Bird Encounters: Heaps Peak Arboretum

Today for Sabbath, we adventured to Heaps Peak Arboretum off the 18 in Skyforest, California. This is one of our favorite locations to bird, not only for the species we have spotted there, but also for the easiness of the Sequoia loop trail. The trail is about a mile long and is just right...not too hard, not too easy. The perfect trail for birding!

We have been to Heaps Peak either two or three times before (neither of us could remember). Our first time was iconic. We spotted the White-headed Woodpecker within minutes of hopping on the trail. And every visit to Heaps Peak, we have seen new birds, which is always what you want as a birder!

Every time we go back, and this time was no different, we walk very slow as we begin. We look for the White-headed Woodpecker to return. No luck. 

Once the trail takes its first big bend, it opens up into a vast array of trees on both sides. This is where the majority of our birding takes place. We venture left, then straight, then back, "psst-ing" to each other if we see anything. We even ventured farther this time off the trail (oops!). But good thing we did! We saw the bird we came to see this time!!! The Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) is a woodpecker that is quite large and I've been wanting to see this bird ever since June. Not only did we see the Northern Flicker off the trail, but we also spotted a Nuttall's Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker in the pine trees! What joy!

Does anyone know if this is Poison Oak?

Heaps Peak is known for always having multitudes of Mountain Chickadees and Western Bluebirds, which are always fun to see chirping and fluttering about. Other repeat bird species for us at this location are: Steller's Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Acorn Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Spotted Towhee, and Dark-eyed Junco. Already on our birding lists, but new for us at this location now are: Western Scrub Jay and Yellow Warbler. And, of course, we usually always have a suspicious bird we are unable to identify. We are not sure whether we saw a Western-wood Pewee or an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Our favorite part of the trail 

Western Bluebirds all over the place!

Acorn Woodpecker

Today, I counted my blessings. There are so many things to be thankful for. I love how birding slows down my life and makes me able to realize this. 

I have been indulging in a pleasure read, in between reading for school, and my newest book, Bird Sense: What's it's Like to be a Bird, has taught me that birding is all about encountering. Encounter: an unexpected experience, in this case, good. Oh how I love birding and all of the encounters it has shared with me! Today, I cherished our encounter with the Northern Flicker. And, as always, I cherish my time with my best birding friend, my husband. In between our lines of "what I remember about coming here before..." and "this is where...," we have once again created new memories in nature. 

Oh, what joy!