The clouds parted this morning, and the birds began to sing. Seriously—singing birds included finches, chickadees, Song Sparrow, and Townsend’s Solitaire.
The solitaire’s song was of the whispered variety. I saw its source perching on a juniper up the deer trail (which was crisscrossed by hoof tracks, I might note), and the bird entertained me for quite a little while—changing perches, poking through a bit of snow to gulp down juniper berries. The finches and chickadees simply know the photoperiod is lengthening (I figure) and so are getting antsy to find a date.
And sparrow lives in the geenery along the fence below my deck. I especially loved listening to its bright, hopeful tune.
(I’ve got a thing about Song Sparrows—and, of course solitaires.)
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:52 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie**
2. House Finch*
3. American Robin** (v)
4. Spotted Towhee
5. Black-capped Chickadee*
6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
7. Northern Flicker* (v)
8. Rock Pigeon*
9. Song Sparrow* (v)
10. Townsend’s Solitaire
11. Dark-eyed Junco*
Elsewhere
12. House Sparrow (v)
13. European Starling
14. Eurasian Collared-dove
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, house finch, house sparrow, northern flicker, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Townsend’s solitaire, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
