Storming the Desert for a Reunion Tour

Photo credit: Paul Sheppard

Spring is a very special time of year for anyone who has an interest in birds. As the season draws near a certain anticipation creeps into your consciousness. You know that very soon birds will once again be on the move towards their breeding grounds. Around home you check your gear, clean and re-hang the feeders hoping the Orioles arrive soon, and you start planning.

Last season Michael Morris and I were lucky enough to be at Butterbredt Spring on the northern edge of the Mojave Desert on a peak migration day. Wave upon wave of migrating birds came over the spring and headed north up the canyon. It was a spectacular morning (you can read about that trip HERE). This year we wanted to go back for another bite at the apple as part of a broader Southern California Spring Desert tour. The plan was made, the supplies were purchased and the date was set. Michael and I would pick up Jeff in Alameda and we would head for Kern County with the goal of reaching 200 species for the trip. However, the best part of our plan was that halfway through the trip we would be joined by our good friend Paul Sheppard from Tucson, Az.

Paul was the founder and leading force of The Ol' College Try, our college barbershop quartet and an organizer of our earlier birding trips together in our post university days. Over the years we've stayed in touch and managed to periodically get together for a birding trip/reunion of sorts. Paul enjoys making videos and he has created a nice retrospective of these adventures HERE.

Our birding began shortly after picking up Jeff in Alameda where we were able to start our trip list with the usual species found along the shores of the island. The highlight was four species of Tern: Least, Elegant, Caspian, and Forster's. We then headed south down the I-5 corridor for the traditional stop at Kern National Wildlife Refuge. Birds of note here were the trip's only Yellow-headed Blackbirds, all the expected ducks including Blue-winged Teal, and really nice Clark's Grebe. Then on our way through Bakersfield we made several stops looking for the Rose-ringed Parakeets that can be found there finally seeing a group of them at Beale Park. That is one more on the life list for Michael. We would once again stay that night with my mother-in-law Shirlene who is always a gracious host to "the bird nerds."

Below Butterbredt Spring

We would leave Bakersfield very early the next morning to be at Butterbredt Spring by sunrise.  While our two mornings at Butterbredt did not produce the spectacular waves of migrants that we had last year, we did enjoy the spectacle of migration as birds were definitely moving through the canyon and spring on their way north. We had a fair number of Western Tanagers as well as Costa's Hummingbird, MacGillivray's Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, and Scott's Oriole to name a few. We then made our way up through Butterbredt Canyon, over the pass and down into Kelso Valley eventually coming out to Hwy. 178 at the Audubon Kern River Preserve. Interesting additions to our bird list along this stretch were: Willow Flycatcher, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay, Cassin's Vireo, and California Thrasher. We were unable to enter the Preserve which was not surprising for this time of year as the South Fork of the Kern River, carrying snow melt from the southern Sierra, cuts off the access road. This is an important preserve for the Yellow-billed Cuckoo which nests within its boundaries.  I have heard them here in  summer and hope to visit again at this time of year to see them once again. We were able to add Tri-colored Blackbird to our trip list here as there is a local population in the fields around the preserve. We then made an obligatory stop at "Migrant Corner" on Sierra Rd. and added Wood Duck and Barn Owl to the list.

From here we went east on 178 to check out another location that I had only just learned about, Canebreak Ecological Preserve, an interesting spot where the Kern River exits the mountains and turns westward into the Kern River Valley before flowing into Lake Isabella. By this time it was close to the middle of the day and not the best time for birding. We walked the trail, adding a few more species to the list, but perhaps the coolest part of this stop was the snowstorm of cottonwood seeds that surrounded us on our walk down the trail.

The next phase of this very interesting birding day was a drive up into the Owens Peak Wilderness on Chimney Peak Rd. This road climbs steeply up into the mountains and then travels north to intersect with Sherman Pass Rd. We decided to drive the entire road if we could and it proved to be quite easy. We enjoyed a nice lunch stop at Chimney Creek Campground about halfway along the route. Birds of note for this part of the day were Mountain Quail, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher,  and Mountain Bluebird.

Along Sherman Pass Rd. (Jeff Manker)

We came back around via Walker Pass and made our way back to Butterbredt Spring to camp for the night. On our way back along Kelso Valley Road we stopped at another desert migrant trap called Frog Spring which proved to be very productive especially for warblers. Here we counted six different species: Yellow, Wilson's, Yellow-rumped, Nashville, Townsend's, and Orange Crowned. Although not a large area, it's blend of Cottonwoods, Willows and a 2,000 sq. ft. pond formed from the spring make this a top notch habitat for migrating birds.

Butterbredt Spring (Jeff Manker)

We had one more morning at Butterbredt Spring before transfering from the northern to the southern Mojave and Joshua Tree National Park. Along the way we stopped at the Park in California City and picked up Neotropic Cormorant and a really nice Cooper's Hawk and at Mojave Narrows County Park where we added Vermillion Flycatcher and Black-chinned Hummingbird. Our accomodation in Joshua Tree for the next three nights had a nice patch of desert behind it that brought a group of Verdins in close. Other neighborhood birds were Lazuli Bunting, Hooded Oriole, and a pair of Great Horned Owls that emerged from the trees in the evening.

Big Morongo Canyon (Jeff Manker)

Hiking down Big Morongo Canyon (Jeff Manker)

Over the course of the next two days Paul would join us from Tucson and we would bird Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, Whitewater Preserve and several other local spots. One of the other spots that proved to be most interesting was Knott Sky Park in Twentynine Palms. We went there because of an ebird report of a Summer Tanager which we didn't see there but we found a bunch of other stuff including Gray Flycatcher, Cactus Wren, a variety of warblers, Chipping Sparrows, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Red-naped Sapsucker, and a hungry Sharp-shinned Hawk on the prowl. We returned in the evening expecting the lights to be on at the softball fields (a great way to see nighthawks) but they were not. There were parking lot lights though and many bats were flying around and eventually two Lesser Nighthawks made an appearance to add to our list.

