nosh

Chris is still away so U walked Lower Packrat with me. A lot more people on that trail today! Unsurprising, a lovely holiday morning when it's been unusually warm. There was a report of spectacular migrant birding at Jewel Lake (I guess I believe it all but gosh) that we found a bit of: many Warbling Vireos in two locations, still Swainson's Thrushes whitting everywhere, Wilson's Warblers chipping and even singing, and multiple Western Tanagers, Blackheaded Grosbeaks, and Western Flycatchers. Everyone seemed riled up; it's the time of year when the day length mimics Spring and birds seem to react to this, especially the local birds. Right in the parking lot four California Towhees, seemingly two pair, were yelling, chasing, and fighting in the air. It was fascinating to watch, and to hear. ( The list: )

U saw her first Townsend's Warbler of the season, but that was the only Fall warbler despite the amazing report. By now Jewel Lake is so low the Mallards, when they bother to be there, are walking on the bottom. And yet we heard a Belted Kingfisher. I imagine they were disappointed.

This weekend is forecast hot (for here) and there were more cars at the Loop Road gate than I can recall seeing, people getting out while it was cool, I guess. This morning I took another bit of trail I hadn't taken since I started going north out of the Nature Area, just a short connector between Loop Road and the service road. I found nothing unexpected, bar maybe the Cliff Swallow, but it was nice to be in the trees away from the road even briefly. ( The list: )

I remembered there being some tricky places in the trail and there definitely were, including one partial washout that I don't expect to be passable after another winter. That trail is now on the long list of things I'm glad I did and don't anticipate ever doing again.:)

I was in the Inspiration Point parking lot about dawn with the intention of hanging out in the dip for an hour or two, but I'd wildly misinterpreted my weather app and found, surprise! blowing fog. I considered suiting up and going on down, but when I opened the car door the wind was so loud! So I drove down to the Nature Area with the intention of walking up to the Lake but somehow started up Lower Packrat instead. Good thing, because this was about 7 am and about 7:30 the chainsaws and heavy equipment started up. By then I was sitting on the bench at the top of the trail, and while they were annoying they weren't as immediate as yesterday at the Lake. My list was the same length as yesterday but different, and I heard some very interesting vocalizations. The Swainson's Thrushes were making lots of "whit" calls and some of their weirder calls, and they also sang occasionally. I could hear a White-breasted Nuthatch somewhere, and a Western Flycatcher's little chip note, which I hadn't heard in a while. Best of all was the "wheeuw" call of a juvenile Black-headed Grosbeak mixed in with adult pik calls. The call was moving about, so presumably it was a fledgling; August 26th seems a bit late for this. Most amusing was a California Quail somewhere to the east whose call made me think not of "Chicago" or Vallejo" but "what the hell? what the hell?" ( The list: )

I went back the way I'd come and walked around the perimeter of the picnic area for a ways. When I pulled out my phone, merlin suggested Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and I said, oh, sure. I mean, it had suggested Western Barn Owl earlier, and I'd never found a BGGN right in Wildcat Gorge. But then I heard it! So I apologized to merlin.

Another beautiful day, with observations very similar to four days ago, just less. All three warblers were present, but the only songs were a few by an Orange-crowned Warbler. I heard one Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, saw a Red-tailed Hawk, and was surprised by multiple Anna's Hummingbirds in several locations. Two other migrants called briefly, two Western Tanagers, and a Black-headed Grosbeak in a parking lot tree, and Turkey Vulture sailed through as I had not seen in a while. Species notably not present were Hairy Woodpecker and Red-shouldered Hawk. I mean RSHA are always yelling. ( The list: )

I've been dealing with poison oak (on my face!) for a week and it may affect me more than by itching, as I got very tired, and it seemed like a very long way back to the car. But I've two places I can sit, now, which helps a lot.