Nevada Birding

This morning we followed the sporting goods store manager's suggestion and went to Harrison Pass, a spot he felt was good for Chukar with a chance for Gray Partridge nearby.  We made a stop on a sagebrush-lined side road and watched and listened to Brewer's Sparrows, a year bird (web photo).  The song of the Brewer's Sparrow is like that of a canary with a lot of trills and buzzes, and it can go on for a long time.  Along the way to the pass we scanned some irrugated fields that held Bobolinks which we found unusual.  Indeed the range map shows there is a population in northern Nevada.  At the pass which had no conifers we had great looks at Lewis's Woodpeckers, winnowing snipe, Green-tailed Towhee, and more Brewer's Sparrows, but no Chukars or partridge.  We ventured down the east side of the pass toward Ruby Lake NWR, but then decided to go to Lamoille Canyon again and do a trial run up to Island Lake to see what the conditions were like for getting to the place to look for snowcock.  We reversed direction and when we got to the trail head, we fixed a couple of light packs and started up.  The trail was pretty easy although the altitude was about 6000'.  We met a family coming down the trail, so we inquired about the trail's condition.  We were told it was not bad and there was little snow on the trail until the lake.  So we pocketed those words, turned around, saving our energy for the morning's hike.  Back in Elko we had Chinese food and hit the hay.  Tomorrow would start early.  The one new bird today raised the total to 638.