Fall migration’s a bit understated here in the sagebrushy Utah foothills, from what I’ve observed. Still interesting—a warbler here, a sparrow there, a hawk flying over, some random bird—but not as exciting as on Monhegan Island, Maine, where a bunch of birder friends are hanging out just now.
Still, I like it. I like the challenge. I like the usual suspects, and I like the crazy random Mountain Chickadees that’ve lately come down from the heights. I even like whiffing on those few species I didn’t get a good look at.
These little critters are moving, moving, moving. Heading south for hundreds or thousands of miles, usually at night, then stopping off in the morning to stock up on energy, only to make a return trip a few months hence—often ending up in the exact same bush where they were hatched.
(Can you guess I kind of have a thing for fall migration?)
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:23 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch**
2. Black-billed Magpie**
3. Yellow-rumped Warbler
4. Lesser Goldfinch*
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
7. Red-breasted Nuthatch
8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
9. Pine Siskin
10. Spotted Towhee
11. Northern Flicker**
12. American Robin
13. Downy Woodpecker (v)
14. Western Tanager
15. Mountain Chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
16. European Starling
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, blue-gray gnatcatcher, downy woodpecker, European starling, house finch, ine siskni, lesser goldfinch, mountain chickadee, northern flicker, red-breasted nuthatch, spotted towhee, western tanager, Woodhouse’s scrub jay, yellow-rumped warbler
