30 November 2023

Posts Tagged ‘sage thrasher’

Thrasher

Friday, August 27th, 2021
Sage Thrasher, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 27 August 2021.
Sage Thrasher.

Trouble operating my GoPro for the second straight day—this time, I managed to set it for “night lapse.” Sheesh. (Tomorrow I’ll do a careful equipment check.) Compared to yesterday, at least, it was a quiet morning, with not a lot of excitement, nor many photo opportunities.

Except toward the end, when I happened to spot a bird perched on some bare scrub-oak twigs. And for the second straight August day, I had a first-of-year species.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:05 a.m. (8:05 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. House Finch**
2. Black-capped Chickadee
3. Black-chinned Hummingbird
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. Rock Pigeon*
6. Lazuli Bunting
7. Eurasian Collared-dove
8. Spotted Towhee (v)
9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
10. Western Tanager
11. Warbling Vireo (v)
12. Accipiter (sp)
13. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
14. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
15. American Goldfinch
16. Pine Siskin (v)
17. American Robin (v)
18. Sage Thrasher†

Elsewhere

19. Black-billed Magpie
20. European Starling
21. American Crow
22. California Quail

Mammals

Red Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird

Thrasher

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020
Sage Thrasher, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 22 April 2020.
Sage Thrasher (a lifer for me).

Dog and I headed up the mountain a bit earlier this morning in hopes of another little wave of spring migrants. But the sky was overcast, and the breeze came from the northwest, and I imagined it wouldn’t be very auspicious.

Then an unfamiliar bird popped up in front of us and perched on a low branch. I froze. Jack (the perfect birder dog) froze. I managed some photos and a video. I had no idea what it was. Maybe a mimic? I thought.

Turns out I was right: my first Sage Thrasher. Didn’t even know they existed.

Also more Orange-crowned Warblers, a Cooper’s Hawk (calling, perhaps near its nest), and I even conjured up a Chukar high on the ridge. Then, to top things off, it began to sprinkle on our return.

I do love a walk in light rain.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Song Sparrow* (v)
2. American Robin*
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
5. Black-billed Magpie
6. Pine Siskin (v)
7. Spotted Towhee
8. Sage Thrasher†
9. Chukar
10. Orange-crowned Warbler
11. House Finch*
12. Chipping Sparrow
13. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
14. Cooper’s Hawk
15. Dark-eyed Junco (v)
16. Northern Flicker* (v)

Elsewhere

17. Eurasian Collared Dove
18. European Starling
19. California Quail
20. Turkey Vulture

Mammals

Mule Deer

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere

**Voice only elsewhere
†Life
‡First-of-year bird

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



3IP Logo
©1997–2023 by 3IP