8 February 2025

Archive for June, 2020

Summer Solitaire

Tuesday, June 30th, 2020
Townsend’s Solitaire, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 30 June 2020.
Townsend’s Solitaire.

This morning was cool and breezy with sprinkles blowing around. We actually took a little stroll in the (very light) rain, dog and I. Also encountered quite a few birds, many of ’em clearly keeping track of youngsters.

The highlight was a solitary Townsend’s Solitaire, perching, fly-catching, and emitting a very subtle version of its every-two-second territorial call.

I stood a while watching and listening to my first summer solitaire.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Mourning Dove*
2. Lazuli Bunting
3. Black-headed Grosbeak
4. House Finch*
5. Black-capped Chickadee** (v)
6. Black-chinned Hummingbird
7. Spotted Towhee
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
10. Pine Siskin
11. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
12. Townsend’s Solitaire
13. Warbling Vireo (v)
14. Rock Pigeon
15. American Robin* (v)

Elsewhere

16. Eurasian Collared Dove
17. Song Sparrow (v)
18. American Kestrel

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

Two-Hawk Day

Monday, June 29th, 2020
Red-tailed Hawk, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 29 June 2020.
Red-tailed Hawk (and State Capitol).

Rain this early morning. Captain Jack and I awoke to a gray day and a chill: about 42 degrees (F). We waited until the air dried up a bit, then hiked up the switchback—and saw no other dog or human. Saw a few birds, though.

Notable were two hawk species on this morning’s list. Not far from the trailhead, soaring in the direction of town, was a handsome Red-tailed Hawk. Then up the drippy valley trail (Coyote Canyon, I hear it’s called), I heard the distinctive kip-kip! calls of a Cooper’s Hawk.

The Cooper’s silenced the voices of Warbling Vireo and Black-throated Green Warbler, but I didn’t mind.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Black-headed Grosbeak (v)
2. Lazuli Bunting
3. Song Sparrow** (v)
4. House Finch**
5. Black-chinned Hummingbird
6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
7. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
8. Spotted Towhee
9. Red-tailed Hawk
10. Pine Siskin
11. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
12. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
13. Chipping Sparrow (v)
14. Black-throated Gray Warbler (v)
15. Warbling Vireo (v)
16. Cooper’s Hawk (v)
17. American Robin*
18. Mourning Dove

Elsewhere

19. Eurasian Collared Dove
20. European Starling

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

Good Day

Sunday, June 28th, 2020
Black-headed Grosbeak(s), East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 28 June 2020.
Black-headed Grosbeak(s).
Gnatcatcher vs scrub-jay, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 28 June 2020.
Gnatcatcher vs scrub-jay.

The air this morning smelled slightly smoky, as dog and I ascended the trail. I suspect because of a fire down around Lehi. (Fireworks.) Mostly overcast, in advance of promised thundershowers (which did arrive this afternoon). Just felt a little off up there.

But we were blessed with a trio of grosbeaks, and a courageous display by two gnatcatchers (and a goldfinch) against a nonchalant (but much larger) scrub-jay.

Dipped (photo-wise) on a Warbling Vireo and two Black-throated Gray Warblers. But that’s OK.

Every day is a good day.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Rock Pigeon*
2. Lazuli Bunting
3. House Finch*
4. Black-chinned Hummingbird
5. Black-headed Grosbeak
6. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
7. Spotted Towhee
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
9. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
10. Black-capped Chickadee
11. Chipping Sparrow (v)
12. Black-throated Gray Warbler
13. Warbling Vireo
14. Mourning Dove
15. American Robin*
16. Song Sparrow**

Elsewhere

17. Eurasian Collared Dove
18. House Sparrow
19. European Starling
20. Black-billed Magpie

Mammals

Rock Squirrel

(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
©1997–2025 by 3IP