Cloudless, nippy, bracing morning. Got to the trailhead a bit late today, but still got a glimpse of a Cooper’s Hawk in flight right out of the pickup. Many more numbers than yesterday (though no Downy Woodpecker).
Most exciting to yours truly was a flock of 15 Cassin’s Finches in the Russian olive trees above the little old lime quarry. [Aside: thanks to an email from a local friend, I got confirmation that the hole at the bluff was, in fact, a quarry until about a hundred years ago—name of Monarch Quarry.]
All in all, a lovely hike, a lovely day. The year 2020 is nearly over.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9:06 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Cooper’s Hawk
2. House Finch (v)
3. Black-billed Magpie (v)
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. Rock Pigeon
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Northern Flicker
8. Dark-eyed Junco
9. Spotted Towhee
10. Cassin’s Finch
11. California Quail (v)
Elsewhere
12. American Robin (v)
Mammals
Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billd magpie, black-capped chickadee, California quail, Cassin’s finch, cooper's hawk, dark-eyed junco, house finch, northern flicker, red squirrel, rock pigeon, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