Summer Tanager at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is another great spot for birds. Another place in the desert where water comes to the surface and creates an ideal spot for both resident and migrating species. Over the years they have done an excellent job of constructing trails and boardwalks in the preserve and they have a nature center with many types of feeders set up that always puts on a good show. We made several visits to the preserve while in the area, one of which involved hiking the length of Big Morongo Canyon from top to bottom. Some of our highlights were Summer Tanager, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, White-winged Dove, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Bell's Vireo, and Yellow-breasted Chat.

Sunset over Joshua Tree

Our final night in Joshua Tree brought us an incredible sunset as well as time plenty of time to sing and reminisce about the past (see Paul's video for details). The next morning we were off early to bird the eastern shore of the Salton Sea. Jeff and I had been there a few years ago for our "Jet-set birding adventure" which I wrote about HERE. Michael and Paul had not been back since our original 1986 trip when we camped on Carcass Beach amongst the carcasses. The east shore was surprisingly quiet as we headed south. We did pick up Wilson's Phalarope and Vaux's Swift at the State Recreation Area. Things began to pick up when we left the main road at the Wister Unit of the Wildlife Refuge. We were hoping to find a Yellow-footed Gull but all of our candidates proved to be too far off for identifiable viewing. We did well with Terns however. Gull-billed, Least and Forester's all made appearances, the Gull-billed being a lifer for Jeff. We also found Common Gallinule, American White Pelican and Burrowing Owl on our way to the Refuge Headquarters where we also added Abert's Towhee and Common Ground Dove. Leaving the Headquarters it was a short jump over to Carcass Beach where we had our most productive encounter with the Sea. This of course was the place we had camped on our way back into California back in 1986. Arriving there very late at night and throwing out our sleeping bags to wake up the next morning surrounded by dead fish, something Paul's wife Irene will never let us forget. Here we found quite a few Snowy Plovers, Least Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalarope, Red Knot, Willet and Bonaparte's Gull.

Carcass Beach at the Salton Sea (Jeff Manker)

As the afternoon progressed the wind began to rise in the Imperial Valley sending quite a bit of dust into the air. Our guidebook told us that there was the chance of a Gila Woodpecker in a park in Brawley and since we were on a mission to get to 200 species on this trip, every bird counted. We went for it and to our surprise found a nesting pair pretty easily. From here we headed back north to check out an oasis called Dos Palmas Preserve. It turns out that the San Andreas Fault runs right under it and is responsible for bringing water to the surface in a very dry area. This oasis was pretty spectacular, so densely packed with palms it was hard to find the water but it was there. Walking along the barely discernable path, one of us said it was like being on a Disney movie set. There were many Orioles and Grosbeaks but the best moment was when I looked up and said, "That looks strange," and Michael looking over his shoulder at what he thought was just a Turkey Vulture jokingly said, "Probably a Zone-tailed Hawk." Well, I took a moment to look a little more closely and sure enough it was a Zone-tailed Hawk. We had seen plenty of these in Arizona but this was the first time any of us ever saw one in California. This was probably the best surprise sighting of the trip.

Zone-tailed Hawk (Jeff Manker)

The rest of our day involved getting ourselves to Corn Spring Campground in the new Chuckwalla National Monument. Google maps said this would take us about and hour and a half but as Paul said, "Chuck knew a short-cut that would take at least twice as long so we took that." In my defense I had contacted the local BLM office about the road and was told it was doable even with 2-wheel drive.  This turned out not to be the case. Summit Road definitely required 4-wheel drive and it was a little rough at times but we eventually made it out to Interstate 10 where we took a brief dinner break. We rolled into Corn Spring Campground after dark and it wasn't long before we were all in the sack under the stars.

Dinner beside I-10 (Paul Sheppard)

Corn Spring in Chuckwalla National Monument

Petroglyphs at Corn Spring

The next day we had an enjoyable morning birding the area around the campground and checking out the petroglyphs there, some of which date back as far as 10,000 years. They are said to be one of the finest examples of rock art in the Colorado desert. We did not add any new species to our trip list here and we were beginning to think we might not make it to 200 by the end. When we returned to the interstate it was time to break our fellowship, Paul headed east back to Tucson and summer field camp for his dendro class. Michael, Jeff, and I took the road through Joshua Tree National Park where we finally managed to nab a Canyon Wren before heading back north across the Mojave where we planned to camp on Greenhorn Summit near Lake Isabella.  Acting on some intelligence we gleaned from ebird, we made a stop at Silver Lakes in San Bernardino County. This is another of those desert communities centered around artificial lakes. I suppose that they make desert living more comfortable but I wonder at the sense of this when water is such a scarce commodity. Anyway, it does attract birds and we added Red-breasted Merganser, Lesser Scaup, Franklin's Gull, Common Loon and Yellow-rumped Warbler to the list.

The drive north on Hwy. 395 was very scenic and pleasant, we joined 178 and went over Walker Pass for the second time on this trip and headed for Kernville for dinner in the pub there. We planned to camp at Greenhorn Park but Kern County had not opened it for the season yet so we ended up back down on the shores of the lake. We did have a very cool bird encounter near Alta Sierra as we were looking for somewhere to camp. Rounding a bend in the road we picked up the eye-shine of a Common Poorwill in the road. We were able to watch it for a minute or two before it moved into the trees and then again on our way back down. We hear this bird often but rarely see it so it was a treat for all of us.

