American Dipper in Yosemite Valley

John Muir said it well:

"He is the mountain streams’ own darling, the humming-bird of blooming waters, loving rocky ripple-slopes and sheets of foam as a bee loves flowers, as a lark loves sunshine and meadows. Among all the mountain birds, none has cheered me so much in my lonely wanderings, —none so unfailingly. For both in winter and summer he sings, sweetly, cheerily, independent alike of sunshine and of love, requiring no other inspiration than the stream on which he dwells. While water sings, so must he, in heat or cold, calm or storm, ever attuning his voice in sure accord; low in the drought of summer and the drought of winter, but never silent." The Mountains of California, 1894

I've seen Water Ouzels, known officially today as American Dippers (Cinclus mexicanus) on a few rare occasions, but not recently, and none that I've been able photograph. Only one has made an appearance in my county (Stanislaus), which caused a stir in the birding community in the winter of 2017-18. I never got a chance to look for that individual, but I finally got to see one this last weekend up in Yosemite Valley. I was walking along the Merced River near the Curry Village tent cabins when I saw some strange movements of a bird. It was, well, dipping.

The dippers are one of the most aquatic of birds, spending most of their time swimming, walking underwater, and dipping in mountain streams of unpolluted water. They don't migrate, staying in the same general area winter and summer, but they range over an immense region, from northern Alaska to Central America. They mostly eat aquatic insects and their larvae.

I only got two half-decent pictures, but the video came out a bit better. Enjoy!

The

That Quiet Tapping You Hear? It's a Yosemite Red-Breasted Sapsucker

It was the quiet tapping that threw me. I was in Yosemite Valley on Friday, leading a geology field studies course. I had a bit of free time, so I walked along the Merced River in the vicinity of the Camp Curry tent village. I wasn't seeing or hearing very many birds. But then, as I was stepping up the banks of the river to meet my students, I heard a quiet tapping noise.

If I was in the dark house of a horror movie, the tapping would have been terrifying, but out in the woods it was just curious. I thought "woodpecker" of course, but I'm used to the sound of woodpecking being very loud. I started searching the trees overhead, and soon found the source of the noise: a Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber). I saw one of these when I was in Washington some time ago, but this was the first I've seen here in California.

The bird comes by its name righteously. It punches horizontal lines of shallow holes in the trunks of trees, causing them to bleed sap, which the Sapsucker laps up. The sap also traps bugs, so several other kinds of birds will find sustenance from the Sapsucker's handiwork.

I was pleased that the bird could care less that I was standing beneath the tree. I even had enough time to get a few seconds of video of the bird at work.

Black-headed Grosbeaks in Yosemite Valley

The invasion of the brightly colored tropical migrants continues! I had occasion to be in Yosemite Valley yesterday in the midst of some spectacular thunderstorms (the occasion was "I wanted to go spend the afternoon in Yosemite with Mrs. Geotripper"). We stopped for a moment to take pictures of some big rocks (specifically the Three Brothers) and we realized that there were bright orange-colored birds flitting about in the trees overhead. As always I thought "orioles" first, but a look at the stocky beak quickly told me that we were seeing Black-headed Grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus) instead. I had seen the male of the species only once before (last Thursday to be precise), so this episode provides support for the idea that one sees what one is looking for, and doesn't see what one is not looking for. They haven't been in Yosemite Valley for very long. They've been reported by only six observers on eBird, the first report having come in on April 21st.

We moved up the valley and ended up at Mirror Lake. While enjoying the spectacular view of Mt. Watkins over the reflecting waters of the "lake" (really a wide spot in the stream), I heard an insistent, but pretty bird song in the trees above. After a few moments I located another Black-headed Grosbeak trying to draw the attention of the ladies. The video appears below.


The watch for the spring migrants shall continue!

Surprisingly Colorful Brewer's Blackbird at Mirror Lake in Yosemite Valley

Black is supposed to represent the total absence of color. It's white that can be broken up into the colors of the rainbow and all that. So I don't get quite as excited about totally black birds mainly, it should be said, because they are so hard to photograph. The black swallows color, perspective and depth. My apologies to Ravens and Crows, because I admire them greatly, being the most intelligent of birds. I also need to apologize to the Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) for much the same reason. I see them by the thousands every day swarming over farmyards and cattle fields. They always seemed so totally black and plain.

That was until Sunday when I was walking along the shoreline of Mirror Lake at the upper end of Yosemite Valley. There was just one of them hanging around, and it landed right next to me on a fallen log. It's quickly apparent that up close the male Brewer's Blackbird is very colorful, with iridescent shades of purple, blue and green, set against those intense yellow-rimmed eyes. These birds are rather striking up close!

Mirror Lake is a good birding spot in Yosemite Valley. The "lake" is a ponded part of Tenaya Creek, caused by a huge rockfall a couple of hundred years ago. Tenaya Creek runs high during the spring and then practically disappears by fall. I've seen a number of different kinds of woodpeckers, Red-winged Blackbirds, and the ever present Stellar's Jay and Raven.

White-headed Woodpecker: A Western American Endemic

The White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus) is endemic to western North America, found in conifer forests from the Canadian border almost to the Mexican border. I read that it is not particularly common, which probably explains why I've only seen it three times (then again, I'm not that observant either). And each time the pictures turned out somewhat fuzzy. But they get a little bit better each time. My latest catch was in Yosemite Valley in Cooks Meadow by Sentinel Bridge.

It was late in the evening and I wasn't really on the lookout for birds because of the poor lighting conditions, but once I saw this female, it was unmistakeable.  I had to at least try for the photographs, and while not perfect, they are the best I've taken so far.

A beautiful bird!

Source: Audubon Society

Birds of the Day: Ravens at the Swinging Bridge in Yosemite

The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is hardly "common". I tend to think of them as rather extraordinary. They are one of the most intelligent and adaptable birds there are. I see them thriving in some very tough environments, like the dry deserts of Death Valley, and highest peaks of the Sierra.

They can be pests sometimes, in the sense that as an opportunistic scavenger, they do quite well at stealing food from picnickers, not unlike Yogi Bear. They take smaller prey when they can, but humans do such a great job of making food available that it's just easier to hang out where people eat, and take what isn't being watched.

Just the same, they exude a certain air of wisdom and they have interesting personalities. These Ravens were hanging around the Swinging Bridge picnic area in Yosemite Valley.

Bird of the Day: Raven at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley

When the human species ceases to exist, I'm pretty sure the Ravens (Corvus corax) will take over the top spot in the world habitat pecking order. Sure, they've expanded their territory in the world by following humans, but when we go, they'll be smart enough to deal with it. I see ravens in some of the most inhospitable environments on planet Earth. In particular, they are one of the most visible birds at Death Valley National Park, the hottest and driest place in North America. They are also common in national parks across the west. The bird in today's picture was in Yosemite Valley at the Happy Isles Nature Center. I couldn't help but notice that it was hanging out next to the Hot Dog Stand.

They truly are smart. A friend of mine told me a story of a German tourist feeding some sparrows at an American Park (Yosemite, maybe?). She kept shooing off the Raven that wanted a share, so the Raven went a short distance away and waited. When the sparrow wasn't looking, the Raven swooped in...and grabbed the sparrow! The tourist was indignant...

Though mistaken for crows sometimes, the Ravens are distinctly different. They are much larger, and much less sociable, mostly hanging out in pairs. Their calls are much deeper. They range across much of the United States, in habitats ranging from alpine peaks to the hottest deserts. They are sometimes pests, but they are almost always fascinating to watch.