[Birdnet] MIRROR LAKE trip report

[Craig Fosdick]

Hello Utah Birders–



I just completed a 3½ day camping trip to Mirror Lake and the Uintas.  No
backpacking for me, I camped at site #72 at Mirror Lake CG from August
12–15.  Below is a brief synopsis of my observations for the entire visit; I
have provided more detailed observations for may be useful for those of you
going on the Saturday, August 25, GSLB/SLB day trip to Mirror Lake.



At MIRROR LAKE I had PINE GROSBEAK, GRAY JAY, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, a
THREE-TOED WOODPECKER family group, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL and an EARED GREBE
in basic plumage, but calling (8/14)!  At CRYSTAL LAKE on 8/14 I had a
single OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, the only one I saw or heard on the whole
trip.  At TRIAL LAKE I had a female THREE-TOED WOODPECKER.  On 8/13 on a
hike up BALD MT, I had, predictably enough, 15+ BLACK ROSY-FINCHES just
below the summit, as well as 3+ AMERICAN PIPITS, 2 Rock Wrens, and two
MOUNTAIN GOATS.  I also had AMERICAN PIPITS at LOST LAKE-at least 25 birds
were at the north end of the lake on 8/15, along with 9+ Spotted Sandpipers
and 5 Green-winged Teal.



I had PINE GROSBEAK at two locations at Mirror Lake CG.  I saw PINE
GROSBEAKS at least twice at my campsite (#72) at MIRROR LAKE CG, (two on
8/13, and 3 on 8/14), and heard/glimpsed what I believed were PINE GROSBEAKS
on several other occasions at my campsite.  On 8/14, I found five PINE
GROSBEAKS (three females/or young birds, and two males) along the trail on
the northeastern shore of Mirror Lake at 1:20 in the afternoon.  GPS
coordinates are NAD 27 UTM 12T 0509383 4506012; for those of you not
equipped with a GPS-enabled device, the location is easy to find.  On the
north side of Mirror Lake, there are two streams (both still have water)
that empty into the lake.  I believe they are only 50–70 meters apart.  To
find the birds, locate the easternmost of the two streams; the trail is
covered with black tarpaper where it crosses the stream.  From here, walk
west along the trail to the next stream; the trail does not have tarpaper
where it crosses the stream.  This is the stream where the birds were
present.  The birds were first seen on the ground adjacent to the stream;
after they were inadvertently flushed by myself as well as people walking
past on the trail, they flew into the nearby trees where they alternately
fed and sat quietly. I observed these birds for about 30 minutes.  These
birds confirmed my suspicions that Pine Grosbeaks can be very difficult to
locate if they are not calling or singing.  They spent most of their time
quietly sitting or foraging, and even when foraging, moved very little.  Aside
from my confirmed sightings, I also heard what I believed to were
possible/potential Pine Grosbeaks at TRIAL LAKE CG on 8/15, and on the trail
from TRIAL LAKE CG to WALL LAKE on 8/14.



The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (presumably the same one reported in early
August) is still present at MIRROR LAKE CG, although it is very
inconspicuous.  I saw the bird on 8/15 directly across the road (the road
through the campground) from my campsite (#72).  This is the only time I saw
it, despite the fact that this location was only about 30 meters from my
campsite, and when I was not hiking, I was watching birds at my campsite.



I found THREE-TOED WOODPECKER at both MIRROR LAKE CG and TRIAL LAKE CG.  At
Mirror Lake CG, I had a group of three birds: one adult male, and two
recently-fledged juveniles (one female, one male).  This family group was at
my campsite (#72) on 8/14, when they spent 20 minutes (~9 AM) foraging on a
broken-off Subalpine Fir that is apparently infested with Mountain Pine
Beetle larvae.  This fir, which is about 11–12 m north of the concrete fire
ring in the campsite, was also visited by the male on 8/13 , also ~9 AM.   The
two juveniles are still growing in their outer tail feathers-they're about
1/3 the length of the middle rectrices.  The areas of white feathering on
both juveniles (i.e., belly, back, outer tail feathers, supercilium, malar
stripe, throat, undertail coverts) were clean, which was in marked contrast
to the general dinginess of the white feathering on the adult male.  Both
juveniles were begging and being fed by the adult male; neither juvenile
seemed to have mastered the art of foraging.  I should note that the adult
male visited the same fir on 8/13, also around 9 AM; he spent about 20–25
minutes foraging in the tree, and I am could hear another bird in the
vicinity, but could not locate it.  I would guess that it was one of the
juveniles seen on 8/14.



On 8/15, I watched a female THREE-TOED WOODPECKER foraging on what I think
was a huge Lodgepole Pine (I was much more interested in the bird than the
tree) at TRIAL LAKE CG, about 50-m east of campsite 55.



On the evening of 8/13, I heard two NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS calling back and
forth for about 5 minutes just after dusk near campsite #77 at MIRROR LAKE
CG.  On 8/14, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was heard giving the "shweee" call
four times at dusk in a light rain at the picnic area parking lot at MIRROR
LAKE CG.



GRAY JAYS were seen almost daily at campsite #72 at MIRROR LAKE CG, as well
as on the Highline Trail on 8/13 (where the spur from the northeast end of
MIRROR LAKE CG meets the Highline Trail coming from the designated
trailhead), where two birds were busy caching ants in clusters of pine
needles.  I also saw three GRAY JAYS 8/15 at REID'S MEADOWS, on the trail to
CUBERANT LAKE.



There was very little evidence of passerine migration/dispersal, although I
didn't really expect to see any.  I had an Orange-crowned Warbler and a
Black-headed Grosbeak at/or in the vicinity of my campsite the entire time I
was at Mirror Lake.  The Black-headed Grosbeak was feeding on elderberries
at my camp.  Aside from those two birds, I had a MacGillivray's Warbler on
the trail to Cuberant Lake on 8/15, and a Wilson's Warbler at Teapot Lake,
also on 8/15.  On 8/15, on the trail to Cuberant Lake, I made a conservative
estimate of a foraging flock of 60 Dark-eyed Juncos (appeared to be mostly
juveniles, but definitely some adults) spread out over along 50-60 meters of
the trail.   The birds moved from right to left as I slowly worked my way
along the trail.  Very impressive!



Other sightings include:



Lincoln's Sparrow: Cuberant Lake trail, 8/15

Fox Sparrow: 2 at Mirror Lake, 8/14

Great Horned Owl: at Mirror Lake, 8/13

Great Blue Heron: a flyover heard at dusk on 8/12, Mirror Lake.

Osprey: four birds at Teapot Lake 8/15; I'm assuming this is the local
family.



Apologies for the long post….good luck on the 25th.



Craig.

Logan, Utah
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