This morning was chilly compared to recent mornings. Right away, as dog and I started up the switchback, birds began to make themselves apparent. The usual suspects mostly (albeit not singing so much as they used to), until we got to the shade of Coyote Canyon, when things got exciting.
First were the wing-trills of the Broad-tailed Hummingbirds that’ve been following us up the cool valley there in past days. Soon enough I heard heard a short, sweet, subtle warble, which turned out to be a female grosbeak’s. Then I spied my first Warbling Vireo in a few days, a random Yellow Warbler in the leafy maples, then another bird up there I could not quickly ID—apparently a young bird, being fed by a parent. I got a photo, thought, which revealed it to be a Plumbeous Vireo (only my third-ever glimpse of the species).
The short climb was thrillingly birdy. Then, unexpectedly, I happened to notice two grouse in the thick greenery not six or eight feet off the trail. Unexpectedly, they did not fly—just stood contemplating me as I snapped photos, then moseyed off into the vegetation. Later, after viewing the photos, I decided these were Ruffed Grouse.
Update: Months later (on 27 February 2021), I had email from the local eBird expert, who advised me the photo above (which I posted there, as well) in fact depicted a Dusky Grouse hen. (Pale throat and overall darker plumage set this bird apart). Talk about unexpected: How strange to be celebrating a new lifer so many months after seeing it!
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
2. Rock Pigeon*
3. Mourning Dove*
4. American Robin
5. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
6. House Finch**
7. Black-chinned Hummingbird*
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Black-billed Magpie (v)
10. Spotted Towhee
11. Pine Siskin (v)
12. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
13. Warbling Vireo
14. Plumbeous Vireo
15. Yellow Warbler
16. Black-headed Grosbeak
17. Dusky Grouse‡
18. Lazuli Bunting
19. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
Elsewhere
20. California Quail
21. Song Sparrow
22. House Sparrow (v)
23. Northern Flicker (v)
24. Eurasian Collared Dove
Mammals
Red Squirrel
Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
‡Lifer
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-headed grosbak, blue-gray gnatcatcher, broad-tailed hummingbird, dusky grouse, house finch, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, mountain cottontail, mourning dove, pine siskin, plumbeous vireo, rock pigeon, spotted towhee, warbling vireo, Woodhouse’s scrub jay, yellow warbler
