OWLING ON MOSQUITO RIDGE ROAD (MRR) by Bruce Webb

Here are FIVE reasons why MRR arguably one of the best owling roads in the Sierra Nevada.
1. It is paved.
2. It is seldom traveled by vehicles at night.
3.  It has convenient mile marker (MM) signs.
4.  It goes through several thousand feet of elevational change giving it a great diversity of montane habitats.
5. No dogs.

Spotted Owl

 
Owling: Here are my one-night highest counts:

Barn — heard once over the lower elevation of the American River Canyon.  Probably more, but I go up to the montane areas to go owling.

Great Horned  —  3 calling across the canyons and even in the town of Foresthill.  

California Spotted —  I had 5 calling owls on territories between Placer Big Tree Grove (MM 25) and French Meadows Reservoir (MM 36).  I recorded the sound file heard here at the Placer Big Tree Grove in Summer 1999. Two birds were calling at dusk. Thanks to Dan Lockshaw for his equipment and recording expertise.

Flammulated —  7 males heard, between MM 12 and MM 16.  Most easily seen by taking the road into Little Oak (MM 17.5) and Big Oak Flats (near MM 19). One year a male was calling near MM 23.

Western Screech-Owl — anywhere from MM 4 out of Foresthill to Little Oak Flat. Up to 8-10 owls in same areas as Flammulated. 

Northern Pygmy-Owl —   I have encountered up to four of these little guys in one morning.  Usually one or two can be seen/heard/drawn out at dawn on virtually every trip in Spring/Summer.  

Northern Saw-whet Owl —  4 calling birds on territories between MM 20 and MM 27.  Can be tough getting them to reveal themselves.

Mammals: Several times, I have seen Black Bear, Gray Fox, Striped Skunk, Black-tailed Deer, Once on a Big Day, a Mountain Lion (a lifer), Various rodents, rattlesnake, rubber boa, and Common Poorwill can be seen along this excellent road.

Directions: I always tell people that from my home in the Roseville area it is the "Seventeen Miles Drives".  From Roseville, it is 17 miles East on I-80 to the Auburn/Foresthill exit.  Then it is a 17-mile drive to the town of Foresthill. In Foresthill across the street from the U.S. Post Office take the turnoff onto Mosquito Ridge Road. Drive toward French Meadows. In 17.5 miles you are at the side road turnoff to Little Oak Flat.  Actually anywhere along MRR, the owling can be very good, but especially from MM 13 to MM 16 (Oak/ Pines for Flammulated and Western Screech-Owls.)  The tall trees at MM 14 usually produce Northern Pygmy-Owl in twilight hours and Northern Saw-whet and/or Western Screech-Owl after dark. Logging activity in the Spring of 1999 at Little Oak Flat and Big Oak Flat may seriously impact the finding of these small owls.

A reliable spot for calling Flammulateds is upslope at MM 13.3 and 2 owls near green gate near MM 15. Also one Flamm calling upslope on the opposite side of road from gate to Little Oak Flat Near MM 17.5.

Most birders expect to see Flammulated by methods that work with other little owls, that is to stand under the tree and play a taped recording. Most often this does not work, and, if tapes are played too long, may diminish the owls' responses. The following method should not to be tried where the terrain is steep or dangerous.

To See a Flammulated: When you find a calling Flammulated Owl on an open flat area, like at Little Oak or Big Oak Flats, instead of moving closer under the owl, move back and forth and side to side until you can best locate in which tree the owl is perched. Have your tripod-mounted spotting scope ready. Use a faint flashlight at first, hold it along the barrel of your binoculars and scan the tree. By first using the faint light, aligned with your angle of vision, you often can pick up the eyeshine of a calling Flammulated (look close to the trunk instead of out near the tip of a branch) Once you see the two pinponts of white eyeshine reflect back at you and blink, you can then turn on the more powerful light and know better where to look. A light from the side will not produce a good reflection from the owls eyes, so hold the flashlight with your binoculars. Seeing a Flammulated at 50 feet away through binoculars and a spotting scope has worked for me on several occasions.

