Jones Park Loop 5/28/12

Pretty long hike!  Started at the lot on Upper Gold Camp, took Seven Bridges out to Jones Park, and back on 667/Bear Creek/Captain Jack's. May be closer to 10 miles than to 6.

This cave was awesome!

Olive-sided flycatcher

Memorial Day Weekend

Chico Basin Ranch 5/17/12

Great day with Nina Ogilvie, Kathy Miller, and Patty Lovekin.  Thanks so much ladies!

Saw a nice group of Turkey Vultures in flight, and also White-faced Ibises in flight - very pretty.  Got a great although short look at a Lazuli Bunting.
Kathy found the Mountain Plover and as we watched it we realized it had three chicks with it - very neat.  It was a very windy day at times and that may have effected the warbler count - not many were seen.  Saw some flycatchers but couldn't I.D. species really - they were quiet.

Great birds for me today:
Barn Owl
Lark Sparrow
Brown Thrasher
Burrowing Owl
Chukar
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Curve-billed Thrasher
Ladderback Woodpecker
Mockingbird
Catbird
Canyon Towhee
West Wood Peewee
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Bobwhite
Blue-winged Teal
Brewer's Sparrow
Dusky Flycatcher type
Northern Waterthrush
Solitary Sandpiper
Wilson's Phalarope
Mountain Plover

Bullock's Oriole  - LOTS of these

Ladderback Woodpecker

Canyon Towhee - pretty entertaining - it jumped up on a jeep with its top off in this garage and was hopping around it and seemed to get excited by its reflection in the rear-view mirror.

Bobwhites

Western Kingbird - there were MANY of these

Baltimore Oriole - people were excited by this one

Brewer's Sparrow

Brown Thrasher

Black-headed Grosbeak

Blue-winged Teal

Cinnamon Teal

Lark Sparrow (or Princess Leia bird - my nickname for the round dot on the "ears")

White-faced Ibis - beautiful in the air

Swainson's Thrush

muskrat

Bullock's Oriole - some looked more yellow, others more orange like this one

baby Prairie Dogs

Burrowing Owl - What are you lookin' at?

Chukar - or my nickname is the Jail Bird

Mountain Plover - had 3 chicks that were really cute but didn't get a photo of them.  

Russian Olives in bloom were thick with moths - some birds taking advantage but could've been hundreds more and there'd still be plenty left.  The trees had a pleasant fragrance.

Barn Owl