A few weeks ago, along the hiking trail I follow with my dog, I spied a Black-billed Magpie picking out, then carrying away pretty big stick. Over the course of a few days, I saw more stick-carrying—and noticed a large ball of sticks not too high in a trailside tree. Could that thing be the magpies’ nest.
In the past several days, dog and I have taken a new path, where also I’ve seen magpies behaving territorially. Spotted another big ol’ stick-ball, too—and, lo, out of its bottom flew a magpie. Came home and looked it up: sure enough, black-bills build a large domed stick-and-mud nest.
Cool.
Today’s early hike was a chilly one—30s (F) to start—but the sun came out, and we traipsed a pretty good way up the mountain, Jack and me.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked some 1,600 feet up a mountain.
1. Northern Flicker (v)
2. American Robin*
3. Black-billed Magpie*
4. Spotted Towhee
5. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
6. Pine Siskin (v)
7. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
8. Common Raven (v)
9. Mountain Chickadee (v)
10. House Finch*
Elsewhere
11. Song Sparrow
12. Lesser Goldfinch
13. Eurasian Collared Dove (v)
14. European Starling
15. Rock Pigeon
16. American Crow
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, common raven, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, house finch, lesser goldfinch, mountain chickadee, mule deer, northern flicker, pine siskin, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