I often hear Northern Saw-whet Owls between MM 20 to MM 25 and Spotted Owls along the way over the next 15 miles to French Meadows Lake. Two to three pairs are found around the lake. If you only had time for one stop, by far, the most reliable place for Spotted Owl in this part of the Sierra Nevada is in the parking lot of the Placer Big Tree Grove. (MM 25). This species does not successfully nest every year, but a pair seem to call this spot home. In daylight hours, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Hermit, Audubon's and Nashville Warblers sing from the parking lot. I usually hear Northern Pygmy-owls in the grove at dawn or dusk. (It is worth a walk down to see the six remaining Sequoias in this, the northernmost Big Tree grove.) One morning, at 10:30 A.M, I was hiking in down in the grove with a Canadian friend who had never seen Spotted Owl or Big Trees before. I hooted and a Spotted Owl flew in and landed 20 ft overhead in full view. He was awestruck by the whole experience. One morning, on the drive out from the grove after owling, a small bear walked along the paved road ahead of me. You can continue to drive to French Meadows, or return to Foresthill. There are many small side roads off MRR where you can pull off and camp.


Daytime Birding: At about MM 20 there is nicely-marked side road for the 5 mile drive out to Grouse Falls Overlook.  It passes through some interesting logged habitat.  Enroute, Mountain Quail (best at dawn or dusk) can be seen walking the road, Northern Pygmy Owls, (2 in one morning), male Calliope Hummingbird can be found in the disturbed edges at around mile 1.2.  Western Tanagers, Nashville, Black-throated Gray, Hermit, MacGillivray's and Audubon's warblers are easily seen in the conifers and oaks as you pass the steep ravine at mile 1.1. Once you reach the Grouse Falls parking area, (at 5 miles) you must walk the final half-mile from the parking area down to the actual overlook platform, where you can see Grouse Falls. In summer, look HIGH overhead, for the handful of Black Swifts that nest there.  Sharp-shinned Hawk and Band-tailed pigeons may be seen flying across the canyon, too. The hike can produce some interesting birds, such as Winter Wren, Pacific-slope Flycatcher and White-headed Woodpecker.  Incidentally, I have never seen or heard a grouse here.  There are better spots for grouse near Alpine Meadows, near Lake Tahoe.

As you return to the town of Foresthill, you will see that this is an incredibly scenic drive. If you dare to pull off at stops along the way, you might be rewarded with Canyon Wren (tough in the county) along the sheer dropoffs and Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Winter Wrens in the cool cuts with small streams. In a few spots where the granite was blasted to make the road, Violet-green Swallows have found the drill holes in the granite face of the cliffs suitable for nesting. You are descending into the North Fork of the American River canyon. In late spring this drive is notable for its wildflowers. The low elevation habitat below the road is manzanita-dominated chaparral. Wrentits and Spotted towhees are common. In areas with oaks, look for Black-throated Gray, Orange-crowned and Nashville warblers. At the bridge across the American River the habitat is quite arid and rocky. Sticky Monkey Flower, lupines and (rock) Dudleya might attract hummingbirds. Lazuli Bunting can be seen on the river bank vegetation and on the arid slopes above the road.

Sow and 2 cubs - Bruce Webb photo

FORESTHILL - DIVIDE ROAD   Back in the town of Foresthill, if you continue along the main road east through the town, eventually in about 25 miles you will reach Robinson Flat.  In Foresthill, take an odometer reading from the Museum sign.  Along the way are numerous well marked side roads, most notably to Sugar Pine Reservoir mitigation area where Spotted Owls are known to breed.  The habitat between Foresthill and Robinson Flat ranges from recently logged to undisturbed coniferous forest. In early May 1998, I heard four Northern Saw-whet Owls over the 12 miles between Foresthill and the China Wall OHV parking lot. Two of these owls responded vigorously to my imitated toots and landed in trees next to the car. My experience is that owls often respond most agitatedly and come in to view best in May. The Foresthill - Divide Road passes through manzanita scrub where breeding Fox Sparrows and Purple Finches can be found. Common Poorwills (watch for red eyeshine in the evenings) are possible along Foresthill Divide Road over the few miles of manzanita-lined road east of the left turn to Sugar Pine Reservoir. Eventually, after about 25 miles, snow permitting, you will reach Robinson Flat, a camping area in an aspen grove. Here, Cassin's Finch, Evening Grosbeak, and Northern Goshawk may be seen, as well as all along the stretch of road leading to Robinson Flat. As you approach any area with fallen trees, watch for bears. I photographed this female with 2 cubs as she ripped apart a decaying log in one such area. Bear scat in the road is proof that this area has many bears. White-headed and Hairy Woodpeckers are the commonest woodpecker up here. Evidence of Pileated Woodpecker can be found. The area off Deadwood Ridge Road, (about 10 miles east of Foresthill) is good for nesting Pileated Woodpecker, Flammulated Owl and Northern Goshawk.

From Robinson Flat it takes a 4WD vehicle or a hike to reach the Duncan Peak lookout. A Parasitic Jaeger, was observed in August 1968 from the lookout.

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Good Birding !

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