Warmer than yesterday. Mostly overcast. Not as many individual birds—or in fact bird species—but what a rewarding hike it was.
For one thing, I got a decent pic of the usually uncooperative Mountain Chickadee. For another, I spied hawk, titmouse, a bunch more juncos—and, in the neighborhood, a cooperative Eurasian Collared-dove.
A fine day generally. The sun came out a bit this afternoon. (Supposed to see snowflakes in the morning, which is also fine with me.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:43 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Got cold overnight. Somewhere in the 30s (F), with a brisk breeze. I wore a scarf on my hike with Jack, who wore his usual fur coat.
Dark-eyed Junco.
Didn’t see or hear a bird for many minutes, and then only faint clues to finch or flicker or towhee. But somewhere around half-way along, things changed. Chickadees began to call, and a couple of Juniper Titmouse, and a bunch of Dark-eyed Juncos, and a pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Before long, it was all I could do to keep count.
Not complaining, mind you. It was one of those pleasantly surprising, unexpectedly successful birding excursions—even built to a nice crescendo (a large flock of juncos at the end). All in all, a very good day.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Right at the beginning of my (truly active) birding hike with dog this morning, I heard the frantic, unmistakable voice of an American Kestrel and looked up to see two of the little falcons wheeling around in the sky above the trailhead. As I angled for an action shot I never got, one of the birds abruptly, veered rapidly away and down to a perch at the tip of a nearby conifer. Auspicious, that.
The next two hours were full of odd and surprising bird visitations. Most were species I’ve been seeing nearly every day, but one stood out: a lone Osprey—first I’ve seen in more year-plus here in Utah—circling high above us. Migrating, I suspect, because there’ll be cooler days ahead.
If the forecasters are typically accurate, in fact, tomorrow morning’s hike will be the nippiest of the season.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch* 2. American Kestrel 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay** 4. Spotted Towhee 5. Northern Flicker 6. Pine Siskin 7. Juniper Titmouse 8. White-crowned Sparrow 9. Black-capped Chickadee 10. Black-billed Magpie* 11. American Robin 12. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 13. Dark-eyed Junco 14. Osprey 15. Downy Woodpecker 16. Mourning Dove*
Elsewhere
17. Rock Pigeon 18. American crow
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
