Watch the skies and listen for the sound of sandhill cranes migrating in the fall! Sandhill Cranes | Grus canadensis It is a distinctive sound and it’s a safe bet that once you’ve heard it you’ll be able to identify it again the next time around. I liken the rattling call of the Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) to that of …
Birds
Gray Jay
Gray Jay | Perisoreus canadensis One of the more common and frequently seen birds in the sub-alpine is the whiskey jack or gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis). In Paradise Meadows these social birds gather at places where hikers stop for lunch and commence aggressively begging for food. Unfortunately, many people give in to the begging either to “help” the bird out …
Swimming with Bonapartes
The swimming was excellent at Miracle Beach this afternoon. As an added bonus a flock of Bonaparte gulls (Larus philadelphia) was actively feeding on invertbrates in floating bits of seaweed. I normally enjoy birdwatching from the shore but I have to admit that floating quietly on my back and watching the Bonapartes fly over added a whole new dimension to …