Epic USA Day 7

Another early start to get into Glacier National Park and it started off brilliantly with a Boreal Chickadee eventually tracked down along a quiet stretch of road. A singing Cassin’s Vireo was not so obliging and only showed fleetingly. We then drove back down to the main valley and checked along the fast-flowing river that was awash with debris that the snowmelt had sent tumbling. A pair of Harlequin Ducks were found on a long sweeping bend of the river and the drake was absolutely gorgeous! But just down the road a Varied Thrush teed up in the scope as it sang from the top of a dead tree was equally as impressive. We called into Lake Macdonald shop for coffee and spent a few minutes watching some confiding Black-headed Grosbeaks, as well as Slate-coloured Junco and Western Tanagers. The rest of the morning was spent searching for woodpeckers without any new ones being found apart from a Downy Woodpecker, although Red-naped Sapsucker and Hairy Woodpecker were seen well. We also saw Macgillivray’s Warbler, Calliope Hummingbird and Lazuli Bunting here as well.  We then decided to leave the park and head to a site for American Three-toed Woodpecker which remained elusive, although a fantastic male Williamson’s Sapsucker showed really well. Returning to the hotel at 4.30pm and then leaving at 7pm for dinner and owling… but minus the owls! However, instead of owls we did have a pair of Pine Grosbeaks fly in and land right next to us as we stood on a bridge waiting for dark. They remained in view for several minutes and either seemed to have a roost site or had just come to the river for a drink and before it was dark they took flight and flew a long way back up the valley and out of sight. Wow!