On the way to Ruby Lake NWR, which bills itself as the "second most remote NWR in the lower 48" (quite a distinction, I suppose), we had to drive a long distance on virtually empty roads that after a while turned into very good but dusty gravel roads. We were driving with Linda in the 3rd van. The two front vans suddenly pulled to the side of the road and Scott burst out of the first one pointing to the sky. We piled out and heard FERRUGINOUS HAWK. Here was one of those instances where someone tries to get you on a bird in the sky and in this case there weren't even any clouds to use as markers. Somehow I lucked into finding the bird and once I locked my binocs on it, I didn't stop looking until it was totally out of sight. Another big buteo. How Scott spots these birds going 70 MPH I'll never know.
I have to admit that the next two year birds on the list I remember seeing, but I can't place the area. I have it listed as Harrison Pass Road, but what kind of pullout or rest stop or overlook it was I simply can't remember. For the record, they were Dusky Flycatcher and Spotted Towhee. I don't think it is an accident that two desert birds have the adjective "dusky" in their common name.
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