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Saturday, June 12th, Mount Charleston
My drive to Mount Charleston was uneventful! The area is actually the Spring Mountains and Toiyabe National Forest but is called Mount Charleston in honor of its highest peak. Some interesting sandstone formations and the "usual" scruffy brushy areas made the drive enjoyable. Started out with Joshua Trees and then came to what I decided were Junipers. (I have a hard enough time identifying birds; much less plants and trees.)
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I stopped at the first place the bird book mentions – supposed to be able to find Virginia's Warbler there. I didn't. But as I was walking alongside the road, I was startled when a deer suddenly appeared. Surprisingly enough (YR please note), I had my camera with me and took some photographs. The deer eyed me for some time and then finally crossed the road and started climbing up the steep hillside. It joined some others, and I really enjoyed watching them clamber along. I had come across deer in the woods before, but never saw them climbing like that. It was thrilling. There was a lot of birdsong in the area, but naturally it was coming from the far sides of the trees. These were now tall pines and some kind of oak. I did get to see some birds on the roadside – Bullock's Oriole, Gray Flycatcher (which I was now adept at identifying), some noisy and easy-to-spot Western Scrub-Jays, and a Spotted Towhee. Went back to my car, but as I was getting in, heard some twittering in the bushes. It took some searching, but I came up with a pair of Bushtits.
Drove on to the park and the Visitor Center which was closed.
Saw a small bird high in a tree. When it took off, I saw a flash of red. Even though it
was far away and high up, I had never seen such a brilliant red in a hummer (or any other
bird). It was a Broad-tailed Hummingbird. I saw a ranger and asked him if a bird checklist
was available. He said that the one they had wasn't very comprehensive, but he opened the
center so I could get one. Some people are nice. I went back to my car and noticed that a
private residence next to the Visitor Center had a bunch of hummingbird feeders up and
that they were very active. Felt kind of strange staring at this house with my binoculars
(shades of Holbrook, Arizona) but there were hummers galore there. Spent quite a bit of
time looking at them; Black-chinned and Anna's as well as the Broad-tailed. Also saw
another Gray Flycatcher.
Next, I drove up a little way to the entrance to a campground. Couldn't drive in since they wanted some ridiculous amount of money to enter. I stopped right before the entrance and noticed a Western Tanager at an overturned garbage can lid. What a beautiful bird. What a beautiful bird! (Repetition intended.) Water was dripping into the lid from a fountain. I stayed in my car and watched. A Spotted Towhee drank from it. Then a female Black-headed Grosbeak and another. I was intent on looking at the "waterhole" that I hadn't noticed that there were a number of bird feeders around. Watched a female hummingbird sipping from one of the feeders. Its wings were moving so fast that I could see through them. Incredible. I was able to identify Anna's and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. The Black-headed Grosbeak fed from a seed feeder. A Lesser Goldfinch drank from the waterhole. Other birds that came to the water were American Robin and a Brown-headed Cowbird. I sat there for more than a half hour and decided to give the spot another five minutes. With only one of those minutes left, my life Gray Vireo made an appearance. This was followed by House Finch and Pygmy Nuthatch which dined on the seeds. I debated on whether or not I should spend the whole day there, but finally decided to move on.
Drove on up the canyon road toward the Cathedral Rocks area. Passed some very attractive tall pines. These are quite different from the pine forest back east or up in Alaska. The Bristlecone Pines are actually the world's oldest trees and very impressive. Not too many birds in the area, but I did manage to see some more Western Tanagers and American Robins. Heard Hermit Thrush in the area, but was unable to see them as I walked along the road.
The guide book mentioned a Mack's Canyon Road - it said that "this good road ends at a fenced spring (4 miles), the only water for miles around and a mecca for birds." Well ... The road was gravel, but in places it was really narrow and some of the edges seemed as though they would collapse under the weight of a car. After the problems that I had the day before, I knew that I would play it safe. I wondered what would happen if a car came in the other direction. Then one did. Fortunately, it was a four-wheel drive vehicle and the driver pulled over for me. Then there was a very tricky area – lots of turns. Just as I passed through it, another car came. I was relieved that it had not come a few moments before. I finally got to the end of the road and didn't find the spring! I turned around and then saw a car parked right next to the fenced in spring. On the drive down, I had seen three or four birds, but could not identify any of them. Now, I started hearing some very loud, strange calls. After searching the trees, finally saw Clark's Nutcracker. Once I saw one, I saw several others in the trees and on the ground. Several Steller's Jays were also in the trees.
I
walked around the fenced in spring and was quite disappointed to see that people had
discarded a lot of garbage around it. I just can't understand why people would bother
coming to an area like this and then trash it. Despite a long period of observation, the
only bird that I saw around the spring was a Gray-headed Junco. I followed the stream a
little ways. Thought I saw a brown bird flying; its manner of flight seemed a little odd.
When I got my binocs on it, I realized that it was a bat! I stopped to speak with the
people whose car I had seen parked. They suggested that I follow a trail to the source of
the spring. I started a long walk - the scenery was nice but the walk was long and
practically devoid of birds. I heard the shrill wings of a Broad-tailed Hummingbird and
located it. I also heard the songs of several Wood Thrush but was unable to see them. I
said to myself that I would go on just a little further and then turn around. I don't know
how many times I said this, but continued onward. I finally decided that I was supposed to
be birdwatching and that I was not seeing any birds so did turn around. The drive up the
gravel road was a lot faster and easier than the drive down. I saw a shadow move across
the road and got a quick glimpse of a Red-tailed Hawk. Also saw a Chipping Sparrow
alongside the road.
My next stop was at Jane's Faces. A trail there led to a waterfall. Along the way, saw several Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and some more Steller's Jays. I walked on and on and on – again, nice scenery but not good birding. Decided that I was not going to the waterfall - it would take too long. While walking back, I observed White-throated Swifts flying overhead. Then a bird that I first identified as a Yellow-throated Warbler. But, Yellow-throated Warblers are eastern birds; they are not supposed to be in Nevada. Closer examination showed that it was a Grace's Warbler. A life bird! Also saw a Red-shafted Flicker on the way.
Left that area and went back to the campground where I wanted to observe the "garbage can" spring again. However, I was told that I would have to pay a camping fee if I wanted to stay parked where I was. Didn't want to do that so, I decided to go back to Lee Canyon Road where I originally came in. A police car was parked there with a car the police had pulled over. I decided that this might not be such a good place to stop. Drove up a little gravel side road where I hoped that I might find a goody in the scrubby lands and I did - a Rock Wren, my final bird for the trip.
All together, I saw seventy seven species on this trip, four of which – Chukar, Gray Vireo, Gray Flycatcher, and Grace's Warbler – were life birds. Despite getting stuck in the mud and other hardships, I had a great time.
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Copyright © 1999 Richard L. Becker
