[pct-l] Bird of the PCT

[hayden wilson]

Scott,
A PCT bird list is going to be longer than most people realize.  At Barrell Springs I was astonished by the number of Lawrence's Goldfinchs and Lazuli Buntings which were apparently just as thirsty as the hikers. I had Grebes on Silverwood Lake, Merganzers on the Klamath River, Glaucous-winged Gulls on the Columbia, and a Short-eared Owl in WA.  I sat and watched an American Dipper race underwater after tiny minnows in OR (never knew that they did that!) and was delighted to be attacked by the notoriously aggressive Goshawks south of Sierra City.  The PCT is simply an extraordinarily rich birding journey.
 
Though I compulsively count ounces, I have still carried a pair of 10 oz binoculars on both the AT NOBO and on the PCT in 04.  As an eastern birder, they were especially worth the weight on the PCT.  I had birded in CA and had studied my field guide and tapes, but I simply lacked the skills to bird by ear.  
SO.....three thoughts:
First--I will probably again carry bins in '09
Second--I will probably again go through my Western Sibley Field Guide with a sharp blade and slice out all pages with confusing but likely birds.  After '04 I had just taped the pages back in, so you aren't really destroying the guide.
Third--For Xmas I have asked family for an i-pod nano with the Birdjam software and loaded with the Stokes Western Birdsound CD.  I just could not tease out the Flycatchers with only the bins and clearly was unable to remember which was "tsip, klseewi, ptik," and which was "swi-vrk."
Good luck and hope to meet you in '09,
Birdnut
Hayden Wilson
1664 Kelly Cross Rd
Dunlap, TN 37327    


I'm wondering if anyone has a list of birds that a thru-hiker might expect
to see along the PCT.  I'm thru-hiking in '09, and I'm interested
in birds,
but I'm not taking my binoculars (which weigh 2 lbs!) with me.  So I'm
planning to study up on my birdsongs before the hike so I can identify some
birds by ear.  I have a pretty good start based on my travels in California,
but it would be greatto hear from other hikers what birds they've seen on
the trail.

Thanks!
-Scott
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