We have enjoyed the birding and camping at the Lost Creek Group Campground over the years, so we are scheduling this event again this year. Group Camp Site #5 has been reserved for the nights of Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25. This year the park road should be free of snow by late June and it should be ideal for observing nesting birds. We are again inviting the Redwood Region Audubon Society and Altacal Audubon Society to join us. Folks can either camp at Lost Creek or drive up for either or both Saturday and Sunday. Campers can arrive at the campsite at a time of their choosing on Friday afternoon. Saturday daytrippers should meet at the Redding Civic Auditorium (Convention Center) at 8:00 am Saturday morning to car pool. We will bird Manzanita Lake and vicinity on Saturday morning. The rest of the itinerary is open and will depend on the interests of the participants. Daytrippers for Sunday, June 28, will meet at the campsite at 9:00 am. Lost Creek has primitive facilities; pit toilets and no electricity. Potable water is available. Contact Bill Oliver (Ph. 941-7741 or email wwoliver9 AT gmail DOT com for other particulars. Map: https://goo.gl/QkU9Nj
Tag Archives | Lassen Volcanic National Park
Water Ouzel Feeding Nestlings at Lassen Volcanic National Park
Water Ouzel or American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)
One of the best things about our annual Lassen Park campout is that we get to see several species of mountain birds that we don’t normally see in the valley. I know for a certainty that I will be able to see one of my favorites, the American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus), whenever I visit Lassen Volcanic National Park.
I call this bird the Water Ouzel because I like saying it – Water Ouzel. Click on photos for full sized images.
The American Dipper is North America’s only truly aquatic passerine, feeding on stream insects, insect larvae and sometimes other invertebrates, small fish, fish eggs, and flying insects. How many birds do you know that can fly underwater?
On the last day of our campout I wanted to see both the Mountain Bluebird and Cassin’s Finch before heading home, so I headed up to Bumpass Hell where both of these species can usually be spotted. I wasn’t disappointed. Not only did I find both species at the parking lot, I found my friend Frank Kratofil photographing some Marmots.
Marmot at Bumpass Hell
I mention this because Frank is the one who told me about the Dipper nest on Kings Creek. So, after photographing the Mountain Bluebirds, Cassin’s Finches, Marmots and Picas, I stopped at Kings Creek and found this beautiful Water Ouzel nest atop a log in the creek…
with four hungry nestlings.
I knew they had to be close to fledging the way they were sticking their heads out of the nest.
Plus the adults were feeding them every few minutes.
They were begging so loud when the parents came with food that you could hear them above the sound of the rushing creek!
More food!
We’re hungry!
I’m on the way!
Here I come!
Are you kids ever satisfied?
I shot this video of the adults feeding the nestlings at King’s Creek. Near the end of the video (2:05) you might catch one of the nestlings defecating out of the nest between two of its siblings.
Camp-out at Lassen Volcanic National Park
We have enjoyed the birding and camping at the Lost Creek Group Campground over the years, so we are scheduling this event again this year. Group Camp Site #4 has been reserved for the nights of Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28. This year I can almost guarantee the park road will be free of snow—freak storms notwithstanding. This time of year is ideal for observing nesting birds. We are again inviting the Redwood Region Audubon Society and Altacal Audubon Society to join us. Folks can either camp at Lost Creek or drive up for either or both Saturday and Sunday. Campers can arrive at the campsite at a time of their choosing on Friday afternoon. Saturday day trippers should meet at the Redding Civic Auditorium (Convention Center) at 8:00 am Saturday morning to car pool. We will bird Manzanita Lake and vicinity on Saturday morning. The rest of the itinerary is open and will depend on the interests of the participants. Day trippers for Sunday, June 28, will meet at the campsite at 9:00 am. Lost Creek has primitive facilities – pit toilets and no electricity, but potable water is available. Contact Bill Oliver (Ph. 941-7741 or email wwoliver9@gmail.com) for other particulars.
