Field Trip Report

Burleigh Murray State Park
Saturday, October 9, 2010

On today's Sequoia Audubon Society walk at Burleigh Murray, we had a few western migrants. The highlight for me was a HORNED LARK, seen and heard briefly by me, but the rest of the group could not get on what was, at the time, a mystery bird: it was quite distant, but settled into some of the grassy hillside west of the main trail.

Other migrants included a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (it called, so we are sure of the ID), a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and both SWAINSON'S (lingering) and HERMIT (arriving) THRUSHES.

Among our thirty-five total species, we had great looks at a PYGMY NUTHATCH coming out of a roost hole in a tree (thanks, Rita), comparison looks and listens to RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and HUTTON'S VIREO, and some good visuals on DOWNY WOODPECKER and NORTHERN FLICKER.

We also enjoyed some fine butterflies and Brush Rabbits. Hope to see more pen-birders on future Sequoia Audubon Society hikes.

— Jennifer Rycenga