We got to the trailhead about ten minutes later this morning than usual. By design, kind of. I wondered if a later start might lead to more action than a hike mostly in the mountain shade.
Right away, the action was pretty great—within about five minutes, I had several species, including a nuthatch, two titmice, a Mountain Chickadee, and a female Downy Woodpecker (later found the male in his usual patch). But then things settled down for much of the rest of the hike.
Until the last hundred yards or so, which brought a flurry of activity: juncos, a Cooper’s Hawk, a singing Townsend’s Solitaire, and two finch species.
Honestly, I doubt the later start had anything to do with it. Still a fun day, though.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:40 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
2. Juniper Titmouse
3. Black-billed Magpie*
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. Mountain Chickadee
6. House Finch (v)
7. Downy Woodpecker
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jayl
9. Northern Flicker
10. Spotted Towhee
11. Dark-eyed Junco
12. Cooper’s Hawk
13. Townsend’s Solitaire
14. American Goldfinch (v)
15. Pine Siskin (v)
Mammals
Red Squirrel (v)
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: American goldfinch, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, cooper's hawk, dark-eyed unco, downy woodpecker, house finch, juniper titmouse, mountain chickadee, northern flicker, pine siskin, red squirrel, red-breasted nuthatch, spotted towhee, Townsend’s solitaire, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
