Northview Diary: Birding Mongolia

Well not really, but rather the top of a mountain my brother was kind enough to take me to visit. While atop that mighty peak my Merlin app decided that I should identify birds in MOHRON which is evidently the language of Mongolia.

This was somewhat interesting, but because I spend so much of my time birding and know the app well, I could actually make it work, a good thing, as I didn't get it fixed until after I was home.

See, I had mentioned to my brother that I really wanted to go up Whiteface Mountain high in the top of the Adirondacks. This was partly because I hoped to experience a Bicknell's Thrush, but mostly because I had never been and I have a gleeful heart for the 'Dacks.

The ride up was worth the trip. Routes 8 and 9N abound with breath-catching vistas that come so fast you can barely keep up.

The mountain defies description. It is high, wild, and mighty. I even delighted in the elevator to the tippy top. I had hoped to climb the trail to the summit from the parking area, but about twelve steps up I decided discretion was the better part of valor...or in other words, I am too old for that stuff.

The "easy" part of the trail to the summit, a resounding NOPE for me

Mike boldly went where sisters fear to go, while I was grateful to take the somewhat tamer route. But then again, just how tame is a tunnel that goes deep into a mountain with a 50.149 smoot high elevator at the end? (Since I visually estimate small distances in units of Ralph, I was tickled to discover smoots.

The tunnel

I was thrilled by the top of the mountain, the sides of the mountain, the inside, outside and all sides of the mountain, but Mike had even more excitement in store for me.

The gondola ride at Little Whiteface was just down the road. As a kid I was terrified of fast, high, spinny, bouncy, scary carnival rides. I would go on the merry-go-round and that was about it. However, there must be some compensation for becoming ancient. I enjoyed that gondola ride insanely. I am sorry to say my video of same failed for some reason, but the sensation of soaring up sheer cliff faces on the way up, then gliding down into the valleys and ravines on the way down made me feel like an eagle slip-sliding through the sky. I hope I dream about it.

Boreal Chickadee

Then at the top, as I merrily explained to a lady who was asking about the birds we were hearing...Black-capped Chickadees and what I thought were Tufted Titmice...I pulled out my Mongolian Merlin to check out something else I was hearing, (probably a Golden-crowned Kinglet). However in my wild excitement I forgot to further pursue it. The "titmice" were Boreal Chickadees. We have spent the past several years chasing after them and there they were, a gift from the sky and my next younger brother. Life bird number 276.