Young Birder’s Conference Notes

Young Birder’s Conference Notes

By Andy Bankert

Continued from the October Limpkin

Our next stop was kind of unexpected, but very productive. We set up scopes to look for swifts in an area that looked good someone spotted a group of Black Swifts. After we studied their distinctive shape and flight pattern I heard the word Vaux’s. Everyone in the group looked up and watched a Vaux’s Swift fly overhead. Many of the Easterners were surprised by the difference between Chimney and Vaux’s. White-throated Swift, the most common of the western swifts, was also present in the area. As we were getting ready to leave a Western Tanager flew overhead giving us good looks of a species that we would see plenty more of. A quick stop was made that allowed us to see Lawrence’s Goldfinches.

Our next birding location was where a Pacific-sloped Flycatcher had a territory. The flycatcher was not there, but that did not ruin anything. Western Tanagers sang from the tops of the trees, a Purple Finch showed its face, and a Plumbeous Vireo was pointed out. While we were caught up in all of the birds, a Lawrence’s Goldfinch was put into a scope, and stayed long enough for me to grab some video.

As we climbed higher into the mountains we entered the Quaking Aspen campground. When we exited the vans the songs of Fox Sparrows, Green-tailed Towhees, and Audubon’s Warblers filled the air. We ventured further into the campground we spotted a Fox Sparrow. Then a Red-breasted Sapsucker flew across the road. It allowed us to get great looks when it was less than ten feet away. On the way out a White-headed Woodpecker allowed good viewing, a tiny Wilson’s Warbler put on a good show, and a MacGillivray’s Warbler danced around within twenty feet of us. A lunch that consisted of sandwiches was served near the Trail of 100 Giants. One special bonus was Hermit Warbler. Closely related to the Black-throated Green Warbler, this western bird was the 450th species I had seen in the United States. A Pileated Woodpecker gave its loud call was a life bird for several people in the group. We walked back to see one of the giant sequoias then went to the lodge.

Our break was longer than expected because the group that birded the east side of the mountains returned later than expected. After everyone had returned we went for an Italian dinner. My favorite. I talked with the waitress and she brought me out a plate of plain sausage. This was the third time that month I ate at an Italian restaurant, and the third time I just had sausage. Once all the food was gone and multiple stories were exchanged everyone returned to the lodge to watch Jon Dunn’s presentation on the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He talked about how the mountains separate bird life in half. Then halfway through the talk the projector’s light went out. I did not mind that much. I got to sleep more, and I could ask Jon the next day on the east side. I got most of the information that was going to be in the end of the presentation the next day, but kept asking if we were going to see a Violet-green Swallow.

Seeing how late the other group got out the day before, we all decided to wake up anyone who was not up so we could get out on time. Because of this, our group left on time and got out birding rather quickly. Since it was still dark most of us elected to sleep on the ride to our first stop. Once we arrived at our first stop everyone was wide-awake and ready to see Le Conte’s Thrashers. We walked past all of the “No Trespassing” signs only paying attention to the little blue sign that said “Birders Welcome.” Western Kingbirds sang from the tops of the trees, a Costa’s Hummingbird hovered around a bush, and we chased a Verdin around some of the yard. It took a while, but the pale colored thrashers flew by and perched in a tree allowing views through a scope, but no video for me. As we tried to get better looks at the thrashers a Prairie Falcon flew overhead. I missed it, so went back to try and scope it. That did not work. Later the falcon flew again and landed on a telephone pole allowing the whole group to view it through the scope.

The group continued up the mountains to a hillside that contained Black-throated Sparrow, Chukar, and Scott’s Oriole. All three of these birds came through for us, except the Chukars never walked out into the open only allowing fair looks. The Scott’s Oriole sat up on a cactus, and the whole group got remarkable looks. We headed on to a campground, where in early May a Grace’s Warbler was discovered. When we got there we first saw a Cassin’s Vireo with a nest. Then the Grace’s Warbler sang. Since the song can resemble Audubon’s Warbler we tracked it down, and were rewarded with great looks. As we looked at the warbler, some new birds were spotted. We saw a Cassin’s Finch, Western Tanagers, and a Cooper’s Hawk nest with young.

The next stop produced good looks at Sage Sparrows, a flock of Bewick’s Wrens, and two singing Wrentits. This time the Wrentits allowed us to view them. Next we drove further through an open area where the group the day before saw Mountain Bluebirds. It wasn’t long before five of them flew across the road, and kept going. We stopped three times after that to look at bluebirds on the wires, and they were all Western Bluebirds. Further down the road, after I had asked about seeing a Violet-green Swallow several times, a Pinyon Jay flew across the road so we stopped. We set up scopes and observed Pinyon and Western Scrub Jays at a feeder.

Oregon Juncos, Townsend’s Solitaires, and Clark’s Nutcrackers were all in the campground where we ate our lunch. A few minutes after finishing lunch a few of us chased down the nutcrackers, and got great looks. Word was spread that someone had seen Pygmy Nuthatches in the campground, so the group went out and searched for them. It was not long before we heard the nuthatches make their peeping call. The group was able to locate the flock and get good views of the nuthatches as they climbed up and down the trees. On our way to the next location we made two quick stops. One was to view a Dusky Flycatcher on a nest. The other gave us spectacular looks at a Calliope Hummingbird at a feeder.

On the way up to Bald Mountain a group of Mountain Quail was spotted on the side of the road. Since nobody had gotten great looks at one yet the group stopped and looked around. Once the bird was located we watched her walk out into the open to the amazement of everyone around. When we arrived at the end of the road we could see nutcrackers flying around. After waiting so long I finally got to see my first Violet-green Swallow fly around, and bank to where the sunlight hit it showing the vivid colors on its back. Not long after going to the tree where the Blue Grouse was seen the day before we found the grouse. Like every other experience I have ever had with a grouse the bird was not very active. It was still neat to see a Blue Grouse, and we studied it for more than fifteen minutes. Our last stop was a Williamson’s Sapsucker nest that had a male and two females flying around. That wrapped up most of the birding for the trip.

The last presentation of the conference was Michael O’Brien’s presentation on shorebirds. The presentation was a little quick for a presentation on shorebirds, but there was some very useful information. At the end of the slide show we were asked to identify the shorebirds. Everyone in the group joined in the discussion about whether the peep was a Western or Semipalmated Sandpiper. We were then dismissed for our last dinner, which was Mexican, a food that is not even close to being food I eat. I grabbed my Hershey Bar or two and ate with the rest of the group as we rushed to exchange email addresses and screen names before we all set out to leave the next day. The last organized event was a panel discussion, where everyone joined in and talked about basically whatever we wanted. Then we were allowed to do almost anything until we did one last birding trip for whoever wanted to.

A group of us stayed up for a while and talked about basically nothing. We knew that once we were done the YBC 2004 would be done. Around midnight it all came to an end, and the group dispersed for bed. We woke the next morning missing some of the group and had two choices as to where to bird. I chose to go to the area that held the California specialties, and a possibility of California Thrasher. There were no thrashers, but we got great views of Phainopepla. Other birds in the area included California Towhees, California Quail making their “Chicago” calls, and Oak Titmice. Finally, the rooms were cleaned out and the group left for the airport in Bakersfield. My plane was delayed two hours, so I was the last one to board. In the event of the plane not taking off I was given numbers of people to call. The plane did take off and I had time in LAX to get to my next plane. On the way to the plane I saw several Western Gulls, my last life bird of the trip.

Other than seeing new birds I had a lot of fun and met several new birders.