it was released.  So much better than the distant fleeting views in rolling seas, under gray skies from a bouncing boat.

Whiskered Auklet Onboard

As I indicated in the previous post, we birded an additional morning when we returned to Adak.  I forgot to add them then so will now. One of the nice sightings on Adak was not of birds but of always beautiful Sea Otters – usually a mom with baby floating by her side or on her stomach.

Sea Otters

At sea we had also come across a small group of Steller’s Sea Lions.  Only a brief look at some Orcas and  a couple of distant whales but nothing else on the marine mammal front.

Steller’s Sea Lions

After the morning back on Adak, the bad news was saying goodbye to a fascinating place and some wonderful people.  The good news was that our plane was on time and weather would not be a problem for the trip to Anchorage and then to Nome.  It had been a good trip.  I added 30 species to my Alaska List and the following 10 species to my ABA List:

Far Eastern Curlew, Kittzlitz’s Murrelet, Rock Ptarmigan, Aleutian Tern, Common Snipe, Hawfinch, Whiskered Auklet, Least Auklet, Crested Auklet, and Red Legged Kittiwake.

It was now off to Nome and more adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My birding experience in Alaska had been very limited – some incidental birding on a business trip to Anchorage in 1979, more incidental birding on a fishing trip to Alexander Creek in 1986 and a visit to Juneau and Glacier Bay with my kids in 1995.  Those three trips resulted in a State List of 40 birds with the best ones being Boreal Owl, Horned Puffin and Hoary Redpoll.  It was time to return for a concentrated trip to see some Alaska specialties and add to my ABA List.  I had come to know John Puschock and thus know of his unique trips through his Zugunruhe Bird Tours to remote Alaskan destinations.  He told me of a private trip he had arranged to Nome and I was interested.  But that was a long way to go for just a four day trip so when he said he had room available on a very unique pelagic trip from Adak Island the makings of an Alaskan adventure was in order and I was interested.

The tour description: “This pelagic trip targets three of North America’s most-wanted pelagic species: Whiskered Auklet, Short-tailed Albatross, and Mottled Petrel. Other birds that are very likely including Laysan (usually in big numbers) and Black-footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Short-tailed Shearwater, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Red-faced Cormorant, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common and Thick-billed Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Ancient Murrelet, Cassin’s, Parakeet, Least, and Crested Auklets, and Horned and Tufted Puffin. Both Marbled and Kittlitz’s Murrelet and Aleutian Tern can be seen fairly easily at Adak after the trip.”  I was sold and signed up – with the Nome trip to be an add on after the 5 day Adak trip.

My blogging skills are not sufficient to share all the great moments and birds from the Alaskan trips and a single blogpost is far too limited to include even those experiences that I can relate so there will be three posts:  this one covers birding on Adak Island before and after the pelagic trip; Part II will cover the pelagic trip itself and Part III will cover the extension to Nome.

Rather than chancing delays and disconnects getting from Seattle to Adak with only two flights a week to Adak, I opted to fly to Anchorage a day earlier (the origin of all flights to Adak).  This gave me a chance to do some limited birding around my motel – specifically at Lake Spenard and Lake Hood in spectacular weather on the morning of May 29 before my flight to Adak.  Nothing terribly exciting although the single Pectoral Sandpiper I found was an Ebird “rarity” and my Alaska Life List was increased to 57 birds.  Moreso it certainly got me into the mood for some more specialized Alaskan birding and I was excited when I boarded the Alaska Airlines flight for Adak on the afternoon of May 29th.  I was not looking forward to the flight but having a full row to myself (indeed 6 rows if I wanted them) was appreciated.  The flight was easy with views mostly of clouds below.  The sign welcoming us to the primitive Adak airport was thought provoking and accurate:  “Adak, Alaska – Birthplace of the Winds”

Adak History and Geography

Adak is located in the Andreanof Islands, 1,300 miles southwest of Anchorage and 350 miles west of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, at the end of the Aleutian Island Chain. It is the southern-most community in Alaska and has 122 sq. miles of land and 5 sq. miles of water. The Aleutians were historically occupied by Aleuts. Once heavily-populated Adak island was filled with many Aleut villages that were later abandoned in the early 1800s as the Aleut hunters followed the Russian fur trade Eastward and famine set in on the Andreanof Island group. However, they continued to actively hunt and fish around the island over years, until World War II broke out and Attu Island was occupied by the Japanese. This led to the establishment of a military presence on Adak beginning in August 1942 and Adak was attacked by Japanese fighter planes which strafed the island and dropped a few bombs in October 1942. Thus Adak was one of only a handful of places on U.S. soil actually subjected to an enemy air raid.

After  World War II, Adak was developed as a Naval Air Station after the War, playing an important role during the Cold War as a submarine surveillance center. Large earthquakes rocked the Island in 1957, 1964 and 1977. At its peak, the station housed 6,000 naval personnel and their families. In 1994, severe cut-backs occurred, and family housing and schools were closed. The station officially closed on March 31, 1997, and currently houses approximately 30 Navy personnel and 200 civilian caretakers.  Today the scene is quite sad as the abandoned military housing and installations are in great disrepair and have been vandalized and stripped of materials.

And now back to the birding…

It was definitely comforting to be see John Puschock at the airport.  I do not want to even ponder what I would have done had he not been there.  But as was the case throughout the trips, logistics were well handled by John and it was time to go birding.  I met other members of the tour group including Neil Hayward, of ABA Big Year fame, who was serving as a co-leader on the trip.  Much more on all of the participants later, but suffice it to say that I was in the company of extremely accomplished birders, all but one of whom had been to Alaska before for some serious birding and were now back on focused missions to add specific birds to very impressive lists.

We piled into two vehicles and were off in pursuit of one of those “vagrant specialties” that make these remote locations magnetic for birders.  On a nearby beach we located two birds – a Whimbrel (Eurasian subspecies or race) and the real gem – a Far Eastern Curlew.  So not long after arriving I had my first “lifer” and, if the Whimbrel is someday recognized as a distinct species and not a race, maybe two. While I “may” have been able myself to recognize the Far Eastern Curlew as different from the Long Billed Curlew found in my home Washington State, it was nice to be in the company of experts and also to know that in fact the Long Billed Curlew was not ever seen on Adak in any event.  And this is what made birding here so appealing – even though there was not much bird density (except for Gray Crowned Rosy Finches and Lapland Longspurs – and more on them later) each bird was possibly or even likely to be something special and maybe even very special.

Far Eastern Curlew and Eurasian Whimbrel

Two more special birds were also seen fairly quickly, Aleutian Tern and Kittzlitz’s Murrelet.  Both were life birds and high on my “target list” for the trip.  I had expected to see both and probably frequently.  Such was the case for the terns but we saw only a few of the Murrelets so it was particularly great to get photos of the first pair seen.

Aleutian Tern

Kittzlitz’s Murrelet

It had been a long day but in this part of Alaska, the days are very long in the summer and the sun shines (well at least shines through the cloud cover) for most of the day so all internal clocks are off. Time now to settle in to our boat that was to be home for the next 4 days and to head off on our pelagic journey — well not so fast.  Heavy winds and heavy seas required a “Plan B” as it would be impossible to head to Sequam Pass that night – our target area for the Whiskered Auklets and more.  It was determined to wait another day to bird more on Adak and then to either keep the original objective or to go to an alternate more weather friendly location.

Our home away from home was the M/V Puk-uk, a 72-foot vessel custom-built for Alaska charters.  I had been on many pelagic birding trips out of Westport, Washington where I had encountered less than perfect weather, and a single pelagic trip out of Cape Town South Africa, where I had encountered truly scary weather, but these had all been day trips and I had not yet spent a single night onboard a boat of any kind.  My apprehension was not assuaged when it was necessary to deal with a less than familiar obstacle course of ladders, railings, planks, barges and docks to get on board, but Captain Billy Choate and his crew made us very comfortable and once aboard the quarters may have been compact but the accommodation was comfortable and welcoming.

M/V Puk Uk

I had prepared for possible sea-sickness with an adequate supply of Dramamine and some wristbands but when I saw that most of the other birders were using scopolamine patches, I wondered if I would be ok with what would be ahead.  So perhaps it was best that this first night would be anchored at the dock with minimal movement and calm conditions.  I had been sick onboard only once – and I think it was more a question of something I had eaten than the sea movement – but I had seen many others with seasickness and I wanted no part of it.

Life on board was actually quite good.  Our staterooms/berths were small (I shared a room with two others – Bart from Washington and Jay from Iowa) which meant there was an extra bunk which together with some “closet” space left plenty of room for cameras, binoculars and bags.  Most importantly the kitchen and common room were super and more importantly still; Nicole our cook was terrific – as long as you followed the important rule to stay out of her kitchen space.  Good food helps any situation.  (Pictures will be added in Part II which covers the pelagic trip.)

With the changed plans, we birded Adak again the following morning.  It started off with a mystery that sadly could not be solved.  I left the boat to take my gear up the convoluted route to get to the cars.  This involved some very tight passages and I did not want my camera and lens hanging down as it usually did so I packed in my pack to carry it up the ladders etc.  When I got up onto the dock where the cars were parked I noticed maybe a dozen gulls.  A Slaty Backed Gull had been seen by some in the group the night before so I paid some attention and among the Glaucous Winged Gulls I saw one with a very dark mantle, a white head and tail, a few very small white specks on its wingtips AND quite yellow bill, legs and feet. I could not remember the leg color of the Slaty Backed Gull and had great photos of that species from Tacoma in Washington.  My camera was stowed away so I made the mistake of not immediately digging it out for a photo.  My sense was that it was not a “small gull” – that is it was not Mew Gull sized for example.

