It was initially pretty quiet with just a couple of Pacific-slope flycatchers and a few American robins to keep me company. Then I removed Pacific wren from 'armchair tick' status, by tracking one down as it called from the forest undergrowth. My first 'official' sighting of a Pacific wren, despite having seen tons of 'em. How very odd.
Things picked up slightly around the pool with red-breasted nuthatches and chestnut-backed chickadees calling away from the conifers. Still good numbers of wood ducks and mallard on the water, plus a pair of beavers.
At the small pond, near the ranger's hut, there were good numbers of cedar waxwing (a pair bred here) - mixed adults and young. There were also recently fledged Swainson's thrush, and a willow flycatcher here. An orange-crowned warbler was feeding in the wet vegetation and a golden-crowned kinglet was being followed by a very young brown-headed cowbird, though I didn't see any feeding going on.
As I walked home, I came across yet more waxwings, both adults and young. Seems they've had a good year.
Oh - one last thing (my Columbo impression, again...) it seems that the reference I made in yesterday's post of American scoter was erroneous and "the AOU made an error in the final draft of the supplement, and meant to say the North American species (Melanitta americana) will be called Black Scoter and the Eurasian species (Melanitta nigra) will be called Common Scoter.
This retains the usual common names on either side of the Atlantic, though creates a bit of a disconnect with the scientific names.
This error will be apparently corrected in the next issue of the Auk."
Thanks to Dick Cannings for clearing that up.
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