
The Whitening has come later this winter than last. Only about three inches of snow fell overnight, but it had the effect of thoroughly blanketing the landscape—for a time. Because rising temps and afternoon soon took care of much of it by nightfall.
Heard the usual birds, saw a few. Plenty of animal tracks—three or four being coyotes’. Also spotted a couple deer this morning. No elk yet, though. (My first sightings last year were a week or ten days earlier—I looked it up.) We were first up the trail, dog and I, and alone until near the end of our hike.
The only bird species that decided to pose today was Dark-eyed Junco. Snowbirds don’t mind snow.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:39 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch** (v)
2. American Robin (v)
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
4. Northern Flicker
5. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
6. Dark-eyed Junco
7. Spotted Towhee
8. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
9. Rock Pigeon*
10. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
Elsewhere
11. Song Sparrow (v)
12. Eurasian Collared-dove
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, lesser goldfinch, mule deer, northern flicker, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay