This morning’s hike with dog was rather glorious. The temperature was nippy, but the sky had few clouds, and the sun soon warmed the landscape. No large numbers of birds, but a nice selection of species—and in the air was an unspoken promise of more to come.
No juncos or magpies on the deer trails, but heard a nuthatch, got a glimpse of a raven. Cottontails and mule deer made appearances.
Little green things growing. It felt like spring.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:37 a.m. (8:37 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Spotted Towhee 2. House Finch** 3. American Robin* 4. Northern Flicker** (v) 5. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay* 6. Lesser Goldfinch* (v) 7. Rock Pigeon* 8. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 9. Black-capped Chickadee* 19. Common Raven 11. Song Sparrow* (v)
Elsewhere
12. European Starling 13. Canada Goose (v) 14. Eurasian Collared-dove (v) 15. House Sparrow (v) 16. Black-billed Magpie (v)
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
On something of a lark, I hiked with dog up the long switchback to the Pipeline Overlook, then up and over the ridge, and down Coyote Canyon. The sky was fair, the trail excellent on the way up, and not too muddy on our return.
Birds included calling Chukars, a pair of ravens circling us, and—just as we were finishing our three-hour journey, a first-of-year Turkey Vulture.
Spring does, in fact, seem to be in the air.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:40 a.m. (8:40 MDT), I hiked about 1,200 feet up a mountain.
A snow-showery morning. Fog above and mud below up on the deer trails with dog. Aside from a few deer and a modest collection of birds, we were along up there, Jack and I. Few decent photo opportunities (other than artsy fog photos).
But back home in late-afternoon, the sun emerged, and a flicker paused and posed.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8 a.m. (9 a.m. MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Spotted Towhee 2. Dark-eyed Junco** 3. House Finch* (v) 4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 5. American Robin* (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Rock Pigeon* 8. Song Sparrow* (v) 9. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 10. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
Elsewhere
11. Eurasian Collared-dove 12. European Starling 13. Northern Flicker
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere