The south side of the Noatak is immediately birdier than our earlier spots with many northern waterthrushes, myrtle, blackpoll, orange-crowned and yellow warblers. At 3:25 pm we walk up a dry river channel and I hear a chickadee call. We stop and play the recording. A pair of boreal chickadees are spotted as well as a third, bright-faced chickadee seen well by four of the six of us (but not me or Tim). The four are elated as they all agree that the bird is gray-headed chickadee. The next hour is spent trying to refind this individual for Tim.

After an exhaustive effort without repeating the observation, we shuttle back across the Noatak for dinner and an abbreviated search near the ranger station from 7-9. Although Tim is not happy missing the bird, all of the others are ecstatic and it makes for an enjoyable evening.

August 7, 2009

Up at 5 with all of my gear out of the tent (that I shared with Mark C. and Tim) and all my gear packed by 6. Breakfast of pancakes and coffee then a chilly set of shuttles across the river for an intense three hour search for the chickadee. Large flocks of boreal chickadess in association with large numbers of ruby-crowned kinglets fails to produce a gray-headed. The highlight of the morning is two begging fledgling northern hawk owls who practically follow us around the thicket, accompanied by one or two adult NHOW’s.

Back to camp by noon where we have lunch and a rock-throwing contest while waiting for our pick-up.