Tuesday, July 7, 2009

A Visit to a Bird Sanctuary

July 2, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Today, Roger and I hiked up to the A.M. Bailey Bird Sanctuary. We again enjoyed a wonderful day in the mountains. Winds were calm again; temperatures were in the high 50s!

We ran into a male American Three-toed Woodpecker about halfway between the parking area and the sign for the sanctuary. The woodpecker's distinct drumming was heard 10 yards east of the trail. It took no time at all to find the bird which was more interested in hunting for food.

The bird sanctuary was a cornucopia of birds. We found Willow Flycatchers, a Dusky Flycatcher, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Fox Sparrows (gray headed race), Wilson's Warblers, MacGillivray's Warblers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a few more I am probably forgetting.

A male Red-naped Sapsucker wandered around the aspen grove at the northeast corner of the property.

It was such a nice day that Roger and I decided to make the rather strenuous hike up the Ptarmigan trail. We hiked about 2 miles up above tree line. Our efforts were rewarded with the sighting of two White-tailed Ptarmigan about 1.0 miles north of the sanctuary.

After sunset, we even got a Northern Pygmy-Owl to answer our recordings. The owl called but was never observed northwest of the property.

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