Wood Thrush at Crystal Spring, SE Inyo Goodies

Continuing Wood Thrush at Crystal Spring, SE Inyo Goodies

Observers: Chris and Rosie Howard, Barb Schuck
Email: chris93514@gmail.com
Remote Name: 209.33.43.149
Date: 10/01/2006
Time: 11:03 AM -0400

We spent Friday night (29 Sept) at Crystal Spring (~15 miles east of China Ranch in extreme SE Inyo) and spent Saturday (30 Sept) birding our way back to the Owens Valley. Our main target was the Wood Thrush at Crystal Spring, first found 19 August. Species of note are listed below.

Crystal Spring, a trashed mining area, is not the most aesthetic place, but the birds don't seem to mind the trickle of water that runs a few hundred yards, supporting some big cottonwoods, elm and other trees. 6:25AM-8:15AM

WOOD THRUSH 1 (on the grassy 'meadow' near the cistern, good views then it flushed up into the cottonwood not to be seen again)
RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER 5
TOWNSEND'S SOLITARE 5
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET 1, our first of fall.
WESTERN WOOD PEE-WEE 2
SOOTY FOX SPARROW 1

China Ranch 9:00AM - 11AM

SUMMER TANAGER 1 male seen in the cottonwood below the gift shop, all bright orange-red, long yellow bill.

Shoshone Museum, quick stop

GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW 1, our first of fall

Furnace Creek Inn, 1:00PM - 2:30PM, the best concentration of sparrows, etc of the day.

WINTER WREN 1, western race, very cooperative, skulking mouse-like in the brush-pile below the rock wall, just north of the ditch. Chocolate brown overall, paler and warmer in throat, buffy short supercilium, very short cocked tail.
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH 1, along the ditch, actively feeding on worms from the base of the oleanders and bobbing up and down the unlined ditch. Fine streaks into throat, buffy underparts, quickly tapering eyeline behind eye. Constantly 'chinking'.
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW 1, our second of the day .
VESPER SPARROW 1

Furnace Creek Ranch, 3PM-5PM

VERMILION FLYCATCHER 1, immature female, short tail, fine streaks on otherwise white breast, yellow tinge in belly.
SOOTY FOX SPARROW 1, our second of the day.