Observers: Mary Freeman
Email: mnfreeman@earthlink.net
Remote Name: 137.78.253.194
Date: 04/18/2005
Time: 01:51 PM -0400
This weekend I lead my 15th trip for LA Audubon Society. We had 108 species! We missed the Blue Grouse at Glacier Lodge but we heard one at the first road closure sign. We visited the road beyond that spot and an avalanche hit the area at the Pack Station. A picnic table and trash bin was pushed across the road and against the hill. Aspendell was alive with Rosy Finches and we saw a nesting Golden Eagle on a cliff. Dipper was seen in the creek in town. We had 85-90 Greater Sage Grouse in the late afernoon on Saturday, a pleasant surprise and we worked hard for those birds. Vehicles with high clearance made it across the road to the lek entrance parking area. The snow patches were slushy and the puddles weren't bad. Conditions should improve even more in another week. We had several Swainson's Hawks (varied flavors) in Chalfant Valley and one with a silver band on its left foot and a yellow one on its right foot. Some participants in the group saw Black-backed Woodpeckers near the Mono Lake forest. We saw a female Northern Harrier displaying in the sky near Nik & Nik. We watched Swainson's Hawks as they mated on a telephone wire! The weather was cooperative and it chilled down a little Sunday. Because I led this trip later in the season, I added new birds for the trip, Hooded Oriole and Bullock's Oriole from hummingbird feeders at a house in Bishop and I once again missed the Harris's Sparrow! A few shorebirds were at Farmer's Pond. It was a very memorable weekend. Happy Birding!