The “Path” from Boat to Dock

When John and Neil came up onto the dock later I asked what gull here might have a dark mantle and yellow legs and feet and the answer essentially was “none”.  I have definitely made observation errors before and certainly will again, but there was no doubt to me that the field marks of yellow legs and feet and dark mantle were accurate.  And same for the clear head and tail.  Without a photo or a more conscious and conscientious observation, the identity will have to remain a mystery.  As I thought about it, it seemed at least consistent with Lesser Black Backed Gulls I have seen in Washington.  Who knows…

As we birded the island we were able to add another special Asian Vagrant – Common Snipe.  This is again a situation where having experts around was critical as the species is very similar to the Wilson’s Snipe (our snipe in Washington) which is also present on Adak and at one time both were considered the same species.  But the call and winnowing sound are different – immediately recognized by John and Neil.  It was quite overcast this day, so light for photos was not great, but I was able to capture a winnowing snipe which actually shows the individual tail feathers – and counting them is another way to distinguish the species.

Common Snipe

We actually had access to only a small portion of Adak Island but the roads were good and we visited a number of likely spots including within the town and the abandoned housing, various other structures in the hills, the coast and inlets and “the Adak Forest”.  The letter is pretty hilarious as Adak is essentially without trees and the forest is a small copse of stunted evergreens up one of the hills.  John and Neil had placed seed near some of the trees (including a couple in town) and we scoured the trees carefully.  Unfortunately at least on this day, we saw only “common birds” – Lapland Longspurs and Gray Rosy Finches.  I have seen and photographed both often in Washington but I was excited to see the longspurs in full breeding plumage for the first time – truly beautiful birds.

The Adak “Forest”

Gray Crowned Rosy Finch

Lapland Longspur

A Gyrfalcon had been seen frequently on the Island and this is the one bird that I was actually the first to spot as we traversed the hills.  At first just a distant glance but then we followed it quite a distance and found it perched on one of the structures and it put on a great show. I have seen this species in Washington (including one this year and a gorgeous “white bird” three years ago, but it is always a treat).  Not the greatest photos – but as just stated – always a treat.

Gyrfalcon

 

As reported in an earlier blog post, I had already enjoyed a great year for “chickens” – gallinaceous birds such as quail, grouse etc. as a result of my wonderful trip to Colorado.  I had 13 species of gallinaceous birds there with 4 additional species seen in Washington.  This was all the more reason that I was eager to see two new “life chickens” in Alaska – Rock and Willow Ptarmigans.  Adak delivered on the Rock Ptarmigan – seen frequently in the tundra in the hills – usually flying away from us as we drove by.  But one cooperated for a nice photo and life bird number 5 for the trip.  (More will be written on it in the last post but I also got the Willow Ptarmigan later at Nome).

Rock Ptarmigan

This is where I am going to mix and match a bit as after the added day of birding on Adak we returned to the boat and took off for the pelagic part of the trip in a different Plan B direction.  We returned after that for another morning of birding on Adak and I want to cover that here as well.  Before our arrival at Adak on May 29th some other great birds had been seen including some Hawfinches, and a Temminck’s Stint.  (Much earlier my prize bird had been seen – a pair of Smew).   On our last morning on Adak we found one of these prizes – a nice male Hawfinch – an ABA life bird for me although I had seen them in Hungary more than 15 years ago.

Hawfinch

It was time now to head back to Anchorage.  Adak was fun and as will be written in the next post, so too was the pelagic trip.  We missed the Red Faced Cormorants that were usually seen on Adak – too windy – but had some other birds that could not be counted on.  Definitely a strange and mostly unwelcoming place in many ways.  But great birding and great birding company.  I don’t know that I will ever be back so definitely glad to have made the journey.

 

Neah Bay has become a “must include” stop in any Washington birder’s plans for the year.  In addition to just being a great place to find many good birds, it is a place where rarities are often found.  And if you can visit in good weather, it is extremely beautiful and peaceful.  There is always the chance for something special and there is usually the likelihood that you will find other birders there – hopefully with their cameras, scopes or binoculars already looking at something wonderful that they will share with you.

An Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society joint field trip with the Washington Ornithological Society – part of which was to include a hawk watch on Bahokas Peak – provided a perfect reason to return to Neah Bay (many trips a year are highly recommended) and an opportunity to give my friend Linda insight into my crazy birding life.  It was to be a two day trip with stops in Sequim and Port Angeles – the latter with hopes that the Yellow Billed Loon would still be near the City Pier.  The weather was great but the bad news was that the timing coincided with a one day halibut season that meant that many slow moving boats were heading to Sekiu and Neah Bay and that most of the hotels in the area were already booked.

I was keen to stay at Hobuck Beach but those cabins were long since booked and in fact I could not find any rooms in Neah Bay or Sekiu at all.  I got on the waiting list at the Hobuck Beach resort and took a room at Port Angeles which would have required a very early departure to meet Denny Van Horn, the trip leader in Neah Bay at 9 the next morning.  The day before the departure I received a call with news that a cancelation meant a cabin was open at Hobuck and I jumped at the chance.

Ebird reported that a Pectoral Sandpiper was being seen at the pond at Hogback Road in Sequim and that was our first stop.  The pond is a VERY flooded field in a private residential area downhill from the road itself.  I had never visited it before or known about it.  There were lots of birds and even through the scope I could see what appeared to be a Pectoral Sandpiper – larger than the many peeps but smaller than the Dowitchers that were spread around the pond – and with pale legs.  Signs were clear that the road was private, but when a resident of the development visited with us and said it would be fine for us to move down to be close to the birds, we took that as a go and went down.  We saw another couple on the way down and confirmed with them that it was ok and moved closer.  I say all of this because I have since learned that there have been some less than good interactions between residents and birders and the Sequim birding community stresses birding from the upper road only.

The Pond really was a treasure trove with Least and Western Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Long Billed Dowitchers, a calling Sora, baby Killdeer Fuzzballs, a single Wilson’s Snipe and of course the Pectoral Sandpiper.  Unexpected bonus birds were a pair of Blue Winged Teal and my FOY Greater White Fronted Goose. It was a good way for Linda to get a taste of birding.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Baby Killdeer

Blue Winged Teal

Greater Yellowlegs with Long Billed Dowitcher

Greater White Fronted Goose

Linda is a residential home builder with a strong interest in projects that enhance community.  We drove around Sequim observing opportunities and instances of both good and not-so-good development.  We then headed off to Port Angeles where we did find the continuing Yellow Billed Loon just off the City Pier.  Remembering how difficult it has often been for me to find this species in years past and that I only finally got a picture of it on the boat trip I arranged out of John Wayne Marina last December 31st, it seemed hardly fair that Linda would get to see one up close on her first birding trip.

Yellow Billed Loon

After lunch we continued on the tortuous curvy boat stalled drive to Neah Bay with a few scenic stops along the way but without looking for any birds.  In Neah Bay itself we scanned the marina finding only common birds and then headed off to Cape Flattery, a beautiful and favorite spot, and one that Linda had not seen.  The weather remained perfect and the hike out to the viewing platform was beautiful.  I had hoped there might be some Tufted Puffins playing in the surf when we arrived, but such was not the case and we settled for the gorgeous scenery and some of the very striking Black Oystercatchers that are regularly seen on the rocks below.

Black Oystercatcher

Although we would be going back the next day, I also wanted to head up to Bahokas Peak on our own.  Not only is the scenery from some of the viewpoints spectacular, there is also the chance for Sooty or Ruffed Grouse.  Unfortunately others also drove the remote road while we were there making it highly unlikely that grouse would be on the road.  But the scenery was spectacular with views both south and west of Hobuck Beach and the coves and beaches to the south and also north and east of the Neah Bay Marina and the straits.

View to the South and West from Bahokas Peak

We found many Wilson’s Warblers and a few other birds including some views of soaring American Bald Eagles (we had already seen many) but it was generally pretty quiet and definitely no grouse.

Time to get to Hobuck Beach to check in and then to walk the beautiful beach itself.  A few peeps were on the beach and is generally the case, there were many gulls especially up near the mouth of the Waatch River.  Mostly Glaucous Winged and “Olympic” Gulls (Glaucous Winged/Western Hybrids) but there were also some Herring and Thayer’s Gulls – both new for the year.

Herring Gull

Time to head into town for dinner.  There are not a lot of options in town but food has always been good at the Warm House and we were hopeful of some Halibut since the fishing had begun.  Unfortunately they had sold out of their limited supply so we missed that favorite.  It was then back to Hobuck in time for a glorious sunset.

Hobuck Beach Sunset

The official field trip was to start at 9:00 a.m. the next morning.  This gave me time to head back up to Bahokas Peak early to look for grouse before anyone else had driven the road to disturb them if they were out.  The strategy worked perfectly as I fairly quickly found a single Sooty Grouse gravelling on the road.  A little further along I also had many Band Tailed Pigeons also gravelling and then flying up into the trees.

Sooty Grouse

Band Tailed Pigeons

I later heard the “Quick Three Beers” call of an Olive Sided Flycatcher but I could not get it to respond and it remained in a treetop directly into the sun. I also heard and easily saw numerous Pacific Wrens and even more Wilson’s Warblers.  Time to go, pick up Linda and meet the group at the General Store.

