[SBB] Bird Count scouting at MB05, Skyline Ridge, Hidden Villa

Hello All,

This morning 6/1/2007 I walked around Hermit Hill (my nickname for the wooded hill just SE from Horseshoe Lake at Skyline Ridge OSP). The hill once again earned its name in my notebook, as a loud-and-proud Hermit Warbler was singing at the southern end of the hilltop, audible from way out among the Xmas trees below. Eventually I enjoyed a prolonged look at this lemon-faced fellow as he sang lustily from high up in a large fir.

Two Chipping Sparrows were located among the Xmas trees, although they were almost completely silent this AM. Heard-only birds included a pair of calling Pileated Woodpeckers right along Skyline Blvd/the county line; an undetermined number of Pygmy Nuthatches, and a Western Tanager.

I then walked around on the slope where Kris had her suspected Sage Sparrow. I dipped on that and on any of the other special sparrows reported from there lately, although there was a Black-throated Gray Warbler up that way and about 4 Lazuli Buntings in the general area. A W. Wood-pewee was new for me up there, and there was a singing Wilson's Warbler at the Horseshoe Lake willows too.

At MB05 pond on the afternoon of 5/31, there was a single Lawrence's Goldfinch flying over several times between 5 and 6, and a Grasshopper Sparrow sang from shrubs below the pond once again. An Olive-sided Flycatcher called in the distance.

At Hidden Villa this week, cherries are ripening at mid-farm next to our garden greenhouse, and the birds are going bananas over them. (Photographers: major opportunity for grosbeak close-ups!) A new scene at the tree today was the presence of juvenile-plumaged Robins parked among the ripe fruit. An Orange-crowned Warbler has been sipping nectar from the Roman Candle flowers behind the education building, which are also very busy with hummers. Two Vaux's Swifts flew over together at 8:15 PM on 5/30.

Today, I walked way up to the property boundary in the closed upper portions of the HV watershed, where a family of Winter Wrens was busy along the creek (atlas block 7530). Adults were carrying insect food to fledged young. A single juvenile-plumaged WIWR was also seen about a mile away, along the public portion of the Creek Trail and also in Block 7530.

Best regards to all,

Garth Harwood