Bryce To Lake Powell + Antelope Canyon - 25.8.15

The Ex-MacGillivray's Warbler

 

After a good sleep and not so good breakfast we got our bags and walked outside to the van. While waiting for the others I walked over to view the small lake opposite the hotel but all I could find on it were 10 American Coot! I wandered back to the van and still waiting for the stragglers I looked over to something on the ground under one of the hotel windows. On closer inspection I found it was a MacGillivray's Warbler! I was seriously tempted to sneak it on board and attempt to get it home as it'd be a great addition to my small stuffed birds collection! Unfortunately we had a few more days to go and without any kind of refrigeration it would have started to smell! Such a shame as it's the only one of its species I've seen!

We were on the road again and as we passed through the town of Muddy Creek I looked out the window and there in a grassy field were 7 WILD TURKEY! I was hoping to see them but wasn't holding out much hope!

Barn Used In Outlaw Jose Wales!

 

 Our first stop was in Kanab,UT where we were dropped off to look around a film set prop collection shop as the driver went to get fuel. Here I had a Hairy Woodpecker fly in and land on a telegraph pole and a House Finch.

Lake Powell

 

Praying Mantis

 

We eventually arrived at Lake Powell which is a man made lake used for the creation of electricity through a rather large dam. The coastline of the lake is longer than the coast of both east and west coasts of USA put together! But before that we stopped off for lunch and as I came out of the loo I nearly trod on a Praying Mantis! After rescuing it out of the way I realised it'd have been kinder to tread on it as its head was hanging off most likely the after effects of mating with a female? This was the first one I'd come across. Bird wise 7 Mourning Dove and 15 Great-Tailed Grackle was the total and on this enormous lake all I could muster up were 3 Mallard!

Antelope Canyon

 

Either the face of a Lion or turn your head to the left and see a Heart!

 

After a few people had had a swim in the lake we set off for Antelope Canyon. Before our journey there we watched a native Indian doing a hoop dance which was pretty impressive albeit in a dis-used fuel station! We then climbed aboard our open top, metal framed tour truck and headed towards the canyon. It was reached by driving up a dried up river bed which kicked up a bit of sand. Luckily we had been warned and were all wearing rather fetching bandanas over our faces! Another guide then lead us through the sandstone canyon that over the years had been sculpted into amazing shapes by wind and water erosion. Every now and then we stopped as she told us to look at this bit here as it was the shape of something ranging from a person to one of the monuments in monument valley. At one stop she showed us a pile of sand that was about 4ft high. Apparently that's where the floor was 3 weeks previously but after a flash flood 4ft of sand was washed out! She insisted that we'd be fine so long as it didn't rain. Walking on a bit further we came across a GREAT HORNED OWL. They breed in the canyon and we saw at least 3 empty nests. That was a nice surprise! We reached the far end of the canyon and were confronted by dark grey skies and thunder and lightning! After the mention of flash floods we beat a hasty retreat back to the van but no sooner had we set off the wind picked up to gale force and the rain fell. Stopping to open and lock the main gate was a bit hairy as the sand we had kicked up from the van was now racing towards us faster than we could drive! We made it out onto the main road to see we were surrounded by storms of both rain and sand. After a worrying drive in what was basically an open metal cage we arrived back to the companies base and went next door for dinner covered in sand! Slightly scary but strangely fun at the same time! And after watching the you tube videos we were told about regarding the flash flooding I certainly wouldn't want to have been there if it happened!

Zion NP + Bryce Canyon - 24.8.15

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

 

Before we left we had to go and get some food for the day and luckily for me the shop next to the food store had 3 hummingbird feeders. Even better was the fact that at least 5 Black-Chinned Hummingbirds were busily feeding including a stunning male. We were soon on the road again and at a quick stop near the exit of the park I jammed in on a SPOTTED TOWHEE as it flew over and landed in a bush and even had a brief sing! 3 Killdeer and a Magpie were the highlights from the van before we hit Bryce. Another quick loo stop produced 2 Turkey Vulture, Great Blue Heron, Clark's Nutcracker and 2 male American Kestrel along with another Coyote.

