Green-tailed Towhee (c) Bill Schmoker
It was a beautiful early summer morning up on top of Mount Falcon this past Saturday, June 2. Eleven of us enjoyed a delightful stroll through the ponderosa woodlands, montane grassland, montane shrubland, and Douglas-fir forest. The mix of habitats on top of Mount Falcon is a wonderful mosaic, and consequently provides homes for a delightful variety of birds.
Cordilleran Flycatcher (c) Felice Lyons
So, since it’s breeding season, the birds were letting the world know which territory was whose, and we got to hear a lot of nice songs. A pair of House Wrens was investigating a probable nesting cavity in a rotten snag, and between times singing up a storm from a nearby rock outcropping. A Plumbeous Vireo kept loudly proclaiming his presence, which his apparent partner seemed to appreciate, and which we appreciated because it allowed us to track him down right in front of us at eye-level. At one point a Cordilleran Flycatcher was singing continuously right above us, and we all got multiple great looks. Because of all this singing we got so many great looks! Western Tanagers, Gray-headed Juncos, and Green-tailed Towhees were also pretty non-stop. And, once we switched over into the more dense Douglas-fir Forest, we had a nice long visit with a singing Brown Creeper.
Wallflower (c) Chuck Aid
Oh, and the flowers were splendiferous! The foothill flowers will be reaching their peak in the coming weeks so make sure to get out and enjoy them. Hope to see you on another bird walk soon!
Cheers!
Chuck Aid
Mount Falcon Park, Jun 2, 2018
28 species
Turkey Vulture 1
Sharp-shinned/Cooper’s Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 1
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 8
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2
Western Wood-Pewee 1
Cordilleran Flycatcher 1
Plumbeous Vireo 2
Steller’s Jay (Interior) 4
Black-billed Magpie 4
American Crow 8
Common Raven 2
Violet-green Swallow 4
Mountain Chickadee 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Pygmy Nuthatch 4
Brown Creeper 2
House Wren 8
Western Bluebird 2
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 3
Chipping Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) 5
Green-tailed Towhee 5
Spotted Towhee 1
Western Tanager 8
Black-headed Grosbeak 1
House Finch 1
Pine Siskin 3
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