This morning’s hike with dog under dramatic, semi-overcast skies was very quiet. Few birds beyond the trailhead other than towhees and juncos and scrub-jays, and no daily Downy Woodpecker for the second straight day. But again we took a stroll down the lower trail, where birds were busy and abundant, thanks to residential feeding stations, I’m pretty sure.
Noteworthy to me were several Cassin’s Finches. I’m still getting to know these birds, learning to ID them, to tell them apart from House Finches and such. But today a few cooperative individuals perched for me. Also had a Mourning Dove down there.
But the most amazing moment came later, when I stepped out onto my back deck to watch what looked like a couple sparrows chasing each other. As I stood there, unmoving, a Spotted Towhee flitted up onto the railing not three feet away and perched for a second or two, its eyes seeming to look me up and down. I had my camera but didn’t budge. I knew it would fly. And just having that little bird (they look smaller close up, for some reason) so near thrilled me immeasurably.
(Sorry I didn’t get a photo.)
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:47 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
3. House Finch*
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
5. Rock Pigeon*
6. American Goldfinch (v)
7. Spotted Towhee*
8. Dark-eyed Junco*
9. Pine Siskin (v)
10. Cassin’s Finch
11. Mourning Dove
12. Song Sparrow* (v)
Elsewhere
13. Eurasian Collared-dove
Mammals
Red squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American goldfinch, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, Cassin’s finch, dark-eyed junco, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, mourning dove, pine siskin, red squirrel, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
