Warmer by a little, still cloudless, still no breeze to speak of. Things started off slow—but got interesting pretty quick-like.
The old quarry hollow turned out to be crawling with towhees and juncos and jays and finches—also a cottontail and my first Utah Long-tailed Weasel. [Actually, not my first: The “red squirrel” I listed yesterday was in fact a weasel also—as I mused aloud to my GoPro at the time before deciding I had to be wrong. Now I see it. Will fix.]
Up in the junipers, I heard the Shook-shook-shook-shook! of a Steller’s Jay—and finally saw the bird as it zoomed down the hill and out of photo range.
Really dug this day.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9:08 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. House Finch**
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
4. Dark-eyed Junco
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Lesser Goldfinch*
7. American Robin
8. Mourning Dove (v)
9. Steller’s Jay
10. Juniper Titmouse (v)
11. Black-billed Magpie*
Elsewhere
12. Rock Pigeon
13. Northern Flicker (v)
14. Song Sparrow
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Mammals
Red Squirrel
Mountain Cottontail
Long-tailed Weasel
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, house finch, juniper titmouse, lesser goldfinch, long-tailed weasel, mountain cottontail, mourning dove, northern flicker, red squirrel, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Steller’s jay, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
