2013 Dancing Grebe Trip - Day 4

In preparation for our trip to Klamath Basin, I emailed the folks on Oregon Birders Online (OBOL) to get local advice and also purchased a copy of the Klamath Basin Birding Trail guide.  Additionally, some friends in Tillamook loaned us a copy of another Klamath Basin booklet, A Birder's Guide to the Klamath Basin. We also referenced Oregon Birding Information website.  There's no way that we can visit all of the recommended sites in just four days, so we asked for "not-to-be-missed" places.

Today we visited one of them - Stukel Mountain.  One of the locals came with us to guide us up the mountain road, spending the entire morning showing us around. The weather was cold, drizzling, and visibility poor (my photos are all blurry and grainy).  But we saw some great birds and had a very good time.

House Wren

As we climbed, the habitat varied quite a bit - we got out of the car several times to look and listen.  The first birds we saw were some California Quail and a little House Wren.

Gray Flycatcher

Further up, we started seeing many Gray and Dusky Flycatchers.

Mountain Bluebird

And I was delighted when we spotted the brilliant blue male Mountain Bluebird! We took off on a side road to a small pond, where we spotted Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Cassin's Finch and Lesser Goldfinch. Then on to a wooded area where four Red-breasted Sapsuckers and a pair of Downy Woodpeckers were hanging out in the trees.

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Chipmunk

All along the upper roads we could hear the loud calls of Mountain Quail, but we never spotted them. Little  little chipmunks were everywhere, as were Chipping Sparrows - nearly 30 of them by the time we reached the top.

View from Stukel Mountain

Stukel Mountain is a maze of dirt roads and trails, and even finding the entry is tricky, but definitely worth the trouble - especially when you have a great guide!