A nippy, breezy, overcast morning became a snow-showery morning about the time Captain Jack and I headed up to the trailhead. The gentle snow persisted through about three-quarters of our hike, lending it a pleasing sort of wintry ambience.
I’m serious. It was pretty cool.
Even cooler was the fact that I didn’t—as I expected I would—strike out on bird photos. Somehow I managed a couple: 1) a pair of Dark-eyed Juncos (“snowbirds”), 2) a rare Northern Flicker who was not camera shy.
(Also, we were the only human and dog up there, which was cool.)
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9:11 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch (v)
2. Black-billed Magpie**
3. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
4. Northern Flicker
5. Rock Pigeon*
6. Spotted Towhee
7. Dark-eyed Junco
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
9. American Robin**
10. Song Sparrow (v)
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-cappd chickadee, dark-eyed junco, house finch, northern flicker, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