Denny told us that he had relocated the White Winged Dove that had been seen at Butler’s Motel the previous month and that was going to be our first stop.  I had a very brief and frustrating view of it then without being able to get a photo so I hoped to make up for that miss.  Unfortunately just as had been the case earlier, there were MANY Eurasian Collared Doves in the trees and swampy area behind the motel, but no dove with white wings could be found.  Fortunately Nancy had kept her feeders stocked and many birds came in for the treat and gave us good views including Brown Headed Cowbird, Purple Finch, Black Headed Grosbeaks, American Goldfinches and a single Pine Siskin.

Brown Headed Cowbird

Purple Finch

Black Headed Grosbeak

We gave the dove every chance to show off but it just did not happen so we headed over to the waterfront and checked the birds on the shoreline and out in the water.  We had a single Lesser Yellowlegs and a half dozen Long Billed Dowitchers mixed with many more Least and Western Sandpipers.  We found American Pipits, a Thayer’s Gull and a Purple Martin with other swallows.  Nothing to write home about but nice to see.  Now we were off to Bahokas Peak with the main objective being some hawk watching.

Bahokas is a great spot for viewing hawks in migration.  The previous weeks many hawks were seen in migration including a handful of Broad Winged Hawks – extremely rare in Washington. Maybe we were past the migration or maybe it was just bad timing that day, but there were very few raptors to be seen despite lengthy looking. After a lengthy time with not much to show for it, I made the executive decision to break ranks and head off on our own also recognizing that there would be a long ride back to Seattle while most of the others there were only going to Port Angeles or Sequim after the trip.

We went back to Hobuck Beach for more searching on the sand.  At one point I saw a couple of American Pipits among some debris and went closer for a photo.  Another group of pipits materialized and I got very excited when one seemed to have a reddish cast on its throat.  A Red Throated Pipit is an extreme rarity but one had been seen near Victoria a couple of days earlier and then not seen again.  It had been in with a large group of American Pipits.  I was now watching a group of 20 plus and it would make sense for the Victoria bird to have crossed the straits and visited this spot.  Unfortunately I had to conclude that what I had seen was most likely a reflection or a particular way in which it caught the light since I could not find the bird again.  The view had been brief and I had very good looks at all birds thereafter so just wishful thinking.

American Pipit

A few minutes later a small flock of larger shorebirds landed on the beach.  They walked away from us and then flew off but I got a single photo of one of the Whimbrels.

Whimbrel on the Beach

Time to leave.  We decided to make a quick stop at the fish hatchery before heading back to Seattle.  On the way we ran into the group from the trip looking intently through scopes at some distant shorebirds.  Denny had found two American Golden Plovers – excellent birds and my first for the year.  They were way off across a bay but in good light it was possible to tell in the scope that they had golden backs and dark caps and the black on their bellies extended to under the tail – the key field marks.

We added nothing at the hatchery and headed homewards hoping to have a decent ferry connection.  It was quite a way but when we got to the Kingston Ferry it looked like we would not have much of a wait – getting on to the next boat.  Gulls and cormorants were near the terminal and a Rhinoceros Auklet was close in – the last good bird on a very good trip.  Linda held up well – probably somewhat bemused but she enjoyed the birds and even the birders but the highlight was clearly the beautiful beach and coast around Neah Bay.  I just saw that a Dickcissel was found there yesterday.  If I were not leaving for Alaska tomorrow I would already have been there to try to find it.

Rhinoceros Auklet

 

 

 

 

 

I am constantly reminded of my own take on “birding”: It inserts us in situations where there are opportunities to be in great places, be with great people and observe great birds.  On a really good trip, we get all three and rarely do we not get at least one. There is no better example of “all three” than my two day trip with Brian Pendleton to the Walla Walla area, birding on our own the first day and then joing up with Mike Denny for another of his grand nature tours the second day before a long drive back to Seattle.

I picked Brian up early on May 10th and we headed East with our first stop being at the feeders at a home in the Hyak area of Snoqualmie Pass.  Starting a trip with 5 Rufous Hummingbirds and 3 Yellow Warblers is a good omen.  Having two Evening Grosbeaks and an Orange Crowned Warbler – well so much the better.

Rufous Hummingbird

Yellow Warbler

Orange Crowned Warbler

Among the many great things about birding with Brian is that he is an excellent keeper of “the list”, far better at the details of Ebird submissions than I am (he rivals Ann Marie Wood in this regard) so there is never a concern about missing a bird and it certainly frees me of work I do but only reluctantly.  He and I had been on along last year and receiving his many detailed Ebird reports to share was fantastic!!

Our next stop was a favorite for both of us – Bullfrog Pond – after first finding the nesting pair of American Dippers under the bridge along Bullfrog Road – now my “go to” spot for this species. Both of us were looking for new year birds but I had spent more time in Eastern Washington than Brian recently because he had been off on a really fun trip to Texas.  This was a productive stop and we had very good birds, many new for the year.  Our 38 species included:  6 warblers (with Nashville and MacGillivray’s the most exciting), Warbling and Cassin’s Vireos, Chipping Sparrows, House Wrens, Western Tanager and Virginia Rail.   We had hoped for an early Catbird – but definitely too early.

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Chipping Sparrow

There was no seed and hence no activity at the Cle Elum Ranger Station but we heard a lot of noise across the street and enjoyed the spectacle of 15+ Evening Grosbeaks on a well stocked feeder.

Evening Grosbeak

When in Cle Elum it is mandatory to stop at the Northern Pacific Railroad Ponds – lots of birds – nothing terribly exciting but it is always fun to watch the Pygmy Nuthatches – and they are very photogenic.

Pygmy Nuthatch at Nest

We continued on to Ellensburg where a quick stop at the Ringer Loop (road is closed part way due to a serious washout) picked up our first Western Kingbird and then we made a short trip up into the sage on Canyon Vista Road where we picked up both Vesper and Brewer’s Sparrows.

Time for another shout out about birding with Brian.  Maybe it is because his birding (like Frank Caruso’s who is similarly talented) started at a young age in the warbler-rich East, but for whatever reason, he has a terrific ear and can readily identify most birds by their song.  I keep trying to get better but by far my best approach is to bird with Brian or Frank and just be amazed at and appreciate their talents. Brian’s ear was instrumental in finding the sparrows (and many other birds on this trip).

We then headed down Canyon Road and stopped at Umtanum Creek.  I got a great shot of a Turkey Vulture in flight and then we got some seriously good birds in the riparian area near the Yakima River. We had fabulous views of a VERY NOISY Yellow Breasted Chat, our FOY Bullock’s Oriole, Western Wood Pewee and Dusky Flycatcher and the lovely (and recognizable even by me) song of a Canyon Wren.

Turkey Vulture

Yellow Breasted Chat

Bullock’s Oriole

Western Wood Pewee

Dusky Flycatcher

We continued south and then east with some brief stops if we saw something of interest from the car.  At one stop we found a singing Rock Wren and there were more Western Kingbirds.  An “official stop” was at Horn Rapids Park where Jon Houghton and I had dipped on a Chestnut Sided Warbler last year.  That had been a month later but you can always hope.  We did see many American White Pelicans which are common there, another Western Kingbird and another Bullock’s Oriole.

Rock Wren

Continuing on we finally made it to the “Walla Walla area” with our first stop at the Peninsula Unit of the McNary NWR where a Clark’s Grebe had been seen recently.  No luck on that but I got my first Great Egret photo – having failed to get even a recognizable photo of the bird that was near UW earlier in the year.

Great Egret

We moved on to the Headquarters area at McNary where we had a lot of good ducks (including 10 Blue Winged Teal) and our first Black Necked Stilt plus we heard the definitely strange “oonk-a-chuck” of an American Bittern.  We had hoped for a Black Crowned Night Heron but no go.  We did find some Bank Swallows – new year birds for both of us. Brian also added a flyby Pectoral Sandpiper that I missed.

We kept going east and stopped at the Tyson Blood Ponds – at times a great spot for shorebirds (a White Rumped Sandpiper was reported from there last week). We picked some Spotted Sandpipers, lots of Killdeer (15) and Black Necked Stilts (18) and more Bank Swallows but were disappointed not to see any American Avocets – until three flew in on the far end of one pond – a new bird for both of us.

American Avocet

Black Necked Stilts

We moved on to Dodd Road checking the ponds and the cliffs that are used by Barn Owls among others for roosting/nesting.  We found owls in at least two of the holes and a highlight for me was a group of Redheads (the duck kind) giving me a great photo of a bird I had seen earlier but missed photographing.  There were also numerous Yellow Headed Blackbirds – not a new bird but one that is always great to see especially perhaps for us who hail from West of the Cascades.  First Brian and then I heard the distinctive call of a Long Billed Curlew.  I got a quick view of it in the potato fields above the Barn Owl Cliffs before it flew further off and disappeared.  One last good bird was a Eurasian Wigeon mixed in with its American cousins.

Barn Owl

Redhead

Yellow Headed Blackbird

It had been an excellent day of birding and we had some time left but most of the rest of the story for the day was of disappointment.  White Faced Ibis had been seen at Millet Pond but we were unable to find any.  A Ferruginous Hawk had been seen on a nest in Touchet up Nine Mile Canyon Road but although we found the nest tree, no hawk was present.  However, this was a good location for Lark Sparrow and just as I finished telling Brian my story of getting a Lark Sparrow last year as a “consolation prize” in my locked gate near fiasco at North Potholes indeed a Lark Sparrow sang and posed for us – another consolation gift and a FOY for both of us.

