
On a mostly overcast morning, dog and I had a very nice hike. Coolish still (but this will change), and no others encountered on our trek up the switchback and around the hillsides.
The usual suspects, bird-wise—including two resident warblers singing dependably in their preferred locations: MacGillivray’s and black-throated gray. If birding scarcity increases value, warblers are precious here.
Maine’s wood-warblers got me birding in the first place exactly 40 years ago—I couldn’t resist their crazy spring music in the woodlands of northern New England. A couple dozen species pass through Maine during migration. Where I lived, maybe a dozen stick around.
Since I moved to the high desert last summer, I’ve encountered far fewer warbler species. Resident species in my patch number maybe a half-dozen. Still, the two I saw today were enough to whet my warbler whistle.
Later, this warm afternoon, as I worked at my front table, I saw a large, winged shadow pass across the lawn. Peeked out and spied a Red-tailed Hawk soaring in the warm air—and perhaps 1,000 feet above it, two or three paragliders.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Downy Woodpecker**
2. Black-billed Magpie*
3. House Finch*
4. Black-headed Grosbeak
5. Black-chinned Hummingbird*
6. American Robin*
7. Lazuli Bunting
8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
9. Spotted Towhee
10. Song Sparrow* (v)
11. California Quail* (v)
12. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
13. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
14. Warbling Vireo
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. MacGillivray’s Warbler
17. Black-throated Gray Warbler
18. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
19. Eurasian Collared Dove
20. Red-tailed Hawk
Mammals
None
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billd magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-headed grosbeak, black-throated gray warbler, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California quail, chipping sparrow, downy woodpecker, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, MacGillivray’s warbler, red-tailed hawk, song sparrow, spotted towhee, warbling vireo, Woodhouse’s scrub-jay