 

Utah Prairie Dog

 

 

Pygmy Nuthatch

 

 

Hoodoos

 

Chipmunk

 

 

On entering Bryce Canyon we briefly pulled over to get a look at a couple of rare Utah Prairie Dogs doing what they do best. Being nosey! We parked up and went to get our first look over the canyon and the breath taking Hoodoos. The amazing pillars of orangey red rocks of different shapes and sizes were quite something. Zooming past the viewpoint was a White-Throated Swift but it was soon time again to make a choice of which walk we wanted to do as some of the group had chosen to go horseback riding. As I'm allergic to horses I wandered off and quickly found 4 Western Bluebird, American Robin, 3 House Finch, 3 Clark's Nutcracker, 2 Audubon's Warbler, Mountain Chickadee and a Crossbill. Once they had set off the rest of us decided to stick together and do the moderate walk but no sooner had we started we had lost of the group but despite heading back to look for her there was no sign and then to make matters worse a thunderstorm hit as we were heading down the sloped path making it a bit slippery. Thankfully it soon stopped and dried out and out popped the birds including a lovely couple of WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, a juvenile Rock Nuthatch and the first of 12 PYGMY NUTHATCH. After the walk we sat down and cooled off and I noted Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Red-Tailed Hawk and my first ever Pink-Sided race of Slate-Coloured Junco.

Zion NP - 23.8.15

Large Wasp sp

 

Waterfall (honestly!)

 

Juvenile Western Bluebird

 

Male Lesser Goldfinch

 

Chipping Sparrow

 

Today was another hot one as parts of the park were very secluded and in direct sun. It was also pretty quiet bird wise. 2 Steller's Jay let the world know they were there with their raucous call. Soon after I came across a couple of Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher. These were followed by the first lifer of the day when I picked out a movement at the top of a small tree and out popped 2 JUNIPER TITMOUSE. After visiting the emerald pools and seeing a small Canyon Tree Frog we needed cooling down with a large ice cream at the visitor centre! Whilst eating it I picked up a couple of lifers in the shape of 3 WESTERN BLUEBIRD and 4+ CHIPPING SPARROW. Once I'd finished eating I went for a closer look and managed a couple of pics and it was while getting the photos 2 small finches flew down close by and I was pleased to see a pair of LESSER GOLDFINCH. 6+ White-Throated Swift were at the very top of one the cliffs and as I'd noticed on the drive into the park a couple of hummingbird feeders I decided to walk back to the lodgings. This was a good idea as on one of the feeders I found 3 female/juv BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD!

Death Valley - 22.8.15

Too Hot For Breakfast?!

 

Killdeer

 

After one of the worst nights sleep I've ever had due to fly and bug infestations (every room not just ours) and the loudest air conditioning unit on earth (which in the hottest place on earth is quite annoying!) I was awake before sunrise and so rather than lay in bed I washed (using the cold tap as it was roasting hot!) and got dressed and went to see what birds I could find in what appeared to be a barren area. I stepped out the door and put up 4 Killdeer which soon landed again in the corner of the car park. I then heard a call from a small shrub that I recognised from the start of my trip and sure enough out flew a Black Phoebe. Across the road was a fuel stop and wandering around the pumps was a Mourning Dove. My attention then turned to further down the road when I noted a Great White Egret and a roosting Turkey Vulture on what I presumed to be the local sewage works. Wanting to get a better view I headed towards the area and was about 200 yards away when all of a sudden a loud howl tore through the morning stillness followed by another and another. Unseen somewhere nearby was a pack of Coyotes! With the potential threat of being eaten by a pack of hungry, thin Coyotes I turned round and made a hasty retreat back to the hotel. What I hadn't realised was that I'd walked past another unseen Coyote and with the howling it had got up and was walking back to the pack just 15 feet from me. Holding my bins in my hand just in case it fancied a go I was relieved to watch it walk past me giving me a quick glance before vanishing! Luckily I didn't have to go back and change my underwear!! A bit later a worker drove up to the works and put up around 30 or so ducks. Annoyingly I was too far away to ID them but there were at least 2 species due to size differences and both had blue-ish panels on the wings so if I had to guess they were most likely Cinnamon and Blue-Winged Teal. I got back to the room and Carey said did you hear those Coyotes howling? I replied yes!!