Lark Sparrow

Our final “miss” of the day was a failure to find Lesser Goldfinches (or anything else of note) at Fort Walla Walla State Park.  I had seen them earlier but had failed to get a picture so that need/want remained unfulfilled.  Again a consolation was our first of many Lazuli Buntings.

Lazuli Bunting

 

It was now late so we grabbed some dinner, checked into our hotel and looked forward to meeting up with Mike Denny in the morning for a guided tour hoping especially for Great Gray Owl and Green Tailed Towhee on Biscuit Ridge or wherever Mike could find one for us.  Unfortunately MerryLynn had other commitments so we would miss her great company and great birding skills. We met Mike at his home and headed to Bennington Lake.  We had a great treat as Mike pointed out two Great Horned Owl Owlets that were out in the open still quite downy.

Great Horned Owl Owlets

Next we were off to Jasper Mountain in the beautiful Blue Mountains and the new hot spot for Great Gray Owls.  Any trip with Mike Denny includes history – and more than natural history as in addition to flowers, trees, animals, birds and geology, he also knows the history of place and people.  And he and MerryLynn have birded each spot so much that there is also a long history of observations – last year they saw such and such here and the year before such and such there – and on and on.

The Beautiful Blue Mountains

And so it was as we looked diligently and without success for the Great Gray Owl that would be Brian’s first.  Among the birds we did have were many warblers – especially Townsend’s Warblers which seemed to be in every tree.

Townsend’s Warbler

Not far behind were numerous Yellow and MacGillivray’s Warblers.  We also had Cassin’s Vireos, Hammond’s, Dusky and Pacific Slope Flycatchers (MIKE:  There is no such thing as a Cordilleran Flycatcher!!!), and both Mountain and Western Bluebirds and two Townsend’s Solitaires.

Townsend’s Solitaire

We changed our search to North Fork of the Coppei Creek Road and found some loud but rarely visible Green Tailed Towhees.  Last year Brian and I had visited this spot with Melissa Hafting my good friend from B.C. and had numerous and far more cooperative Green Tailed Towhees.  This year we settled for glimpses and songs.  We also found a really cool bee swarm.

Green Tailed Towhee Coppei Creek Road from 2015

Bee Swarm

 

We moved off the ridge and down to Mill Creek Road where Mike knew of a house with many hummingbird feeders and also many hummingbirds.  First we had a fun visit with an old timer landowner that Mike had worked with on a conservation project years ago.  He was effusive about the experience with someone who could well have been an enemy.  Seemed just right because that is who Mike is – hard to imagine someone not getting along and working together for win-win results.  We also found a displaying American Dipper at one of the local creeks.  At the feeders we had close-ups of Rufous, Calliope and Black Chinned Hummingbirds – great fun.

 

American Dipper

Rufous Hummingbird

Calliope Hummingbird

Black Chinned Hummingbird

We then headed over to Rooks Park to get that Lesser Goldfinch – we heard one only and never got a look.  Mike had other commitments and had already been very generous with his time.  He gave us some directions for another spot for Ferruginous Hawk off of Hatch Grade Road and when he learned we were looking for Vaux’s Swift, he suggested we sit awhile at his place and sure enough several flew over not long after we arrived.

We all said our goodbyes and Brian and I went off to find the hawk.  We had very specific directions to get us to a Locust tree with a nest and hopefully a Ferruginous Hawk sitting tight.  We followed the directions diligently but did not find a Locust tree.  Mike would not have made an error so we wondered what we had done wrong as we made a U-turn at the end of the road.  Sure enough somehow we had missed a very visible and all alone Locust in a bit of a valley and sure enough there was a big nest with a Ferruginous Hawk sitting tight.  And in a strange parallel to our failed attempt the day before, not too far away we found some more Lark Sparrows.

Ferruginous Hawk

Mike had also given us a good lead on finding Tricolored Blackbirds near the Tyson Ponds.  We first made a stop at the Walla Walla River Delta looking for special gulls or terns without success and then headed back to the Iowa Beef Tyson ponds.  We scoured the reeds for blackbirds and came up with some good candidates that just would not show themselves well and then a couple came out well enough for good looks and positive identifications with shoulder epaulets that were red and white only.  We also found a Bank Swallow colony with birds constantly coming into and then leaving their nests.

Tricolored Blackbird

Bank Swallow Colony

In what may have been the worst decision we made, we did not return to Millet Pond after the Tyson Ponds.  Since nobody else was there that day either, who knows…but the next morning White Faced Ibises were found again…so possibly a major miss.It was now time to head home.  We grabbed dinner in Cle Elum where unfortunately the Bar BQ restaurant was closed.  It was late and we were both very tired by the time we got back to Seattle but it had been a great trip.  Brian had added 20 species to his already impressive year list and I had added a dozen.  It was a great trip.

A few words about Brian Pendleton – leaving out many details and hopefully staying within bounds that Brian will find acceptable.  For a number of years Brian has dealt with health issues that would have completely depressed and defeated a lesser man.  He is very strong willed and of strong character and he loves his birding.  Even though those health issues have made it now infeasible to drive and have made use of binoculars nearly impossible, he still is a master in finding birds and identifying them.  This is from a combination of good ears, good eyes and great knowledge.  He manages many great pictures and uses his camera as binoculars of a sort.  It is VERY impressive as is he.  And somehow through all of this, he has not just run but completed a number of marathons – and in good times.  I greatly admire his will, his skill, his determination and his warmth and character.  (And Ann Marie, if you are reading this – ditto!)

He has ambitious goals for this year.  I expect he will meet and then surpass them.  I will applaud those accomplishments and know what dedication and hard work was required to make them a reality.  I will enjoy that success immensely as I have enjoyed the privilege of birding with him.  Do it Brian – do it!!!

A highlight of any birding year is a trip (maybe more than one) with Captain Phil Anderson, First Mate Chris Anderson on the Monte Carlo heading out to the offshore Pacific waters west of Westport.  Weather can certainly make the trip better or worse but the wonderful pelagic birds with the ever present possibility of something truly special are hard to beat.  Add in great company with the superb spotters (Bruce Labar and Scott Mills on this trip) and other birders plus the usual presence of some marine mammals and the experience is a must do.  There are a number of pelagic trips from other ports around the country – California, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Maine and probably others.  I have been on many out of Westport and one out of Maine.  From all accounts, there is no better operation than Westport Seabirds out of Westport.  We are very fortunate.

Captain Phil Anderson

First Mate Chris Anderson

Probably for the first time in my life (yeah, right!!) I made a mistake.  I had actually signed up for the pelagic trip on Saturday May 14 but had put it in my calendar as May 15.  Fortunately there actually was a second trip on Sunday and there was room so when I showed up 30 minutes early (5:30 a.m. the departure time for the previous day instead of 6:00 a.m.) I first apologized to Phil and then was welcomed aboard for the day.  Whew…

This trip was not going as far off shore which could affect the species to be seen, but the weather was great and the seas were calm and I was very happy to be aboard.  Everything about the Westport Seabirds trips is first class.  Phil is a wonderful skipper and Chris is simply as good as there is. The spotters are all terrific and essential to finding and getting the ret of us onto the birds.  I think Bruce and Scott are as good as there are – both as pelagic birders and terrific folks so I was very pleased.  The trip was a special one for a group of birder/naturalists associated with the University of Washington – so unlike most trips nobody else I knew and they mostly hung together but were good company as well.

One non-UW birder was Tyler Davis from Kenya.  He manages a posh camp/resort there and we had a fun talk about Kenya, its birds and people – recalling many fond experiences from my trip there in 2007 (blog post ahead some day).  The contrast between birding the African savannah and the Pacific Ocean could not be greater.  Tyler was a super guy.

Bruce Labar (He is much better looking in person… 😉 – added just in case he reads this)

There are always some interesting birds on the way out of the marina, but usually the good stuff – the truly pelagic birds are further out when the waters deepen and the food supply supports their presence.  But close in there are generally some Pigeon Guillemots and maybe some Rhinoceros Auklets, various gulls and cormorants and some loons.  Brown Pelicans are on the rocks and flying by and on this trip we had our first Common Terns and Black Legged Kittiwakes, the latter a First of Year bird for me.

Brown Pelican

Black Legged Kittiwake (Non Breeding)

Crossing the bar can be rough but this day was a piece of cake and we were distracted by an endless flow of Common Murres and more of some of the birds mentioned above.  Often there are many shearwaters close in but not on this day and I wondered what that might portend as they are a major attraction for the trip.

Pelagic birding can be hit and miss and can be alternately boring and exciting.  Sometimes birds are very close (especially behind fishing boats/trawlers/processors and at “chum spots”) but more often are distant or appear and disappear quickly seemingly coming out of nowhere.  I do not have great eyes but at least after many trips have learned to identify some of these often fast flying birds but without the expertise of the spotters and better eyes of others on board much would be missed.  There were long periods without much activity on this trip but you always have to be ready as the one special such and such can easily be missed if you are not always alert.

The first pelagic species seen was probably the very beautiful Sabine’s Gull – often seen fairly close in but more plentiful further out.  We also had a fairly early single Black Footed Albatross.  Both were year birds but much better intersections were expected. We then intermittently picked up some Red Necked Phalaropes – little beauties but to me not as beautiful as the Red Phalaropes which are usually less plentiful and more pelagic.  A couple of Red Phalaropes were sighted by some at a distance but I missed them this trip.

