8 February 2025

Archive for August, 2021

A Quickie

Tuesday, August 31st, 2021
Black-capped Chickadee, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 31 August 2021.
Black-capped Chickadee, East Millcreek.

Had a quick hike this morning, since Jack had a vet appointment about an hour and a half after we began. (Just a vaccine.) Warmer, about room temperature. And quieter—much quieter than yesterday.

The highlight was a Vesper Sparrow, which I didn’t get a decent photo of. Also missed a few small migrants (I assume) that were traveling along with a gang of chickadees (as were yesterday’s warblers). “The Chickadee Trick,” I call this—casting about for glimpses of such tagalong birds. I failed at the trick this morning.

Good hike. And we were only a few minutes late for our appointment.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:03 a.m. (8:03 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. House Finch**
2. Black-chinned Hummingbird*
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
4. Rock Pigeon*
5. Eurasian Collared-dove*
6. Vesper Sparrow
7. Spotted Towhee
8. American Robin
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (v)

Elsewhere

11. Black-billed Magpie
12. California Quail
13. Barn Swallow
14. House Sparrow

Mammals

Red Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

The Unexpected

Monday, August 30th, 2021
Nashville Warbler, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 30 August 2021.
Nashville Warbler.

The first bird I heard this morning was a Northern Flicker. First flicker for months, I’d say. Unexpected.

Before long, I spied a quiet bird in a scrub oak: a Rock Wren. First of that species I’ve ever seen that wasn’t perched on a rock. Coincidentally, the next new species I saw was a House Wren. (So few wrens around here, I thought for a while it was the other wren following dog and me around.) Talk about unexpected.

Some time later, I spied a tiny batch of warblers following a vocal pod of chickadees (as warblers are wont to do when roaming). I assumed the first I took a photo of was a Virginia’s Warbler. Only when I looked at the photos later did I notice it was a Nashville Warbler—first in Utah. (At least I assume they have a full yellow belly here as they do back East.) Did not expect that.

Fact is, it was so quiet to start this morning that I sure didn’t expect my species list to reach 15.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:06 a.m. (8:06 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Northern Flicker (v)
2. House Finch*
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. Rock Pigeon
5. Eurasian Collared-dove*
6. Red-tailed Hawk
7. Black-chinned Hummingbird
8. Spotted Towhee
9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
10. Rock Wren
11. House Wren
12. Black-capped Chickadee
13. Nashville Warbler
14. Orange-crowned Warbler
15. American Goldfinch (v)

Elsewhere

16. Black-billed Magpie
17. Lesser Goldfinch

Mammals

Red Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere

Glimpses

Sunday, August 29th, 2021
Glimpse of juvie Spotted Towhee, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 29 August 2021.
Glimpse of juvie Spotted Towhee.

Chilly this morning ascending in the mountain shade with dog, Cool air (and not as bad as yesterday). Shorter hike after yesterday’s long haul. Way less bird action. Just glimpses.

Glimpsed three or four little birds that I could not ID. Sometimes you can chase ’em, but most times it’s best just to wait until they appear.

Did get a few good glimpses, though.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:07 a.m. (8:07 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
2. Mourning Dove
3. Black-chinned Hummingbird
4. Rock Pigeon*
5. Eurasian Collared-dove*
6. Spotted Towhee
7. Downy Woodpecker (v)
8. House Finch*
9. Lesser Goldfinch
10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
11. Black-capped Chickadee
12. Cooper’s Hawk

Elsewhere

13. Black-billed Magpie
14. House Sparrow

Mammals

Red Squirrel
Rock Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also 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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