Turkey Vulture

 

Brown-Headed Cowbird

Deciding it was probably safer to walk around the hotel I quickly noted a flock of 20+ YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD around the pool area along with the odd Brown-Headed Cowbird.. A few Barn Swallow hunted overhead and with them were 3 Cliff Swallow. Just then a wader flew over and to my surprise it was a Spotted Sandpiper! I then turned the corner and sat on top of a water tank were 2 ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE! I thought Death Valley was a strange place to stop and visit but I was a unique area with multi coloured mountains, a sand dune and that people actually made their home here! In fact at dinner the night before we sat next to an English woman who worked at reception who lived in Watford and she said she'd welcomed a couple from Watford that evening! You just can't escape even in the remotest of places!

Badwater Basin

 

Great-Tailed Grackle

 

Scorchio!

 

Funny T-Shirt

 

Once the van was packed and the air con was on we headed to Badwater Basin which is the lowest place in North America. A small pool of water and a lot of dried salt welcomed us and at 9am it was already over 100C. A small plaque on a rock face behind us showed were sea level was 86m above us. 2 largish birds flew over but vanished and briefly over the pool was a juvenile Tree Swallow. To escape the heat we then headed to Furnace Creek visitor centre. Outside was a thermometer and it reached 106C at 10am! In the car park were 7 Great-Tailed Grackle and a lovely Red-Shouldered Hawk circled over.

Death Valley From Dante's View

 

Wilson's Warblers

 

Our last stop before leaving the valley was Dante's View which gave you a wonderful view across miles of the valley floor. Surprisingly at the car park was a Bee infestation so dodging them was fun! A Loggerhead Shrike started things off and soon after I had good view of my first ROCK WREN though seeing it was down a steep side I didn't try to get brilliant views! A few Turkey Vulture were overhead and it was while watching them I picked out 2 PURPLE MARTIN (adult and juv) as they headed south. But the best bird was saved for when I got back on the bus. A couple of others on the bus said did you see those lovely yellow and green birds outside? My answer was no but where were they? They pointed to a small isolated shrub and after a minute up they popped. They were only a pair of WILSON'S WARBLER!! I managed a couple of crappy pics before we left.

The final bird of the day were 2 American Coot seen on a roadside pool near Mequite,NV.

Yosemite to Death Valley - 21.8.15

After breakfast, packing the van and 3 Acorn Woodpecker and a Western Scrub Jay we headed off towards the hottest place on earth! Quite why I agreed to visit this place seeing as I cant stand the heat I don't know! To break up the drive we stopped off at a few places. First of these was Olmstead Point. Another great view and finally a bird I was hoping to see when the first of 7 CLARK'S NUTCRACKER flew over.

Tenaya Lake

Next stop was the very pretty Tenaya Lake, On the water were 3 Black-Necked Grebe and in a picnic area were a few Brewer's Blackbird and a single Nashville Warbler.

Another stop was at Tioga Peak. On stepping out the van another Clark's Nutcracker flew over as did a couple of Raven. Just then I noticed a small bird on the rocks below me. I got it in the bins and found myself looking at a CASSIN'S FINCH!

We stopped off for lunch at café in Lee Vining. But just before we arrived I picked out a stunning WHITE-TAILED KITE hovering like a Kestrel by the roadside. At the café an adult Green-Tailed Towhee was in the garden and a couple of Monarch butterflies were feeding on the flowers.

Whilst driving we passed Crowley Lake. Sat roosting on the lake were at least 25 AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and overhead were 3 Turkey Vulture.

Other notebook worthy sightings were a Pine Siskin over Bishop and Lone Pine. And at a fuel stop in Big Pine an Osprey flew over as did my first ever WHITE-WINGED DOVE!

 

 

A Joshua Tree

 

Cacti

 

Death Valley Viewpoint

 

Eventually we reached Death Valley and boy was it warm but most of us thought it's not too bad! At a quick viewpoint and loo stop one of the party alerted me to a large bird of prey overhead. The light wasn't brilliant but as it got closer it turned out to be a Golden Eagle!

Coyote!

Sand Dune

 

 

As we approached our home for the night the traffic ahead slowed down. On looking out the front window we noticed a Coyote stood in the middle of the road! We pulled over and got some photos before we realised there were another 3 behind us! Quite an experience. As the light was failing we were taken to a lone sand dune a mile down the road from our accommodation. This is where we finally experienced the full force of the heat that Death Valley is known for! Stepping out of the air conditioned van it felt like opening the door of an oven hitting you. And coupled with a fairly strong breeze it was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. I'll never complain about it being too hot in the UK again! (ok I probably will!)



