Overcast, breezy, chilly, changing weather. Just two bird species for about half my hike with dog, then a couple of juncos showed up—and I heard the tap-tap-tap-tap of my Downy Woodpecker friend.
Nearly every day for months now I’ve encountered one of two downys in the scorched scrub oaks of the burnt patch left by the little fire from July. First it was a female, for a week, two weeks. Then the female was replaced by a male—not sure if they’re a couple—and in the weeks since, there he’ll be, tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.
It’s become a thing I dearly look forward to daily, such that I get a little melancholy when the bird doesn’t show up that morning. But all it takes is another bird or two—and I’ll be looking forward to listening the next day.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:51 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch (v)
2. Black-billed Magpie (v)
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. Northern Flicker (v)
5. Dark-eyed Junco
6. Downy Woodpecker
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Spotted Towhee
9. California Quail (v)
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
