The grosbeak nest has failed.
I worried a bit yesterday when I encountered the male uphill from the nest a bit, very near the trail, emitting a sharp alarm chip. When I then checked the nest, the baby birds were still there, at least three fuzzy heads bobbing—but it was the first time I hadn’t seen a parent with them. Wondered what had spooked the dad, or where the mom got off to. Didn’t worry, too much, though.
Turned out I had good reason.
I suspect the resident magpie family got the nestlings. A good while ago, the magpie pair fledged a brood of big, loud, healthy youngsters. Their nest was just up the slope from the grosbeaks’. Perhaps something happened to the female, which left the male as the only parent to fend for the youngsters.
An empty nest is a sad thing.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie
2. Lazuli Bunting
3. California Quail (v)
4. Black-headed Grosbeak (v)
5. American Robin (v)
6. Black-chinned Hummingbird
7. House Finch
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
9. Spotted Towhee
10. Mourning Dove
11. Black-capped Chickadee
12. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
13. Warbling Vireo (v)
14. Chipping Sparrow (v)
15. Wood-warbler (sp?)
16. Common Raven (v)
17. Black-throated Gray Warbler (v)
18. Orange-crowned Warbler (v)
19. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
Elsewhere
20. Rock Pigeon
21. Song Sparrow (v)
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: 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, common raven, house finch, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, mourning dove, Orange-crowned Warbler, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, song sparrow, spotted towhee, warbling vireo, wood-warbler (sp), Woodhouse’s scrub jay
