Hiking the Winston Ridge as Birders
Meeting Angeles National Forest Birds
On a chilly morning in September 2019, we left home before sunrise and drove along the Angeles Crest Highway for a new adventure. The trail to Winston Ridge is well-known among hiking enthusiasts, but we went there with a different purpose—to check out the birds in the Angeles National Forests. Buckle up and see what we found!
We parked at the Cloudburst Summit — a trailhead located between the Chilao Visitor Center and the Buckhorn Campground — and hike from there. Birding began as soon as we left our vehicle: on the treetop of a Jeffrey pine, a Clark’s Nutcracker landed and said hello:
We have only seen Clark’s Nutcrackers once before that day—when we were driving through the Rocky Mountain National Park. So this was a very happy reunion. Since Clark’s Nutcrackers are mountain birds, a place like the Cloudburst Summit is the best to find them. When we revisit there again a few months later, we were greeted by another Clark’s Nutcrackers at the same spot! If you have been hoping to see one, this place should definitely be on your list.
On the branches of endless Jeffrey pines, three types of birds stood out as the most common — Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, and Steller’s Jay. Pygmy Nuthatch can be the most elusive, as these already tiny birds keep jumping from one branch to another. Pygmy Nuthatches are only common in Western pine forests. If you happen to be hiking around this area, definitely keep an eye on the twigs and pine cones as you might encounter one.
Mountain Chickadees are also very active birds in this area. While looking almost identical to their “black-capped” relatives, they have distinct white eyebrows, as can be seen from the picture below. When you hike along the trail, watch for the small holes on the dead trees, as you might find them busy flying in and out and doing their best to raise their family!
Unlike the hyperactive small birds that constantly frustrate every binocular- and camera-holders, Steller’s Jays are large enough to locate and observe when you are on the Winston Ridge trail. In fact, they typically announce their presence with their harsh and scraping voice even before you see them! These Jays can only be seen in the Western mountains, and I personally like them even better than the Eastern Bluejays.
Another bird you don’t want to miss when hiking this trail is the White-headed Woodpeckers. Their beautiful white heads remind me of Japan’s traditional doll teru teru bozu whenever I see them. In our experience, it might be easier to find White-headed Woodpeckers near the Cloudburst Summit parking lot rather than further down the trail. We cannot prove this but the more we hiked, the more it seemed that they have all disappeared.
If you really want to see those White-headed Woodpeckers, but cannot find them in Cloudburst Summit or on the trail to Winston Ridge, it might help to try some different locations nearby. In the past, we have also seen them at the Chilao campground (see your Instagram post below). So definitely don’t give up as the encounter would be well worth your time 😃.
While our original goal on that day was the Winston Peak (see map below), we did not have time to make it there, as we found ourselves in the wrong place twice — first in the Cooper Canyon Trail Camp too far east, and then somewhere way too far north. Because the Pacific Crest Trail was much better maintained than the trail to the peak, it is relatively easy to miss the unmarked saddle where we were supposed to turn left. This is especially the case if you are birding along the way. Even after we found our way back, we found it difficult to identify all the “unmarked use trails” in our hiking guide, so we decided to turn back after realizing that the peak was in the opposite direction of where we were heading.
The good news is: if your primary goal is birding, we think hiking from Cloudburst Summit to Cooper Canyon Trail Camp would definitely suffice! You will likely see all the birds we listed above, along with some warblers or flycatchers depending on the time of your visit. When approaching the Cooper Canyon, there is a lovely small creek and that is where we ran into some warblers and flycatchers.
Do you enjoy birding in the mountains?
Through this virtual presentation, we hope to share our birding experience with you and connect all of us through nature and these amazing birds. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
