The temperature dipped last night, so dog and I enjoyed a brisk, bracing hike. The usually species, mostly—including a young Mountain Cottontail—but my first batch of juncos sparked my interest. They seemed a little more upset with our approach than usual (usually they flit away). I tried to keep track, hoping for a photo.
Saw movement in a juniper ahead of us, pointed my camera in that direction, and saw a cool-looking unfamiliar bird. Some kind of very small hawk or owl. My first Utah owl. I had no idea what it was. I thought perhaps a saw-whet (which species I’ve heard but not seen in person), but the tail seemed too long. Got a bunch of pics and figured I’d look it up when we got back home.
Which I did. My first-ever Northern Pygmy Owl. A tiny terror.
Been a while since I’ve had a lifer. I’ve saved the memory of its sighting for recall in the future.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:17 a.m. (MST), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch**
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
3. American Goldfinch (v)
4. Black-billed Magpie*
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Northern Flicker** (v)
7. Pine Siskin (v)
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Downy Woodpecker
10. Juniper Titmouse (v)
11. Dark-eyed Junco
12. Northern Pygmy Owl‡
Elsewhere
13. House Sparrow
14. European Starling
15. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
Red Squirrel (v)
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
‡Lifer
Tags: American goldfinch, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, downy woodpecker, European starling, house finch, juniper titmouse, mountain cottontail, mourning dove, northern flicker, northern pygmy owl, pine siskin, rd squirrel, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
