Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli)

8/16/04 Lundy Canyon, Eastern Sierras, Mono County, CA

7/11/07 Private road along the middle fork of Bishop Creek near Lake Sabrina, Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierras, Inyo County, CA

7/11/07 Private road along the middle fork of Bishop Creek near Lake Sabrina, Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierras, Inyo County, CA

7/6/07 Road into Twin Lakes campground, Toiyabe National Forest, Bridgeport region, Eastern Sierras, Mono County, CA 

7/6/07 Road to Twin Lakes campground, Toiyabe National Forest, Bridgeport region, Eastern Sierras, Mono County, CA 

 7/28/02 Streamside at meadow near Round Valley, Mt. San Jacinto State Park, Riverside County, CA

8/17/03 Manzanita Lake campground, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Shasta County, CA

Dirt road from Lundy Lake Resort to Lundy Canyon Trail, Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierras, Mono County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Mountain Chickadee

SPECIES: Poecile gambeli

LIFE LIST DATE: 6/15/2002

LOCATION: Grassy Hollow Visitor Center, Angeles National Forest, San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, CA

From Stokes Field Guide to Birds-Western Region & Kaufman Focus Guide-Birds of North America:

HABITAT/BEHAVIOR: This chickadee replaces its relatives in higher mountains of the west, and is often very common in tall pines and other evergreens. Except when nesting, it travels with mixed flocks of other small birds. A few sometimes wander into the lowlands in winter. 

IDENTIFYING MARKS: 6"; black cap and bib; white cheek,; thin white line over eye; gray flanks. Eyebrow is black feathers with white tips which wear off during summer as bird enters and leaves nest hole; by late summer, eyebrow is faint or absent. After late summer molt, it is again obvious. 

VOICE: Song is 3-4 whistled notes, such as feeble feeble or fee bee bay. Calls include a raspy chickadeedeedee.