Sabine’s Gull

Red Necked Phalarope

From here on, this report is not going to be sequential – birds came and went and there was great excitement when they were found and especially up close.  We did not have any fishing boat interactions so missed those concentrations but we found some active spots when Phil spotted some distant whales which were surfacing – interesting on their own part but also because seabirds are often attracted by their activity which can bring food up to the surface or as just their presence means they are feeding and food is around for the birds as well.  And while there are some whales or dolphins/porpoises on most trips, this trip was especially good on that front.

Humpback Whale Hump

I admit that while whales are truly impressive, I generally just don’t get very excited especially when they are distant and showing just a small fraction of themselves.  This trip was going to be different as there were LOTS of whales and LOTS of above the surface activity.  All told we saw 16 Humpback Whales and much tail slapping, fluke waving and even some full breaches.

Humpback Tail Slapping

Humpback “Spying”

Humpback Breach

Each antic would be accompanied by shrieks onboard the Monte Carlo and the UW group was especially pleased…

And now back to the birds…

We were now out about 30+ miles and pelagic birds were definitely around.  Our first shearwater was a Sooty Shearwater but we soon had Pink Footed Shearwaters as well.  At times thousands of Sooty Shearwaters are seen – and this is the species most likely to be seen from shore (Point Brown Jetty at Ocean Shores or from Westport) and I once had several thousand deep into Grays Harbor visible from the Hoquiam STP.  I probably have the number wrong but I believe I have heard that there may be a million Sooty Shearwaters off our coast.

More Black Footed Albatross flew by and at our first chum spot – Phil throws out cut up fish parts and suet to attract the birds – they came in close and were joined by Northern Fulmars and Fork Tailed Storm Petrels.  Leach’s Storm Petrels are the other storm petrel possibility but are generally seen further out (like where the trip went the previous day).  None were seen close on our trip.  Two were seen high in the sky and at distance.  I got a fleeting and pretty unsatisfactory look at one but definitely no photo opportunity.

Black Footed Albatross

Northern Fulmar

Pink Footed Shearwater

Sooty Shearwater

Fork Tailed Storm Petrel

I have chosen photos of these birds in flight which is how they are generally seen.  These shots also allow easy identification of the two shearwaters as the Pink Footed has a pale belly and pale bill compared to the dark belly and dark bill of the Sooty.  Easy to see in the photos but not always so clear when they are moving and distant.  After time though these features are apparent and the ID is fairly quick.  It gets a bit more complicated when there are other shearwater species around and the spotters definitely make all the difference for these rarer sighting which we birders are most interested in.

These photos also allow easy observation of the tube nose for these sea dwelling birds.  Special anatomy allows them to drink salt water and excrete the salt through these adaptations which also enable them to smell minute traces at great distance. Later when Phil chummed with fish oil cast onto the water with no birds around, within minutes the odor would be picked up by these sensitive organs and the birds would appear right above the slicks.  Birds also have great vision and when they see other birds feeding, they would be drawn to the spot as well.

Sooty Shearwater on Water

Northern Fulmar on Water

Black Footed Albatross on Water

Pink Footed Shearwater on Water

These photos show the tube noses and also some different perspectives for identification. The photos were all of birds attracted by the chum and were often within just feet of the boat. We also had more Sabine’s Gulls and some distant views of tiny Cassin’s Auklets – the smallest Washington Alcids – analogous to the penguins which are flightless and found only in the Southern Hemisphere.

Cassin’s Auklet (Although I got a photo of one on this trip, I am using a photo of a much closer bird from this same trip in April 2015)

Time to return to port.  We saw more whales and many of the same birds on the way back in but the highlight was easily the many dolphins we found.  These included perhaps 100 Northern Right-Whale Dolphins and 70 Pacific White-sided Dolphins. Speed and acrobatics were very impressive – often bow riding next to and below our boat.  We had several breaches and fabulous views.

Northern Right-Whale Dolphins

Another marine mammal that all enjoyed was a Northern Fur Seal that waved at us with its furry flipper.  We also saw Sea Lions on a buoy close to the harbor and Harbor Seals in the marina.

Northern Fur Seal

There were still to be some good birds as well.  Nearing the marina, Tyler Davis spotted a “different” looking shearwater, it was dark above and pale below and smaller than the others we had seen.  Bruce Labar confirmed it as a Manx Shearwater – a treasured find on these trips.  One had been seen about the same distance from shore on the trip the day before.  I was barely able to get my camera on it as it flew away from us.  The poor picture (I only got one) was sufficient to confirm the identification though.

Manx Shearwater

As the boat nears the marina, we generally search the rock jetty for Rockpipers hoping especially for Wandering Tattlers.  None were found this day but we did find two Black Oystercatchers, striking with their bright red bills, pale pink feet and bright yellow eyes.  They are uncommon at this location.

Black Oystercatcher

Back in port safe and sound after another great trip.  I had added 12 new species in Washington for the year and had some good photos and admittedly a very enjoyable mammal trip.

I look forward to many more pelagic voyages.

 

 

At this time last year I was visiting the Washington Coast for my third time and was getting ready for an exciting trip to Maine.  Every year is different and his year my first trip to the Coast was not until Mid-May – planning a day of birding some favorite spots before again joining Westport Seabirds for a pelagic trip out of Westport – my tenth or so with them.

There is always a dilemma going to the coast in Washington – when you get to Aberdeen do you head south for the Westport area or do you keep going west (through the depressing “downtowns” of Aberdeen and Hoquiam) and head over to Ocean Shores. Over the years there have been many great birds in both areas and during migration (both Spring and Fall) the possibility of something special is always there.  I had two “targets” for the trip in addition of course to the pelagic specialties: Red Knot and Snowy Plover.  The former is usually best found at Bottle Beach and the latter on the open beach or near the dunes in the Grayland/Midway Beach area.  Both are on the Westport side.  But the best time for the Red Knot is a couple of hours before high tide and on this day, high tide was late – around 8 p.m. So the decision was easy – go to Ocean Shores first and then get back to Grayland and Bottle Beach late in the afternoon for the two targets there.

Having survived the tedious twists and turns to finally get past Hoquiam, the first stop is always the Hoquiam STP.  This spot has produced some wonderful birds in past years as well.  Some examples are Sharp Tailed Sandpiper, Lapland Longspur, Stilt Sandpiper, Red Shouldered Hawk and Ruff.  The location is continually changing as the access and surroundings of the sewage ponds changes and the shorebird habitat is affected by the water level. On this visit the water was high, mud for shorebirds poor and not much was there.  I had hoped for some phalaropes but no go.

Sharp Tailed Sandpiper (Hoquiam STP – September 2014)

Red Shouldered Hawk (Hoquiam STP – September 2013)

This visit was pretty bleak.  The water was high and the only shorebirds were on the bay side.  But as is generally the case, there was a consolation prize – maybe my best photo of a sitting Turkey Vulture.

Turkey Vulture

So off to Ocean Shores and a first stop was to be the open beach near the Casino.  I was hoping for some miraculous repeat of last year when I found a Lesser Sand Plover in this area – but that was August and this was May. Lots of shorebirds: more than 400 each of Dunlin, Western Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers, but nothing special.  Most enjoyable was getting up close to both Caspian and Common Terns for good photos clearly showing the black legs of the former and the red legs of the latter.

Caspian and Common Terns

I moved on to the Point Brown Jetty looking for “Rockpipers”:  Black Turnstones and Surfbirds most commonly but sometimes a Rock Sandpiper or a Wandering Tattler.  The tide was very low so I could walk further out on the sand than usual but my rock hopping days are long gone so no clambering out of the jetty itself.  It was too late in the year for a Rock Sandpiper (one of the reasons I had gone much earlier last year) and surprisingly there were no Surfbirds or Black Turnstones, but at least I had seen and photographed these birds elsewhere this year.  The ONLY bird on the jetty was a single Wandering Tattler – my first of the year.  It was way out at the tip of the jetty and there was no hope for a photo but seeing it was great and I hoped for a photo op on the Westport Jetty tomorrow returning from the boat trip.

Rock Sandpiper (Pt. Brown Jetty February 2015)

My next (and last stop on the Ocean Shores side) was the Oyhut Game Range – another of those hot spots that has produced many great birds (including rarities and lifers) over the years.  I opted to go in via Tonquin Avenue.  The entrance is always somewhat challenging but this time moreso as the foliage was overgrown and the logjam even worse than usual.  I made my way out to get a view of the wetland and the tide was just too low.  Many scope scans suggested  there were just no birds to be seen – or at least readily.  I had hopes of a Golden Plover – but not this time.

Time to head back east and then south to the Westport side and a chance for the Snowy Plover – definitely one of the cutest of all shorebirds.  I had surprisingly seen one in Colorado in April but it is a “must” to have one in Washington each year.  Since they are a threatened species, their breeding area is roped off and inaccessible in the Midway Beach dunes, but my experience has been that slowly driving the open beach adjoining the area can often find some.  The low tide made for a very expansive beach area, but sticking to the plan resulted in two Snowy Plovers – and driving slowly and carefully allowed up close observations and photos. The green and white leg bands on one told me it was part of the monitored research of the species here.

Snowy Plover

Other than hundreds of Sanderlings in various plumages, a lot of Semipalmated Plovers and hundreds of Barn Swallows nothing more to see.  Even though it was still a bit early given the tides, I decided to check into my hotel and then move on to Bottle Beach.

