Tag Archive for 'California Quail'

These are three of the most intense moments of your birding life. Three minutes to count all of species and individual birds in a 1/4 mile radius. This is the United States Geological Survey’s Breeding Bird Survey. Look, listen, scan, identify, count, and repeat 50 times at designated stops.

Scott and I had chosen to be volunteers for the Breeding Bird Survey four years ago. We selected the Nighthawk route in Okanogan County of north eastern Washington State. This area is rich in wetlands, riparian zone, sagebrush, Ponderosa Pine forests, lakes and rivers. Unbeknown to us at the time, it is the highest diversity of breeding birds in Washington. But after intensely surveying these many habitats for hours on end I can attest that it is indeed extremely diverse.

After four years, the route and routine are somewhat more manageable. Our roles are clearly defined. After arising at 3:30 a.m., we arrive at our first stop at 4:25a.m ready to go, coffee in one hand, binoculars in the other. Scott mans the computer assuring that each stop is accurate and on target according to our GPS. He dutifully records any ambient noise we may experience such as rushing stream, tractor or cattle drive. He also records and interprets the crazy chatter flying from my mouth as I attempt to call out each species as I see and hear them during the precious three minute time span.

I assume an intense stance, eyes and ears attune to all bird life surrounding us. I must appear somewhat insane staring fixedly ahead as I first holler out all of the songs and calls I hear. Black-headed Grosbeak! Western Tanager! Gray Catbird! Then the binoculars are attached to my eyes as I scan, high, low near far and don’t forget the other side of the road! Pick out the Lazuli Bunting, squeeze out three Wilson’s Warblers, and five Yellow Warblers in the riparian zone – then, oh joy, a MacGillivray’s warbler! Ok, i.d. the Flycatchers- NOW!

Despite its great intensity and exhausting eight hours of work, the route is a true joy. Not only the delight of revisiting old friends each year but the possibility of discovering new species as well. Stop 24 – guaranteed Rufous Hummingbird and he will be sitting on the wire above the road. Stop 12 – Say’s Phoebe sallying forth in search of insects for her young. Stop 5 at the corral, sure enough there is the House Wren in full song. Stop 42 – Lewis’s Woodpeckers are guarding territory in old cottonwoods next to the river. Stop 29 – yes the Bank Swallow colony is still there. We can be assured count that every transformer on the poles lining the highway will be populated by a pair of Western Kingbirds.

Sprinkled amongst the old friends such as Western Wood-Peewee and Western Meadowlarks are treasures of new discoveries. While dodging hummingbirds and peering at a Red-tailed Hawk, a distinct chibit repeatedly struck my ear. And there in the Ponderosa Pine singing away was a Least Flycatcher, our first in four years of surveys. Later on while counting the large groups of Bald Eagles feasting on carp at the lake shore, a group of shore birds flew past my bins. White, chestnut and black – could it be? YES! Wilson’s Phalaropes landing along the edge of a flooded field. Stop number 48 in the heat of the day promised to be barren except for the usual Black-billed Magpies and California Quail but today a lovely chuck, chuck, chuck call issued from the sage. Finally – Chukar on our route. While looking for “our” Clark’s Nutcrackers who had repeatedly surprised us by hanging out at the lake in most untypical Clark’s habitat we were delighted to discover instead two nesting Common Mergansers. This seemed a much more appropriate species for this stop.

After hours of wrestling with an accurate count of swallows, the intensity of birding by ear and elation of new discoveries we ended this year’s Breeding Bird Survey with a total of 50 stops, 25 miles driven, six distinct habitats and 77 species and the anticipation of next year’s survey on our minds.