Got to the trailhead a bit earlier this morning, still cool, shady, breezy—and quiet. Missed a few more little flitty birds, too, but in the early sunny spots, a few sparrows emerged.
Three species, to be precise: chippies, Brewer’s, and (first in I don’t know how long) a single immature white-crowned hanging with the little guys. And later, back home, a family (or two) of House Sparrows showed up in the garden, dining on sunflower seeds.
I kinda dig sparrows.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:07 a.m. (8:07 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
On clear cool quiet September mornings, it’s nice to have a photogenic neighborhood bird or two in the neighborhood.
Another quiet morning hike with dog. Similar to yesterday—few posing species, a couple missed hpotos, two or three silently flitting migrants that I didn’t get a good look at.
But on our return, a house or two from home, I stopped the truck, grabbed my camera, and got a photo of a pretty good-lookin’ quail.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:14 a.m. (8:14 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay* 2. Black-chinned Hummingbird 3. American Robin 4. House Finch 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Sharp-shinned Hawk 7. European Starling 8. Eurasian Collared-dove* 9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (v) 10. Spotted Towhee 11. Black-capped Chickadee** 12. Green-tailed Towhee
Mammals
Rock Squirrel Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
What a strange morning. We got to the trailhead early, dog and I—and by “early,” I mean the hour when the mountain shade covered nearly the whole of our usual trail. Nearly nippy this morning also. I never know what to expect, but I did think I’d have more than just four species on my list before we reached our hike’s half-way point.
So very, very quiet. I did hear a few little chip notes in the foliage but didn’t recognize the chippers. I can’t recall such a quiet morning.
On our return, as morning sunlight began to spread across the junipers and scrub-oaks, we finally encountered a few of of the usual species—chickadee, gnatcatcher and such—but still no decent photos. Until we made it back to the little quarry, when three or four more bids popped up (among them a scrub-jay that actually posed).
So strangely quiet early, though. I think we’ll wait to embark until a little later in the morning.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7 a.m. (8 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-chinned Hummingbird 2. Rock Pigeon* 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay** 4. Spotted Towhee 5. Black-billed Magpie** (v) 6. Western Tanager (v) 7. House Finch* 8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9. Black-capped Chickadee 10. Mourning Dove 11. Eurasian Collared-dove 12. Lesser Goldfinch**
Mammals
Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
