The next day, following a different strategy, they arrived at Island lake around 5:00 a.m. After setting up the scope by the lake, Thor immediately saw 3 snowcocks, beautifully illuminated by the rising sun on the top of what Thor thought to be Thomas Peak. Photo: Dick Dickinson/Audubon Photography Awards, Adult. 28-29 June 09 by Joan Rankin & Thor Manson of Canada - On the 28th they hiked up the Island Lake Trail arriving at the Lake about 7:00 a.m. After scanning the ridges and peaks with the scope, they scrambled up the scree to the meadow area above Island Lake.

[2][3] The head pattern has a resemblance to that of the smaller and well marked chukar partridge. This leads to our second note. He saw these birds where across from the Scout Camp in Lamoille Canyon. We also saw a flock of Black Rosy-Finches, another target bird, fly by the snowcocks while the snowcocks were in the scope.". 14 March 09 by Bill Homan - I was in the same area as the day before looking for mountain goats when I saw a snowcock fly off a ledge and land farther out the chute we where in. Several groups may inhabit the same hill. I have twice climbed to the upper cirque just below the cliffs and have seen Black Rosy-Finch (in 2005), pikas and a long-tailed weasel, but had missed the snowcock. Unfortunately it soon walked behind a rock and vanished. "From the lake I walked up to the next plateau where there's a small little marshy area and hunkered down on a large flat rock area.

Most of the sightings that I hear about are in the Island Lake area.

These were wild trapped in Hunza and early shipments faced heavy losses after which birds were locally reared at Mason Valley game farm and over a 15-year period (1965–1979) more than 2000 birds were released into the wild. [6][25] Several species of endoparasitic Acanthocephala and Nematoda such as Hispaniolepis fedtschenkoi, have been described from the species. After which the snowcock flew down the hill.

When walking, they cock their tails showing the white under tail coverts. We had a. August 2002 by Hank Vanderpol of Canada - Hank said he located 8 Snowcock above Island Lake. If you are hiking to Island Lake to view these birds I recommend getting into position above Island Lake before first light. 6 April 08 by Larry Spradlin and Bill Homan -Larry and I started our hike in the worst conditions. RANGE: The process from the moment of hearing the vocalization to locate the birds was painful and frustrating - it took us about 45 minutes to locate the birds. Native to the Himalayan region of southern Asia, this huge grouse was introduced as a game bird in the Ruby Mountains of northern Nevada beginning in 1963. I did not see it fly, but believe it was a Peregrine (it seemed too dark below for a Prairie). [4][5][6][7][8][9], Around 1841 specimen of a bird was brought to the menagerie of the Zoological Society of London, presented by E. W. Bonham, consul at Tabrez. We spent the next 2 hours scanning the cliffs around the lake and hiking to the cliffs northwest of the lake. Native to the Himalayan region of southern Asia, this huge grouse was introduced as a game bird in the Ruby Mountains of northern Nevada beginning in 1963. He hiked 1/4 mile up the slope past Island Lake to almost the last group of trees when he heard the birds. Fortunately, the early morning trip was not required. A wild population more than 200 to 500 birds has established itself in the Ruby Mountains, where they forage above the treeline.

This is actually the second time Larry has seen snowcock and mountain goats in close proximity in the last two years. Audubon protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. [18], Himalayan snowcocks are gregarious when not breeding, moving around in small groups. The nest is a simple scrape on the ground, often sheltered from wind by nearby rocks or grass clumps. I waited at least 30 minutes for any other birds, but nothing. Later as I was checking the ledges below two snowcock flew off and glided around the ledge. Its food is seeds and vegetable matter. 3 July 2013 by Bradford Graham - Bradford went up to Island lake trail early for a sunrise start. To make this task easier pack your optics and use hiking sticks for the trek above the lake.

25 June 04 by Bruce Thompson - Bruce was able to get another good photo of a snowcock above Griswold Lake. [12] A subspecies described as sauricus was the subject of considerable nomenclatural debate. Snowcock hunting began in 1980 with hunters being allowed only one bird in a 30 day hunting season. George Robert Gray noted that it matched a bird illustrated (plate 76) in Jardine and Selby's "Illustrations of Ornithology" which he noted should be called as Tetraogallus caucasicus and another illustration plate 141 which was said to be the male of the one in plate 76 was separated based on the geography and given the name of Tetraogallus himalayensis. During courtship, the male crouches low down to the ground with wings slightly spread, tail depressed and feathers slightly ruffled.

