Another lovely hike this morning. Encountered only two humans on the trails—as many as rock squirrels. But got glimpses of vireo and grosbeaks and many chickadees. The highlight of the day, however, was a bird I spied out my front window: a female Bullock’s Oriole fluttering around in the roses, hunting insects and flies.
The oriole got me thinking of all the cool birds I’ve seen out there in the yard this past year. Hummingbirds and finches, corvids and sparrows, thrushes and assorted hawks (at least three species). Thinking I might even like to keep a yard list.
Yep, I do cherish my daily hike with Captain Jack. But you don’t really have to travel far to see good birds.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Rock Pigeon*
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
3. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
4. Lazuli Bunting
5. House Finch*
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Black-chinned Hummingbird
8. Black-headed Grosbeak
9. Spotted Towhee
10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
11. Pine Siskin (v)
12. Lesser Goldfinch**
13. Cooper’s Hawk (v)
14. Warbling Vireo
15. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
16. American Robin
17. Eurasian Collared Dove
18. Mourning Dove
19. European Starling
20. Bullock’s Oriole
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, blue-gray gnatcatcher, Bullock’s oriole, cooper's hawk, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, house finch, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, mourning dove, northern flicker, pine siskin, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, spotted towhee, warbling vireo, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
