This bright Memorial Day morning, dog and I were alone on the deer trails for the first three quarters of our hike. Just us and the birds (and a rock squirrel) until other human started trickling up the sides of the sun-splashed foothills.
Of the good selection of species I spied, the funnest was a Brewer’s Sparrow. Only with the week did I hear my first Brewer’s Sparrow song, and it was pretty grand—then today’s bird decided to perform something of a symphony. A long collection of trills on different pitches and with varied lengths and flourishes.
My favorite part of the day, bird-wise. Then again, as a by-hear birder, I do love me some birdsong.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7 a.m. (8 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Breezy, cool, mostly overcast to start, clearing later—and what a hike it would be. Tallied twenty-four varied species (including a random Mallard flyby).
Other birds of interest were a couple of flycatchers, a Brewer’s Sparrow, a little flock of swallows, a tanager. Several species stopped to let me take their photo.
Already looking forward to morning.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:11 a.m. (8:11 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lazuli Bunting 2. Black-headed Grosbeak (v) 3. Rock Pigeon 4. Black-chinned Hummingbird 5. American Robin* 6. Spotted Towhee 7. Warbling Vireo 8. Western Wood-pewee 9. Mourning Dove 10. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 11. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12. House Finch** 13. Mallard 14. Rock Wren 15. Brewer’s Sparrow 16. Pine Siskin (v) 17. Chipping Sparrow 18. Black-capped Chickadee 19. Black-throated Gray Warbler (v) 20. Black-billed Magpie 21. Virginia’s Warbler 22. Violet-green Swallow 23. Western Tanager
Elsewhere
24. California Quail 25. European Starling 26. Song Sparrow
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Pretty quiet this calm, lovely morning up along the deer trails. Coolish still, and dry. I wonder each morning why it’s different from the morning before—and the morning before that. They’re all different, sometimes subtly so, and sometimes vastly.
Not nearly as many species today as in recent days. I imagine migration is diminishing apace. (Did hear one bird I couldn’t identify—and couldn’t track down.) Nests are active. Not nearly as much singing going on.
Each day is different, year round. Just as every season is different from the previous year’s. Makes me wonder. And any hike that makes me wonder is a good walk. (Not sure I’ve ever had a bad one.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:28 a.m. (8:28 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
