I walked Lower Packrat not terribly early because although it's Sunday it's overcast, windy and cold so there weren't many people. There were no specially interesting birds although the list is reasonably long. The Anna's Hummingbird is still on her nest at Jewel Lake, and I heard an Olive-sided Flycatcher, which I don't always down there. The Swainson's Thrushes and Black-headed Grosbeaks were singing but not so much the Warbling Vireos, though I heard one scolding, possibly because there was a Cooper's Hawk around. ( The list: )

I had decided I should try Lower Packrat Trail to see whether perhaps I could do it with U tomorrow since Chris is away. And I can do it, but not sure about two days in a row right now.:(

An... interesting morning, possibly too soon (I got very tired, but there was enough birdsong to keep me going) and EBMUD has not mowed so it was tick city. I had put repellent on my legs but not on my clothing, so I had to watch for them and brush them off. The top of the first rise, where I like to be for sunrise, was more interesting than usual. There were both Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and at least one Laurence's Goldfinch in the tall weeds on the eastern side of the trail, though unsurprisingly I saw neither species. I head Olive-sided Flycatchers and saw a silent Western Wood-pewee. There were Bewick's wrens singing every where and the Great Horned Owl was hooting well into the morning. ( The list: )

In non-Inspiration Trail news, there was a striped skunk at Channing and Piedmont. I hope they found some good scraps around the frat houses. And a Warbling Vireo was singing just across the road from where I heard one for several summers, which made me happy.

This morning's outing was short, not even to the Laurel Canyon Trail, although I did spend some time down in Big Leaf picnic area, which is what I do when I can't keep going but don't want to go home. Merlin frustrated me a lot, suggesting birds that absolutely should be there, that I've heard there, but that I could not hear today. Hate that. Anyway, not a long list. The Northern House Wrens are here in greater numbers than earlier and I got a brief but gorgeous view of a Red-shouldered Hawk in flight. ( The list: )

Needed to get further to find Hummingbirds or vireos.