It always seems to go this way: I decide to challenge myself (and Jack, my dog)—in this case, hike up to the same ridge we hiked yesterday—and then I keep going. I have this thing about moving beyond. Or something.
Anyway, this morning that meant climbing about 2,400 feet, to 7,500 feet—the highest we’ve ascended here yet. Rewards were my first Ruffed Grouse sighting in Utah (we flushed it at above 7,000 feet) and my second Steller’s Jay sighting (at 7,500).
Took a while. Left us tuckered. But it felt like an achievement—and the view from up there was grand.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked about 2,400 feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin*
2. Spotted Towhee**
3. Black-billed Magpie
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Pine Siskin (v)
7. Cooper’s Hawk
8. House Finch*
9. Chukar
10. Northern Flicker
11. Ruffed Grouse
12. Steller’s Jay
13. Turkey Vulture
14. Common Raven
Elsewhere
15. Song Sparrow
16. European Starling
17. Eurasian Collared Dove
18. California Quail
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, California quail, chukar, common raven, cooper's hawk, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, house finch, mule deer, northern flicker, pine siskin, ruffed grouse, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Steller’s jay, turkey vulture, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