Audubon Annual Outing at Lassen Volcanic National Park Part 1
Manzanita Lake with Mount Lassen
Every summer folks from Altacal and Redwood Region Audubon join Wintu Audubon Society for a weekend campout at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Click on photos for full sized images.
The weather was perfect, with some cloud cover and cooler temperatures we escaped the valley heat for a couple of days. We had an excellent turnout for our Saturday morning walk at Manzanita Lake which began with White-headed Woodpeckers at the visitor center parking lot. As we began our walk we found the resident American Dippers (Cinclus mexicanus) on Manzanita Creek.
American Dipper
There were plenty of boisterous Steller’s Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) to hear and see as we approached the picnic and boat launch area of the lake…
Steller’s Jay
and we were also treated to a close up climbing display by two Brown Creepers (Certhia americana) that were putting on quite a show right in front of us on the trail.
Brown Creeper
Just beyond the boat ramp there is a huge downed log that lies on its side above the water, right next to the trail. This log houses possibly more than one species of cavity nesting bird but every year I have visited Manzanita Lake there have been Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nesting in it and performing their amazing aerial displays above the water. I photographed this one as he perched on a branch above the cavity.
Tree Swallow Male
As we continued around the South side of the lake we saw a female Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) with her ducklings…
Bufflehead Female with Ducklings
and an American Coot (Fulica americana) teaching her Cootlets how to forage.
American Coot Chick
Making our way along the western edge of the lake, where the willows hug the water and the manzanita and scrub own the other side of the trail, we searched for a Green-tailed Towhee to no avail. We saw Yellow Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and even Cassin’s Finch but alas, no Towhees. However, one of the lake’s resident Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) flew up into one of the pine trees at the water’s edge to everyone’s delight.
Osprey
We also found a very cooperative male Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) that was carrying several insects to feed to some undoubtedly hungry nestlings nearby.
Western Tanager Male
He was very gracious with his time and I was able to snap quite a few photos of this gorgeous bird.
Western Tanager Male
As we reluctantly moved on we found more evidence of nesting and recently nesting birds. There was a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) bringing beaks full of insects to its young as well…
Song Sparrow
and Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus).
Red-winged Blackbird Male
Then an adult male White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus) was spotted with another male White-headed Woodpecker. Upon closer observation we surmised that the second woodie was a juvenile being educated by his male parent in the finer points of woodpecker behavior.
White-headed Woodpecker Juvenile Male (left) with Adult Male (right)
As we crossed the narrow part of the trail bridging the outlet flow of the lake, near the kiosk at the south entrance to the park, we saw something I had never been able to witness before, an adult Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) carrying young on its back. That was the highlight of the morning walk for this birder!
Pied-billed Grebe with Chicks
Camp Out at Lassen Volcanic National Park
We have enjoyed the birding and camping at the Lost Creek Group Campground over the years, so we are scheduling this event again this year. Group Camp Site #5 has been reserved for the nights of Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28. This year the park road should be free of snow by late June and it should be ideal for observing nesting birds. Last year we were a month later and nesting season was mostly over. We are again inviting the Redwood Region Audubon Society and Altacal Audubon Society to join us. Folks can either camp at Lost Creek or drive up for either or both Saturday and Sunday. Campers can arrive at the campsite at a time of their choosing on Friday afternoon. Saturday day trippers should meet at the Redding Civic Auditorium (Convention Center) at 8:00 am Saturday morning to car pool. We will bird Manzanita Lake and vicinity on Saturday morning. The rest of the itinerary is open and will depend on the interests of the participants. Day trippers for Sunday, June 28, will meet at the camp site at 9:00 am. Lost Creek has primitive facilities—pit toilets and no electricity, but
potable water is available. Contact *Bill Oliver* (Ph. 941-7741 or email wwoliver9@gmail.com for other particulars). You can see a map to the North park entrance here.