We began the next morning at 187 species and we hoped that the montaine area around Greenhorn Summit would turn up 13 new birds before we left the mountains. Here is what we found up there: Dusky Flycatcher, Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Townsend's Solitaire, Purple Finch, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Hermit Warbler, Band-tailed Pigeon, and Hammond's Flycatcher. We were one short of our goal. We descended out of the mountains on Hwy. 155 hoping to pick up one more bird before declaring our trip over. This was another California road that I had not traveled on before and although it was pretty twisty it was quite scenic. As we left the mountains and entered the foothills we were saved by the noblest of birds (according to Benjamin Franklin that is) the Turkey. Crossing the road right in front of us, we hit species number 200.

Once again we had a great trip. It is always a highlight for me to take trips with these characters. The bonds we forge in college are the type that prove to be resistant to the forces of time. When we get together, barring appearances, not much seems to have changed. Paul says he's going to retire soon so maybe he'll be able to join us more often. As he left he was talking about Florida in 2 years time. I have a lot of birds to add to my list if we go there.

Inside Dos Palmas Preserve (Jeff Manker)

Revisiting the Greater Sage Grouse

Two years ago in early spring Michael, Jeff and I traveled to Northeastern California hoping to find the Shaffer Mountain Sage Grouse Lek. I wrote about that adventure in a previous post that you can see here. As winter in Northern California began to wind down and hints of spring began to excite my wanderlust, I thought that a return to Shaffer Mountain would be an excellent way to kick off the spring birding campaign. The three of us met again in Susanville, did a little evening birding and then prepared for the early morning walk up Shaffer Mountain. This time we had a good idea of the precise location of the lek and after about a mile and a half of walking positioned ourselves behind a shrub/tree blind and soaked in the spectacle. We counted 33 grouse on the lek that morning, the males fanning their tails and booming with their air sacks, a few females moving amongst them searching for that perfect male. This is such a spectacular scene in nature and it strikes me that so few people actually have the chance (or take the chance) to see it. As the three of us stood in the light of early morning taking in our surroundings and the show in front of us, we counted ourselves amongst a very special group, those that go out into the world to enjoy what nature has to offer us. For us in this case it is the birds that draw us out but for everyone there is a reason to step into nature. Find what draws you into the natural world and go!

Greater Sage Grouse

After our experience with the Sage Grouse we went over the mountain and down to Eagle Lake where we were able to continue to build our trip list of species. Two notable birds here were a pair of Osprey and a single Clark's Nutcracker. We continued north to visit another of our favorite spots in NE California, Jess Valley at the foot of the Warner Mountains. It's been a good snow/rain winter up there and there was a fair amount of water in the valley even before the real melt begins. We saw lots of ducks here but most notably was our count of over 50 Sandhill Cranes. Moving on our next stop was Modoc National Wildlife Refuge in Alturas where we took in the expected birds for this time of year without any surprises.

Jess Valley

We would stay in the area for 2 nights at a cabin we found on Vrbo that is right up against the Warners just off of hwy 299. It's a great spot that I would use again. The next day we devoted to Lava Beds National Monument, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife refuges. Taking the back way into to Lava Beds off of hwy 139 in cold early morning conditions we had many singing Meadowlarks and then a small flock of Pinyon Jays, a species I have not seen there for many years. We picked up some good forest birds up by Mammoth Crater however, it was the severity of destruction caused the most recent fire to pass through Lava Beds that really caught our attention. From this spot we were also able to look southwards towards what is now called Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. Recently designated by the Biden administration and now in danger from the new administration, it's future is uncertain. What is certain is it's importance to California's most critical natural resource - water. You can learn more about why it is so important at this link. We then focused our attention on Tule Lake for the remainder of the morning. You can see the Tule Lake basin quite easily from the higher land of Lava Beds and as we looked down on it we could clearly see that it was full of water, a very good sign. I think I can safely say that in all my many years of visits to Tule Lake I never seen so many ducks and this is directly due to the amount of water in the sumps of the refuge. The only duck species we missed was Blue-winged Teal and that is uncommon there. Michael even found us an Eurasian Wigeon. Other highlights were the Ring-billed Gulls in exceptionally bright breeding plumage, many Bald Eagles and a large raft of Snow Geese still present on the water. A truely memorable day at Tule Lake. As we finished up our tour we stopped in at the new visitor's center and refuge headquarters where we learned that the surplus water from this year's rains was responsible for Tule Lake's condition and surprisingly to us, for Lower Klamath's condition. Lower Klamath NWR has been starved of water in recent years and has been dry that last few times I've driven by it. Refuge staff told us that water managers were putting water into every conceivable place they could this year and that meant that Klamath was also full. Well, we just had to see that so we crossed over to the other side of Sheepy Ridge and drove the tour route of Lower Klamath. Our notable additions to the list here was a female Barrow's Goldeneye and a Rough-legged Hawk. In general, Lower Klamath and Tule Lake were in the best condition we have seen them in for many years. I only hope it can stay this way.

Tule Lake

When we returned to the Alturas area we decided we would cross over the Warners and have dinner in the quaint little town of Cedarville in Surprise Valley. We had an excellent meal at Woody's and then drove the diked up portion of 299 across the Lower Alkali Lake picking up two additional birds, Ferruginous Hawk and White-faced Ibis.

The next morning, after packing up we devoted some time to the hunt for the Juniper Titmouse. This was a life bird for Jeff and I saw a pair the previous evening but they flew off before Jeff could see them. We expected them at the campground at Lava Beds but they weren't present there so it was now or never. Fortunately for Jeff it was now. They were spotted and Jeff was able to get some good photos of them as well.

