17 February 2025

Archive for March, 2021

Ah, Spring—Part 2

Sunday, March 28th, 2021
Robin with an attitude, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 28 March 2021.
Robin with an attitude.

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

Ah, Spring

Saturday, March 27th, 2021
Ravens in love, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 27 March 2021.
Ravens in love.
Turkey Vulture, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 27 March 2021.
Turkey Vulture.

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.

1. Black-capped Chickadee*
2. Lesser Goldfinch* (v)
3. Dark-eyed Junco
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. Northern Flicker (v)
6. Spotted Towhee
7. American Robin*
8. Rock Pigeon*
9. House Finch**
10. Juniper Titmouse
11. Chukar (v)
12. Common Raven
13. Turkey Vulture†

Elsewhere

14. Black-billed Magpie
15. Eurasian Collared-dove (v)
16. Song Sparrow (v)

Mammals

Mule Deer

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year

Flicker

Friday, March 26th, 2021
Northern Flicker in the yard, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 26 March 2021.
Northern Flicker in the yard.

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

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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