Birds of Mount Shasta Thrushes

Entry 132. Myadestes townsendi. Townsend Solitaire. [Townsend's Solitaire]

Not an uncommon breeder on the higher slope of Shasta, where I saw six during our stay. The lowest of these was at Wagon Camp, in the lower edge of the Shasta firs where one drank at our spring July 31. The others were in the Hudsonian zone, and most of them in the alpine hemlocks at or near our camp on Squaw Creek, just below timberline. They were usually seen in early evening when they came to drink from the little streams in the forest, and were always silent and rather shy. Late in July and early August they were seen with arctic bluebirds by Walter K. Fisher at and below timberline near Mud Creek Canyon. They probably winter in the junipers in Shasta Valley, were W.H. Osgood saw them September 17 to 20, and where I saw dozens feeding on the juniper berries and singing freely September 29. Late in July, 1883, C.H. Townsend found one of the birds "frozen in the snow and ice which filled the crater of the extinct volcano of Shasta."

Call note of a Townsend's Solitaire © 1998 Doug Von Gausig.

Entry 133. Hylocichla aonalaschkae auduboni. Dwarf Hermit Thrush. [Catharus guttatus nanus? Turdus aonalaschkae?]

Evidently breeds in the dark Shasta fir forest of the mountain and in the damp forest of white and Douglas firs near Sisson Tavern, where Miss Merriam heard them in full song the middle of July. At Wagon Camp W.H. Osgood shot one July 17; and near Squaw Creek Camp I shot another September 20. C.H. Townsend records it from the southern slope of Shasta under date of July 25.

Entry 134. Merula migratoria porpinqua. Western Robin. [Turdus migratorius American Robin]

Robin

Robins were fairly common at wagon Camp, where we heard their evening song the day of our arrival, July 15, and where they were seen carrying food to young July 26 (F.A.M.). Higher up they were seen from time to time, but were not common. Along the upper part of Mud Creek Canyon Walter K. Fisher found them "fairly common but erratic" the latter part of July and first few days of August. At Squaw Creek Camp, in the alpine hemlocks, we saw a flock on the morning of August 12, and others September 15. Just below timberline on Panther Creek a few were seen migrating September 18. In Shasta Valley they were common among the junipers September 29. At Sisson they are common breeders, and a few were seen whenever any of our party were there, from July 14 until the end of September. A nest containing three eggs was found July 13 by W.H. Osgood.

Songs of the American Robin © 1998 Doug Von Gausig.

Entry 136. Sialia arctica. Mountain Bluebird; Arctic Bluebird. [Sialia currucoides Mountain Bluebird]

A common breeder on the higher slopes of Shasta, where they were constantly seen in July and early August, but rarely afterwards. On our first visit to timberline, July 17, they were very abundant on the bare rocks above timberline near the head of Panther Creek, and a week later were seen on the rim of Mud Creek Canyon. On the rocky slopes at and above timberline on the east side of Mud Creek Canyon early in August they were the most characteristic birds (W.K. Fisher); and they were seen near the same place August 18 (V. Bailey). September 20 a small flock visited our camp on upper Squaw Creek. In July, 1883, C.H. Townsend found the species abundant at timberline, where full fledged young accompanied their parents.

Mountain Bluebirds © 1999 Doug Von Gausig.