We started out for another fishing/birdwatching trip, this
one to Big Meadow Reservoir, which lies halfway between South Fork and the
summit of Wolf Creek Pass. When we arrived at the entrance the gate was closed
and locked. After some discussion we
decided to hike the mile and half up the road to the lake and continue on
undaunted. During the hike we started
seeing small yellowish/brownish birds.
They flitted in and out of the roadside willows and up to the fir trees.
Their song was a musical trill. We were
a little stumped but later at home we studied our guides and listened to bird
songs. We pondered whether they could be Cordilleran flycatchers or warbling
vireos but after listening to the ruby crowned kinglet’s song we decided that
was our bird.
Fishing was good at the lake. In between bites we saw a northern flicker, a
lone Canada goose and several small birds flying among the trees. I caught my
limit of four fish within a short time. We had planned to hike around the lake
but a storm started moving in. Since we had to hike back to the car we thought
it best to leave the lake. During the return hike we saw a pair of mountain
bluebirds. High up on a tree we saw a gray bird. In the flat light against the
gray sky it was hard to tell what it was.
We think it might have been a Townsend’s solitaire. Also, we saw a sparrow-like bird with a
reddish cap, maybe an American tree sparrow.
Driving east on U.S. Hwy. 160 we saw more geese and ducks on
flooded fields. In the air and along the roadside were hawks, red-winged blackbirds,
crows and ravens.
Desiring just a little more in the way of birdwatching
thrills, we stopped by Home Lake. There we
saw swallows, coots, western grebes and blue-winged teals. On the south side of
the lake we saw a beautifully plumed snowy egret, a plain but efficient willet
and more than ten long-billed dowitchers feeding in the mud.
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