Birding at Manzanita Lake ☼ Lassen Volcanic National Park

The trail around Manzanita Lake is one of the easiest and most pleasant walks in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Every step offers gorgeous views and wonderful birding opportunities!

Mountain Chickadee

Birds we've spotted around the lake that I put in today's video include: Dark-eyed Junco, Bald Eagle, American Robin, Mountain Chickadee, American Dipper, Evening Grosbeak, Western Tanager, Steller's Jay, Townsend's Solitaire, Bufflehead, White-headed Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, Common Loon, Pacific Wren, and Brown Creeper.

Townsend's Solitaire

So let's take a walk around beautiful Manzanita Lake and have a look at some mountain birds in northern California...

Let's go birding!

American Dipper ☼ Hat Creek, Lassen Volcanic National Park

Spotted this cute little American Dipper in Hat Creek next to Paradise Meadow in Lassen Volcanic National Park...

Let's go birding!

Moment of Zen ☼ American Dipper Edition

Today's birding moment of zen is brought to you by Lassen Volcanic National Park's resident American Dipper of Manzanita Creek!

More bird videos...

Snow Dipper

We drove up to Lassen Volcanic National Park and it is truly a winter wonderland!

I wasn't really expecting to see too many birds, but we heard nuthatches and caught a glimpse of some chickadees fluttering around in the trees. The one bird we did get to photograph was enough to put a smile on my face.

This is Manzanita Creek, right where it flows into Manzanita Lake. This spot is one of my favorites and I've never seen it covered in snow before. If you follow my blog, you know which bird we see bee-bopping around in this creek nearly every time we visit.

The American Dipper! He (or she!) was there in the creek going about business as usual.

I know they live in the park year-round, but I never expected to see him in winter! They are such hardy, delightful little birds!

You can find lots more photos of the park over on my travel blog Vaughn the Road Again!

Manzanita Creek

It's still incredibly smoky in our area from all of the wildfires (you can read my post about the Carr Fire here), but we didn't let that stop us from venturing up to Lassen Volcanic National Park to take in some mountain scenery.

Manzanita Creek is one of my favorite spots, and even through the smoke it didn't disappoint.

Right away, we spotted TWO American Dippers in the creek...

They've got to be the cutest little bird and are definitely the most fun to watch as they bee-bop around, foraging in the water...

We also saw a mama deer and her two adorable babies...

So furry and cute with their little white spots!

Tomorrow, we're off to Manzanita Lake...

Mountain Birding: Elevation 5890 Feet - Part 2

Several times now we've seen an American Dipper at Manzanita Lake at Lassen Volcanic National Park. What a delightful bird! The cute little way they bee-bop around makes them one of my favorite birds to watch...

Later, after our walk around the lake, we saw another Dipper (or perhaps the same one) in Manzanita Creek...

Here's some video so you can get the full effect of his cute movements:

Lassen Volcanic National Park - Part 2

Manzanita Creek at Lassen Volcanic National Park is a great place to find birds!

 This juvenile Spotted Sandpiper was bopping around the creek bank...

And we also spotted an American Dipper!

 Guess who decided to drop in while we were birdwatching...

 A mama deer and her twins!

Big Dipper

This shady spot at Lassen Volcanic National Park was the perfect place to spot an American Dipper...

He was having a good ole time bee-bopping along, plunging headfirst into the moving water...