As forecast, we had some rain overnight, and the temperature dipped considerably—to the 30s (F) when dog and I started up the switchback. Traces of snow on the trail and the mountainsides. Also quite a bit of bird activity.
The first species I spied, in fact, was a slow-soaring Red-tailed Hawk—coasting against a stout southwesterly breeze—and then came chickadee, finch, towhee, magpie. And after those, I couldn’t help but notice a pair of large birds gliding low above the landscape: Golden Eagles, first I’ve seen in a while, hunting.
No snow fell during our nipping morning adventure, but three or four inches fell in afternoon. Looking forward to another adventure tomorrow.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:17 a.m. (MST), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Red-tailed Hawk
3. House Finch*
4. Spotted Towhee
5. Black-billed Magpie
6. Golden Eagle
7. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
9. Northern Flicker
10. Dark-eyed Junco*
11. Mountain Chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
12. American Robin (v)
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, golden eagle, house finch, lesser goldfinch, mountain chickadee, northern flicker, red-tailed hawk, spottd towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
