Not as warm as yesterday, nor as crystal clear. Fact is, density of particulates in the air has risen lately on account of the crazy number of California wildfires.
But still, birds abounding. Most interesting to me lately have been the interactions of various hummingbird species. The Black-chinned variety tend to be rather peaceful and easy to get along with—at least compared to the feisty broadtails are notoriously territorial.
But not as territorial (in my limited experience) as Rufous Hummingbirds—a few immature individuals of which I’ve seen lately—although you’d never know it by the single young male I spotted today, who sat calmly on a perch ,as a female black-chinned perched nervously above.
Yes, I’ve been on kind of a hummingbird kick these days. Have loved watching their complex behavior—including their occasional hovering a few feet from my face, apparently curious about little ol’ human me.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:01 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Mourning Dove*
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
3. Black-chinned Hummingbird
4. Blue-gray Gnatcatcherdd
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Rock Pigeon
7. Black-billed Magpie*
8. Red-breasted Nuthatch
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. Downy Woodpecker
11. Virginia’s Warbler
12. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
13. Canada Goose
14. Rufous Hummingbird
15. House Finch**
16. Lazuli Bunting
Elsewhere
17. House Sparrow (v)
18. Eurasian Collared Dove
19. California Quail
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: black-billed magpie, black-chinned hummingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, broad-tailed hummingbird, California quail, Canada goose, downy woodpecker, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, house sparrow, lazuli bunting, mourning dove, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, rufous hummingbird, spotted towhee, Virginia’s warbler, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
