Here's a report from yesterday. Crow Valley was pretty quiet (11am-3pm) in
terms of both campers and birds. But it is always interesting.
Best birds were probably two White-throated Sparrows in the thicket south of
the Main Picnic Shelter. A taiga Merlin buzzed thru the Group Area in early
afternoon. Three species of warblers were present: about 20 Yellow-rumps, 4 or
so Orange-crowns, and 2 Wilson's. There were a few winter arrivals such as
Dark-eyed Juncos (pink-sided and slate-colored) and a Brown Creeper. North of
the Group Area on the long north-south straightaway to the gate that goes out
into the Mourning Dove Trail/Primitive Camping area are a few buckthorn shrubs
(Rhamnus sp.). These shrubs with gray-green leaves are across the path about
20 yards west of the gate. They usually have something of note and yesterday
they hosted a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a couple Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a
couple Orange-crowns. The subject of their interest was an unidentified
species of winged aphid present on many leaves and perhaps nymphs of a
psyllid-like insect, also present on the leaves, called a triozid (thanks to my
friend Boris Kondratieff for the ID of these). A late Gray Catbird was also in
the buckthorns. In the "Magic Russian-Olive" just north of the gate by the
sometimes waterhole (which presently has water) were three solitaires, robins,
several Yellow-rumps, an Orange-crowned, plus a late Western Tanager.
Total of 27 species (including 3 from the town of Briggsdale), down from the
lists in the high 40s I had during 3 unthorough visits in September.
Dave Leatherman
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