Silver Lake 7/28--Western Wood-Pewee, CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER, Steller's Jay, Violet-green Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Orange-crowned Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Cassin's Finch, Red Crossbill

Tuesday was our trip to the Wasatch Mountains where I got a surprise life bird. When Scott called out CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER, I was of course, interested, because I thought I hadn't seen one since Arizona. I thought it was con-specific with Pacific-slope Flycatcher, which is the bird we saw there. It isn't. They're very closely related, but they are different species, occupying different habitats. I didn't realize it was a life bird until I did my list in the evening.

We walked around Silver Lake, picking up year birds here and there, like Lincoln's Sparrow, Steller's Jay, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Red Crossbill.  The crossbills are of the sub-species "Lodgepole Pine" or "Type 5" and should they ever split the crossbills into 11 different species, I'll get an "armchair" bird.

Lincoln's Sparrow (juv)

Steller's Jay
Photo: Shari Zirlin

Probably the most interesting bird there was one that Shari found--an Orange-crowned Warbler with a very visible orange crown, a field mark rarely viewed. It was a very active warbler and I don't think anyone managed a photo of it. 

25 species (+1 other taxa)
Mallard  10
Red-tailed Hawk  2
hummingbird sp.  3
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  2
Western Wood-Pewee  2
CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER  2

Steller's Jay  3
Common Raven  2
Violet-green Swallow  25
Cliff Swallow  10
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Mountain Chickadee  2
Red-breasted Nuthatch  2
American Robin  4
Orange-crowned Warbler  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  3
Lincoln's Sparrow  5
White-crowned Sparrow  4
Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed)  2
Black-headed Grosbeak  2     parking lot

Lazuli Bunting  1
Brewer's Blackbird  10
Cassin's Finch  2
Red Crossbill (Lodgepole Pine or type 5)  3
Pine Siskin  3