A patch of Russian olives grows on the rim of the century-old Monarch Quarry behind the bluff overlooking my neighborhood. The tree might be considered invasive—but the birds sure like its fruit.
And in spring—before I knew what kind of tree it was—I marveled at its tiny, oh-so-sweet-smelling yellow flowers. (Arguably one of the sweetest things I’ve ever smelled.)
Today a flock of robins stopped by this big ol’ tree to gulp down gobs of olives. Invasive or no, I love that tree.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 9:09 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin** 2. House Finch** (v) 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay* 4. Spotted Towhee 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. California Quail (v) 7. Black-capped Chickadee** 8. Dark-eyed Junco 9. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 10. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
11. Song Sparrow (v) 12. House Sparrow (v)
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
The Whitening has come later this winter than last. Only about three inches of snow fell overnight, but it had the effect of thoroughly blanketing the landscape—for a time. Because rising temps and afternoon soon took care of much of it by nightfall.
Heard the usual birds, saw a few. Plenty of animal tracks—three or four being coyotes’. Also spotted a couple deer this morning. No elk yet, though. (My first sightings last year were a week or ten days earlier—I looked it up.) We were first up the trail, dog and I, and alone until near the end of our hike.
The only bird species that decided to pose today was Dark-eyed Junco. Snowbirds don’t mind snow.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:39 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch** (v) 2. American Robin (v) 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v) 4. Northern Flicker 5. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 6. Dark-eyed Junco 7. Spotted Towhee 8. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 9. Rock Pigeon* 10. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
Elsewhere
11. Song Sparrow (v) 12. Eurasian Collared-dove
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
A stout warm breeze greeted dog and me when we emerged into this overcast morning. Also plenty of bird life, now that the nip had gone out of the air.
Not many bothered to pose for photos, though. For much of our hike, my ears made most of the IDs. That is, until we started up little Coyote Canyon, when a little gang of Black-capped Chickadees decided to accompany us. One in particular seemed to like the camera. And they always seem so bright and carefree, the chickadees.
In afternoon, around the house and running errands, I added quite a few nice species—American Crow, California Gull, Canada Goose. Place-name species, they were.
Still my thoughts turns back to those early chickadees.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 9 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
