I’m kinda crazy about gnatcatchers. I’d only seen a few before I moved out to the Mountain West last summer; I’ve seen a whole bunch since. And since they’re so common here, I’ve gotten to know their habits in every month except July.
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are wee little birds with a whiny voice and a flitty nature. They’re handsome, I think—all blue-gray, with flashy white-edged tail and dark, angry looking eyebrows. They’re expert catchers of gnats and flies. Also nest builders: highly impressive little things, those nests (only about 1.75 inches wide at the top.
They just fledged their young about a week ago, and since have been squealing and whining at potential threats, attempting to distract them or lead them away. I’ve seen them dive-bomb scrub-jays several times—and they’ve even harassed me and Jack my dog a couple times.
I’m happy to have had them around during pretty much every daily hike we’ve taken since their arrival earlier this spring.
Thanks, gnatcatchers.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Rock Pigeon*
2. Song Sparrow* (v)
3. Black-billed Magpie*
4. American Robin*
5. Black-chinned Hummingbird
6. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
7. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
8. Black-headed Grosbeak
9. Lazuli Bunting
10. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
11. California Quail* (v)
12. Spotted Towhee
13. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
14. House Finch**
15. Black-throated Gray Warbler
16. Warbling Vireo
17. Chipping Sparrow
Elsewhere
18. Eurasian Collared Dove (v)
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American red squirrel, American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-headed grosbeak, black-throated gray warbler, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California quail, chipping sparrow, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, song sparrow, spotted towhee, warbling vireo, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