Sanderling 

It is generally best to bird coastal shorebird spots on an incoming high tide.  Planning to be there an hour or so before high tide is the typical plan.  Not so at Bottle Beach where the tide comes in quickly and it is best to be there at least two hours before the scheduled high tide.  When I got there, high tide was still 3 hours off and the mud/sand flats were extensive.  But my scope saw lots of birds far out and I decided to just walk out to them with hopefully some good scope views and then closer looks and photos as the tide came in.  I took my time and the strategy worked well as I quickly found some of the targeted Red Knots.  Some distant “record” shots and then moved out further as they slowly moved in.  There were Dunlin and Black Bellied Plover in all plumages and then a large flock of Short Billed Dowitchers made an appearance mixing with the now closer Knots.

The number of Red Knots was  much lower than at some other visits but I estimated about 50 or so, somewhat lower than the Dowitchers but greater than the Dunlin and surprisingly way more than the Black Bellied Plovers.  I was able to get quite close to many Red Knots as they fed actively and oblivious to my stealth. I also found a very handsome Greater Yellowlegs and a distant but still gorgeous Ruddy Turnstone in resplendent full breeding plumage.

Red Knot

Ruddy Turnstone

Dunlin Nearing Full Breeding Plumage

Greater Yellowlegs

The tide was still fairly far out and I was not seeing any new birds arriving so I decided to leave.  I was surprised not to see any other birders at this productive spot, especially since there had been a pelagic trip that day and it was likely that it had returned and this would have been a likely post trip stop.  Maybe they came after I left, but I think it was the first time I had been at Bottle Beach without company.

I got a call from Jon Houghton who had been on the pelagic trip that day (and had birded Bottle Beach the day previously) and got a good report from their trip.  I met Jon and his wife Kathleen for dinner in Westport and then retired for the early morning wakeup and the next day’s trip to Gray’s Canyon with Westport Seabirds.  And that will be the subject of my next blog post.

Over 40 years ago 0n March 16, 1975, I saw my first  Greater Sage Grouse as a few displayed on a lek at the Yakima Firing Range.  In those simpler early days before national security concerns had made access much harder, it was possible to get decent fairly close views and it was a very memorable experience.  In intervening years it has become harder and harder to find displaying birds here and recently my only views have been distant ones at or near the Leahy lek in the Okanogan.  I remembered too seeing a program on displaying grouse – either on Animal Kingdom, or Nature or Walt Disney and the images of strutting and “fighting” birds resonated strongly.  As I looked for a good birding trip for 2016, those images flashed in my head and I decided I wanted the “Disney Experience”.  I wanted to see displaying grouse up close and personal and also wanted to see some species I had not seen before.

Some research found a seemingly perfect trip – a Grouse Tour offered by High Lonesome Tours to see many of the grouse species (and other gallinaceous birds) in Colorado in April 2016.  Checking the potential species list, there were some other possibilities for new ABA Life Birds and many opportunities for new pictures.  I was ready to go.  Frank Caruso has many terrific qualities – one being that he is almost always game for new birds and when I told him of the tour and he checked his life list – he too was ready to go.  We decided to arrive a day early to look for some birds on our own, so we signed up for the tour, booked flights, got a motel and rented a car and were off on April 6th.

Although they were listed as possibilities for the trip, we focused our time on finding large flocks of McCown’s and Chestnut Collared Longspurs and some Mountain Plovers.  I had spotty observations of the Longspurs before but had never seen a Mountain Plover.  I think all three were lifers for Frank.  The birds had been reported on Ebird about 100 miles east of Denver near Arriba off Interstate 70.  We had some nice birds along the way and almost immediately after the turn off from the Highway I was able to see and get a photo (distant and poor) of a Mountain Plover in a distant field.  Lifer number 1 for me – so far so good.  We found the road where the longspurs had been reported and sure enough – there they were – sort of.  We would see nothing and then a small to medium flock would fly out of the stubble and then land maybe 50 or 100 yards away and then disappear again.  It did not help that there were also many Horned Larks sharing the same fields and also flying all over. Try as we might, we could not sneak up on the birds and could never get good views except in flight.  A group landed on the road and we use our best stealth birding techniques to approach but we had never seen such skittish birds and off they would go again.  They seemed to all be McCown’s Longspurs and at least Frank had a lifer.

Mountain Plover

McCown’s Longspur in Flight

We continued our search and found more and more skittish McCown’s Longspurs.  I finally got an okay photo of one on the road and then we discovered a group of Chestnut Collared Longspurs – closer to the road, separate from the McCown’s and a little more cooperative.  All told we figured there were at least 500 McCown’s and maybe 20 Chestnut Collared Longspurs.  The trip was off to a great start – now we needed some GROUSE!!

McCown’s Longspur

Chestnut Collared Longspur

It was then back to Denver where we met up with the group the next day.  Altogether there would be ten participants plus our two guides – Forrest Davis, the owner of High Lonesome, and Stephan Lorenz who Frank and I agreed after the tour as being the best guide we have ever been with – super person and even more super birder. Other birders included one from Alberta, Canada, three from the SF Bay Area, two sisters from Texas and a couple from Maine plus Frank and me.  Most were good (or better) birders and good company.  Not to take much away from a great tour, let me get a couple of negatives out of the way:  (1) maybe it was unavoidable given the miles we had to cover (2600) to see all the grouse, but we stayed in a different motel every night (only one was “barely acceptable”) and that made it pretty hectic; and (2) the vehicle situation was NOT acceptable.  They used a van and a  Chevy Suburban.  Forrest and three birders were in the Suburban and Stephan and 7 birders were in the van which meant one in the front and then two each in three more rows behind.  The windows did not open, visibility was almost nil and getting in and out (one side only) was a challenge.  Not the end of the world, but there were times when it kind of felt close to it. Two minor glitches were way too many stops at Subway for sandwiches and either a defective GPS system or frequent user error by Forrest that resulted in several wrong turns or misses (one adding almost 60 miles to the journey).

Now for the good stuff in overview:  all told we did go 2600 miles crisscrossing the entire state and saw 143 species including an astounding 13 species of gallinaceous birds, all target seen – even if a few just barely or not very well, wonderful weather (except for the snowstorm that hit Denver on the night before we were all scheduled to depart – and more on that later), lots of great photo ops, many great stories shared, incredible scenery despite Spring definitely not having arrived in Colorado yet, some very interesting people along the way, many wonderful mammals, and 6 new ABA Life Birds for me and around the same number for Frank.  I would highly recommend the trip to anyone (with a request in advance for better transportation) and would recommend ANY trip with Stephan as a guide.

The Route

Stephan Lorenz – Super Guide

Day 1 – Denver to Fort Collins

With a brief stop at Boyd Lake, our first official leg of the tour took us from Denver to Fort Collins.  Nothing special at the Lake but we did pick up a Franklin’s Gull and both Eared and Horned Grebes (with some confusion on ID).  We had an excellent dinner in Fort Collins (dinners were excellent on the trip) and enjoyed some good social time.

Boyd Lake, Larimer County, Colorado, US

Thu Apr 07, 2016 5:00 PM

25 species total

American Crow

American Kestrel

American Robin

Black-billed Magpie

Brewer’s Blackbird

Canada Goose

Common Grackle

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Eared Grebe

Eurasian Collared-Dove

European Starling

Franklin’s Gull

Great Blue Heron

Horned Grebe

House Sparrow

Killdeer

Mallard

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-winged Blackbird

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)

Swainson’s Hawk

Western Grebe

Western Meadowlark

Day 2 – Fort Collins to Silverthorne

This was our first real full day of birding and had some hits and misses.  We first went to the Pawnee National Grasslands to find longspurs and Mountain Plover.  Sure glad Frank and I had found these on our own since there were only a few longspurs – all McCown’s, all distant and all very unsatisfying looks.  And no Mountain Plover.  We did pick up our first Burrowing Owls of the trip – always a treat.

Pawnee National Grassland–Weld Co. Rd. 45 from Rd. 114 to 122, Weld County, Colorado
Fri Apr 08, 2016 7:30 AM
4 hour(s)	50.0 kilometer(s)
20 species total
American Kestrel
American Robin
American White Pelican
Black-billed Magpie
Burrowing Owl
Canada Goose
Eurasian Collared-Dove
European Starling
Ferruginous Hawk
Horned Lark
Killdeer
Loggerhead Shrike
Mallard
McCown’s Longspur
Northern Flicker
Northern Harrier
Prairie Falcon
Red-tailed Hawk
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Western Meadowlark

Not an auspicious start but things improved dramatically at our next stop which was at Genessee Mountain Park.  Good birds and good views and photos.  These included all three nuthatch species, Williamson’s Sapsuckers, many Western Bluebirds, many Cassin’s Finches and Mountain Chickadees.  I thought I was in the Teanaway or Wenas area in Washington.

White Breasted Nuthatch

Western Bluebird

Williamson’s Sapsucker

Mountain Chickadee

Genesee Mountain Park–south of I-70, Jefferson County, Colorado, US ( Map )

Fri Apr 08, 2016 2:45 PM

19 species total

American Crow

American Robin

Cassin’s Finch

Cooper’s Hawk

Dark-eyed Junco

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Mountain Chickadee

Northern Flicker

Pine Siskin

Pygmy Nuthatch

Red Crossbill like Koo

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-tailed Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Steller’s Jay

Western Bluebird

White-breasted Nuthatch

Williamson’s Sapsucker

We spent the night in Silverthorne and got off to an early start the next day.

Day 3 – Silverthorne to Gunnison

This was going to be a good day and our first stop was at Loveland Pass, Elevation just under 12,000 feet.  Plenty of snow which made finding our chief target a challenge – a fully white White Tailed Ptarmigan.  Exceptional spotting turned up first one and then a second bird.  You could only see the black spots of their eyes against the total white back drop.  These were the first winter plumaged birds I had seen and the adrenalin was definitely flowing – a real high. On one bird in certain views you could just barely make out the red “eyebrow”.

