Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area – Big Pine Tract
Photo and story by Mic McCarty
On March 20, Mary Keith led a field trip to the Big Pine Tract of the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area. Originally planned for the Headquarters tract, Mary discovered that area is closed except on weekends. She adroitly shifted the walk to the pine tract with stupendous results.
The birds were already migrating, and a Summer Tanager sang sweetly along the start of the trail. It showed itself after a ten-minute serenade. At a portion of the trail that led through a mixed pine and oak forest, Fish Crows were sounding the alarm. We looked for the cause of the mobbing and found a Cooper’s Hawk sulking in the high branches. We then realized that she wasn’t sulking, she was keeping a low profile. The jays were mobbing a Great Horned Owl! First the Cooper’s decided to leave, and then the owl. The owl did not go far, and the crows continued to draw attention to the threat.
In a stand of dead pines, Mary spotted a Red-headedWoodpecker who drew attention to itself with its call. By the time the walk was completed, we had 50 species, including three red-heads. At the end of our avian sojourn, we approached the parking area with picnic tables. There, six Song Sparrows greeted us, which we had to justify because the e-Bird limit is five!
Thank you, Mary and everyone who came along. Another swell hike and bird outing. See the eBird list here.