From the Warner Mountains we then began our journey westward and the road home. We made our traditional stops at the Rat Farm (Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park) and the Hat Creek Picnic area and then Michael was off for Eureka and Jeff and I back to the Bay Area. Another great trip in the books and a warm up for our California desert trip in May.

See our trip species list here.

Butterbredt, Owens Valley and Sierra Valley - A Migration Bonanza

Upper Butterbredt Canyon

During the second week of May I made my annual pilgrimage to the Mojave Desert. I was fortunate to be joined this year by my good friend Michael Morris who came down from Eureka for the trip. Although we ended up doing a lot of driving we did have an amazing trip seeing 164 species over our 4 days.

        See our complete bird list                                                See our photos from this trip

After leaving Napa we headed straight for Kern County and the Kern National Wildlife Refuge where we started our trip list, a list that would grow to 94 species by the end of the day. After a few hours of birding the tour route at the refuge and picking up what we would normally expect to see there, we headed east through Bakersfield and on into the Kern River canyon. Our plan was to travel along the river up the canyon to Lake Isabella then in Weldon take Kelso Valley Rd. and then Butterbredt Canyon Rd. over the pass and down to Butterbredt Spring. As we drove over Butterbredt Pass and then down to the spring we added a lot of species that were using the migration corridor of Butterbredt Canyon. We camped at the spring that night and woke up to wave after wave of migrants coming up the canyon. In all my years of coming to Butterbredt, this was by far the most impressive bird display I have ever seen here. While we didn't see any rarities, it was the sheer number of migrants that was notable. Warblers in the spring and down the canyon and other passerines in the grove of Trees of Heaven just to the north of the spring. Nature is amazing!

After an incredible morning at Butterbredt we began our journey up the Owens Valley. As we made our way north we checked out Sage Flat, the Owens River and then headed east on Hwy. 168 to climb our way up into the White Mountains. We were able to go all the way up to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest visitor's center at Schulman Grove although it was not yet open for the season. We added a few high mountain birds to our list here and then retreated back down to 9,000 ft. and the Grandview campground for the night.

Sierra Crest from the White Mtns.

The next day saw us returning to the Owens Valley where we made several more stops in the morning before turning back towards the White Mountains to drive into Silver Canyon. This four-wheel drive road climbs all the way up to the plateau at the top but it is very steep and rough in places. We only went a little ways up this canyon, far enough to add a few more species to our list, namely Chuckars which gave us great looks along the road.

From here we continued north to Benton Hot Springs and then using Benton Crossing Road and Owens River Rd. made our way back to Hwy. 395 so we could drive the June Lakes Loop. By late afternoon we found ourselves at Mono Lake County Park which is usually pretty birdy. However, we found that as we had moved north the numbers of migrant species we were seeing really began to decline. It was clear that the waves of migrants we were seeing down in the Mojave had not gotten this far north. We did however add a number of resident species to our list as we moved north. 

Our plan that night was to camp at a Forest Service campground just in Nevada along Desert Creek. However, the combination of a navigation error and a very rough road forced us to change our plan and that night we ended up camping along the West Walker River on Hwy 108. We continued to add birds to our trip list the next morning around the campground and then at the Two Rivers Preserve just down the road. From here we decided to finish our trip by driving north through Reno and then visit Sierra Valley before crossing back over the Sierra at Yuba Pass. 

Michael along the West Walker River.

On our way north we detoured just outside the town of Walker and drove a forest road up to the headwaters of Mill Creek. This took us up a beautiful little valley that was dotted with Beaver ponds. I'd not been up this road before and it was well worth the trip. We found our Clark's Nutcracker and White-headed Woodpecker along this route.

Later that day we arrived in Sierra Valley. This large and wet valley sits just on the east side of the Sierra crest and has always impressed me as yet another example of the diversity of the natural wonders California offers us. Here we picked up our last two birds of the trip, Sandhill Cranes and a Willet. Then it was over the pass and down to Downieville for a dinner stop and on back to Napa.

I had a great time traveling and birding with Michael again, although next time I think I will try and cut down on the number of miles we drive in the pursuit of our feathered friends.

The Goose Loop Getaway

The season of the winter solstice is a special one for so many reasons. Humans the world over celebrate this turn of the year in a variety of ways and in some cases have even changed their traditions to fit this season. For example, the co-opting of the season by the Christian faith so that the birth of Christ is celebrated at the same time as the pagan rituals marking the turning of the season and the gradual return of longer days. But for all observers of nature and the world around us (both secular and non-secular), the low angle of light from the sun and the shorter days can create conditions of breathtaking beauty. Nowhere is this more evident than here in our great state of California. Our state is nearly 10 degrees in latitude from top to bottom. At the southern end on the Winter Solstice we receive almost 10 hours of sunlight, at the northern end of the state only 9. And of course, as you move northward in the state and the latitude increases the angle of the sun striking the earth decreases. It is these low angle beams of sunlight, often passing above, below and even through clouds that create moments of extraordinary beauty in the landscapes around us.

View our shared photo album of this trip.

This past week my birding buddies and I returned to Modoc County, California's most northeastern county where we witnessed first-hand the magic of the low winter light conditions. For many years in the past I visited this region on a Thanksgiving weekend trip to Tule Lake and Lava Beds National Monument and it has been some time since I have returned at this time of year. Michael, Jeff and I had not gotten together to bird since our Arizona trip in May so this seemed like good timing for another adventure. Also joining us this time was Erik Blomquist, Jeff's good friend from his days teaching in Aromas, CA. We secured an AirBnb in Alturas (the Goose Loop Getaway) to serve as our home base for our 2 day stay (I highly recommend this approach as it was comfortable, convenient, and inexpensive).

