24 March 2023

Archive for the ‘Poem’ Category

Silent Hike

Saturday, December 25th, 2021
Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 25 December 2021.
Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay.

Christmas Day, icy trail, gusty winds, nearly a gale. Birds deciding to up and lay low. Still the dog and I do go.

Did catch sight of a scrub-jay. Did catch sight of a jay.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 9:16 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. House Finch (v)
2. Black-billed Magpie**
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
5. Dark-eyed Junco (v)

(v) Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere

Overcast Morn

Tuesday, February 9th, 2021
Juniper Titmouse, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 09 February 2021.
Juniper Titmouse.

Rain showers were in the forecast for this warmish morning, so dog and I didn’t waste any time in getting up the switchback. The overcast persisted, but no precipitation fell in our vicinity. Still, I didn’t expect to end up with many wild critters on my list.

I was wrong: plenty of bird species popped up (many willing to pose), and a Rock Squirrel made its first appearance in a while.

Notable were a softly singing Townsend’s Solitaire, a Juniper Titmouse, and a female Cassin’s Finch awaiting our return to the trailhead.

Would that tomorrow’s might be this fun.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:38 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. American Robin*
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. House Finch**
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Rock Pigeon*
7. Dark-eyed Junco**
8. Juniper Titmouse
9. Black-billed Magpie*
10. Townsend’s Solitaire
11. Northern Flicker**
12. Mourning Dove
13. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
14. Cassin’s Finch

Elsewhere

15. House Sparrow
16. Eurasian Collared-dove (v)
17. European Starling

Mammals

Rock Squirrel

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

Thaw

Thursday, April 11th, 2019
Mallard hen, Chickawaukie Lake, Rockland, Maine, 11 April 2019.
Mallard hen.

The day started off sub-freezing but warmed about 25 degrees (F) by afternoon. This had the happy effect of melting most of the recent snowfall, clearing food for birds.

The birds themselves weren’t overly active, limited as they’ve been lately. Also, no huge migrations in a couple days (that I’ve observed anyway).

I did get good looks at waterfowl, though—among them mallards in love.

Update: Heard a Barred Owl in the back yard while in bed tonight.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Northern Cardinal** (v)
2. American Robin* (v)
3. Mourning Dove* (v)
4. Song Sparrow*
5. American Crow*
6. American Goldfinch
7. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)

Elsewhere

8. Herring Gull
9. House Finch (v)
10. Ring-billed Gull
11. European Starling
12. Common Loon
13. Red-breasted Merganser
14. Mallard
15. Barred Owl (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



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