BMB07/05 Top of the Tram 5th May 2007

Yesterday found a remarkably successful Top of the Tram visit, the first this year and rather earlier than is usual – no doubt accounting for the cold (46º) but sunny weather. It was an introduction to TotT for visitors from Toronto and Phoenix and we managed to keep them well occupied. Our specie count was a modest seventeen but, as Ian pointed out, it’s the quality that counts! All the visitors found Life Birds!

Band-tailed Pigeon	Acorn Woodpecker	White-headed Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker	Stellar’s Jay	Red-breasted Sapsucker
Clark’s Nutcracker	American Crow	Common Raven
Mountain Chickadee	Pygmy Nuthatch	Western Bluebird
Yellow-rumped Warbler	Townsend’s Warbler	Hermit Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler	Dark-eyed Junco

We saw many Bluebirds, Woodpeckers, and Nuthatches, but missed our ‘regulars’; Long Valley is bone dry and we did not find the swallows and swifts we have seen there in the past.

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

The Preserve is having a great migration season and we are afraid you snowbirds got the timing wrong yet again. A disappointing showing of Vermilion Flycatchers this year, but many Orioles and Black-headed Grosbeaks are here. The very severe weather earlier in the year killed most of the palm fronds and the fresh ones remaining are close to vertical, seemingly unsuitable for Hooded Oriole nests, although one has been found. There is a Cooper’s nest in the copse in the Park which discourages others from nesting there.

Good Birding……………bb