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| Birding | 1.55 Miles |
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| | Birding | 1.55 Miles | 2 Hrs 45 Mns | | 0.56 mph |
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| no partners | | For the second time in three weeks a rare bird chase took me to a place I've been wanting to check out for a long while. The bird is a Tufted Flycatcher, and the place is Rucker Canyon.
While I could have reached this place in my CRV, it was a much more pleasant drive now that a finally got a real high-clearance 4WD hiking vehicle! 
When I got to Cypress Park Campground (closed), there were already three vehicles taking up all the parking, so I drove a few hundred yards farther up the road and parked next to one other truck.
Both times I ran into other birders, they said they had just seen the bird but it flew off. I spent about two hours wandering around and enjoying the day, then I headed back up the road towards the truck intending to have a quick lunch and head out ... a little disappointed to miss the Tufted, but very happy to score 9 first-of-year birds - including a couple I had only seen once before, Red Crossbill and Buff-breasted Flycatcher.
Then, just 20-30 yards from my vehicle, I heard the Tufted! I found it nest building, of all things. Might have been a pair working on the nest, I couldn't tell. I got to spend 15 minutes listening, watching and photographing this beautiful, rare little bird(s)! 
Then I sat and had my lunch - the other birders were long gone and I enjoyed having the Canyon and the birds all to myself. One of my best days birding ever.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S107061407 |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
