The wind awakened me before dawn: the rush in the branches of trees, the whistle under the door, the clattering of stuff outside. And the wind had not abated (had perhaps increased) by the time dog and I started up the switchback.
Birding is difficult in a high wind. It’s hard to hear birds’ voices. It’s hard for them to perch. They’re even (I’m guessing) worried about hearing the telltale sounds of danger. But I did somehow hear (then see) a solitary robin. And somehow spied a high-flying eagle (knowing to scan windy skies)—as well as a sharpie. A little flock of siskins zipped overhead, then turned around and fled downwind.
On our return, I spied a single pigeon on a lamp post below. And finally, in the lee, I managed to hear the chips of chickadees and yellow-rumps. And later, doing errands in town, a random pair of geese flew by
Tomorrow’s supposed to be a wet one.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:58 a.m. (8:58 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin 2. Golden Eagle 3. Pine Siskin 4. Sharp-shinned Hawk 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Yellow-rumped Warbler
Elsewhere
8. California Gull 9. European Starling 10. Mourning Dove 11. Black-billed Magpie 12.Canada Goose
A lovely, breezy, vaporous, overcast morning. Quite a few bird species made their presences known early in my hike with Jack, not so many later on. And only one bird agreed to pose for a photo.
That’s how it goes sometimes. Most days grant me two or three pics. Occasionally, I strike it rich, with so many great photos that it’s hard to winnow ’em down. But this morning, the juncos wouldn’t hold still. The finch was backlit. The warblers flitted away—and the rest stayed hidden, just teasing me with their voices.
So thanks for the photo op, little chickadee.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 8:22 a.m. (9:22 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 2. Black-capped Chickadee 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v) 4. House Finch** 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Northern Flicker 7. Dark-eyed Junco 8. American Robin 9. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v) 10. Lesser Goldinch (v) 11. Spotted Towhee (v) 12. Yellow-rumped Warbler 13. Pine Siskin (v)
Elsewhere
14. California Quail 15. House Sparrow
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Dog and I hiked the trails this morning in a steady, gentle rain. Sure, we got a little wet and muddy—but the rewards far outweighed any drawbacks: the mysterious, misty foothills, the look of the wet, russet-colored foliage, the fleet, secretive gangs of juncos, the posing warbler.
Also water everywhere. Who could ask or more?
Grandeur Peak Area List At 8:24 a.m. (9:24 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
