Elevation: ca 5,000 feet
Directions: Hwy 20 about 12 miles east of Nevada City on the south side of the highway. Look for the Skillman Campground sign and turn onto Burlington Ridge Road. Not quite a mile past this turn-off on Hwy 20 is Upper Burlington Ridge Road which gives limited access to the up-hill side of the stand.
Habitat: Relatively mature White Fir forest set aside by the USFS as potential Spotted Owl habitat. Further along Burlington Ridge Road one finds clear-cuts in varying stages of succession that offer different species of plants and birds, such as nesting Fox Sparrows.
Birds: This is a magical place at dawn and dusk in the spring as Hermit Thrushes greet and send off the day with their haunting songs. Woodpeckers abound – Pileated, Hairy, White-headed, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Flicker – on the steep slopes. Hammond’s and Pacific-slope Flycatchers make forays for insects. Warblers are represented by Nashville, Yellow-rumped, and Hermit. Nesting Golden-crowned Kinglets, Mountain and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, and Purple Finches are common in spring. Cassin’s and Hutton’s Vireos can also be found. Western Tanagers add a splash of color to the dark forest. Both Spotted Owl and N. Saw-whet Owl have been reported here as well.
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