We began our trip by meeting Michael at the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. We were interested to note that they have built an entirely new headquarters building with a new visitor's center that will open early in the new year. For that first afternoon we followed our traditional approach by driving the auto tour route off of Hill Rd. We knew that this year Tule Lake and Lower Klamath had not received the water that they need to support the large flocks of birds we would typically see. On our way in from Highway 97 we saw first-hand that Lower Klamath was almost completely dry. Traveling the tour route at Tule Lake we passed sumps that are usually full of water and birds but not this year. It wasn't until we were nearly to the south end of the refuge that we encountered water that held ducks, geese, and swans. We did enjoy good looks at many raptors as we drove the route. Tons of Red-tailed Hawks, a pair of Cooper's Hawks, Ferruginous Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, a couple of Bald Eagles, and a White-tailed Kite. We seemed to have all of the regular duck species to be found here: Mallard, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Pintail, Ring-necked, Ruddy, Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Green-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Shoveler, Canvasback, Hooded Merganser, and one very obvious and beautiful Eurasian Wigeon. Usually it is the great numbers of geese that excites the birders who brave the chilly temperatures at this time of the year. While they didn't disappoint, their numbers were not close to what we have seen here in the past. By far the most were Snow Geese with a few Ross's Geese thrown in. Also present were Canada and White-fronted Geese. They were joined by at least 25 Tundra Swans, always a graceful and beautiful bird. Perhaps the most stunning of all the birds we saw that afternoon was a beautiful blue phase Snow Goose, once thought to be a seperate species, it is a dark bodied Snow Goose with a white head, spectacular in the afternoon light.

Tule Lake NWR

Following our tour of the auto route we entered Lava Beds National Monument where we drove the main road through to connect with Highway 139. We were hoping to pick up some good Juniper/Pine forest birds to add to our list and on our way in we did see a Loggerheaded Shrike, however the main event of the Lava Beds tour was to witness the significant destruction caused by the Caldwell Fire in 2020. I had seen it the year after the burn and Michael, Jeff and Erik had not been to Lava Beds since the fire. I was hopeful that there had been some significant progress in the recovery; there was not. This landscape is a pretty resilient one but it is going to take a significant amount of time for it to recover to it's pre-fire state. However, with climate change there is some question as to whether or not it will ever reach it's pre-fire state. Will the same species repopulate the burn scar or will new ones, better adapted to a dryer/hotter climate replace them. Yet another thing to ponder as we make our way through the monument and then hit the road for Alturas and our base for the next 2 days.

Our Airbnb (the Goose Loop Getaway) wasn't fancy but was perfect for our adventure and the price was exceptionally reasonable. We settled in, made dinner, and crafted our plan for following day, all while the temperature was dropping outside to below freezing. In our younger days we would be camping at Lava Beds and freezing our butts off. The perks of retirement and older, creakier bones.

Our morning began with a scan around the property. Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Flickers, Quail, and Townsend's Solitaires made up our local residents. We then headed out to drive the tour loop at Modoc NWR. One of our reasons for coming to Alturas was the presence of water at this refuge. While other refuges in the area had many dry ponds and sumps Modoc had an abundance of it. What it didn't have was an abundance of birds. We managed 22 species here including our only Belted Kingfisher of the trip.

Modoc NWR

Heading south on 395, we made for Likely, CA. and from here headed into Jess Valley tucked up against the west flank of the Warner Mountains. It's here where you can find the headwaters of the South Fork of the Pitt River. We have visited this valley on several occasions before and it is always worth it. For highlights we had between 7 and 10 Golden Eagles, a number of Rough-legged hawks and tried very hard to turn up a Juniper Titmouse for Jeff. We left Jess Valley by West Warner Rd. a dirt forest road that traverses the west flank of the mountains, visiting Mill Creek CG and then making our way north. We very well may have been the last vehicle on that road this season as it was pretty muddy and slippery and the next storm would surely make it impassable.

Coming down out of the mountains we had thoughts of lunch so made a quick stop at the Goose Loop Getaway, savored the smell of our cooking dinner, ate, and piled back in the truck for the last stage of the day - a trip to the other side of the Warners and Surprise Valley.

Surprise Valley in the extreme northeast corner of California might be one of the most remote and least visited sections of the entire state today, but it has an important place in the history of early emigration into the state. In 1846 the Applegate trail was established as a safer alternative to the Oregon trail for settlers heading for the Willamette River Valley. Coming from Nevada it crossed the Warner Mountains at Fandango Pass then turned north for the Oregon country. Then, in 1848, after the gold discovery, the Lassen Cut-off was created by Peter Lassen which took settlers south after crossing Fandango Pass down into California. This emigrant trail was heavily traveled until 1853 when the wagon road over Cedar Pass (modern day Highway 299) opened and the Lassen Cut-off shifted to this route. Many early California settlers, aware of the 1846 Donner Party tragedy, wished to avoid the high Sierra crossings and thus chose this route into the state. Here is an excerpt from the 1849 journal of Elijah Bryan Farnham describing his parties' approach to Fandango Pass: 

"Commenced our travil along the border of the dry the lake bed of the through a grassy valley The tall Siera was on our left Covered with magnificent finery [pines?] along its whole extent There pines coverd hills contrasted well with those barren plains There were plenty of streams a running from the mountains The prospect was that our Suffering for water was over Camped on the eastern base of the mountain for the last time For to morrow by good luck we expected to cross".

