A morning much like the past two mornings. A blue morning, thanks to the mountain shade. Saw a cottontail near the beginning of our hike, dog and me, but few bird species. In fact, we saw more humans and dogs than bird species combined. Had nice interactions with the latter, few photos of the former.

Did snag a pic of a junco in the yard this afternoon, though. And despite the slim pickin’s, it was a lovely December day.

(Also a lovely evening—Saturn and Jupiter are nearing their impending conjunction, to occur on the longest night of the year.)

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:23 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.

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

Elsewhere

8. Rock Pigeon

Mammals

Red Squirrel (v)

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