White Tailed Ptarmigan

Loveland Pass (Clear Creek Co.), Clear Creek County, Colorado, US ( Map )

Sat Apr 09, 2016 7:15 AM

2 species total

White-tailed Ptarmigan

Common Raven

But our day was just starting and our next stop was the Wildernest Community (homes in the Mountains).  Here are quest was to find Rosy Finches.  Forrest did know his birds and some “secret” spots to find them.  There were feeders at some of the homes here and with some diligence we first found some flying flocks and then the feeders and had super looks at all Rosy Finch species including both Interior and Hepburns’s races of the Gray Crowned Rosy Finches, Black Rosy Finch and Brown Capped Rosy Finch. The latter two were ABA Life Birds for me.

Brown Capped and Gray Crowned Rosy Finches in One Tree

Brown Capped Rosy Finch

Black Rosy Finch

Location

Wildernest (community), Summit County, Colorado, US ( Map )

Sat Apr 09, 2016 8:30 AM

16 species total

American Crow

American Robin

Black Rosy-Finch

Black-billed Magpie

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

Canada Goose

Cassin’s Finch

Dark-eyed Junco

Downy Woodpecker

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Hairy Woodpecker

Including Hepburn’s

Mountain Chickadee

Northern Flicker

Pygmy Nuthatch

Red-tailed Hawk

Steller’s Jay

Forrest had a pocket spot for Lewis’s Woodpecker and that was our next stop, the Buena Vista Community in Chaffee County.  In addition to some “regular birds” and indeed finding a Lewis’s Woodpecker, we also had a Red Naped Sapsucker.  We then had another special woodpecker spot at Monarch Pass where we fairly quickly located an American Three Toed Woodpecker. (Checklists omitted.)

Red Naped Sapsucker

American Three Toed Woodpecker

At another stop we had our first Pinyon Jays of the trip – a bird I have seen only once before so close-ups were a treat.

Pinyon Jay

It was then on to Gunnison and another excellent dinner.  The next morning was to be up very early to hopefully see the Gunnison Sage Grouse.

Day 4 – Gunnison to Grand Junction

The Gunnison Sage Grouse was a top targeted bird and Lifer for all of us.  The Waunita Hot Springs lek is on government owned property and there is a special trailer where the birders sit with louvered windows open and hopefully get views of the birds.  You have to be there early (5:30 a.m.) and remain quiet throughout.  Trying to figure out how to dress appropriately was one of the pre-trip challenges as temperatures could be in the low 20’s or below and you were sitting still for hours.  Turned out that the temperature was not so bad (around freezing but no wind).  There was much anticipation when the louvers were opened and we could scan the field and hills.

This was definitely NOT the “Disney Experience”.  We had very distant (1/2 mile plus) views of the grouse.  Scopes were provided by the local “guide” and our guides and were imperative.  You could just make out the males with their long dark filoplumes on the neck when they displayed.  Only recognized as a separate species in 2000, the birds are restricted to a very small geographic area, so although not much to see and definitely not much of a photo op, it was great to add this new species to all of our Life Lists.

Gunnison Sage Grouse – far far away

Altogether there were appearances by maybe 14 grouse and we also heard a hooting Great Horned Owl. We left after a couple of hours and then made a stop at the Almont Bridge to pick up an American Dipper before heading off through the spectacular Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and a stop at the Upland Trail.  Here we had two Golden Eagles, Clark’s Nutcrackers and the Woodhouse form of Western Scrub Jay which may be split into its own species.  We also had a crazy Mountain Bluebird that was picking insects out of bullet holes on a Cattle in Area sign.

Western Scrub Jay – Woodhouse Form

Mountain Bluebird

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP–Upland Trail, Montrose County, Colorado
Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:00 AM
16 species total
American Kestrel
American Robin
Black-billed Magpie
Black-capped Chickadee
Clark’s Nutcracker
Common Raven
Dark-eyed Junco
Fox Sparrow
Golden Eagle
heard only
Mountain Bluebird
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Spotted Towhee
Steller’s Jay
Townsend’s Solitaire
Turkey Vulture
Western Scrub-Jay

It was then on to Grand Junction.

Day 5 – Grand Junction to Craig

We started the day travelling to Colorado National Monument which was where I hoped to add another Lifer – the Juniper Titmouse.  The bird came right in in response to a brief playback and posed in the open for great photos.  We also had Gambel’s Quail on this leg of the trip, a species I have not seen for many years.

Juniper Titmouse

Gambel’s Quail

Colorado National Monument, Mesa County, Colorado

Mon Apr 11, 2016 7:00 AM

1 hour(s), 30 minute(s)

13 species total Pronghorns were seen at many spots along our journey – adding a photo here. Bison/American Buffalo were also seen but only a couple of spots. Gambel’s Quail  Bewick’s Wren  Cassin’s Finch  Common Raven  Gambel’s Quail House Sparrow Juniper Titmouse Mourning Dove Rock Wren Say’s Phoebe Spotted Towhee Western Scrub-Jay White-crowned Sparrow White-throated Swift  Our next stop was at Cameo and Coal Canyon in Mesa County.  Two great treats here were Chukars and Black Throated Sparrow.  The Chukar was distant and I was fortunate to get a good photo.   The Black Throated Sparrow, a personal favorite, was first heard and then came in close after a single playback.

Chukar

Black Throated Sparrow

Cameo & Coal Canyon, Mesa County, Colorado

Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:00 AM     1 hour(s), 30 minute(s)

16 species total

American Crow, American White Pelican

Black Billed Magpie, Black Throated Sparrow, Chukar

Canada Goose, Common Raven, House Finch

Mallard, Northern Mockingbird, Osprey

Red Tailed Hawk, Say’s Phoebe, Spotted Towhee

Turkey Vulture, Western Meadowlark

We then travelled to 20 Mile Road south of Hayden in Routt County where we added a number of ducks and a couple of Sandhill Cranes. We then pulled in to Grand Junction for the night.

Day 6 – Craig to Walden

Our first stop was County Road 80 – First Hill where we were looking for Dusky Grouse.  This is a species which is readily seen in Washington and particularly at Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop the birds can be seen very close and often displaying right at the Lodge and in the parking area.  So it was very disappointing to have what I considered very poor looks at one or two birds down in a ravine.  No real photo opportunities.  Especially since we had gotten up early again to see the birds I was beginning to wonder if the trip had been exaggerated in the advertisement and our grouse experiences were gong to be a far cry from my Disney hopes.

We moved on to another grouse lek – for Sharp Tailed Grouse on 20 Mile Road – also in Routt County.  We indeed had a good number of Sharp Tailed Grouse but fairly spread out and not as close nor as active as I had expected.  I admit to being somewhat jaded by the photos I had received from a friend in British Columbia who had truly awesome pictures of very colorful Sharp Tails displaying at a lek there.  Maybe if I had not seen them, this would have been more satisfying – but I wanted my Disney moments.

Sharp Tailed Grouse

Sharp Tailed Grouse Flight

We then continued to Rabbit Ears Pass where we added some Gray Jays and more Dark Eyed Juncos and then drove to Walden Reservoir for more ducks, pelicans etc.

Day 7 – Walden to Wray

This was another early morning and this one was well worth it.  Disney at last as we visited the Greater Sage Grouse Lek and were treated to a spectacular encounter with 110 Greater Sage Grouse booming and strutting and dancing and then doing it more and more and again and again.  This was what I had dreamed of and this was perfect in great soft morning light.  I took countless photos.

Greater Sage Grouse at Lek

We also had a couple of Sage Thrashers and a beautiful Rough Legged Hawk but that hardly mattered.  The grouse were magnificent and any disappointment of the other “chicken” observations were quickly forgotten.

It was still early morning when we left the Sage Grouse spectacle and pulled in to the Moose Visitor Center at the Colorado State Forest where we had more Cassin’s Finches some gorgeous Evening Grosbeaks and another Red Naped Sapsucker among other birds.

Evening Grosbeak

That afternoon Forrest took us to a favorite spot where he had good luck with Chestnut Collared Longspurs – and they were there – only a handful but the first for the group and a life bird for many.  One on the road provided a decent photo as well with the chestnut collar very apparent.

Chestnut Collared Longspur

And there would be more as our guides finally found a great Mountain Plover and some Chihuahuan Ravens in the Adobe Creek area.

Mountain Plover

Chihuahuan Raven

The day had started off on a high and had more highs as we continued and then it ended on one as well as we arrived at the Bledsoe Ranch in Wray.  It was here the next morning that we were going to see our Greater Prairie Chickens at a lek on the vast (65,000 acre) Bledsoe Ranch.  First we met with the head of the Bledsoe family on the ranch for some history and an orientation.  Fascinating stuff including that the matriarch, now 94, is still an avid pilot and until just recently had been an instructor.  We then went out to the lek for a preview.  We readily found a dozen Greater Prairie Chickens and also had a Wild Turkey and Ring Necked Pheasant to add to our “Colorado Chickens” list.  Another highlight were at least three Burrowing Owls.  If it was this good in the evening, the promise for the next morning was exciting indeed.