Surprise Valley

As we made our way over the Warners and down into Surprise Valley we were greeted by spectacular afternoon sunlight filtering through the piles of clouds covering the peaks of the the Warner Mountains. This valley is known for flocks of sparrows in the winter and is the one place in California where it possible to see a Bobolink (in spring). We were hoping to turn up something interesting as we drove the farm roads heading east towards Nevada. Instead we were struck by the paucity of birds, nothing like what we expected here. However, it wasn't a total bust. We had some incredible views of Ferruginous Hawks, both light and dark phased. It's rare that you get to see them together. We had a stunning Mountain Bluebird that seemed almost turquoise in the low afternoon light and we ended the day on a high note with a very sharp looking Prairie Falcon. 

Jeff's shot of the Prairie Falcon.

Our final day began with some weather as we made our way back south. Our plan was to follow Highway 299 back towards Redding where we would split up to return home. We encountered some snow flurries on the road as we went over the mountain to drop down into the valley that holds the town of Bieber and the Ash Creek Wildlife Area. Making a brief stop here we visited the Barn Owl that roosts in, of all places, a dilapidated barn, and saw a few other resident species. From here we went to the end of Rat Farm Rd. in McArther and Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park. Again, not a huge number of birds but we did see several Tundra Swans, Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawks, a Bald Eagle, Ring-necked Ducks, and a very cool American Bittern to name a few. This is a great place to visit and I would really like to return in the spring with Kayaks to properly explore it.

Michael & the Ash Creek Barn

We stopped at the rest area where Hat Creek crosses Highway 299 and bid farewell to Michael. Then we headed south down I-5 for one more stop at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Here the shear number of Snow Geese was the most impressive aspect of our quick visit. There were also large numbers of ducks and our only Wilson's Snipe of the trip. Jeff also pulled us out a nice Glaucous-winged Gull. I think that an argument can be made that because of the scarcity of water in the Klamath Basin, numbers of geese and ducks at the Central Valley refuges have gone up. Hard to prove but a reasonable supposition.

All in all, another great trip in the books. It gives me the itch to start thinking about other adventures we might have this spring.

A happy and joyous holiday season to all!

Undone by the Devil - Southeast Arizona - May 2023

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Our Official trip portrait.

Birders are listers, there's no two ways about it. Some of us keep it pretty simple keeping only a life list, others keep all kinds of lists from county on up to state and country and even continent. Some people do this on a yearly basis. For me, I like it simple. I have two lists, an ABA life list and a yard list. When I first started birding back in college my life list grew rapidly. Lately they just sort of trickle in. The last time I had 10 or more new species in a single trip was back in 1993 which was the last time I went to Southeast Arizona.

Hanky-Panky in the High Desert

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Part of the fun of being a birder is thinking back on previous adventures and remembering the details of a first sighting. I recently had cause to recollect the first time I saw the Greater Sage Grouse.

To See, To Not See - That is the Question

Santa Cruz Sunset

There are no guarantees in birding. When trying to see a rarity, I always leave the house with a high level of hope but the reality is that more often than not, you don't see the bird you are looking for. Call it luck, timing, talent of the birder, karma, or the sometimes capricious nature of nature. The fact remains, sometimes you miss. Perhaps it was one of these reasons or maybe all of them that caused us to miss last Friday in Santa Cruz.

In Search of the Himalayan Snowcock

The Ruby Mountains

It was hot. We had stopped for what we refer to as a’ Birding Lunch’ (sandwiches from the fixin’s in the ice chest) at an I-80 rest stop near Lovelock, Nevada. There was not a tree in sight and the only shade came from the metal awning built over the picnic table.  We were clearly in the desert as evidenced by the heat, the salt plain, the dry winds, and the lack of shade. This part of Nevada is right in the middle of the 40-mile waterless stretch that the emigrants on the California Trail had to cross in their heroic journey to a better life. Gazing around as we ate lunch, it is easy to see that we were in the middle of what is known as the Basin and Range Province, an area that includes much of the west from eastern California to western Utah. In the middle of this province sits the most mountainous state in the U. S. and in the middle of that our lunch spot. Most travelers in Nevada barely give this fact a second thought but it is true, there are over 120 named mountain ranges in the state and from where we sat we could see two of them, one on either side. I first became aware of the unique nature of this region from the book, Basin and Range by John McPhee. I say this because I discount a family vacation to Idaho in the early 70s which took us across the I-80 corridor. Back then these were just mountains and deserts that apparently couldn’t be fished. McPhee’s book, like all of his others, is a masterful work that makes it relatively easy for a layman like me to understand the basic principles of the topography and geology of the province.  In short, over the last 30 million years ongoing tension due to uplift is pulling the continental plate in an east-west direction which has led to the formation of parallel faults which are oriented north-south. As the plate stretches, fractures and thins, faulting causes mountains to rise and valleys to fall - the basins and the ranges. Jeff and I had come to the province on a mission, for in one of the highest and most scenic of the ranges, the Ruby Mountains, there lives a bird that can only be seen in North America within the confines of the higher slopes of the range - the Himalayan Snowcock. These birds were introduced into the Ruby’s in the early 1960s to provide sport for the region’s hunters and hopefully to draw some tourism dollars to the area. Snowcocks stay almost entirely above treeline and as a result few of them are actually hunted each year. Nevada Fish and Game officials in the 1960s probably had no inkling that the impact on the local economy from the introduction of these birds would not come from hunters but from birders traveling from all over to add them to their life lists. We were two such birders and, to our good fortune, we were joined by a third, Michael Morris who was traveling from his home in Eureka to Wyoming for a well-earned vacation from his life of retirement on the North Coast. Jeff and I left Napa early on the morning of August 17th and we took advantage of our crossing of the Sierra to go after his nemesis - the Mountain Quail. In the area of Yuba Gap (where I spent 2 summers at Boy Scout camp) is a road into a PG&E reservoir called Lake Valley Road. There had been recent reports of the quail so we took some time to check it out. This area appears to have been burned over a number of years ago and it proved to be a great birding spot. Highlights here included Williamson’s Sapsucker, Western Tanager, Townsend’s Solitaire, White-headed Woodpecker, and yes MOUNTAIN QUAIL!
Leaving the mountains of California behind we arrived in Lamoille Canyon in the Ruby Mountains which is just to the east of Elko.

