Dog and I were the only ones of our species on the trails this early morning—much earlier than in recent days, thanks to my contrary reaction to the ridiculousness that is Daylight Saving Time. Thought I might see a cottontail, and I did. Didn’t think about deer, since the snow had mostly melted away, but we surprised a couple-three of them also. We walk slowly and quietly, though, and they did not run away.
Deer are a peripheral blessing in this patch. No elk this winter, but deer are plentiful and dependable. So different from the whitetails from back east, but I’ve really grown to love Mule Deer.
The other highlight of this morning’s stroll began with a little gang of chickadees hollering at something. I could tell they were mad enough to mob whatever it was, so we took a little detour—and I glimpsed the object of their obsession: a very, very small raptor of some kind, which flitted away before I could get a good look. (Twice.) About the size of a robin, or smaller.
(I suspect it was my third sighting of the Northern Pygmy Owl, but I cannot be sure.)
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:39 a.m. (8:39 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Spotted Towhee
2. American Robin**
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
5. House Finch*
6. Northern Flicker (v)
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Dark-eyed Junco
9. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
10. Tiny raptor (Pygmy Owl?)
11. Rock Pigeon*
12. Mourning Dove
Elsewhere
13. Song Sparrow (v)
14. California Gull
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
Mule Deer
Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, California gull, dark-eyed junco, house finch, lesser goldfinch, mountain coettontail, mourning dove, mule deer, northern flicker, red squirrel, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, unidentified tiny raptor (Pygmy Owl?), Woodhouse’s scrub jay
