This morning, right about the time I would’ve gotten out of bed anyway, the earthquake struck. Jack was moving around, and I suggested he go back to sleep for a while—he might’ve seen it coming (as dogs do). But you can do a lot of waking up during ten seconds of intense shaking.
Turned out to be the largest-magnitude quake since 1992—5.7 on the scale. No damage at my house (though some elsewhere in town, a closed airport, and a bunch of power outages). We ended up hiking kind of early, dog and I.
Plenty of birds up there on this otherwise overcast, chilly, snow-showery morning. Plenty in town also, during a quick grocery shopping run. Then, in afternoon, a 4.6-magnitude aftershock struck—same exact feeling, only it only lasted about five seconds.
A memorable day.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a couple hundred feet up the mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie*
2. American Robin*
3. Pine Siskin
4. House Finch* (v)
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
7. Northern Flicker**
8. Dark-eyed Junco
9. Spotted Towhee (v)
10. Song Sparrow**
11. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
Elsewhere
13. Eurasian Collared Dove
14. European Starling
15. Rock Pigeon
16. Common Raven
17. California Quail
18. House Sparrow
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, California quail, common raven, dark-eyed junco, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, house finch, house sparrow, lesser goldfinch, northern flicker, pine siskin, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
