Over the fourth of July weekend, Libby and I took the long weekend as an opportunity to head up to the Sierras. We never miss an opportunity to do this, of course, and Grandma and Grandpa had invited us to help with some of the chores involved in opening the cabin.
We left Friday night and camped just outside Big Pine. I was hoping Western Screech-Owls might be in the campground, but we didn't hear any owls at all that night. We left pretty early in the morning to do some birding on our way up to the cabin. We meant to drop by Crowley Lake, but the normal road we take down to the east shore of the lake was closed. So, we took the Benton Crossing road, instead, and had a pleasant walk along the river in the direction of the delta. Sage Thrashers, Horned Larks, and Vesper Sparrows scurried away from us in the sage and grasslands.
Our next stop was at the ranger station in town, where we found a flock of Red Crossbills feeding on Jeffrey Pine cones. With some patience we were able to get good looks at males, females and immature birds. This was a lifer, a bird that was somewhat unpredictable as it follows fruiting pine cones.
Our next stop was the nursery in town. Someone had reported that there were Evening Grosbeaks behind it somewhere. We weren't sure what that meant, but a fellow at the nursery is a birder and pointed us in the right direction. By following his directions, we had no difficulty in finding several! These are spectacular birds, and one of the local birds I had most wanted to see.
Our next stop was the nursery in town. Someone had reported that there were Evening Grosbeaks behind it somewhere. We weren't sure what that meant, but a fellow at the nursery is a birder and pointed us in the right direction. By following his directions, we had no difficulty in finding several! These are spectacular birds, and one of the local birds I had most wanted to see.
There were still good amounts of snow around the cabin, a product of an unusually late thaw. We enjoyed the cool temperatures, the budding willows, and the profusion of water that attends the onset of summer in the mountains. One afternoon, Libby and I spent a half hour watching the snow melt into the cabin creek as it enters Lake Mary. As chunks fell into the water, freed willow branches sprung into the air, and the snow blocks in the water melted visibly as the water ate away at them.
As always, it was paradise. Crisp and cool mountain air, verdant pines, and Mammoth Crest's cathedral peaks surrounding that precious little brown cabin in the woods. We had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa. It's an inexpressible blessing to spend time with them in that place, a family and spiritual home for me my whole life, and one that Libby has been growing to appreciate and share with me.
We helped take down the A-frame, gather wood, wash the windows, and sorted out the old winter food from the last couple of years. No fishing this year. The lake is still too cold, and the DFG had only planted the lake for the first time right before we came up. Apparently there is some concern over the plight of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher - an endangered species that may suffer from competition for insect food with introduced trout. However, there's no research to support this just yet.
We also hiked up to Crystal Lake, which was quite an experience as large parts of the trail were completely obscured by several feet of snow. Instead of following the switchbacks, then, we cut up the edge of the ridge and made it expeditiously, if with a little more effort than normal.
We also took an early morning hike to Emerald Lake, where we endured temperatures in the 40s to observe White-crowned and Lincoln's sparrows singing in the meadows, Wilson's Warblers flitting through the just-budding willows, and Golden-crowned Kinglets singing in the pine forest along the way. It's interesting food for thought to consider how this very late summer has effected the migrants, which must have been on territory in deep snow for much longer than normal this year. I imagine it will mean a much lower rate of nesting success.
On our final day, we hiked up to McLeod Lake. This short trail was much dryer than the Crystal Lake trail, with only a couple of patches of snow, but a walk around the lake found some deep drifts persisting in our way.
As always, it was paradise. Crisp and cool mountain air, verdant pines, and Mammoth Crest's cathedral peaks surrounding that precious little brown cabin in the woods. We had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa. It's an inexpressible blessing to spend time with them in that place, a family and spiritual home for me my whole life, and one that Libby has been growing to appreciate and share with me.
We helped take down the A-frame, gather wood, wash the windows, and sorted out the old winter food from the last couple of years. No fishing this year. The lake is still too cold, and the DFG had only planted the lake for the first time right before we came up. Apparently there is some concern over the plight of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher - an endangered species that may suffer from competition for insect food with introduced trout. However, there's no research to support this just yet.
We also hiked up to Crystal Lake, which was quite an experience as large parts of the trail were completely obscured by several feet of snow. Instead of following the switchbacks, then, we cut up the edge of the ridge and made it expeditiously, if with a little more effort than normal.
We also took an early morning hike to Emerald Lake, where we endured temperatures in the 40s to observe White-crowned and Lincoln's sparrows singing in the meadows, Wilson's Warblers flitting through the just-budding willows, and Golden-crowned Kinglets singing in the pine forest along the way. It's interesting food for thought to consider how this very late summer has effected the migrants, which must have been on territory in deep snow for much longer than normal this year. I imagine it will mean a much lower rate of nesting success.
On our final day, we hiked up to McLeod Lake. This short trail was much dryer than the Crystal Lake trail, with only a couple of patches of snow, but a walk around the lake found some deep drifts persisting in our way.
No comments:
Post a Comment