Today was much like yesterday. Not in the length of our hike or my bird list, rather weather-wise—and revelation-wise.
A lovely day, in fact, sun-soaked and warmish (albeit with some particulates in the basin). Quiet compared to yesterday, with fewer species and individual birds. But toward the end of it, I heard goldfinches flying over and thought, Wait—those sound like American Goldfinches.
Much as with yesterday’s Golden-crowned Kinglet puzzle, it occurred to me that I didn’t know if there American Goldfinches frequented this area. (I’d assumed the local goldfinches were lessers only.) But I daresay I know the voices of AMGOs. So when I got home I looked it up. Duh!
So now it occurs to me I might’ve heard other AMGOs here a time or two, but simply figured I was hearing things. Ah, revelations.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:11 a.m. (MST), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Dark-eyed Junco
2. House Finch**
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. American Robin
5. Spotted Towhee*
6. Northern Flicker** (v)
7. Downy Woodpecker
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. American Goldfinch (v)
10. Black-billed Magpie*
Elsewhere
11. European Starling
12. Red-tailed Hawk
13. Rock Pigeon
14. House Sparrow (v)
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Mammals
Red Squirrel (v)
Tags: American goldfinch, American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, downy woodpecker, European starling, house finch, house sparrow, northern flicker, red squirrel, red-tailed hawk, rock pigeon, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
