The trail was quiet this nippy morning. The quietest I can recall, in fact. Five species for most of it (mostly subtle vocalizations), and a few more on the lower trail at the end. Just a couple chickadees and magpies in the high places.
Saw a cottontail and a couple of deer. Spied footprints of both those species, plus coyote—and, of course, human and dog.
Seems like kind of a silent in-between time, these days after the solstice.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:48 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Black-billed Magpie*
3. House Finch**
4. Rock Pigeon
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Pine Siskin (v)
7. Dark-eyed Junco
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
Elsewhere
9. European Starling
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, European starling, house finch, mountain cottontail, mule deer, pine siskin, rock pigeon, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub-jay