Yosemite NP - 20.8.15

The View From Glacier Point

 

Our last full day in the park started off at the Stunning Glacier Point (just a shame about the toilets)! As soon as we stepped out the van I could hear a high pitched call not too dissimilar to our Goldcrest. After a short time I finally laid eyes on what was making the noise and as expected it was a family party of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. After watching them I turned round and accidnetaly spooked a juvenile GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE! I then went up to the viewpoint and took in the amazing view but was soon distracted by a Red-Breasted Nuthatch and Black-Throated Grey Warbler. 5 Steller's Jay and a Raven were noted before I picked out a movement ahead of me and was happily surprised to pick out 2 NASHVILLE WARBLER. Some of the group then went on a huge hike but I and the rest of the group stayed behind. While they went for a cup of tea I walked back up to the van and into some woods. Here I picked up a Mountain Chickadee and 3 American Robin. Just then to my left I picked up a bird flicking in and out of some fir trees. Eventually it showed well and showed a glorious yellow rump and throat. It was my first YELLOW-RUMPED (AUDUBON'S) WARBLER. As I stood watching it another movement nearby suddenly took flight before perching up. It was a Northern Flicker but of the red shafted variety. I'd seen plenty of the yellow shafted in New York's Central Park 2 years before.

Yosemite

 

Brewer's Blackbird

 

Mule Deer

 

A Young Victorian Rio Ferdinand!

 

Our Accommodation

 

Fact or Crap board game!!

 

Once everyone had finished their tea we headed back down into the park in preparation of meeting the hikers. Here myself and Carey caught one of the shuttle buses up to view El Capitan again and walk back. After getting scope views of the mad climbers through a rangers scope we set off on our walk back. Fortunately as we rounded a corner we came across a flock of birds totalling around 40-50 birds similar to a tit flock we get over here but this one contained 4 lifers! Along with a White-Headed Woodpecker, 3 Western Tanager, 6 American Robin, numerous Mountain Chickadee, Red-Breasted Nuthatch and a Black-Throated Grey Warbler I picked out my first HAIRY WOODPECKER, a female SUMMER TANAGER, HERMIT WARBLER and a big juvenile BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK! Eventually we set off back to our accommodation but half way back I picked out something climb out of the river. It was a Black Bear! With this I shouted BEAR to the van and we soon pulled over and walked back to where I'd spotted it but there were numerous hiding places and I didn't fancy going to look too closely for it! We even made 2 cars pull over wondering what we were looking at! It wasn't a total loss as I picked out a Great Blue Heron in the river and 2 Acorn Woodpecker flew over as well as my first ever WESTERN SCRUB JAY calling from a nearby tree.

Yosemite - 19.8.15

Giant Sequoia

 

El Capitan

 

Our first full day in the park started off with 2 Great Blue Heron and my first ever AMERICAN DIPPER on the river on the drive up to Tuolmne Grove where we went to look at the Giant Sequoia trees. I of course was also looking at the birds! The first bird of note I actually ID'd on call even though I'd never heard it before. It was from reading accounts of the one and only Red-Breasted Nuthatch in Britain and it being found by its call that sounded like a toy trumpet. All of a sudden I heard this toy trumpet and up to my left was a family group of 4 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH busy feeding up and down the trunks. After getting a good look at them I caught up with the rest of the group but not before adding my 3rd lifer of the day in the shape of a scalding HOUSE WREN. lifer number 4 soon arrived with a couple of fairly elusive MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE. A few mammal ticks were being noted with California Ground Squirrel, Chickaree and Lodgepole Chipmunk.

Steller's Jay

Steller's Jay

Side View Of Half Dome

 

We then went into the park proper and the new lifers came thick and fast. A couple of STELLER'S JAY were by the medical area and a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT was seen zooming past a rock face. Then the first warbler of the trip came in the shape of a handsome BLACK-THROATED GREY WARBLER flitting through the trees. A female WESTERN TANAGER and a BROWN CREEPER were soon added as were an American Robin and a Chestnut-Backed Chickadee.