6 April 2026

Archive for the ‘Lists’ Category

Solo

Thursday, December 16th, 2021
Northern Flicker, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 16 December 2021.
Northern Flicker.

Captain Jack didn’t accompany me on this morning’s hike. He seemed a little lame this morning, and I chalked it up to slipping and sliding in yesterday’s deep snowfall, and I wrestled with the decision a while, and since I also planned to run errands afterward, I asked him to guard the house and I’d be right back.

It just felt wrong, being dogless. Made me antsy the whole time. Felt guilty.

Snowed lightly, a bit of a breeze. Saw a few birds, a couple deer. Somehow I got a flicker to pose. Missed Jack the whole time—and I know he missed me, too. We’ll hike together tomorrow, though, as usual.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 9:30 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Song Sparrow* (v)
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
5. Northern Flicker
6. Spotted Towhee (v)
7. Pine Siskin
8. House Finch
9. Rock Pigeon*

Elsewhere

9. House Sparrow

Mammals

Mule Deer
Red Squirrel (v)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere

Snow Day

Wednesday, December 15th, 2021
Golden Eagle, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 15 December 2021.
Golden Eagle.

Awoke this morning to a sheet-load of snow. About a foot here at home—and, as I suspected, a few inches more up on the deer trails. Temps in the 20s (F), so not wet snow, but the kind you need snowshoes for.

So I wore my snowshoes.

Basically, I plowed a track for Captain Jack, who followed along behind me. A shorter hike than usual and, frankly, more birds than I expected. Even spied an eagle high on a rocky, snow-dusted outcrop.

More snow tomorrow, I hear.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 9:34 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
2. House Finch**
3. Rock Pigeon*
4. Black-billed Magpie
5. Golden Eagle
6. Townsend’s Solitaire (v)
7. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
8. Dark-eyed Junco
9. Northern Flicker
10. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay

Mammals

Mule Deer

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

Blustery

Tuesday, December 14th, 2021
Northern Flicker on a windy morn, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 14 December 2021.
Northern Flicker on a windy morn.

This morning’s might well have been the windiest hike dog and I have ever experienced. Not too cold, a mostly clear sky, and stout breezes early—which strengthened until it carried gusts of maybe 50 or 60 miles an hour. We were lucky to have stayed on our feet what with all the ice on the trails.

Few birds on today’s list on account of that wind. (Hard to perch, couldn’t hear their voices.) But I did spy a big flock of south-bound robins early, and caught a pic of a flicker trying to cling to a twig as the wind whipped around him.

Rain this evening, then snow overnight (or so they say). Likely whitened trails in the morning.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 8:55 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. American Robin
2. Black-capped Chickadee
3. House Finch
4. Rock Pigeon*
5. Black-billed Magpie**
6. Northern Flicker

Mammals

Red Squirrel (v)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



3IP Logo
©1997–2026 by 3IP