[17] In the Hunza range, they have been observed to prefer Sibbaldia cuneata.

Lives of North American Birds. He stayed perched there for 5-10 minutes, leaving once for a minute or so and then returning.

In flight Thor noticed that there had been 6 birds in the area. I went up Island Lake Trail in mid-day to scout the trail for a possible walk up around 4 a.m. the next morning. The upper parts are grey, with feathers of the rump and the wings are bordered with rufous. 29 August 09 by Tim Torell - Tim arrived at the base of the cliffs above Island lake at 7: am. [1], In 1961 the similarity of the Himalayan landscape to the Nevada region was noted and the Himalayan snowcock was considered as a good game bird for introduction by the Nevada Fish and Game Commission. 31 May 08 by Bruce Thompson - Bruce saw 5 Snowcock up on Ricco Peak. 1st weekend April 04 by Bruce Thompson - Bruce said "I was able to see 4 snowcock up close as they were courting the females." A very short time later another snowcock was spotted gliding off the same ledge. Most of these peaks are over 11,000 feet.

Later on in the day Larry and I were in another chute when we heard a few snowcock making noise and Larry spotted them land on the other side of the chute. when two snowcock flew over our head. The white throat and sides of the head are bordered by chestnut moustachial stripe and a dark broad chestnut band stretching from the eye over the ear, expanding into the collar. 13 March 09 by Larry Spradlin and Bill Homan - We were looking for mountain goats and heard a snowcock calling.

After we hiked up another 200 feet or so we spotted a snowcock on the ground walking along a ledge. And we spotted quite a few Himalayan snowcock. They also make a rising, shrill piping call. "A friend and I skied the Ruby Crest Trail, with some variation and exploration this past weekend Feb 12-15th. I know of two different sightings in the summer of 2001 above Island Lake. Sergey Yeliseev/Flickr (CC BY SA NC ND 2.0). With help, from a spotting scope, I was able to locate a Snowcock on-top of the north ridge just before it flew down the slope. I followed its flight upcliff until it landed. We climbed another 150 ft vertical towards the cliff. Using a spotting scope we were able to find a group of three Snowcocks on an exposed rock outcropping very near the ridgeline above the lake. Over all a neat experience. Shortly after the two snowcock flew from the cliff and went right past us. It was around 1 p.m. on 16 August. From the mounts I have seen they stand around 14 inches tall. 26 August 2016 by Brad Bates and James Alt - We were able to observe a Snowcock in the Island Lake Cirque at 5:45am. But, half of our party did see another Snowcock launch itself from the highest rim of the steepest cliff face to the left at the parking circle. Legal Notices Privacy Policy Contact Us. We arrived about 6am and hiked up to the first ledge and listened and scanned the grassy ledges for snowcock. Incubation is by the female, about 4 weeks. While there 9 more snow cocks flew over head as singles or in groups of 2 or 3. The lower breast plumage is dark grey, and the sides of the body are streaked with black, chestnut and white. It is usually seen in alpine pastures and rocky ridges. Here’s part 2 of a post on a bird we bet most upland hunters have never heard of, the Himalayan snowcock – several of which are running around high-altitude Nevada right now! Although snowcock have been seen directly above Island Lake the best area for my money is around Thomas Peak (11,316 ft.) which is to the north of the lake. In the Himalayas, it is found between 4000 and 5000 m elevation in summer, descending to 2400 m during severe winters. For more information and locations for sightings check out the Sightings section toward the bottom of this page. Here is what they had to report. Residing above 10,000 feet in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada, these birds seek comfort in the roughest and steepest snow covered peaks. 12-15 February 2010 by Patrick Grewe and friend - Patrick had this to say about his winter Ruby Crest Trail adventure. Small flocks of snowcocks often move uphill during the day, feeding as they go on roots, tubers, and seeds, and then glide down the slopes again in the evening. 16 March 2003 by Larry Spradlin & Bill Homan - Across the road from the Scout Camp. Without stabilizing binos, seeing this bird walking at more than 1/2 mile distance would have been impossible for me. 27 April 2012 by Steve Noseworthy & Sam Brayshaw - About 1pm we arrived at the top of the Lamoille Canyon road to find the parking lot covered with snow. They are generally wary and when disturbed run uphill and then launch themselves from the crests in flight, getting up considerable speed. Over half the snowcock we see are first seen in the air. A person at the U.S. Forest Service in Elko also said the snowcock is regularly found in the evening. According to the National Geographic Society Snowcock are 28 inches from the tip of the beak to the tip on the tail feathers.

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