Nic the Birding Chick

Nic the Birding Chick Let’s Bird! Join me on my adventures in birding!

Sooty Grouse déjà vu.Last July we stumbled upon a female Sooty Grouse with a chick in this patch of Tahoe forest. This s...
07/23/2025

Sooty Grouse déjà vu.
Last July we stumbled upon a female Sooty Grouse with a chick in this patch of Tahoe forest. This summer another Sooty Grouse turned up in almost the same spot. Maybe the same individual, maybe not. Either way, the habitat is telling on itself.

Returning to places shows what shifted and what still works. That is how we learn rhythm, not just rack up tick marks on our lists.

Do you refind species year to year?

Here’s a little flashback from May’s Biggest Week in American Birding at Magee Marsh, in Ohio, the gorgeous Great Creste...
07/19/2025

Here’s a little flashback from May’s Biggest Week in American Birding at Magee Marsh, in Ohio, the gorgeous Great Crested Flycatcher!

Fun nest fact: Great Crested Flycatchers never excavate their own cavities. Instead they upcycle old woodpecker holes and then line the nest with shed snake skins for extra predator deterrent (and a bit of flair!).

And that “whee-errr” call? You’ll hear it echoing through the canopy long before you spot one.

Northern California’s rock wren is a tiny cliff hanger with a speckled gray back, buff belly, and a stiff tail that doub...
06/29/2025

Northern California’s rock wren is a tiny cliff hanger with a speckled gray back, buff belly, and a stiff tail that doubles as its balancing pole while it probes crevices for spiders and beetles. Its bubbly, high-pitched trill will echo off canyon walls like nature’s own mini-marimba. Have you seen one on your adventures?

and I set out early up Ice House Road under whispering pines. Before we even hit the lake we found a hidden bog carpete...
06/17/2025

and I set out early up Ice House Road under whispering pines. Before we even hit the lake we found a hidden bog carpeted in lupine, red columbine, Sierra mariposa lily and more; two dark eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) even hopped over to say hello. A roadside outcrop revealed Leichtlin’s mariposa lily (Calochortus leichtlinii), p***y paws, prettyface, and mountain pride all buzzing with pollinators. By 10 am we reached Loon Lake’s shore, mountain peaks still dusted with snow, and then we took in some of the historic Rubicon Trail switchbacks carved into old wagon road; my explorer’s heart was beaming. Unknowingly saving the best for last, we discovered glass-flat ponds alive with damselflies and dragonflies. Getting out before the crowds sometimes means uncovering nature’s quieter secrets. What tiny surprise waited for you when you slowed down today? 🌿👇

and I set out early to head up Ice House Road in El Dorado County. Before we even hit the lake we found a hidden bog ca...
06/17/2025

and I set out early to head up Ice House Road in El Dorado County. Before we even hit the lake we found a hidden bog carpeted in lupine, red columbine, Sierra mariposa lily and more; two dark eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) even hopped over to say hello. A roadside outcrop revealed Leichtlin’s mariposa lily (Calochortus leichtlinii), p***y paws, prettyface, and mountain pride all buzzing with pollinators. By 10 am we reached Loon Lake’s shore, mountain peaks still dusted with snow, and then we took in some of the historic Rubicon Trail switchbacks carved into an old wagon road; my explorer’s heart was beaming. Unknowingly saving the best for last, we discovered glass-flat ponds alive with damselflies and dragonflies. Getting out before the crowds sometimes means uncovering nature’s quieter secrets. What tiny surprise waited for you when you slowed down today? 🌿👇

Friday Feathers: Spotted this Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) on Mosquito Ridge Road in Foresthill last week. Its ...
06/13/2025

Friday Feathers: Spotted this Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) on Mosquito Ridge Road in Foresthill last week. Its flame-red head and sunshine-yellow chest popped against the green canopy. These long-distance migrants refuel on juicy insects and wild berries before heading south. What brilliant bird have you seen this spring?

Last week while up at Mosquito Ridge Road we wandered a couple new side roads and came home with three regional butterfl...
06/10/2025

Last week while up at Mosquito Ridge Road we wandered a couple new side roads and came home with three regional butterfly stars, swipe through to meet them all:

• Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis)
Charcoal-brown wings dusted with tiny white spots as it nectars on pink penstemon blooms

• Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona)
Bold orange and black checkerboard pattern lighting up clusters of white mock-orange flowers

• Hedgerow Hairstreak (Satyrium saepium)
Look for the little tails and subtle iridescent blue wash under its soft gray wings

Which one’s at the top of your life list? Tag me in your shots and I’ll share it in my story.

A flash of rust and cream among the leaves, the Eastern Towhee is the underbrush’s best-kept secret. With each precise s...
06/08/2025

A flash of rust and cream among the leaves, the Eastern Towhee is the underbrush’s best-kept secret. With each precise scratch it reveals tiny treasures, seeds, insects, even little spiders hiding in the litter.

Did you know Towhees can scratch through leaf litter up to 100 times a minute to unearth hidden seeds and insects?

At Magee Marsh back in Ohio a male Black Throated Blue Warbler flashed his deep blue and black among the early foliage. ...
06/05/2025

At Magee Marsh back in Ohio a male Black Throated Blue Warbler flashed his deep blue and black among the early foliage. His pure white belly really stands out once the maples open, making him hard to miss.

Did you know he spends winters in the Caribbean before heading north each spring to breed?

That buzzy chip tweet call is his way of staking a claim.

This is the second year in a row we’ve had a pygmy-owl hanging out up at Mosquito Ridge, and today it was taking flak fr...
06/02/2025

This is the second year in a row we’ve had a pygmy-owl hanging out up at Mosquito Ridge, and today it was taking flak from the local robins and gnatcatchers, of all things. Even under harassment, it perched unbothered, those big yellow eyes scanning for unsuspecting songbirds and mice below.

I love owls, and any day you spot one is truly a good day. Seeing this little raptor return year after year reminds me how much life is tucked away in our oak woodlands if we just hold still and look.

Have you watched a pygmy-owl endure a robin dive-bomb? Share your own “owl encounter” in the comments!

🦉

This little gem is a Philadelphia Vireo and we spotted it on the famous Magee Marsh Boardwalk during our recent trip. St...
05/26/2025

This little gem is a Philadelphia Vireo and we spotted it on the famous Magee Marsh Boardwalk during our recent trip. Steve and I were mid-chat when we noticed a flicker in the leaves that didn’t quite match the breeze. Sure enough, there it was. Bright-eyed, lemony, and quietly looking for insects to eat.

Despite the name, these vireos are just passing through. They breed way up north and rarely hang out in Philadelphia. Their song is subtle and a little raspy and their vibe is very much “I look like a leaf and I like it that way.” I can relate.

This was one of those moments where you pause, notice something small, and feel completely delighted by the fact that it exists.

Today we wrapped up our official last day in Ohio for Biggest Week in Birding with a golden glow at Secor Metropark and ...
05/20/2025

Today we wrapped up our official last day in Ohio for Biggest Week in Birding with a golden glow at Secor Metropark and Oaks Openings Preserve Metropark. Our ears and binoculars lit up with Yellow breasted Chat, Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler, and Acadian Flycatcher, and four of those were life birds. We wandered through patches of wildflowers, high-fived over new moths and butterflies, froze in awe at a snake species we had never seen before, and even spied slime mold creeping across a tree stump.

I want to thank from the bottom of my heart for always powering my birding dreams and always being more than willing to chase butterflies, moths, and slime mold for me. This trip has been nothing short of epic and today was the perfect grand finale. We are home now but our hearts are still singing in shades of yellow. 🙂🌼💛

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