Our First Greater Prairie Chicken

Burrowing Owls

Day 8 – Wray to Lamar

It was going to be hard to beat the previous day – but this day came pretty close.  We arrived at the Bledsoe Ranch lek early and positioned ourselves in some pickup trucks that the Bledsoes left at the lek for viewing.  These were not some beaten up old ranch pickups – nice comfortable vehicles with perfect sight lines for the show that was to unfold in front of us. And what a show it was – definitely Disney again as 32 Greater Prairie Chickens hooted and danced and jumped and strutted and called nonstop for two hours as we watched.  Thank god for digital photography as the old film days would just not have allowed all the photos.  Again perfect diffused morning light and the birds were definitely up close and personal and oblivious to our presence.  Here are just a few of my hundreds of photos:

Greater Prairie Chickens

The Viewing Stations (Nice Pickups)

And again the Burrowing Owls were scattered around the lek paying little attention to action around them.  A surprise was just how loud it was – booming and squawking continuously.  Just a fantastic experience.  On the way out we saw Wild Turkeys again and a Great Horned Owl just where Mr. Bledsoe had suggested it would be the night before – so two owl species in addition to the two gallinaceous birds.  Wow!!  And then wow again as we first heard and then saw four Northern Bobwhite on the Bledsoe Cattle Company property. Not a life bird but our 10th Gallinaceous bird for the trip and only the second time I have ever seen this species and my first photo.

Northern Bobwhite

If the trip ended right then I would have been a happy guy, but we still had our most challenging bird, the Lesser Prairie Chicken ahead of us and there were to be some more good birds as well.  But the remainder of this day was spent on the long ride to Lamar where we hoped the lek would still be active for the Lesser Prairie Chicken.  This is a very threatened bird and groups were now going to Kansas to find a productive lek.  Forrest had a decent report from an earlier group so we continued on.

Day 9 – Lamar to Denver

Our motel in Lamar was not the greatest and it was going to be another early morning so sleep was somewhat fitful, but as with each other morning, everyone was ready to go pre-dawn and we headed to the Arena Dust Tours Lek.  We saw but a single bird and it was quite distant but still good enough for a solid ID and a Life Bird for everyone.  There had been as many as 5 birds earlier (still distant) a far cry from earlier days and it well may be that this site will no longer be visited by touring birders.  After viewing the Lesser Prairie Chicken, we had a great farm breakfast with Fred and Emma operators of the Tour Lek as they had for many years.  Fun to visit with them and see some of their rodeo memorabilia (Fred had been a big time rodeo guy.)  The stuffed Lesser Prairie Chicken (natural death) was sure a better look than we had in the field.

Lesser Prairie Chicken in the Field

Blair with Lesser Prairie Chicken at Fred and Emma’s Breakfast Barn

Before hitting the road back to Denver we picked up some more nice birds including a Blue Jay (no photo) and a Mockingbird (poor photo) as well as some others we had seen previously but which I include now s they are rarities in my home state of Washington, Great Tailed and Common Grackle.

Great Tailed Grackle

Common Grackle

Our first stop on the way back to Denver was at Holbrook Reservoir in Otero County where we added Black Necked Stilt and Snow Goose in addition to some Clark’s Grebes that were mixed in with the 100+ Western Grebes and we also had both Franklin’s and Bonaparte’s Gulls.

Black Necked Stilt

Holbrook Reservoir, Otero County, Colorado
Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:00 AM
21 species total
American Kestrel
American Robin
Black-necked Stilt
Bonaparte’s Gull
Canada Goose
Clark’s Grebe
Eared Grebe
Eurasian Collared-Dove
European Starling
Franklin’s Gull
Hooded Merganser
House Wren
Killdeer
Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Merganser
Ring-billed Gull
Snow Goose
Turkey Vulture
Western Grebe
Western Meadowlark
White-crowned Sparrow

We then made a quick stop at nearby Cheraw Lake adding more waterfowl including all three species of teal.

Cheraw Lake, Otero County, Colorado

Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:00 PM

15 minute(s)

14 species total

American Coot

American Wigeon

Blue-winged Teal

Bufflehead

Cinnamon Teal

Eared Grebe

Gadwall

Green-winged Teal

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Northern Shoveler

Redhead

Ruddy Duck

White-crowned Sparrow

We next visited the Pueblo Reservoir Area (Swallows) and found one of my hoped-for birds – Scaled Quail.  We also found some Canyon Towhees and a Curve Billed Thrasher.  None of these were life birds but all were my first ever pictures.

Scaled Quail

Curve Billed Thrasher

Canyon Towhees (Terrible photo)

The Scaled Quail was our 13th “Chicken” on the trip – an extraordinary list which I recap here:  Gambel’s Quail, Ring Necked Pheasant, Chukar, Dusky Grouse, Sharp Tailed Grouse, White Tailed Ptarmigan, Greater Sage Grouse, Gunnison Sage Grouse, Wild Turkey, Greater Prairie Chicken, Lesser Prairie Chicken, Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail.  And as an aside, within the month of the Colorado trip I also had the following additional gallinaceous birds in my home state of Washington:  California Quail, Sooty Grouse, Gray Partridge and Ruffed Grouse.  I gave some thought to trying to chase down the only other “chickens” possible for Washington – Mountain Quail and Spruce Grouse but I ran out of time and neither are sure things in any event.

I have not done a good job of including mammals that were seen along the way so add some photos here of Prairie Dog (we saw several species) and Bighorn Sheep and there were many more including Ground Squirrels, various Rabbits, Mule Deer, a Coyote and marmots.

Bighorn

Prairie Dog

And while I took thousands of photos of birds, I did not do so well with the splendid scenery and the wonderful people in the group.  Here are a couple of scenery shots just for the record.

I am particularly sorry not to have gotten any good shots of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park so include one taken by someone else.

Before closing with the rather remarkable story of the flight home from Denver, I want to add some words on the participants on the trip:

Ed and Debbie Hawkes from Maine were great company – Ed is a nationally acclaimed wood carver (birds mostly) and Debbie may have had the best eyes on the trip including finding the White Tailed Ptarmigan in the White snow.  It was particularly fun to share stories with them of my trip to Maine last summer.

Ray Wood was our Canadian guest – another great birder and it was particularly fun to hear his stories on his most impressive Big Canada Year last year.  Lots of wonderful birds.

Julio Mulero and Renee Poliozotto were a biotech/biochemist couple from California who added much to the group with keen eyes and fun stories.  Julio is doing a unique kind of “Bird Quest” as he is trying to get a photo of EVERY bird that breeds in North America.  He is well on his way including photos of such rarities as Black Rail, Himalayan Snowcock and Gray Headed Chickadee.  Julio is also a super photographer and I had a definite case of lens (and talent) envy.

Gretchen and Charlotte Armstrong more than represented their beloved Texas well.  Probably the least experienced birders on the trip, they were super troopers and did not miss a bird (or a chance to talk about their dogs and quilts and football teams).

Danny Swicegood was another Californian and avid birder with great eyes and bird finding skills. Always in good spirits, he often was the first to get on a bird with his scope and share the view with others.

Last is my travel companion from Edmonds, Frank Caruso.  Frank not only has the best ears of anyone I know (especially over 60) but also has the a superb processor to know what he hears and to get on the birds.  That was less important on this trip but still was a great help at times.  More importantly he is a great easy going guy and that is super on any trip. (Despite being a Patriots fan – GO HAWKS!!)

Going Home

On our last day we had a lot of ground to cover to get to Denver so everyone could fly out the next day – theoretically.  We had FANTASTIC weather the entire trip with temperatures ranging from the 20’s (but did not feel that cold with little wind) to the 80’s but now that it was over, things changed and one of those Rocky Mountain storms was predicted for Denver that night and into the next day.  Some areas were predicted to receive more than TWO FEET of snow.  As we neared Denver we were getting word already of cancelled flights.  United essentially gave up and cancelled all of their next day flights before a single flake of snow appeared.  American and Southwest were almost as bad.  Frank and I were scheduled to fly out in the morning on Alaska Airlines and their website had the flight scheduled to go when we went to sleep after our farewell dinner.

Sure enough when we awoke the next morning there was several of inches of snow on the ground and more coming down.  Alaska still had the flight as a “go” but our concern was that we would check out of the hotel, lose our room, get to the airport and THEN have it cancelled. But Alaska was terrific.  Our flight left the gate only a few minutes late and then was gladly delayed while it went through a very thorough de-icing.  We arrived in Seattle maybe 30 minutes after it was scheduled to arrive.  Out of our entire group, we were the only ones to get out that day.  All other flights were cancelled.

And the icing on top of the cake was that when we arrived in Seattle, despite being in the midsection of the plane, we were the first to arrive at the baggage carousel.  My bag was the first out of the chute and I literally did nod not have to wait a second as I walked up and retrieved it in stride.  Frank’s was bag number 4 and he too got it in stride.  I had driven to the airport and parked offsite at a place which had valet parking.  I called and they asked how long it would take for me to get to Area 1 for their shuttle.  I thought maybe 5 minutes and they said a shuttle was on its way and if we missed it another would arrive in 15 minutes.  The shuttle pulled up just as we arrived at the platform and again we did not even slow down and literally walked right on when the doors opened.  When we arrived a few minutes later at the lot, my car was there at the off loading spot – with the engine running.  Again without missing a second we climbed aboard and headed north.  It is about 25 miles from the airport to Edmonds.  With no traffic that means 25 minutes,  With traffic it can take an hour and 25 minutes or more.  There was NO traffic and we were home 25 minutes after leaving the lot.  My best guess is that it took no more than 40 minutes from the time we got off the plane until we were back home – definitely a world record of sorts.

That’s my story and I am sticking to it.  Truly a great trip – not entirely Disneyesque but many moments sure were and I have both mental and actual pictures to prove it!!!