On something of a lark, we did the ridge hike this morning, dog and I. a couple more inches of snow had fallen overnight, but the ascent up the switchback proved easy enough. However, it appeared only one other hiker had topped the ridge—and the snow was deep up there.
So it took us a good while. But the scenery was lovely, and we a had the company of deer. Not many birds—and one of them I heard uttering a call that I did not recognize. Got only a distant view of it flying away.
The rest of the day was rather a lazy one for dog and me
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:42 a.m. (MST), I hiked some 1,200 hundred feet up a mountain.
A chilly, mostly overcast morning with a couple fresh inches of snow on the ground. Only met a couple people on the trails, along with several deer and a cottontail. Not many birds, though.
A solitaire has apparently taken a liking to the Russian olive grove (two days in a row, at least), and chickadees sprinkled all over the snow-showery landscape—but not much else.
I did, however, follow what looked like some good-sized wildcat tracks, fairly fresh, running along a good length of our routine trail.
No towhees today—except for one devouring seed spill on my back deck.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:34 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch* (v) 2. Black-capped Chickadee** 3. Song Sparrow* (v) 4. Townsend’s Solitaire 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay** 7. Northern Flicker* 8. Black-billed Magpie**
Elsewhere
9. Song Sparrow 10. Spotted Towhee
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail Mule Deer Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
The past few days have brought a little excitement up the deer trail. This morning was a lovely one, with an interesting sky, deer and cottontail—and an unexpected Steller’s Jay. In fact, I heard a second Steller’s a bit farther up (they were both hiding in junipers but loudly vocalizing). And the near one even had the decency to pop up and pose for a photo or two.
(I’ve only seen this species three or four times since my move here, but now I believe I’ve learned a lot about its voice—shook-shook-shook, growl, and rattle.)
I had fifteen rather active bird species on my trail list today. Kind of feels like spring is on the way.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:41 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