Upper Lamoille Canyon

I really can’t say enough about the beauty of this canyon. Approaching on the highway it is visible as a slash or a crack in the range, very narrow and not too hard to miss. As you enter and move up the canyon it alternates between very narrow, steep (vertical) sides and more open sections covered in aspens. At road’s end you find trailheads up to Lamoille Lake and Island Lake, both about 2 miles long and in excellent condition. The following morning we would make the hike to Island Lake in our quest for the Himalayan Snowcocks. We found Michael at his campsite and continued birding our way up the canyon picking up Western Wood Pewee, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Mountain Bluebirds and a really nice pair of Golden Eagles to name a few. We then headed back down to Lamoille for dinner and to iron out our plan of attack for the morning. The alarm rang at 3 am the next morning and we crossed our fingers and hoped for good luck. Starting up the trail at 4:15, we really didn’t need our headlamps as the moon provided plenty of light. Most people who are lucky enough to spot the Snowcocks do so shortly after dawn as they move from the ridge tops down to feed. We were in position above Island Lake in time to enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

Ridgeline Above Island Lake

We scanned and we scanned, surprised to see a Mountain Goat and then shortly after 6 am we heard a few Snowcock calls. Unfortunately, that was going to be the best we could do. We stuck to it but after several hours neither of us had a glimpse of these birds. As we retreated we did pick up some nice birds including Lazuli Bunting, Yellow and MacGillivray’s Warblers, Mountain Chickadees, and a Rufous Hummingbird. The rest of the day would take us a few miles to the west and South Fork Reservoir. It was quite hot with occasional cloud cover relieving us. Here we added waterfowl species as well as Sandhill Cranes and a nice Cooper’s Hawk. As we left the area and headed back towards Lamoille it was quite clear that we were going to get some weather.  Driving across Nevada the last thing you think about is rain, however, it is a little known fact that the Ruby Mountains receive nearly 50” of precipitation in an average year. We were about to get a taste of one form this can take - the thunderstorm. Late afternoon in Lamoille was a show of thunder, lighting, and copious amounts of falling water, what a show!

The next morning we were up early again in hopes of getting a glimpse of the Snowcocks. We employed a different strategy this time, setting up our scopes in the valley below the large rock wall where we had heard them the morning before. But alas, not a whiff. Oh well, that just means we are going to have to come back to the Rubys to try again, not a displeasing notion.

Scanning the Cliffs

Ever since we arrived in the region and the locals discovered that we were birders we were asked if we had gone to “the marshes.” Even the Nevada highway patrolman who pulled me over to remind me of the speed limit asked me this question. We had no idea what they were talking about. It turns out that they were referring to what I can only describe as a crown jewel in the National Wildlife Refuge system - Ruby Lake. I had never even heard of this refuge and it is no surprise as it is known as perhaps the most remote refuge in the lower 48 states. Tucked along the east side of the Ruby Mountains and fed by springs and runoff, this place took our breath away. Miles of wetlands in the middle of the Basin and Range province, its beauty was sublime.

Pronghorn Antelope Grazing in the Refuge

Our list of birds in the refuge was not overly impressive but a return at the right time of year could be epic. Our best stop of the day came on the way over the mountains to the east side in the canyon a couple of miles up from the valley floor. Here we ran into a mixed flock that included Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Vesper Sparrow, Bullock’s Oriole, Western Tanager, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay, Green-tailed Towhee, and Dusky Flycatcher to name a few.

The Birder's Lunch

Enjoying another Birder’s Lunch at the refuge headquarters we noticed a plaque by the side of the road commemorating a campsite used by the ill-fated Donner Party in 1846. It suddenly struck me, we were on the Hastings cutoff, the unreconnoitered but heavily promoted alternate route to California that cost many of that party their lives. Gazing at this landscape you could not help but to admire the courage and fortitude of the people who came overland to California in that great westward migration. We would return to the west side of the range by way of a pass called “Secret Pass” where a Badger bid us adieu as it darted across the road in front of us. Arriving back in Lamoille it was time to part ways with Michael, he would be off to Wyoming and Jeff and I would start our trip back to California. As Jeff and I traveled the interstate we had one more surprise in store for us. At a rest stop in Valmy we found a tree full of sleeping Common Nighthawks. I don’t think I have ever seen them at rest before, fitting it was at a rest stop.

Common Nighthawk

Even though we did not get our target bird we had a great time in an area of stunning beauty. I am sure we will be back next spring. To finish off our trip we stopped at a disc golf course outside of Truckee to decide who would own the bragging rights. I humbly bestowed them upon Jeff, I will get my revenge next time!

A San Francisco Bay Circumnavigation Big Day

A birding big day is always a fun adventure and this year we focused on an unusual geographic feature for such an endeavor. As Jeff will soon be moving up to the Eastbay he was interested in getting to know more of the good birding spots in the Bay Area and concocted a plan to do a big day that scribed a clockwise circle around the Bay. As usual Michael was game and came down from Eureka to join the fun.

After celebrating Jeff's birthday the night before we started out in Napa before dawn getting our 2 owl species, then it was off to Green Island for shorebirds and ducks.

