2003 Recap

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Recap of Wings Over the Basin 2003

Friday, May 30 - Sunday, June 1, 2003

After setting up camp in the picnic loop and looking for bug spray to combat the mosquitoes, we wandered over to the campfire center for the Friday evening campfire program. The flu-laden presenter sent a brave friend to fill in and show slides of the Snowy Plover in its beach habitat.

It always seems strange to me that I never use an alarm clock except when I go camping. Saturday morning was no exception: up at 4:30 AM (yes, it is still dark then) to get ready for David Suddjian's Marbled Murrelet Survey at 5:15 AM. Not only did we hear the Marbled Murrelet, we saw them fly over as well (I saw 3 flying together, then later a couple of single birds). A special early morning treat was hearing a Northern Pygmy Owl.

David's 7 A.M. drive/walk took us to other parts of the park. First we drove up the Gazos Creek fire road to Middle Ridge trail, where we viewed a brilliant Hermit Warbler perched up high. Then we drove up to China Grade Road, where we basked in the sun among the blooming Chaparral Pea, Sticky Monkey Flower, Western Blue Flax and Yerba Santa while admiring gorgeous vistas of the distant fogged in coast. Bird highlights included an Orange-crowned Warbler showing its orange crown (wow!!), a Black-throated Grey Warbler, and a close view of a Wrentit wandering on the ground. Butterflies abounded.

The 1:30 PM walk near headquarters led by Lisa Myers provided eye-level views of the popular redwood forest birds such as Acorn Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, plus we saw Vaux's Swifts circling above. I was surprised at how active the birds were for mid-afternoon. I had expected a possible bird siesta, which wasn't the case at all! The Winter Wren was singing its heart out, plus we heard Brown Creeper, Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Belted Kingfisher and more.

The potluck dinner was phenomenal!! What a spread! Ahhhhh.....

After dinner we wandered to the campfire center for David Suddjian's presentation "Ecology of Big Basin's Breeding Birds.” He started with the birds that nest on the ground, then moved his way up to shrubs, and in the trees. The slides were fantastic, and after describing the bird and nesting habitat he played a recording of the birdsong. So informative and interesting -- I wished I'd taken a notepad along!

On Sunday morning we got to sleep in as Todd Newberry's "Song's of the Redwood Forest" didn't start until 7 AM. What a magical walk, listening to the early morning symphony of birdsong. We heard both Hermit Thrush and Swainson's Thrush, giving us some practice at distinguishing these two ethereal-sounding birds. We heard the "W's" of the forest over and over: Wilson's Warbler, Wrentit, and Winter Wren, and we even saw the Wilson's Warbler.

The highlights of my 10 AM hike to Semperviren's Falls and Slippery Rock were millipedes! First a Yellow-spotted Millipede, then one that was more-or-less worm-colored. We found half of a small aqua blue eggshell (American Robin?). and admired wildflowers and butterflies while hearing about Andrew P. Hill and how the Semperviren's Club was formed to save the redwoods right there at Slippery Rock! By the end of the hike we were more or less hobbling back to camp. An exhausting yet enjoyable weekend came to a close.

Following is the list of birds seen and/or heard as compiled by Jan Hintermeister (though I notice he didn't include the Common Peahen we heard on China Grade Road -- I guess peacocks don't count!). Thanks, Jan, for putting this list together.