From here we visited Lake Herman and the Benica waterfront before heading south to the Moraga area and then into the Eastbay Hills. A slight navigation error on my part caused us to miss a section we had planned to do in this area so on we went to Hayward, took a lunch stop and then cut across the Bay to the Palo Alto Baylands for more ducks and shorebirds. From here we crossed over the mountain (seeing an excellent Golden Eagle) and hit the coast at Halfmoon Bay. We picked up the expected coastal birds but the real show was the constantly spouting whales just off-shore. Our next stop was the old battery that sits up on a bluff at the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge where we added a few more species then it was off to try for the rarity that was being seen this week in Marin County. No luck on the Dusky Warbler but we heard a lot of Ridgeway's Rails as the sun went down.

All told we drove 239 miles and saw 104 species. Not a big number but certainly big fun.

The Thrasher Tour - Spring 2021

Jeff, Me & Michael w/ Shirlene

My mother-in-law was giving us a quizzical look as we sat around her dinning room table. As always she provided a delicious spread for her guests which, this time included Jeff Manker and Michael Morris who met me and Danette at her home in Bakersfield. I think she was wondering if we were slightly crazy in our obsession with chasing birds across the Mojave Desert and she was probably right. However, this was the kind of crazy I happily plead guilty to. Our plan was to meet up in Bakersfield, pile into one vehicle and head for the desert while Danette and her mom went back to Napa. For many years we have come to Bakersfield during our spring break and I have dragged Patrick with me to Butterbredt Spring for a chance to see some early spring migrants. This year I brought the pros from Dover with me. After a great meal and a gear swap we began our trip with a drive up and over Breckenridge Rd. This has always been a reliable place to see Long Eared Owls and would be our highest elevation on the trip. While the owls were a bust we did get a few high elevation species and a soaring Golden Eagle to whet our appetites. From here we made our way to the top of Butterbredt Canyon where we camped and shivered in the clear night air of the desert. Near morning we heard both Great Horned and Screech Owls calling across the early dawn stirring us into action. We spent much of our morning at the spring but it was still early for migrants.

Scott's Oriole

I am bound by the whim of my school district as to when they decide to give us our spring break and am anxious for retirement when I can make that call. A highlight at the spring was a pair of Scott’s Orioles. 

     From here we headed north towards the Owens Valley, even more interesting to me as I had just re-read Cadillac Desert, the Marc Reisner masterpiece on the history and politics of western water development. Again, the season was early so we saw mostly the usual suspects but did manage a Black-chinned Hummingbird and a number of Bell’s Sparrows at Red Rocks SP, a few good water birds at Klondike Lake, and visited new area for me, Summit Creek in the area of the Olancha Pass trailhead. We ended our birding day at the 5 Bridges gravel ponds at the northern end of the town of Bishop, adding a number of good water bird species to our list.

     After spending the night in Bishop we headed east over the White Mountains, it was here that we picked up a life bird for both Jeff and Michael, a Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay near top of the climb. Searching around the junction of Hwy. 168 and White Mtn. Road again we found it to be too early for much activity. Continuing on the road took us into Deep Springs Valley, a place I have long wanted to see. We spent a good deal of time scanning the fields near Deep Springs college where saw many Sage Thrashers and desperately tried to turn one of them into a Bendire’s. Also making an appearance for us was a weasel, surely a surprise.

Deep Springs Valley

Continuing on, our goal was Death Valley National Park and to get the authentic experience, we planned our arrival at Furnace Creek for 12 noon, a target, I am happy to say, I hit with perfection. Prior to entering the park Jeff found us a great lunch/birding spot along Hwy. 95 using ebird to locate hot spots. Torrance Ranch turned out to be a really interesting riparian area where, along with sandwiches we picked up a Virginia Rail. Then it was off to Furnace Creek where, like the 3 morons we are, we figured that birding the golf course at 12 noon was a capital idea and sure to net us some good birds. I think our best sighting there was bats flying around hawking bugs in the middle of the day. To be fair we did pick up some birds for the trip list but probably should have skipped it. We decided that our best bet for a campsite was as high as we could get on the west side of the park so we travelled the park roads to get to Wildrose Campground where we were lucky enough to snag the last campsite (there are only 20 or so of them).

Wildrose Canyon

This canyon was a great place to camp and had a good variety of birds including a Roadrunner coming to a seep in the road to drink. We picked up another target bird the next morning by driving up the valley a ways and found an active flock of Pinyon Jays (as Michael predicted we would).
We left Death Valley NP via the Wildrose Rd. going west and got down to the business of locating the one bird that was the theme of this trip - the LeConte’s Thrasher. Just about everything we did until returning to Bakersfield was in pursuit of this devil bird. We used recent sightings in ebird and staked them out in the hopes of seeing this slippery customer but all we ended up doing was to prove the adage that, “you don’t find a LeConte’s Thrasher, they find you.” And on this trip they didn’t make the effort. We passed through Ridgecrest, California City and Mojave without any luck and only a few other species.
We finished up the final day of our trip with a return to Butterbredt Spring hoping for some different birds. We added Chukers and a lone Mountain Quail that Michael found and Jeff could not quite get into his line of sight. This bird could very well be Manker kryptonite as he keeps missing it but comes tantalizingly close every time. From here we followed Kelso Valley out to Hwy 178 and the Kern River Preserve which was still closed due to covid. We were able to bird along some of the edges of the preserve and we did pick up an early migrant, a bird we determined to be a female Prairie Warbler. An uncommon sighting but one that after careful deliberation we were confident in. Down the Kern River we drove to emerge at the bottom end, back at my mother-in-law’s house. Even though our trip list was not substantial (I think we were just short of 100) the camaraderie and the simple fact of being on the road, looking for birds with two of the best people I know was the tonic I needed to see out this school year. I hope Shirlene will have us back again soon. All birding trips should start on a full stomach and she certainly sent us on our way with three of them.

The Crew